Marcus Aurelius: “Let these principles be enough for thee; let them always be fixed opinions.”

In the morning when thou risest unwillingly, let this thought be present,--I am rising to the work of a human being.

Throw away thy books; no longer distract thyself: it is not allowed; but as if thou wast now dying, despise the flesh; it is blood and bones and network, a contexture of nerves, veins, and arteries.

With respect to that which happens conformably to nature, we ought to blame neither gods, for they do nothing wrong either voluntarily or involuntarily, nor men, for they do nothing wrong except involuntarily.

How quickly all things disappear,--in the universe the bodies themselves, but in time the remembrance of them.