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Quote by Marcus Aurelius

“The gods have provided me with clear and compelling signs of what it means to live in conformity to nature. They did their part. So far as their gifts, aid, and inspiration are concerned, nothing prevented me from following the path prescribed by nature. If from time to time I have strayed from this path, the fault lies with me and with my failure to heed the gods' signs, or rather, their explicit instructions.”

Book:The Emperor's Handbook: A New Translation of The Meditations

Work

The Emperor's Handbook: A New Translation of The Meditations

This book presents a new translation of Marcus Aurelius' philosophical writings, known as The Meditations. The text explores the Stoic principles and personal reflections of the Roman Emperor, providing a contemporary perspective on ancient wisdom. more

Author

Marcus Aurelius

Marcus Aurelius, born in 121 AD and died in 180 AD, was an emperor of the Roman Empire. He is one of the Five Good Emperors and is known for his philosophical thoughts and the stability of his reign. He was not only an outstanding politician but also a famous Stoic philosopher, whose work 'Meditations' has had a profound impact on later generations. more

“Outward objects cannot take hold of the soul, nor force their passage into her, nor set any of her wheels going. No, the impression comes from herself, and it is her own motions which affect her. As for the contingencies of fortune, they are either great or little, according to the opinion she has of her own strength.”

Littles Soul Force Opinion Objects Fortune Impression Wheels Passages Contingency

Book:The Meditations of Marcus Aurelius

Source: The Meditations of Marcus Aurelius

“Time is a kind of river, an irresistible flood sweeping up men and events and carrying them headlong, one after the other, to the great sea of being.”

Men Kind Sea Events Rivers Flood Irresistible Sweeping

Book:The Emperor's Handbook: A New Translation of The Meditations

Source: The Emperor's Handbook: A New Translation of The Meditations

“The controlling Intelligence understands its own nature, and what it does, and whereon it works.”

Doe

Author:Marcus Aurelius

“My being consists of matter and form, that is, of soul and body; annihilation will reach neither of them, for they were never produced out of nothing. The consequence is, that every part of me will serve to make something in the world; and this again will change into another part through an infinite succession of change. This constant method of alteration gave me my being, and my father before me, and so on to eternity backward: for I think I may speak thus, even though the world be confined within certain determinate periods.”