When any person harms you, or speaks badly of you, remember that he acts or speaks from a supposition of its being his duty. Now, it is not possible that he should follow what appears right to you, bu...
Don't explain your philosophy. Embody it.
The philosopher's school, ye men, is a surgery: you ought not to go out of it with pleasure, but with pain. For you are not in sound health when you enter.
Men are disturbed not by the things which happen, but by the opinion about the things.
Is then the fruit of a fig-tree not perfect suddenly and in one hour, and would you possess the fruit of a man's mind in so short a time and so easily?
Practice yourself in little things and thence proceed to greater.
Difficulties are things that show what men are.
Freedom is not procured by a full enjoyment of what is desired, but by controlling the desire.
Protect what belongs to you at all costs; don't desire what belongs to another.
It is possible to learn the will of nature from the things in which we do not differ from each other. For example, when someone else's little slave boy breaks his cup we are ready to say, It's one of...
In literature, too, it is not great achievement to memorize what you have read while not formulating an opinion of your own.
If a man has reported to you, that a certain person speaks ill of you, do not make any defense to what has been told you: but reply, The man did not know the rest of my faults, for he would not have m...
Ask not that events should happen as you will but let your will be that events should happen as they do and you shall have peace.
What would have become of Hercules do you think if there had been no lion, hydra, stag or boar - and no savage criminals to rid the world of? What would he have done in the absence of such challenges?...
There is no shame in making an honest effort.
Tell yourself what you want to be, then act your part accordingly.
So what oppresses and scares us? It is our own thoughts, obviously, What overwhelms people when they are about to leaves friends, family, old haunts and their accustomed way of life? Thoughts.
If you want to improve, be content to be thought foolish and stupid with regard to external things. Don't wish to be thought to know anything; and even if you appear to be somebody important to others...
Don't hope that events will turn out the way you want, welcome events in whichever way they happen: this is the path to peace.
Does anyone bathe hastily? Do not say that they do it ill, but hastily. Does anyone drink much wine? Do not say that they do ill, but that they drink a great deal. For unless you perfectly understand...