Quotes by Marcus Aurelius

"Take away your opinion, and then there is taken away the complaint, “I have been harmed.” Take away the complaint, “I have been harmed,” and the harm is taken away."

"Waste no more time arguing what a good man should be. Be one."

"Nothing is evil which is according to nature."

"Nothing happens to any man which he is not formed by nature to bear."

"“A cucumber is bitter.” Throw it away. “There are briars in the road.” Turn aside from them. This is enough. Do not add, “And why were such things made in the world?”"

"Is any man afraid of change? Why what can take place without change? What then is more pleasing or more suitable to the universal nature?"

"Some things are hurrying into existence, and others are hurrying out of it; and of that which is coming into existence part is already extinguished."

"He who lives in harmony with himself lives in harmony with the universe."

"Let it be your constant method to look into the design of people's actions, and see what they would be at, as often as it is practicable; and to make this custom the more significant, practice it first upon yourself."

"The secret of all victory lies in the organization of the non-obvious."

"A noble man compares and estimates himself by an idea which is higher than himself; and a mean man, by one lower than himself. The one produces aspiration; the other ambition, which is the way in which a vulgar man aspires."

"Time is a sort of river of passing events, and strong is its current; no sooner is a thing brought to sight than it is swept by and another takes its place, and this too will be swept away."

"Confine yourself to the present."

"Very little is needed to make a happy life; it is all within yourself, in your way of thinking."

"Begin - to begin is half the work, let half still remain again begin this, and thou wilt have finished."

"Everything we hear is an opinion, not a fact. Everything we see is a perspective, not the truth."

"Time is a sort of river of passing events, and strong is its current no sooner is a thing brought to sight than it is swept by and another takes its place, and this too will be swept away."

"How much time he saves who does not look to see what his neighbor says or does or thinks."

"Forward, as occasion offers. Never look round to see whether any shall note it... Be satisfied with success in even the smallest matter, and think that even such a result is no trifle."

"Because your own strength is unequal to the task, do not assume that it is beyond the powers of man but if anything is within the powers and province of man, believe that it is within your own compass also."