Tag Archives: Marcus Aurelius

Examine men’s ruling principles, even those of the wise, what kind of things they avoid, and what kind they pursue.

Posted on 8 August 2016 by philosiblog

Examine men’s ruling principles, even those of the wise, what kind of things they avoid, and what kind they pursue. – Marcus Aurelius What does that mean? To me, this is about choosing friends, acquaintances and associates. It asks who … Continue reading →

Posted in action, examine, friendship, principle, value, wisdom | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

It is not death that a man should fear, but he should fear never beginning to live.

Posted on 2 June 2016 by philosiblog

It is not death that a man should fear, but he should fear never beginning to live. – Marcus Aurelius What does that mean? While this appears to be an interesting German to English translation, the core of the quote … Continue reading →

Posted in fear, limits, listening, live, question, reflection | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

The best revenge is to be unlike the one who performed the injustice.

Posted on 14 March 2016 by philosiblog

The best revenge is to be unlike the one who performed the injustice. – Marcus Aurelius What does that mean? This quote is translated in many forms, including “The best revenge is not to be like your enemy.” which is … Continue reading →

Posted in dignity, habits, justice, learning, resistance, self-esteem | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

To the wise, life is a problem; to the fool, a solution.

Posted on 11 January 2016 by philosiblog

To the wise, life is a problem; to the fool, a solution. – Marcus Aurelius What does that mean? To me, and my understanding of Stoicism, a closer translation of problem might well be puzzle or challenge. Stoics take the … Continue reading →

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

Posted on 14 December 2015 by philosiblog

Everything we hear is an opinion, not a fact. Everything we see is a perspective, not the truth. – Marcus Aurelius What does that mean? The quote urges us to consider that what others say is their opinion, not fact. … Continue reading →

Posted in forgiveness, friendship, listening, observation, perspective | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

My mind is an infinity of possibilities. This can be good or bad, but the choice is mine.

Posted on 3 December 2015 by philosiblog

My mind is an infinity of possibilities. This can be good or bad, but the choice is mine. – Marcus Aurelius What does that mean? While this quote is a bit of a paraphrasing of a very large paragraph, it … Continue reading →

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It is not fit that I should give myself pain, for I have never intentionally given pain even to another.

Posted on 1 October 2015 by philosiblog

It is not fit that I should give myself pain, for I have never intentionally given pain even to another. – Marcus Aurelius What does that mean? Inflicting pain on others. The vast majority of us do not do inflict … Continue reading →

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

Posted on 21 September 2015 by philosiblog

How much time he gains who does not look to see what his neighbor says or does or thinks. – Marcus Aurelius What does that mean? This is a shorter, Twiter-friendly version of a passage from his book Meditations regarding … Continue reading →

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Nowhere can man find a quieter or more untroubled retreat than in his own soul.

Posted on 7 September 2015 by philosiblog

Nowhere can man find a quieter or more untroubled retreat than in his own soul. – Marcus Aurelius What does that mean? To me, this quote is a bit of a double edged sword. If your soul (to me, this … Continue reading →

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About death: Whether it is a dispersion, or a resolution into atoms, or annihilation, it is either extinction or change.

Posted on 31 March 2014 by philosiblog

About death: Whether it is a dispersion, or a resolution into atoms, or annihilation, it is either extinction or change. – Marcus Aurelius What does that mean? Well, that’s pretty straightforward. You either cease to exist, or you change into … Continue reading →

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The universe is change; life is what thinking makes of it.

Posted on 13 March 2014 by philosiblog

The universe is change; life is what thinking makes of it. – Marcus Aurelius What does that mean? This quote is about how life works, and one way of looking at it. Change happens. There is no way around it, … Continue reading →

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Be like the promontory against which the waves continually break, but it stands firm and tames the fury of the water around it.

Posted on 5 March 2014 by philosiblog

Be like the promontory against which the waves continually break, but it stands firm and tames the fury of the water around it. – Marcus Aurelius What does that mean? This is about being the rock in the storm. It … Continue reading →

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You have power over your mind – not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength.

Posted on 25 September 2013 by philosiblog

You have power over your mind – not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength. – Marcus Aurelius What does that mean? This quote is about finding a fundamental truth of life. While many quotes focus on happiness coming … Continue reading →

Posted in belief, choice, decision, strength, thinking, value | Tagged , , , , | 10 Comments

To refrain from imitation is the best revenge.

Posted on 27 August 2013 by philosiblog

To refrain from imitation is the best revenge. – Marcus Aurelius What does that mean? Another classically brief quote. But it is packed with meaning. It is talking about revenge and how to best achieve it. However, it doesn’t say to … Continue reading →

Posted in accomplishment, conscience, discipline, resistance, setting an example, strength | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

A man should be upright, not be kept upright.

Posted on 13 August 2013 by philosiblog

A man should be upright, not be kept upright. – Marcus Aurelius What does that mean? At it’s heart, this quote is about a person and their character. It is a reminder that what we are on the inside is … Continue reading →

Posted in advice, belief, decision, integrity, setting an example, value | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments