Quote
Catalog

Marcus Aurelius

50 quotesPhilosopher · Born Apr 26, 121 · Died Mar 17, 180 · Ancient Rome · Male

Marcus Aurelius (/ɔːˈriːliəs/; Latin: Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Augustus; 26 April 121 – 17 March 180 AD) was Emperor of Rome from 161 to 180. He ruled with Lucius Verus as co-emperor from 161 until Verus' death in 169. Marcus Aurelius was the last of the so-called Five Good Emperors. He was a practitioner of Stoicism, and his untitled writing, commonly known as Meditations, is the most significant source of the modern understanding of ancient Stoic philosophy, and although it is not as well-known as Plato's Dialogues or Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics, the Meditations is nevertheless considered by many commentators one of the greatest works of philosophy. During his reign, the Roman Empire defeated a revitalized Parthian Empire in the East: Aurelius' general Avidius Cassius sacked the capital Ctesiphon in 164. In central Europe, Aurelius fought the Marcomanni, Quadi, and Sarmatians with success during the Marcomannic Wars, although the threat of the Germanic tribes began to represent a troubling reality for the Empire. A revolt in the East led by Avidius Cassius failed to gain momentum and was suppressed immediately. Aurelius' Meditations, written in Greek while on campaign between 170 and 180, is still revered as a literary monument to a philosophy of service and duty, describing how to find and preserve equanimity, a state of psychological stability and composure, in the midst of conflict by following nature as a source of guidance and inspiration. 2Sources The major sources for the life and rule of Marcus Aurelius are patchy and frequently unreliable. The most important group of sources, the biographies contained in the Historia Augusta, claim to be written by a group of authors at the turn of the 4th century AD, but are in fact written by a single author (referred to here as "the biographer") from the later 4th century (

All Amor fati (6)Impressions (5)Life (4)Future (4)The Art of Awareness (3)Living (3)How To Think (3)Happiness (2)emperor (2)Persistance (2)Overthinking (2)present (2)Philosophy (2)Perspective (1)Think (1)

From “The Meditations”

To be like the rock that the waves keep crashing over. It stands, unmoved and the raging of the sea still around it.

Persevere

'Remember that our efforts are subject to circumstances; you weren't aiming to do the impossible.' 'Aiming to do what, then?' 'To try. And you succeeded. What you set out to do is accomplished.'

Meditations

From “Meditations”

The impediment to action advances action. What stands in the way becomes the way.

Success Motivational Advice Empower Yourself

Don’t waste the rest of your time here worrying about other people—unless it affects the common good. It will keep you from doing anything useful. You’ll be too preoccupied with what so-and-so is doing, and why, and what they’re saying, and what they’re thinking, and what they’re up to, and all the…

Overthinking Worrying Distractions Focus On The Positive

From “The Life You Were Born to Live”

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

harmony Peace Self-Acceptance Living in peace

From “Marcus Aurelius”

Never let the future disturb you. You will meet it, if you have to, with the same weapons of reason which today arm you against the present.

Future Overthinking present

From “Born in the Purple”

Marcus Aurelius: When I die, you’re going to be sole emperor of Rome. Commodus: I’m not ready. Marcus Aurelius: Well you’ll have to be, because even when you’ve taken the throne, they’ll come for you.

Roman Empire History historical emperor Ruler

From “Gladiator”

Commodus: I search the faces of the gods…for ways to please you, to make you proud. One kind word, one full hug… where you pressed me to your chest and held me tight. Would have been like the sun on my heart for a thousand years. What is it in me that you hate so much? Marcus Aurelius: Shh,…

gods Appeasement Hate caesar

Marcus Aurelius: Are you ready to do your duty for Rome? Commodus: Yes, father. Marcus Aurelius: You will not be emperor. Commodus: Which wiser, older man is to take my place? Marcus Aurelius: My powers will pass to Maximus, to hold in trust until the Senate is ready to rule once more. Rome is to be…

Rome Duty emperor Wisdom Devotion

Commodus: Have I missed it? Have I missed the battle? [Commodus embraces him] Marcus Aurelius: You have missed the war. Commodus: Father, congratulations. I shall sacrifice a hundred bulls to honor your triumph. Marcus Aurelius: Save the bulls. Honor Maximus. He won the battle.

Battle War Bulls Triumph

WM W KM W KK M M W W W W &WW WWW& WWW W MM WM W WWW K M WMW WWM WWW WWWW WWM WWW WWW WW WWWW &W& WWW W W W WWW KWWW W W W W &W W W W W WWK WW K&W MW W W& WW W KW WK W W WWKWW K&W W W WM W KMW WWW W MW W W W& W W W WW W& W W W MW W W W W W WW W WW M W W WW WW W W WM W W WK W WW W W W W W& W MW W W W& W WW W & K M &WK K M WMK MW& WW MW WM & KWM KW & W W KW K K & K W& K W& WWK W& K & W & & M W&M& &M KM K & WW K KW& & KW KM WM&& && W KM && WK K M KWW W M K K& && K& M M& WW &W W W WW WW KW W W K WM W W W& W W W W W WW & WW WW W W W WK WW W W W&WK MW K W W& W K K W& MW W W MW &W W W WW M W W WK W&&W W WW W W W M WW WW W W W& W W W W W &W WK W W M W W W W W WWW KW WWWWW W W W W & MM W W & WM WK W W WKKM WW W WWWW KWWW WWWK WWWW W W W KWWW M WWW & W &WWW W WWW WWWW & W WWW W K& W MWKW WWW KK W WWW &K WWWW W WWW WWWW WW WMW WW & W WW W MWWM W W WW WMWWW WM &W W WK W&WW MW&WW WWMW WK W& W WMWW WW&W WW&W& KWKW W&WW WMWWWWW WWKW WMWW WW&W W&MW WMMW WKWW MW W & W KW W W W& KW WWK &WK&W MM W W &W WW WM& WM W&KW W W WMW W W W W W WKKMKW& W W MMKWK&W W MMWW&&W WW W W WWWW W WWWW &W W WW WMWW K WW W WWWW WW WW WWWW W&MW WK KW KW&W WMWM W W W MW&W WWWW W WW WMWW WWWW WMWM WW W W WW W W W W W KM W W WWW W WWWW MWWW WW WWWW WWW& WWW W W KWWW WWW WWWW WWWW WWW& WWW WW KM W WWWW W &W W W WWWW WWW &WW WWWW KWWW W WW W W W W WW W W W &W&&W W W W W WW& K&WW W W W W &&W W W &W W &KW W &W W WM W W WW&WW WW W&&W M&W W WK W WWKWW W W W W&KW W M W W& W W W W MW &W W W &W W W W W W W W MW W W W MW WW W W WW WW W W W W W W M K &W KM & W && & & K& & & & & K & & W & MK K& &K M M &WK MM W K KKK &KK&K KK &&MMMM&&&&&&&MMMMMMMM&&&&M&&&&K&&M WWWWWWW &KW K W K KKKKKK&&K K K KMWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW WWWWWWK WWWWK MWW &M&&KMMM&KKKKKKK KWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW KWK KW WWWWW MWM&W

* * } } } } * } * } } } } } } } } * } } } } * } * } } } * }} } * } }} } * * } } * } } } } } * } } }} } } } } } } } } } }} } } } } } } } } * } } } } } } } } * } * } * * } * * } } } } * } * * * } } } * } } } } } } * } } * } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } * * } } } * }} } } * } **}}} }***}}}}}*}*}*}}}}}}}*}}}}}} }} } }}}}}}}*}}}}}}}}} }}}}}}}}}}}}}} } }} } }}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}} } }}}

o V j o U j j j j o U U o j U o o U V o U o U o o j o o Uj U Uo U V o U j Uo UU j U o U j UjU o o o oUo j j U o j UV jU o oV Uj o o U UV U oU oo U V U oo UVj o j o U j jV Vj Vj j jU UU j U j j U V U j U U U U o j oV j oV j j V V U Vj oj U VU oj j V U V V Vj V jV U j V U UU j V U VU V j U j UU j j o V U V V V VVV o V VU j j VU j o U V VV V U V V V oV U U V o V UV o V j U U VV j U V jo j j j j ojjjo U j U UV o j o U V V o o U U j j o U V o jVj U U V j j jV j o o V j jU o o U V V V j U U U U V o V V o U j o U j U U o o U U U V o o V V oj VU Vj VU Uo j U V jj o U V V U jU U o o V oj UU j V UU V o j o o V U j j oU U jV U o o jU o jV U o U V jV j oU o jo oU o jj j o V j o o oU UU UVVUUUUVoU U VVUVUUVVUVUVVjj Uj U j jj jjjjj j jU UUVUU VVU UU VoV jjjV j j jjooojjj jjjjj jUjjj VjjjjoV jj jj jjjjjjjj jjjjjjjj jjjjj

W & M M M & M M & & K M & K & M K K K &M M M K &K & KW K & W & M & K K W W W M W & K K K K K M K M & K K K KM& M M W K WM &&& &WWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWM K WW W WWWMWWWWWWWWWW&WWWWW&WWWWWWWWWK WWW WK K M&W&WWMWWW WW& KWWWW MWWWW WWMM MM&MWWWW KK & WWWW MWWW MMK&K & WWW& &WWWWW WWWM M KM K K& KM& KMWWW WWWWWWWK K WWWWWMW & &WW& KMMM& K&K&MK WWWWWWWW WWWWWWWW&W KKM WKMKMM&&WMK&M&WWWM & WWWWWWWW& WWWWWWWWM MWKK K K &WWM M MM&KKW& &WWWWWWWWW WWWWWWWWWMKW W MWMKKK W WW WWWWWWWWWW WWWWWWWWW && &W WWW &MMWWWWWW MWWWWWWWWWM KWMWM M W KWWWWM WWWWWWW K&WWWK K KWW MK WWWWWM WWW W W WWW WWWW &WM MWW WWK & WWW WWWK WM

, , , : . . , : , ., . : :: ,, : : , , : . , : , : ,,...,,,,,,,,,::, , .,,,,,:,::::::,.,, , . , ,,,,,,.,,,,.,,. . : ., . ........,... :: : ,,.,,. . ....... , : . .,,,,,:. ....... : ,::: ,, ...... : :: ,,:,:, , .... . ,:,,, :, .:.. .. ,::. : : : .:. ., : . : :, ..,,:..,: :. ,. :.. , ,:::, ,,, : . . :.,,: . ,,,. , ,,.. ., , . , :,:,,. ,: . . . ,, :::::.,.. , : .. . ,. .

}<} * < *~ } }< **<*~*~ * *< }~}} <* } < * < < ~ * *}*** ~* }} * *} ~ < } < < ~ * } < * } } } } } }~ ~ < * } } } ~ ~ } <~ } * }}}} } } ~} } } }*} } * }* < }<< }} * * ** } < * < *~}*} } < * * } * * } <*~~ <*}<*<<<<~< }}}< }} ~~ } ~ * < } } ~ <} ** <~ ~ < ~ < ~~ <} * < } ~ <~~ < ~~ ~ <* } * <<~ < ~ * < < } ~ < ~ <~ } ~ * < } ~* < ~~ ~~~ } < ~ * ~ * <<<<~ ~ * ~ } ~ <*~<~~ }* * } ~<<~~~ < ~ } * < ~ <<<< ~* ~* * <

o o Vj o o j VV V o o j UjUoVVUUU U VV V VVV Uo j UUjooj U oU jVV j o V j U V o j oo V oU jo j j j U o j o UjU j UUUoVo UVo jjo ooVojVU VUo o V U oV jo oUUj V o U oj Uj o jo U j UVojU jjj Vj o U Vo UU V ooooUj jVjooj o o j oj VV jV V UVo V o VV jjVo Ujo Ujj o Ujo Vjo V Uoj U o V V Vj o j j jo V oV V o j ojojj j V j o Vo j VUVVVUUUUUUU V V o VVV o U j V V V oV U o j j o UU UU V j V o o U VU V j o UU V j VU V j UU Vo V o V j j U U U U U o VjU U U j Uj VU jU o jUUo j U V UU U U U Voj j o UUV U U U V UU j o V

Related People