The Inner Citadel: The Meditations of Marcus Aurelius

“Is thinking about bad stuff morbid? No, this is a way of valuing good, living in the present.”

— Pierre Hadot, amazon.com

“Stop spinning around like a top... Whenever a representation presents itself, confine yourself to what corresponds exactly to reality.”

— Pierre Hadot, amazon.com

“Objectivity is a virtue and one that is very difficult to practice.”

— Pierre Hadot, amazon.com

“[Marcus Aurelius] used people for the tasks they excelled at and praised them for it. Used to say it was impossible to make men as we would like them to be but was fitting to use them where they were useful.”

— Pierre Hadot, Cassius Dio, amazon.com

“My intentions were good and that's what counts.”

— Pierre Hadot, amazon.com

“[Failure allows us] this opportunity to undertake a new action, better adapted to circumstances or else to discipline out of desire by accepting the will of destiny.”

— Pierre Hadot, amazon.com

“At each instant, the good person tries to what it seems to him in a reasonable conformity with that which reason wants.”

— Pierre Hadot, amazon.com

“Even if an obstacle should arise, action makes it a new source of exercises.”

— Pierre Hadot, amazon.com

“We must not allow ourselves to be troubled by vain desires to do the impossible.”

— Pierre Hadot, amazon.com

“Do what you must; let happen what may.”

— Pierre Hadot, amazon.com

“Firm decision and intention always remain integral, even if an obstacle should arise which prevents their realization.”

— Pierre Hadot, amazon.com

“Firm perseverance in decisions which are taken after mature reflection.”

— Marcus Aurelius, amazon.com

“He undertakes everything with a reverse clause... in his most steadfast decisions, he allows for uncertain events.”

— Pierre Hadot, amazon.com

“We must not only put up with it, but love it.”

— Pierre Hadot, amazon.com