Feeling
Loneliness
Stoic passages for loneliness, each with a modern reading you can use today.
- Diogenes Laertius When a young man spoke foolishly, Zeno told him: ‘We have two ears and one mouth so that we may listen twice as much…
- Epictetus Do not cling so tightly to old companions that they pull you downward. Choose: remain as you were and be liked, or…
- Epictetus Duties are universally measured by relations. Is anyone a father? If so, it is implied that the children should take…
- Epictetus In company, do not dwell too often or at length on your achievements and misfortunes; your own stories delight you…
- Epictetus When you eat with another, then, remember not only the value of those things which are set before you to the body, but…
- Epictetus When you see anyone weeping in grief because his son has gone abroad, or is dead, or because he has suffered in his…
- Marcus Aurelius A branch is cut off by another, but he that hates and is averse, cuts himself off from his neighbour, and knows not…
- Marcus Aurelius Dig within yourself: there is a spring of goodness there, ready to flow whenever you continue digging.
- Marcus Aurelius Do not be ashamed to need assistance. You have a duty like a soldier at the wall; if you are hurt and cannot climb…
- Marcus Aurelius Ever to mind and consider with thyself; how all things that now are, have been heretofore much after the same sort,…
- Marcus Aurelius Have I done anything charitably? then am I benefited by it. See that this upon all occasions may present itself unto…
- Marcus Aurelius He that knoweth not what the world is, knoweth not where he himself is. And he that knoweth not what the world was…
- Marcus Aurelius Human joy lies in proper human activity: kindness toward others, resistance to mere appetite, trustworthy judgment,…
- Marcus Aurelius Let this be thy only joy, and thy only comfort, from one sociable kind action without intermission to pass unto…
- Marcus Aurelius Let this then be thy first ground, that thou art part of that universe, which is governed by nature. Then secondly,…
- Marcus Aurelius Man, God, the world, every one in their kind, bear some fruits. All things have their proper time to bear. Though by…
- Marcus Aurelius Meditate often upon the connection of all things in the world; and upon the mutual relation that they have one unto…
- Marcus Aurelius Not only now henceforth to have a common breath, or to hold correspondency of breath, with that air, that compasseth…
- Marcus Aurelius Nothing is more wretched than a wolf posing as a sheep. Flee false friendship. If you are good, candid, and…
- Marcus Aurelius O my soul, the time I trust will be, when thou shalt be good, simple, single, more open and visible, than that body by…
- Marcus Aurelius Of Alexander the Platonic, not often nor without great necessity to say, or to write to any man in a letter, 'I am not…
- Marcus Aurelius Of all unreasonable creatures, there is but one unreasonable soul; and of all that are reasonable, but one reasonable…
- Marcus Aurelius Of Catulus, not to contemn any friend's expostulation, though unjust, but to strive to reduce him to his former…
- Marcus Aurelius Of him also, to observe a constant tenor, (not interrupted, with any other cares and distractions,) in the study and…
- Marcus Aurelius Reflect often on how all things are connected and depend on one another. They are woven together, each following…
- Marcus Aurelius That I have had such a brother, who by his own example might stir me up to think of myself; and by his respect and…
- Marcus Aurelius That rational essence by which the universe is governed, is for community and society; and therefore hath it both made…
- Marcus Aurelius That which most men would think themselves most happy for, and would prefer before all things, if the Gods would grant…
- Marcus Aurelius The Gods themselves are good unto such; yea and in some things, (as in matter of health, of wealth, of honour,) are…
- Marcus Aurelius The joy that thou takest in the exercise of bounty, is not yet grounded upon a due ratiocination and right…
- Marcus Aurelius There is but one light of the sun, though it be intercepted by walls and mountains, and other thousand objects. There…
- Marcus Aurelius There is nothing more shameful than perfidious friendship. Above all things, that must be avoided. However true…
- Marcus Aurelius To be cheerful, and to stand in no need, either of other men's help or attendance, or of that rest and tranquillity,…
- Marcus Aurelius To pierce and penetrate into the estate of every one's understanding that thou hast to do with: as also to make the…
- Marcus Aurelius Use thyself when any man speaks unto thee, so to hearken unto him, as that in the interim thou give not way to any…
- Marcus Aurelius We all work to one effect, some willingly, and with a rational apprehension of what we do: others without any such…
- Marcus Aurelius What Socrates answered unto Perdiccas, why he did not come unto him, Lest of all deaths I should die the worst kind of…
- Marcus Aurelius Whatsoever is, was made for something: as a horse, a vine. Why wonderest thou? The sun itself will say of itself, I…
- Marcus Aurelius When getting up is difficult, remember that nature made you to work with others. Even animals share sleep; our proper…
- Marcus Aurelius When thou seest Satyro, think of Socraticus and Eutyches, or Hymen, and when Euphrates, think of Eutychio, and…
- Marcus Aurelius When thou wilt comfort and cheer thyself, call to mind the several gifts and virtues of them, whom thou dost daily…
- Marcus Aurelius Who can choose but wonder at them? They will not speak well of them that are at the same time with them, and live with…
- Marcus Aurelius Whosoever thou art, thou art such, thou art cast forth I know not whither out of the general unity, which is according…
- Marcus Aurelius You will sooner find earth separated from the ground than a human being wholly apart from other people.
- Seneca Chance assigns us our parents, people say; yet we may choose the ancestors whose children we wish to be.
- Seneca Consider the truly wealthy: how often they resemble the poor. When traveling, they limit their baggage; when speed is…
- Seneca He whose object is to be of service to his countrymen and to all mortals, exercises himself and does good at the same…
- Seneca Hecato says: no herbs, potions, or spells are needed for this charm—if you want love, begin by loving.
- Seneca Hold in your bosom Novatilla, who soon will present you with great-grandchildren, she whom I had so entirely adopted…
- Seneca I will effect this cure, if possible, with your goodwill: if you disapprove of my efforts, or dislike them, then you…
- Seneca It accords with nature to love our friends and rejoice at their progress as though it were our own. Without this…
- Seneca It appears as though this plague moved in a regular orbit, and spread ruin and desolation among us all without…
- Seneca It is better to overcome grief than to trick it.
- Seneca It is to guarantee the safety of all these that Fortune has struck you in this quarter: you have many left in whom you…
- Seneca Keep a benefit as one keeps treasure buried for a time, drawing on it when needed. Nature calls us to help all people;…
- Seneca Leisure without learning is death: a living person's grave.
- Seneca Let us therefore briskly and cheerfully hasten with undaunted steps whithersoever circumstances call us: let us wander…
- Seneca Meaningful work feeds a noble mind.
- Seneca No one therefore could console you as well as he: when he speaks his words have greater weight, as though they were…
- Seneca The first of these I shall only touch upon lightly, for I know that your heart loves nothing belonging to your…
- Seneca There is, therefore, no reason for a service which is useless if it is not felt by him who is the object of it, and…
- Seneca This may be that of the Athenians or Carthaginians, or of any other city which does not belong to all men but to some…
- Seneca To sum up the matter, I ask you whether Cleanthes, Chrysippus, and Zeno lived in accordance with their doctrine? I am…
- Seneca Unable to serve in one public role, serve in another. If speech is denied, offer a quiet example. If civic duties are…
- Seneca Virtues do the same thing in the opposite direction, and improve all those with whom they are brought in contact: it…
- Seneca You cannot even say that you have been specially marked by the gods for misfortune because you have had no pleasure in…
- Seneca You have grieved at the only grief so good a son could cause you: all else is beyond the power of fortune to harm, and…
- Seneca You have no grounds for excusing yourself on the ground of being a woman, who has a sort of right to weep without…
- Seneca You lost your most affectionate uncle, a brave and excellent man, just when you were awaiting his return: and, lest…
- Seneca You must be aware that none of them know how to behave, whether to mention Drusus in your presence or not, as they…
- Seneca You never would deny me anything, and I hope, though all grief is obstinate, that you will surely not refuse me this…
- Seneca You say, “I am deprived of the embraces of my darling son, I cannot enjoy the pleasure of seeing him and of hearing…
- Seneca You will say to me, “Seneca, what are you doing? do you desert your party? I am sure that our Stoic philosophers say…
- Seneca You will show more respect for the youth himself, who well deserves that it should make you glad to speak and think of…