Marcus Aurelius Meditations
Marcus Aurelius: Keep thyself therefore, truly simple,…
Keep thyself therefore, truly simple, good, sincere, grave, free from all ostentation, a lover of that which is just, religious, kind, tender-hearted, strong and vigorous to undergo anything that becomes thee. Endeavour to continue such, as philosophy (hadst thou wholly and constantly applied thyself unto it) would have made, and secured thee.
The passage follows a public-domain translation of Meditations. The reading beside it is ours.
The ideal Marcus describes is not flashy: be straightforward, decent, sincere, serious when seriousness is needed, and free of performance. Be fair, compassionate, and strong enough to carry your responsibilities. This is a more demanding standard than it sounds because modern life constantly invites us to curate an image instead of develop a character. We can look principled online while being difficult at home; appear busy while avoiding meaningful work; perform kindness while needing credit for it. Philosophy, at its best, is not a collection of impressive ideas. It is training that makes you more dependable under pressure. You do not need to become a different person overnight. Choose one trait from this list and give it a real test today. Can you be honest when a lie would be easier? Kind when you are irritated? Quietly useful when no one is watching?
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