Marcus Aurelius Meditations
Marcus Aurelius: Let opinion be taken away, and no man…
Let opinion be taken away, and no man will think himself wronged. If no man shall think himself wronged, then is there no more any such thing as wrong. That which makes not man himself the worse, cannot make his life the worse, neither can it hurt him either inwardly or outwardly. It was expedient in nature that it should be so, and therefore necessary.
The passage follows a public-domain translation of Meditations. The reading beside it is ours.
Other people can take money, opportunities, praise, or comfort. They cannot make you dishonest, cowardly, or cruel without your cooperation. That is the distinction Marcus wants us to protect. We often call every inconvenience an injury, then give the offender power over our whole inner life. But the event and the verdict are different. Being passed over hurts; deciding it has made you worthless is an added judgment. Someone’s rude behavior is real; becoming spiteful in return is optional. This does not require denying injustice or refusing to seek redress. It means refusing to let an external wrong dictate your character. Today, when you feel wronged, ask: What happened, what response is available, and what part of this suffering comes from the story I am telling myself?
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