Marcus Aurelius Meditations
Marcus Aurelius: When thou seest Satyro, think of…
When thou seest Satyro, think of Socraticus and Eutyches, or Hymen, and when Euphrates, think of Eutychio, and Sylvanus, when Alciphron, of Tropaeophorus, when Xenophon, of Crito, or Severus.
The passage follows a public-domain translation of Meditations. The reading beside it is ours.
Marcus kept names in mind as reminders of the people who shaped him. For us, this can be a useful practice of moral memory. When you see a certain kind of person or face a familiar situation, call to mind someone who modeled the response you want. A patient grandparent when you are tempted to snap. A brave friend when you are avoiding a hard conversation. A thoughtful teacher when the room gets loud. We are not self-made, and we do not have to invent every good habit from scratch. The examples we carry with us can steady us long after those people have left the room—or even left the world. Choose them carefully, because your mind is always taking notes on somebody. Today, make a small inner council of two or three people whose character you trust, and ask what they would notice here.
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