born April 26, ad 121, Rome died March 17, 180, Vindobona [Vienna], or Sirmium, Pannonia
"Some things are hurrying into existence, and others are hurrying out of it; and of that which is coming into existence part is already extinguished."
"Is any man afraid of change? Why what can take place without change? What then is more pleasing or more suitable to the universal nature?"
"“A cucumber is bitter.” Throw it away. “There are briars in the road.” Turn aside from them. This is enough. Do not add, “And why were such things made in the world?”"
"Nothing happens to any man which he is not formed by nature to bear."
"Nothing is evil which is according to nature."
"Waste no more time arguing what a good man should be. Be one."
"Take away your opinion, and then there is taken away the complaint, “I have been harmed.” Take away the complaint, “I have been harmed,” and the harm is taken away."
"Such as are your habitual thoughts, such also will be the character of your mind; for the soul is dyed by the thoughts."
"How strangely men act. They will not praise those who are living at the same time and living with themselves; but to be themselves praised by posterity, by those whom they have never seen or ever will see, this they set much value on."
"The best way of avenging yourself is not to become like the wrongdoer."
"I have often wondered how it is that every man loveshimself more than all the rest of men, but yet sets less value on his own opinion of himself than on the opinion of others."
"Everything is only for a day, both that which remembers and that which isremembered."
Marcus-Aurelius-bas-relief-depicting-his-triumphal-entry-into-RomeMarcus Aurelius, bas-relief depicting his triumphal entry into Rome in a quadriga; in the Palazzo …[Credits : Alinari/Art Resource, New York]
Bronze-equestrian-statue-of-Marcus-Aurelius-in-the-Piazza-delBronze equestrian statue of Marcus Aurelius, in the Piazza del Campidoglio, Rome, c. ad …[Credits : Alinari—Art Resource/EB Inc.]
Link to this article and share the full text with the readers of your Web site or blog-post.
If you think a reference to this article on "Marcus Aurelius (emperor of Rome)" will enhance your Web site,
blog-post, or any other web-content, then feel free to link to this article,
and your readers will gain full access to the full article, even if they do not subscribe to our service.
You may want to use the HTML code fragment provided below.
We welcome your comments. Any revisions or updates suggested for this article will be reviewed by our editorial staff. Contact us here.
Regular users of Britannica may notice that this comments feature is less robust than in the past. This is only temporary, while we make the transition to a dramatically new and richer site. The functionality of the system will be restored soon.