GLOSSARY
This Glossary includes all proper names (excepting a few which are
insignificant or unknown) and all obsolete or obscure words. ADRIANUS, or
Hadrian (76-138 A. D.), 14th Roman Emperor.
Agrippa, M. Vipsanius (63-12 B.C.), a distinguished soldier under
Augustus.
Alexander the Great, King of Macedonia, and Conqueror of the East, 356-323
B.C.
Antisthenes of Athens, founder of the sect of Cynic philosophers, and an
opponent of Plato, 5th century B.C Antoninus Pius, 15th Roman Emperor,
138-161 AD. one of the best princes that ever mounted a throne.
Apathia: the Stoic ideal was calmness in all circumstance an insensibility
to pain, and absence of all exaltation at, pleasure or good fortune.
Apelles, a famous painter of antiquity.
Apollonius of Alexandria, called Dyscolus, or the ‘ill-tempered,’ a great
grammarian.
Aposteme, tumour, excrescence.
Archimedes of Syracuse 287-212 B.C., the most famous mathematician of
antiquity.
Athos, a mountain promontory at the N. of the Aegean Sea.
Augustus, first Roman Emperor (ruled 31 B.C.-14 AD.).
Avoid, void.
BACCHIUS: there Were several persons of this name, and the one meant is
perhaps the musician.
Brutus (1) the liberator of the Roman people from their kings, and (2) the
murderer of Cæsar.
Both names were household words.
Cæsar, Caius, Julius, the Dictator and Conqueror.
Caieta, a town in Latium.
Camillus, a famous dictator in the early days of the Roman Republic.
Carnuntum, a town on the Danube in Upper Pannonia.
Cato, called of Utica, a Stoic who died by his own hand after the battle
of Thapsus, 46 B.C. His name was proverbial for virtue and courage.
Cautelous, cautious.
Cecrops, first legendary King of Athens.
Charax, perhaps the priestly historian of that name, whose date is
unknown, except that it must be later than Nero.
Chirurgeon, surgeon.
Chrysippus, 280-207 B.C., a Stoic philosopher, and the founder of Stoicism
as a systematic philosophy.
Circus, the Circus Maximus at Rome, where games were held. There were four
companies who contracted to provide horses, drivers, etc. These were
called Factiones, and each had its distinguishing colour: russata (red),
albata (white), veneta (blue), prasina (green). There was high rivalry
between them, and riots and bloodshed not infrequently.
Cithaeron, a mountain range N. of Attica.
Comedy, ancient; a term applied to the Attic comedy of Aristophanes and
his time, which criticised persons and politics, like a modern comic
journal, such as Punck. See New Comedy.
Compendious, short.
Conceit, opinion.
Contentation, contentment.
Crates, a Cynic philosopher of the 4th century B.C.
Crœsus, King of Lydia, proverbial for wealth; he reigned 560-546 B.C.
Cynics, a school of philosophers, founded by Antisthenes. Their texts were
a kind of caricature of Socraticism. Nothing was good but virtue, nothing
bad but vice. The Cynics repudiated all civil and social claims, and
attempted to return to what they called a state of nature. Many of them
were very disgusting in their manners.
DEMETRIUS of Phalerum, an Athenian orator, statesman, philosopher, and
poet. Born 345 B.C.
Democritus of Abdera (460-361 B.C.), celebrated as the ‘laughing
philosopher,’ whose constant thought was ‘What fools these mortals be.’ He
invented the Atomic Theory.
Dio of Syracuse, a disciple of Plato, and afterwards tyrant of Syracuse.
Murdered 353 B.C.
Diogenes, the Cynic, born about 412 B.C., renowned for his rudeness and
hardihood.
Diognetus, a painter.
Dispense with, put up with.
Dogmata, pithy sayings, or philosophical rules of life.
EMPEDOCLES of Agrigentum, fl. 5th century B.C., a philosopher, who first
laid down that there were “four elements.” He believed in the
transmigration of souls, and the indestructibility of matter.
Epictetus, a famous Stoic philosopher. He was of Phrygia, at first a
slave, then freedman, lame, poor, and contented. The work called
Encheiridion was compiled by a pupil from his discourses.
Epicureans, a sect of philosophers founded by Epicurus, who “combined the
physics of Democritus,” i.e. the atomic theory, “with the ethics of
Aristippus.”
They proposed to live for happiness, but the word did not bear that coarse
and vulgar sense originally which it soon took.
Epicurus of Samos, 342-270 B.C.
Lived at Athens in his “gardens,” an urbane and kindly, if somewhat
useless, life. His character was simple and temperate, and had none of the
vice or indulgence which was afterwards associated with the name of
Epicurean.
Eudoxus of Cnidus, a famous astronomer and physician of the 4th century B.
C.
FATAL, fated.
Fortuit, chance (adj.).
Fronto, M. Cornelius, a rhetorician and pleader, made consul in 143 A.D. A
number of his letters to M, Aur. and others are extant.
GRANUA, a tributary of the Danube.
HELICE, ancient capital city of Achaia, swallowed up by an earthquake, 373
B.C.
Helvidius Priscus, son-in-law of Thrasea Paetus, a noble man and a lover
of liberty. He was banished by Nero, and put to death by Vespasian.
Heraclitus of Ephesus, who lived in the 6th century B.C. He wrote on
philosophy and natural science.
Herculaneum, near Mount Vesuvius, buried by the eruption of 79 AD.
Hercules, p. 167, should be Apollo. See Muses.
Hiatus, gap.
Hipparchus of Bithynia, an astronomer of the 2nd century B.C., “The true
father of astronomy.”
Hippocrates of Cos, about 460-357 B.C. One of the most famous physicians
of antiquity.
IDIOT, means merely the non-proficient in anything, the “layman,” he who
was not technically trained in any art, craft, or calling.
LEONNATUS, a distinguished general under Alexander the Great.
Lucilla, daughter of M. Aurelius, and wife of Verus, whom she survived.
MÆCENAS, a trusted adviser of Augustus, and a munificent patron of wits
and literary men.
Maximus, Claudius, a Stoic philosopher.
Menippus, a Cynic philosopher.
Meteores, ta metewrologika, “high philosophy,” used specially of astronomy
and natural philosophy, which were bound up with other speculations.
Middle Comedy, something midway between the Old and New Comedy. See
Comedy, Ancient, and New Comedy.
Middle things, Book 7, XXV. The Stoics divided all things into virtue,
vice, and indifferent things; but as “indifferent” they regarded most of
those things which the world regards as good or bad, such as wealth or
poverty. Of these, some were “to be desired,” some “to be rejected.”
Muses, the nine deities who presided over various kinds of poesy, music,
etc. Their leader was Apollo, one of whose titles is Musegetes, the Leader
of the Muses.
NERVES, strings.
New Comedy, the Attic Comedy of Menander and his school, which criticised
not persons but manners, like a modern comic opera. See Comedy, Ancient.
PALESTRA, wrestling school.
Pancratiast, competitor in the pancratium, a combined contest which
comprised boxing and wrestling.
Parmularii, gladiators armed with a small round shield (parma).
Pheidias, the most famous sculptor of antiquity.
Philippus, founder of the Macedonian supremacy, and father of Alexander
the Great.
Phocion, an Athenian general and statesman, a noble and high-minded man,
4th century B.C.
He was called by Demosthenes, “the pruner of my periods.”
He was put to death by the State in 317, on a false suspicion, and left a
message for his son “to bear no grudge against the Athenians.”
Pine, torment.
Plato of Athens, 429-347 B.C. He used the dialectic method invented by his
master Socrates.
He was, perhaps, as much poet as philosopher. He is generally identified
with the Theory of Ideas, that things are what they are by participation
with our eternal Idea. His “Commonwealth” was a kind of Utopia.
Platonics, followers of Plato.
Pompeii, near Mount Vesuvius, buried in the eruption of 79 A. D.
Pompeius, C. Pompeius Magnus, a very successful general at the end of the
Roman Republic (106-48 B.C.).
Prestidigitator, juggler.
Pythagoras of Samos, a philosopher, scientist, and moralist of the 6th
century B.C.
QUADI, a tribe of S. Germany.
M. Aurelius carried on war against them, and part of this book was written
in the field.
RICTUS, gape, jaws.
Rusticus, Q. Junius, or Stoic philosopher, twice made consul by M.
Aurelius.
SACRARY, shrine.
Salaminius, Book 7, XXXVII. Leon of Sala-mis. Socrates was ordered by the
Thirty Tyrants to fetch him before them, and Socrates, at his own peril,
refused.
Sarmatae, a tribe dwelling in Poland.
Sceletum, skeleton.
Sceptics, a school of philosophy founded by Pyrrho (4th century B.C.). He
advocated “suspension of judgment,” and taught the relativity of knowledge
and impossibility of proof. The school is not unlike the Agnostic school.
Scipio, the name of two great soldiers, P. Corn. Scipio Africanus,
conqueror of Hannibal, and P.
Corn. Sc. Afr. Minor, who came into the family by adoption, who destroyed
Carthage.
Secutoriani (a word coined by C.), the Sececutores, light-armed
gladiators, who were pitted against others with net and trident.
Sextus of Chaeronea, a Stoic philosopher, nephew of Plutarch.
Silly, simple, common.
Sinuessa, a town in Latium.
Socrates, an Athenian philosopher (469-399 B.C.), founder of the dialectic
method. Put to death on a trumped-up charge by his countrymen.
Stint, limit (without implying niggardliness).
Stoics, a philosophic system founded by Zeno (4th century B.C.), and
systematised by Chrysippus (3rd century B.C.). Their physical theory was a
pantheistic materialism, their summum bonum “to live according to nature.”
Their wise man needs nothing, he is sufficient to himself; virtue is good,
vice bad, external things indifferent.
THEOPHRASTUS, a philosopher, pupil of Aristotle, and his successor as
president of the Lyceum. He wrote a large number of works on philosophy
and natural history. Died 287 B.C.
Thrasea, P. Thrasea Pactus, a senator and Stoic philosopher, a noble and
courageous man. He was condemned to death by Nero.
Tiberius, 2nd Roman Emperor (14-31 AD.). He spent the latter part of his
life at Capreae (Capri), off Naples, in luxury or debauchery, neglecting
his imperial duties.
To-torn, torn to pieces.
Trajan, 13th Roman Emperor, 52-117 A.D.
VERUS, Lucius Aurelius, colleague of M. Aurelius in the Empire.
He married Lucilla, daughter of M. A., and died 169 A.D.
Vespasian, 9th Roman Emperor XENOCRATES of Chalcedon, 396-314 B.C., a
philosopher, and president of the Academy.
Paragraphs with First Lines
I. Of my grandfather Verus I have learned to
be gentle and meek, and to
II. Of him that brought me up, not to be
fondly addicted to either of
III. Of Diognetus, not to busy myself about
vain things, and not easily
IV. To Rusticus I am beholding, that I first
entered into the conceit
V. From Apollonius, true liberty, and
unvariable steadfastness, and not
VI. Of Sextus, mildness and the pattern of a
family governed with
VII. From Alexander the Grammarian, to be
un-reprovable myself, and not
VIII. Of Fronto, to how much envy and fraud
and hypocrisy the state of a
IX. Of Alexander the Platonic, not often nor
without great necessity to
X. Of Catulus, not to contemn any friend’s
expostulation, though unjust,
XI. From my brother Severus, to be kind and
loving to all them of my
XII. From Claudius Maximus, in all things to
endeavour to have power
XIII. In my father, I observed his meekness;
his constancy without
XIV. From the gods I received that I had good
grandfathers, and parents,
XV. In the country of the Quadi at Granua,
these. Betimes in the morning
XVI. Whatsoever I am, is either flesh, or
life, or that which we
XVII. Whatsoever proceeds from the gods
immediately, that any man will
I. Remember how long thou hast already put off
these things, and how
II. Let it be thy earnest and incessant care
as a Roman and a man to
III. Do, soul, do; abuse and contemn thyself;
yet a while and the time
IV. Why should any of these things that happen
externally, so much
V. For not observing the state of another
man’s soul, scarce was ever
VI. These things thou must always have in
mind: What is the nature
VII. Theophrastus, where he compares sin with
sin (as after a vulgar
VIII. Whatsoever thou dost affect, whatsoever
thou dost project, so do,
IX. Consider how quickly all things are
dissolved and resolved: the
X. It is the part of a man endowed with a good
understanding faculty, to
XI. Consider with thyself how man, and by what
part of his, is joined
XII. If thou shouldst live three thousand, or
as many as ten thousands
XIII. Remember that all is but opinion and
conceit, for those things
XIV. A man’s soul doth wrong and disrespect
itself first and especially,
XV. The time of a man’s life is as a point;
the substance of it ever
I. A man must not only consider how daily his
life wasteth and
II. This also thou must observe, that
whatsoever it is that naturally
III. Hippocrates having cured many sicknesses,
fell sick himself and
IV. Spend not the remnant of thy days in
thoughts and fancies concerning
V. Do nothing against thy will, nor contrary
to the community, nor
VI. To be cheerful, and to stand in no need,
either of other men’s help
VII. If thou shalt find anything in this
mortal life better than
VIII. Never esteem of anything as profitable,
which shall ever constrain
IX. In the mind that is once truly disciplined
and purged, thou canst
X. Use thine opinative faculty with all honour
and respect, for in
XI. To these ever-present helps and mementoes,
let one more be added,
XII. What is this, that now my fancy is set
upon? of what things doth
XIII. If thou shalt intend that which is
present, following the rule of
XIV. As physicians and chirurgeons have always
their instruments ready
XV. Be not deceived; for thou shalt never live
to read thy moral
XVI. To steal, to sow, to buy, to be at rest,
to see what is to be done
XVII. To be capable of fancies and
imaginations, is common to man and
I. That inward mistress part of man if it be
in its own true natural
II. Let nothing be done rashly, and at random,
but all things according
III. They seek for themselves private retiring
IV. If to understand and to be reasonable be
common unto all men, then
V. As generation is, so also death, a secret
of nature’s wisdom: a
VI. Such and such things, from such and such
causes, must of necessity
VII. Let opinion be taken away, and no man
will think himself wronged.
VIII. Whatsoever doth happen in the world,
doth happen justly, and so if
IX. Conceit no such things, as he that
wrongeth thee conceiveth,
X. These two rules, thou must have always in a
readiness. First, do
XI. Hast thou reason? I have. Why then makest
thou not use of it? For if
XII. As a part hitherto thou hast had a
particular subsistence: and now
XIII. Within ten days, if so happen, thou
shalt be esteemed a god of
XIV. Not as though thou hadst thousands of
years to live. Death hangs
XV. Now much time and leisure doth he gain,
who is not curious to know
XVI. He who is greedy of credit and reputation
after his death, doth
XVII. If so be that the souls remain after
death (say they that will not
XVIII. Not to wander out of the way, but upon
every motion and desire,
XIX. Whatsoever is expedient unto thee, O
World, is expedient unto me;
XX. They will say commonly, Meddle not with
many things, if thou wilt
XXI. Try also how a good man’s life; (of one,
who is well pleased with
XXII. Either this world is a kosmoz or comely
piece, because all
XXIII. A black or malign disposition, an
effeminate disposition; an
XXIV. He is a true fugitive, that flies from
reason, by which men are
XXV. There is, who without so much as a coat;
and there is, who without
XXVI. What art and profession soever thou hast
learned, endeavour to
XXVII. Consider in my mind, for example’s
sake, the times of Vespasian:
XXVIII. Those words which once were common and
ordinary, are now become
XXIX. Whatsoever is now present, and from day
to day hath its existence;
XXX. Thou art now ready to die, and yet hast
thou not attained to
XXXI. Behold and observe, what is the state of
their rational part; and
XXXII. In another man’s mind and understanding
thy evil Cannot subsist,
XXXIII. Ever consider and think upon the world
as being but one living
XXXIV. What art thou, that better and divine
part excepted, but as
XXXV. To suffer change can be no hurt; as no
benefit it is, by change to
XXXVI. Whatsoever doth happen in the world,
is, in the course of nature,
XXXVII. Let that of Heraclitus never be out of
thy mind, that the death
XXXVIII. Even as if any of the gods should
tell thee, Thou shalt
XXXIX. Let it be thy perpetual meditation, how
many physicians who
XL. Thou must be like a promontory of the sea,
against which though
XLI. Oh, wretched I, to whom this mischance is
happened! nay, happy I,
XLII. It is but an ordinary coarse one, yet it
is a good effectual
XLIII. Let thy course ever be the most
compendious way. The most
I. In the morning when thou findest thyself
unwilling to rise, consider
II. How easy a thing is it for a man to put
off from him all turbulent
III. Think thyself fit and worthy to speak, or
to do anything that is
IV. I continue my course by actions according
to nature, until I
V. No man can admire thee for thy sharp acute
language, such is thy
VI. Such there be, who when they have done a
good turn to any, are ready
VII. The form of the Athenians’ prayer did run
thus: ‘O rain, rain, good
VIII. As we say commonly, The physician hath
prescribed unto this man,
IX. Be not discontented, be not disheartened,
be not out of hope, if
X. Thou must comfort thyself in the
expectation of thy natural
XI. What is the use that now at this present I
make of my soul? Thus
XII. What those things are in themselves,
which by the greatest part are
XIII. All that I consist of, is either form or
matter. No corruption can
XIV. Reason, and rational power, are faculties
which content themselves
XV. Such as thy thoughts and ordinary
cogitations are, such will thy
XVI. To desire things impossible is the part
of a mad man. But it is a
XVII. After one consideration, man is nearest
unto us; as we are bound
XVIII. Honour that which is chiefest and most
powerful in the world, and
XIX. That which doth not hurt the city itself;
cannot hurt any citizen.
XX. Let not that chief commanding part of thy
soul be ever subject to
XXI. To live with the Gods. He liveth with the
Gods, who at all times
XXII. Be not angry neither with him whose
breath, neither with him whose
XXIII. ‘Where there shall neither roarer be,
nor harlot.’ Why so? As
XXIV. That rational essence by which the
universe is governed, is for
XXV. How hast thou carried thyself hitherto
towards the Gods? towards
XXVI. Why should imprudent unlearned souls
trouble that which is
XXVII. Within a very little while, thou wilt
be either ashes, or a
XXVIII. Thou mayest always speed, if thou wilt
but make choice of the
XXIX. If this neither be my wicked act, nor an
act anyways depending
XXX. Let death surprise rue when it will, and
where it will, I may be a
I. The matter itself, of which the universe
doth consist, is of itself
II. Be it all one unto thee, whether half
frozen or well warm; whether
III. Look in, let not either the proper
quality, or the true worth of
IV. All substances come soon to their change,
and either they shall
V. The best kind of revenge is, not to become
like unto them.
VI. Let this be thy only joy, and thy only
comfort, from one sociable
VII. The rational commanding part, as it alone
can stir up and turn
VIII. According to the nature of the universe
all things particular are
IX. Whensoever by some present hard
occurrences thou art constrained to
X. If it were that thou hadst at one time both
a stepmother, and
XI. How marvellous useful it is for a man to
represent unto himself
XII. See what Crates pronounceth concerning
Xenocrates himself.
XIII. Those things which the common sort of
people do admire, are most
XIV. Some things hasten to be, and others to
be no more. And even
XV. Not vegetative spiration, it is not surely
(which plants have) that
XVI. Under, above, and about, are the motions
of the elements; but
XVII. Who can choose but wonder at them? They
will not speak well of
XVIII. Do not ever conceive anything
impossible to man, which by thee
XIX. Suppose that at the palestra somebody
hath all to-torn thee with
XX. If anybody shall reprove me, and shall
make it apparent unto me,
XXI. I for my part will do what belongs unto
me; as for other things,
XXII. Alexander of Macedon, and he that
dressed his mules, when once
XXIII Consider how many different things,
whether they concern our
XXIV. if any should put this question unto
thee, how this word Antoninus
XXV. Is it not a cruel thing to forbid men to
affect those things, which
XXVI. Death is a cessation from the impression
of the senses, the
XXVII. If in this kind of life thy body be
able to hold out, it is a
XXVIII. Do all things as becometh the disciple
of Antoninus Pius.
XXIX. Stir up thy mind, and recall thy wits
again from thy natural
XXX. I consist of body and soul. Unto my body
all things are
XXXI. As long as the foot doth that which
belongeth unto it to do, and
XXXII. Dost thou not see, how even those that
profess mechanic arts,
XXXIII. Asia, Europe; what are they, but as
corners of the whole world;
XXXIV He that seeth the things that are now,
hath Seen all that either
XXXV. Fit and accommodate thyself to that
estate and to those
XXXVI. What things soever are not within the
proper power and
XXXVII. We all work to one effect, some
willingly, and with a rational
XXXVIII. Doth either the sun take upon him to
do that which belongs to
XXXIX. If so be that the Gods have deliberated
in particular of those
XL. Whatsoever in any kind doth happen to any
one, is expedient to the
XLI. As the ordinary shows of the theatre and
of other such places,
XLII. Let the several deaths of men of all
sorts, and of all sorts of
XLIII. When thou wilt comfort and cheer
thyself, call to mind the
XLIV. Dost thou grieve that thou dost weigh
but so many pounds, and not
XLV. Let us do our best endeavours to persuade
them; but however, if
XLVI. The ambitious supposeth another man’s
act, praise and applause, to
XLVII. It is in thy power absolutely to
exclude all manner of conceit
XLVIII. Use thyself when any man speaks unto
thee, so to hearken unto
XLIX. That which is not good for the bee-hive,
cannot be good for the
L. Will either passengers, or patients, find
fault and complain, either
LI. How many of them who came into the world
at the same time when I
LII. To them that are sick of the jaundice,
honey seems bitter; and to
LIII. No man can hinder thee to live as thy
nature doth require. Nothing
LIV. What manner of men they be whom they seek
to please, and what to
I. What is wickedness? It is that which many
time and often thou hast
II. What fear is there that thy dogmata, or
philosophical resolutions
III. That which most men would think
themselves most happy for, and
IV. Word after word, every one by itself, must
the things that are
V. Is my reason, and understanding sufficient
for this, or no? If it be
VI. Let not things future trouble thee. For if
necessity so require that
VII. Whatsoever is material, doth soon vanish
away into the common
VIII. To a reasonable creature, the same
action is both according
IX. Straight of itself, not made straight.
X. As several members in one body united, so
are reasonable creatures
XI. Of things that are external, happen what
will to that which can
XII. Whatsoever any man either doth or saith,
thou must be good; not for
XIII. This may ever be my comfort and
security: my understanding, that
XIV. What is rv&nfLovia, or happiness: but
a7~o~ &d~wv, or, a good
XV. Is any man so foolish as to fear change,
to which all things that
XVI. Through the substance of the universe, as
through a torrent pass
XVII. The nature of the universe, of the
common substance of all things
XVIII. An angry countenance is much against
nature, and it is oftentimes
XIX. Whensoever any man doth trespass against
other, presently consider
XX. Fancy not to thyself things future, as
though they were present
XXI. Wipe off all opinion stay the force and
violence of unreasonable
XXII. All things (saith he) are by certain
order and appointment. And
XXIII. Out of Plato. ‘He then whose mind is
endowed with true
XXIV. Out of Antisthenes. ‘It is a princely
thing to do well, and to be
XXV. Out of several poets and comics. ‘It will
but little avail thee,
XXVI. Out of Plato. ‘My answer, full of
justice and equity, should be
XXVII. To look back upon things of former
ages, as upon the manifold
XXVIII. He hath a stronger body, and is a
better wrestler than I. What
XXIX. Where the matter may be effected
agreeably to that reason, which
XXX. Look not about upon other men’s minds and
understandings; but look
XXXI. As one who had lived, and were now to
die by right, whatsoever is
XXXII. Thou must use thyself also to keep thy
body fixed and steady;
XXXIII. The art of true living in this world
is more like a wrestler’s,
XXXIV. Thou must continually ponder and
consider with thyself, what
XXXV. What pain soever thou art in, let this
presently come to thy mind,
XXXVI. Take heed lest at any time thou stand
so affected, though towards
XXXVII. How know we whether Socrates were so
eminent indeed, and of so
XXXVIII. For it is a thing very possible, that
a man should be a very
XXXIX. Free from all compulsion in all
cheerfulness and alacrity thou
XL. Then hath a man attained to the estate of
perfection in his life and
XLI. Can the Gods, who are immortal, for the
continuance of so many ages
XLII. What object soever, our reasonable and
sociable faculty doth meet
XLIII. When thou hast done well, and another
is benefited by thy action,
XLIV. The nature of the universe did once
certainly before it was
I. This also, among other things, may serve to
keep thee from vainglory;
II. Upon every action that thou art about, put
this question to thyself;
III. Alexander, Caius, Pompeius; what are
these to Diogenes, Heraclitus,
IV. What they have done, they will still do,
although thou shouldst hang
V. That which the nature of the universe doth
busy herself about, is;
VI. Every particular nature hath content, when
in its own proper course
VII. Thou hast no time nor opportunity to
read. What then? Hast thou
VIII. Forbear henceforth to complain of the
trouble of a courtly life,
IX. Repentance is an inward and
self-reprehension for the neglect or
X. This, what is it in itself, and by itself,
according to its proper
XI. When thou art hard to be stirred up and
awaked out of thy sleep,
XII. As every fancy and imagination presents
itself unto thee, consider
XIII. At thy first encounter with any one, say
presently to thyself:
XIV. Remember, that to change thy mind upon
occasion, and to follow him
XV. If it were thine act and in thine own
power, wouldest thou do
XVI. Whatsoever dieth and falleth, however and
wheresoever it die
XVII. Whatsoever is, was made for something:
as a horse, a vine. Why
XVIII. Nature hath its end as well in the end
and final consummation of
XIX. As one that tosseth up a ball. And what
is a ball the better, if
XX. That which must be the subject of thy
consideration, is either the
XXI. Most justly have these things happened
unto thee: why dost not
XXII. Shall I do it? I will; so the end of my
action be to do good unto
XXIII. By one action judge of the rest: this
bathing which usually takes
XXIV. Lucilla buried Verus; then was Lucilla
herself buried by others.
XXV. The true joy of a man, is to do that
which properly belongs unto a
XXVI. If pain be an evil, either it is in
regard of the body; (and that
XXVII. Wipe off all idle fancies, and say unto
thyself incessantly; Now
XXVIII. Whether thou speak in the Senate or
whether thou speak to any
XXIX. Augustus his court; his wife, his
daughter, his nephews, his
XXX. Contract thy whole life to the measure
and proportion of one single
XXXI. Receive temporal blessings without
ostentation, when they are sent
XXXII. If ever thou sawest either a hand, or a
foot, or a head lying by
XXXIII. As almost all her other faculties and
properties the nature of
XXXIV. Let not the general representation unto
thyself of the
XXXV. What? are either Panthea or Pergamus
abiding to this day by their
XXXVI. If thou beest quick-sighted, be so in
matter of judgment, and
XXXVII. In the whole constitution of man, I
see not any virtue contrary
XXXVIII. If thou canst but withdraw conceit
and opinion concerning that
XXXIX. That which is a hindrance of the
senses, is an evil to the
XL. If once round and solid, there is no fear
that ever it will change.
XLI. Why should I grieve myself; who never did
willingly grieve any
XLII. This time that is now present, bestow
thou upon thyself. They that
XLIII. Take me and throw me where thou wilt: I
am indifferent. For there
XLIV. Is this then a thing of that worth, that
for it my soul should
XLV. Nothing can happen unto thee, which is
not incidental unto thee, as
XLVI. Remember that thy mind is of that nature
as that it becometh
XLVII. Keep thyself to the first bare and
naked apprehensions of things,
XLVIII. Is the cucumber bitter? set it away.
Brambles are in the way?
XLIX. Not to be slack and negligent; or loose,
and wanton in thy
L. ‘They kill me, they cut my flesh; they
persecute my person with
LI. He that knoweth not what the world is,
knoweth not where he himself
LII. Not only now henceforth to have a common
breath, or to hold
LIII. Wickedness in general doth not hurt the
world. Particular
LIV. The sun seemeth to be shed abroad. And
indeed it is diffused but
LV. He that feareth death, either feareth that
he shall have no sense at
LVI. All men are made one for another: either
then teach them better, or
LVII. The motion of the mind is not as the
motion of a dart. For
LVIII. To pierce and penetrate into the estate
of every one’s
I. He that is unjust, is also impious. For the
nature of the universe,
II. It were indeed more happy and comfortable,
for a man to depart out
III. Thou must not in matter of death carry
thyself scornfully, but as
IV. He that sinneth, sinneth unto himself. He
that is unjust, hurts
V. If my present apprehension of the object be
right, and my present
VI. To wipe away fancy, to use deliberation,
to quench concupiscence, to
VII. Of all unreasonable creatures, there is
but one unreasonable soul;
VIII. Man, God, the world, every one in their
kind, bear some fruits.
IX. Either teach them better if it be in thy
power; or if it be not,
X. Labour not as one to whom it is appointed
to be wretched, nor as one
XI. This day I did come out of all my trouble.
Nay I have cast out all
XII. All those things, for matter of
experience are usual and ordinary;
XIII. The things themselves that affect us,
they stand without doors,
XIV. As virtue and wickedness consist not in
passion, but in action; so
XV. To the stone that is cast up, when it
comes down it is no hurt unto
XVI. Sift their minds and understandings, and
behold what men they be,
XVII. All things that are in the world, are
always in the estate
XVIII. it is not thine, but another man’s sin.
Why should it trouble
XIX. Of an operation and of a purpose there is
an ending, or of an
XX. As occasion shall require, either to thine
own understanding, or to
XXI. As thou thyself, whoever thou art, were
made for the perfection and
XXII. Children’s anger, mere babels; wretched
souls bearing up dead
XXIII. Go to the quality of the cause from
which the effect doth
XXIV. Infinite are the troubles and miseries,
that thou hast already
XXV. When any shall either impeach thee with
false accusations, or
XXVI. Up and down, from one age to another, go
the ordinary things of
XXVII. Within a while the earth shall cover us
all, and then she herself
XXVIII. And these your professed politicians,
the only true practical
XXIX. From some high place as it were to look
down, and to behold
XXX. Many of those things that trouble and
straiten thee, it is in thy
XXXI. To comprehend the whole world together
in thy mind, and the whole
XXXII. What are their minds and
understandings; and what the things that
XXXIII. Loss and corruption, is in very deed
nothing else but change and
XXXIV. How base and putrid, every common
matter is! Water, dust, and
XXXV. Will this querulousness, this murmuring,
this complaining and
XXXVI. It is all one to see these things for a
hundred of years together
XXXVII. If he have sinned, his is the harm,
not mine. But perchance he
XXXVIII. Either all things by the providence
of reason happen unto every
XXXIX. Sayest thou unto that rational part,
Thou art dead; corruption
XL. Either the Gods can do nothing for us at
all, or they can still and
XLI. ‘In my sickness’ (saith Epicurus of
himself:) ‘my discourses were
XLII. It is common to all trades and
professions to mind and intend that
XLIII. When at any time thou art offended with
any one’s impudency, put
I. O my soul, the time I trust will be, when
thou shalt be good, simple,
II. As one who is altogether governed by
nature, let it be thy care to
III. Whatsoever doth happen unto thee, thou
art naturally by thy natural
IV. Him that offends, to teach with love and
meek ness, and to show him
V. Whatsoever it be that happens unto thee, it
is that which from all
VI. Either with Epicurus, we must fondly
imagine the atoms to be the
VII. All parts of the world, (all things I
mean that are contained
VIII. Now that thou hast taken these names
upon thee of good, modest,
IX. Toys and fooleries at home, wars abroad:
sometimes terror, sometimes
X. As the spider, when it hath caught the fly
that it hunted after, is
XI. To find out, and set to thyself some
certain way and method of
XII. He hath got loose from the bonds of his
body, and perceiving that
XIII. What use is there of suspicion at all?
or, why should thoughts
XIV. What is that that is slow, and yet quick?
merry, and yet grave? He
XV. In the morning as soon as thou art awaked,
when thy judgment, before
XVI. Give what thou wilt, and take away what
thou wilt, saith he that is
XVII. So live as indifferent to the world and
all worldly objects, as
XVIII. Make it not any longer a matter of
dispute or discourse, what are
XIX. Ever to represent unto thyself; and to
set before thee, both the
XX. Consider them through all actions and
occupations, of their lives:
XXI. That is best for every one, that the
common nature of all doth send
XXII. The earth, saith the poet, doth often
long after the rain. So is
XXIII. Either thou dost Continue in this kind
of life and that is it,
XXIV Let it always appear and be manifest unto
thee that solitariness,
XXV. He that runs away from his master is a
fugitive. But the law is
XXVI. From man is the seed, that once cast
into the womb man hath no
XXVII. Ever to mind and consider with thyself;
how all things that now
XXVIII. As a pig that cries and flings when
his throat is cut, fancy to
XXIX. Whatsoever it is that thou goest about,
consider of it by thyself,
XXX. When thou art offended with any man’s
transgression, presently
XXXI. When thou seest Satyro, think of
Socraticus and Eutyches, or
XXXII. What a subject, and what a course of
life is it, that thou doest
XXXIII. Let it not be in any man’s power, to
say truly of thee, that
XXXIV. As he that is bitten by a mad dog, is
afraid of everything almost
XXXV. A good eye must be good to see
whatsoever is to be seen, and not
XXXVI. There is not any man that is so happy
in his death, but that some
XXXVII. Use thyself; as often, as thou seest
any man do anything,
XXXVIII. Remember, that that which sets a man
at work, and hath power
I. The natural properties, and privileges of a
reasonable soul are: That
II. A pleasant song or dance; the
Pancratiast’s exercise, sports that
III. That soul which is ever ready, even now
presently (if need be) from
IV. Have I done anything charitably? then am I
benefited by it. See
V. Tragedies were at first brought in and
instituted, to put men in mind
VI. How clearly doth it appear unto thee, that
no other course of thy
VII. A branch cut off from the continuity of
that which was next unto
VIII. To grow together like fellow branches in
matter of good
IX. It is not possible that any nature should
be inferior unto art,
X. The things themselves (which either to get
or to avoid thou art put
XI. Then is the soul as Empedocles doth liken
it, like unto a sphere or
XII. Will any contemn me? let him look to
that, upon what grounds he
XIII. They contemn one another, and yet they
seek to please one another:
XIV. How rotten and insincere is he, that
saith, I am resolved to carry
XV. To live happily is an inward power of the
soul, when she is affected
XVI. Of everything thou must consider from
whence it came, of what
XVII. Four several dispositions or
inclinations there be of the mind and
XVIII. What portion soever, either of air or
fire there be in thee,
XIX. He that hath not one and the self-same
general end always as long
XX. Remember the fable of the country mouse
and the city mouse, and the
XXI. Socrates was wont to call the common
conceits and opinions of men,
XXII. The Lacedæmonians at their public
spectacles were wont to appoint
XXIII. What Socrates answered unto Perdiccas,
why he did not come unto
XXIV. In the ancient mystical letters of the
Ephesians, there was an
XXV. The Pythagoreans were wont betimes in the
morning the first thing
XXVI. How Socrates looked, when he was fain to
gird himself with a
XXVII. In matter of writing or reading thou
must needs be taught before
XXVIII. ‘My heart smiled within me.’ ‘They
will accuse even virtue
XXIX. As they that long after figs in winter
when they cannot be had; so
XXX. ‘As often as a father kisseth his child,
he should say secretly
XXXI. ‘Of the free will there is no thief or
robber:’ out of Epictetus;
I. Whatsoever thou doest hereafter aspire
unto, thou mayest even now
II. God beholds our minds and understandings,
bare and naked from these
III. I have often wondered how it should come
to pass, that every man
IV. how come it to pass that the Gods having
ordered all other things
V. Use thyself even unto those things that
thou doest at first despair
VI. Let these be the objects of thy ordinary
meditation: to consider,
VII. All worldly things thou must behold and
consider, dividing them
VIII. How happy is man in this his power that
hath been granted unto
IX. Whatsoever doth happen in the ordinary
course and consequence of
X. How ridiculous and strange is he, that
wonders at anything that
XI. Either fate, (and that either an absolute
necessity, and unavoidable
XII. At the conceit and apprehension that such
and such a one hath
XIII. If it be not fitting, do it not. If it
be not true, speak it not.
XIV. Of everything that presents itself unto
thee, to consider what the
XV. It is high time for thee, to understand
that there is somewhat in
XVI. Remember that all is but opinion, and all
opinion depends of the
XVII. No operation whatsoever it he, ceasing
for a while, can be truly
XVIII. These three things thou must have
always in a readiness: first
XIX. Cast away from thee opinion, and thou art
safe. And what is it that
XX. Let thy thoughts ever run upon them, who
once for some one thing or
XXI. To them that ask thee, Where hast thou
seen the Gods, or how
XXII. Herein doth consist happiness of life,
for a man to know
XXIII. There is but one light of the sun,
though it be intercepted by
XXIV. What doest thou desire? To live long.
What? To enjoy the
XXV. What a small portion of vast and infinite
eternity it is, that is
XXVI. What is the present estate of my
understanding? For herein lieth
XXVII. To stir up a man to the contempt of
death this among other
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