WIST

The happiness of your life depends upon the quality of your thoughts: therefore, guard accordingly, and take care that you entertain no notions unsuitable to virtue and reasonable nature.

Marcus Aureleus (121-180) Roman emperor (161-180)
(Attributed)

The longest-lived and the shortest-lived man, when they come to die, lose one and the same thing.

Marcus Aureleus (121-180) Roman emperor (161-180)
(Attributed)

Because your own strength is unequal to the task, do not assume that it is beyond the powers of man; but if anything is within the powers and province of man, believe that it is within your own compass also.

Marcus Aureleus (121-180) Roman emperor (161-180)
(Attributed)

Observe constantly that all things take place by change, and accustom thyself to consider that the nature of the Universe loves nothing so much as to change the things which are, and to make new things like them.

Marcus Aureleus (121-180) Roman emperor (161-180)
(Attributed)

If you are pained by external things, it is not they that disturb you, but your own judgment of them. And it is in your power to wipe out that judgment now.

Marcus Aureleus (121-180) Roman emperor (161-180)
(Attributed)

A candor affected is a dagger concealed.

Marcus Aureleus (121-180) Roman emperor (161-180)
(Attributed)

The true worth of a man is to be measured by the objects he pursues.

Marcus Aureleus (121-180) Roman emperor (161-180)
(Attributed)

The opinion of ten thousand men is of no value if none of them know anything about the subject.

Marcus Aureleus (121-180) Roman emperor (161-180)
(Attributed)

Waste no more time arguing about what a good man should be. Be one.

Marcus Aureleus (121-180) Roman emperor (161-180)
(Attributed)

The object in life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane.

Marcus Aureleus (121-180) Roman emperor (161-180)
(Attributed)

Never esteem anything as of advantage to thee that shall make thee break thy word or lose thy self-respect.

Marcus Aureleus (121-180) Roman emperor (161-180)
(Attributed)

The first rule is to keep an untroubled spirit. The second is to look things in the face and know them for what they are.

Marcus Aureleus (121-180) Roman emperor (161-180)
(Attributed)

Do every act of your life as if it were your last.

Marcus Aureleus (121-180) Roman emperor (161-180)
(Attributed)

If you are distressed by anything external, the pain is not due to the thing itself, but to your estimate of it; and this you have the power to revoke at any moment.

Marcus Aureleus (121-180) Roman emperor (161-180)
(Attributed)

Live a good life. If there are gods and they are just, then they will not care how devout you have been, but will welcome you based on the virtues you have lived by. If there are gods, but unjust, then you should not want to worship them. If there are no gods, then you will be gone, but will have lived a noble life that will live on in the memories of your loved ones.

Marcus Aureleus (121-180) Roman emperor (161-180)
(Spurious)
Widely attributed to him, but no actual citation found, and not actually in keeping with his philosophy. More information.

Always think of the universe as one living organism, with a single substance and a single soul.

Marcus Aureleus (121-180) Roman emperor (161-180)
Meditations, 4.40 (tr. Maxwell Staniforth, 1964)

Here is a rule to remember in the future, when anything tempts you to feel bitter: not, “This is a misfortune,” but “To bear this worthily is good fortune.”

Marcus Aureleus (121-180) Roman emperor (161-180)
Meditations, 4.49 [tr. Staniforth (1964)]