Such as are thy habitual thoughts, such also will be the character of thy mind; for the soul is dyed by the thoughts.
[Οἷα ἂν πολλάκις φαντασθῇς, τοιαύτη σοι ἔσται ἡ διάνοια: βάπτεται γὰρ ὑπὸ τῶν φαντασιῶν ἡ ψυχή.]
Marcus Aurelius (AD 121-180) Roman emperor (161-180), Stoic philosopher
Meditations [To Himself; Τὰ εἰς ἑαυτόν], Book 5, ch. 16 (2.5) (AD 161-180) [tr. Long (1862)]
(Source)
(Source (Greek)). Alternate translations:Such as thy thoughts and ordinary cogitations are, such will thy mind be in time. For the soul doth as it were receive its tincture from the fancies, and imaginations.
[tr. Casaubon (1634), 5.15]Your Manners will depend very much upon the Quality of what you frequently think on; For the Soul is as it were Tinged with the Colour, and Complexion of Thought.
[tr. Collier (1701)]Such as the imaginations are which you frequently dwell upon, such will be the disposition of your soul. The soul receives a tincture from the imagination.
[tr. Hutcheson/Moor (1742)]Such as are the objects on which your thoughts are most frequently employed, such will be the state of your mind. For the soul takes a tincture from the usual current of its ideas.
[tr. Graves (1792)]Your manners will depend very much upon the quality of what you frequently think on; for the soul is as it were tinged with the color and complexion of thought.
[tr. Collier/Zimmern (1887)]Repeat impressions, and your understanding will assimilate itself to them; for the soul takes the dye of its impressions.
[tr. Rendall (1898)]The character of your most frequent impressions will be the character of your mind. The soul takes colour from its impressions.
[tr. Hutcheson/Chrystal (1902)]The character of thy mind will be such as is the character of thy frequent thoughts, for the soul takes its dye from the thoughts.
[tr. Haines (Loeb) (1916)]As are your repeated imaginations so will your mind be, for the soul is dyed by its imaginations.
[tr. Farquharson (1944)]Your mind will be like its habitual thoughts; for the soul becomes dyed with the colour of its thoughts.
[tr. Staniforth (1964)]As are your regular impressions, so will your mind be also; for the soul takes its colouring from its impressions.
[tr. Hard (1997 ed.)]The things you think about determine the quality of your mind. Your soul takes on the color of your thoughts.
[tr. Hays (2003)]Your mind will take on the character of your most frequent thoughts: souls are dyed by thoughts.
[tr. Hammond (2006)]Whatever kind of impressions you receive most often, so too will be your mind, for the soul is dyed with the color of one's impressions.
[tr. Needleman/Piazza (2008)]As are your habitual conceptions, so will your mind be also; for the soul takes its colouring from its conceptions.
[tr. Hard (2011 ed.)]As your most frequent impressions are, so will your mind be: your character is coloured by its impressions.
[tr. Gill (2013)]
