The Thoughts of the Emperor Marcus Aurelius Antoninus

[TRANSCRIBER’S NOTE: All the footnotes have been moved to the end of the text.I have also relabeled the book headings; [I., II., … XI.] has been changed to[BOOK I., BOOK II., … BOOK XI.] at the start of each Section. I have also addeda “1.” before the first “thought” in each BOOK.]

PREFACE.

Perhaps some may question the wisdom of putting out the Thoughts of MarcusAurelius Antoninus to be used as a Reader by children in the schools. It mayappear to them better suited to the mature mind. The principle, however, thathas governed us in selecting reading for the young has been to secure the bestthat we could find in all ages for grown-up people. The milk and water dietprovided for “my dear children” is not especially complimentary to them. Theylike to be treated like little men and women, capable of appreciating a goodthing. One finds in this royal philosopher a rare generosity, sweetness andhumility, qualities alike suited to all ages.

Adopting the philosopher’s robe at twelve, he remains a student all his life.The precepts that he would give for the government of others, he has practisedupon himself. In his time, as in ours, there were good physicians for the mindand body, who could make wise prescriptions for the government of theirneighbors, but were unable to apply them to themselves. The faults of ourfellows are so numerous and so easy to cure that one is readily tempted tobecome the physician, while our own faults are so few and so unimportant thatit is hardly worth while to give any attention to them. Hence we have amultitude of physicians for humanity in general, and a scarcity of individualhealers.

It was the doctrine of Marcus Aurelius that most of the ills of life come to usfrom our own imagination, that it was not in the power of others seriously tointerfere with the calm, temperate life of an individual, and that when afellow being did anything to us that seemed unjust he was acting in ignorance,and that instead of stirring up anger within us it should stir our pity forhim. Oftentimes by careful self-examination we should find that the fault wasmore our own than that of our fellow, and our sufferings were rather from ourown opinions than from anything real. The circle of man’s knowledge is verylimited, and the largest circles do not wholly include the smallest. They areintersecting and the segment common to any two is very small. Whatever liesoutside this space does not exist for both. Hence arise innumerable contests.The man having the largest intelligence ought to be very generous to the other.Being thankful that he has been blessed in so many ways, he should do all inhis power to enlighten his less favored fellow, rather than be angry with himon account of his misfortune. Is he not sufficiently punished in being deniedthe light?

Assisting his uncle in the government of the great Roman Empire at seventeen,it was his aim constantly to restrain the power of the strong and t

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