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.

Always observe how ephemeral and worthless human things are. Pass then through this little space of time conformably to nature, and end thy journey in content, just as an olive falls off when it is ripe, blessing nature who produced it, and thanking the tree on which it grew.

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

Philo declares he never dines at home, and that is no exaggeration: He has no place whereat to dine in Rome, Unless he hooks an invitation

He truly sorrows who sorrows unseen

He does not write at all whose poems no man reads

The height of farce it is, I ween, To be so perfumed and anointed, And when one’s appetite’s most keen, To have it thus most disappoint

Look well into thyself; there is a source of strength which will always spring up if thou wilt always look.

The one who lives the longest and the one who lives the shortest, when it comes to dying lose one and the same thing.

Do not be ashamed of help.

Accustom yourself not to be disregarding of what someone else has to say: as far as possible enter into the mind of the speaker.

As far as you can, get into the habit of asking yourself in relation to any action taken by another: “What is his point of reference here?” But begin with yourself: examine yourself first.

Death is a stopping of impressions through the senses, and of the pulling of the cords of motion, and of the ways of thought, and of service to the flesh.

If it does not fit leave it, if it is not true do not say it.

I have often wondered how it is that every man loves himself more than all the rest of men, but yet sets less value on his own opinion of himself than on the opinion of others.

Give up your thirst for books, so that you do not die a grouch.

Never esteem anything as of advantage to you that will make you break your word or lose your self-respect.

The universe is flux, life is opinion.

It is not the actions of others which trouble us (for those actions are controlled by their governing part), but rather it is our own judgments. Therefore remove those judgments and resolve to let go of your anger, and it will already be gone. How do you let go? By realizing that such actions are...

What am I but a little flesh, a little breath, and the thinking part that rules the whole?

Every hour be firmly resolved… to accomplish the work at hand with fitting and unaffected dignity, goodwill, freedom, justice. Banish from your thoughts all other considerations. This is possible if you perform each act as if it were your last, rejecting every frivolous distraction, every denial of the rule of reason, every pretentious gesture, vain...

Remember: philosophy requiresonly what your nature already demands.

Every living organism is fulfilled when it follows the right path for its own nature.

When you arise in the moring, think of what a precious privelege it is to be alive– to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love

Do not act as if you were going to live ten thousand years. Death hangs over you. While you live, while it is in your power, be good.

It is a ridiculous thing for a man not to fly from his own badness, which is indeed possible, but to fly from other men’s badness, which is impossible.

Your days are numbered. Use them to throw open the windows of your soul to the sun. If you do not, the sun will soon set, and you with it.

The world is mere change, and this life, opinion.

From the philosopher Catulus, never to be dismissive of a friend’s accusation, even if it seems unreasonable, but to make every effort to restore the relationship to its normal condition.

The best revenge is not to be like your enemy.

When you arise in the morning think of what a privilege it is to be alive, to think, to enjoy, to love …

If the gods have determined about me and about the things which must happen to me, they have determined well, for it is not easy even to imagine a deity without forethought; and as to doing me harm, why should they have any desire towards that? For what advantage would result to them from this...

That which has died falls not out of the universe. If it stays here, it also changes here, and is dissolved into its proper parts, which are elements of the universe and of thyself. And these too change, and they murmur not”.

Death hangs over thee, While thou still live, while thou may, do good

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?

All is ephemeral, – fame and the famous as well

Whatever may happen to you was prepared for you from all eternity; and the implication of causes was from eternity spinning the thread of your being.

Though you break your heart, men will go on as before

Shame on the soul, to falter on the road of life while the body yet endures

Your face is black, your hair like flame, And one eye’s damaged, one foot lame: If, still, you’re quite decent chap – Well ’tis a feather in your cap

Are you astonished Aulus, that our friend Fabullinus is so frequently deceived? A good man has always something to learn in regard to fraud

Live with the gods. And he does so who constantly shows them that his soul is satisfied with what is assigned to him.

Glory arrives too late when it comes only to one’s ashes

Think not so much of what thou hast not, as of what thou hast; but of the things which thou hast select the best, and reflect how eagerly they would have been sought if thou hadst them not

One universe made up all that is; and one God in it all, and one principle of being, and one law, the reason shared by all thinking creatures, and one truth.

When I was ill, you came to me, Doctor, and with great urgency A hundred students brought With you A most instructive case to view The hundred fingered me with hands Chill’d by the blasts of northern lands: Fever at outset had I none I have it, Sir,

He misses what is meant by epigram – who thinks it only frivolous flimflam

If all men cannot be brought to the same opinion on morals and religion, it is at least worthwhile to give them good reasons for as much as they can be persuaded to accept

…praise does not make anything better or worse.

Forward, as occasion offers. Never look round to see whether any shall note it… Be satisfied with success in even the smallest matter, and think that even such a result is no trifle.