"Men seek retreats for themselves, houses in the country, sea-shores,
and mountains; and thou too art wont to desire such things very much. But
this is altogether a mark of the most common sort of men, for it is in
thy power whenever thou shalt choose to retire into thyself. For nowhere
either with more quiet or more freedom from trouble does a man retire than
into his own soul, particularly when he has within him such thoughts that
by looking into them he is immediately in perfect tranquility; and I affirm
that tranquility is nothing else than the good ordering of the mind. Constantly
then give to thyself this retreat, and renew thyself; and let thy principles
be brief and fundamental, which, as soon as thou shalt recur to them, will
be sufficient to cleanse the soul completely, and to send thee back free
from all discontent with the things to which thou returnest. For with what
art thou discontented? With the badness of men? Recall to thy mind this
conclusion, that rational animals exist for one another, and that to endure
is a part of justice, and that men do wrong involuntarily; and consider
how many already, after mutual enmity, suspicion, hatred, and fighting,
have been stretched dead, reduced to ashes; and be quiet at last.- But
perhaps thou art dissatisfied with that which is assigned to thee out of
the universe.- Recall to thy recollection this alternative; either there
is providence or atoms, fortuitous concurrence of things; or remember the
arguments by which it has been proved that the world is a kind of political
community, and be quiet at last.- But perhaps corporeal things will still
fasten upon thee.- Consider then further that the mind mingles not with
the breath, whether moving gently or violently, when it has once drawn
itself apart and discovered its own power, and think also of all that thou
hast heard and assented to about pain and pleasure, and be quiet at last.-
But perhaps the desire of the thing called fame will torment thee.- See
how soon everything is forgotten, and look at the chaos of infinite time
on each side of the present, and the emptiness of applause, and the changeableness
and want of judgement in those who pretend to give praise, and the narrowness
of the space within which it is circumscribed, and be quiet at last. For
the whole earth is a point, and how small a nook in it is this thy dwelling,
and how few are there in it, and what kind of people are they who will
praise thee."
-Marcus Aurelius, The Meditations, Book IV
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