Marcus Aurelius · 121–180 CE
Meditations 12.13 — Marcus Aurelius
Translation by George Long (1862)
Marcus Aurelius, Meditations 12.13
How ridiculous and what a stranger he is who is surprised at anything which happens in life.
Cite this passage
Marcus Aurelius, Meditations 12.13, tr. George Long (1862)
https://whatwouldstoicsdo.com/passage/meditations/12.13
Marcus Aurelius, Meditations, tr. George Long (1862). Text: Standard Ebooks (CC0). Sources and licences
In plain English
AI-written notesIt is silly to be shocked by anything that happens in ordinary life. Most events are just the normal workings of nature, so expecting setbacks and annoyances in advance keeps you from being thrown off balance.
Themes and situations
- Preparing for difficulty
- Acceptance and fate
- Emotions and the passions
- Fear and anxiety
- Anxiety about the future
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