Marcus Aurelius · 121–180 CE
Meditations 2.8 — Marcus Aurelius
Translation by George Long (1862)
Marcus Aurelius, Meditations 2.8
Through not observing what is in the mind of another a man has seldom been seen to be unhappy; but those who do not observe the movements of their own minds must of necessity be unhappy.
Cite this passage
Marcus Aurelius, Meditations 2.8, tr. George Long (1862)
https://whatwouldstoicsdo.com/passage/meditations/2.8
Marcus Aurelius, Meditations, tr. George Long (1862). Text: Standard Ebooks (CC0). Sources and licences
In plain English
AI-written notesNot knowing what other people are thinking rarely makes anyone miserable, but never paying attention to your own thoughts and impulses reliably does. Watch your own mind first.
Older wording
- “movements of their own minds”
- — their own thoughts and impulses
Themes and situations
- Judgements and impressions
- Learning and progress
- Peace of mind
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