Marcus Aurelius · 121–180 CE
Meditations 5.16 — Marcus Aurelius
Translation by George Long (1862)
Marcus Aurelius, Meditations 5.16
Such as are thy habitual thoughts, such also will be the character of thy mind; for the soul is dyed by the thoughts. Dye it then with a continuous series of such thoughts as these: for instance, that where a man can live, there he can also live well. But he must live in a palace;—well then, he can also live well in a palace. And again, consider that for whatever purpose each thing has been constituted, for this it has been constituted, and towards this it is carried; and its end is in that towards which it is carried; and where the end is, there also is the advantage and the good of each thing. Now the good for the reasonable animal is society; for that we are made for society has been shown above. Is it not plain that the inferior exist for the sake of the superior? But the things which have life are superior to those which have not life, and of those which have life the superior are those which have reason.
Cite this passage
Marcus Aurelius, Meditations 5.16, tr. George Long (1862)
https://whatwouldstoicsdo.com/passage/meditations/5.16
Marcus Aurelius, Meditations, tr. George Long (1862). Text: Standard Ebooks (CC0). Sources and licences
In plain English
AI-written notesYour mind takes on the colour of whatever you think about most, so deliberately feed it sturdy thoughts, such as the idea that wherever life is possible a good life is possible, even in a palace. Each thing has a purpose, and for human beings living well means living together with others.
Older wording
- “reasonable animal”
- — a human being, a creature defined by reason
- “dyed”
- — coloured or stained
Themes and situations
- Judgements and impressions
- Self-discipline and habit
- Virtue and character
- Community and our duty to others
- Anxiety about the future
- Money, status and wanting more
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