Marcus Aurelius · 121–180 CE
Meditations 7.71 — Marcus Aurelius
Translation by George Long (1862)
Marcus Aurelius, Meditations 7.71
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.
Cite this passage
Marcus Aurelius, Meditations 7.71, tr. George Long (1862)
https://whatwouldstoicsdo.com/passage/meditations/7.71
Marcus Aurelius, Meditations, tr. George Long (1862). Text: Standard Ebooks (CC0). Sources and licences
In plain English
AI-written notesIt is absurd to leave your own badness alone when you could escape it, yet try to run from other people's badness, which you cannot escape. Work on your own faults rather than fleeing the faults of others.
Older wording
- “fly from”
- — flee, run away from
Themes and situations
- Virtue and character
- Anger
- Learning and progress
- What is in our control
- Being angry with someone
- Conflict at work
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