Meditations by Marcus Aurelius translated by George W. Chrystal (~180) Book 3
Bonus:
Summary: YOU'RE GOING TO DIE! BE HONEST! (I'm thinking Arby's)
Commentary:
1. Every day you have less life left than the day before. Also, you'll probably be mostly useless for a period of time before you die. You should do stuff.
2. Sometimes, unwanted accidents lead to good things. Like when bread gets bubbles and cracks. It looks tasty, even if it wasn't the baker's plan. If you look at things the right way, almost anything can be good.
3. We're all gonna die. If there's an afterlife, go live it. If not, at least you've shrugged off your mortal coil and are done with pain. The soul is what's important, not the body.
4. Don't waste your life worrying about what other people think. Guard your soul and be judicious in your thoughts and actions. Think only about things that are worthy of sharing and make your life better. (Don't worry about what other people think, but only think things that are good for sharing is a thing you could write.)
5. Be direct and self supporting.
6. The satisfaction of the soul (truth, justice, etc.) is better than any physical pleasure.
7. Don't take advantage of anything that would make you betray your honor or values. Live how you know is right, and you'll have nothing to worry about.
8. THE SOUL OF THE RIGHTEOUS IS PURE! (Marcus Aurelius writes Dawn of War poke quotes.)
9. Develop and respect your good judgement.
10. Keep only the most important things in your life. Also, you're going to die.
11. Learn to to accurately define/describe everything.
This is actually a really good one, and something I've been trying to work on. I might try one of those novel copying exercises.
12. If you do your duty honestly no one can stop you. (What if someone has an opposite duty?)
13.
As surgeons have ever their knives and instruments at hand for the sudden emergencies of their art, so do you keep ready the principles requisite for understanding things divine and human, and for doing all things, even the least important, in the remembrance of the bond between the two. For in neglecting this, you will scant your duty both to Gods and men.
Ok, keep your reason with you/sharp is good advice, but did ancient Roman doctors really always have their scalpels or whatever with them? "I'm gonna go out to the market, but let me grab my KNIFE BAG, just in case."
14. Worry about your life instead of wandering through random books.
15. You can't understand everything with just your senses, or all words just by their base meaning.
16.
Body= senses
Soul= Passion
Intelligence= Principles
Only intelligence is unique to man (divine, even), and is the most important.
Historical tidbit: much like the Enchiridion, Meditations isn't a "real book." It's basically just a collection of Aurelius's journals/musing. That's probably why it's so receptive. I'm sure if someone went through and bound up this blog I say a lot of the same stuff over and over.
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