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Meditations · Marcus Aurelius

II. Upon every action that thou art about, put this question

to thyself; How will this when it is done agree with me?

Shall I have no occasion to repent of it? Yet a very little

while and I am dead and gone; and all things are at end.

What then do I care for more than this, that my present

action whatsoever it be, may be the proper action of one that

is reasonable; whose end is, the common good; who in all things

is ruled and governed by the same law of right and reason,

by which God Himself is.

III. Alexander, Caius, Pompeius; what are these

to Diogenes, Heraclitus, and Socrates? These penetrated into

the true nature of things; into all causes, and all subjects:

and upon these did they exercise their power and authority.

But as for those, as the extent of their error was, so far

did their slavery extend.