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Meditations · Marcus Aurelius

IV. What they have done, they will still do, although thou

shouldst hang thyself. First; let it not trouble thee.

For all things both good and evil: come to pass according

to the nature and general condition of the universe,

and within a very little while, all things will be at

an end; no man will be remembered: as now of Africanus

(for example) and Augustus it is already come to pass.

Then secondly; fix thy mind upon the thing itself; look into it,

and remembering thyself, that thou art bound nevertheless

to be a good man, and what it is that thy nature requireth

of thee as thou art a man, be not diverted from what thou

art about, and speak that which seemeth unto thee most just:

only speak it kindly, modestly, and without hypocrisy.