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Meditations · Marcus Aurelius

XIII. The things themselves that affect us, they stand without doors,

neither knowing anything themselves nor able to utter anything unto others

concerning themselves. What then is it, that passeth verdict on them?

The understanding XIV. As virtue and wickedness consist not in passion,

but in action; so neither doth the true good or evil of a reasonable

charitable man consist in passion, but in operation and action.

XV. To the stone that is cast up, when it comes down it is no hurt

unto it; as neither benefit, when it doth ascend.