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Meditations · Marcus Aurelius

XX. Let thy thoughts ever run upon them, who once for some one thing

or other, were moved with extraordinary indignation; who were once in the

highest pitch of either honour, or calamity; or mutual hatred and enmity;

or of any other fortune or condition whatsoever. Then consider

what's now become of all those things. All is turned to smoke;

all to ashes, and a mere fable; and perchance not so much as a fable.

As also whatsoever is of this nature, as Fabius Catulinus in the field;

Lucius Lupus, and Stertinius, at Baiae Tiberius at Caprem:

and Velius Rufus, and all such examples of vehement prosecution

in worldly matters; let these also run in thy mind at the same time;

and how vile every object of such earnest and vehement prosecution is;

and how much more agreeable to true philosophy it is, for a man to carry

himself in every matter that offers itself; justly, and moderately,

as one that followeth the Gods with all simplicity. For, for a man

to be proud and high conceited, that he is not proud and high conceited,

is of all kind of pride and presumption, the most intolerable.