Marcus Aurelius · 121–180 CE
Meditations 11.15 — Marcus Aurelius
Translation by George Long (1862)
Marcus Aurelius, Meditations 11.15
How unsound and insincere is he who says, I have determined to deal with thee in a fair way.—What art thou doing, man? There is no occasion to give this notice. It will soon show itself by acts. The voice ought to be plainly written on the forehead. Such as a man’s character is, he immediately shows it in his eyes, just as he who is beloved forthwith reads everything in the eyes of lovers. The man who is honest and good ought to be exactly like a man who smells strong, so that the bystander as soon as he comes near him must smell whether he choose or not. But the affectation of simplicity is like a crooked stick. Nothing is more disgraceful than a wolfish friendship [false friendship]. Avoid this most of all. The good and simple and benevolent show all these things in the eyes, and there is no mistaking.
Cite this passage
Marcus Aurelius, Meditations 11.15, tr. George Long (1862)
https://whatwouldstoicsdo.com/passage/meditations/11.15
Marcus Aurelius, Meditations, tr. George Long (1862). Text: Standard Ebooks (CC0). Sources and licences
In plain English
AI-written notesSomeone who announces that he will deal with you fairly is already insincere, since honesty needs no announcement and shows in a person's eyes and actions. Genuine goodness is as obvious as a strong smell, faked simplicity is as crooked as a bent stick, and nothing is worse than a friendship that is secretly wolfish.
Older wording
- “forthwith”
- — immediately
- “wolfish friendship [false friendship]”
- — a friendship that hides predatory intentions
Themes and situations
- Virtue and character
- Friendship
- Justice and fairness
- Speech and silence
- Betrayal
- Trouble with a friend
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