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What Would Stoics Do

Marcus Aurelius · 121–180 CE

Meditations 4.22 — Marcus Aurelius

Translation by George Long (1862)

Marcus Aurelius, Meditations 4.22

Do not be whirled about, but in every movement have respect to justice, and on the occasion of every impression maintain the faculty of comprehension or understanding.
— Marcus Aurelius, Meditations 4.22 · tr. George Long (1862)Read in context →

Cite this passage

Marcus Aurelius, Meditations 4.22, tr. George Long (1862)

https://whatwouldstoicsdo.com/passage/meditations/4.22

Marcus Aurelius, Meditations, tr. George Long (1862). Text: Standard Ebooks (CC0). Sources and licences

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In plain English

AI-written notes

Do not let yourself be spun around by events. In every action keep fairness in mind, and with every first impression, stay alert enough to understand it properly before accepting it.

Older wording

“impression”
— your first reaction to how something appears
“faculty of comprehension”
— your ability to understand

Themes and situations

  • Judgements and impressions
  • Justice and fairness
  • Self-discipline and habit
  • Emotions and the passions
  • A hard decision

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