Marcus Aurelius · 121–180 CE
Meditations 7.26 — Marcus Aurelius
Translation by George Long (1862)
Marcus Aurelius, Meditations 7.26
When a man has done thee any wrong, immediately consider with what opinion about good or evil he has done wrong. For when thou hast seen this, thou wilt pity him, and wilt neither wonder nor be angry. For either thou thyself thinkest the same thing to be good that he does or another thing of the same kind. It is thy duty then to pardon him. But if thou dost not think such things to be good or evil, thou wilt more readily be well disposed to him who is in error.
Cite this passage
Marcus Aurelius, Meditations 7.26, tr. George Long (1862)
https://whatwouldstoicsdo.com/passage/meditations/7.26
Marcus Aurelius, Meditations, tr. George Long (1862). Text: Standard Ebooks (CC0). Sources and licences
In plain English
AI-written notesWhen someone wrongs you, ask what they must believe is good or bad to act that way. Either you share their mistaken values or you do not, and in both cases pity and forgiveness make more sense than shock or anger.
Older wording
- “wonder”
- — be surprised
Themes and situations
- Anger
- Kindness and forgiveness
- Judgements and impressions
- Being angry with someone
- Betrayal
- Conflict at work
- Being treated unfairly
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