Marcus Aurelius · 121–180 CE
Meditations 8.55 — Marcus Aurelius
Translation by George Long (1862)
Marcus Aurelius, Meditations 8.55
Generally, wickedness does no harm at all to the universe; and particularly, the wickedness of one man does no harm to another. It is only harmful to him who has it in his power to be released from it, as soon as he shall choose.
Cite this passage
Marcus Aurelius, Meditations 8.55, tr. George Long (1862)
https://whatwouldstoicsdo.com/passage/meditations/8.55
Marcus Aurelius, Meditations, tr. George Long (1862). Text: Standard Ebooks (CC0). Sources and licences
In plain English
AI-written notesSomeone else's wrongdoing cannot damage your character; it harms only the person who commits it, and they could free themselves from it the moment they chose. So another person's bad behaviour does not have to ruin your inner life.
Themes and situations
- Virtue and character
- Anger
- Justice and fairness
- What is in our control
- Betrayal
- Being angry with someone
- Being treated unfairly
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