20 Amazing Quotes From The Roman Emperor, Marcus Aurelius!

Marcus Aurelius (121 AD – 180 AD) was a Roman emperor who ruled from 161 AD to 180 AD. He was the last of the Five Good Emperors and is regarded as one of the most important Stoic philosophers. His writings, many collected in the book "Meditations," are a significant source of Stoic wisdom and have been praised for their deep insights into human nature, ethics, and the pursuit of a virtuous life.

Here are 20 powerful quotes from Marcus Aurelius:

1. "The universe is change; our life is what our thoughts make it."

2. "Waste no more time arguing about what a good man should be. Be one."

3. "You have power over your mind—not outside events. Realise this, and you will find strength."

4. "The happiness of your life depends upon the quality of your thoughts."

5. "Everything we hear is an opinion, not a fact. Everything we see is a perspective, not the truth."

6. "If you are distressed by anything external, the pain is not due to the thing itself but to your estimate of it; and this you have the power to revoke at any moment."

7. "When you arise in the morning, think of what a precious privilege it is to be alive—to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love."

8. "Dwell on the beauty of life. Watch the stars, and see yourself running with them."

9. "The universe is transformation; our life is what our thoughts make it."

10. "Accept the things to which fate binds you, and love the people with whom fate brings you together, but do so with all your heart."

11. "The soul becomes dyed with the colour of its thoughts."

12. "The opinion of 10,000 men is of no value if none of them know anything about the subject."

13. "Whenever you are about to find fault with someone, ask yourself the following question: What fault of mine most nearly resembles the one I am about to criticise?"

14. "It is not death that a man should fear, but he should fear never beginning to live."

15. "How ridiculous and unrealistic is the man who is astonished at anything that happens in life."

16. "The best revenge is to be unlike him who performed the injury."

17. "Confine yourself to the present."

18. "The object of life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane."

19. "The universe is change; our life is what our thoughts make it."

20. "The key is to keep company only with people who uplift you, whose presence calls forth your best."
    
    Marcus Aurelius' words continue to inspire and guide people worldwide, reminding us of the importance of living a virtuous life, cultivating inner peace, and embracing the present moment with wisdom and courage.