Discourses, Fragments, Handbook (Oxford World's Classics)

what is disagreeable in the fact that whatever is born must pass away?

true education consists precisely in this, in learning to wish that everything should come about just as it does.

It

when someone reminded Socrates* that he ought to be preparing for his trial, he replied, ‘Don’t you think that I’ve been preparing for this my whole life through?

In each action that you undertake, consider what comes before and what follows after, and only then proceed to the action itself.

For what is weeping and groaning? A judgement. What is misfortune? A judgement. What is civil strife, dissension, fault-finding, accusation, impiety, foolishness? [19] All of these are judgements and nothing more, and judgements that are passed, moreover, about things that lie outside the sphere of choice, under the supposition that such things are

Remain silent for the most part, or say only what is essential, and in few words.

don’t allow yourself to be dazed by the rapidity of the impact, but say, ‘Wait a while for me, my impression, let me see what you are, and what you’re an impression of; let me test you out.’ [25] And then don’t allow it to lead you on by making you picture all that may follow, or else it will take possession of you and conduct you wherever it wants

Show me how you’re accustomed to behave in a ship when confronted with a storm. Do you remember these theoretical distinctions when the sails are rattling and some mischievous bystander hears your cries of terror and says, ‘Tell me, by the gods, what was it that you were saying the other day?