Marcus Aurelius Antoninus to Himself - College of Stoic Philosophers

in TO HIMSELF 27
Does man's life offer anything higher than 6
justice, truth, wisdom, and courage, t in a word,
than the understanding at peace with itself, in
conforming action to the law of reason, and with
destiny in all apportionments that lie beyond its
own control ? If you sight anything higher still,
turn to it, say I, with your whole heart, and have
fruition of your goodly find. But if there appear
nothing higher than the implanted deity within,
which gives the impulses their mandate, which
scrutinises the impressions, which (in the words of
Socrates) is weaned from the affections of sense,
which takes its mandate from the gods, and con-
cerns itself for men ; and if all else proves mean
and cheap in comparison with this, allow no scope
to any rival attraction or seduction, which will
preclude you
from the undistracted cultivation of
your own peculiar good. No outer claimant not
popular applause, nor power, nor wealth, nor self-
indulgence may compete with the authorisations
of the social reason. For a moment they may seem
to harmonise, but suddenly they take the mastery,
and sweep you from your moorings. I say then,
simply and freely, choose the highest
and hold
it fast. The highest is that in which lies true