God has entrusted me with myself. No man is free who is not master of himself. A man should so live that his happiness shall depend as little as possible on external things. The world turns aside to let any man pass who knows where he is going.

What is it that every man seeks? To be secure, to be happy, to do what he pleases without restraint and without compulsion.

The soul's impurity consists in bad judgements, and purification consists in producing in it right judgements, and the pure soul is one which has right judgements, for this alone is proof against confusion and pollution in its functions.

Remember that you ought to behave in life as you would at a banquet. As something is being passed around it comes to you; stretch out your hand, take a portion of it politely. It passes on; do not detain it. Or it has not come to you yet; do not project your desire to meet it, but wait until it comes in front of you. So act toward children, so toward a wife, so toward office, so toward wealth.

What ought one to say then as each hardship comes? I was practicing for this, I was training for this.

Any person capable of angering you becomes your master; he can anger you only when you permit yourself to be disturbed by him.

Control thy passions lest they take vengence on thee.