The foolish and the uneducated have little use for freedom. Only the educated are free.

Does a man reproach thee for being proud or ill-natured, envious or conceited, ignorant or detracting? Consider with thyself whether his reproaches are true. If they are not, consider that thou art not the person whom he reproaches, but that he reviles an imaginary being, and perhaps loves what thou really art, though he hates what thou appearest to be.

Don't demand or expect that events happen as you would wish them do. Accept events as they actually happen. That way, peace is possible.

We do not choose our own parts in life, and have nothing to do with those parts. Our duty is confined to playing them well.

It is a mark of a mean capacity to spend much time on the things which concern the body, such as much exercise, much eating, much drinking, much easing of the body, much copulation. But these things should be done as subordinate things: and let all your care be directed to the mind.

You are a little soul carrying around a corpse.

Nothing great is created suddenly, any more than a bunch of grapes or a fig.