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Marcus Aurelius Antoninus to Himself - College of Stoic Philosophers

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i TO HIMSELF 7<br />

<strong>of</strong> any kind he kept in check. Vigilant in<br />

providing for imperial necessities, he carefully<br />

husbanded his resources, without flinching from<br />

the consequent complaints. Towards the gods<br />

he was not superstitious ;<br />

<strong>to</strong>wards men, he neither<br />

courted popularity nor pandered <strong>to</strong> the mob, but<br />

was in all points sober and safe, distrustful <strong>of</strong><br />

flash or novelty. The luxuries which tend <strong>to</strong><br />

refine life, and <strong>of</strong> which fortune is so lavish, he<br />

enjoyed at once modestly and unfeignedly ; if<br />

there, he par<strong>to</strong>ok unaffectedly, if absent, he did<br />

not feel the lack. No one could charge him with<br />

crotchets or vulgarity or pedantry, or fail <strong>to</strong><br />

recognise the manly ripeness and maturity <strong>of</strong> one<br />

superior <strong>to</strong> flattery, and well able <strong>to</strong> govern both<br />

himself and others. Added <strong>to</strong> this, he esteemed<br />

all true philosophers; <strong>to</strong> the rest he was<br />

never acrimonious, yet contrived <strong>to</strong> keep his<br />

distance. His manner was friendly, gracious<br />

but not carried <strong>to</strong> excess. In attention <strong>to</strong> the<br />

body he hit the happy mean :<br />

there was no<br />

excessive hugging <strong>of</strong> life, no foppishness, and on<br />

the other hand no undue neglect ; his wise self-<br />

management made him almost independent <strong>of</strong><br />

doc<strong>to</strong>ring, or <strong>of</strong> medicines or embrocations. He

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