Μὴ σικχαίνειν μηδὲ ἀπαυδᾶν μηδὲ ἀποδυσπετεῖν, εἰ μὴ καταπυκνοῦταί σοι τὸ ἀπὸ δογμάτων ὀρθῶν ἕκαστα πράσσειν· ἀλλὰ ἐκκρουσθέντα πάλιν ἐπανιέναι καὶ ἀσμενίζειν, εἰ τὰ πλείω ἀνθρωπικώτερα, καὶ φιλεῖν τοῦτο, ἐφ᾿ ὃ ἐπανέρχῃ.
“Do not be disgusted nor discouraged nor dissatisfied, if you do not succeed in doing everything according to right principles; but when you have failed return back again, and be content if the greater part of what you do is consistent with man’s nature, and love this to which you return.”
From volume I of the file · Classical · 2nd century
Themes: philosophy · virtue & character
More from Marcus Aurelius
Μηκέθ᾿ ὅλως περὶ τοῦ, οἷόν τινα εἶναι τὸν ἀγαθὸν ἄνδρα δεῖ, διαλέγεσθαι, ἀλλὰ εἶναι τοιοῦτον.
“Put an end once and for all to this discussion of what a good man should be, and be one.”