A passage from Marcus Aurelius
Marcus Aurelius, Meditations 4.32
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Consider, for example, the times of Vespasian. Thou wilt see all these things: people marrying, bringing up children, sick, dying, warring, feasting, trafficking... And now that life of theirs is no where.
Related passages
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Men seek retreats for themselves, houses in the country, sea-shores, and mountains... But this is altogether a mark of the most common sort of men, for it is in thy power whenever thou shalt choose to retire into thyself.
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At dawn, when you have trouble getting out of bed, tell yourself: 'I have to go to work — as a human being.'
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Everything you're trying to reach — by taking the long way round — you could have right now, this moment. If you'd only stop thwarting your own attempts.