A passage from Marcus Aurelius

Marcus Aurelius, Meditations 6.20

In the gymnastic exercises suppose that a man has torn thee with his nails, and by dashing against thy head has inflicted a wound. Well, we neither show any signs of vexation, nor are we offended, nor do we suspect him afterwards as a treacherous fellow. And yet we are on our guard.
Marcus Aurelius·Meditations·6.20·trans. George Long
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