Adversity

Begin the morning by saying to thyself, I shall meet with the busy-body, the ungrateful, arrogant, deceitful, envious, unsocial.

If you are distressed by anything external, the pain is not due to the thing itself, but to your estimate of it; and this you have the power to revoke at any moment.

Be like the promontory against which the waves continually break, but it stands firm and tames the fury of the water around it.

The impediment to action advances action. What stands in the way becomes the way.

That which does not make a man worse than he was, also does not make his life worse, nor does it harm him either from without or from within.

Whatever may happen to thee, it was prepared for thee from all eternity; and the implication of causes was from eternity spinning the thread of thy being.

Be not disgusted, nor discouraged, nor dissatisfied, if thou dost not succeed in doing everything according to right principles; but when thou hast failed, return back again.

Nothing happens to any man which he is not formed by nature to bear.

If a thing is difficult to be accomplished by thyself, do not think that it is impossible for man: but if anything is possible for man and conformable to his nature, think that this can be attained by thyself too.

Nothing happens to any thing which that thing is not made by nature to bear.

Everything which happens either happens in such wise as thou art formed by nature to bear it, or as thou art not formed by nature to bear it. If, then, it happens to thee in such way as thou art formed by nature to bear it, do not complain, but bear it as thou art formed by nature to bear it.

Whatever happens to thee, it was prepared for thee from eternity, and the implication of causes was from eternity spinning the thread of thy being.

Put from thee the opinion which thou hast that this is a wearisome thing, and the thing is changed: so too with thy foot, if thou keep it still on the footboard.

To the better part of the soul it is indifferent whether it is moved to a feverish or a healthy state, or whether it is in a state of heat or cold; for the soul is equally indifferent to all these.

Let the opinion which thou hast formed about the thing be thrown away, and the thing itself will remain whole and safe. Why then art thou troubled?

Let us try to persuade men of it. But act even against their will, when the principles of justice lead thee. If however any one by using force stands in thy way, betake thyself to contentment and tranquility, and at the same time employ the hindrance towards the exercise of some other virtue.

Whatever may happen to thee, it was prepared for thee from eternity; and the implication of causes was from eternity spinning the thread of thy being, and of all things that are connected with thee.

Sometimes even to live is an act of courage.

He robs present ills of their power who has perceived their coming beforehand.

In order to make good progress, the wise man's peace should not be disturbed by any external event... But the wise man will never provoke the anger of those in power; nay, he will turn his course, precisely as he would turn from a storm.

The man who has anticipated the coming of troubles takes away their power when they arrive.

It is not because things are difficult that we do not dare; it is because we do not dare that they are difficult.

As soon as some men become impatient of poverty, they lay hold on riches, and then find themselves in more embarrassment than ever.

Great grief cannot be quenched; but neither can it endure forever.

It is not that things are so evil, but that our judgments concerning them are so.

Vivere, Lucili, militare est. To live, Lucilius, is to fight.

A great pilot can sail even when his canvas is rent; if his ship be dismantled, he can yet put in trim what remains of her hull and hold his course.

The wise man will never provoke the anger of those in power; nay, he will turn his course, precisely as he would turn from a storm.

It is not the hardships that come to us, but the way we bear them, that makes us miserable or strong.

The happy man is not he who is not in any present trouble, but he who has not changed his character by any trouble.

It is more difficult to keep a measure in prosperity than to bear adversity with patience.

No man is more unhappy than he who never faces adversity. For he is not permitted to prove himself.

The good man is always the same, in every fortune; he is happy even in adversity, because he has placed all his goods in virtue.

It is not because things are difficult that we do not dare; it is because we do not dare that they are difficult.

The wise man is neither raised up by prosperity nor cast down by adversity; for always he has striven to rely on himself and to derive all his joy from himself.

We are not in command of our circumstances, but we are in command of our virtues. We should make ourselves independent of all external things.

The wise man is neither elated by prosperity nor depressed by adversity; for he has always endeavored to depend on himself, and to derive all joy from himself.

It is the power of the mind to be unconquerable.

A gem cannot be polished without friction, nor a man perfected without trials.

Calamity is virtue's opportunity.

What need is there to weep over parts of life? The whole of it calls for tears.

No man has been shattered by the blows of Fortune unless he was first deceived by her favors.

The bravest sight in the world is to see a great man struggling against adversity; yet there is a still greater sight — a great man cheerfully at grips with adversity.

Non est ad astra mollis e terris via. There is no easy way from the earth to the stars.

No man is crushed by misfortune unless he has first been deceived by prosperity.

It is more civilized to make fun of life than to bewail it.

As a rule, men become angry with those things they either do not expect, or do not wish. Nothing weighs upon us more heavily than the unexpected.

God does not make a spoiled pet of a good man. He tests him, hardens him, and prepares him for his own service.

Fire tests gold, and misery tests brave men.

No man is more unhappy than he who never faces adversity. For he is not permitted to prove himself.

You have asked me, Lucilius, why, if the world is governed by Providence, so many evils befall good men. This question would not be asked if you knew that the good are good only because they are tried.

No man is more unhappy than he who never faces adversity. For he is not permitted to prove himself. The highest proof of virtue is to bear the loss of all things without sorrow.

What need is there to weep over parts of life? The whole of it calls for tears. But if you are wise, you will not weep for what is inevitable.

It is not exile that is grievous, but the mind that brings grief to exile. The place one lives in is indifferent; the character is everything.

Poverty, exile, and sorrow are not evils; only a base mind can make them so. A good man carries his happiness with him.

No one can be happy who looks to himself alone. The greatest consolation in trouble is the thought that we are not suffering alone, and that others have borne as much and more.

The mind is its own place, and in itself can make a heaven of hell, a hell of heaven. So too with exile: it is not the place but the mind that makes it bitter or sweet.

The wise man is not lifted up by prosperity nor cast down by adversity. He bears both with equal mind, because he knows that both are external.

The wise man will not be made unhappy by the loss of friends or fortune, for he has placed all his happiness in himself.

With every accident, ask yourself what abilities you have for making a proper use of it.

When you are going about any action, remind yourself what nature the action is. If you are going to bathe, picture to yourself the things which usually happen in the bath: some people splash the water, some push, some use abusive language, and others steal.

Sickness is an impediment to the body, but not to the will, unless itself pleases. Lameness is an impediment to the leg, but not to the will; and say this to yourself with regard to everything that happens.

Difficulties are things that show a person what they are.

Do you not know that a fine cock does not exist in isolation, but must have some pain, must fight, must be wounded? So it is with a man of virtue.

'Difficulties are what show men's characters.' Therefore, when a difficulty falls upon you, remember that God, like a trainer of wrestlers, has matched you with a rough young man.

When a difficulty falls upon you, remember to turn to yourself and see what faculty you have for meeting it.

Every event has two handles — by one of which it can be borne, by the other not.

When you are going to any act, remind yourself what the act is. For if you are going to bathe, represent to yourself the things which usually happen in the bath: some persons splash the water, some push, some use abusive language, and others steal. And thus you will more securely go about the act, if you say to yourself, I am now going to bathe, and to keep my mind in a state conformable to nature.

The philosopher's school is a surgery. You are not to go out of it with pleasure, but with pain. For you are not in good health when you enter.

It is difficulties that show what men are. Therefore, when a difficulty falls upon you, remember that God, like a trainer of wrestlers, has matched you with a rough young man. For what purpose? That you may become an Olympic conqueror.

When you are going to do anything, remind yourself what the nature of the action is. If you are going to bathe, set before your mind the things that happen at the bath: some splash, some jostle, some revile, some steal. And you will more securely go about it, if you say, 'I will bathe, and I will keep my mind in a state conformable to nature.'

A man who is making progress studies to know how he can walk conformably to nature in every condition, whether he is prosperous or unfortunate, honored or dishonored.

It is the act of a generous man to bear a disappointment with equanimity. It is the act of a slave to be disturbed by it.

The wise man is neither raised up by prosperity nor cast down by adversity. He is the same in all fortunes, because he has made virtue his only good.

When you are going to undertake any action, remind yourself what kind of action it is. If you are going to bathe, represent to yourself the usual incidents of the bath: some persons splash, some push, some use abusive language, others steal. And thus you will more securely go about it, if you say, 'I will bathe, and I will keep my mind conformable to nature.'

The good man is not he who does not sin, but he who is able not to sin when he is tempted. He who has not been tempted does not know his own strength.

Exile does not deprive us of any of the things which we really possess: water, earth, air, the sun, the moon, friends, family, and most of all virtue.

Whoever wants to escape difficult tasks must escape from life itself; for life is full of toil.

Pain, thou art an evil; but no matter what thou art, I will never confess that thou art an evil.

A man is not to be called unhappy before his death. For the judgment of his life depends on its end, and a wise man is happy even in adversity.

Pain is not an evil, but a thing to be endured. The wise man bears it with courage, knowing that it does not touch his soul.

The wise man is neither raised up by prosperity nor cast down by adversity. He is the same in all fortunes, because he has virtue.

The good man is not he who has no fortune, but he whom no fortune can make bad. Cato was such a man, for he was good in prosperity and in adversity.

Pain is not the greatest evil. The greatest evil is to be conquered by pain. The wise man endures pain with fortitude.

It is not by running away from pain that we become brave, but by enduring it. The habit of endurance makes the soul strong.

The Spartans hardened their children by exposing them to labor and pain. So we should harden our souls by philosophy, that we may bear the blows of fortune.

The wise man is not only happy, but he is happy under all circumstances. Torture cannot take away his happiness, because his happiness is in his own soul.

The wise man is always happy, because he is always virtuous. External events cannot take away his virtue, and therefore cannot take away his happiness.

The soul of the wise man is not only free from passion, but also firm and stable. He is not cast down by adversity, nor lifted up by prosperity.

The wise man is happy, even when he is tortured. For his happiness is not in the body, but in the soul, and the body cannot touch the soul.

A ship ought not to be held by one anchor, nor life by a single hope. We should have many resources within ourselves.

With respect to pain: the pain which is intolerable carries us off; but that which lasts a long time is tolerable; and the mind maintains its own tranquillity by retiring into itself.

Remember that as it is a shame to be surprised if the fig-tree produces figs, so it is to be surprised if the world produces such and such things of which it is productive.

A cucumber is bitter. Throw it away. There are briars in the road. Turn aside from them. This is enough. Do not add, 'And why were such things made in the world?'

There is no possible source of relief from serious mental distress but philosophy.

Friendship makes prosperity brighter, while it lightens adversity by sharing its griefs and anxieties.

We are all bound by the immutable laws of nature to submit to certain misfortunes.

The will of nature may be learned from things upon which we are all agreed. As, when our neighbour's boy has broken a cup... so, when your own cup is broken, you ought to be affected just as when another's cup was broken.

Everything has two handles: one by which it may be borne, another by which it cannot.

Fire tests gold; adversity tests brave men.

No tree becomes rooted and sturdy unless many a wind assails it.

Disaster is virtue's opportunity.

God does not pamper the good man; he tries, hardens, and prepares him for himself.

A gem cannot be polished without friction, nor a man perfected without trials.

Nothing is more foolish than to sorrow for what is lost.

We ought to weep for the man who lives ill, not the man who dies.

It is the mind that must be armed against adversity.

Whatever fortune has given, she can take away.

Wherever you go, you carry yourself with you.

The mind cannot be exiled.

Whatever is best for a human being lies outside human control.

Poverty is not the lack of possessions; it is the multitude of desires.