Opinion of Others

pg.71 : Marcus Aurelius: Book 12: Meditations

I have often wondered how it is every man
loves himself more than the rest of all
But yet sets lesser value on his own opinion
than on the idea of others

If then a God or a wise teacher should present
himself to a man,
and bid him think or design nothing
which he would not express as soon as he conceived it
He could not endure it even for a single day!

So much respect have we to what our neighbors shall think
rather than to what we shall think of ourselves!

Authors

Marcus Aurelius