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“Him also I must thank, that ever I heard first Bacchius, then Tandasis and Marcianus, and that I did write dialogues in my youth; and that I took liking to the philosophers' little couch and skins, and such other things, which by the Grecian discipline are proper to those who profess philosophy.”

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— Marcus Aurelius

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Live wording check · 2026-10-26

MEDITATIONS By Marcus Aurelius ng to do, to do it myself rather than by others; not to meddle with many businesses; and not easily to admit of any slander. III. Of Diognetus, not to busy myself about vain things, and not easily to believe those things, which are commonly spoken, by such as take upon them to work wonders, and by sorcerers, or prestidigitators, and impostors; concerning the power of charms, and their driving out of demons, or evil spirits; and the like. Not to keep quails for the game; nor to be mad after such things. Not to be offended with other men's liberty of speech, and to apply myself unto philosophy. Him also I must thank, that ever I heard first Bacchius, then Tandasis and Marcianus, and that I did write dialogues in my youth; and that I took liking to the philosophers' little couch and skins, and such other things, which by the Grecian discipline are proper to those who profess philosophy. IV. To Rusticus I am beholding, that I first entered into the conceit that my life wanted some redress and cure. And then, that I did not fall into the ambition of ordinary sophists, either to write tracts concerning the common theorems, or to exhort men unto virtue and the study of philosophy by public orations; as also that I never by way of ostentation did affect to show myself an active able man, for any kind of bodily exercises. And that I gave over the study of rhetoric and poetry, and of elegant neat language. That I did not use to walk about the house in my long robe, nor to do any su Public domain in the USA.
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Source

Title
Meditations
Type
Public-domain primary text · Primary source
Location
THE FIRST BOOK
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Context

Marcus concludes section III by thanking Diognetus for his early philosophical formation.

What it means

Autobiographical evidence of his youthful writing, teachers, and philosophical habits.

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Bibliography entry
Aurelius, Marcus. (n.d.). Meditations. https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/2680/pg2680.txt
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Aurelius (n.d., THE FIRST BOOK)
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(Aurelius, n.d., THE FIRST BOOK)

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Provenance: https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/2680/pg2680.txt