“To Rusticus I am beholding, that I first entered into the conceit that my life wanted some redress and cure.”
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MEDITATIONS By Marcus Aurelius rcerers, 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 such things. Moreover I learned of him to write letters without any affectation, or curiosity; such as that was, wh Public domain in the USA.Read evidence
Source
- Title
- Meditations
- Type
- Public-domain primary text · Primary source
- Location
- THE FIRST BOOK
Context
Section IV begins with Marcus's debt to Rusticus.
What it means
A direct acknowledgment that self-improvement begins with recognizing one's faults.
Cite this source
- Bibliography entry
- Aurelius, Marcus. (n.d.). Meditations. https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/2680/pg2680.txt
- Quotation citation
- Aurelius (n.d., THE FIRST BOOK)
- In-text citation
- (Aurelius, n.d., THE FIRST BOOK)
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Provenance: https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/2680/pg2680.txt