"If we are not stupid or insincere when we say that the good or ill of man lies within his own will, and that all beside is nothing to us, why are we still troubled?"

"If the room is smoky, if only moderately, I will stay; if there is too much smoke I will go. Remember this, keep a firm hold on it, the door is always open."

"In theory there is nothing to hinder our following what we are taught; but in life there are many things to draw us aside."

"Appearances to the mind are of four kinds. Things either are what they appear to be; or they neither are, nor appear to be; or they are, and do not appear to be; or they are not, and yet appear to be. Rightly to aim in all these cases is the wise man's task."

"For human beings, the measure of every action is the impression of the senses."

"The essence of the good is a certain kind of moral purpose, and that of the evil is a certain kind of moral purpose."

"For what is lacking now is not quibbles; nay, the books of the Stoics are full of quibbles"

"For it is not death or pain that is to be feared, but the fear of pain or death."

"For what is a child? Ignorance. What is a child? Want of instruction. For where a child has knowledge, he is no worse than we are."

"For on these matters we should not trust the multitude who say that none ought to be educated but the free, but rather to philosophers, who say that the educated alone are free."

"Show that you know this only—how you may never either fail to get what you desire or fall into what you avoid."

"Materials are indifferent, but the use which we make of them is not a matter of indifference."

"Although life is a matter of indifference, the use which you make of it is not a matter of indifference."

"Shall I show you the sinews of a philosopher? "What sinews are those?" — A will undisappointed; evils avoided; powers daily exercised, careful resolutions; unerring decisions."

"Look now, this is the starting point of philosophy: the recognition that different people have conflicting opinions, the rejection of mere opinion so that it comes to be viewed with mistrust, an investigation of opinion to determine whether it is rightly held, and the discovery of a standard of judgement, comparable to the balance that we have devised for the determining of weights, or the carpenter's rule for determining whether things are straight or crooked."

"When I see someone in anxiety, I say to myself, What can it be that this fellow wants? For if he did not want something that was outside of his control, how could he still remain in anxiety?"

"Why, then, do we wonder any longer that, although in material things we are thoroughly experienced, nevertheless in our actions we are dejected, unseemly, worthless, cowardly, unwilling to stand the strain, utter failures one and all?"

"Be bold to look towards God and say, "Use me henceforward for whatever you want; I am of one mind with you; I am yours; I refuse nothing that seems good to you; lead me where you will; wrap me in what clothes you will.""

"What is the first business of one who practices philosophy? To get rid of self-conceit. For it is impossible for anyone to begin to learn that which he thinks he already knows."

"Every habit and faculty is confirmed and strengthened by the corresponding actions, that of walking by walking, that of running by running."

"If you would be a good reader, read; if a writer, write."

"Whatever you would make habitual, practice it; and if you would not make a thing habitual, do not practice it, but accustom yourself to something else."

"Be not swept off your feet by the vividness of the impression, but say, "Impression, wait for me a little. Let me see what you are and what you represent. Let me try you.""

"Show me someone who is ill and yet happy, in danger and yet happy, dying and yet happy, exiled and yet happy. Show me such a person; by the gods, how greatly I long to see a Stoic!"

"The propositions which are true and evident must of necessity be employed even by those who contradict them"

"Some of their faults people readily admit, but others not so readily."