The example of my grandfather Verus taught me to be candid and to control my temper.  By the memory of my father’s character I learned to be modest and manly.  My mother taught me regard for religion, to be generous and open-handed, and neither to do an ill turn to anyone nor even to think of it.  She bred me also to a plain and inexpensive way of living.  I owe it to my grandfather that I had not a public education, but had good masters at home.  From my tutor I learned not to identify myself with popular sporting interests, but to work hard, endure fatigue, and not to meddle with other people’s affairs.  Diognetus taught me to bear freedom and plain dealing in others, and gave me a taste for philosophy.  Rusticus first set me to improve my character, and prevented me from running after the vanity of the Sophists, and from concerning myself with rhetorical and poetic conceits, or with the affectations of a dandy.  He taught me to read an author carefully, and gave me a copy of Epictetus.  Apollonius showed me how to give my mind its due freedom, to disregard everything that was not true and reasonable, and to maintain an equable temper under the most trying circumstances.  Sextus taught me good humour, to be obliging, and to bear with the ignorant and thoughtless.  From Maximus I learned to command myself, and to put through business efficiently, without drudging or complaint.  From my adoptive father I learned a smooth and inoffensive temper, and a greatness proof against vanity and the impressions of pomp and power; I learned that it was the part of a prince to check flattery, to have his exchequer well furnished, to be frugal in his expenses, not to worship the gods to superstition, but to be reserved, vigilant and well poised.

I thank the gods that my grandfathers, parents, sister, preceptors, relatives, friends and domestics were almost all persons of probity, and that I never happened to disoblige any of them.  By the goodness of the gods I was not provoked to expose my infirmities.  I owe it to them also that my wife is so deferential, affectionate and frugal; and that when I had a mind to look into philosophy I did not spend too much time in reading or logic-chopping.  All these points could never have been guarded without a protection from above.

BOOK II

Put yourself in mind, every morning, that before night you will meet with some meddlesome, ungrateful and abusive fellow, with some envious or unsociable churl.  Remember that their perversity proceeds from ignorance of good and evil; and that since it has fallen to my share to understand the natural beauty of a good action and the deformity of an ill one; since I am satisfied that the disobliging person is of kin to me, our minds being both extracted from the Deity; since no man can do me a real injury because no man can force me to misbehave myself; I cannot therefore hate or be angry with one of my own nature and family.  For we are all made for mutual assistance, no less than the