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Waste no more time arguing what a good man should be. Be one.

Marcus Aurelius, Meditations 10.16

Philosophy

The story behind the card

Marcus Aurelius was Roman emperor from AD 161 to 180 and a Stoic, following the Greek philosophy that places the good life in virtue and self-control. The Meditations are his private notebook, written in Greek during the 170s, partly while he was at war on the Danube frontier; he never meant it for readers. In 10.16 the Greek says, word for word: stop discussing what kind of man a good man is, and be one. The note just before it reminds him how little of his life is left.

Türkçe oku
İyi bir insanın nasıl olması gerektiğini tartışarak artık vakit kaybetme. Öyle biri ol.
Marcus Aurelius, Kendime Düşünceler 10.16

Marcus Aurelius, MS 161–180 yılları arasında Roma imparatoruydu. Aynı zamanda bir Stoacıydı. Stoacılık, iyi yaşamı erdemde ve insanın kendine hâkim olmasında gören bir Yunan felsefesidir. Kendime Düşünceler, onun Yunanca tuttuğu kişisel defteridir. Marcus bu notları 170'li yıllarda, bir kısmını Tuna sınırındaki savaşlar sırasında yazdı; başkaları okusun diye yazmamıştı. 10.16'daki cümlenin Yunancası kelimesi kelimesine şöyledir: İyi insanın nasıl biri olduğunu tartışmayı bırak ve öyle biri ol. Hemen önceki not da ona ömründen ne kadar az zaman kaldığını hatırlatır.

Sources and further reading

Background reading: Marcus Aurelius
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