Marcus Aurelius
Roman · 121–180
Roman emperor and Stoic philosopher whose private journal of reflections became one of the most influential works of philosophy.
Wikipedia ↗“You have power over your mind — not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength.”
English
Modern paraphrase of Meditations themes (likely Book IV.3 or VI.52). No single Greek passage matches this wording exactly. Marcus Aurelius wrote in Koine Greek, not Latin. The previously cited Greek was actually from Epictetus's Enchiridion.
“Ἡ ζωή σου τοιαύτη ἐστίν, οἷα τὰ ἐνθυμήματά σου.”
Ελληνικά
“The happiness of your life depends upon the quality of your thoughts.”
“Μηκέτι περὶ τοῦ οἷόν τινα εἶναι τὸν ἀγαθὸν ἄνδρα διαλέγεσθαι, ἀλλὰ εἶναι τοιοῦτον.”
Ελληνικά
“Waste no more time arguing about what a good man should be. Be one.”
“Ἐλαχίστων δεῖ πρὸς εὐδαίμονα βίον· πᾶν γὰρ ἐν σεαυτῷ ἐστιν, ἐν τῷ τρόπῳ τῆς ὑπολήψεως.”
Ελληνικά
“Very little is needed to make a happy life; it is all within yourself, in your way of thinking.”
“Οὐ δεῖ μετὰ τῶν πολλῶν εἶναι, ἀλλὰ φεύγειν τὸ ἐν τοῖς μαινομένοις εὑρεθῆναι.”
Ελληνικά
“The object of life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane.”
“Ἡ ψυχὴ βάπτεται τοῖς ἐνθυμήμασιν.”
Ελληνικά
“The soul becomes dyed with the color of its thoughts.”
“Στέργε τὰ συμβαίνοντα καὶ φίλει τοὺς ἀνθρώπους οἷς σε ἡ μοῖρα συνάγει, καὶ τοῦτο ἐξ ὅλης τῆς καρδίας.”
Ελληνικά
“Accept the things to which fate binds you, and love the people with whom fate brings you together, and do so with all your heart.”
“Πόσῳ ἐπιπονώτερα τὰ ἐκ τῆς ὀργῆς ἀποβαίνοντα ἢ τὰ αἴτια αὐτῆς.”
Ελληνικά
“How much more grievous are the consequences of anger than the causes of it.”
“Μηδέποτε ὡς ὠφέλιμόν τι τιμήσῃς ὃ ἀναγκάσει σε τὴν πίστιν παραβῆναι ἢ τὴν αἰδῶ ἀποβαλεῖν.”
Ελληνικά
“Never esteem anything as of advantage to you that will make you break your word or lose your self-respect.”
“When you arise in the morning, think of what a precious privilege it is to be alive — to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love.”
English
Likely originated with Elbert Hubbard, not Marcus Aurelius. Meditations Book V.1 discusses morning unwillingness to rise but uses very different language.