Quote Of The Day By Marcus Aurelius: 'One Thing Here Is Worth A Great Deal, To Pass Thy Life In...'

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Anyone who has watched blockbuster movie "Gladiator," starring Russell Crowe, will have at least a broad understanding that Marcus Aurelius was a Roman emperor at the time of gladiator fights in the Colosseum. While, obviously, not all of the plot points in the movie actually mirrored real life, Aurelius left quite a lasting legacy. Born in AD 121, his father died when he was young, so the future leader was adopted by his grandfather, who was close to Emperor Hadrian. Hadrian was in need of a successor, and he named Aurelius's uncle Antoninus Pius upon the condition that Aurelius and Lucius Verus would in turn be his uncle's successors. 

Aurelius became co-emperor in AD 161 with Verus, and history deemed Aurelius one of Rome's "Five Good Emperors," per Yale University Press. He ruled through challenging times of war, internal conflict, and plague. Along with leading the Roman empire, Aurelius was a philosopher who believed deeply in Stoicism. Some may assume it to mean living without emotions or any real care for others — after all, that is the very definition of the word "stoic." However, the philosophy of Stoicism is all about focusing on the things that you can control and building your character centered around four main virtues: "Wisdom, courage, justice, and temperance." 

Aurelius utilized those virtues to help guide his actions as emperor, and he worked to help make life better and easier for Rome's many citizens. Notably, Aurelius journaled every day, mapping out potential challenges and how he felt he should act based on the virtues of Stoicism. Much of that writing has survived, and even though it was written hundreds of years ago, many of his ideas still ring true today. That's why Aurelius is, once again, our quote of the day.

Marcus Aurelius wrote daily about life, but it's worth noting that he was essentially writing to himself since the philosopher and Roman leader didn't put out any of these thoughts for wider publication. Luckily for us, a collection of his private reflections was eventually compiled and published in the book "Meditations," giving us valuable insights into the world at the time as well as perspectives on life that we can still apply today. 

It was in "Meditations" that Aurelius wrote, "One thing here is worth a great deal, to pass thy life in truth and justice, with a benevolent disposition even to liars and unjust men." Right before this, he'd made a list of philosophers, rulers, and other preeminent men, and pointed out that they had all died and were gone. So, when the Stoic philosopher wrote this, he was considering the meaning of life and how it doesn't last forever. That's when Aurelius noted that the key in life was to focus on truth, justice, and kindness.

When we look at the deeper meaning of Marcus Aurelius' quote, it's clear where he thinks people should put their energy. Of all the things in life that one could focus on — power, money, fame, etc. — the celebrated Roman leader put truth, justice, and kindness as the most important. Of course, it's not something you can expect everyone around you to do; Aurelius acknowledged that there are "liars and unjust men" to deal with too. That's where the real challenge of this approach comes into play. Even though we live centuries after Aurelius, the basics of human nature and the human condition haven't changed. It's far easier to be kind and honest to those who offer the same to us — it's always much more challenging to be nice to those who aren't nice to us first. 

It can be frustrating to have to rise above how others are acting, but all we can do is control how we behave. We can't force others to be honest or kind, but we can choose to be that way for ourselves. Especially when you consider the context in which this was written, it's clear that this is the only kind of legacy Aurelius considered worth worrying about. As influential and powerful as you may be, you won't live forever, and we will all eventually be forgotten. It stands to reason, then, that since we won't live forever, we could behave however we want and not worry about truth, justice, and caring about others. But on the flip side, since life is so short, we should focus on dealing kindly and honestly with others as well as ourselves. What other good could come from our lives?

• "Further characteristics of the reasoning soul are love of its neighbors, truth, compassion, and valuing nothing above itself."
• "Do every act of your life as if it were your last."
• "Accept the things to which fate binds you, and love the people with whom fate brings you together, but do so with all your heart."
• "Very little is needed to make a happy life; it is all within yourself in your way of thinking."
• "Frightened of change? But what can exist without it? What's closer to nature's heart?"