“ When thou hast done well, and another is benefited by thy action, must thou like a very fool look for a third thing besides, as that it may appear unto others also that thou hast done well, or that thou mayest in time, receive one good turn for another? No man useth to be weary of that which is beneficial unto him. But every action according to nature, is beneficial. ”
Marcus Aurelius, Meditations (c. 170 - 180). copy citation
Author | Marcus Aurelius |
---|---|
Source | Meditations |
Topic | action time |
Date | c. 170 - 180 |
Language | English |
Reference | |
Note | Translated by Meric Casaubon |
Weblink | https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Marcus_Aurelius_Antoninus_-_His_Meditatio... |
Context
“What object soever, our reasonable and sociable faculty doth meet with, that affords nothing either for the satisfaction of reason, or for the practice of charity, she worthily doth think unworthy of herself.
XLIII. When thou hast done well, and another is benefited by thy action, must thou like a very fool look for a third thing besides, as that it may appear unto others also that thou hast done well, or that thou mayest in time, receive one good turn for another? No man useth to be weary of that which is beneficial unto him. But every action according to nature, is beneficial. Be not weary then of doing that which is beneficial unto thee, whilst it is so unto others.
XLIV. The nature of the universe did once certainly before it was created, whatsoever it hath done since, deliberate and so resolve upon the creation of the world.”
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