Musonius Rufus

One can be a great man even under a bad ruler.

The philosopher who teaches his listeners with many proofs is not to be praised either, but rather the one who guides them to where he wants them with a few.

I think that unfit bodies also require much more attention if they are going to get well.

There is no use to a philosophical doctrine unless it leads to the virtue of the human soul.

To be courageous and free from cowardice so that she is overcome neither by pain nor by fear.

For a person, being human, to not want to harm human beings—this is the most honorable lesson and it makes just people out of those who learn.

Develop good character and behave nobly, since indeed philosophy is nothing but the practice of noble behavior.

Speaking ably about self-control is less important and indeed is insignificant in comparison with actually being self-controlled.

Although understanding the theory behind the action enables one to speak, it is practice that enables one to act.

Practice is more important than theory because it more effectively leads humans to actions than theory does.

Trained to look down on things which seem to be good?

The person who claims to be studying philosophy must practice it even more diligently than the person who aspires to the art of medicine or some similar skill, inasmuch as philosophy is more important and harder to grasp than any other pursuit. People who study skills other than philosophy have not been previously corrupted in their souls by learning things contrary to what they are about to learn.

How much others put up with for the sake of gain, and again how many ills some suffer in pursuit of fame. And yet, all these people undergo all this hardship of their own accord. Is it not amazing that they would put up with all this on account of dishonorable things, but that we—to gain a noble character, to escape the wickedness that ruins our lives, and to acquire virtue which provides for all good things—would not readily withstand every pain?

Much better to work to gain control over one’s own desires than it is to work to gain possession of someone else’s.

…for a person to train himself to want little instead of struggling to become wealthy?

And instead of exerting effort to gain fame, shouldn’t a person strive to overcome his thirst for it?

Since all people must endure pain, both those who seek better things and those who seek worse ones, it is quite strange that people who aim at the better things are not much more willing to endure pain than those who hope for little as a result of their efforts.

Won’t we, therefore, be willing to endure pain in order to gain complete happiness? For there is no other reason for becoming good than to be happy and live a blessed life thereafter.

Some animals’ ability to endure pain, and this ought to encourage us to do the same. Unlike humans, quails and cocks do not understand anything about virtue, do not know about beauty and justice, and do not seek these things; yet they fight against each other, keep on fighting even when injured, and fight to the death to avoid defeat.

Be good and just and self-controlled. No one achieves this without pain. And so I conclude that because we humans acquire all good things by pain, the person who is himself unwilling to endure pain all but condemns himself to being worthy of nothing good.

Exhorting those present to regard pain as having little importance and spurring them on.

Laxness destroys everyone, both ruler and private citizen. How could someone be self-controlled himself if he does not practice mastering his desires?

Philosophy teaches that we should be above pleasure and greed. It teaches that we should love frugality and avoid extravagance. It accustoms us to be modest and to control our tongue. It brings about discipline, order, decorum, and on the whole fitting behavior in action and in habit. If these things are present in a human being, they make him dignified and self-controlled. Any king who has these qualities would be most god-like and worthy of reverence.