Meditations 12:27

Constantly run down the list of those who felt intense anger at something: the most famous, the most unfortunate, the most hated, the most whatever. And ask: Where is all that now? Smoke, dust, legend . . . or not even a legend. Think of all the examples: Fabius Catullinus in the country, Lusius

Lupus in the orchard, Stertinius at Baiae, Tiberius on Capri, Velius Rufus . . . obsession and arrogance.

And how trivial the things we want so passionately are.

And how much more philosophical it would be to take what we're given and show uprightness, self—control, obedience to God, without making a production of it. There's nothing more insufferable than people who boast about their own humility.