Marcus Aurelius Quotes

It’s true that someone will always say that good and evil don’t exist: that is a person who has never had any dealings with real evil. Good is far less convincing than evil, but it’s because their chemical structures are different. Like gold, good is never found in a pure state in nature: it therefore doesn’t seem impressive. It has the unfortunate tendency not to act; it prefers, passively, to be seen.

Of all evil I deem you capable: therefore I want the good from you.

Evil is done without effort, naturally, it is the working of fate; good is always the product of an art.

Goodness without wisdom always accomplishes evil.

I'd always found goodness more interesting then evil, though I was aware this wasn't the most general view. To my mind, it took more work and more courage to be good, an opinion continually reinforced by my own shortcomings.

We are supposed to be on the side of goodness in the sense that we need it, not that we are it.

Of all the things of a man's soul which he has within him, justice is the greatest good and injustice the greatest evil.

No man can be brave who thinks pain the greatest evil; nor temperate, who considers pleasure the highest good.

Tolerance cannot afford to have anything to do with the fallacy that evil may convert itself to good.

People are either good or they're not. Religion doesn't make anybody good, I don't think.

But goodness alone is never enough. A hard, cold wisdom is required for goodness to accomplish good. Goodness without wisdom always accomplishes evil.

Be good to others, that will protect you against evil.

The eternal conflict of good and the best with bad and the worst is on.

A good heart will help you to a bonny face, my lad and a bad one will turn the bonniest into something worse than ugly.

Being good is just a matter of temperament in the end.

There has to be evil so that good can prove its purity above it.

I've never had any desire to be good. I don't like goodness particularly.

Goodness is something that makes us serene and content; it is magnificent. Those who are not good are evil.

The moral law commands us to make the highest possible good in a world the final object of all our conduct.

To do no evil is good, to intend none better.

Any simple claim that you need religion to be good is flat wrong.

There is something mean in human nature that prefers to think evil, that gives a willing ear and a ready welcome to calumny, a sort of jealousy of goodness and greatness and things of good report.

Mencius said that human nature is good. I disagree with that.

Nature has no principles. She makes no distinction between good and evil.

The wicked are always surprised to find ability in the good.