“Don’t act grudgingly, selfishly, without due diligence, or to be a contrarian. Don’t overdress your thought in fine language. Don’t be a person of too many words and too many deeds. . . . Be cheerful, not wanting outside help or the relief others might bring. A person needs to stand on their own, not be propped up.”
—MARCUS AURELIUS, MEDITATIONS, 3.5
This quote encourages readers to remember that less is often more, citing examples from literature and history such as Philip Levine’s poem “He Would Never Use One Word Where None Would Do” and Queen Gertrude’s retort from Hamlet, “More matter with less art”. It suggests that readers should aim for brevity and economy in their words and deeds, and reminds them to not be too self-indulgent or full of themselves when trying to impress people.
