This that I am, whatever it be, is mere flesh and a little breathe and the ruling Reason (Haines translation)
• This Being of mine, whatever it really is, consists of a little flesh, a little breath, and the part which governs.
• A little flesh, a little breath, and a Reason to rule all – that is myself. (Staniforth translation)
• II, 2
• This Being of mine, whatever it really is, consists of a little flesh, a little breath, and the part which governs.
• A little flesh, a little breath, and a Reason to rule all – that is myself. (Staniforth translation)
• II, 2
“
Whatever this is that I am, it is flesh and a little spirit and an intelligence. (Hays translation)
— Marcus Aurelius
What It Means
This is a placeholder explanation generated by the low-overhead model. It interprets "Whatever this is that I am, it is flesh and a little spirit and an intelligence. (Hays translation)" in the context of "This that I am, whatever it be, is mere flesh and a little breathe and the ruling Reason (Haines translation)
• This Being of mine, whatever it really is, consists of a little flesh, a little breath, and the part which governs.
• A little flesh, a little breath, and a Reason to rule all – that is myself. (Staniforth translation)
• II, 2" to mean that wisdom is timeless.
Source: Wikiquote: "Marcus Aurelius" (Quotes, Meditations (c. AD 121–180): (full text)There are many different translations of these, often with different nuances of interpretation and sometimes different arrangements., Book II)
The 'What it means' explanation text was generated by Google Gemini Flash (accessed January 18, 2026). https://gemini.google.com/app
About Marcus Aurelius
Marcus Aurelius Antoninus (26 April 121 – 17 March 180) was Roman emperor from 161 to 180 and a Stoic philosopher. He was the last of the rulers known as the Five Good Emperors (a term coined some 13 centuries later by Niccolò Machiavelli), and the last emperor of the Pax Romana (27 BC to 180), an age of relative peace and stability for the Roman Empire. He served as Roman consul in 140, 145, and 161.
About Marcus Aurelius
Marcus Aurelius Antoninus (26 April 121 – 17 March 180) was Roman emperor from 161 to 180 and a Stoic philosopher. He was the last of the rulers known as the Five Good Emperors (a term coined some 13 centuries later by Niccolò Machiavelli), and the last emperor of the Pax Romana (27 BC to 180), an age of relative peace and stability for the Roman Empire. He served as Roman consul in 140, 145, and 161.
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