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Quotation Archive

What Can Be Endured

A short Stoic reminder about distinguishing what can be borne from what requires a different response.

Quotation archive

Everything that happens is either endurable or not.

Marcus Aurelius · Meditations

Quote record

Author

Marcus Aurelius

Source

Meditations

Chapter / location

Book 4, section 3

Tradition

stoicism · resilience · judgment

Source information

From Meditations, Book 4, section 3.

Original language: Greek

Translation

Translated from Greek into English using a named scholarly edition.

Context

Read the contextual commentary in this archive entry.

Interpretation

A short Stoic reminder about distinguishing what can be borne from what requires a different response.

Knowledge network

Related Archive Records

Original Text

This is an English rendering from a named modern translation, not the Greek original.

Translation

The compact wording should be read with the surrounding argument in Book 4.

Context

Marcus uses the distinction as an exercise in judgment under pressure.

Meaning

The thought concerns response and endurance; it should not erase practical duties or the reality of injustice.

Learning Path

Part of a Structured Collection

Knowledge Network

Archive references

Sources

2 scholarly sources
  • 01
    MeditationsBy Marcus Aurelius; translated by Gregory HaysBook 4.3. New York: Modern Library, 2002.
  • 02
    StoicismBy Stanford Encyclopedia of PhilosophyConsult source

ZHAIBIAN Editorial Board reviewed

Reviewed by ZHAIBIAN AI Editorial Review · 2026-07-22

Based on 2 scholarly sourcesLast updated 2026-07-22