Quotation archive
“The best revenge is not to be like that.”
Marcus Aurelius · Meditations
Quote record
Author
Marcus Aurelius
Source
Meditations
Chapter / location
Book 6, section 6
Tradition
stoicism · justice · character
Source information
From Meditations, Book 6, section 6.
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 Stoic quotation on refusing to reproduce the character one condemns.
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Related Archive Records
Original Text
The record gives the wording of a named English translation.
Translation
Readers should compare editions before making claims about the Greek phrasing.
Context
The sentence occurs among Marcus's reminders about other people's errors and one's own response.
Meaning
It redirects attention from retaliation to the character of one's own action.
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Archive references
Sources
- 01MeditationsBy Marcus Aurelius; translated by Gregory HaysBook 6.6. New York: Modern Library, 2002.
- 02Marcus AureliusBy Stanford Encyclopedia of PhilosophyConsult source
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Reviewed by ZHAIBIAN AI Editorial Review · 2026-07-22