1. If the plan works, the person gets excited and says, “Wow, how well we planned! With a plan like ours, how could we possibly fail?” But if the plan fails, the person is devastated and has nothing more to say on what happened. [Epictetus, D2.16]
2. Does someone despise me? That’s their problem. Mine is to ensure that what I do or say does not deserve be to sneered at. [Marcus Aurelius, M11.13]
3. Other passions may be amenable to delay and healed later. But anger is eager and self-destructive. [Seneca, A2.1]
4. You have been spending all your attention on material things. Then why are you surprised that you end up behaving in a way that is mean, shameful, worthless, cowardly, and weak – a total failure? [Epictetus, D2.16]
5. My job is to be friendly and charitable to everyone, including those who hate me. [Marcus Aurelius, M11.13]
6. [Anger carries away people] and torments them until they become incapable of controlling themselves and become eager to destroy everyone. [Seneca, A2.1]
7. Instead of being afraid of death and deportation, if we feared fear itself we would practice avoiding things that we believe are bad. [Epictetus, D2.16]
8. That is what we should be like inside. We should never let the gods catch us holding a grudge or complaining. [Marcus Aurelius, M11.13]
9. The other vices move our minds, but anger hurls them recklessly. [Seneca, A2.1]
10. In real life though, we are miserably lost at sea. Let a disturbing thought arise, then we will see what we really practiced and trained for. Because we don’t practice, we keep piling up worries, believing that our problems are worse than they are. [Epictetus, D2.16]
11. What harm can come to you as long as you do things that are in accordance with your nature and accept what the nature of the universe brings you? [Marcus Aurelius, M11.13]
12. Other vices affect our judgment, but anger affects our sanity. Others come gently and grow unnoticed, but our minds plunge into anger abruptly. [Seneca, A2.1]
13. Is it the sea that scares me? No, it is my own judgment that scares me. [Epictetus, D2.16]
14. You are a human being who is placed at your post to advance the common good. [Marcus Aurelius, M11.13]
15. [Anger] is as destructive among law-abiding citizens as with those who believe that might is right. [Seneca, A2.2]
16. Use what is given to you. Do not desire what not is given to you. [Epictetus, D2.16]
17. They flatter one another, yet they despise one another. They want to be above one another, yet they crouch before one another. [M11.14]
18. Ambition affects individuals, but ungovernable rage affects nations. An entire group of people often rush into anger. [Seneca, A2.2]
19. When something is taken away from you, give it up readily. Be thankful for the time you had with it. Do not cry like a baby for its mother or nanny. [Epictetus, D2.16]
20. How hollow and insincere it sounds when someone says, “I am going to be honest with you.” What are you doing? You don’t have to give notice. It should be written on your face. It should echo in your voice. [Marcus Aurelius, M11.15]
21. Will anyone think this passion can help virtue, even though it disturbs calm reason without which virtue can do nothing? [Seneca, A2.3]
22. What does it matter what enslaves you and what you are dependent on? [All slavery is equal.] [Epictetus, D2.16]
23. A person who is sincere and honest should exactly be like someone who has a strong smell. When you come near, you know it, but false honesty is like a knife in the back. [Marcus Aurelius, M11.15]
24. Don’t be under the impression that I am wasting time on useless things when I condemn anger. [Seneca, A2.3]
25. As the saying goes, “Man, do something desperate to achieve freedom and tranquility.” Lift your head up, like someone released from slavery. [Epictetus D2.16]
26. Nothing is more disgraceful than a false friendship. Avoid it at all costs. [Marcus Aurelius, M11.15]
27. Just in case someone is deluded into thinking that on certain occasions and in certain positions, anger may be useful, we must reveal its unchecked and deranged madness. [Seneca, 2.3]
28. Instead of getting rid of robbers, get rid of sorrow, fear, lust, envy, and schadenfreude (joy at others’ misfortunes), greed, petulance, and overindulgence. [Epictetus, D2.16]
29. If you are truly good and sincere, it will show in your looks. No one can fail to see it. [Marcus Aurelius, M11.15]
30. Can you call us sane, when we do not walk but are driven along as slaves of a chaotic disorder, as though caught up in a storm? [Seneca, A2.3]
31. You will seek happiness outside yourself and will never find it. It is because you will be looking for happiness in a place where it is not rather than in a place where it really is. [Epictetus, D2.16]

D: Discourses. M: Meditations. A: On Anger

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