An affable temper and loftiness of spirit

Cicero, On Duties, Book I, p.35

...We should not listen to those who think we should be deeply angry with our opponents, and consider that this is what a great-spirited and courageous man does. For nothing is more to be praised, nothing more worthy of a great and splendid man than to be easily appeased and forgiving.

Doing splendidly if they have in them mere images of virtue

Cicero, On Duties, Book I, p.20

Since we do not live with men who are perfect and clearly wise, but with those who are doing splendidly if the have in them mere images of virtue, I think that we must understand this too: no one should be wholly neglected if any indication of virtue appears in him; moreover, one must particularly foster those who are most graced with the gentler virtues, modesty, restraint and [justice]...for a brave and great spirit in a man who is not perfect nor wise is generally too impetuous; but those other virtues seem rather to attach themselves to a good man.

Cicero on premeditated injustice

Cicero, On Duties, Book I, p.12

In every case of injustice it matters a great deal whether the injury was committed through some agitation of the spirit, which is generally brief and momentary, or purposefully and with some forethought. For those things that happen because of some sudden impulse are less serious than those inflicted after reflection and preparation.

The diseases of the soul...

Foucault, The Care of the Self, p.58:

And the establishment of the relationship to oneself as a sick individual is all the more necessary because the diseases of the soul - unlike those of the body - do not announce themselves by the suffering that one perceives; not only can they go undetected for a long time, but they blind those whom they afflict...

The insidious thing about the diseases of the soul is that they pass unnoticed, or even that one can mistake them for virtues (anger for courage, amorous passion for friendship, envy for emulation, cowardice for prudence).

Taking care of oneself is not a rest cure...

Foucault, The Care of the Self, pp. 50-51:

With regard to oneself as well, [the care of the self] implies labor. It takes time...[reflection, mediation, retreats to the country-side]...

The time is not empty; it is filled with exercises, practical tasks, various activities. Taking cure of oneself is not a rest cure. There is care of the body to consider...

There are the meditations, the reading, the notes that one takes on books or on conversations that one has heard, notes that one reads again later, the recollection of truths that one knows already but that need to more fully adapted to one's own life. Marcus Aurelius thus gives an example of "a retreat within oneself": it is a sustained effort in which general principles are reactivated and arguments are adduced that persuade one not to let oneself become angry at others, at providence, or at things.

There is also the talks that one has with a confidant, with friends, and with a guide or director.

Add to this the correspondence in which one reveals the state of one's soul, solicits advice, gives advice to anyone who needs it - which for that matter constitutes a beneficial exercise for the giver, who is called the preceptor, because he thereby reactualizes it for himself.

Around the care of the self, there developed an entire activity of speaking and writing in which the work of oneself on oneself and communication with others were linked together.

Our actions are all determined by our impressions

Epictetus, Discourses, Book I, 28:

Whoever keeps in mind that our actions are all determined by our impressions, which can be either right or wrong...whoever keeps this in mind will not be angry or upset with anyone, won't curse, blame, resent or malign anyone either.

Marcus Aurelius, Meditations, Book Four, 7:

Choose not to be harmed - and you won't feel harmed.
Don't feel harmed - and you haven't been.

Epictetus, Plato and Popper on truth

In discussing sympathy for the ignorant, Epictetus approvingly quotes Plato:

"Every soul is deprived of the truth against its will."

Compare this with Popper's criticism of conspiracy theories of ignorance. Truth, Popper says, is hard to find and easy to lose. The failure of those around us to grasp the truth requires no elaborate explanation, no blame, no uncovering of any agent's intentional acts to hide and confuse. People can get confused, and stay confused, all on their own. It is the natural state of most people most of the time. Or as Plato suggests, ignorance need not be an act of will on anyone's part.

Epictetus applies this in Book I, Chapter 18 - "Don't be angry with wrongdoers." Epictetus suggests that thieves are acting in accordance with an undeniable law of human nature - that people conform to a view because they believe that is must be true, and they act according to what they believe is their best interest. Thieves are, of course, wrong both about what is true and what is in their interest, but this is a cause for pity, not anger.

Anger is weakness

In explaining that we have nothing to fear from the gods, Epicurus (like Marcus Aurelius) depicts anger as a form of weakness.

"The blessed and immortal is itself free from trouble nor does it cause trouble for anyone else; therefore it is not constrained either by anger or by favor. For such sentiments exist only in the weak."

- Epicurus