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7From Rusticus[5] I received the impression that my character required improvement and discipline; and from him I learned not to be led astray to sophistic emulation, nor to writing on speculative matters, nor to delivering little hortatory orations, nor to showing myself off as a man who practises much discipline, or does benevolent acts in order to make a display; and to abstain from rhetoric, and poetry, and fine writing; and not to walk about in the house in my outdoor dress, nor to do other things of the kind; and to write my letters with simplicity, like the letter which Rusticus wrote from Sinuessa to my mother; and with respect to those who have offended me by words, or done me wrong, to be easily disposed to be pacified and reconciled, as soon as they have shown a readiness to be reconciled; and to read carefully, and not to be satisfied with a superficial understanding of a book; nor hastily to give my assent to those who talk overmuch; and I am indebted to him for being acquainted with the discourses of Epictetus, which he communicated to me out of his own collection.
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Notes
[5] Q. Junius Rusticus was a Stoic philosopher, whom Antoninus valued highly, and often took his advice. (Capitol. M. Antonin. iii.)
Antoninus says, τοῐς Ἐπικτείοις ὑπομνῄμασιν, which must not be translated, "the writings of Epictetus," for Epictetus wrote nothing. His pupil Arrian, who has preserved for us all that we know of Epictetus, says, ταῠτα ἐπειράθην ὑπομνῄματα ἐμαυτῷ δίαψυλάξαι τῆς ἐκείνου διανοίας. (Ep. ad. Gell.)