Antoninus was such a man, according to Marcus. The traits he’s described as possessing paint a vivid picture of the sort of character that Marcus wanted to develop through his training in Stoic philosophy. Once Antoninus had considered something and arrived at a decision, for example, he implemented it with unwavering determination.11 In The Meditations Marcus contemplates how his predecessor never sought out empty praise or approval from others; instead, he was always willing to listen to other people’s views and consider them carefully. He was meticulous in examining matters that required
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