People
Do not act as if thou wert going to live ten thousand years. Death hangs over thee. While thou livest, while it is in thy power, be good.
— Marcus Aurelius • Meditations
Behind the line May contain spoilers.
Our reading
An editorial interpretation.
The passage contrasts an imagined vast lifespan with the immediate presence of death. Its repeated emphasis on living and having the power to act makes goodness a present responsibility. Read as an exhortation, it urges the listener to use available time rather than assume there will always be more.
Context reviewed