Book I

From my grandfather Verus I learned good morals and the government of my temper

From the reputation and remembrance of my father modesty and manly character

From Rusticus 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 matter nor to delivering little hortatory oration nor to showing myself off as a man who practises much discipline or does benevolent acts in order to make a display and not to walk about in the house in my out door dress nor to do other thing 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