Marcus Aurelius was wealthy on a scale you cannot even imagine. Seneca too. These were men with enormous fortunes… and control of imperial power. They controlled life and death. They had fame beyond fame. 

And yet, you are far more blessed and fortunate than they are. 

If Marcus Aurelius wanted to read a book at night, think of all the energy and effort that would have been required to fulfill this wish. Slaves would have been called. Torches lit and held. And if it was cold outside, think of what was required to keep him warm. If Seneca wanted to travel, he had few options, and most of them involved serious risks—from pirates to shipwrecks to disease. 

You? You get light by flipping a switch. You can hop in your car. You can zip up a hoodie or pull on some socks—two minor engineering marvels that may rival the great Roman aqueducts. Compare the pandemic of 2020 to the Antonine Plague. Would you rather be poor today or wealthy in Rome two thousand years ago? 

Right. Because you are immensely lucky. You have things that wealth and power and fame would not even have dreamed of buying in the ancient world. You have security. You have comfort. You have access and knowledge that the most brilliant doctors of antiquity would have genuinely seen as magic. 

It is good to remember this. We are incredibly lucky. And we should be grateful. Today and every day.

P.S. This was originally sent on September 2, 2020. Sign up today for the Daily Stoic’s email and get our popular free 7-day course on Stoicism.