"**It is said that no man is a hero to his valet**, but [[Marcus Aurelius|Marcus]], who was even closer to [[Antoninus]] than a valet, who had seen the man at his best and his worst for more than two decades, still worshipped him. His other tutors, his study of Stoicism, his advisors, would all play a part in Marcus’s ultimate success, but as [[Renan]] wrote, “Superior to all these masters who had been selected from every corner of the globe, Marcus had a single master whom he revered above them all; and that was Antoninus, … **It was because Marcus Aurelius had by his side the most beautiful model of a perfect life**, and one whom he understood and loved, that he became what he was.”" --- **Tags** -- [[quotes]], [[mentorship]], [[humility]], [[ego]], [[consistency]], [[stoicism]] **Source** -- [[202409150124 - B - Discipline is Destiny]]