Stoic philosopher and Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius offered a powerful metaphor for resilience and self-mastery when he wrote, “A strong stomach digests what it eats.”

“A strong stomach digests what it eats,” wrote Marcus Aurelius in Meditations. “So too, a strong soul transforms whatever happens into fuel for its purpose.

The line appears in Meditations, Book 10, where Aurelius compares the soul’s ability to face hardship to the body’s ability to digest difficult food.

In Stoic thought, this idea reflects the belief that individuals should not seek to avoid adversity, but rather become strong enough to absorb it and convert it into something useful—just as the body metabolizes whatever it’s given. The Stoic path isn’t about comfort; it’s about becoming someone who can endure, adapt, and grow stronger through trial

Aurelius served as Roman emperor from 161 to 180 AD and is remembered as one of history’s great philosopher-kings. His personal journal, later titled Meditations, was written during years of war and personal loss. It remains a foundational text in Stoic philosophy and is widely read today for its insights into personal responsibility, mental discipline, and emotional resilience.