Meditations

By Marcus Aurelius, David V. Hicks and C. Scot Hicks

NATIONAL BESTSELLER

A powerful and accessible translation of Marcus Aurelius’s timeless book on character, what it takes to be a good leader, and how to live a fulfilling life.

Marcus Aurelius ruled the Roman Empire at its height, yet he remained untainted by the immense wealth and absolute power that had corrupted many of his predecessors. He knew the secret of how to live the good life amid trying and often catastrophic circumstances, of how to find happiness and peace when surrounded by misery and turmoil, and how to make the right choices—even if they are more difficult—without regard for self-interest.

Offering a vivid and fresh translation of this important piece of ancient literature, Meditations brings Marcus’s inspiring words to life and shows his wisdom to be as relevant today as it was in the second century. This book speaks to the soul of anyone who has ever faced adversity or believed in a better day.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Scribner
• Release date: Nov 14, 2023
• ISBN: 9781668053317

Marcus Aurelius

Marcus Aurelius ruled the Roman Empire from 161 to 180 AD. Born to an upper-class Roman family in 121, Aurelius was adopted by his uncle, the emperor Antoninus Pius, in 138. Aurelius studied Greek and Latin literature, philosophy, and law, and was especially influenced by the Stoic thinker Epictetus. After Pius’s death, Aurelius succeeded the throne alongside his adoptive brother, Lucius Verus. His reign was marked by plague, numerous military conflicts, and the deaths of friends and family—including Lucius Verus in 169. Despite these struggles, the Empire flourished under Marcus’s rule as the last emperor of the Pax Romana, an era from 27 to 180 of relative peace and prosperity for the Roman Empire. Aurelius wrote his Meditations as spiritual exercises never intended for publication, and died at fifty-eight while on campaign against the Germanic tribes.

Book preview

INTRODUCTION

The book you are about to read was never intended for publication, whatever that might have meant in the second century. It is often referred to as the Meditations of the Emperor Marcus Aurelius, but in fact it was untitled in antiquity and takes the form of notes intended for personal and private use. How these notes ever got into our hands is one of those tantalizing mysteries that historical novels are made of.

Did the emperor write his notes on fragile papyrus or portable wax tablets? When, under the grueling conditions of camp life on the Roman frontier, did he find time to jot down his thoughts? Was it a daily routine, or whenever he could grab a moment? Or was there a scribe? Might Marcus have dictated such probing and introspective, yet strangely impersonal notes?

When he died, probably from exhaustion after thirteen years of grinding warfare with the Germans, did he leave instructions for the safekeeping of his notes? Did he entrust them to a friend, a relative, a fellow Stoic? Or in the confusion of the moment, were they discovered by a servant and spirited away and later sold for bread? Did the captain of his guard requisition them with everything else on the emperor’s person at the time of his death and turn them over to the imperial family or a Senate in mourning? And after that, by what circuitous and utterly silent route did they end up in the hands of an aristocratic Byzantine humanist and scholar during the reign of emperor Leo the Wise?

This much we surmise. Sometime before his election as bishop of Caesarea (Cappadocia) in 907, a Byzantine scholar and churchman named Arethas sent a letter to Demetrios, the metropolitan of Heraclea in Pontus, presenting him with what he described as the most useful old book of the Emperor Marcus. All our fourteenth-and fifteenth-century manuscripts are thought to derive from this book, or the copy Arethas made of it before giving it away.

What is far clearer is the progress of Marcus Aurelius’ book since the Renaissance. The attentions of humanists after the fall of Byzantium, of scholars Meric Casaubon (who made the first English translation) and Thomas Gataker (who created the chapter divisions still in use) in the seventeenth century, of essayist Matthew Arnold and historian Ernst Renan in the nineteenth century, and of statesmen and scholars in the twentieth century have ensured for Marcus’ words a profound and worldwide influence. In our own time, public figures as far apart on the political spectrum as Admiral James Stockdale and President Bill Clinton have praised the emperor’s book, and the historian Michael Grant has called it one of the most acute and sophisticated pieces of ancient writing that exists and, incidentally, the best book ever written by a major ruler.

THE PURPOSE OF THE BOOK

At the end of the tenth century, a Byzantine lexicon known as the Souda cited several passages from a work by Marcus the philosopher-king organized into twelve books and described as the regimen of his personal life. We have not tampered with this arrangement. Except for the first book, which may have been written last and reads like an author’s acknowledgments, all the books are alike. There is no beginning, middle, or ending. The reader can pick up and start anywhere, and thoughts that appear in the second book will reappear in different garb in later books. This pattern is consistent with the observation that we need more often to be reminded than informed.

From notes inserted between the first and second and between the second and third books, it appears that Marcus wrote the Meditations during the last years of his life while camped with his army along the frozen marshes of the Danube. Yet this is not a diary. Marcus almost never refers to what is happening in camp or in the rest of the empire. He is concerned exclusively with his own thoughts, although not in a systematic or speculative way. This is not a philosophical treatise. Marcus’ thoughts appear to emerge from an inner dialogue that is as relentless as it is rooted in the loamy soil of daily life.

The arrangement and content of the Meditations suggest that it was written as a series of thought exercises consistent with a discipline encouraged by Stoics like Seneca and Epictetus, and out of which later grew the Christian practice of spiritual exercises. Marcus labored over the expression of his thoughts and gave them many forms. Sometimes he records them as a dialogue with himself; sometimes he poses a question or berates himself; sometimes he tells a joke or quotes something he has read; but always, he is reminding himself of a Stoic precept that will help him act reasonably and in harmony with nature. Whether creating or copying, he is like a carpenter working a fine piece of furniture. Each piece needs not only to serve a purpose, but to do so boldly, beautifully, memorably. This accounts for the striking and often aphoristic way Marcus addresses himself.

Know that in time those things toward which we move come to be. (VI.50)

Bear in mind that the measure of a man is the worth of the things he cares about. (VII.3)

Leave the wrong with the person who did it. (VII.29)

Through regular mental exercise of this sort, Marcus sought to furnish his mind with true, good, and beautiful things. Someone with a mind so furnished, he believed, must do true, good, and beautiful things, since action follows thought. Your mind, he wrote (V.16), is colored by the thoughts it feeds upon, for the mind is dyed by ideas and imaginings. Saturate your mind, then, with a succession of ideas like these…, and he proceeds to remind himself of the ideas that will make it possible for him to live in a palace in the right way. As important as the form of his ideas is their usefulness. They are, after all, furniture.

When your spirits need a lift, think of the virtues and talents of those around you—one’s energy, another’s modesty, the generosity of a third, something else in a fourth. Nothing is so inspiring or uplifting as the sight of these splendid qualities in our friends. Keep them always in mind. (VI.48)

Everything about the Meditations suggests that Marcus used these notes to remind himself of his guiding principles and to hold himself accountable to them. These are not merely thoughts recollected in tranquillity, but they contain the landmarks and lighthouses by which he navigated a life, the life not of a saintly recluse, but of a general, administrator, legislator, husband, father, and judge besieged on all sides. For this reason, we have taken the liberty allowed by a modern translation of an ancient text (originally designed for oral rather than visual presentation) to highlight some of Marcus’ more memorable and apt aphorisms.

Like thousands of other English-speaking people who are reasonably well educated, we have enjoyed reading Marcus over the years and marveled at the ability of someone so far removed from us in language, time, culture, creed, and station in life to know so much about us and to offer such pertinent advice. At the same time, we wondered at the awkwardness of his English translators and knew enough Greek to know that his Greek was not that bad, although some have claimed it was. We resolved to rectify this situation, and in the process, we hoped to make the provocative wisdom of this extraordinary man available to a wider audience. It is fine for scholars to study Marcus, but it is natural for the captains of industries and armies to carry him in their briefcases, for this was a man of action, not merely of words, and the few words he wrote to himself were meant to incite actions, not dissertations.

IT’S UP TO YOU!

Scholars interested in Marcus’ ideas typically argue over whether he is a consistent Stoic and criticize him for being unoriginal or unsystematic in his thinking. But their debate largely misses the point. Marcus has little interest in ideas for their own sake. He wants ideas that prove their usefulness in helping him to live a happier, more purposeful and productive life. He constantly cautions himself to disregard ideas that are indifferent, that are of no practical, moral, or social benefit. This does not mean that he disregards poetry and physics, religion and the arts. It means he bores into these subjects to extract and apply their meanings to the question of how to live and manage the affairs of the empire.

Marcus sounds this theme right from the beginning. In Book One, he reserves his thanks and praise for those who taught him how to live and govern others well, and he seems strangely silent or reserved in commenting on the contributions of teachers like Herodes Atticus and Fronto, his famous Greek and Latin tutors. He thanks the gods for not letting my education in rhetoric, poetry, and other literary subjects come easily to me, and thereby sparing me from an absorbing interest in these subjects (I.17). If that is not enough, he concludes the introduction to his thoughts with a word of guidance from the oracle at Caieta that seems to summarize what he has learned from an astoundingly active and challenging life: It’s up to you! (I.17).

As every schoolboy and -girl used to know, Marcus was the last of the five good emperors. Born in 121, he died fighting the German tribes in 180 at the age of fifty-eight. He ruled Rome at the height of its power and was, in many ways, the fabulous realization of Plato’s dream of a philosopher-king. The contemporary historian Dio Cassius called his rule an age of gold. Trajan had crossed the Danube and added Dacia (Romania) to the empire and later marched his armies all the way to the Red Sea. Hadrian had walled the unruly Celts out of Britannia, and Antoninus Pius had built a second wall deeper into Celtic territory. Spain and Africa had yielded to the sword and were prospering under the plow. Cities in Greece, Italy, and Gaul flourished under Roman law and were joined by a network of aqueducts and roads that undergird the infrastructure of Southern Europe to this day. Never again would civilization reach these heights under one ruler.

Marcus himself seemed impossibly good. His father died when he was three years old, and his mother and grandfather Verus (meaning true or sincere) raised him. As a boy, he was universally admired for his serious demeanor and friendly disposition. Even the aged emperor Hadrian, visiting in his grandfather’s home, marked him as destined to rule and was so taken with and perhaps amused by the child’s gravitas and noble bearing that he playfully nicknamed him Verissimus (truest or most earnest), a nickname that stuck and later appeared on coins. Untainted by the incalculable wealth and absolute power that had corrupted many of his notorious predecessors, this boy grew to manage one of the most complex enterprises of all time in the midst of personal and geopolitical catastrophes, any one of which would have undone most men.

In 138 Hadrian died, and in accordance with his wishes, the new emperor, Antoninus Pius, adopted Marcus. In the same year Marcus was betrothed to Pius’ daughter Faustina, whom he married in 145. Was it a happy marriage? It is hard to say. Marcus adored Faustina, although rumors of her infidelities swirled around the palace. In Marcus’ notes he describes her as sweet, affectionate, and unassuming. She bore him at least fourteen children, but the only son to survive was Commodus, Marcus’ vain and unstable successor, later rumored, perhaps because his character bore so little resemblance to his father’s, to be the gift of a gladiator. Yet in spite of all the pain and embarrassment it must have caused him, Marcus loved his family and appears to have spent as much time in their company as his imperial duties allowed.

Antoninus Pius provided Marcus with the best private tutors power and money could buy. These included the two most famous orators of the age. Herodes Atticus, his Greek tutor and perhaps the richest man in the Eastern Empire, personally financed the Odeon that still graces the slopes of the Acropolis in Athens. Marcus’ lifelong correspondence with Marcus Cornelius Fronto, his Latin tutor, also survives and offers us many insights into the emperor and his times. Yet for all their influence and friendship, Marcus rejected oratory as a vain and empty occupation, and not unlike Alexander, the student of Aristotle, he embraced the active life, partly, it must be said, from a sense of duty. This was, after all, his fate as an emperor, and it is an axiom of his leadership philosophy that one must accept one’s fate without reservation or complaint.

Marcus assumed the title of Caesar in 139, became consul in 140, and was invested with tribunician power from 147 to 161 when Antoninus Pius died. In effect, he ruled with Pius during these years while being mentored by his adoptive father. At the death of Pius, Marcus Aurelius became emperor and promptly named as co-emperor Lucius Ceionius Commodus, now called Lucius Verus, whom Pius had adopted at the same time as Marcus, perhaps out of respect for Hadrian’s wishes. Why did Marcus do this? There was no precedent in Rome for co-emperors, although this action established one, and Lucius Verus does not appear to have figured in Pius’ succession plans. Moreover, Lucius was a playboy and, like Marcus’ later son also named Commodus, notably lacking in leadership ability.

The answer must be that, having ruled with Pius for roughly two decades, Marcus felt the burden of office was too great for one man to bear. He regarded his own health as precarious, and since he had no heirs at this time, he may also have felt he was buying insurance for the empire with this move. At any rate, he seems to have had real affection for and no illusions about his brother by adoption. The arrangement worked because Lucius deferred to Marcus, and Marcus surrounded him with capable men. One of the recurring themes in Marcus’ handbook is leadership’s responsibility to work intelligently with what it is given and not waste time fantasizing about a world of flawless people and perfect choices.

Now, the calm characterizing the reigns of Hadrian and Antoninus Pius suddenly ended. Famine and floods struck Italy; there were earthquakes in Asia; and the army in Britannia revolted. More threatening than these, the vast Parthian empire attacked Syria and replaced the friendly king of Armenia with a man hostile to Rome. Lucius was sent east to deal with this threat, and his generals, carefully selected by Marcus, prevailed. But out of this success came an even worse disaster. The army returned with

Reviews for Meditations

[squeakychu · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I read this book because I have read a few books by the contemporary self-help guru Ryan Holiday. I've enjoyed his books because I don't find them cultish as he draws his inspiration from the Stoics and other more contemporary individuals whom I hold in esteem. I saw this book and wanted to read the source of Holiday's inspiration. I have never been interested in reading anything by ancient Greeks (Marcus Aurelius lived in the second century), but I found this book fairly easy to read. I made the decision to read the Introduction after I read the book's narrative as I am fairly ignorant of ancient Greek history. I found that was an excellent way for me to enjoy the book a bit better.Of the contents itself, I found many interesting and useful suggestions. I realize that what Marcus Aurelius wrote was merely notes as a guide for himself and never meant as a publication for others to read. His suggestion that I found most useful personally was to work toward a sense of calmness. The theme I had the most difficulty with was to not fear death. I can't say I'm there yet or ever while be. I enjoyed learning about Stoicism (and even where the word stoic came from). I am glad the opportunity presented itself by coincidence to read this book as I got my copy from a fellow Bookcrosser at a recent book festival.

[carltonc_5 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I think that this collection of thoughts has to be read in context, as a common place book for the author, and not as a systematic philosophy. As James Mustich says in his book “1,000 Books to Read before you Die”, this can read “like a twenty first century self-help book”, but “the aphoristic reflections ... are both consoling and inspiring”.To the extent that I think about philosophy, these thoughts often chime with my own, except for the assumption of rational thinking and the acceptance that everything happens for the best, for example see book 4:9-10:9. It was for the best. So Nature had no choice but to do it. 10. That every event is the right one. Look closely and you’ll see. Not just the right one overall, but right. As if someone had weighed it out with scales.The collection can be repetitive and morbid, but is also fascinating; to read thoughts from over 1,800 years ago that sound current (although this observation is dependent upon the translation).I am currently also reading Rage by Bob Woodward, and I think a lot of the military personnel who were asked to serve the US in the Trump administration were probably more than a little conversant with the stoicism of the Meditations.In respect of the translation by Gregory Hays, there were Americanisms, and I was flummoxed by the meaning of “gussy up”, an American colloquial term I had heard before, but had to google to understand!Book 4:43Time is a river, a violent current of events, glimpsed once and already carried past us, and another follows and is gone.

[jamestomasino · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I'll be reading this again for sure. Again and again

[nancyadair-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I first learned about Marcus Aurelius's Meditations when my World Literature teacher handed out mimeographed sheets to my twelfth grade high school class. A year later I was in an Ancient Philosophy class at a small liberal arts college reading the Meditations. Shortly after, I purchased a antique copy with a 1902 gift dedication. Inside is a vintage Wendy's napkin, yellow and red, on which I had written down favorite passages.I was eighteen when I first read the entire Meditations. Fifty years later, seeing this annotated version in a new translation, I thought it would be interesting to revisit the work again. My antique volume is stilted in language. "But do thou, I say, simply and freely choose the better, and hold on to it--" is one quote on that napkin. In this new version I read, "So, as I say, you must simply and freely choose the better course and stay with it."The Preface introduces readers to Stoicism and the historical Marcus Aurelius, a Roman emperor whose military victories protecting belies the private man who would have chosen a life of contemplation. But, as Aurelius reminds himself often in these thoughts, we must uncomplainingly embrace our lot in life. And besides, nothing external can alter our command center and internal values. Unless we allow it.It is that which I recall most being impressed with--the idea that what people think and do is their problem, and cannot affect me, unless I allow it. It gave me a great sense of control and also the freedom to think and act differently....remember that it's not people's actions that disturb our peace of mind...but our own opinions of their actions.~Notebook 11, MeditationsThe Stoic world view embraced by Aurelius is moral and ethical, and divinely ordered. Life and death is a natural cycle, our bodily atoms reentering the matter of the universe, while our spirit had a brief pneumatic afterlife. The present is all one has.~ from Meditations by Marcus AureliusAurelius constantly reminds himself that we only have this moment in time; the past and the future is not ours. So every moment we must decide to live according to our 'command center' and Stoic values. A core part of those values involves being a part of human society, showing fairness and forgiveness, for we are to serve one another. Have I done something that contributes to the common good? Then I've been benefited.~from Mediations by Marcus AureliusComfort and Pleasure should not affect our actions, we should not complain or become angry or lose control over our passions. We have no control over what happens to us. But we can control our response. The notebooks were Aurelius's contemplation, self-examination, and a reminder to follow the discipline of Stoicism. There is repetition of ideas, references to well known Greek philosophers and to forgotten men.I read an ebook. I could click on the footnote number and up popped the annotation for the passage, a very useful device. The notes greatly increased my understanding of the passage. The translation is accessible and modern, sometimes even conversational as if the writer were talking to us. At the start of the day tell yourself: I shall meet people who are officious, ungrateful, abusive, treacherous, malicious, and selfish. In every case, they've got like this because of their ignorance of good and bad....None of them can harm me, anyway, because none of them can infect me with immorality, nor can I become angry with someone who's related to me, or hate him, because we were born to work together, like feet or hands or eyelids, like the rows of upper and lower teeth. To work against each other is therefore unnatural--and anger and rejections count as "working against." ~Notebook 2, 1, Meditations The Annotated EditionThese teachings are as relevant today as in Roman times. We need to be continually reminded to "work together."I received a free ebook from the publisher through NetGalley. My review is fair and unbiased.

[erwinkennythomas · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Marcus Aurelius’ Meditations: A Little Flesh, a Little Breath, and Reason to Rule All—That is Myself is filled with many memorable sayings. According to Wikipedia “Marcus Aurelius was a Roman emperor from 161 to 180 and a Stoic philosopher. He was the last of the rulers known as the Five Good Emperors, and the last emperor of the Pax Romana, an age of relative peace and stability for the Roman Empire.”The book itself describes nature and all of its elements that come together to make a whole. Every member of this assembly was like that of the human body with a head, eyes, arms, and feet, etc. But one thing Aurelius pointed out that makes us different from other creatures is our mind. Concerning the mind it was best to work on developing it by the way we act and think. If we think negative thoughts we will be abusing our senses and society. If we think positively we shall be lifting up ourselves and society as a whole.Another fascinating aspect of the book was the importance Aurelius felt about death. He listed many Greeks and Romans that have died and are unknown. He stressed that their lives are largely become forgotten. Still this philosopher felt that we should live our lives to the fullest. Honor our families and relatives, treat those with whom we converse with respect, and always endeavor to do good in our world. Aurelius knew that no one knows when his or her time would come to leave this earthly plain. But we should be prepared to make our lives worthwhile, so that after we die we would be remembered as being good.

[skybalon · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A nice book with a vital prologue. There is no way I would have understood the list of proverbs without the background the prologue provides. The sayings/proverbs/thoughts are interesting and someone timeless. However, since even Marcus Aurelius was using these more as notes to remember than timeless moral messages, they all should be looked at with a grain of salt. This edition is well worth the read.

[hermit_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

How do I rate this? I find this translation and writings of the Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius to be quite easy to read and perhaps closer to what the author meant to elucidate. There is no question that Marcus Aurelius' writings rate five stars as does the translation. I must preface before you read on that this is a book you will wish to read more than once. I will not let the editors introduction take away from my rating. Remember we are here to read the writings of Marcus Aurelius Antoninus.This is the editors George Long’s version of ‘The Meditations of Marcus Aurelius’. The editors introduction I found somewhat wanting but his translation along with inserted notes and prime sources were much welcomed. It is believed that these words were not written to be published and were the thoughts of the Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius and thus may give us the insights of the most powerful man in the world of his time. His writing is a masterpiece of Stoic philosophy and once you start reading his actual writings you will find them well thought out and easy to read.Stoicism was considered system of philosophy that consisted of three distinct disciplines that included logic, ethics, and physics. Stoics in this time treated all philosophical problems by subjecting them to analysis using each of these disciplines in combination as equal parts of the Stoic system. And these writings do an excellent job of lettings us see this and glimpse some of understanding of the philosophy the emperor lived his life by. I spent much time interacting with generals of various armed forces and almost all of them has read ‘The Meditations of Marcus Aurelius’.

[petroglyph_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is not a book that was intended to be read all the way through: it’s a collection of notes to self, kept over a fairly long timeframe and across multiple locations, written in a terse, almost abbreviated style sometimes that would only have made sense to the author himself, Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Augustus, Emperor of Rome in the middle of the second century. Much of it is understandable, though, and even setting aside that the text is some eighteen hundred years old, it is a fascinatingly in-depth insight into a real person from Antiquity. The Emperor’s diay tried his very best to be honest with himself and with others, and to treat his fellow human beings with the respect they cosmically deserve. He is nothing but frank and direct with himself; he is his own stern teacher and Superego. Some bits are repetitive, in that there are things that Marcus Aurelius keeps reminding himself of over and over again: of his own mortality, first and foremost; of being ever rational; of his relative insignificance in view of time, space and the human multitudes; but also of the importance of maintaining mindfulness and humility while fulfilling his duties, or doing anything at all, for that matter. Above all he is concerned with occupying his rightful place in the order of things, both in the Universe and in Society. Presumably these were some of the things he struggled with most, or found hardest to implement consistently in his life. Interestingly, there are many aphorisms strewn through the text, along with allusions to anecdotes or lines and characters from plays that illustrate a particular point: these Marcus Aurelius frequently does not elaborate upon and are merely there to serve as quick mnemonics for the larger lesson they remind him of. Some of these references are obscure, but others are to texts that have come down to us. That means it is important to find an edition with good footnotes! And my edition, edited and translated by Gregory Hays, was indeed wonderful. The translation really flowed: Hays clearly took pains to render the Emperor’s Greek into contemporary language. The footnotes and the explanatory introduction were great, as well.

[booktsunami · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I guess I have several copies of the "Meditations" and this is just one more. (Though 2 of them are e versions). My excuse is that it was $1 and in excellent condition. I will probably give it to my son. (Actually, I have already bought him a copy but this might be a better edition). Quite a nice, comprehensive introduction and easy to read text. I first came across Marcus Aurelius when I bought some second hand books st the lower end of George Street when I was about 15 or 16 (can't even remember the names of the bookshops now but they were a favourite haunt of mine....Maybe it was Tyrrell's bookshop)....and I was immediately taken by the directness, the great common sense and the humanity shining through his thoughts. It actually became something of an inspiration to me for the rest of my life. I have always remembered (from that first reading at age 16, the quote about dealing with other people: "When you wake up in the morning, tell yourself: the people I deal with today will be meddling, ungrateful, arrogant, dishonest, jealous and surly. They are like this because they can't tell good from evil. But I have seen the beauty of good, and the ugliness of evil, and have recognized that the wrongdoer has a nature related to my own - not of the same blood and birth, but the same mind, and possessing a share of the divine. And so none of them can hurt me. No one can implicate me in ugliness. Nor can I feel angry at my relative, or hate him. We were born to work together like feet, hands and eyes, like the two rows of teeth, upper and lower. To obstruct each other is unnatural. To feel anger at someone, to turn your back on him: these are unnatural."Book 1, XV. (Actually, these are the words from another translation....the current version actually has it as ..."This day I shall have to do with an idle curious man, with an unthankful man, a railer, a crafty, false or an envious man; an unsociable uncharitable man....etc". Strange how something like that stays with one always....though I note as I've done a bit of research that this is a favourite quite from Marcus Aurelius and is re-used in just about all articles which include him. He has always struck me as the kind of person one would like to be .....and interesting that he never really thought of himself as a philosopher ...more as a practical man ..yet his Meditations come up in just about every review of Stoic philosophy. A great book...though Maybe the Gregory Hays translation is a little easier to digest. (What is a "railer" anyway?....."arrogant", I guess). I give it 5 stars.

[stevenjohntait · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Very good. A lot of it was over my head, so I wasn't entirely sure of what he was trying to tell me (or himself...) But this is a book I'll read again someday. It is a must for anyone interested in stoicism, or classical philosophy, or becoming the best version of themselves. It is also a great insight into the mind of a very interesting person.

[oacevedo-792047 · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

I tried to finish this very short book, but I couldn't. It started out well, and I felt like I was really into it. But as time went on, I quickly became bored with it. I guess I can't "get" philosophy--whether ancient or modern.

[jerry.yoakum · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

It seems that Marcus Aurelius put a lot of effort into making it easy to get to the heart of ideas quickly. Which makes this a very quotable book.“Waste no more time arguing what a good man should be. Be one.”“Your mind will take the shape of what you frequently hold in thought, for the human spirit is colored by such impressions.”“Not to feel exasperated, or defeated, or despondent because your days aren’t packed with wise and moral actions. But to get back up when you fail, to celebrate behaving like a human—however imperfectly—and fully embrace the pursuit that you’ve embarked on.”Three Key Takeaway Lessons from Meditations- “You have power over your mind – not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength.”- People will always do awful things but we are only responsible our own virtue.- We will die, and we ought not waste our lives being distressed. We should focus on doing good for others with the unknowable amount of time we have left to live. To make this a part of our lives we must reflect regularly on the fact that we will die.

[isatyajeet · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Reading Aurelius is an enlightening experience and as one reads it, it becomes clear as to how erroneous some of our beliefs / actions are.
A foundation in stoic philosophy is essential to fully grasp the meaning of Marcus's maxims. Without a firm grounding in the stoic principles many of the aphorisms can appear to be morbid, conceited or advocating a life of resignation.
This book was written hundreds of years ago and is still valid to the most, this is wisdom of ages.
Do not read this book as a scholar, read it slowly and think about it!

[renzomalo · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A good read as far as references books go, but as with the other translations, sooner or later you begin to wonder what was actually written before the language was "updated" or modernized. Still, it’s fascinating to be reading what a great historical figure was thinking and writing in the second century and then coming to realize that nothing much has changed in human behavior.What made this translation a bit more interesting, however, was the biographical forward in which Mr. Hays describes, in brief, the life and times of Marcus Aurelius. This was fascinating to me UNTIL Mr. Hays went on safari in the in philosophical tall grass. I needed but a primer on "Logos," the prevailing philosophy of the time. And while I don't doubt that Mr. Hays thought that this was precisely what he wrote, that’s not how it read for me. Lastly, it seems to me that the "meditations" could be summed up as follows: "To thine own self be true;" Seek and tell the truth; Do unto others as you would have done unto you; and know that everyone you know is struggling with something you know nothing about. Three and a half stars.

[antao-3 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

“Concentrate every minute like a Roman— like a man— on doing what’s in front of you with precise and genuine seriousness, tenderly, willingly, with justice. And on freeing yourself from all other distractions. Yes, you can— if you do everything as if it were the last thing you were doing in your life, and stop being aimless, stop letting your emotions override what your mind tells you, stop being hypocritical, self-centered , irritable. You see how few things you have to do to live a satisfying and reverent life? If you can manage this, that’s all even the gods can ask of you.”In “Meditations” by Marcus Aurelius“Para ser grande, sê inteiro: nada Teu exagera ou exclui.Sê todo em cada coisa. Põe quanto és No mínimo que fazes.Assim em cada lago a lua toda Brilha, porque alta vive.”In “Odes de Ricardo Reis” by Fernando PessoaWord of caution: this post is going to be all over the place.I translated this into German a long time ago. I’m not sure I’m up to the task of translating this into English this time around…Let’s give it a go:“To be great, be whole: nothingOf yours exaggerate or exclude.Be all in everything. Put all you areIn everything you do.Be like the moon thatShines whole in every lakeBecause it lives up high.”'Employees that don't care' tend to be carried by their colleagues and managers, until a point whereby their un-professionalism makes their continued employment untenable; nobody wants their workload increased by having to prop up a free-loader. Not overly caring about work and being professional are not mutually exclusive - the “not overly caring” just means not getting too emotional about work, having an objective view about what's achievable and not letting personal feelings interfere too much. Actually it's the opposite. Understanding what's important, not getting bogged down in minutiae and focusing on priorities is perfectly doable while not giving a shit. A lot of people waste their day moaning how busy they are, talking crap in meetings and generally not doing any actual work - while looking like they really care. If someone is continually self-sacrificing in picking up slack to the point of martyrdom, is it your issue or theirs? I fail to see why this is an image worth aspiring to.I think Bhuddism has a lot more baggage than stoicism though and at some level with the meditation and worldview anticipates neuroscience that was to come 2000 years later. They intuited that we were meat puppets and they managed to see behind the veil of our always chattering mind. I don't think stoicism was that clear-sighted. The messages along the lines of "if you don't work hard others have to pick up the slack" amaze me. Why do others need to pick up the slack? Why is it in your interest that you work extra hard for your company, or that your company makes more profits. Are you going to see any of that? No you are not. Pick up the slack for whom exactly? Incredible self-righteous slave mentality that perfectly illustrates the plutocracy we live in. It can also become a situation whereby if you are continuously picking up the slack, others may leave things for you to as 'sure Doggybone will do it, he practically lives here', while he get to leave early. Being a martyr for a company, work group or manager is a fool’s move: “Doggy got the bone!”I advocate ducking out of professional life’s more pointless rituals, like (some) conference calls. “I have never been on a conference call where something actually got decided or accomplished,” some people might say. Might work for some. I have done most of my boldest and successful things by conference call. I've usually met them previously, but not always. The phone is a terrible, wonderful thing. I hate it in lots of ways, but it’s useful to run a business when your partners are in different facilities and sometimes countries! I think it’s important to recognise the times in work when a little extra effort is needed and apply yourself in those moments. Making sure you hold the line and persevere until the problem or task has been resolved will get you far. About twenty years ago I found myself looking at a picture of the tombstone of Man Ray, in Montparnasse cemetery (I was visiting Berardo’s exhibition in Lisbon and I became fascinated by some of his paintings on show). Man Ray’s tombstone was a simple, concrete slab, and it had just four hand written words written on it by hand by Juliette Man Ray. They read: “Unconcerned, but not indifferent.” I lost track of the time I stood in stunned silence, contemplating this thought (I was still in the exhibition; I like to look up artists online I’m not familiar with when I’m go to museums or art exhibitions). This particular thought has become my own rallying cry, and it's made a huge difference to how I work since a few years ago. This means, I'll do what I can, to the best of my ability, and as quickly as I can. If others want to stay late, needlessly fretting over largely pointless nonsense, that's their issue. I aim to stay detached, but alert. So I've gradually managed to shift my perspective to I'll come in, I'll do my job and - on occasion when required - will work above and beyond to make shit happen but I'm damned if I'll be a martyr to the cause. I worked with one of those some years ago, and, frankly, it was exhausting to be around. He was also one of the least organised and least productive members of our team. I also am very comfortable speaking to all directors as equals and don't shy away from a healthy debate around decisions and strategy (I was once a 2nd line SAP Manager so I know what I’m talking about). In fact, these days I rather enjoy it. As a result, work has become easier and my productivity has increased. Worry can make you an incredible procrastinator. So, in conclusion, not giving a fuck is truly liberating. I highly recommend it.Turning to the books at hand, which I read for the umpteenth time, I think Buddhism has a lot more baggage than stoicism though and at some level with the meditation and worldview anticipates neuroscience that was to come 2000 years later. They intuited that we were meat puppets and they managed to see behind the veil of our always chattering mind. I don't think stoicism was that clear-sighted. I agree with the stance that learning when to give a fuck and when not to is at the crux of the matter, because it is exhausting and impossible to keep on top of the chaos of reality in an ordered way. Sometimes you've just got to realize that some things don't turn out how you expected them to and be at peace with that fact. Some years ago, I started coming to work with mismatched socks. My thoughts were that the people who saw me without shoes knew me well enough to get the point - and I have to say it gave me a perverse sort of pleasure going to meetings with my directors knowing I had mismatched socks :-) Small minds and all that :-) Life's too short to be concerned about wearing matching socks...NB: I finished this book on the 18th of April after having been told that a colleague of mine from work, who I had worked with at a major client, had passed away at the tender age of 41 years old. This review reflects the way my take on life is starting to shift. I know I’m a bit late, but better late than never…

[rivkat_2 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Remember that you will die soon, Aurelius says, and you will behave properly, without too much concern for glory. After all, anyone who remembers you will also soon die, in the larger scheme of things, and you’ll all be dead much longer than you were alive.

[knotbox · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Philosophy was a hard sell for me to actually read, I’ll admit. In high school I always wanted to be someone who could quote and understood ancient philosophers. I’ve acquired several books and never read them. But when a friend shared a quote from this book that struck a chord, I knew I would actually read this one. Even if it did take me a rather long time.Here’s a snippet of that quote:You will never be remarkable for quick-wittedness. Be it so, then; yet there are still a host of other qualities whereof you cannot say, 'I have no bent for them.' Cultivate these, then, for they are wholly within your power: sincerity, for example, and dignity; industriousness, and sobriety. It’s worth mentioning that I have questions about his views on slavery and think he may have been a misogynist, but also that every single “you” in this text was addressed to himself. Apparently this masterful philosopher and emperor struggled with certain concepts a lot and attempted to steer his mind to better thoughts. It’s really commendable. I doubt my own ‘notes to self’ would be as compelling.I’ve heard it from several readers, the Penguin Great Ideas edition is really good. I marked that sucker up, and despite a slow and rocky beginning find myself thinking often of things that Marcus has said and wanting to re-read and share things with everyone. We disagree on a lot, but still, I’d love to hang out with that dude."You don't mind if I call you Marcus, do you?" I’ll say when I drop in to have a beer in his courtyard, put my feet up on the furniture and annoy the shit out of him.I'm really glad I read it.

[viking2917_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Reading just a few paragraphs a day is great way to center yourself before every day. Amazing book.

[automatthias · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

"Yes, that's what I think too" was the my main reaction to the book. I missed many references to known figures of Marcus' time, but it would require a book with extensive footnotes to cover all the material. The part I don't quite buy is the living according to nature, because nature is rather hard to define.

[albertgoldfain · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Succinct self-help for the stoic. The introduction in the Modern Library edition sets the historical context well and the translation makes most of the advice read as practical and not overly-repetetive.

[adamwolf_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I read the Hays translation, and enjoyed this quite a bit. I'll be thinking about it for a while.

[jwhenderson_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Marcus Aurelius was steeped in the thoughts of the Greek and Roman stoics who, starting with Zeno, focused on the search for a firm support for the moral life. "How should I live?" was the great and overriding question for them. Following on from Zeno, Epictetus, and Seneca, Marcus Aurelius portrayed in his Meditations the idea that the importance of philosophical inquiry lay in its significance for the moral life. He said, “Always think of the universe as one living organism with a single substance and a single soul.” This leads to the basic Stoic perception that “there is a law which governs the course of nature and should govern human actions.”(Meditations, p 73)Marcus Aurelius emphasizes several other themes in his notes on life known as the Meditations. Among them are the tenets that underlie the stoic philosophy that he learned from his teachers including a discussion of the importance of your duty both to your own nature and that of the whole universe. It is with these tenets in mind that we see him telling us to accept what is beyond our control (5.8) in his expression of the notion that freedom for man is possible only when he is indifferent to the his fate as decreed by nature. This is consistent with the view of Epictetus in his Encheiridion ( ). Both emphasize that this in the sense that the we are all a part of the whole of nature and recognition of that is necessary to achieve the good. The good which is always the moral good.The importance of this is seldom clearer than when Aurelius notes the importance of focusing on the present, the "task at hand" if you will by exercising dispassionate justice in the following way:"Vacating your mind from all its other thoughts. And you will achieve this vacation if you perform each action as if it were the last of your life: freed, that is, from all lack of aim, from all passion-led deviation from the ordinance of reason, from pretence, from love of self, from dissatisfaction with what fate has dealt you." (2.5)It is acting like this, not in any morbid sense, but with a cheerfulness of mind, as described in the quote from Seneca above, that you will achieve the tranquility of being that is the ultimate form of happiness. But there is more than happiness in Stoicism and honestly that is not the primary goal of the stoic life.

[dcunning11235 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

"Meditations" is a collection of aphorisms, musings, quotes, and, essentially, diary entries from a Roman emperor who would have been one of Plato's Philosopher-Kings. Concerned greatly with his philosophy (a Stoicism mixed with other influences) and how he should live his life, these are essentially notes and reflections meant for himself. As such, it must be admitted that there is quite a lot of repetition here. In some sense that is actually not bad: it becomes quite obvious that Marcus Aurelius struggled often and greatly to live up to the values and ethics he believed in.

Note: this is not the kind of book you sit down and read through, but rather pick through over days. If you do try to just run through it the above-mentioned repetition will somewhat ruin it.

[shdawson · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Some ranting, but still a good read. Take the writing in context of a successful though dying person.

[johnxlibris · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

There is something about Marcus Aurelius's brand of Stoicism that appeals to me. His almost simple belief in the power of reason and truth is comforting. His text offers helpful habits of mind that would be appreciated by anyone who values the practice of mindfulness and attention. I can easily see myself coming back to this book later in life.

[jmcdbooks · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

Rated: FOh, I tried. Night after night I would try to digest a few more random thoughts from this stoic Emperor of Rome. I'm not a stoic for sure. Finally gave up about 2/3 through the book. Very few nuggets could I hold up as true in more own life. I rarely give up on a book. Just had to with this one.

[kurt.rocourt · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The thing that keeps being repeated in this book is don't do bad. Maybe a sign of a guilty conscience, I don't know. It is the theme for this book in any case.

[riskedom · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

The main attraction of this book is that it is a book of philosophy written by an emperor. If it was written by someone of more lowly stature it would surely have been forgotten. It is a good insight into his mind but an unfortunate boon to those who love to think the best rulers are those who think philosophically. It would be more interesting to me if it was written by some unknown blacksmith, tailor or farm slave. At least then the question of how they acquired an education in Stoic philosophy would be interesting speculation. Nonetheless, there is some wisdom in the writings and it is encouraging to know that in the midst of such grueling military campaigns he could find time to compose a journal of something other than the progress of the legions against the barbarians.

[nielsengw_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Marcus Aurelius was Emperor of the Roman Empire from 161 to 180 CE. Considered the last of the Five Good Emperors, he oversaw his empire with stoicism and equality. In his Meditations, written while on a military campaign in the last decade of his life, he sets forth a series of aphorisms, letters, and principles that he tried to live by. As a stoic, he thought that powerful emotions were the cause of errors in life and so sought to live a life of a more moral and intellectual manner.The Meditations aren’t really written for an audience, and this translation is a little stilted. But what you can tell is that Marcus Aurelius is trying to reflect upon a rather interesting life. There are times when he is contented in good memories and times when the ennui of his stoic life gets to him. But the overall message is to live a good life (“Death hangs over you: while you live, and while you may, be good”) and try not to be too overly swayed by things outside of one’s control. “It is not right to vex ourselves at things,” he says, “for they care not about it.”In the end, Marcus Aurelius’s message is both honorable and interesting. The writing takes a little getting used to, so it would behoove readers to find a good translation. It is, however, a rather good beginning look into stoicism and its effectiveness in the proper hands. Marcus Aurelius, when set against the likes of Nero and Domitian, rules in the vein of a philosopher king and tries desperately to do right by his people. All in all, a refreshing and intellectual book.

[joeodeg · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I have read this book a number of times and always gain something new each time I revisit it. Although I find aspects of Stoic thinking quite foreign, there is unquestionably a disciplined and humble mind behind these words. I wish more of our contemporary leaders could muster the courage to be as humble.