Paperback, 256 pages
English language
Published May 6, 2003 by Random House Publishing Group; First American PB Edition.
Nearly two thousand years after it was written, Meditations remains profoundly relevant for anyone seeking to lead a meaningful life.
Few ancient works have been as influential as the Meditations of Marcus Aurelius, philosopher and emperor of Rome (A.D. 161–180). A series of spiritual exercises filled with wisdom, practical guidance, and profound understanding of human behavior, it remains one of the greatest works of spiritual and ethical reflection ever written. Marcus’s insights and advice—on everything from living in the world to coping with adversity and interacting with others—have made the Meditations required reading for statesmen and philosophers alike, while generations of ordinary readers have responded to the straightforward intimacy of his style. For anyone who struggles to reconcile the demands of leadership with a concern for personal integrity and spiritual well-being, the Meditations remains as relevant now as it was two thousand years ago.
In Gregory Hays’s new translation—the first …
Nearly two thousand years after it was written, Meditations remains profoundly relevant for anyone seeking to lead a meaningful life.
Few ancient works have been as influential as the Meditations of Marcus Aurelius, philosopher and emperor of Rome (A.D. 161–180). A series of spiritual exercises filled with wisdom, practical guidance, and profound understanding of human behavior, it remains one of the greatest works of spiritual and ethical reflection ever written. Marcus’s insights and advice—on everything from living in the world to coping with adversity and interacting with others—have made the Meditations required reading for statesmen and philosophers alike, while generations of ordinary readers have responded to the straightforward intimacy of his style. For anyone who struggles to reconcile the demands of leadership with a concern for personal integrity and spiritual well-being, the Meditations remains as relevant now as it was two thousand years ago.
In Gregory Hays’s new translation—the first in thirty-five years—Marcus’s thoughts speak with a new immediacy. In fresh and unencumbered English, Hays vividly conveys the spareness and compression of the original Greek text. Never before have Marcus’s insights been so directly and powerfully presented.
With an Introduction that outlines Marcus’s life and career, the essentials of Stoic doctrine, the style and construction of the Meditations, and the work’s ongoing influence, this edition makes it possible to fully rediscover the thoughts of one of the most enlightened and intelligent leaders of any era.
A lot of food for thought. Marcus Aurelius kept repeating himself that that which does not harm the whole cannot harm the part. This is demonstrably untrue, but I understand his purpose in meditating on the end of one's life and the return of your body's matter to the "universe." Definitely will re-read this in a few years to see if I have a better handle on his purpose.
Marcus Aurelius presents us his diary, consisting of his thoughts and meditations. It's very interesting to enter a Roman emperor's mind and take a look at how a person in that age was thinking about certain issues that create disputes even in today's world. The narrative is sometimes in-cohesive, as a diary should be, which means the reader should make a real effort to connect the dots in some chapters. As for the content, the Marcus Aurelius tries to defend his position as a pure Stoic, sometimes exaggerating or adding his own thoughts. A nice introduction for all readers who are not familiar with the Stoic and neo-Stoic philosophical school of Hellenistic Athens, that's for sure. Whether you agree or disagree with Aurelius's teachings, it's quite a nice book to contemplate with.
