The Meditations

by Marcus Aurelius

Audiobook

English language

Published by Tantor Audio.

ASIN:: B00362DW04

"Live each day as if it were your last." Written in Greek by the only Roman emperor who was also a philosopher, without any intention of publication, Marcus Aurelius's Meditations offers a remarkable series of challenging spiritual reflections and exercises developed as the emperor struggled to understand himself and make sense of the universe.

Ranging from doubt and despair to conviction and exaltation, they cover such diverse topics as the nature of moral virtue, human rationality, divine providence, and Marcus's own emotions. But while The Meditations was composed to provide personal consolation and encouragement, in developing his beliefs Marcus Aurelius also created one of the greatest of all works of philosophy: a timeless collection of extended meditations and short aphorisms that has been consulted and admired by statesmen, thinkers, and readers throughout the centuries.

40 editions

Matthew Royal reviewed Meditations by Marcus Aurelius (Penguin Classics)

Review of 'Meditations' on 'Goodreads'

4 stars

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.

Simoto reviewed Meditations by Marcus Aurelius (Penguin Classics)

Review of 'Meditations' on 'Goodreads'

3 stars

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.