Meditations of Marcus Aurelius
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- Author：Marcus Aurelius
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Summary
Meditations offers timeless guidance for troubled times。 Renowned for his principled leadership， Aurelius kept private notes detailing his philosophy on life and leadership。 Meditations is a collection of those private notes， filled with insights on responding well to hardship both in thought and in action。 His writings are a cornerstone of the Stoic philosophy， embraced by leaders throughout history and across the world for its emphasis on collaboration， rationality， and striving for the good of all people。 George Long's elegant 1862 translation balances accessibility with preserving the classic tone of the text。 With archival printing， this pocket-sized new hardcover edition is designed for both portability and longevity。 "Motions and changes are continually renewing the world， just as the uninterrupted course of time is always renewing the infinite duration of ages。" -Marcus Aurelius
Reviews
Matko
，
This is my first introduction to stoicism and actually the first book on philosophy in general that I read。 I read the Gregory Hayes translation which helped a lot - I first tried an older translation that was unecessarily difficult to understand when you're used to modern English。I found many of the ideas in the book quite interesting and insightful even though I don't agree with all of them。 At times the book was quite dry & repetitive but I guess that is to be expected when talking about this This is my first introduction to stoicism and actually the first book on philosophy in general that I read。 I read the Gregory Hayes translation which helped a lot - I first tried an older translation that was unecessarily difficult to understand when you're used to modern English。I found many of the ideas in the book quite interesting and insightful even though I don't agree with all of them。 At times the book was quite dry & repetitive but I guess that is to be expected when talking about this topic。 Overall I liked it and it was neat to actually read the private notes of a Roman emperor that lived almost 2000 years ago。 You don't get to do that every day。 。。。more
Jordan
，
A thought-provoking read and fascinating to see how Marcus' interpretation of stoicism changes throughout the chapters as he gets older。 A thought-provoking read and fascinating to see how Marcus' interpretation of stoicism changes throughout the chapters as he gets older。 。。。more
Eret
，
DNF
Adeildo Costa
，
Um filósofo estoico mais que um imperador romano！ Uma leitura para vida！ Ler e reler。 Voltar ao texto em diversos momentos。 Permanece atual e com ensinamentos e reflexões para os momentos atuais。
·miκε
，
Excellent。
Wil Dallas
，
Don’t need a review， bitch is like the quintessential smart person book for the past 1000 years
Sam Ortiz
，
Book not for everyone， and it's not for me。 Book not for everyone， and it's not for me。 。。。more
Alex
，
I’m a big fan of the stoic philosophies but I have a hard time reading books like this， the language/translation just requires a lot of attention and the content is dense。 The general content of this gets 5 stars but the book gets 3 as I just couldn’t get through it unfortunately。Maybe someday。
Miljana
，
❤️
Gen
，
For the very first time， I feel like I don't deserve to rate a book。 😅 In my head， it's probably 4。5 stars， only because some things are repetitive （quite understandable as it was mentioned that this was not really meant to be published）。I can't even pick a single quote because I've highlighted far too many。 Haha！ For the very first time， I feel like I don't deserve to rate a book。 😅 In my head， it's probably 4。5 stars， only because some things are repetitive （quite understandable as it was mentioned that this was not really meant to be published）。I can't even pick a single quote because I've highlighted far too many。 Haha！ 。。。more
Argos
，
Roma İmparatoru Marcus Aurelius’un （MS 121-180） oniki bölümden oluşan düşüncelerini， yazıldığı çağ itibariyle （MS 169） düşünürsek çok uzak görüşlü hatta öngörüşlü bir insan olduğunu kesinlikle söyleyebilirim。 Benzerliği hemen farkedilen Montaigne’nin “Denemeler”inden kabaca 1000 küsur yıl önce yazılmış düşünceler gerçekten ilgi çekici。 İktidar ve güç sahibi bir insanın， bir imparatorun， zevk ve sefa sürme， gücünün getirdiklerini görme yerine， adeta Rönesans öncesi hümanist çağrılarda bulunması， Roma İmparatoru Marcus Aurelius’un （MS 121-180） oniki bölümden oluşan düşüncelerini， yazıldığı çağ itibariyle （MS 169） düşünürsek çok uzak görüşlü hatta öngörüşlü bir insan olduğunu kesinlikle söyleyebilirim。 Benzerliği hemen farkedilen Montaigne’nin “Denemeler”inden kabaca 1000 küsur yıl önce yazılmış düşünceler gerçekten ilgi çekici。 İktidar ve güç sahibi bir insanın， bir imparatorun， zevk ve sefa sürme， gücünün getirdiklerini görme yerine， adeta Rönesans öncesi hümanist çağrılarda bulunması， felsefi düşünmesi ve sorgulamasını çok etkileyici buldum。 3。kitabın 3。 maddesinde Sokrates’in bir bit salgınından öldüğünü belirtmesi şaşırtıcı geldi， ancak sonraki bölümlerde onun onurlu ölümünden bahsediyor olması gerçek ölüm nedenini bildiğini gösteriyor。 İmparator Neron’u vahşi hayvana benzetmesi de M。 Aurelius’un sözünü esirgemediğinin göstergesi。 Lavoisier’in ünlü “hiçbir şey yoktan var edilmez， varken yok edilmez” şeklinde özetlenecek kütlenin korunması kanununu 1600 yıl önce “hiçbir şey hiçlikten gelmediği gibi hiçbir şey de hiçliğe gitmez” şeklinde söylemesi önünde şapka çıkarılır ancak。 Çağımızda halen kabul gören bazı etik ilkelerin yanısıra çağının kişisel gelişim rehberi niteliğindeki bu kitap， yüce gönüllü imparatora， Stoa’cı bu insana saygımı kesinlikle arttırdı。 Okurken kitapta yazılan düşüncelerin günümüzden yaklaşık 1900 yıl önce yazılmış olduğu gözönünde bulundurulmalı。 Bir not: Bergama’lı Galen’in （Galenos） bu büyük imparatorun son 10 yılında hekimliğini yapmıştır。 Y。 Emre Ceren’in mükemmel çevirisini de not düşelim。 。。。more
Euwyn
，
Private journals of a Roman emperor-philosopher。 Felt a sense of reverence in reading something so personal in nature。But more than that， it's a very very good book。 Sure， it's disjointed， dry at times， and repetitive。 Such is the nature of private journals。 But there is much to be gleaned from it！ Aurelius' system of thought is simple but coherent， and thought-provoking。 Private journals of a Roman emperor-philosopher。 Felt a sense of reverence in reading something so personal in nature。But more than that， it's a very very good book。 Sure， it's disjointed， dry at times， and repetitive。 Such is the nature of private journals。 But there is much to be gleaned from it！ Aurelius' system of thought is simple but coherent， and thought-provoking。 。。。more
Matthew Ted
，
94th book of 2021。Despite reading some people balk nowadays at the Stoic mindset， I found it oddly comforting。 The certain act of accepting that things happen by their own course and that being angry/upset with things is to go against nature is a difficult one to live by a nice one to consider。 Of course， I expressed some of the mindsets that Aurelius' talks about within this text to my mother and she likened it to someone we know who is very ill （and sadly now passed since this conversation） an 94th book of 2021。Despite reading some people balk nowadays at the Stoic mindset， I found it oddly comforting。 The certain act of accepting that things happen by their own course and that being angry/upset with things is to go against nature is a difficult one to live by a nice one to consider。 Of course， I expressed some of the mindsets that Aurelius' talks about within this text to my mother and she likened it to someone we know who is very ill （and sadly now passed since this conversation） and said it is all well and good to say you do not fear death， that things happen， that you can't change it， but at the end of the day facing death is awful and terrifying not only for you but those around you。 Essentially， she thought the Stoic mindset was a little belittling。 I see both sides; and frankly， I think it must be very easy to live hypocritically if trying to live like a stoic。 Marcus Aurelius was an emperor of Rome from 161 to 180。 Meditations are his thoughts to himself， essentially his diary， in which he tried to live as a Stoic。 He was the last of the "Five Good Emperors" but sadly not one I ever studied in my own study of Classical Civilisation as we studied the Roman Empire's earlier years， beginning with Augustus。 Though we touched briefly （I forget why） on Hadrian。 This book really gets 4 or even 5 stars for the philosophy within but these texts are hard-going in that they are long and sometimes repetitive。 Though worded differently （and I was surprised by Aurelius' poetic voice at times）， the same sort of ideals were coming up again and again throughout。 One of the main ideas was about not fearing death。 Another about controlling your emotions。 Another about being good to those around you， always。 There's not much more to say other than to quote my favourite bits。 I couldn't get my hands on Epictetus before reading this which is a shame as Aurelius was greatly influenced by him and quotes him a lot throughout。 As I have settled on working my way through philosophy with some semblance of order it was nice to see Aurelius referring to Plato and names from his work such as Crito and knowing the references。 In the past I have always picked a random philosophy book and tried to read it and have understood absolutely nothing。 It is clearly the way forwards to read the ancient texts and then work your way through the centuries of the "modern" era。 Anyway， here's a big dump of quotes。 He himself [Apollonius] was a living proof that the fiercest energy is not incompatible with the ability to relax。—I。 8。。。first， that things can never touch the soul， but stand niert outside it， so that disquiet can arise only from fancies within。。。—IV。 3Put from you the belief that 'I have been wronged'， and with it will go the feeling。 Reject your sense of injury， and the injury itself disappears。—IV。 7Be like the headland against which the waves break and break: it stands firm， until presently the watery tumult around it subsides once more to rest。 'How unlucky I am， that this should have happened to me！' By no means; say rather， 'How lucky I am， that it has left me with no bitterness; unshaken by the present， and undismayed by the future。' The thing could have happened to anyone， but not everyone would have emerged unembittered。—IV。 49To refrain from imitation is the best revenge。—VI。 6Never let the future disturb you。 You will meet it， if you have to， with the same weapons of reason which today arm you against the present。—VII。 8When anyone offends against you， let your first thought be， Under what conception of good and ill was this committed？ Once you know that， astonishment and anger will give place to pity。—VII。 26Do not indulge in dreams of having what you have not， but reckon up the chief of the blessings you do possess， and then thankfully remember how you would crave for them if they were not yours。—VII。 27When another's fault offends you， turn to yourself and consider what similar shortcomings are found in you。—X。 30Our anger and annoyance are more detrimental to us than the things themselves which anger or annoy us。—XI。 18There are of course many， many more， but I cannot write them all out。 Boundless wisdom within: read with pleasure。 。。。more
Xenophon
，
It's difficult to review an ancient text today without commenting on the presentism of many reviewers。 Memo to y'all: Meditations is not meant to be read as a self-help book， but an exploration of an applied ancient worldview。 Aurelius was leaning on the discipline of philosophy to make sense of the world and even console himself at times。 It reads somewhat like a remix of Solomon's writing， but more sporadic in its thoughts and less content-rich。 Every college kid should read Meditations becaus It's difficult to review an ancient text today without commenting on the presentism of many reviewers。 Memo to y'all: Meditations is not meant to be read as a self-help book， but an exploration of an applied ancient worldview。 Aurelius was leaning on the discipline of philosophy to make sense of the world and even console himself at times。 It reads somewhat like a remix of Solomon's writing， but more sporadic in its thoughts and less content-rich。 Every college kid should read Meditations because it is an important book by an important man with potentially life-changing insights that a conscientious reader can finish in a night or two。 That said， there are better manifestations of ancient wisdom in general and stoicism in particular。Many like to credit him with being the Platonic philosopher king， but I think he better proves the Aristotelian point that being a political philosopher and a political practitioner are almost always mutual exclusives。 That the best kings have habituated virtue， but are not great explicators of her depths。 。。。more
LauraJL
，
3。5
Ching Pamin
，
I want to read more。 Though an Emperor he set his feet on the ground。 Like what he had said， be proud yet fly with gravity。 His ideas arw ringing in my mind。 The way he sees things resembles to mine。 I don't know where i've learned those ，maybe its a result or final curve of reading philosophy。 I want to read more。 Though an Emperor he set his feet on the ground。 Like what he had said， be proud yet fly with gravity。 His ideas arw ringing in my mind。 The way he sees things resembles to mine。 I don't know where i've learned those ，maybe its a result or final curve of reading philosophy。 。。。more
Arturo Castro
，
Considerado dentro de los 5 grandes emperadores， me es difícil imaginar un emperador romano aplicando rigurosamente el estilo de vida al que nos invita MA。Independiente a esto， a lo largo de sus XII libros nos lleva por una serie de reflexiones muy valiosas para nuestros días （probablemente mas que cuando fueron escritas）: Vivir el momento presente， el desapego a lo material， la búsqueda de la virtud， el confíar en uno mismo。 Lectura un poco densa que vale la pena irla llevando de a poco。
j
，
Meditations is an interesting look into one man's dedication to his Stoic philosophy， and he argues it compellingly （to himself） in the form of reminders to follow his personal creed。 He teaches again and again the wisdom of accepting your life circumstances with grace， humility， and equanimity。 When reviewing a work like this， my thoughts aren't relative to the impossible standard of， "did this convince me to become a Stoic？" Instead， I look at the depth of the arguments and I look for logical Meditations is an interesting look into one man's dedication to his Stoic philosophy， and he argues it compellingly （to himself） in the form of reminders to follow his personal creed。 He teaches again and again the wisdom of accepting your life circumstances with grace， humility， and equanimity。 When reviewing a work like this， my thoughts aren't relative to the impossible standard of， "did this convince me to become a Stoic？" Instead， I look at the depth of the arguments and I look for logical inconsistencies， or at the least， logical coherency。 For the former， Aurelius without a doubt thought very deeply about his perspectives， arguing stoicism's practice of detachment being as applicable to the everyday life as it to what happens to us when we die。 I was impressed by how broadly he argued this， and with such gusto and sincerity。For the second， I personally have some issue with his， on the one hand， teaching that all events and interactions with people in life are part of fate and the natural order of the universe and should be accepted at face value， while also， on the other hand， insisting that we have any power to improve our nature by our own free will to become something other than how we were born， with our fleshly lusts and vanity， and greedy conceits。Each chapter gets a bit more repetitive as it goes on， and about half way through I got the sense I wouldn't get anything new from his writings， and instead had gotten a good sense of the overall tenets of Stoicism。 I have a much better understanding of it now and I think more people would benefit from his teachings of detachment。 。。。more
Rob
，
Wow！ This book teaches one how to live。 Wisdom and peace found in these pages。I also appreciated the running historical commentary throughout the Waterfield translation。
Lizbrería
，
Meditaciones deja la sensación de haber conversado largo con mi abuela quien haya vivido，sufrido， aprendido y leccionado de las cosas básicas de la vida， es como un libro abierto que filosofa sobre el comportamiento humano y la fugacidad de nuestra permanencia en la tierra， sobre la profunda importancia de vivir feliz dejando de lado las superficialidades， las cosas materiales， el cómo no permitir que acciones de terceros derrumben nuestra entereza， habla de cómo mantener la pureza y calma de me Meditaciones deja la sensación de haber conversado largo con mi abuela quien haya vivido，sufrido， aprendido y leccionado de las cosas básicas de la vida， es como un libro abierto que filosofa sobre el comportamiento humano y la fugacidad de nuestra permanencia en la tierra， sobre la profunda importancia de vivir feliz dejando de lado las superficialidades， las cosas materiales， el cómo no permitir que acciones de terceros derrumben nuestra entereza， habla de cómo mantener la pureza y calma de mente， habla en esencia de cómo este emperador Marco Aurelio resume el actuar de su vida con rectitud， disciplina y sosiego para con él mismo y con el resto de la humanidad。Me gustó mucho！！ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Lectura lenta 。。。more
Cruzdre
，
I read the non-penguin version of the book and it was almost impossible to comprehend。
Jerry Young
，
Fantastic "just deal with it" mindset laid out in simple terms by Emperor Aurelius。 Great to read during times of strife， health problems or social fallouts。 All "good" and "bad" will pass， and this book helps to remind you to just focus on the rationality。 Fantastic "just deal with it" mindset laid out in simple terms by Emperor Aurelius。 Great to read during times of strife， health problems or social fallouts。 All "good" and "bad" will pass， and this book helps to remind you to just focus on the rationality。 。。。more
Alonzo Aguilar
，
I read this book 1st back in 6th grade after an uncle recommended it to me。 I've never been the same since I love this book to death。 I find myself reading it or thinking about it at least once a day and that's not a joke I fell in love with the Romans as a young boy and after reading this book it compounded that love。 I'm not gonna ruin it cause there is nothing to ruin this book has pulled me out of some dark places and placed me back in control of myself。 it's not a self-help book its philoso I read this book 1st back in 6th grade after an uncle recommended it to me。 I've never been the same since I love this book to death。 I find myself reading it or thinking about it at least once a day and that's not a joke I fell in love with the Romans as a young boy and after reading this book it compounded that love。 I'm not gonna ruin it cause there is nothing to ruin this book has pulled me out of some dark places and placed me back in control of myself。 it's not a self-help book its philosophy is at its most profound。 it would break my heart to give this book to my future children one day and find them uninterested， from the 1st time I flipped it open it had me。 。。。more
Alejandro Acosta
，
Lectura pesada pero espectacular。No se me hizo sencillo leer las meditaciones de Marco Aurelio （de hecho， no las terminé al 100%） por lo distinta que era la forma de expresarse en su época en comparación con el 2021， pero sin duda recomendaría este libro especialmente a todo aquel que esté pasando por situaciones emocionalmente complicadas。 Leyéndolo podrás ver por un huequito la forma de pensar de un emperador que， a pesar de estar sometido a una enorme presión， se las arregló para llevar una v Lectura pesada pero espectacular。No se me hizo sencillo leer las meditaciones de Marco Aurelio （de hecho， no las terminé al 100%） por lo distinta que era la forma de expresarse en su época en comparación con el 2021， pero sin duda recomendaría este libro especialmente a todo aquel que esté pasando por situaciones emocionalmente complicadas。 Leyéndolo podrás ver por un huequito la forma de pensar de un emperador que， a pesar de estar sometido a una enorme presión， se las arregló para llevar una vida ligera y equilibrada aun en una época donde no existía el internet ni el agua caliente。 Asumiendo que todo lo que escribía era lo que en verdad pensaba （y hacía）， este tipo era exactamente la clase de persona que merece aprecio y admiración。Le doy 4 estrellas porque no me parece una lectura fluida， pero en cuanto a contenido， este libro es un 10/10。 。。。more
Claire
，
I really enjoyed this book， and I found it to be quite insightful even though it is just Aurelius' journal entries。 Nevertheless I would really recommend this to anyone who's interest in Greco-Roman history。 I really enjoyed this book， and I found it to be quite insightful even though it is just Aurelius' journal entries。 Nevertheless I would really recommend this to anyone who's interest in Greco-Roman history。 。。。more
Thomas Taillefumier
，
Marc-Aurèle nous a légué ses "pensées" qui s'avèrent finalement être un guide pour gérer nos émotions et ne pas nous laisser emporter par nos passions。On peut appliquer beaucoup de ses "pensées" à notre vie personnelle。 Vous ne serez pas d'accord sur tous les points avec Marc-Aurèle mais ça reste intéressant de réfléchir à des concepts auxquels on ne pense pas forcément。Ce livre peut aussi aider les gens timides， anxieux， stressés， etc。Facilité de lecture : 3，5/5 Marc-Aurèle nous a légué ses "pensées" qui s'avèrent finalement être un guide pour gérer nos émotions et ne pas nous laisser emporter par nos passions。On peut appliquer beaucoup de ses "pensées" à notre vie personnelle。 Vous ne serez pas d'accord sur tous les points avec Marc-Aurèle mais ça reste intéressant de réfléchir à des concepts auxquels on ne pense pas forcément。Ce livre peut aussi aider les gens timides， anxieux， stressés， etc。Facilité de lecture : 3，5/5 。。。more
Nathan
，
In the translator’s forward he mentioned that the book was never meant for publication and I can see why; it reads like a bunch of random thoughts and daily affirmations he was jotting offhand。 There’s some great quotes though not all his， he refers to Plato and other philosophers throughout the text。 It’s almost surprising that this works is around 1800 years old because if you read it in a modern context his thoughts would not be out of place; just a guy trying to keep his head straight and b In the translator’s forward he mentioned that the book was never meant for publication and I can see why; it reads like a bunch of random thoughts and daily affirmations he was jotting offhand。 There’s some great quotes though not all his， he refers to Plato and other philosophers throughout the text。 It’s almost surprising that this works is around 1800 years old because if you read it in a modern context his thoughts would not be out of place; just a guy trying to keep his head straight and be a good person。 I feel like he probably was writing all this to deal with a wicked case of anxiety。If you want to read something like this that’s well thought out try as a man thinketh by James Allen。 It will hit home in the way you wish this did。 。。。more
Brock
，
Engaging handbook of the stoic， while dryly translated is helped by echoes of Socrates， Epictetus， and you could draw a nice line between virtue defined here and that of Buddha and Christ。 It’s no mistake all these guys preached a composure and detachment from earthly things。 I’m reminded of Murakami’s essays on what the mind can endure when it comes to the pain of running a marathon。 Some other tenants here however I don’t see as being practical or human， the contradiction of taking art in good Engaging handbook of the stoic， while dryly translated is helped by echoes of Socrates， Epictetus， and you could draw a nice line between virtue defined here and that of Buddha and Christ。 It’s no mistake all these guys preached a composure and detachment from earthly things。 I’m reminded of Murakami’s essays on what the mind can endure when it comes to the pain of running a marathon。 Some other tenants here however I don’t see as being practical or human， the contradiction of taking art in good humor while at the same time proceeding to “wipe out the imagination。” I’m sure some of this comprehension and context is just lost in translation， but my deeper concern is whether it’s even possible anymore to truly adopt a stoic philosophy and still be allowed to participate in 21st century society。 Could one manage to pull off Aurelius’s valued “social action” in the age of social media and a hyperculture？ Some verses I noted: He is injured who abides in his error and ignorance。 About death: whether it is a dispersion， a resolution into atoms， or annihilation， it is either extinction or change。 Every judgement and movement and desire and aversuon is within， qnd no evil ascends so highMen exist for the sake of one another。 Teach them then or bear with them。 Simple and modest is the work of philosophy。 No longer talk at all about the kind of man that a good man ought to be， but be such。 。。。more
Matthew
，
I thought I'd love this， but reading through it felt like combing through the notebook of a bright， but not too bright， trust fund kid who was writing his interpretations of far smarter people。 Plus it's GRIM。 Imagine reading the serenity prayer rewritten 500 times in fortune cookie aphorisms。 Be a good person。 Sure。 If the world turns to shit， that's cool， it's destiny and the way things are meant to be。 Is there free will or not？ Does it matter？ Aurelius wants to have both sides and it doesn't I thought I'd love this， but reading through it felt like combing through the notebook of a bright， but not too bright， trust fund kid who was writing his interpretations of far smarter people。 Plus it's GRIM。 Imagine reading the serenity prayer rewritten 500 times in fortune cookie aphorisms。 Be a good person。 Sure。 If the world turns to shit， that's cool， it's destiny and the way things are meant to be。 Is there free will or not？ Does it matter？ Aurelius wants to have both sides and it doesn't work that way。 I can understand how this book will help you deal with loss， or deep pain; to focus on controlling the things you can， but it's not a coherent philosophy， not the way he writes it。 Oh， and don't be scared of death。 It comes for all of us， it's a transition， it's meaningless in the grand scale of time and space， and history。 We are a mote。 Okay。。。This is not an uplifting philosophy。 It's a really introspective and realist and somewhat depressed person's take on Taoism。 Which is fine and all， but taken to it's logical conclusion can lead to some terrifying justifications of certain actions。 The forwared acknowledges this though which was fascinating。 Heavy lies the crown。 。。。more
Mrs。 Nobody
，