One of the world's most famous and influential books, Meditations, by the Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius (A.D. 121-180), incorporates the stoic precepts he used to cope with his life as a warrior and administrator of an empire. Ascending to the imperial throne in A.D. 161, Aurelius found his reign beset by natural disasters and war. In the wake of these challenges, he set down a series of private reflections, outlining a philosophy of commitment to virtue above pleasure and tranquility above happiness. Reflecting the emperor's own noble and self-sacrificing code of conduct, this...
One of the world's most famous and influential books, Meditations, by the Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius (A.D. 121-180), incorporates the st...
The Meditations of Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius are a readable exposition of the system of metaphysics known as stoicism. Stoics maintained that by putting aside great passions, unjust thoughts and indulgence, man could acquire virtue and live at one with nature.
The Meditations of Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius are a readable exposition of the system of metaphysics known as stoicism. Stoics maintained that by p...
The influence Meditations has had over centuries of thought is immeasurable. This "unendingly moving and inspiring" work is often cited alongside Jean Jacques RousseauOs Confessions and St. AugustineOs autobiography in discussions of the most profoundly spiritual works outside of the Bible.
The influence Meditations has had over centuries of thought is immeasurable. This "unendingly moving and inspiring" work is often cited alongside Jean...
The Meditations of Marcus Aurelius is one of the best-known and most popular works of ancient philosophy, offering spiritual reflections on how best to understand the universe and one's place within it. In short, highly charged comments, Marcus draws on Stoic philosophy to confront challenges that he felt acutely, but which are also shared by all human beings--facing the constant presence of death, making sense of one's social role, grasping the moral significance of the universe. They bring us closer to the personality of the emperor, who is often disillusioned with his own status...
The Meditations of Marcus Aurelius is one of the best-known and most popular works of ancient philosophy, offering spiritual reflections on h...