Product Description

Written in Greek by an intellectual Roman emperor without any intention of publication, the "Meditations" of Marcus Aurelius (AD 121-180) offer a wide range of fascinating spiritual reflections and exercises developed, as the leader struggled to understand himself and make sense of the universe. Spanning from doubt and despair to conviction and exaltation, they cover such diverse topics as the question of virtue, human rationality, the nature of the gods and Aurelius's own emotions. But while the Meditations were composed to provide personal consolation, in developing his beliefs Marcus also created one of the greatest of all works of philosophy: a series of wise and practical aphorisms that have been consulted and admired by statesmen, thinkers and ordinary readers for almost two thousand years.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #11649 in Books
• Published on: 2006-04-27
• Original language: Latin
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 304 pages

Review
"An ancient work of spiritual reflection from the Roman emperor, which remains a powerful reminder of how we could live a more dignified life by avoiding deceit, vanity and greed." OK! MAGAZINE - HOT STARS SUPPLEMENT "Meditations is unaffected by time and offers plenty of wisdom." IRISH EXAMINER

Synopsis
Written in Greek by an intellectual Roman emperor without any intention of publication, the "Meditations" of Marcus Aurelius (AD 121-180) offer a wide range of fascinating spiritual reflections and exercises developed, as the leader struggled to understand himself and make sense of the universe. Spanning from doubt and despair to conviction and exaltation, they cover such diverse topics as the question of virtue, human rationality, the nature of the gods and Aurelius's own emotions. But while the Meditations were composed to provide personal consolation, in developing his beliefs Marcus also created one of the greatest of all works of philosophy: a series of wise and practical aphorisms that have been consulted and admired by statesmen, thinkers and ordinary readers for almost two thousand years.

About the Author
Marcus Aelius Aurelius Antoninus, 121--180. was adopted by the emperor Antoninus Pius and succeeded him in 161, (as joint emperor with adoptive brother Lucius Verus). He ruled alone from 169. He spent much of his reign in putting down variou rebellions, and was a persecutor of Christians. His fame rest, above all, on his Meditations, a series of reflections, strongly influenced by Epictetus, which represent a Stoic outlook on life. He died in 180 and was succeed by his natural son, thus ending the period of the adoptive emperors. Diskin Clay is Professor of Classical Studies at Duke University and has published widely in the area of Ancient Greek Philosophy. Martin Hammond is Head Master of Tonbridge School and has translated Homer's Iliad for Penguin Classics.

Customer Reviews

Dumbing down?
Meditations is well worth having in any collection of greats. The modern translations are perfectly acceptable, the earlier translations may be truer to the way in which Romans expressed themselves, but using modern words is perfectly acceptable. Any person who feels differently should read meditations more closely and stop blowing their own trumpet, relax, take it easy.....dont seek to criticise or correct, take care of your behaviour first.

Maybe the best self-help book ever written?
Marcus's meditations never fail to make me feel better about the world and the best aspect of all is that his philosophy doesn't involve any radical lifestyle change. Indeed one of its basic assumptions is that you should have an unquestioning acceptance of who you are, whoever you are. Buy this and carry it with you at all times (it's not a big book by the way).

Review
I came to my copy of this book after a long search, and after having turned down several other translations and editions as being less than satisfactory. This edition has the following to commend it to the reader. First, the translation reads well. Second, the footnotes by Mr Farquharson are a model of painstaking scholarship, setting out detailed background, references, and explanations for the ideas presented by Marcus Aurelius, although the reader to whom they are aimed is likely to be a scholar rather than a novice. Third, the book has a proper sewn hard-back cloth binding and paper of a good quality, which is vital for a book to which the reader may wish to refer again and again. Fourth, the type in which the book is set is good, and clear. The work itself, as a rare survivor from the ancient world, is of great interest for the insight it gives into the mind of the author, who was Emperor of Rome. We must be grateful not just to the translator and publisher for making an effort to produce the book, but also to those who ensured the survival of a manuscript into the modern era which made this and all other modern editions possible.