Meditations (AmazonClassics Edition)
Marcus Aurelius, one of the great rulers of the Roman Empire, sets forth a series of self-reflective essays intended as a guide for his own self-improvement. Written during the turning points of his life and divided into twelve books, Meditations ponders life’s greatest questions in the author’s search for a meaningful existence. Remarkably, they are no different from the questions we ask ourselves today—from finding happiness to understanding our place in the cosmos.
Centuries after Aurelius’s death, Meditations remains a profound source of inspiration for contemporary times—a collection of deeply held principles that are a wellspring for positive thinking and leading a purpose-driven life.
Revised edition: Previously published as Meditations, this edition of Meditations (AmazonClassics Edition) includes editorial revisions.
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About the Author
Marcus Aurelius (121 AD–180 AD) was an esteemed statesman and brilliant military leader, as well as a lifelong follower of Stoic philosophy.
Born into a prominent aristocratic family, he was tutored in the classical Latin and Greek teachings of his times; due to his serious, hardworking nature, he was handpicked at age seventeen by Hadrian to be his successor. Marcus Aurelius assumed the throne in 161 AD and was immediately faced with the challenges of enemy invasions, devastating epidemics, and natural disasters. While ruling for nearly two decades, he compiled his reflections of self-inquiry and insights drawn from the Stoic precepts of living virtuously and seeking tranquility.
Born in Geneva, Meric Casaubon (1599–1671) was a French-English classical scholar. After his early education in Sedan, France, Meric lived with his father, renowned philologist Isaac Casaubon, in England. He attended Eton College and Christ Church, Oxford, and remained a stalwart defender and preserver of his father’s works. Among his many achievements, he was the first to translate into English Marcus Aurelius’s Meditations.