Meditations: A New Translation (Modern Library Classics)

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They choose it and blame God, just as the addict blames others for his addiction, and cannot escape. What surprised me so much about the personal diary of an ancient Roman emperor written nearly two thousand years ago is that I understood what Marcus Aurelius felt. d. 161 and Meditations remains one of the greatest works of spiritual and ethical reflection ever written. The way he could have one of his migraines and then go right back to what he was doing-fresh and at the top of his game. Most of Aurelius' words are built upon centuries of other stoic philosophers, and there are themes related to Stoicism that need a precursor.

I took my time reading Aurelius' Meditations as, going into it I knew the man conveys meaningful concepts in very little space. The bottom line for me, was that it was simply hard to get into the flow of reading Meditations, but the content was at times very enjoyable and relatable. Here is a man who was the Emperor of the Roman Empire —the most powerful— yet who never took advantage of his power, never abused his position, was never arrogant nor proud. Making it a daunting task to go back and forth to further dive into some of the harder to understand passages.With an Introduction that outlines Marcus’s life and career, the essentials of Stoic doctrine, the style and construction of the Meditations, and the work’s ongoing influence, this edition makes it possible to fully rediscover the thoughts of one of the most enlightened and intelligent leaders of any era. He always strived to become better, acutely aware of the responsibilities that lay on him and of the people's expectations, trying to meet them all. Not prone to go off on tangents, or pulled in all directions, but sticking with the same old places and the same old things.

I picked up both Meditations: A New Translation by Marcus Aurelius and translated by Gregory Hays and On the Shortness of Life by Seneca. And from The Good Soldier by Ford Maddox Ford: If I had a goodly apple on my table for 9 years that was rotten to the core - but for 9 years, I had and believed it to be good - is it wrong of me to believe that for 9 years I had a goodly apple? Hays does a remarkable job of setting the stage, providing historical context, and offering insights that enrich the experience as a whole!It's important to read this with a contextual understanding of consistency and never giving up attitude. That I had good grandparents, a good mother and father, a good sister, good teachers, good servants, relatives, friends-almost without exception. Hays provides a clearly written introduction in which he explains the philosophical influences on Marcus Aurelius as well as the political and familial pressures he experienced.

No matter what happens, keep this in mind: It's the same old thing, from one end of the world to the other. Overall pretty decent with some pragmatic and practical nuggets that the reader can walk away with and try to apply to their day to day. I strongly recommend this book to anyone who feels lost in life and is looking to find the tools on how to best approach life's uncertainties and challenges as well as rise above their circumstances.

The long dead Roman emperor’s thoughts and fancies are still so relevant to your everyday ups and downs. Other people's certainty that what he said was what he thought, and what he did was done without malice. Focus on the things that are truly important in life, such as your relationships, your health, and your happiness.