Meditations
by Marcus Aurelius · Τὰ εἰς ἑαυτόν
Assigned by 4 of the 9 reading lists, catalogue entry only
- Written
- c. 170-180
- Era
- Roman Empire
- Form
- Essay
- Language
- Greek
- Length
- Medium · 190 pp120 to 300 pages
- Difficulty
- Moderate2 of 5 for a first-year reader
We recommendMeditations, translated by Gregory HaysModern Library, 2003Plain and direct, with an introduction that explains the Stoic background in a few pages.
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The private notebooks of a Roman emperor, written in Greek during his campaigns on the Danube and never intended for publication. Book I thanks the people who shaped him. The other eleven books are short entries in which Marcus reminds himself of Stoic principles: that only what is in our power matters, that everything is fleeting and governed by reason, that other people's faults come from ignorance, and that death is natural and near. The tone is stern, weary and consoling.
No reading guide yet
The catalogue entry above is complete: the dates, the form, the themes and every program that assigns Meditations are verified against each program's published list.
What is missing is the part that takes real work: the summary, the key passages, and a recommended translation. The edition named below is the one most programs assign, so the buy links are useful already.
