Meditations
- Language:
- English
- Status:
- Complete work
- Authorship:
- Written by the author
- Condition of the text:
- Clean text
- Extent:
- ~71,400 words · 339 passages
Cite this work
- APAMarcus Aurelius. (n.d.). Meditations. SigPhi. https://sigphiai.com/en/works/marcus-aurelius/meditations
- MLAMarcus Aurelius. "Meditations." SigPhi, https://sigphiai.com/en/works/marcus-aurelius/meditations.
- ChicagoMarcus Aurelius. Meditations. SigPhi. https://sigphiai.com/en/works/marcus-aurelius/meditations.
What it is about
The private notebooks of a Roman emperor reminding himself how to live: what is in our power, how to bear pain and death, and why another's offence should not govern us.
Context and history
Written in Greek between AD 170 and 180, much of it during the military campaigns on the Danube, and never meant for publication: they are one man's notes to himself. They survived through chance copies and were not printed until 1559. That the most widely read Stoic book in the world was written by the most powerful man of his age — and that he writes in it about his own irritability — is much of what makes it last.
Editorial context, not a citable source: unlike the passages of the work itself, these statements cannot be checked against the corpus.
MARCUS AURELIUS ANTONINUS was born on April 26, A.D. 121. His real name was M. Annius Verus, and he was sprung of a noble family which claimed descent from Numa, second King of Rome. Thus the most religious of emperors came of the blood of the most pious of early kings. His father, Annius Verus, had held high office in Rome, and his grandfather, of the same name, had been thrice Consul. Both his parents died young, but Marcus held them in loving remembrance. On his father's death Marcus was adopted by his grandfather, the consular Annius Verus, and there was deep love between these two. On the very first page of his book Marcus gratefully declares how of his grandfather he had learned to be gentle and meek, and to refrain from all anger and passion. The Emperor Hadrian divined the fine character of the lad, whom he used to call not Verus but Verissimus, more Truthful than his own name. He advanced Marcus to equestrian rank when six years of age, and at the age of eight made him a member of the ancient Salian priesthood. The boy's aunt, Annia Galeria Faustina, was married to Antoninus Pius, afterwards emperor. Hence it came about that Antoninus, having no son, adopted Marcus, changing his name to that which he is known by, and betrothed him to his daughter Faustina. His education was conducted with all care. The ablest teachers were engaged for him, and he was trained in the strict doctrine of the Stoic philosophy, which was his great delight. He was taught to dress plainly and to live simply, to avoid all softness and luxury. His body was trained to hardihood by wrestling, hunting, and outdoor games; and though his co← Back to Marcus Aurelius