The Meditations
(Marcus Aurelius)
Meditations is a deeply intriguing book, which takes you into the mindset of a leader; an emperor; a father; a son; but most of all, that of a man plagued by his fear of death and contempt for his contemporaries. It is a perhaps doomed attempt at dispelling a profound melancholy, which I suspect boarders on depression. His reflections show, not a man in the pursuit of personal glory or everlasting fame - which he shuns and mocks, but rather a man in need of reassurance. He admits to many weaknesses and seeks to live a life of virtue, free from the fleeting temptations of this world.
The book is made up of a collection of his thoughts, divided into twelve ?books?, each of which is divided into ?chapters? of sorts, which are often no longer than a few lines each. Written towards the end of his life, we see clearly his preoccupation with death and virtue ? two much repeated themes throughout.Many of what Marcus wrote rings true in today?s modern and hectic world, with pieces of advice such as ?Think of yourself as dead. You have lived your life. Now take what's left and live it properly.? His stoic philosophy on life, often reminds us to live life to the fullest, doing what we can with what we have been given, and not to fret over that which we have no control.His emphasis on his disdain for praise ? false or otherwise ? show the kind of man he sought out to be. One free from worldly glory, for as he says in book four ?what good will this do you??
A book written by a true stoic philosopher, which also takes you much deeper than that, into more personal thoughts, worries and opinions. In this book, we come to know Marcus the man and philosopher, rather than Marcus the emperor and historical figure, which we read so much about in the many biographies available.This is one of those books, that deserves to be read over a prolonged period, taking the appropriate time to pause and reflect on what is being said, to gain a deeper understanding into its inner wisdom.
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