Meditations: A New Translation (Modern Library)

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The Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius did not hang motivational posters for inspiration. Instead, he kept a journal in which he collected his thoughts about how to live well. MEDITATIONS is that book. Instead, the author believes in public duty and the necessity of doing the right things and being decent under any circumstances. One should do what he or she thinks right to do without expecting gratitude in response. Kindness to others and worthy deeds give a sense of fulfillment, which means that they are more than enough to make us happy. He also warns against being judgmental toward others. How can we judge others if we are not perfect ourselves?

Or: "Concentrate every minute like a Roman - like a man - on doing what's in front of you with precise and genuine seriousness, tenderly, willingly, with justice. And on freeing yourself from distractions. Yes, you can - if you do everything as if it were the last thing you were doing in your life, and stop being aimless, stop letting your emotions override what your mind tells you, stop being hypocritical, self-centered, irritable. You see how few things you have to do to live a satisfying and reverent life? If you can manage this, that's all even the gods can ask of you." Book II There is so much here, written by a true GIANT of antiquity. I loved it and I love Marcus and Seneca. whatever happens to you has been waiting to happen since the beginning of time. The twining strands of fate wove both of them together: your own existence and the things that happen to you. ..”

GENUINE LEATHER

Fun Fact 2: Seneca tutored young Nero, yeah yeah - he stuffed up there, but let's be stoic about this and lay it to one side. Ah I had a far better review in my mind, but it has, like morning mist, cleared out from my mind leaving a jumble of words and impressions, so you will have to endure that, or skip to another GR update instead :) Either way Meditations is a piece of work that endures to this day. Imagine that it still holds up. Meditations was first printed in 1559 CE; Marcus originally wrote this work in Greek – the language of the intelligentsia of the time. It is also believed; these writings were not intended to be published. He wrote these for himself. Yes, just he – and we have been gorking at these writings for centuries – academics and lay people alike – it is respected, it has stood up.

Just like when I read Cicero last year ( https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...), I finished this book wishing this was still a mandatory text: it's not perfect, but there is some important wisdom in here, and I wish more people were exposed to this kind of writing. And it is still incredibly relevant, and applicable to many daily life situations. All that exists will soon change. Either it will be turned into vapour, if all matter is a unity, or it will be scattered in atoms. Even if you were destined to live three thousand years, or ten times that long, nevertheless remember that no one loses any life other than the one he lives, or lives any life other than the one he loses…No one can lose either the past or the future – how could anyone be deprived of what he does not possess?…It is only the present moment of which either stands to be deprived: and if indeed this is all he has, he cannot lose what he does not have.” And: "If at some point in your life, you should come across anything better than justice, honesty, self-control, courage - than a mind satisfied that it succeeded in enabling you to act rationally, and satisfied to accept what is beyond its control - if you find anything better than that, embrace it without reservations - it must be an extraordinary thing indeed - and enjoy it to the full." Book III they are drawn toward what they think is good for them, but if it is not good for them then prove it to them instead of losing your temper…”In the UK there is a tradition for politicians, or at least for the posher type of politician, to study “PPE” or “Politics, Philosophy and Economics” at either Oxford or Cambridge University. People who wrong you only do so from ignorance, and if you can correct them without being a jerk about it, you should do so. The Roman philosophers are not as well known or as highly regarded as Greek philosophers such as Plato, Aristotle, Epicurus, or Zeno the Stoic - and for a simple reason: the Roman thinkers were not primarily interested in abstract theory; rather, they were concerned with behavior, that is, understanding how to live in the everyday world and putting their understanding into practice,the goal being to live the life of an authentic philosopher, to be a person of high character and integrity and virtue, to develop inner strength and a quiet mind and value such strength and quietude above all else.