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Dive into a collection of thought-provoking essays from one of the most remarkable figures in history, Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius. In Meditations, Marcus Aurelius lays out his personal philosophy of stoicism, which involves honing one's discipline and eschewing base or excessive sensual pleasures. A must-read for fans of ancient history and philosophy.
Michael.Rimmer: I'm not claiming parity of quality or significance between Vaypayee and Marcus Aurelius, rather that it's interesting to consider the inner thoughts of a national leader in the context of their public actions.
The translation was less elegant than its english counterpart found on Gutenberg.org. Nevertheless the introductory notes were insightful and interesting. It was also funny to see how Aurelius' philosophy is quite similar to buddhist philosophy and psychology. ( )
I've read "Meditations" by Marcus Aurelius sometime in the Autumn of 2007 after returning to Aberystwyth, Wales from my travels. Given that since June 2007 I was in a deep psychotic state, and just returned from a trans-siberian journey to Mongolia, I wanted to order my embattled mind. Voices, second sight, psychological torment. I was barely capable of reading and making sense of what I read back in the days, after psychoses erupted. Aurelian stoicism helped me cope with this hell, the amusing part is that I got a yellow piece of paper on which I wrote "stoicism applied" and stuck it to my forehead and then paraded through the streets of Aberystwyth raising some interest and mockery throughout. Years later, in 2016 I was suddenly reminded of this reading, I saw a Thyrsus and a Caduceus in the night-sky of Częstochowa, where I visited my then-girlfriend and mistress. The kitchen of that flat was flooded with divine light, and the spirit incarnated into me, as I felt divine pride, great celestial intellect and a commanding paternal tone in a voiceless, silent language. I silently thanked for the consolation that book brought to me in 2007. Then I approached my girl who was sitting next to her laptop and said: "He visited us", she asked: "Whom?", I said "The Emperor visited us". She said: "I'm busy, don't trouble me right now" and went on watching on her youtube videos. Aurelion Therion, the Beast of Solar God was a Pater Patrum in Saturnine rank, a Drakon, and a Pontifex, Julian the Theurgist was a soldier and a magician in his army on Marcomannian campaigns. "Memento Mori" - a phrase coined by him, I might add - "Invictii Genii". ( )
Didn't finish the whole thing for various reason but got the idea from the first few books. Mostly just repeating basic ideas about right living that are never specified, how people shouldn't complain about their lives because it's right that they're where they are. It was philosophy of acceptance but without any details that made it interesting and with nothing to say to someone who's in a crappy place. Just dull, repetitive and doesn't say anything interesting. ( )
A man once told me that philosophy is where good thinking and good writing goes to die. And for about 95% of all philosophy books I have read, he is correct. This however falls into that 5% that actually has something to contribute. Recommended. ( )
The translation doesn't shrink from anachronism (there's talk of atoms) and sometimes verges on the new age: "Stay centred on that", "Let it hit you". But it's sparky and slangily readable, and for those who know Marcus only as the Richard Harris character in Ridley Scott's Gladiator, this is a chance to become better acquainted.
As a critic once said, the Meditations are an "unassailable wintry kingdom". But in the desert of 2003, their icy blasts are refreshing and restorative. They tell you the worst. And having heard the worst, you feel less bad.
Don't be ashamed to need help. Like a soldier storming a wall, you have a mission to accomplish. And if you've been wounded and you need a comrade to pull you up? So what?
Remember… that everything has always been the same, and keeps recurring, and it makes no difference, whether you see the same things recur in hundred years or two hundred, or in an infinite period.
The impediment to action advances action.
What stands in the way becomes the way.
Remind yourself, that your task is to be a good human being; remind yourself what nature demands of people. Then do it, without hesitation, and speak the truth as you see it. But with kindness. With humility. Without hypocrisy.
Don't let your imagination be crushed by life as a whole. Don't try to picture everything bad that could possibly happen. Stick with the situation at hand…
And you can also commit injustice by doing nothing.
If they've made a mistake, correct them gently, and show them where they went wrong. If you can't do that, then the blame lies with you. Or no one.
False friendship is the worst. Avoid it at all costs. If you're honest and straightforward and mean well, it should show in your eyes. It should be unmistakable.
Each of us needs what nature gives us, when nature gives it.
How much more damage, anger and grief do when the things that caused them.
If it's not right, don't do it. If it's not true, don't say it.
The fencer's weapon is picked up and put down again. The boxer's is part of him.
Last words
So make your exit with grace—the same grace shown to you.
Dive into a collection of thought-provoking essays from one of the most remarkable figures in history, Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius. In Meditations, Marcus Aurelius lays out his personal philosophy of stoicism, which involves honing one's discipline and eschewing base or excessive sensual pleasures. A must-read for fans of ancient history and philosophy.
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Marcus Aurelius wrote 'Meditations' around 170 - 180, whilst on a campaign in central Europe, most probably in what is now Serbia, Hungary and Austria. The 12 books that make up 'Meditations' were not written as an exercise in explaining his philosophy but rather as a personal notebook for self-improvement and study. 'Meditations' illustrates just how important the Stoic Epictetus was to Marcus as he quotes the Greek philosopher's famed 'Discourses' on more than one occasion. Epictetus was a legendary figure in Greek philosophy and many claim he is the greatest of the Stoics; texts that remain in existence from the period suggest that in his native Greece, he was even more popular than Plato. As was previously mentioned, 'Meditations' was not written for public consumption but rather as an aid to personal development. Marcus wanted to change his way of living and thinking and to do this he embarked on a set of philosophical exercises. He would reflect on philosophical ideas and by writing them down and by repeating them he hoped to re-programme his mind and find his own philosophy to live by.One of the key exercises in the book discusses Marcus attempting to look at the world from 'the point of view of the cosmos' in a bid to try and look at life and the universe outside of the common and limited parameters of individual concerns. “You have the power to strip away many superfluous troubles located wholly in your judgment, and to possess a large room for yourself embracing in thought the whole cosmos, to consider everlasting time, to think of the rapid change in the parts of each thing, of how short it is from birth until dissolution, and how the void before birth and that after dissolution are equally infinite.” Marcus Aurelius died on March 17, 180, in the city of Vindobona which was situated where Vienna is today.
Haiku summary
Live life with reason. / The cosmos doesn't need you. / Be still. Watch. Listen. (johnxlibris)
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