Marcus Aurelius

Written in Greek by the only Roman emperor who was also a philosopher, without any intention of publication, the Meditations of Marcus Aurelius offer a remarkable series of challenging spiritual reflections and exercises developed as the emperor struggled to understand himself and make sense of the universe. While the Meditations were composed to provide personal consolation and encouragement, Marcus Aurelius also created one of the greatest of all works of philosophy: a timeless collection that has been consulted and admired by statesmen, thinkers and readers throughout the centuries.

Nearly two thousand years after it was written, Meditations remains profoundly relevant for anyone seeking to lead a meaningful life. Few ancient works have been as influential as the Meditations of Marcus Aurelius, philosopher and emperor of Rome (A.D. 161–180). A series of spiritual exercises filled with wisdom, practical guidance, and profound understanding of human behavior, it remains one of the greatest works of spiritual and ethical reflection ever written. Marcus’s insights and advice—on everything from living in the world to coping with adversity and interacting with others—have made the Meditations required reading for statesmen and philosophers alike, while generations of ordinary readers have responded to the straightforward intimacy of his style. For anyone who struggles to reconcile the demands of leadership with a concern for personal integrity and spiritual well-being, the Meditations remains as relevant now as it was two thousand years ago. In Gregory Hays’s new translation—the first in thirty-five years—Marcus’s thoughts speak with a new immediacy. In fresh and unencumbered English, Hays vividly conveys the spareness and compression of the original Greek text. Never before have Marcus’s insights been so directly and powerfully presented. With an Introduction that outlines Marcus’s life and career, the essentials of Stoic doctrine, the style and construction of the Meditations, and the work’s ongoing influence, this edition makes it possible to fully rediscover the thoughts of one of the most enlightened and intelligent leaders of any era.

Written in Greek, without any intention of publication, by the only Roman emperor who was also a philosopher, the Meditations of Marcus Aurelius (AD 121-180) offer a remarkable series of challenging spiritual reflections and exercises developed as the emperor struggled to understand himself and make sense of the universe. Ranging from doubt and despair to conviction and exaltation, they cover such diverse topics as the nature of moral virtue, human rationality, divine providence, and Marcus' own emotions. But while the Meditations were composed to provide personal consolation and encouragement, in developing his beliefs Marcus Aurelius also created one of the greatest of all works of philosophy: a timeless collection of extended meditations and short aphorisms that has been consulted and admired by statesmen, thinkers and readers through the centuries.

Descendiente de una familia de origen hispánico, Marco Aurelio nació en Roma el año 121 de nuestra era y, tras ser adoptado por Antonio Pío, lo sucedió como emperador, ocupando el cargo desde el año 161 hasta su muerte en 180. Su reinado estuvo marcado por las numerosas y dilatadas guerras que mantuvo contra los pueblos que habitaban en los límites del Imperio. Sin embargo, su devoción por las letras fue notoria y Marco Aurelio dedicó muchas horas al estudio de la filosofía. Durante los descansos que le daban su intensa actividad bélica y sus obligaciones políticas compuso las Meditaciones, una de las principales obras del estoicismo romano, pese a estar redactadas en griego. Los doce libros en que se organiza esta obra constituyen una compilación de ideas y sentencias breves en la que Marco Aurelio reflexiona sobre temas como los límites de la naturaleza humana, la fugacidad del tiempo, los valores morales o la manera correcta de conducirse en la vida.

Romos imperatoriaus Marko Aurelijaus (121 - 180 m. po Kr.) filosofiniai užrašai, kurie buvo rasti po jo mirties ir paskelbti atskira knyga, pavadinta "Sau pačiam". Juose autorius kalba apie žmogaus padėtį pasaulyje, bando išsiaiškinti žmogaus ir pasaulio vienovės galimybę. Markas Aurelijus - imperatorius ir filosofas, mąstantis, ieškantis ir bandantis suprasti žmogus. Pažinti save. Nebijoti savęs klausti. Nebijoti sau pasakyti tiesos. Tai niekad ir niekam nebuvo lengva. Bet ar kada buvo lengva gyventi? "Mūsų gyvenimas – tai kova ir klaidžiojimas svetimame krašte", – sako Markas Aurelijus. Tam, kas nori pažinti save, kad nebijotų gyventi, jis gali būti geras mokytojas.