Meditations
By Marcus Aurelius & Gregory Hays
- Release Date: 2002-05-14
- Genre: Philosophy
Description
NATIONAL BESTSELLER • “Meditations offers a glimpse into [Marcus Aurelius’s] mind, his habits, and his approach to life. . . . I think any reader would find something useful to take away from it.”—James Clear, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Atomic Habits
“To me, this is the greatest book ever written. . . . It is the definitive text on self-discipline, personal ethics, humility, self-actualization, and strength. . . . If you’re going to read it, you absolutely have to go with the Gregory Hays translation.”—Ryan Holiday, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Obstacle Is the Way
“It is unbelievable to see how the emperor’s words have stood the test of time. . . . Read a page or two anytime you feel like the world is too much.”—Arnold Schwarzenegger, The Wall Street Journal
Nearly two thousand years after it was written, Meditations remains profoundly relevant for anyone seeking to lead a meaningful life.
Your ability to control your thoughts—treat it with respect. It’s all that protects your mind from false perceptions—false to your nature, and that of all rational beings.
A series of spiritual exercises filled with wisdom, practical guidance, and profound understanding of human behavior, Marcus Aurelius’s Meditations remains one of the greatest works of spiritual and ethical reflection ever written. With bite-size insights and advice on everything from living in the world to coping with adversity and interacting with others, Meditations has become required reading not only for statesmen and philosophers alike, but also for generations of readers who responded to the straightforward intimacy of his style.
In Gregory Hays’s translation—the first in nearly four decades—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.
Reviews
Necessary
5By IdiotawindImportant book to read. Almost two millennia between us and yet as if not much has changed in a human condition.Minimalist translation
4By Ex-Pralite MonkToo modern in places (did poodles exist back then?) but compact in speech, as if it were a scratchpad for thoughts (which it was).Highly recommended
5By Charlie Reyes IVThis has shaped my perspective in a way I would of never expected but am so grateful for.Apply
5By poole426Apply & watch the changeGOAT
5By FAMOUSmisfitGreatest of all time, no doubt.Unfaithful to the Ancient Greek text
2By Mike98yoStretches with the translation almost to the point of infidelity to the original Grk. I get trying to phrase things so that they might make more sense, and that it's impossible to translate exactly one language into another, yet I'd look at the Grk and be annoyed by how many seemingly random things are added by the translator. It sounds good, but ugh. If you want a good translation steer clear of this and get the Loeb Classical Library edition. Translators who want to publish their works for money can't copy the already finely done Loeb translations so unnecessarily change things like this does. A shame really.Amazing book
5By nasch pGreat! Loved this book learned lots and highly recommend it. Make sure to really dive in and focus on remembering what he says to truly benefit your life.Good book of ideals
4By BlackSuperman58Seams more of a notebook to remind oneself to stay true to their ideals rather than writing to a reader.Life changing
5By KWHITTT90Good book highly recommendedAmazing
5By Zthacker10Amazing book, very insightful. You can tell it wasn’t written to be published but how the worlds most powerful man was attempting to push himself to get better everyday.
