Perhaps even more than the great Athenian statesman Pericles, the Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius fulfilled Plato’s notion of the philosopher-king. He was well trained for the role, having been handpicked by Hadrian at the age of eight to succeed that imperial luminary. The beneficiary of the finest education the ancient world could offer, Aurelius was drawn to the study of moral philosophy, and his every move as a man of action seems to have been judged according to its lights, as his Meditations attest. Talking to himself in these pages, he has spoken to countless generations across the centuries, showing that retreat into the contemplative chambers of the self can stimulate a brave passage to a truer life, available to us all no matter what our station: “Anywhere you can lead your life, you can lead a good one.”
At your recommendation I am rereading these meditations from an old Black classic, much marked up, should be on everyone's bedside table. I can see that i have been much influenced by his meditations, even when i might not always remember them.
One of the few books that actually changed by life. It's sometimes a downer (he seems more positive about death than life), but there's solid advice in this.
An excellent window into the mind and spirit of a great man who values his primary roles as man, husband, and father; over that of emperor. Teaches timeless values and gratitude for the simplest things we all have in life.
“I would call this the greatest book ever written. It is the definitive text on self-discipline, personal ethics, humility, self-actualization, and strength. Bill Clinton reads it every year, and so have countless other leaders, statesmen, and soldiers. It is a book written by one of the most powerful men who ever lived on the lessons that power, responsibility, and philosophy teach us. This book will make you a better person and better able to manage the success you desire.” - Ryan Holiday
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