Meditations (Warbler Classics Annotated Edition)

Meditations by Marcus Aurelius is one of the greatest philosophical works of all time.

A collection of personal reflections written by Marcus Aurelius during his reign as one of Rome’s greatest emperors, Meditations delves into topics that are as relevant today as they were more than two thousand years ago. Aurelius expresses his insights on the nature of virtue, the impermanence of existence, and the importance of mindfulness. He offers a Stoic’s perspective on life, which emphasizes self-control, rationality, and acceptance of the world as it is. Stoicism teaches that while we cannot control external events, we can control our responses to them. With exceptional clarity and elegance Aurelius asserts that the cultivation of virtues such as wisdom, courage, justice, and moderation is the foundation of a richly meaningful and contented life.

Simple, powerful, and persuasive, Meditations is essential reading for anyone interested in questions of happiness, leadership, and personal freedom.

This Warbler Classics edition is based on the meticulous, time-honored translation by George Long and includes a succinct introduction to Stoicism and its practical application to daily life by Massimo Pigliucci as well as a biographical essay on the life of Marcus Aurelius.

Marcus Aurelius Antoninus (a.d. 121–180) was Roman Emperor from 161 to 180. He ruled with Lucius Verus as co-emperor from 161 until Verus’s death in 169. He was one of Rome’s most powerful commanders, a philosopher-king, and an important proponent of Stoic thought.

Massimo Pigliucci is K. D. Irani Professor of Philosophy at the City College of New York and the author of, among other books, How to Be a Stoic: Using Ancient Philosophy to Live a Modern Life (2017).

“No longer talk at all about the kind of man that a good man ought to be, but be such.”
—Marcus Aurelius, Meditations