Home Meditations by Marcus Aurelius; Martin Hammond (Translator); Introduction by Diskin Clay (ISBN: 9780141395869)

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Meditations Hardback - 2015

Name: Meditations (A Penguin Classics Hardcover)
Price: 15.06 USD
Availability: InStock
Author: Aurelius, Marcus
ISBN: 9780141395869

by Marcus Aurelius; Martin Hammond (Translator); Introduction by Diskin Clay

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About this book

Meditations is a philosophical book written by the Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius in the second century AD. The book is a collection of personal reflections on his own life, the nature of the universe, and the Stoic philosophy which guided his actions. Aurelius discusses topics such as self-discipline, virtue, and the importance of living in the present moment. He also explores the relationship between humanity and the universe, and how one can achieve inner peace and tranquility. Meditations is considered a classic work of Stoic philosophy and continues to be widely read and studied today.

Reader reviews for Meditations

Review summary

This seller has earned a 4.28 of 5 Stars rating from internet customers.

4.28 / 5 (327697 total reviews)

Readers largely view Meditations as a terse, personal notebook of Stoic practice whose aphorisms remain strikingly relevant. Many praised its practical counsel on self-discipline, mortality, acceptance, and attention to the present, calling it a manual for adult living and a wellspring of quotable lines. Its status as a private journal explains both the intimacy and the frequent repetition; several recommended reading it slowly or dipping in, and favored modern, clear translations (notably Gregory Hays). Detractors found it monotonous, deterministic, or overrated, and some noted the irony of such counsel coming from an emperor. Despite mixed views on pace and redundancy, the prevailing judgment holds it a foundational, humane statement of Stoicism that humanizes power and offers durable guidance for a distracted age.

Readers say this book is:

timelesspracticalquotablemeditativerepetitiveinspirationalintrospectiveaccessiblerelevantponderous

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From the publisher

A leading translation of timeless Stoic philosophy in practical aphorisms that have inspired luminaries like The Daily Stoic author Ryan Holiday, and influenced countless others to use philosophy as a tool for self-improvement and resilience to live a better life in a beautiful hardcover gift edition, with a cover designed by Coralie Bickford-Smith

World-changing ideas meet eye-catching design: the best titles of the extraordinarily successful Great Ideas series are now packaged in Coralie Bickford-Smith's distinctive, award-winning covers. Whether on a well-curated shelf or in your back pocket, these timeless works of philosophical, political, and psychological thought are absolute must-haves for book collectors as well as design enthusiasts.

Written in Greek by an intellectual Roman emperor without any intention of publication, the Meditations of Marcus Aurelius offer a wide range of fascinating spiritual reflections and exercises developed as the leader struggled to understand himself and make sense of the universe. Spanning from doubt and despair to conviction and exaltation, they cover such diverse topics as the question of virtue, human rationality, the nature of the gods and the values of leadership. But while the Meditations were composed to provide personal consolation, in developing his beliefs Marcus also created one of the greatest of all works of philosophy: a series of wise and practical aphorisms that have been consulted and admired by statesmen, thinkers and ordinary readers for almost two thousand years.

To provide a full understanding of Aurelius's seminal work, this edition includes explanatory notes, a general index, an index of quotations, an index of names, and an introduction by Diskin Clay putting the work in its biographical, historical, and literary context, a chronology of Marcus Aurelius's life and career.

For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.

First edition identification

Widely known as Meditations today, Marcus Aurelius initially compiled the twelve books that make up the work as private journals. The books were originally written in Ancient (Medieval) Greek by the title (ta eis heauton) which translates to "That which is to Himself".

The earliest reference to the work is from Herodian in the 3rd century, who mentions Marcus Aurelius' literary legacy, and there are later references from Arethas of Caesarea in the 10th century and John Tzetzes in the 12th century. The book was first divided into twelve books by the Suda lexicon published in the 10th century. The text is based mainly on two manuscripts: the Codex Palatinus (P) and the Codex Vaticanus (A), which was printed by Wilhelm Xylander in 1558.

The modern history of Meditations dates from the issue of the first printed edition (editio princeps) by Wilhelm Xylander, which appeared in Latin in 1558 or 1559. The original manuscript from which it was printed is now lost, so this text has become one of the two principal sources of all modern texts. First English translation was made in 1634 by Meric Casaubon.

Meditations has always been an extremely popular text and it continues to help and inspire readers today.

Details

Title Meditations
Author Marcus Aurelius; Martin Hammond (Translator); Introduction by Diskin Clay
Binding Hardback
Edition Reissue
Pages 416
Volumes 1
Language ENG
Publisher Penguin Classics, UK
Publication date 2015-04-28
Features Bibliography, Index
ISBN 9780141395869 / 0141395869
Weight 0.8 lbs (0.36 kg)
Dimensions 6.8 x 4.3 x 1.4 in (17.27 x 10.92 x 3.56 cm)
Reading level 1150
Themes
- Chronological Period: Ancient (To 499 A.D.)
- Cultural Region: Italy
Category Philosophy
Library of Congress subjects Conduct of life, Ethics
Dewey Decimal Code 188

About the author

Marcus Aelius Aurelius Antoninus (121-180 CE) was adopted by the emperor Antoninus Pius and succeeded him in 161, (as joint emperor with adoptive brother Lucius Verus). The last of the so-called Five Good Emperors, he ruled alone from 169. Presiding over a changing Rome, he spent much of his reign in putting down variou rebellions. Today, he is best-know for his Meditations, a series of reflections, strongly influenced by Epictetus, which cemented his place as one of the greatest Stoic Philosophers. He died in 180 and was succeed by his natural son, thus ending the period of the adoptive emperors.

Diskin Clay is Professor Emeritus of Classical Studies at Duke University and has published widely in the area of Ancient Greek Philosophy.

Martin Hammond was Head Master of Tonbridge School and has translated many works of classic literature, including Homer's Iliad for Penguin Classics.