Abstract

The Meditations are a set of personal reflections by Marcus Aurelius. He writes about the vicissitudes of his own life and explores how to live wisely and virtuously in an unpredictable world. Part of the Macmillan Collector’s Library; a series of stunning, clothbound, pocket sized classics with gold foiled edges and ribbon markers. These beautiful books make perfect gifts or a treat for any book lover. This edition is translated by A. S. L. Farquharson and features an introduction by John Sellars. Marcus Aurelius was Roman emperor at the height of Rome’s power and prosperity. Under his rule the Mediterranean world was better governed than at any time since. He was also a follower of the Stoic tradition of philosophy, and one of its finest advocates, both in the clarity and simplicity of his writing, and in the uprightness of his life. Meditations was written during the decade or more Aurelius spent campaigning in the remote Danube region towards the end of his life. The aphorisms show how for him, as perhaps for us all, the answer to life lies in keeping a calm and rational mind and in refusing to be cast down or alarmed by things over which we have no control.