The Meditations are the private notes of the Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius, written in Greek, probably between 170 and 180. During long military campaigns, he reminded himself of the principles of Stoic philosophy: self-control, duty, acceptance of fate and the shortness of life. The Greek title means simply to himself.
A private notebook
Marcus Aurelius never meant these notes to be published. They are exercises in which he repeats to himself the truths he wanted to live by, often in very few words.
The text is divided into twelve books, made of short maxims and longer reflections, without any strict order.
An emperor philosopher
Emperor from 161 to 180, Marcus spent much of his reign defending the Danube frontier. Some books are marked as written in military camps.
He reminds himself to act justly, to work for the common good and to treat others with patience, whatever their faults.
Transmission
The text survived in Byzantine manuscripts. The first printed edition appeared in Zurich in 1559, with a Latin translation by Wilhelm Xylander.
The English translation by George Long, published in the nineteenth century, was widely read for generations.
Anecdotes
A list of thanks
The first book is a list of gratitude, in which Marcus names the relatives, teachers and friends from whom he learned each of his qualities.
The equestrian statue
The bronze equestrian statue of Marcus Aurelius in Rome's Capitoline Museums is one of the very few such statues to survive from antiquity.
Frequently asked questions
In what language are the Meditations written?
In Greek.
How many books are there?
Twelve.
To which school of philosophy do they belong?
Stoicism.