Meditations

Marcus Aurelius

May 2020 · Google Play Public Domain · AI-narrated by Mason (from Google)

About this audiobook

Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Augustus was the model of what we call a philosopher-king. Though his rule was troubled by war and conflict, he remained a thoughtful and even-handed ruler.

Meditations isn’t a complete book, but rather a collection of his personal diary entries written over a ten-year campaign in Greece. The entries were never meant to be published; instead, they were a reminder to himself of how to remain calm, tranquil, and kind, even in the worst of situations. In them we see the emperor working out how to deal with the everyday problems all of us face: annoying coworkers, difficult family members, the expectations of others, unrealized goals and achievements, and, ultimately, happiness.

The episodic nature of Meditations makes it hard to follow at times, but in exchange we get a deeply personal window into the life of one of Rome’s most unique emperors, and more importantly, a handbook of thoughtful advice on how to live a tranquil, satisfied, and productive life.

This book is part of the Standard Ebooks project, which produces free public domain ebooks.

Ratings and reviews

this is definitely a book that you have to actively pay attention too as it's written in an older vocabulary style but when it makes sense it just clicks

It's wonderful to learn about history. I don't like to compare but I would suggest an Italian to read about Native American folklore than a biography on someone like Carnegie.

It is incredible how so much time can unfold yet we see so much remains a common thread in the contemplations of our place in life as humans.

About the author

Marcus Aurelius Antoninus (26 April 121 – 17 March 180) was Roman emperor from 161 to 180 and a Stoic philosopher.