This is a running commentary on Meditations by Marcus Aurelius. This work has captivated the world for centuries, and I have been fascinated by it for years. I've read it again and again, trying to understand it. Marcus was a practical philosopher - he wanted to know how to live, not how to write a philosophical treatise.
I am primarily posting George Long's translation, for the simple fact that it is in the public domain. My favourite translation, however, is C.R. Haines' which is published by Loeb Classical Library. I also use George Hays superb new translation to check the other two. At times I will mention if there are disagreements between the translators.
I also use the excellent Letters of Cornelius Fronto, and the Histories of Cassius Dio for background information. I will also be using the works of Seneca and Epictetus. Marcus was familiar with Seneca, but Epictetus was his spiritual father. One of the best modern works on Marcus Aurelius is the biography by Anthony Birley.
5 comments:
Although I am enjoying your commentaries, your profile is misleading. What formal credentials do you have?
What happend to this great blogger, did he die???? after this sudden but to short outburst of knowledge? If you do live please come back!!!
I'm Bummed that there are only a few posts. This blog was really helping my understanding of the book. Hope the blog author will start up again.
I'm just beginning to study the "Commentaries" Your input is very helpful. Such a good read and lesson to live by.
Dear Anonymous, Happy holidays and thank you for your complimentary greeting. Whenever, I review ancient/early works of history, I marvel at the author's narratives of their times as well as historians analyses of both the writers, their contemporaries, and the historical and geographical environment they lived in. Of course, unless we are specifically referring to the ancient Greeks and Romans who relied on slaves, and outright conquest and subjugation of others because they were barbarians, many other cultures who used similar practices as the Greeks and Romans, admittedly because, as neighbors, they learned one from the other, there were no modern means of communication and information was received so much later than was timely. Furthermore, the information was probably incorrect or distorted and so, Marcus Aurelius, for example, must have been highly intelligent and perceptive but as a Roman his views were arguably very reflective of his culture (and thus, limited to generalization). My own exposure to him is the little Penguin Books: Great Ideas of M.A.'s Meditations (consisting of his Twelve Books or chapters and under 164 pp). The little Latin I learned is insufficient to comfortably read the original work so my book was translated by Maxwell Staniforth (1964 and republished in 2005 in the USA. There are several downloadable apps from the Google Play store that you may find useful). Finally, I recommend Machiavelli's The Prince but this work also reflects the arrogance, egotism, vanity, cynicism, and idiosyncracies of the rulers of his times.
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