Marcus AureliusRezensionen

The most interesting thing about this is how long ago it was written and how well it still holds up. That said, it is repetitive and sort of obvious, at least if you're of a certain age. There's a lot of philosophy espoused without any insight into what led to the production of said Meditations. If you get a version with recaps, that's all you need to read to glean the most essential bits. Fast read, but hardly life changing.

Aurelius detested his mortal form and those of others but he had many good insights.

Meditações, clássico escrito por Marco Aurélio, traz reflexões que servem como exercícios espirituais em tempos turbulentos, conselhos a si mesmo que o imperador buscou registrar e cujas ideias ecoam até hoje.

O pensamento estoico, longe de ser mero objeto de estudo de helenistas, encontra-se mais vivo do que nunca na sociedade contemporânea. Seus propagadores, como Sêneca e Marco Aurélio, chegam a uma nova geração de leitores aproximando a filosofia da vida prática.
Esta nova tradução do clássico Meditações oferece grande precisão linguística, permitindo decifrar as nuances de uma obra complexa que conduz o leitor a uma reflexão sobre a impermanência da vida e a nossa relação com a natureza e o cosmos

The translation was less elegant than its english counterpart found on Gutenberg.org. Nevertheless the introductory notes were insightful and interesting. It was also funny to see how Aurelius' philosophy is quite similar to buddhist philosophy and psychology.

I've read "Meditations" by Marcus Aurelius sometime in the Autumn of 2007 after returning to Aberystwyth, Wales from my travels. Given that since June 2007 I was in a deep psychotic state, and just returned from a trans-siberian journey to Mongolia, I wanted to order my embattled mind. Voices, second sight, psychological torment. I was barely capable of reading and making sense of what I read back in the days, after psychoses erupted. Aurelian stoicism helped me cope with this hell, the amusing part is that I got a yellow piece of paper on which I wrote "stoicism applied" and stuck it to my forehead and then paraded through the streets of Aberystwyth raising some interest and mockery throughout. Years later, in 2016 I was suddenly reminded of this reading, I saw a Thyrsus and a Caduceus in the night-sky of Częstochowa, where I visited my then-girlfriend and mistress. The kitchen of that flat was flooded with divine light, and the spirit incarnated into me, as I felt divine pride, great celestial intellect and a commanding paternal tone in a voiceless, silent language. I silently thanked for the consolation that book brought to me in 2007. Then I approached my girl who was sitting next to her laptop and said: "He visited us", she asked: "Whom?", I said "The Emperor visited us". She said: "I'm busy, don't trouble me right now" and went on watching on her youtube videos. Aurelion Therion, the Beast of Solar God was a Pater Patrum in Saturnine rank, a Drakon, and a Pontifex, Julian the Theurgist was a soldier and a magician in his army on Marcomannian campaigns. "Memento Mori" - a phrase coined by him, I might add - "Invictii Genii".

Didn't finish the whole thing for various reason but got the idea from the first few books. Mostly just repeating basic ideas about right living that are never specified, how people shouldn't complain about their lives because it's right that they're where they are. It was philosophy of acceptance but without any details that made it interesting and with nothing to say to someone who's in a crappy place. Just dull, repetitive and doesn't say anything interesting.

A man once told me that philosophy is where good thinking and good writing goes to die. And for about 95% of all philosophy books I have read, he is correct. This however falls into that 5% that actually has something to contribute. Recommended.

good annotations

"Meditations" is a collection of aphorisms, musings, quotes, and, essentially, diary entries from a Roman emperor who would have been one of Plato's Philosopher-Kings. Concerned greatly with his philosophy (a Stoicism mixed with other influences) and how he should live his life, these are essentially notes and reflections meant for himself. As such, it must be admitted that there is quite a lot of repetition here. In some sense that is actually not bad: it becomes quite obvious that Marcus Aurelius struggled often and greatly to live up to the values and ethics he believed in.

Note: this is not the kind of book you sit down and read through, but rather pick through over days. If you do try to just run through it the above-mentioned repetition will somewhat ruin it.

Maybe I don't need to know how to live a good life as a Roman nobleman. A classic of stoicism.

Possibly 2.5 Stars. Defintly requires a reread with more in-depth analysis and attention.

Repetitive. Great insofar as it anticipates pessimism. Stoicism in itself is an admirable approach to life, but one quickly gets the feeling that it isn't altogether very difficult for a wildly rich ruler of the world's largest empire to say "The bad things in life don't really matter because they can't really get to them unless you let them" or "Pleasure isn't something to be striven after." Tell that to the poor man who has one problem after another and clutches at any kind of pleasure as relief from the horror of existence.

I read this book because I have read a few books by the contemporary self-help guru Ryan Holiday. I've enjoyed his books because I don't find them cultish as he draws his inspiration from the Stoics and other more contemporary individuals whom I hold in esteem. I saw this book and wanted to read the source of Holiday's inspiration. I have never been interested in reading anything by ancient Greeks (Marcus Aurelius lived in the second century), but I found this book fairly easy to read. I made the decision to read the Introduction after I read the book's narrative as I am fairly ignorant of ancient Greek history. I found that was an excellent way for me to enjoy the book a bit better.

Of the contents itself, I found many interesting and useful suggestions. I realize that what Marcus Aurelius wrote was merely notes as a guide for himself and never meant as a publication for others to read. His suggestion that I found most useful personally was to work toward a sense of calmness. The theme I had the most difficulty with was to not fear death. I can't say I'm there yet or ever while be. I enjoyed learning about Stoicism (and even where the word stoic came from). I am glad the opportunity presented itself by coincidence to read this book as I got my copy from a fellow Bookcrosser at a recent book festival.

Difficile dire cose nuove e sensate rispetto a un classico del pensiero occidentale. Da parte mia, giungo molto tardi a leggerlo (soprattutto avendo fatto studi classici e filosofici), traendone in ogni caso piacere e un ampio numero di riflessioni sull'approccio etico alla quotidianità, dalle relazioni personali di ogni giorno fino all'ambito lavorativo. Il libro si legge rapidamente e con scorrevolezza, fin dal primo capitolo dedicato ai debiti di riconoscenza rispetto a quanto appreso nella propria vita. Ma è anche un testo cui tornare, con calma, più volte nel corso del tempo.

"Le Meditazioni" di Marco Aurelio sono un'opera filosofica che rappresenta una testimonianza importante del pensiero stoico dell'epoca romana. Scritte come un diario personale, le riflessioni di Marco Aurelio esplorano una vasta gamma di temi, dalla morte e la mortalità, alla virtù e alla filosofia stoica, alla natura dell'universo e dell'uomo.

Nel libro, Marco Aurelio utilizza la filosofia stoica per affrontare le difficoltà della vita e per trovare la pace interiore e la felicità. Come imperatore, era spesso impegnato in questioni politiche e militari, e le sue meditazioni riflettono spesso la tensione tra il suo ruolo pubblico e la sua vita privata.

Tuttavia, le sue riflessioni sono anche molto personali e intime, e offrono una visione unica della sua personalità e della sua filosofia. Egli sottolinea l'importanza di vivere una vita virtuosa e di accettare la realtà della vita, compresi i suoi momenti difficili e dolorosi.

In particolare, Marco Aurelio enfatizza l'importanza della ragione e della razionalità nella vita umana e il potere della mente per affrontare le difficoltà della vita. Egli crede che la felicità e la pace interiore siano raggiungibili attraverso la saggezza e la virtù, e non attraverso la ricchezza o il potere.

Le riflessioni di Marco Aurelio sono state influenti nella filosofia occidentale e hanno ispirato molti filosofi e pensatori nel corso dei secoli. La sua filosofia stoica, che si basa sull'accettazione della realtà e sulla virtù personale, ha avuto un impatto significativo sulla cultura occidentale e sulla psicologia moderna.

In sintesi, "Le Meditazioni" di Marco Aurelio sono un'opera filosofica importante che si concentra sulla ricerca della saggezza e della virtù nella vita umana, e sottolinea l'importanza della ragione e della razionalità per affrontare le difficoltà della vita. Le riflessioni di Marco Aurelio sono state influenti nella cultura occidentale e rappresentano un importante contributo al pensiero filosofico.

Marco Aurelio, "el emperador filósofo", "el sabio" uno de los "cinco emperadores buenos", reinó en el Imperio romano entre los años 161 y 180 d.c. y dedicó la última década de su gobierno a escribir esta obra: sus "Meditaciones", en las que plasma su admiración por los filósofos estoicos griegos y comparte cómo ha de ser según él un buen gobernante y cómo ha de gobernar. Además, realiza un viaje por sus pensamientos y emociones y trata de averiguar su significado y si es común con el resto de personas.

I think that this collection of thoughts has to be read in context, as a common place book for the author, and not as a systematic philosophy. As James Mustich says in his book “1,000 Books to Read before you Die”, this can read “like a twenty first century self-help book”, but “the aphoristic reflections ... are both consoling and inspiring”.
To the extent that I think about philosophy, these thoughts often chime with my own, except for the assumption of rational thinking and the acceptance that everything happens for the best, for example see book 4:9-10:
9. It was for the best. So Nature had no choice but to do it.
10. That every event is the right one. Look closely and you’ll see. Not just the right one overall, but right. As if someone had weighed it out with scales.
The collection can be repetitive and morbid, but is also fascinating; to read thoughts from over 1,800 years ago that sound current (although this observation is dependent upon the translation).

I am currently also reading Rage by Bob Woodward, and I think a lot of the military personnel who were asked to serve the US in the Trump administration were probably more than a little conversant with the stoicism of the Meditations.

In respect of the translation by Gregory Hays, there were Americanisms, and I was flummoxed by the meaning of “gussy up”, an American colloquial term I had heard before, but had to google to understand!

Book 4:43
Time is a river, a violent current of events, glimpsed once and already carried past us, and another follows and is gone.

Estas são anotações pessoais do imperador romano Marco Aurélio escritas entre os anos de 170 a 180.
Também conhecidas como Meditações a mim mesmo, reúnem aforismos que orientaram o governante pela perspectiva do estoicismo – o controle das emoções para que se evitem os erros de julgamento.
Suas meditações formam um manual de comportamento ainda atual sobre como podemos melhorar nosso comportamento e o relacionamento com o próximo.
Marco Aurélio trava um diálogo interior em busca de verdades fundamentais por meio da razão sem deixar de lado a sensibilidade.
Sem inclinação a qualquer crença religiosa, Meditações apela para ordens universais nas quais até mesmo os acontecimentos ruins ocorrem para o bem de todos.
O imperador assume o papel do filósofo que instrui o aluno e dá conselhos ao amigo.
Por seu caráter íntimo, Meditações tornou-se um dos escritos mais reveladores e inspiradores a respeito do pensamento de um grande líder.
Apresenta ensinamentos sobre as virtudes, a felicidade, a morte, as paixões e a harmonia com a natureza e a aceitação de suas leis.
Figura ainda entre as obras fundamentais para os estudiosos da filosofia estoica, mesmo milênios depois de sua composição.

I first read Meditations in 2015. I really liked it and was awed at how the ideas written by Marcus Aurelius two millennia ago, felt so true and on point in our times.

On this second reading though, almost five years later, and after so many things have changed in my life since then; I've come to truly appreciate the wisdom of Aurelius. He's showed me how we are not so different, a Roman Emperor and the most powerful man on earth at the time and me, just an ordinary man two thousand years later. There were so many passages I highlighted and notes I made on the margins and in between blank spaces in my hardcover edition. Really contemplating the ideas he wrote to himself and sometimes being struck at how much his words resonated. Without any doubt in my mind, an outstanding and inspiring man. I will definitely be returning many times to my copy of this book (Hays translation), to center myself as I continue to find my way in this chaotic life and strive to be a better man, just like Marcus Aurelius did.

Clásico del estoicismo y la vida mínima que invita a la reflexión en las decisiones diarias. Muy recomendable para los tiempos de abundancia y desidia.

Lido em dezembro 2022 - muito bom

Modern stoics are such pilferers of diaries... That they would take the desperate letters of self-encouragement, the cheap ‘self-help’ of musty centuries, for any kind of truth is vulgar. And worse they have made the mistake of taking a ‘shepherd’s manual’ for life philosophy. Such bad taste is the case with most ‘Stoic thought’. Meditations, Seneca’s Letters – these are private conversations and should remain as such. Those who can derive the most benefit from these works are roman emperors of the second century, teens, and office workers who are about to receive a stern (but less-than-official) reprimand from a client or manager and must remind themselves not to let it ruin a nice weekend at the links.

Were someone to publish my own ‘notes to self’ as any kind of life philosophy I would be mortified. Imagine how even the face of Marcus Aurelius would flush were he to learn that his private, unpolished musings were being used as cheap self-help by thousands of ‘peasants’ and 'petty bourgeois'. (He, the Emperor! What gall.) If there is one truth in this work, it is found in the description of the unrelenting stupidity of each generation, “always the same”.

Stoicism is a kind of play-acting. As one might critique the modern self-help genre as so much tripe compared to the original stoics, so too the stoics are characterized by bad thought and bad thinking. The fool reads one book, and, taking it uncritically, proceeds to speechify as if the ideas were his own. The stoic sleeps one night on the ground and considers himself a philosopher for discovering the possibility of being unfortunate (though he remains a fortunate one). In this instance, he has gone less far than even the vulgar peasant, for at least this slave really does experience privation.

These aren’t just strong opinions – ask Marcus Aurelius if he is really convinced by his own tract. If I may paraphrase a paraphrased Kierkegaard, ‘Aquinas has already made himself ridiculous with his five proofs. If G-d really exists, then one proof should be sufficient. And even one is too many, for why should I attempt to prove that my neighbor exists – such a thing would be an insult. All the more to G-d, who does not need his existence “proven".’ This should be our attitude to Marcus Aurelius’ arguments against his fear of death. The bored student already realizes this, “Why does he repeat himself so much? Why is he always changing his arguments from one page to the next?” This is because he hasn’t convinced even himself. If Marcus Aurelius had conquered his fear of death and also realized the truth of his perspective with Platonic Knowledge, then he would not have to repeat himself. Maybe once he would write it down, perhaps to please the peepers of dairies, but there wouldn't be reason to justify its prominent place throughout the text. The argument continues, why insist on virtuous life slow to anger if this is already one’s character…

Perhaps most damning, Meditations can only be taken in the context of real political supremacy such that one’s only difficulties consist of small intrigues and social slights. Aurelius' insistence on the Rule of Law in reference to Nature is also the transparent insistence that others respect his supremacy. As such, this work only applies to those who are themselves roman emperors or imagine themselves as such. (I’m looking at you, teens.) For anyone else, adherence to command is servility through the looking glass of self-actualization. This weakness is evident in Aurelius’ use of metaphor:

“Pointless bustling of processions, opera arias, herds of sheep and cattle, military exercises. […] The miserable servitude of ants, scampering of frightened mice, puppets jerked on strings. Surrounded as we are by all of this […] remembering that our own worth is measured by what we devote our energy to.”

How many of these aria singers, military recruits might be better than Aurelius, yet are fixed to 'strings' by material conditions. Why not use an example of inner turmoil as metaphor instead of the act of performing one’s duty? Because what Aurelius really wants is Dominion. I provide the following as a corollary:

“To keep on being the person that you’ve been—to keep being mauled and degraded by the life you’re living—is to be devoid of sense and much too fond of life. Like those animal fighters at the games—torn half to pieces, covered in blood and gore, and still pleading to be held over till tomorrow . . . to be bitten and clawed again.”

The little person Augustus deigns to play a small part in his metaphor, to receive a little insult, is then returned to life where he is immediately put to death.

This book was my introduction to Stoicism and my first philosophical book in general. Compared to books I read afterwards, this book is easy to read, seeing as it is mostly written in standalone paragraphs. The detailed notes that accompany most of these paragraphs do indeed help in better understanding both the context in which the book was written and the ideas themselves.

As far as being "able to change your mindset" is concerned, I believe that the ideas written here can influence the outlook on many aspects of one's life, especially if they are already thinking along similar lines.

If you are interested in learning about Stoicism, this is a great place to start.

Meditações em 12 capítulos do estóico machão - stoic on steroids - Marcus Aurelius. Aprendemos que o maior bem é imortal, a virtude, aproveitamento máximo de nossa natureza, isenta dos altos e baixos inúteis dos prazeres. E que essa virtude é viver como se não houvesse amanhã, em um presente para o benefício público da humanidade, se embrenhando na política e na ação para beneficiar a comunidade, de modo direto, com a modéstia de ter apenas o necessário para garantir tal, e entendendo a inutilidade da imaginação, do excesso de conhecimento ou livros e outras frescuras. Atos sociais, sim, conforme o cosmos, e seguir a razão e a lei em tudo. Pois fora isso só há a morte, você que não será nada e lugar algum, indiferente às transformações dos átomos e incumbido pelos deuses para o social e o político. E que na série das coisas o que segue sempre é adequado ao que precede, por conexão racional. Há uma relação harmoniosa, conexão racional, e não sucessão pura, mas uma relação maravilhosa: a terra morrendo, se transforma em água, a água em ar, o ar em fogo e reversamente.