Reading Order
Meditations Reading Order
Marcus Aurelius's Meditations (written c. 170–180 CE, first published 1558) is the private journal of a Roman emperor and Stoic philosopher — the notes he wrote to himself on how to live, how to rule, how to face death and hardship, and how to maintain philosophical equanimity in the exercise of power — that have survived to become one of the most widely read works of philosophy in history and the founding text of the Stoic tradition for modern readers.
Where to start
Meditations
Complete Meditations Book List
- 1Buy
Meditations
Marcus Aurelius·180·The essential text. Multiple modern translations exist; Gregory Hays (2002) and Robin Hard (2011) are highly regarded for readability. Start here. - 2Buy
Letters from a Stoic
Seneca·65·Seneca's letters to Lucilius — the other foundational Stoic text, written by a contemporary of Nero and addressing many of the same questions as Meditations with a different temperament. Read second. - 3Buy
Discourses
Epictetus·108·The reconstructed teachings of Epictetus — the slave-turned-philosopher who was the most influential Stoic teacher of the imperial period and who directly influenced Marcus Aurelius. Read third for the complete Stoic canon.
Meditations — Frequently Asked Questions
Who wrote Meditations and why?
Meditations was written by Marcus Aurelius (121–180 CE), who served as Roman Emperor from 161 to 180 CE and is the only philosopher-king in the Platonic tradition who actually held supreme power. The text was written for himself — not for publication — as a series of reminders, arguments, and philosophical exercises to help him maintain the Stoic discipline he had been taught and that he believed essential to ruling well. He wrote during his military campaigns against the Germanic tribes on the Danube frontier, and the text reflects both the pressures of imperial rule and the constant practice of a philosophical tradition he took with absolute seriousness. The title 'Meditations' was given by later editors; the Greek title is 'Τὰ εἰς ἑαυτόν' (Ta eis heauton), meaning 'Things to himself' or 'To himself.'
What are the core principles of Stoicism as presented in Meditations?
The core Stoic principles in Meditations can be summarized as: the dichotomy of control (only our own judgments, desires, and responses are 'up to us' — everything external, including our health, reputation, and what happens to us, is not); the nature of the good (only virtue — wisdom, justice, courage, and self-discipline — is genuinely good; everything else is 'indifferent' and should be pursued or avoided only insofar as it serves virtue); the practice of living according to nature (which for humans means living according to reason and in community with others); the acceptance of mortality and impermanence (everything changes and passes; the proper response is not grief but the recognition that this is the nature of things); and the universality of the human community (all human beings share in reason and are citizens of a universal city).
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