Meditations (Oxford World´s Classics New Edition)

• The Meditations of Marcus Aurelius is one of the best-known and most popular works of ancient philosophy, offering spiritual reflections on how best to understand the universe and one's place within it.
• Eloquent and accurate translation by Robin Hard based on the latest Greek edition.
• Introduction and notes by Christopher Gill take account of the most recent work on interpretation of the Meditations, and places it within its ancient philosophical context.
• Includes a newly translated selection of the correspondence between Marcus and his tutor Fronto illustrating Marcus' life and character.
• Index of themes, to enable readers to track recurrent motifs in the work.

'Do not act as if you had ten thousand years to live ... while you have life in you, while you still can, make yourself good.'

The Meditations of Marcus Aurelius (AD 121-180) is a private notebook of philosophical reflections, written by a Roman emperor probably on military campaign in Germany. In short, highly charged comments, Marcus draws on Stoic philosophy to confront challenges that he felt acutely, but which are also shared by all human beings - the looming presence of death, making sense of one's social role and projects, the moral significance of the universe. They bring us closer to the personality of the emperor, who is often disillusioned with his own status and with human activities in general; they are both an historical document and a remarkable spiritual diary.

This translation by Robin Hard brings out the eloquence and universality of Marcus' thoughts. The introduction and notes by Christopher Gill place the Meditations firmly in the ancient philosophical context. A selection of Marcus' correspondence with his tutor Fronto broadens the picture of the emperor as a person and thinker.

Readership: Readers of philosophy and those interested in 'guides to life/happiness', readers of ancient classics, students of classics, classical studies, philosophy, history of ideas, ancient philosophy, especially Stoicism and Roman philosophy, ethics.