Meditations
by Marcus Aurelius

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introduction to the meditations of marcus aurelius this is a librivox recording all librivox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit librivox.org recording by shane greenup the meditations of marcus aurelius by marcus aurelius antoninus translated by george long introduction marcus arnes virus was born in rome in ad 121 and assume the name of marcus aurelius antoninus by which he is known to history on his adoption by the emperor t aurelius antoninus he succeeded to the imperial throne in 161 and ruled till his death in 180. his reign though marked by justice and moderation at home was troubled by constant warfare on the frontiers of the empire and aurelius spent much of his later years in the uncongenial task of commanding armies that no longer proved irresistible against the barbarian hordes hemarelius was educated by the orator fronto but turned aside from rhetoric to study of the stoic philosophy of which he was the last distinguished representative the meditations which he wrote in greek are among the most noteworthy expressions of this system and exhibit it favorably on its practical side his own precepts he carried out with singular consistency and both in his public and his private life he was in the highest degree conscientious he and his predecessor are noted as the only roman emperors who can be said to have ruled with a single eye to the welfare of their subjects during his reign rome was visited by severe pestilence and this with reversers suffered by his armies threw the populace into a panic and led them to demand the sacrifice of the christians whom they regarded as having brought down the anger of the gods aurelius seems to have shared the panic and his record it's stained by his sanction of the cruel persecution this incident in the career of the last and one of the loftiest of the pagan moralists may be regarded as symbolic of the dying effort of hedonism to check the advancing tide of christianity the meditations picture with faithfulness the mind and character of this noblest of the emperors simple in style and sincere in tone they record for all time the height reached by pagan aspirations in its effort to solve the problem of conduct and the essential agreement of his practice with his teaching proved that even in a palace life may be led well end of introduction recording by shane greener shane greenup.blogspot.com and papers aloud dot com

chapter 1 of meditations of marcus aurelius this is a librivox recording all librivox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit librivox.org the meditations of marcus aurelius by marcus aurelius antoninus translated by george long chapter one

one for my grandfather varus i learned good morals and the government of my temper two from the reputation and remembrance of my father modesty and a manly character three for my mother piety and beneficence and abstinence not only from evil deeds but even from evil thoughts and further simplicity in my way of living far removed from the habits of the rich four for my great-grandfather not to have frequented public schools and to have had good teachers at home and to know that on such things a man should spend liberally five for my governor to be neither of the green nor of the blue party at the games in the circus nor partisan either of the palmillarius or the scootarius at the gladiators fights from him too i learned endurance of labor and to want little and to work with my own hands and not to meddle with other people's affairs and not to be ready to listen to slander six from dignatus not to busy myself about trifling things and not to give credit to what was said by miracle workers and jugglers about incantations and the driving away of demons and such things and not to breed quails for fighting nor to give myself up passionately to such things...