Meditations

Never Intended For Publication: Marcus Aurelius wrote these reflections purely for himself, using them for his own guidance and self-improvement. He had no idea his private journal would become one of history's most beloved books.

Written In Ancient Greek: Though Marcus was a Roman emperor, he chose to write in Koine Greek rather than Latin. This shows how deeply Greek culture had merged with Roman life by the second century.

Original Title Means "To Himself": The Greek manuscript used for the first printed edition bore the title "Ta eis heauton," which translates as "Things Unto Himself" or "To Himself." This perfectly captures the private, personal nature of the work.

Composed During Military Campaigns: Marcus wrote these reflections while leading brutal wars against Germanic tribes along the Danube River. He penned them between 170 and 180 AD, often at military bases like Carnuntum and Sirmium, and even while campaigning in barbarian territory.

Lost For 700 Years: After Marcus died in 180 AD, the Meditations vanished from historical record. The first clear mention comes from around 900 AD when a Byzantine bishop named Arethas discovered an ancient, crumbling manuscript and had it copied.

Twelve Books Of Wisdom: The work is divided into twelve books with no clear chronological or thematic organization. The entries range from single sentences to long paragraphs, reflecting the spontaneous nature of his journaling.

First English Translation In 1634: Meric Casaubon published the first English translation, more than 1,400 years after Marcus wrote it. The work has since been translated countless times, with Gregory Hays's 2002 version becoming particularly popular.

A Roman Emperor's Bedtime Ritual: Marcus practiced spiritual exercises almost every night, writing down reminders to make himself humble, patient, empathetic, generous, and strong. These weren't grand philosophical treatises but practical tools for self-improvement.

Book One Is Different: The first book stands apart from the rest. It's more structured and autobiographical, with Marcus expressing gratitude to relatives, teachers, and mentors who shaped his character and introduced him to philosophy.

Inspired By A Former Slave: The emperor's greatest philosophical influence was Epictetus, a man born into slavery who later became Rome's most famous Stoic teacher. Marcus studied Epictetus's Discourses intensely and endeavored throughout his life to live by those teachings.

Theodore Roosevelt's Amazon Companion: When the former president explored the Amazon jungle for eight months, he brought only eight books. Two of them were Marcus Aurelius's Meditations and Epictetus's Enchiridion.

Read By World Leaders Today: Bill Clinton reportedly reads it once a year. Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao claimed to have read it over one hundred times. General James Mattis carried it on deployments in Iraq, Afghanistan, and the Persian Gulf.