A Companion to Marcus Aurelius

A Companion to Marcus Aurelius PDF

Author: Marcel van Ackeren

Publisher: John Wiley & Sons

Published: 2012-04-30

Total Pages: 582

ISBN-13: 1405192852

DOWNLOAD EBOOK →

A COMPANION TO MARCUS AURELIUS Considered the last of the “Five Good Emperors,” Marcus Aurelius ruled the Roman Empire from ad 161 until his death in 180 – yet his influence on philosophy continues to resonate in the modern age through his Meditations. A Companion to Marcus Aurelius presents the first comprehensive collection of essays to explore all essential facets relating to contemporary Marcus Aurelius studies. Featuring contributions from top international scholars in relevant fields, initial readings provide an overview of source material by addressing such topics as manuscript transmission, historical written sources, archaeological evidence, artifacts, and coins. Readings continue with state-of-the-art discussions of various aspects of Marcus Aurelius – his personal biography; political, cultural, and intellectual background; and aspects of his role as emperor, reformer of administration, military leader, and lawgiver. His Meditations are analyzed in detail, including the form of the book, his way of writing, and the various aspects of his philosophy. The final series of readings addresses evolving aspects of his reception. A Companion to Marcus Aurelius offers important new insights on a figure of late antiquity whose unique voice has withstood the centuries to influence contemporary life.

Marcus Aurelius: Meditations

Marcus Aurelius: Meditations PDF

Author: Christopher Gill

Publisher: OUP Oxford

Published: 2013-10-03

Total Pages: 320

ISBN-13: 0191502421

DOWNLOAD EBOOK →

Christopher Gill provides a new translation and commentary on the first half of Marcus Aurelius' Meditations, and a full introduction to the Meditations as a whole. The Meditations constitute a unique and remarkable work, a reflective diary or notebook by a Roman emperor, that is based on Stoic philosophy but presented in a highly distinctive way. Gill focuses on the philosophical content of the work, especially the question of how far it is consistent with Stoic theory as we know this from other sources. He argues that the Meditations are largely consistent with Stoic theory—more than has been often supposed. The work draws closely on core themes in Stoic ethics and also reflects Stoic thinking on the links between ethics and psychology or the study of nature. To make sense of the Meditations, it is crucial to take into account its overall aim, which seems to be to help Marcus himself take forward his own ethical development by creating occasions for reflection on key Stoic themes that can help to guide his life. This new edition will help students and scholars of ancient philosophy make sense of a work whose intellectual content and status have often been found puzzling. Along with volumes in the Clarendon Later Ancient Philosophers series on Epictetus and Seneca, it will help to chart the history of Stoic philosophy in the first and second century AD. The translation is designed to be accessible to modern readers and all Greek and Latin are translated in the introduction and commentary.

The Essential Marcus Aurelius

The Essential Marcus Aurelius PDF

Author: Jacob Needleman

Publisher: Penguin

Published: 2008-01-10

Total Pages: 148

ISBN-13: 9781585426171

DOWNLOAD EBOOK →

This inaugural-and all new-Tarcher Cornerstone Edition presents a stunningly relevant and reliable translation of the thoughts and aphorisms of the Stoic philosopher and Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius, properly placing the philosopher-king's writings within the vein of the world's great religious and ethical traditions. The late antique world possessed no voice like that of Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius (121-180 CE). His private meditations on what constitutes a good life have withstood the centuries and reach us today with the same penetrating clarity and shining light as the words of Shakespeare, Emerson, or Thoreau. In this remarkable new translation, bestselling religious philosopher Jacob Needleman and classics scholar John P. Piazza have retained the depth of Marcus's perspective on life. They have carefully selected and faithfully rendered those passages that clarify Marcus's role as someone who stood within the great religious and ethical traditions that extend throughout every culture in human history. The voice that emerges from their translation is a universal one, equally recognizable to students of Christ, Buddha, the Vedas, the Talmud, and to anyone who sincerely searches for a way of meaning in contemporary life.

How to Think Like a Roman Emperor

How to Think Like a Roman Emperor PDF

Author: Donald J. Robertson

Publisher: St. Martin's Press

Published: 2019-04-02

Total Pages: 305

ISBN-13: 1250196639

DOWNLOAD EBOOK →

"This book is a wonderful introduction to one of history's greatest figures: Marcus Aurelius. His life and this book are a clear guide for those facing adversity, seeking tranquility and pursuing excellence." —Ryan Holiday, bestselling author of The Obstacle is the Way and The Daily Stoic The life-changing principles of Stoicism taught through the story of its most famous proponent. Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius was the last famous Stoic philosopher of the ancient world. The Meditations, his personal journal, survives to this day as one of the most loved self-help and spiritual classics of all time. In How to Think Like a Roman Emperor, cognitive psychotherapist Donald Robertson weaves the life and philosophy of Marcus Aurelius together seamlessly to provide a compelling modern-day guide to the Stoic wisdom followed by countless individuals throughout the centuries as a path to achieving greater fulfillment and emotional resilience. How to Think Like a Roman Emperor takes readers on a transformative journey along with Marcus, following his progress from a young noble at the court of Hadrian—taken under the wing of some of the finest philosophers of his day—through to his reign as emperor of Rome at the height of its power. Robertson shows how Marcus used philosophical doctrines and therapeutic practices to build emotional resilience and endure tremendous adversity, and guides readers through applying the same methods to their own lives. Combining remarkable stories from Marcus’s life with insights from modern psychology and the enduring wisdom of his philosophy, How to Think Like a Roman Emperor puts a human face on Stoicism and offers a timeless and essential guide to handling the ethical and psychological challenges we face today.

The Meditations of Marcus Aurelius

The Meditations of Marcus Aurelius PDF

Author: Marcus Aurelius (Emperor of Rome)

Publisher: SkyLight Paths Publishing

Published: 2007

Total Pages: 276

ISBN-13: 1594732361

DOWNLOAD EBOOK →

The timeless wisdom of an ancient Stoic can become a companion for your own spiritual journey. Stoicism is often portrayed as a cheerless, stiff-upper-lip philosophy of suffering and doom. Yet as experienced through the thoughtful and penetrating writings of Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius (121 180 CE), the Stoic approach to life is surprisingly rich, nuanced, clear-eyed and friendly. With facing-page commentary that explains the texts for you, Russell McNeil, PhD, guides you through key passages from Aurelius s "Meditations," comprised of the emperor s collected personal journal entries, to uncover the startlingly modern relevance his words have today. From devotion to family and duty to country, to a near-prophetic view of the natural world that aligns with modern physics, Aurelius s words speak as potently today as they did two millennia ago. Now you can discover the tenderness, intelligence and honesty of Aurelius s writings with no previous background in philosophy or the classics. This SkyLight Illuminations edition offers insightful and engaging commentary that explains the historical background of Stoicism, as well as the ways this ancient philosophical system can offer psychological and spiritual insight into your contemporary life. You will be encouraged to explore and challenge Aurelius s ideas of what makes a fulfilling life and in so doing you may discover new ways of perceiving happiness.

The Cambridge Companion to the Stoics

The Cambridge Companion to the Stoics PDF

Author: Brad Inwood

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Published: 2003-05-05

Total Pages: 452

ISBN-13: 9780521779852

DOWNLOAD EBOOK →

This unique volume offers an odyssey through the ideas of the Stoics in three particular ways: first, through the historical trajectory of the school itself and its influence; second, through the recovery of the history of Stoic thought; third, through the ongoing confrontation with Stoicism, showing how it refines philosophical traditions, challenges the imagination, and ultimately defines the kind of life one chooses to lead. A distinguished roster of specialists have written an authoritative guide to the entire philosophical tradition. The first two chapters chart the history of the school in the ancient world, and are followed by chapters on the core themes of the Stoic system: epistemology, logic, natural philosophy, theology, determinism, and metaphysics. There are two chapters on what might be thought of as the heart and soul of the Stoics system: ethics.

Marcus Aurelius

Marcus Aurelius PDF

Author: Frank McLynn

Publisher: Da Capo Press, Incorporated

Published: 2009-08-11

Total Pages: 722

ISBN-13: 0306818302

DOWNLOAD EBOOK →

Critically acclaimed author McLynn pens this masterful and long-overdue biography of Marcus Aurelius, whose life as a philosopher, soldier, and emperor still resonates with contemporary relevance. b&w photographs throughout.

A History of Psychology in Western Civilization

A History of Psychology in Western Civilization PDF

Author: Bruce K. Alexander

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Published: 2014-07-03

Total Pages: 563

ISBN-13: 1139991833

DOWNLOAD EBOOK →

This book is a re-introduction to psychology. It focuses on great scholarly thinkers, beginning with Plato, Marcus Aurelius and St Augustine, who gave the field its foundational ideas long before better known 'founders', such as Galton, Fechner, Wundt and Watson, appeared on the scene. Psychology can only achieve its full breadth and potential when we fully appreciate its scholarly legacy. Bruce Alexander and Curtis Shelton also argue that the fundamental contradictions built into psychology's history have never been resolved, and that a truly pragmatic approach, as defined by William James, can produce a 'layered' psychology that will enable psychologists to face the fearsome challenges of the twenty-first century. A History of Psychology in Western Civilization claims that contemporary psychology has overemphasized the methods of physical science and that psychology will need a broader scientific orientation alongside a scholarly focus in order to fully engage the future.

The Inner Citadel

The Inner Citadel PDF

Author: Pierre Hadot

Publisher: Harvard University Press

Published: 1998

Total Pages: 380

ISBN-13: 9780674461710

DOWNLOAD EBOOK →

The Meditations of Marcus Aurelius are treasured today--as they have been over the centuries--as an inexhaustible source of wisdom. And as one of the three most important expressions of Stoicism, this is an essential text for everyone interested in ancient religion and philosophy. Yet the clarity and ease of the work's style are deceptive. Pierre Hadot, eminent historian of ancient thought, uncovers new levels of meaning and expands our understanding of its underlying philosophy. Written by the Roman emperor for his own private guidance and self-admonition, the Meditations set forth principles for living a good and just life. Hadot probes Marcus Aurelius's guidelines and convictions and discerns the hitherto unperceived conceptual system that grounds them. Abundantly quoting the Meditations to illustrate his analysis, the author allows Marcus Aurelius to speak directly to the reader. And Hadot unfolds for us the philosophical context of the Meditations, commenting on the philosophers Marcus Aurelius read and giving special attention to the teachings of Epictetus, whose disciple he was. The soul, the guiding principle within us, is in Marcus Aurelius's Stoic philosophy an inviolable stronghold of freedom, the "inner citadel." This spirited and engaging study of his thought offers a fresh picture of the fascinating philosopher-emperor, a fuller understanding of the tradition and doctrines of Stoicism, and rich insight on the culture of the Roman empire in the second century. Pierre Hadot has been working on Marcus Aurelius for more than twenty years; in this book he distills his analysis and conclusions with extraordinary lucidity for the general reader.