Join us on a literary world trip!
Add this book to bookshelf
Grey
Write a new comment Default profile 50px
Grey
Subscribe to read the full book or read the first pages for free!
All characters reduced
Meditations - Philosophical Contemplations of a Roman Emperor - cover

Meditations - Philosophical Contemplations of a Roman Emperor

Marcus Aurelius

Translator George Long

Publisher: Good Press

  • 0
  • 0
  • 0

Summary

In "Meditations," Marcus Aurelius presents a profound exploration of Stoic philosophy through a series of personal writings that illuminate his introspective thoughts and moral reflections. Composed during his military campaigns, this seminal work is characterized by its contemplative style and direct prose, offering a window into the mind of a Roman Emperor grappling with the vicissitudes of life. The contextual backdrop of the Roman Empire, coupled with Aurelius's engagement with themes such as duty, virtue, and the nature of existence, positions "Meditations" as a timeless dialogue on the human condition. The text serves not only as a guide for personal resilience but also as an ethical compass in an often tumultuous world. Marcus Aurelius, a stoic philosopher and the last of the Five Good Emperors of Rome, penned these reflections as a means of self-improvement and moral fortitude. His unique position at the intersection of philosophy and leadership informs the depth and sincerity of his insights. Influenced by the Stoic doctrine and his experiences, he sought to cultivate inner peace and rational thinking amidst the chaos of his reign, ultimately leaving a legacy that continues to inspire. I highly recommend "Meditations" to readers seeking wisdom in both personal and philosophical realms. It provides invaluable lessons in self-discipline, empathy, and the acceptance of life's challenges. Whether approached as a historical artifact or a self-help manual, Aurelius's meditations resonate deeply across ages, offering guidance and solace in the pursuit of a virtuous life.
Available since: 11/19/2023.
Print length: 108 pages.

Other books that might interest you

  • Germanic Tribes in Antiquity The: The History and Legacy of the Ancient Peoples Who Spread across Europe - cover

    Germanic Tribes in Antiquity...

    Editors Charles River

    • 0
    • 0
    • 0
    Despite all the accomplishments and widespread victories and conquests that the ancient Romans accrued over the centuries, one of their most critical failures was the inability to subjugate Germany. Indeed, historians have singled out this one failure as central to the ultimate downfall of Rome, as the constant wars against the Germanic tribes and the need to defend the frontier on the Rhine helped bring the Roman Empire to its knees. 
    There are elements of truth in such a conclusion, but the reality was far more fluid than is often realized. From the 1st century BCE until the collapse of the Western Roman Empire in the 5th century CE, the relationships between the Romans and those living in what is now modern Germany were extremely complicated, involving much more than simple warfare. As a Roman territory, Germania at one point included significant areas of land east of the Rhine, all the way up to the Elbe. The Romans would maintain a significant force on this eastern side until the 3rd century CE, but eventually a Frankish invasion ended that presence, and the term Germania came to refer specifically to the territory west of the Rhine, which included the two provinces of Germania Superior and Germania Inferior, or Upper and Lower Germany. Those provinces were key to the defense of the empire, so much so that Triers provided the location of one of the four seats of government near the end of Rome’s reign. 
    The people that came to be known as Germans originally came from Scandinavia and were mainly shepherds and hunters, but they comprised a number of distinct groups. Within each group, there were separate tribes, and as their populations grew, the land they occupied in Scandinavia was unable to support them, so they began migrating south, settling outside the borders of the Roman Empire. The Germans were fierce warriors who employed rather crude but effective tactics in battle.
    Show book
  • Gone With The World Wars - cover

    Gone With The World Wars

    Hildegard Bonacker Bruni

    • 0
    • 0
    • 0
    In the wake of World War II, one-third of East Germany, including East Prussia, was given to Poland and Russia with the consent of the four allies governing occupied Germany-America, England, France, and Russia. In the process, 14 million Germans who called that area home were driven from their land, receiving horrible treatment and never allowed to return. 
    This is the story of one family's journey to safety and the miracles of God that lined their path to deliverance. In Gone with the World Wars, Hildegard Bonacker Bruni shares the inspiring true account of her family's incredible passage during and after World War II and the amazing faithfulness of God that protected them every step of the way. 
    Hildegard shares the testimony of her parents, Gustav and Emilie Bonacker, who were born in East Prussia and lived through WWI and WWII. In July 1944, Gustav was drafted into the army, and in August of the same year, Emilie, along with seven of her children, had to escape on horse and buggy for eight months until she reached the refuge of Sophienhof, in Schleswig Holstein. By the grace of God, Hildegard's family survived, overcoming the life-threatening trials of hunger, sickness, freezing temperatures, and constant bomb attacks. 
    Gone with the World Wars documents this brave family's experiences, which are representative of many German families during the time, revealing what they lived through both during and after the war. 
    With her family's story as a reflection of what truly happened during World War II, Hildegard dedicated her life to uncovering the truth of both world wars, the historical background of each, and how the various types of government affected the lives of the German people, her family included.
    Show book
  • Lost Fatherland - Europeans between Empire and Nation-States 1867-1939 - cover

    Lost Fatherland - Europeans...

    Iryna Vushko

    • 0
    • 0
    • 0
    How the demise of the Habsburg Empire, postwar sovereignty, and new diplomatic frontiers shaped the nature of citizenship, identity, and belonging across Europe 
     
     
      
    This book is a collective portrait of twenty-one key statesmen who came of age during the Habsburg Empire. They include the cofounder of Austro-Marxism and the Austrian republic's first foreign minister, the cofounder of the European Union after the Second World War, the founder of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia, and Mussolini's ambassador to Vienna. Some survived the First World War and the resulting geographical divisions in their homelands, and some went on to serve in politics and governments throughout Europe. 
     
     
      
    Taken together, the stories of these men offer listeners a window on broad issues of European history in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries—chiefly, how an imperial heritage, a shared vision of statehood and nationalism, and a commitment to peaceful conflict resolution helped establish enduring loyalty and unity despite the geographical fault lines resulting from the war. As Iryna Vushko explains, their stories also offer an increasingly nuanced understanding of the achievements and failures of the Habsburg Empire.
    Show book
  • Franz Schubert: A short biography - 5 Minutes: Short on time - long on info! - cover

    Franz Schubert: A short...

    5 Minutes, 5 Minute Biographies,...

    • 0
    • 0
    • 0
    Franz Schubert, Austrian composer: Life and works in a short biography! Everything you need to know, brief and concise. Infotainment, education and entertainment at its best!
    Show book
  • The Law - cover

    The Law

    Frédéric Bastiat

    • 0
    • 0
    • 0
    "The Law" by Frédéric Bastiat is a seminal work in political philosophy and economics, offering a robust defense of individual liberty and property rights against the encroachments of government. Written in 1850, Bastiat's concise yet profound treatise critiques the use of law as an instrument of coercion and redistribution, arguing instead that its proper role is the protection of individual freedoms. Through eloquent and accessible prose, Bastiat expounds on the dangers of socialism and economic interventionism, advocating for a system where the law serves only to uphold justice, ensure public order, and protect rights. His work remains a cornerstone of libertarian thought, celebrated for its lucid analysis of the principles underpinning a free society and its prescient warnings against the overreach of governmental power.
    Show book
  • Policing Pregnant Bodies - From Ancient Greece to Post-Roe America - cover

    Policing Pregnant Bodies - From...

    Kathleen M. Crowther

    • 0
    • 0
    • 0
    On June 24, 2022, the US Supreme Court overturned the Roe v. Wade decision, asserting that the Constitution did not confer the right to abortion. This ruling, in the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health case, was the culmination of a half-century of pro-life activism promoting the idea that fetuses are people and therefore entitled to the rights and protections that the Constitution guarantees. But it was also the product of a much longer history of archaic ideas about the relationship between pregnant people and the fetuses they carry. 
     
    In Policing Pregnant Bodies: From Ancient Greece to Post-Roe America, historian Kathleen M. Crowther discusses the deeply rooted medical and philosophical ideas that continue to reverberate in the politics of women’s health and reproductive autonomy. From the idea that a detectable heartbeat is a sign of moral personhood to why infant and maternal mortality rates in the United States have risen as abortion restrictions have gained strength, this is a historically informed discussion of the politics of women’s reproductive rights. 
     
    Crowther explains why pro-life concern for fetuses has led not just to laws restricting or banning abortion but also to delaying or denying treatment to women for miscarriages as well as police investigations of miscarriages. She details the failure to implement policies that would actually improve the quality of infant life, such as guaranteed access to medical care, healthy food, safe housing, and paid maternity leave. We must understand the historical roots of these archaic ideas in order to critically engage with the current legal and political debates involving fetal life.
    Show book