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A review by 5teverin0
Meditations of Marcus Aurelius and Epictetus' Enchiridion by Epictetus, Marcus Aurelius
5.0
I was recently introduced to Stoic philosophy by a friend, who recommended Ryan Holliday's "The Obstacle Is The Way". Through that book, I came to read this one, and can heartily recommend it to anyone interested in Stoicism or searching for a way to really improve their life.
Stoicism is an ancient school of philosophy, first developed in Greece by Zeno of Citium, and eventually spreading across the entire Roman Empire. According to Wikipedia its basic tenets are that "as social beings, the path to happiness for humans is found in accepting that which we have been given in life, by not allowing ourselves to be controlled by our desire for pleasure or our fear of pain, by using our minds to understand the world around us and to do our part in nature's plan, and by working together and treating others in a fair and just manner."
"Meditations" is one of the most famous Stoic texts, written by Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius, not for consumption by others, but for his own personal use as a reminder of the way he should live his life. It contains much practical advice and food for thought, and regular reading of it has enabled me to begin practicing Stoicism in a real, practical way in my daily life.
This book is available in the public domain, though public domain translations are a little hard for the modern reader to parse. I recommend a modern translation such as this, in order to get the most out of it.
Stoicism is an ancient school of philosophy, first developed in Greece by Zeno of Citium, and eventually spreading across the entire Roman Empire. According to Wikipedia its basic tenets are that "as social beings, the path to happiness for humans is found in accepting that which we have been given in life, by not allowing ourselves to be controlled by our desire for pleasure or our fear of pain, by using our minds to understand the world around us and to do our part in nature's plan, and by working together and treating others in a fair and just manner."
"Meditations" is one of the most famous Stoic texts, written by Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius, not for consumption by others, but for his own personal use as a reminder of the way he should live his life. It contains much practical advice and food for thought, and regular reading of it has enabled me to begin practicing Stoicism in a real, practical way in my daily life.
This book is available in the public domain, though public domain translations are a little hard for the modern reader to parse. I recommend a modern translation such as this, in order to get the most out of it.