Meditations is the remarkable collection of personal reflections written by the Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius, one of history's most thoughtful rulers. Composed during military campaigns and moments of solitude, these private notes reveal a mind striving for wisdom, discipline, and moral clarity.
Drawing on the principles of Stoic philosophy, Marcus reflects on duty, self-control, the fleeting nature of life, and humanity's place in the vast order of the cosmos. His concise and powerful observations continue to inspire readers seeking calm, resilience, and ethical guidance.
Written nearly two thousand years ago, Meditations remains one of the most influential works of practical philosophy ever recorded.
This is the English-language paperback edition of the classic work.
Marcus Aurelius.
Meditations.
Translated by George Long.
Written in Koine Greek between 161 and 180 CE.
First published in this translation as The Thoughts of the Emperor Marcus Aurelius Antoninus,
translated by George Long (Boston: Little, Brown, and Company, 1862).
The text of this edition follows the 1889 edition of George Long's translation.
Neuausgabe, 1. Auflage, Göttingen 2026.
