Meditations
Nearly two thousand years after it was written, Meditations remains profoundly relevant for anyone seeking to lead a meaningful life. Few ancient works have been as influential as the Meditations of Marcus Aurelius, philosopher and emperor of Rome (A.D. 161–180). A series of spiritual exercises filled with wisdom, practical guidance, and profound understanding of human behavior, it remains one of the greatest works of spiritual and ethical reflection ever written. Marcus’s insights and advice—on everything from living in the world to coping with adversity and interacting with others—have made the Meditations required reading for statesmen and philosophers alike, while generations of ordinary readers have responded to the straightforward intimacy of his style. For anyone who struggles to reconcile the demands of leadership with a concern for personal integrity and spiritual well-being, the Meditations remains as relevant now as it was two thousand years ago. In Gregory Hays’s new translation—the first in thirty-five years—Marcus’s thoughts speak with a new immediacy. In fresh and unencumbered English, Hays vividly conveys the spareness and compression of the original Greek tex
Themes & atmosphere
Books in conversation with Meditations
A few of the closest reads from our full list.
Where Meditations keeps showing up
One of our editors' lists features this novel.
What you might want to know about Meditations
The questions readers send us most often, answered without spoilers.
The personal journal of the Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius, written in Greek between his campaigns. Twelve short books of reminders to himself about how to live as a public man and a private one.
Yes. Marcus Aurelius's Meditations was written in the 2nd century AD and is in the public domain. Free editions of older translations are available legally through Project Gutenberg. Modern translations remain copyrighted.
Gregory Hays's 2002 translation is widely considered the most accessible modern English version. Robin Hard's Oxford World's Classics edition and Martin Hammond's Penguin edition are also recommended. Older translations like George Long's 1862 are free but feel dated.
Meditations was written by Marcus Aurelius, published in 180 by NTC/Contemporary Publishing Company.
Meditations is 158 pages in standard print editions, though page counts vary slightly between hardcover, paperback, and large-print formats.
At an average reading pace of about 250 words per minute, Meditations takes most readers 2 to 3 hours to finish.
Meditations is a standalone novel by Marcus Aurelius, not part of a series.
Meditations is available in hardcover, paperback, ebook, and audiobook formats from Amazon, Bookshop.org, ThriftBooks, and most major bookstores.