The Meditations contains the day-to-day political thoughts of its author Marcus Aurelius. Considered by many as one of the great books of all times, they are basically the moral tenets. Many consider Meditations as the only document of its kind ever made. An intimate contact with the thoughts pursued by Aurelius during the troubling involvements of his reign can be acquired by reading the Meditations. It is a book of short sayings, varying from a sentence or two, to a long paragraph. Its not organized by theme, but certain ideas keep popping up throughout, indicating that he thought them the most important for him to understand and incorporate into the way we live.
The books teachings were meant to be practiced and used. When the author speaks of the certainty of death and how relatively soon it will come, he is not philosophizing. He is recommending that this fact advises our decision-making. Throughout this book, Aurelius lists the character traits that include many examples worth following.
About the Author
His reign marked the end of a period of internal tranquility and good government. After his death the empire quickly descended into civil war. For many generations in the West, he is still symbolized as the Golden Age of the Roman Empire. However, in the matter of Christian persecution, his claim to statesmanship has come under critical attack. Aurelius wrote the 12 books of the Meditations in Greek as a source for his own guidance and self-improvement.
