"Meditations·Unread Small Classics Series" Author: [Ancient Rome] Marcus Aurelius Publisher: Beijing United Publishing Company

Introduction · · · · · ·
Marcus Aurelius was the "philosopher emperor" of ancient Rome. In history, there is probably no other emperor who was wise and ascetic in philosophy except Marcus Aurelius. In his spare time from government affairs, he talked with himself, thought about life, and wrote "Meditations", a "world book". This book is a milestone of the Stoic school, which believes that one should follow the laws of nature to live a self-controlled life and return to a peaceful, calm and rational state of mind. To this day, it is still a good remedy for modern people who live under great pressure and have restless minds.

【Editor's recommendation】

1. A masterpiece of thought, only the essence is selected. Selected from the best chapters of the masterpiece of the philosopher Emperor Aurelius, see how he reminded himself every day during his military career, giving readers inspiration and thinking.

2. Retranslation of classics, full of youth. The average age of the translators of new translations of philosophical classics is 26 years old. They are all masters of philosophy and translation from key universities. They have solid professional skills and lively writing style, which is suitable for the reading habits of young readers.

3. Focus on the theme: facing oneself. Although the times are different, the selection and arrangement of this series focuses on three issues: knowing oneself, inner growth, and personalized life. To answer these difficult problems in human life and face our own hearts, only philosophical classics can provide us with guidance.

4. Hardcover collection, open source work. The binding is stylish and solemn, different from most public version philosophy books on the market. Unread Little Classics THINKER01 is just the beginning, and there are more neglected classics waiting to be discovered.

【Excerpts from the book】

From Apollonius I learned the independence of will and the unshakable resolution to yield to nothing but reason, and to remain unmoved even in the face of great pain, the loss of a child, or illness. He was a living example, and I saw in him a man who could be both resolute and tolerant, and who could teach others without losing patience; I saw a man who was soberly not proud of his experience and skill in expounding philosophical theories. He also taught me how to win the affection of respected friends and behave neither servilely nor arrogantly.

In Sextus I saw a kindly temperament, a family governed by a loving father, a philosophy of life in accordance with nature; a serious but not affected man, who carefully looked after the interests of his friends, who was not angry at the ignorant, and who did not argue with those who expressed their opinions without thinking. He could get along with all kinds of people, so that he was more pleasant to be with than to be flattered, and at the same time, those who had contact with him had great respect for him; he could discover and guide the fundamental principles of life in a wise and systematic way; he never showed anger or other strong emotions, he could avoid the influence of strong emotions and be gentle and kind; he could praise people without exaggerating, and be well-educated without showing off.

About the Author
Marcus Aurelius (121-180 AD) was an emperor of the ancient Roman Empire, a famous "emperor philosopher", and the only philosopher emperor in Western history. He was well educated in Greek and Latin literature, rhetoric, philosophy, law, and painting, and was one of the representatives of the late Stoic school. He served as consul three times since his youth and became an emperor with full powers at the age of 40. However, he insisted on inheriting the throne with his adopted brother Verus. This was the first time in the history of the Roman Empire that two emperors of equal status and power jointly ruled the country.