The Meditations of Marcus Aurelius Antoninus (Oxford World's Classics) [Paperback]

Marcus Aurelius (Author), the late A. S. L. Farquharson (Translator), R. B. Rutherford (Translator, Introduction)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0199540594 | ISBN-13: 978-0199540594 | Publication Date: July 15, 2008

A. S. L. Farquharson's translation was originally published in 1944, as part of a major commentary on Marcus Aurelius' work. In this volume, Farquharson's work is brought up to date and supplied with an introduction and notes for the student and general reader. A selection of lively letters from Marcus to his tutor Fronto, most of which date from his earlier years, is also included.

Editorial Reviews

Review

'He has provided Farquharson's text with a lucid introduction, a select bibliography and light but helpful annotation. His selection of letters brings both Fronto and Marcus pleasingly to life.' Times Literary Supplement

Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA (July 15, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0199540594
• ISBN-13: 978-0199540594
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 5.1 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #89,566 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #2 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > History > Ancient > Rome
  • #3 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Literature & Fiction > Letters & Correspondence
  • #19 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Nonfiction > Philosophy > Ancient

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars This is an OCR edition with typos., July 22, 2010

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Kiwi (Mississauga, Ontario Canada) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The meditations of Marcus Aurelius Antoninus (Paperback)

As per the product description. Be careful with the version of the book you order. The edition published by General Books LLC is an OCR edition, with typos. As per the publishers website, there's absolutely NO editing done after this has been scanned in. The "Look Inside" view is of another publisher's book. General Books LLC has about half a million books available, all created by OCR scanning. Very poorly done and the prices does not reflect the very low quality.

15 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Classic thoughts, March 8, 2010

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Erik C. Pihl "Readerman" (Sacramento, Ca.) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Meditations of Marcus Aurelius Antoninus (Oxford World's Classics) (Paperback)

Certainly Marcus Aurelius Antonius is one of the great philosophers. Known as a "stoic", it might be better to look at him as a rather common-sensical person who has thought long and hard about the world and humans' place in it. This is a good book for reading just before going to bed. The tone is peaceful, quiet and lends itself very well to contemplation. If you have not read any of his material, this book is a good place to start.

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Struggle for an Inner Truth..., September 25, 2011

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D. S. Thurlow (Alaska) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Meditations of Marcus Aurelius Antoninus (Oxford World's Classics) (Paperback)

Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius Antoninus ended his days in A.D. 180, defending the eastern margins of the Empire along the Danube, after a long, tumultuous and surprisingly thoughtful life. "The Meditations" are his personal musings on the meaning of life, kept in a private journal during his final campaign. The format is a series of thoughts and private discourses, captured as they occured to the author. The content is more questions than answers, but some very good questions are presented for consideration.

Marcus Aurelius was raised in the Stoic tradition then popular among the Roman elite, a tradition whose teachings about a simple, disciplined, humble life and acceptance of a higher God are said to have found a home in developed Christian thought. Another translator, Maxwell Staniforth, characterized Marcus Aurelius as "by nature a saint and a sage, by profession a ruler and a warrior." This Oxford World's Classics edition represents an updated translation, still a very worthwhile read all these many centuries later.