The Meditations of Marcus Aurelius Antoninus: And a Selection from the Letters of Marcus and Fronto (Oxford World's Classics) [Paperback]

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

Book Description

Publication Date: September 17, 1998 | ISBN-10: 0192839071 | ISBN-13: 978-0192839077

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

Language Notes

Text: English
Original Language: Latin --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA (September 17, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0192839071
• ISBN-13: 978-0192839077
• Product Dimensions: 7.5 x 5 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #764,243 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Got Any Better Advice?, February 21, 2008

By 

Giordano Bruno (Wherever I am, I am.) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: The Meditations of Marcus Aurelius Antoninus (World's Classics) (Paperback)

Book 2, paragraph 7: "Do things from outside break in to distract you? Give yourself a time of quiet to learn some new good thing and cease to wander out of your course. But, when you have done that, be on your guard against a second kind of wandering. For those who are sick to death in life, with no mark on which they direct every impulse or in general every imagination, are triflers, not in words only but also in their deeds."

One long look at the equestrian statue of Marcus Aurelius in Rome - discovered intact in the Tiber 1700 years after his death - shows you a man too wise, too humane, and too busy to found another mystery-cult religion. Thankfully.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating, April 30, 2000

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CRC (Shreveport, LA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Meditations of Marcus Aurelius Antoninus: And a Selection from the Letters of Marcus and Fronto (Oxford World's Classics) (Paperback)

I have been reading this book now off and on for over a year and have finally finnished it. Marcus' thoughts on "the whole" and nature are fascinating. One of my favorite passages was when he said that Caesar's brilliant oratory used simple words which were straight to the point "like the blast of a trumpet, not the trill of a flute."

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent translation, excellent notes, October 17, 2000

By 

Arthur S. Leaffer (San Rafael, CA USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Meditations of Marcus Aurelius Antoninus: And a Selection from the Letters of Marcus and Fronto (Oxford World's Classics) (Paperback)

This is an amazing book, a window into the mind of a 1st Century Roman. It's a day book of thoughts of a Roman emperor written in Greek nearly 2000 years ago. Marcus grapples with spiritual issues, philosphical and some immediate conerns. There are many references to Greek philosophers and Greek literature. The Oxford World's Classics edition, translated by A.S.L. Farquharson is immensely englightened by R.B Rutherford's notes. The notes, never intrusive, provide much needed philosphical and historical context.