Book Review: Meditations - Marcus Aurelius
I finished reading my first book of the year! I finished reading Meditations by Emperor Marcus Aurelius, who was Emperor of Rome from 161-180 AD. This is a famous book that I’ve heard about for many years, but I had never taken the time to actually read it carefully until this year. In a way, this book has influenced me for decades now because it’s the inspiration for the two Ridley Scott films: Gladiator and Gladiator II. Gladiator is one of my favorite movies ever and I must have watched the movie more than five times! Gladiator II came out more recently in 2024, and it was ok. It was never going to be as good as the original, no matter what they did. I, along with many other guys, love the movie Gladiator because I love the way the protagonist Maximus Decimus Meridius dealt with adversity, kept fighting, and never gave up, even when all hope seemed lost. The movie was a fictional account of real events and people, but it was so vivid and well done that it brought to life the Stoic principles and Stoicism advocated by Emperor Marcus Aurelius. I just knew I had to read Meditations and made an earnest effort to read it starting last year. It was a very challenging read and I found a good translation of the book from late 19th century London, U.K. The English phrases and vernacular are not written in a way that’s common today, so I had to spend time carefully parsing the meaning of passages, as well as use Claude.ai to help me understand super challenging passages. Nevertheless, I finished reading the book and there is so much WISDOM in the book from a truly deep thinker! Some of the ideas are super practical in our day-to-day lives. Here are my five favorite quotes about Stoicism from the Meditations of Emperor Marcus Aurelius.
- “Whatever happens, either you have strength to bear it, or you have not. If you have, exert your nature, and never murmur at the matter. But if the weight is too heavy for you, do not complain; it will crush you, and then destroy itself. And here you are to remember that to think a thing tolerable and endurable is the way to make it so if you do but press it strongly on the grounds of interest or duty.”
This is what was paramount to the Romans and how to remain Stoic and strong in all situations: never complain at the situation, no matter what happens. Believe that the situation you are in is endurable and tolerable and keep pressing on. Never quit and never stop fighting. This is easier said than done when we face super stressful situations, but the strength to remain calm, rational, and confident is what gives someone the power to endure.
- “When anything grows troublesome, recollect this maxim: This accident is not a misfortune, but bearing it well turns it to an advantage.”
This was my favorite quote in the whole book! This maxim has a lot of wisdom in it. When we face problems and accidents, it’s so easy to view them as misfortunes. It’s so easy to think that the world is going to end. But there’s another way: if we reframe the accident as a lesson, then we can turn the situation into an advantage! We can learn from the situation and be better and sharper so that it doesn’t happen again the next time. We need to fail in order to grow, and so this maxim is a strong reminder of how powerful thinking optimistically is in all situations.
- “I have often wondered how it comes to pass that everybody should love themselves best, and yet value their neighbour’s opinion about themselves more than their own.”
The Romans who were true Stoics like Emperor Marcus Aurelius respected other people, but other peoples’ opinions DID NOT drown out their own opinions about themselves. This is so powerful because we worry so much about what other people think about us, and no one escapes this part of the human condition. We often let other people define our potential and what we think about ourselves. But the key is to talk positively to yourself and have a Greatness of Mind (i.e. think great thoughts). This way, a person never loses his or her identity and never stops fighting for his or her vision!
- “As for fame, consider the intellect of the people that are to commend, how insignificant they are, and how little in their pursuits and aversions. Consider also that as one heap of sand thrown upon another covers the first, so it happens in life, a new glory soon eclipses an old one.”
This is a profound one for me. Becoming famous or making it big is part of the American identity. But Marcus Aurelius believes this is irrelevant. Even if you get “famous”, do you even care about these people who now know your name? Will they even matter in the long term? Definitely not because peoples’ attention span is so short. Just as you achieved fame, someone else will soon come along who eclipses your fame. They will probably be younger too. It’s natural to feel bitter when this happens, but one can deal with it. Therefore don’t live life with the intention of getting famous, rather live life prudently whether you get famous or not. Stick to your game plan, no matter what other people say or do.
- “As the good and evil of a rational, social animal consist in action and not in feeling, so it is not what they feel but what they do, which makes mankind either happy or miserable.”
Everything in life ultimately comes down to actions and what we do. It doesn’t matter what we feel, rather it’s always about what we do. This is true especially when we don’t want to do something and we are tired. If we decide to do the thing anyway, that builds strength and character. Action always speaks louder than words and what we do is ultimately what we will be remembered for by our families, friends, colleagues, and society. Never stop doing what is right, fair, honorable, and useful for your fellow human beings!
Thank you for reading and I hope you learned something. :)