Meditations: Introduction by D. A. Rees Hardcover - 1992

About this book

Summary

From the rear cover

The Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius Antoninus embodied in his person that deeply cherished, ideal figure of antiquity, the philosopher-king. His Meditations, written in moments snatched from military campaigns and the rigors of politics, reveal a mind of exceptional clarity and originality, and a spirit attuned to both the particulars of human destiny and the vast patterns which underlie it.

From the jacket flap

Introduction by D. A. Rees; Translation by A. S. L. Farquarson

First Edition Identification

Widely known as Meditations today, Marcus Aurelius initially compiled the twelve books that make up the work as private journals. The books were originally written in Ancient (Medieval) Greek by the title (ta eis heauton) which translates to "That which is to Himself".

The earliest reference to the work is from Herodian in the 3rd century, who mentions Marcus Aurelius' literary legacy, and there are later references from Arethas of Caesarea in the 10th century and John Tzetzes in the 12th century. The book was first divided into twelve books by the Suda lexicon published in the 10th century. The text is based mainly on two manuscripts: the Codex Palatinus (P) and the Codex Vaticanus (A), which was printed by Wilhelm Xylander in 1558. 

The modern history of Meditations dates from the issue of the first printed edition (editio princeps) by Wilhelm Xylander, which appeared in Latin in 1558 or 1559. The original manuscript from which it was printed is now lost, so this text has become one of the two principal sources of all modern texts. First English translation was made in 1634 by Meric Casaubon.

Meditations has always been an extremely popular text and it continues to help and inspire readers today.

Media reviews

“The Meditations remain, unendingly moving and inspiring, the communings with itself of a thoughtful and devout soul upon the greatest of human issues. They are not, and do not claim to be, a work of original philosophy, nor yet a systematic exposition of a tradition of thought. They speak for themselves. Only by the slenderest of chances have they come down to the modern world at all . . . but the number of times they have been published . . . and above all translated into a vast variety of tongues, would have filled their author with amazement.” –from the Introduction by D. A. Rees