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Meditations: A New Translation (Modern Library)
Ancient Greek & Roman, History & Schools of Thought, Philosophy, Politics & Social Sciences Western
The private notebooks of the Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius, written in the second century as reminders to himself on duty, mortality, self-control and acceptance, here rendered in contemporary English by Gregory Hays. The Modern Library edition includes an introduction to Marcus's life and Stoic philosophy along with notes.
- Release Date
- 2002
- Length
- 256 pages
- Publisher
- Modern Library
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Our Review
About the book
The private notebooks of the Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius, written in the second century as reminders to himself on duty, mortality, self-control and acceptance, here rendered in contemporary English by Gregory Hays. The Modern Library edition includes an introduction to Marcus’s life and Stoic philosophy along with notes.
Our review
An emperor’s private notes to himself, translated so cleanly by Gregory Hays that they read like they were written last week.
There are many translations of Marcus Aurelius, and this is the one we recommend first. Hays strips away the Victorian stiffness that made older versions feel like homework and gives us short, plain, startlingly direct entries. What emerges is not a lecture but a man talking himself through anger, fatigue, grief and the pressure of power. That intimacy is the book’s magic: you are overhearing someone trying to be better, day after day.
Hays’s introduction is a highlight in its own right, a compact and readable guide to Marcus’s life and the Stoic ideas behind the notebooks. The text itself was never meant to be read straight through, so it can feel repetitive in long sittings; it works best a few entries at a time. Some readers who love the grandeur of older translations may find this one a touch too casual, but for clarity it is hard to beat.
What we loved
- Clear, modern prose without losing depth
- An excellent introduction to Marcus and Stoicism
- Perfect for dipping into a page at a time
Keep in mind
- Repetitive if read cover to cover in one go
- Purists may miss the formality of classic translations
Read it if you like
fans of The Daily Stoic, readers of Seneca’s Letters from a Stoic, anyone starting with Stoic philosophy
The verdict
The best entry point to Marcus Aurelius we know: honest, humane and quietly life-changing in small doses.
