The Meditations by Marcus Aurelius

Strictly speaking, no — it is prose written in Greek. However, it’s approached like poetry: read slowly, one passage at a time, focusing on the depth of thought and the rhythm of the sentences. Many translators present it with a simple, verse-like structure, and it has a lyrical quality, resembling a single voice expressing emotions as they unfold.

Stoicism is a Greek philosophy that teaches that the only thing you can truly control is your own mind — your judgments, responses, and values. Everything else, like health, reputation, wealth, and how others behave, is considered 'preferred indifferent': nice to have but not essential for a good life. You don't need a philosophy degree to understand Marcus; he explains his ideas clearly and writes for himself rather than for an expert audience.

That’s what makes it so remarkable. He wasn’t just acting virtuously for future generations — he was genuinely trying to improve himself. The repeated lessons throughout twelve books indicate that he faced setbacks but continued to push forward. It’s more of a practice log than a manifesto.

He views death as a natural part of life—a way of returning borrowed material to the universe. He doesn’t fear it, but he doesn’t take it lightly either. His belief is that fixating on death squanders the time you have. He also points out that many great emperors and philosophers are now forgotten, which puts things into perspective: your death isn’t an extraordinary tragedy.

It might seem that way at first, since Marcus repeatedly emphasizes that everything is temporary and that much of our human effort is in vain. However, his goal is not to instill despair — rather, he aims to eliminate false sources of anxiety, making way for genuine, grounded contentment. Many readers actually find this perspective calming instead of bleak.

Gregory Hays's 2002 Modern Library translation is the easiest to read for today's audience — it’s straightforward, quick, and precise. If you're looking for scholarly context, Robin Hard's Oxford World's Classics version is more literal and comes with better annotations. The older translation by George Long is available for free online and carries a distinct Victorian weight, though the language can come across as somewhat rigid.

He tells himself that people who behave poorly do so out of ignorance, not malice; they simply haven't grasped what is genuinely good. He also employs a perspective trick: envision the same kind of person throughout history, behaving in the same way. Nothing is new; nothing is personal. It's a surprisingly useful technique.

The most quoted passage likely comes from Book II, where Marcus notes that you can control your mind, not the events around you — and that recognizing this is where true strength lies. The opening of Book V, where he debates with himself about getting out of bed, is the part that many readers find instantly relatable.