Essay On Marcus Aurelius

“Be like a rocky promontory against which the restless surf continually pounds; it stands fast while the churning sea is lulled to sleep at its feet. I hear you say, "How unlucky that this should happen to me!" Not at all! Say instead, "How lucky that I am not broken by what has happened and am not afraid of what is about to happen. The same blow might have struck anyone, but not many would have absorbed it without capitulation or complaint.” (IV. 49, trans. Hicks) This quote is a perfect example of stoicism as written by Marcus Aurelius, one of the five good emperors in Rome from 161-180 BC. This quote is a perfect example of the stoic ideal because what Marcus Aurelius is saying, is that instead of complaining about the situation, you should be appreciative of what you
His uncle was the emperor of Rome therefore Aurelius, too, was trained to be a great ruler. Aurelius dedicated himself to religion, although he considered philosophy to be his main religion. When he was young he had many great tutors such as Q. Junius Rusticus, who followed Aurelius through much of his life. In 161 AD, Aurelius and his adopted brother known as Verus, were chosen to rule together. The two brothers were very different. During basically all of Aurelius’ rule, Rome was engaged in a long series of defensive wars during which the book Meditations was written. While the wars were won, they took a toll on both Rome and its ruler, Marcus. However, he somehow managed to stay composed throughout.
The Meditations are 12 books written by Aurelius meant to serve a purpose of self-improvement and personal guidance. In these writings, Marcus describes how to find and preserve equanimity, which is a sense of mental calmness during difficult times. Aurelius practiced equanimity as he wrote the Meditations considering that he was engaged in a long war but managed to maintain his composure through following nature as his guidance and