Marcus On Mondays (Book 12

As I read these translations, which were written 1000s of years ago, I’m always struck at how relevant their messages are today. Especially, those from Marcus Aurelius which is why we have Marcus on Mondays.

It demonstrates the timeless nature of real wisdom.

Here are 2 more of Aurelius’s meditations. I must say, this is not light reading.

His thoughts make you think. Really think about what life is really about.

I’m referencing this new translation of Aurelius’ work by Gregory Hayes.

Find it below…

Marcus Aurelius Meditation (Book 12 – Meditation #4);

4. It never ceases to amaze me: we all love ourselves more than other people, but care more about their opinion than our own. If a god appeared to us—or a wise human being, even—and prohibited us from concealing our thoughts or imagining anything without immediately shouting it out, we wouldn’t make it through a single day. That’s how much we value other people’s opinions—instead of our own.

Marcus Aurelius (Book 12 – Meditation #5);

5. How is it that the gods arranged everything with such skill, such care for our well-being, and somehow overlooked one thing:

That certain people—in fact, the best of them, the gods’ own partners, the ones whose piety and good works brought them closest to the Divine—that these people, when they die, should cease to exist forever?

Utterly vanished.

Well, assuming that’s really true, you can be sure they would have arranged things differently, if that had been appropriate.

If it were the right thing to do, they could have done it, and if it were natural, nature would have demanded it.

So from the fact that they didn’t—if that’s the case—we can conclude that it was inappropriate.

Surely you can see yourself that to ask the question is to challenge the gods’ fairness. And why would you be bringing in fairness unless the gods are, in fact, fair—and absolutely so?

And if they are, how could they have carelessly overlooked something so unfair—so illogical—in setting up the world?