![]() ![]() Because life is so brief and subject to change, only philosophy can help a person control their thoughts, accept life, act justly, and die well.īook 3: The most important strategy for a person’s soul, Marcus says, is to break down and rationally analyze everything that happens-to understand the true nature of things and events. Getting distracted by lesser things, like what’s going on in other people’s minds, only leads to unhappiness. In fact, belief in divine Providence should shape one’s life in every way, reminding them that every individual is part of a greater whole, thereby helping them reject bitterness and live with gratitude. ![]() It’s important to remember that all people share in a divinely given, rational nature (the logos) and to refrain from getting angry at others. ![]() ![]() In Book 2, Marcus reflects on the difficulties of dealing with unpleasant people. In Book 1, Marcus Aurelius expresses his thanks to various influences in his life, like his family, his predecessor and adoptive father Antoninus Pius, and even the gods for imparting virtuous lessons and setting him on the path of philosophy. As a collection of Marcus Aurelius’s philosophical reflections, Meditations doesn’t have a coherent plot structure, but each of its 12 books focuses on several recurrent themes-living a philosophical life, social relationships, nature and the gods, and mortality. ![]()
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