In How to Think Like a Roman Emperor, cognitive psychotherapist Donald Robertson weaves the life and philosophy of Marcus Aurelius together seamlessly to provide a compelling modern-day guide to the Stoic wisdom followed by countless individuals throughout the centuries as a path to achieving greater fulfillment and emotional resilience. How to Think Like a Roman Emperor takes readers on a transformative journey along with Marcus, following his progress from a young noble at the court of Hadrian—taken under the wing of some of the finest philosophers of his day—through to his reign as emperor of Rome at the height of its power.
Robertson shows how Marcus used philosophical doctrines and therapeutic practices to build emotional resilience and endure tremendous adversity, and guides readers through applying the same methods to their own lives. That the collection included passionate love letters between Fronto and the future emperor Marcus Aurelius was politely ignored—or concealed. And for almost two hundred years these letters have lain hidden in plain sight. Marcus Aurelius in Love rescues these letters from obscurity and returns them to the public eye.
Marcus was eighteen then and by all appearances the pupil and teacher fell in love. Spanning the years in which the relationship flowered and died, these are the only love letters to survive from antiquity—homoerotic or otherwise. With a translation that reproduces the effusive, slangy style of the young prince and the rhetorical flourishes of his master, the letters between Marcus and Fronto will rightfully be reconsidered as key documents in the study of the history of sexuality and classics.
And as one of the three most important expressions of Stoicism, this is an essential text for everyone interested in ancient religion and philosophy. Yet the clarity and ease of the work's style are deceptive. Pierre Hadot, eminent historian of ancient thought, uncovers new levels of meaning and expands our understanding of its underlying philosophy. Written by the Roman emperor for his own private guidance and self-admonition, the Meditations set forth principles for living a good and just life.
After all, had been done possible to allay famine and to supply pressing needs Marcus being forced even to sell the imperial jewels to find money both emperors set forth a struggle which was to continue more or less during the rest of Marcus s Introduction xi reign. During these wars, in , Verus died. We have no means of following the campaigns in detail; but thus much is certain, that in the end the Romans succeeded in crushing the barbarian tribes, and effecting a settlement that made the empire more secure.
Marcus was himself commander-in-chief, and victory was due no less to his own ability than to his wisdom in the choice of lieutenants, shown conspicuously in the case of Pertinax. There were several important battles fought in these campaigns, and one of them has become celebrated for the legend of the Thundering Legion.
In a battle against the Quadi in , the day seemed to be going in favor of the foe, when on a sudden arose a great storm of thunder and rain: the lightning struck the barbarians with terror, and they turned to rout.
In later days this storm was said to have been sent in answer to the prayers of a legion that contained many Christians, and the name Thundering Legion should be given to it on this account.
The title of Thundering Legion is known at an earlier date, so this part of the story at least cannot be true; but the aid of the storm is acknowledged by one of the scenes carved on Antonine s Column at Rome, which commemorates these wars. The settlement made after these troubles might have been more satisfactory but for an unexpected rising in the east.
Avidius Cassius, an able captain who had won renown in the Parthian wars, was at this time chief governor of the eastern provinces. By whatever means induced, he had conceived the project of proclaiming himself emperor as soon as Marcus, who was then in feeble health, should die; and a report having been conveyed to him that Marcus was dead, Cassius did as he had planned.
Marcus, on hearing the news, immediately patched up a peace and returned home to meet this new peril. The emperor s great grief was that he must need to engage in the horrors of civil strife. He praised the qualities of Cassius and expressed a heartfelt wish that Cassius might not be driven to do himself a hurt before he should have the opportunity to grant a free pardon.
But before he could come to the east news had come to Cassius that the emperor still lived; his follower's away from him, and he was assassinated.
Marcus now went to the east, and while there the murderers brought the head of Cassius to him; but the emperor indignantly refused their gift, nor would he admit the men to his presence. In a manuscript containing one of the long-lost treasures of antiquity was discovered—the letters of Marcus Cornelius Fronto, reputed to have been one of the greatest Roman orators.
But this find disappointed many nineteenth-century readers, who had hoped for the letters to convey all of the political drama of.
Fronto: Selected Letters. Selected letters written by the Roman senator and orator M. Cornelius Fronto in translation and accompanied by in-depth commentary notes, offering a unique insight into the late second century A.
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