Imagine we traveled 2,000 years back and landed in Rome.
Our phones wouldn’t work as there was no charging port or the internet. We wouldn’t understand the language. We would be astonished by how the Romans, without cars or planes, conquered all the way from Asia Minor to the coast of Morocco.
But we should recognize something else.
People were falling for greed and fear. People were submitted to authorities and power. People were driven by risks and misconceptions. People were ignorant of life and death.
This might be the reason why people are still reading Marcus Aurelius today.
Despite being a Roman emperor, he was as vulnerable as you and I. He was grappling with the same emotions we have. He was struggling to figure out the complexity of life. I admire him not because he was ruling the Roman Empire, but the fact that he was seeking kindness, wisdom, gratitude, character, tolerance, and integrity.
He would be the first person I’d love to visit if there was a time machine.
See you next week.
Meditations by Marcus Aurelius
Marcus Aurelius Antoninus was a Roman emperor from 161 to 180 AD, but he wrote his journals in Greek. It was a daunting task to translate his words into English without losing the original tone of voice. There are plenty of translations out there and I started with this Penguin Classic translated by Martin Hammond. Thanks to my mum who bought this timeless masterpiece.
