We’re told this was what Marcus was thinking about on his deathbed. Nobody is perfect, yourself included. Before we begin our studies we need to ask ourselves: Who are the people that followed these precepts? And it is enough to remember that law rules all.”. He may have been known as Marcus Annius Catilius Severus, at birth or at some point in his youth, or Marcus Catilius Severus Annius Verus. The virus can only harm your body – the worst it can do is kill you. Marcus Aurelius was a man who lived by the Stoic laws, which so capably go into making a virtuous man. Marcus likes to ask himself, “What virtue has nature given me to deal with this situation?” That naturally leads to the question: “How do other people cope with similar challenges?” Stoics reflect on character strengths such as wisdom, patience and self-discipline, which potentially make them more resilient in the face of adversity. Who can I point out as an example? Am I proud to look up to this person? It may have been him who introduced the young genius to the ‘Discourses’ of Epictetus, which exercised a profound effect on Marcus’ thought process at a very early age. “Choose not to be harmed and you won’t feel harmed. They try to exemplify these virtues and bring them to bear on the challenges they face in daily life, during a crisis like the pandemic. This is an extended example of one of the central practices of Stoicism. It’s estimated to have killed up to 5 million people, possibly including Marcus himself. The Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius was the most famous proponent of the ancient philosophy known as Stoicism. “All that comes to pass”, he tells himself, even illness and death, should be as “familiar as the rose in spring and the fruit in autumn”. Cato the Younger – the most interesting Stoic ever? Marcus calmly asked why they were weeping for him when, in fact, they should accept both sickness and death as inevitable, part of nature and the common lot of mankind. The poet says that Law rules all. During the last 14 years of his life he faced … Problems are Created in the Mind. How to Think Like a Roman Emperor: The Stoic Philosophy of Marcus Aurelius by Donald Robertson (St Martin’s Press, £21.99). The Meditations, by a Roman emperor who died in a plague named after him, has much to say about how to face fear, pain, anxiety and loss, Sat 25 Apr 2020 07.00 EDT The pioneers of CBT, Albert Ellis and Aaron T Beck, both describe Stoicism as the philosophical inspiration for their approach. This striving is part of the reason why his works are such an invaluable source of lessons in overcoming and remaining positive throughout life’s tests. Love mankind. It was only during those last 10 years that Marcus Aurelius compiled his great work, although its format was more like a journal (and, originally, with no title) than an actual philosophical treatise. He returns to this theme many times throughout The Meditations. T he Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius Antoninus was the last famous Stoic philosopher of antiquity. The Antonine Plague, named after him, was probably caused by a strain of the smallpox virus. Read what he warns about leaving things to chance: “The universal intelligence puts itself in motion for every separate effect… or it puts itself in motion once, and everything else comes by way of a sequence in a manner; or individual elements are the origin of all things. Marcus even slept on the floor, until his mother’s contrary entreaties took effect upon him. Still, there was no shortage of formidable masculine figures in the boy’s life – his guardians equipped him with the best tutors the civilized world could offer and he was, of course, the best pupil they could have asked for. No imprecision in your thoughts.”. For the Stoics that’s a fate worse than death. It’s no stretch of the imagination to view The Meditations as a manual for developing precisely the mental resilience skills required to cope with a pandemic. Agasicles, king of the Spartans, once quipped that he wanted to be ‘the student of men whose son I should like to be as well.’ It is a critical consideration we need to make in our search for role models. Indeed, the writings of Marcus Aurelius seem to have come from an unbound well of emotion tamed and insight woven into true intellectual and analytical skill. No confusion in your words. Marcus Aurelius didn’t know his parents well but relished every snippet of interaction he had with them. Seneca The Younger – philosopher and dramatist, How to Keep a Stoic Journal – 7 Days of Example Entries, Interview With Donald Robertson, Author Of How To Think Like A Roman Emperor. Nor is it the inconsiderate actions of others, those ignoring social distancing recommendations, that make us angry so much as our opinions about them. That, however, didn’t stop the later named ‘Meditations’ from becoming one of the most celebrated pieces of Stoic literature. What happens to me is never directly under my control, never completely up to me, but my own thoughts and actions are – at least the voluntary ones. Marcus Aurelius wasn’t the only reigning Emperor at the time, by the way, but ruled jointly with Lucius Verus, who was by no means as well liked and who pretty much took a back seat in the running of things until his death from measles in 169 AD. Hence, “It’s not events that upset us but rather our opinions about them.” More specifically, our judgment that something is really bad, awful or even catastrophic, causes our distress. All rights reserved. Marcus Aurelius, the Philosopher King, as they call him, was most certainly one of those special few. They learn from how other people cope. Stoicism is no exception. First of all, because Stoics believe that our true good resides in our own character and actions, they would frequently remind themselves to distinguish between what’s “up to us” and what isn’t. Of particular relevance in a world so full of people vying for one’s time, is the lesson he taught about not wasting time on inconsequential people, who don’t work with you toward the greater good. However, fear penetrates into the moral core of our being. Co-authored by Steven Umbrello and Tina Forsee. He always gave credit where credit was due, attributing his various good qualities to the personalities implicit in his upbringing.

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