A handsome, early edition in English of this important work of Stoic philosophy by the last of Rome's five good emperors.

Marcus Aurelius composed his Meditations between 170 and 180 AD as a private work, intended for his own guidance and moral improvement. The first definite mention of the text was made by Arethas of Caesarea in the 10th century, who sent a copy of the Emperors' '[writings] to himself' to Demetrius, Archbishop of Heracleia sometime before 907 AD. Although now lost, this edition is considered the likely source of the two extant manuscripts on which the present-day text is almost entirely based. The work survives to offer us a unique insight into the mind of a Roman emperor and 'philosopher king'.

First edition, second issue; 8vo (19.5 x 12 cm); engraved portrait frontispiece, old pricing in pen to front free endpaper verso 'pretium 0-4-6', ads to rear; contemporary Cambridge panelled calf, tooled in blind, centre and perimeter frames sprinkled, small chip to upper spine cap, front joint slightly rubbed, internally crisp and clean, very good; [10], 240, 36, cxxv, [3], 241-270, [2]pp.

ESTC N6259.