A quote I must've re-read a hundred times to memorization was, "Live a good life. If there are gods and they are just, then they will not care how devout you have been, but will welcome you based on the virtues you have lived by. If there are gods, but unjust, then you should not want to worship them. If there are no gods, then you will be gone, but will have lived a noble life that will live on in the memories of your loved ones."
That's a bit too self-righteous, and that betrays the attitude of humbleness in humanity. My thing is you can do what you want, and you can think about it however you want, but you are just a human whose acts and thoughts are trivial compare to the divine. So at the end of the day, we all should be humble because whatever we did to not appease God/Gods we gonna pay every cent, be it you thought it was wrong or right. I know atheists don't feel pressure because they ignore everything outside their thought of knowing. But that's our human fallacy, we should be careful with what we know and we don't know. Be always ready to take risks and to pay for them.
Actually, no. Marcus' successor was his biological son, he was not an evil guy per se but was not fit to rule the empire. He was loved by the people (he was said to fight in gladiatorial games) but he made bad decisions regarding appointing people into office which caused him to be assassinated later on and brought forth another civil unrest (the Year of the 5 Emperors).😁
@Read the fount of knowledge by St. John of Damascus Stoicism isn't individualism. Marcus Aurelius talks about adhering to law, duty and tradition in the meditations. Accept that you'll die one day, do your duty and live a temperate life. Being a virtuous man doesn't mean you're atomized.
I do too. There's something about knowing everyone, regardless if age or era, comes to the same end. Why worry? Just make the best of what you got, and maybe you'll be content when you pass.
Wheneve my heart and mind falter in the face of my own pending death, I often think of this quote. Stressing about one's demise is rather pointless. Life will be as it will be and all one can really do is be thankful for the time we've been given and face each day with equanimity and a smile.
According to the contemporary historian Cassius Dio, Marcus Aurelius had the misfortune of not having a strong constitution and ruling an empire in constant trouble. But for that reason he admired even more he kept the empire united between these unique and extraordinary circumstances. On his death of Marcus Aurelius and the accession to the throne of his son Commodus he says: "The reign of Commodus marked the transition from a kingdom of gold and silver to one of rust and iron." Thanks K&G for an excellent documentary.
The only (and most terrible) mistake of Marcus Aurelius was appointing his own biological son as future (co-)emperor, and not adopting his most capable civil servant/general, just as did his antonine predecessors.
@@elbentos7803 He tried to make one of his generals his heir, whom he married to his daughter Lucilla, but the man refused. His name was Tiberius Claudius Pompeianus. Also, Hadrian was son to Trajan's cousin and married to Trajan's great-niece, Antoninus was married to Hadrian's wife's niece, and Marcus Aurelius was a nephew of Antoninus wife. Marcus unfortune was to not have a competent family member willing to take up the purple. With the exception of Antoninus and Nerva, all the emperors of the dynasty were descended from Trajans Grandfather.
Keep in mind he wrote that later in his life when he already built himself up and knew what a good man is at length. So tho this is true it's not wasting if its unknown information about goodness that you're studying. He was most likely reiterating or came to the same conclusion in different words when he said "do not waste time practicing truth you already know"
“Do not act as if you had ten thousand years to throw away. Death stands at your elbow. Be good for something while you live and it is in your power.” - Marcus Aurelius, Meditations
@Badatallthis Stuff it says "faults" as a son, not "failure" as a son. I guess your daddy's failure was the task of teaching you critical comprehension. The quote is evidently referring to the child's personality trait or lack thereof, not what they did or didn't do in life. Honestly, just read the line Jesus
Well, don't be afraid to fail. Even stoics know how difficult their ideas are. The Stoics even have a psudo-Bhudda Character known as the sage (not real of course, just an idea). The sage is said to be a person that is content even in the worst circumstances, famously in a Brazen Bull (a hollow bull set on fire with a person inside the bull)
Marcus Aurelius: "Ok, my task is done. Certainly Commodus will continue my hard work for Rome...". several years later: "How about another joke, Maximus?"
When you wake up in the morning, tell yourself: the people I deal with today will be meddling, ungrateful, arrogant, dishonest, jealous and surly. They are like this because they can't tell good from evil. But I have seen the beauty of good, and the ugliness of evil, and have recognized that the wrongdoer has a nature related to my own - not of the same blood and birth, but the same mind, and possessing a share of the divine. And so none of them can hurt me. No one can implicate me in ugliness. Nor can I feel angry at my relative, or hate him. We were born to work together like feet, hands and eyes, like the two rows of teeth, upper and lower. To obstruct each other is unnatural. To feel anger at someone, to turn your back on him: these are unnatural. Marcus Aurelius, Meditations
The life of Marcus Aurelius is very similar to the life of Pedro II of Brazil. Both bookworms who never desired the power they received. But ruled as best as they could.
Amazing as always, top notch! If I can have one constructive criticism - orator speaking latin is a tad too loud and distracting when trying to listen to the narrator. It is a great addition, just if it can be a bit quieter.
I would have wrote this, but you have done so already. the orator is good addition, albeit too loud when his words conflict with the words of the narrator, lowering his tone would serve the next documentary better.
„When you arise in the morning, think of what precious privilege is to be alive - to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love” - Marcus Aurelius. I try to live with these words in my mind every single day! What an amazing man he was!
I’ve been reading meditations and it really nice to see just how human Marcus was. He is the complete opposite of a hedonistic prince and just reading his thoughts makes him incredibly like able.
@@dafuqmr13 no, he gained it by being the recognized chosen successor of another chosen successor. watch the biographical video you were on before saying asinine things
3:53 "... his mother caught her son sleeping on hard, bare ground, wearing only a philospher's cloak, like a true Stoic should" Right, so when Aurelius does it he is a "true Stoic", but when I do it, I'm a "drunk" and I should "get out of the parking lot and stop screaming, it's 4 am".
@@jonasmejerpedersen4847 Marcus is there at the beginning, and as he's already weak and old, Commodus chokes him to death to secure his position as emperor.
@jaca van heesch oh no.....way way worse....he was gonna come back right after Aurelian iirc.....to, *heavy fucking sigh* "save the Empire after having been resurrected by God."
@jaca van heesch be ecstatic. And no, it was going to be the Christian God. Not our boi Sol. And it was gonna be maximus coming back to life. Not the true Restorer.
The transition from Hadrian to Antoninus Pius to Marcus Aurelius/Lucius Verus is incredible. Think about how different human history would have been if more rulers had been able (or willing) to pick a good successor, instead of whoever happened to be born their son.
Strangely, the account of the death of Marcus Aurelius saddened me after 2000 yrs. I came to admire him greatly. He was a man who longed for the solace of peace, books, familial relations, and good health. His “Meditations” , a monumental achievement meant for his own personal consolations, demonstrates the power of a stoic philosophical mindset coping with the chaos of war and a disintegrating empire.
It's insane to think Marcus Aurelius once lived. Just try to imagine if we, as in the world had a Marcus Aurelius in our modern times.... He truly is a legend that lived on throughout centuries
his life would be just as muddied and flawed as any other human being's is; he was a great man, but was not so in his ability to speak and act with justice and righteousness, but in his ability to perceive these in others and be humble to learning from their example. the wisest passages he ever wrote were the ones in which he recounted all the good and honorable qualities of the people who helped forge him into the man he was. marcus never intended his philosophies to be read by others, at least not in any normal sense. he wrote these things to himself to be reminded of the meta-narrative playing out around him and his place within it. all he wanted to do was fulfill his duty and say that his life was lived in true service to humanity- there is no correct or preeminent method of pursuing that goal which divides souls into classes, we are all taking part of the journey called Life, and it's constituents are each entrusted with a role of mutual significance and interdependent influence. thanks for commenting, i hope this is encouraging to you.
I cannot fathom to imagine the Guard who received those words, imagine fighting for this man for so long and see him weak and frail in his death bed and you wish and wish for his wellbeing only to have to acknowledge those last words of his.
Indeed. Not like he had a better choice. War, Plagues, constant Pressure, and mounting problems. The only way he could remain SANE was by being a Stoic.
Finally, it's about time someone talked about this Emperor! I've been hearing mostly about Tiberius, Caligula, Nero, Commodus, Elagabalus, Augustus... Marcus Aurelius is a genius through those troubling times.
Man the 2000s were such a great time for History nerds like us. Gladiator, Kingdom of heaven, Master and Commander, 13 days, Downfall so many great movies
@@iamaheretic7829 Much better than these "historical" semi-porn TV series that came out in the 2010's. Except for Ertugrul, that was a respectable show that had decency.
Well Epictetus certainly held more influence in Rome then some Empirors. Especially considering he was one of the people who most inspired Marcus here.
"There was once a dream that was Rome. You could only whisper it. Anything more than a whisper and it would vanish, it was so fragile." - Marcus Aurelius in Gladiator. Probably my favorite Roman Emperor. Largely in part due to Richard Harris' portrayal of him but also because of his Meditations.
@@htoodoh5770 You're joking right? He may not have been as much of a walking meme as he was in Gladiator, but he was a massive fuck up. Assuming this question is out of genuine curiosity, basically imagine a kid who inherits a business that spends all it's assets to buy video games and porn, and spends all his indulging in said games and porn.
"When a man sees his end, He wants to know there was some purpose to his life. Will I be known as the philosopher? The warrior? The tyrant? Or will I be the emperor who gave Rome back her true self?"
Meditations was one of the very first philosophy books i read, right when i was begging law school. I remember reading it and having chills, sometimes getting emotional, reading those words writeen almost 2k years ago. It's some crazy shit, i will look up to read it again soon
Not only as emperors go but one of my all time favourite personalities as well. Bought his meditations a year ago and it really helped me through some difficult times. Also, this is the best channel on yt.
You know, I find it tragically ironic. Marcus Aurelius has a talent to choose the right man for the right job, to the point that even though he's very uncomfortable with warfare, he's pretty successful thanks to him choosing the right man to lead his soldiers. Yet, in the end, the person he chose to be his successor is not an emperor that Rome needs.
"Go to the rising sun, for I am already setting..." These last words have echoed through time and I can't explain how grievous I find them, especially in the light of the knowledge that Rome's decline turned terminal since they were spoken 😢
The man I was named after, Marcus Aurelius was the greatest of the Roman emperors, not only was he wise he was a incredible philosopher and perfect military leader.
There are many excellent quotes of wisdom from Marcus Aurelius. But this one is my favorite...“The tranquility that comes when you stop caring what they say. Or think, or do. Only what you do. Not to be distracted by their darkness. To run straight for the finish line, unswerving.”
Marcus Aurelius entire philosophy summed up in 3 sentences: • “We live to serve” 🌏 An action is only worthy if it benefits the community and the people around us. We live for each other and not our own personal pleasures. Without unity the world falls apart. We are nothing without our fellow beings. To provide is to live. • “Be good” ❤ Kindness and love are the greatest and most natural human qualities. It is what makes us whole and strong. Go from one good deed and then on to the next one. • “Don’t waste time” 🕰 While we live we must always remember that our time on this planet is short and fragile. No one lives forever. We all die and vanish. We must live as if each day were our last and make the best we can of the time we have. The past is gone, the future is uncertain, but the present is what we have power over. The present moment is what deserves our full attention. What we do now will echo for eternity. Meditations is a book whose content is universal, timeless and forever useful. Marcus Aurelius was TRULY a wise man 🌟
Happy to see a video on this exceptional man's life and philosophy. If anyone is interested in reading _Meditations_ the channel Vox Stoica on CZcams has narrated the full version and also a summary, being around five and a half hours and half an hour, respectively.
Never have I clicked a video so fast. One of my favorite channels doing a video on one of my favorite people-a man whose philosophy I work to integrate into my own life...The Meditations is definitely something one should read if they wish to improve themselves. You will return to it again and again.
It's sad in a sense that a deeply thoughtful man who had no desire for wealth, power or fame had all three thrust upon him. Given a choice I suspect he'd have rather spent his life in quiet contemplation.
He never expected to be in almost constant warfare, he had not been prepared for it, and he never liked doing it. And yet he managed to conduct the wars rather successfully, and the horrors of war didn't corrupt or destroy his character.
One of the absolute most beautiful thing I have ever seen anyone write... “If you do the work at hand following the rule of right with enthusiasm, manfully and with kindheartedness, and allow no side issues to interrupt, but preserve the divinity within pure and upright, as if you might even now have to return it to its giver - if you make this firm, expecting nothing and avoiding nothing, but are content with your present activity in accordance with the nature and old fashioned truthfulness in what you say and speak, you will live a happy life.” This reduced me to nothing but tears of acknowledgment.
Brilliant video!, Though I have one criticism about the speech in the background during certain parts of the video I found it distracting from what is being said by Devin thanks
This guy caught my attention because I'm a strong believer that we should learn from people who leads with "an example" and this guy when it comes to stoicism, lived such example, having been a warrior, emperor, and a philosopher. This guy is definitely caught my attention and I want to learn more about his teaching.
Perhaps he considered fame something vain, but he won it for all eternity. A man in a thousand and a soul in a million. An example to be followed through generations. Thank you so much for the video, both this video and the one about Aurelian had not only being very informative but they also rejoiced my heart. My favourite Roman Emperors alongside Augustus. You are great Kings and Generals.
To be honest this is my favorite episode and the best video on marcus aurelieus himself. From time to time when i face stressful situations i come back to this particular video to help me get through the day despite already having many books on him.
Marcus Aurelius is one of my top 3 people I would love to talk to if it was possible. One of the best leaders of all time, in my opinion. A good book that summarizes his lessons, if you don't have the time to read all his books, is How to think like a Roman emperor. It was a good read.
Here is the rule to remember in the future, When anything tempts you to be bitter: not, 'This is a misfortune' but 'To bear this worthily is good fortune.' -Marcus Aurelius 👑 📖 🗡
Here’s a suggestion: maybe do a video on Majorian. He’s an absolutely fascinating emperor (ish) that’s overshadowed by more prominent figures of his age such as Ricimer and Odoacer. In a way, he was a 5th century version of Aurelian, but just born a bit too late to save everything. It’s a shame that the period is so hazy source-wise.
Reading the Meditations was life-altering for me. Marcus Aurelius was a great leader and philosopher despite not having aspirations either power or fame (or maybe partly because). A true philosopher-king.
A humble intellectual that prioritizes duty to the state and his people over personal ambitions? Unfortunately that species of politician is long extinct.
I recently finished Gregory Hay's translation of Meditations. The content of Marcus' great quotes aside, the author includes a history of how the text survived, which I found incredibly fascinating. Here's some cliffs: - The late-fourth-century Historia Augusta paints a picture of Marcus lecturing on the Mediations to a spellbound audience in Rome. The author notes that this was a charming fantasy and certainly an invention. However, the passage does suggest that Marcus' work was in circulation by the fourth century. Marcus' work was mentioned by the orator Themistius. Additionally, a contemporary of Themistius's, the neo-pagan emperor Julian (known to later ages as Julian the Apostate), whose dialogue "The Caesars" has Marcus pictured as a model for a kind of philospher-king that Julian himself aspired to be. - The century that followed Themistius and Julian was one of decline, at least in the West - decline in political institutions, and also in the knowledge of Greek. For the next thousand years Marcus' work, like that of Homer and Euripides, would remain unknown to Western readers. Copies survived in the Greek-speaking east, but even there the Meditations seem to have been little read. For centuries, all trace of it is lost. - A letter from scholar and churchman Arethas, in the tenth century, who writes to a friend - "I have had for a while now a copy of the Emperor Marcus' invaluable book. It was not only old but practically coming apart...I have had it copied and can now pass it on to posterity in better shape." Whether Arethas' copy was indeed responsible for the work's survival we do not know. At any rate, its readership seems to have increased in the centuries that followed. - It is quoted a generation or two later by the vast Byzantine encyclopedia known as the Suda, and it was perhaps around this period also that an unknown Byantine poet composed a brief appreciation that came to be copied along with the text: On The Book of Marcus If you desire to master pain Unroll this book and read with care, And in it find abundantly A knowledge of the things that are, Those that have been, and those to come. And know as well that joy and grief Are nothing more than empty smoke. - In 1453, the fall of Constantinople, led to an exodus of scholars, bringing with them the Greek texts that inspired the Italian Renaissance. The Meditiations must have been among them. The only complete manuscript to survive is a fourteenth-century codex (now in the Vatican), which is riddled with errors. - The first printed edition did not appear until 1559, when Wilhelm Holzmann (known as Xylander) produced a text from what seems to have been a more reliable manuscript. That manuscript, unfortunately, has not survived. But even at its best it was a very imperfect witness to what Marcus himself wrote. Our text of the Meditations contains a number of passages that are garbled or in which one or more crucial words seem to have been omitted. Some of these errors may be due to the confused state of Marcus' original copy. Others may have been accidentally introduced in the course of the copying and recopying that the work underwent in the millennium following Marcus' death. In some cases the informed guesswork of scholars over several centuries has been able to restore the original text. In others, there is still uncertainty.
None of the previous rulers had sons of their own, so they kinda had no choice. I'm absolutely certain any one of them would have given the empire to a son if they had one.
@@luciusgarvous He is not serious.And although Maximus from film never existed,situation in which Marcus originally intended to give his power to his favorite general despite having his own biological son did really happened and as in the film his offer was declined.The same general refused the offer two times more after assasination of Commodus and Pertinax.
"No matter what anyone says or does, my task is to be good." "What stands in the way becomes the way." "The nearer a man comes to a calm mind, the closer he is to strength." "Where life is possible, then it is possible to live the right life." "An order and logos permeates existence."
Marcus Aurelius, was perhaps the most famous example of what would be a stoic human ideal, he acted with a feeling of doing what should be done and not just what he selfishly would like to do. He accepted and embraced the idea of 'amor fati' and tried to live in those terms until the end of his days. Such people may only appear for millennia in millennia.
Marcus Aurelius is genuinely one of the rare examples of a decent person as a ruler.
100% Agreed
Also Traian
heard good things bout him but how come he chose commodus as his heir?
"rare examples"
I have read the meditation. It's a brilliant work from Markus Aurelius
A quote I must've re-read a hundred times to memorization was, "Live a good life. If there are gods and they are just, then they will not care how devout you have been, but will welcome you based on the virtues you have lived by. If there are gods, but unjust, then you should not want to worship them. If there are no gods, then you will be gone, but will have lived a noble life that will live on in the memories of your loved ones."
thi is probably the best advice for life you can give
Marcus aurelius didnt say that though.
@@HostileLemons I had read meditations and is there
That's a bit too self-righteous, and that betrays the attitude of humbleness in humanity. My thing is you can do what you want, and you can think about it however you want, but you are just a human whose acts and thoughts are trivial compare to the divine. So at the end of the day, we all should be humble because whatever we did to not appease God/Gods we gonna pay every cent, be it you thought it was wrong or right. I know atheists don't feel pressure because they ignore everything outside their thought of knowing. But that's our human fallacy, we should be careful with what we know and we don't know. Be always ready to take risks and to pay for them.
@Baron Von Grijffenbourg remember. Catholicism basically neutered free thinking from the years 600 to 1700.
This Marcus Aurelius guy was a pretty chill dude. I'm sure his son will be just as wise and just a ruler as his father was.
Brave as Hercules and wise as Jupiter. :-)
Actually, no. Marcus' successor was his biological son, he was not an evil guy per se but was not fit to rule the empire. He was loved by the people (he was said to fight in gladiatorial games) but he made bad decisions regarding appointing people into office which caused him to be assassinated later on and brought forth another civil unrest (the Year of the 5 Emperors).😁
What could go wrong?
Lol
I am sure that Maximus Decimus Meridius would disagree ;)
You have power over your mind, not outside events. Realise this and you will find strength
- Marcus Aurelius
Ok. Discord. Now. :-)
@Read the fount of knowledge by St. John of Damascus Stoicism isn't individualism. Marcus Aurelius talks about adhering to law, duty and tradition in the meditations. Accept that you'll die one day, do your duty and live a temperate life. Being a virtuous man doesn't mean you're atomized.
@Read the fount of knowledge by St. John of Damascus Egoism, narcissism, and tribalism has done that. Not individualism.
And then he did a genocide.
@@forcanisso1639 In his place most of us would have done worse. Me included.
"Death smiles at us all. All a man can do is smile back."
Maybe it's just me but I actually find that quote comforting
I do too. There's something about knowing everyone, regardless if age or era, comes to the same end. Why worry? Just make the best of what you got, and maybe you'll be content when you pass.
This quote is too accurate
You would like Kierkegaard and Dostoyevsky. Two wonderful existentialist thinkers that take that advice to heart.
Wheneve my heart and mind falter in the face of my own pending death, I often think of this quote. Stressing about one's demise is rather pointless. Life will be as it will be and all one can really do is be thankful for the time we've been given and face each day with equanimity and a smile.
@@rogerhwerner6997
Have you read Crime and Punishment? Or, if you want, there is a free audiobook on CZcams that is quite good.
According to the contemporary historian Cassius Dio, Marcus Aurelius had the misfortune of not having a strong constitution and ruling an empire in constant trouble. But for that reason he admired even more he kept the empire united between these unique and extraordinary circumstances.
On his death of Marcus Aurelius and the accession to the throne of his son Commodus he says: "The reign of Commodus marked the transition from a kingdom of gold and silver to one of rust and iron."
Thanks K&G for an excellent documentary.
That speaks even more highly of the man, his health was failing but he still gave his everything for his country.
The only (and most terrible) mistake of Marcus Aurelius was appointing his own biological son as future (co-)emperor, and not adopting his most capable civil servant/general, just as did his antonine predecessors.
@@elbentos7803 Agreed. It should have always been only the best Roman to rule the empire.
actually Marcus Aurelius did appoint his most capable official as his successor, Maximus Decimus Merid- oh wait wrong universe.
@@elbentos7803 He tried to make one of his generals his heir, whom he married to his daughter Lucilla, but the man refused. His name was Tiberius Claudius Pompeianus. Also, Hadrian was son to Trajan's cousin and married to Trajan's great-niece, Antoninus was married to Hadrian's wife's niece, and Marcus Aurelius was a nephew of Antoninus wife. Marcus unfortune was to not have a competent family member willing to take up the purple. With the exception of Antoninus and Nerva, all the emperors of the dynasty were descended from Trajans Grandfather.
“Waste no more time arguing about what a good man should be. Be one.”
― Marcus Aurelius, Meditations
He could make anyone shut up in a single sentence.
Keep in mind he wrote that later in his life when he already built himself up and knew what a good man is at length. So tho this is true it's not wasting if its unknown information about goodness that you're studying. He was most likely reiterating or came to the same conclusion in different words when he said "do not waste time practicing truth you already know"
The emperor with a thousand quotes
Facts
"Yes" - Marcus Aurelius
@@scintillam_dei nice meme.
And each quote is full of wisdom
@@scintillam_dei I'd like to see dumb old Marcus drive the Ice Highway or bid on closed storage units.
“Do not act as if you had ten thousand years to throw away. Death stands at your elbow. Be good for something while you live and it is in your power.” - Marcus Aurelius, Meditations
That is very humble.
Meditations is a great read.
"Neeeeerd" -Commodus to his father, before ruining rome
Lol superb joke.
Tominus Maximus intensifies
Fukin underated
@Iron Gamer you not history lover tgen
Like everyone to Gohan
Aurelius in a nutshell:
"Deal with it," said the most sincere man history ever knew.
That is not just aurelius, it's stoicisim in general
A giant horde of Germans suddenly invade and pillage the Roman border throughout the Danube River
Marcus Aurelius: 👁👄👁
Jesus Christ is the most sincere man history ever knew
@@felixgrunig more than a man, no?
@@daltonbarnett6486 More than a man indeed. God bless you!
The object of life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane.
~ Marcus Aurelius
A quote that gets more important with each passing day.
@@Alex-pc1hw Indeed
His own son was insane. How strange
@Deep Moticons why?
@Deep Moticons lol what do you mean it’s “wrong”? It’s a pretty subjective claim.
Would you rather find yourself amoung the ranks of the insane?
“ your faults as a son is my failure as a father.”
Very underrated line.
@Badatallthis Stuff exactly
One of my favorite movies.
@Badatallthis Stuff You don't think parents imprint on their children?
@Badatallthis Stuff it says "faults" as a son, not "failure" as a son. I guess your daddy's failure was the task of teaching you critical comprehension.
The quote is evidently referring to the child's personality trait or lack thereof, not what they did or didn't do in life. Honestly, just read the line Jesus
Been reading his Meditations for the last two years. I can only hope to one day become a shadow of the type of man he was.
As Marcus might say, what are you waiting for?
@@xiKUDx true! I enjoyed your response. ;)
Well, don't be afraid to fail. Even stoics know how difficult their ideas are. The Stoics even have a psudo-Bhudda Character known as the sage (not real of course, just an idea). The sage is said to be a person that is content even in the worst circumstances, famously in a Brazen Bull (a hollow bull set on fire with a person inside the bull)
@@bakshev Do not undermine people's efforts. This comment has no use what so ever. Clearly, you have understood nothing about being a stoic.
@@marcusaurelius2202 Marcus 1 was joking Marcus 2 lol
Marcus Aurelius: "Ok, my task is done. Certainly Commodus will continue my hard work for Rome...".
several years later: "How about another joke, Maximus?"
“There was once a dream that was Rome. You could only whisper it. Anything more than a whisper and it would vanish.”
Reading his "Meditations" made hardest times in my life much more managable. Nothing but respect for him.
When you wake up in the morning, tell yourself: the people I deal with today will be meddling, ungrateful, arrogant, dishonest, jealous and surly. They are like this because they can't tell good from evil. But I have seen the beauty of good, and the ugliness of evil, and have recognized that the wrongdoer has a nature related to my own - not of the same blood and birth, but the same mind, and possessing a share of the divine. And so none of them can hurt me. No one can implicate me in ugliness. Nor can I feel angry at my relative, or hate him. We were born to work together like feet, hands and eyes, like the two rows of teeth, upper and lower. To obstruct each other is unnatural. To feel anger at someone, to turn your back on him: these are unnatural.
Marcus Aurelius, Meditations
Akira The Don X Marcus Aurelius
Just beautiful
The life of Marcus Aurelius is very similar to the life of Pedro II of Brazil.
Both bookworms who never desired the power they received. But ruled as best as they could.
Marcus Aurelius was 2000 years earlier, so more like Dom Pedro II was similar to Marcus Aurelius
I hope that some day Brazil can have a good emperor such as Pedro/Marcus once again.
So we can leave this cycle of stench, created by the Republic.
While both were amazing emperor’s Pedro despised the emperorship more as it took his life from him.
@@cruzadoilegal9084 based on your username i would say you have no idea on what would be a good country to live in.
Victor Hugo told the Emperor: "Sire, you are a great citizen, you are the grandson of Marcus Aurelius," - to Pedro II
There was once a dream that was Rome, you could only whisper it. Anything more than a whisper and it would vanish.” Marcus Aurelius
Amazing as always, top notch! If I can have one constructive criticism - orator speaking latin is a tad too loud and distracting when trying to listen to the narrator. It is a great addition, just if it can be a bit quieter.
I was going to mention the background voice as well.
Noted! Thank you!
Agreed
Fair critique. It threw me off a bit as well
I would have wrote this, but you have done so already. the orator is good addition, albeit too loud when his words conflict with the words of the narrator, lowering his tone would serve the next documentary better.
„When you arise in the morning, think of what precious privilege is to be alive - to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love” - Marcus Aurelius. I try to live with these words in my mind every single day! What an amazing man he was!
I’ve been reading meditations and it really nice to see just how human Marcus was. He is the complete opposite of a hedonistic prince and just reading his thoughts makes him incredibly like able.
@transylvanian tell me if a Dictator is a just man, does it really matter? Did he gain the title by backstabbing people in back?
@@dafuqmr13 no, he gained it by being the recognized chosen successor of another chosen successor. watch the biographical video you were on before saying asinine things
3:53 "... his mother caught her son sleeping on hard, bare ground, wearing only a philospher's cloak, like a true Stoic should" Right, so when Aurelius does it he is a "true Stoic", but when I do it, I'm a "drunk" and I should "get out of the parking lot and stop screaming, it's 4 am".
Were you wearing a philosophers cloak though.
@@garypapa1397 Well I was only wearing one thing but it was a sock so I don't know, does that count?
@@danielblom391 Well, was it a white sock?
@@danielblom391 It makes you a freed house elf rather than a philosopher imo.
@@sholahverassa8582 🤣🤣🤣
Marcus: Your faults as a son, are my failures as a father.
Commodus: *pause* You’re right.
*chokes him out*
Joe Rogan: Guillotine choke! It’s cinched in tight!
what? Marcus Aurelius died naturally!
Jonas Mejer Pedersen it’s from the movie gladiator.
@@luciusgarvousoh ok. wasnt that about commodus though?
@@jonasmejerpedersen4847 Marcus is there at the beginning, and as he's already weak and old, Commodus chokes him to death to secure his position as emperor.
His son would go on to be cut down by Russell Crowe
You know something tragic? They were gonna make a sequel.
@jaca van heesch oh no.....way way worse....he was gonna come back right after Aurelian iirc.....to, *heavy fucking sigh* "save the Empire after having been resurrected by God."
@jaca van heesch be ecstatic. And no, it was going to be the Christian God. Not our boi Sol. And it was gonna be maximus coming back to life. Not the true Restorer.
As a fellow Russell I approve this
@@yugitrump435 I heard it was going to have a time travel component too.
The transition from Hadrian to Antoninus Pius to Marcus Aurelius/Lucius Verus is incredible. Think about how different human history would have been if more rulers had been able (or willing) to pick a good successor, instead of whoever happened to be born their son.
Hadrian: we will observe your career with great interest
"Oh universe, your harmony is my harmony. Nothing that is in your good time is too early or too late for me"
-Marcus Aurelius
Strangely, the account of the death of Marcus Aurelius saddened me after 2000 yrs. I came to admire him greatly. He was a man who longed for the solace of peace, books, familial relations, and good health. His “Meditations” , a monumental achievement meant for his own personal consolations, demonstrates the power of a stoic philosophical mindset coping with the chaos of war and a disintegrating empire.
"The Universe is change. Our life is what our thoughts make it."~Marcus Aurelius
It's insane to think Marcus Aurelius once lived. Just try to imagine if we, as in the world had a Marcus Aurelius in our modern times....
He truly is a legend that lived on throughout centuries
his life would be just as muddied and flawed as any other human being's is; he was a great man, but was not so in his ability to speak and act with justice and righteousness, but in his ability to perceive these in others and be humble to learning from their example. the wisest passages he ever wrote were the ones in which he recounted all the good and honorable qualities of the people who helped forge him into the man he was. marcus never intended his philosophies to be read by others, at least not in any normal sense. he wrote these things to himself to be reminded of the meta-narrative playing out around him and his place within it.
all he wanted to do was fulfill his duty and say that his life was lived in true service to humanity- there is no correct or preeminent method of pursuing that goal which divides souls into classes, we are all taking part of the journey called Life, and it's constituents are each entrusted with a role of mutual significance and interdependent influence. thanks for commenting, i hope this is encouraging to you.
There's enough stoics around 😮 wether forced or learned
The media would destroy his image and turn you against him. ;)
Jordan Peterson
Go to the rising sun,
for I am already setting.
Tribune: *moves to Japan*
Marcus: ...
I cannot fathom to imagine the Guard who received those words, imagine fighting for this man for so long and see him weak and frail in his death bed and you wish and wish for his wellbeing only to have to acknowledge those last words of his.
i had goosbumps listening to hes last words.
Many artists are admired for how they channeled their pain into art, Marcus Aurelius channeled his into philosophy.
Indeed. Not like he had a better choice. War, Plagues, constant Pressure, and mounting problems. The only way he could remain SANE was by being a Stoic.
"Weirdly chiseled 10-year-old Marcus Aurelius isn't real, he can't hurt you"
Kings and Generals:
When Marcus Aurelius died he lived his next life as Obi-Wan Kenobi in the original Star Wars Trilogy.
I'm what movie does Alec Guinness play Marcus?
Maekar I Targaryen fall of the Roman Empire
@@gaiusjuliuscaesar2319 Thanks Caesar!
Maekar I Targaryen SALVE
Women: Omg the titanic is so sad!
Men: Marcus Aurelius.
Or Augustus, either way it's always sad when a great man passes, only to have a fool destroy his legacy.
CortexAvery holy hell, if you think that’s sexism then get off the internet. You will hate it.
@@admontblanc He has played his part well, and we applaud as he exits.
Huh. I didn't know I was a dude.
Should've adopt his co ruler, i doubt he even knows something about his own son(cummudus).
"Very little is needed to make a happy life; it is all within yourself, in your way of thinking."
Marcus Aurealius
Finally, it's about time someone talked about this Emperor! I've been hearing mostly about Tiberius, Caligula, Nero, Commodus, Elagabalus, Augustus... Marcus Aurelius is a genius through those troubling times.
I'm a simple man, I see an entire video dedicated to Marcus Aurelius and I smash the like button.
Marcus Aurelius is still one of the most fascinating characters in human history. Thanks for the great short documentary!
"Today I Saw A Slave Become More Powerful Than The Emperor Of Rome."
- from the movie "Gladiator"
Man the 2000s were such a great time for History nerds like us. Gladiator, Kingdom of heaven, Master and Commander, 13 days, Downfall so many great movies
@@iamaheretic7829 Much better than these "historical" semi-porn TV series that came out in the 2010's. Except for Ertugrul, that was a respectable show that had decency.
Well Epictetus certainly held more influence in Rome then some Empirors. Especially considering he was one of the people who most inspired Marcus here.
"There was once a dream that was Rome. You could only whisper it. Anything more than a whisper and it would vanish, it was so fragile." - Marcus Aurelius in Gladiator.
Probably my favorite Roman Emperor. Largely in part due to Richard Harris' portrayal of him but also because of his Meditations.
Marcus Aurelius was one of the best and greatest of Rome's Emperors, a shining light in a age of war and strife.
Ah I love good old Aurelius, but sadly everytime we talk about him we have to unfortunately talk about c*mmodus
What was wrong with Commodus?
@@htoodoh5770 What was RIGHT with Commodus is a better question.
@@htoodoh5770 You're joking right? He may not have been as much of a walking meme as he was in Gladiator, but he was a massive fuck up. Assuming this question is out of genuine curiosity, basically imagine a kid who inherits a business that spends all it's assets to buy video games and porn, and spends all his indulging in said games and porn.
Htoo Doh in a more mediated answer commodus ended Rome’s golden age .
@@cloudftw113 God damn it this is painfully accurate
"When a man sees his end,
He wants to know there was some purpose to his life.
Will I be known as the philosopher? The warrior? The tyrant?
Or will I be the emperor who gave Rome back her true self?"
"The soul becomes dyed with the color of its thoughts."
-Marcus Aurelius
These wonderfully told true stories keep me coming back to K&G again and again. ❤
Thanks for supporting us for 10 months!
Meditations was one of the very first philosophy books i read, right when i was begging law school.
I remember reading it and having chills, sometimes getting emotional, reading those words writeen almost 2k years ago. It's some crazy shit, i will look up to read it again soon
17:09 "There and back again. A Roman's tale, by Marcus Aurelius."
In a different life, Marcus was your philosophy professor at university.
Favorite emperor for sure.
“The impediment to action advances action. What stands in the way becomes the way.”
― Marcus Aurelius
I like this quote. Do you have an exact citation, so I can look it up?
@@antonnurwald5700Sure, it’s Meditations 5.20
Read his book "meditations'
Meditations should be a mandatory read for all adults tbh.
First you have to teach some adults how to read. Tons of illiterates out there with no patience to learn.
Not only as emperors go but one of my all time favourite personalities as well. Bought his meditations a year ago and it really helped me through some difficult times.
Also, this is the best channel on yt.
'Marcus, you are not a philosofer!' -Marcus Aurelius, the man that got an empire with plague and invasions and fixed it.
Soyboy
@@karlbahena1733?
You know, I find it tragically ironic. Marcus Aurelius has a talent to choose the right man for the right job, to the point that even though he's very uncomfortable with warfare, he's pretty successful thanks to him choosing the right man to lead his soldiers.
Yet, in the end, the person he chose to be his successor is not an emperor that Rome needs.
Always nice to see the old stoic getting some appreciation, even though he’d say he doesn’t care for it. Ave atque vale, Marcus.
He truly was an interesting man. His writings are one of the most inspirational, and really interesting things to read.
"Go to the rising sun, for I am already setting..."
These last words have echoed through time and I can't explain how grievous I find them, especially in the light of the knowledge that Rome's decline turned terminal since they were spoken 😢
The man I was named after, Marcus Aurelius was the greatest of the Roman emperors, not only was he wise he was a incredible philosopher and perfect military leader.
When you arise in the morning think of what a precious priviledge it is to be alive,to breathe,to think,to enjoy, to love. -Marcus Aurelius
There are many excellent quotes of wisdom from Marcus Aurelius.
But this one is my favorite...“The tranquility that comes when you stop caring what they say. Or think, or do. Only what you do. Not to be distracted by their darkness. To run straight for the finish line, unswerving.”
Marcus Aurelius entire philosophy summed up in 3 sentences:
• “We live to serve” 🌏
An action is only worthy if it benefits the community and the people around us. We live for each other and not our own personal pleasures. Without unity the world falls apart. We are nothing without our fellow beings. To provide is to live.
• “Be good” ❤
Kindness and love are the greatest and most natural human qualities. It is what makes us whole and strong. Go from one good deed and then on to the next one.
• “Don’t waste time” 🕰
While we live we must always remember that our time on this planet is short and fragile. No one lives forever. We all die and vanish. We must live as if each day were our last and make the best we can of the time we have. The past is gone, the future is uncertain, but the present is what we have power over. The present moment is what deserves our full attention. What we do now will echo for eternity.
Meditations is a book whose content is universal, timeless and forever useful.
Marcus Aurelius was TRULY a wise man 🌟
Happy to see a video on this exceptional man's life and philosophy. If anyone is interested in reading _Meditations_ the channel Vox Stoica on CZcams has narrated the full version and also a summary, being around five and a half hours and half an hour, respectively.
Never have I clicked a video so fast. One of my favorite channels doing a video on one of my favorite people-a man whose philosophy I work to integrate into my own life...The Meditations is definitely something one should read if they wish to improve themselves. You will return to it again and again.
It's sad in a sense that a deeply thoughtful man who had no desire for wealth, power or fame had all three thrust upon him. Given a choice I suspect he'd have rather spent his life in quiet contemplation.
yet his experiences gave us lots of nice thoughts regardless :>
He never expected to be in almost constant warfare, he had not been prepared for it, and he never liked doing it.
And yet he managed to conduct the wars rather successfully, and the horrors of war didn't corrupt or destroy his character.
One of the absolute most beautiful thing I have ever seen anyone write...
“If you do the work at hand following the rule of right with enthusiasm, manfully and with kindheartedness, and allow no side issues to interrupt, but preserve the divinity within pure and upright, as if you might even now have to return it to its giver - if you make this firm, expecting nothing and avoiding nothing, but are content with your present activity in accordance with the nature and old fashioned truthfulness in what you say and speak, you will live a happy life.”
This reduced me to nothing but tears of acknowledgment.
Such a great and wise ruler must surely be succedded by someoneone just as wise
This man is definitely top 5 humans
chuck norris nr 1?
Brilliant video!, Though I have one criticism about the speech in the background during certain parts of the video I found it distracting from what is being said by Devin thanks
Correct, very distracting. Like listening to 2 songs at once almost.
This guy caught my attention because I'm a strong believer that we should learn from people who leads with "an example" and this guy when it comes to stoicism, lived such example, having been a warrior, emperor, and a philosopher. This guy is definitely caught my attention and I want to learn more about his teaching.
“The universe is change; our life is what our thoughts make it” -Marcus Aurelius
Meditations has been a light on the path for many people over the years. And they were all going somewhere different.
Perhaps he considered fame something vain, but he won it for all eternity. A man in a thousand and a soul in a million. An example to be followed through generations.
Thank you so much for the video, both this video and the one about Aurelian had not only being very informative but they also rejoiced my heart. My favourite Roman Emperors alongside Augustus.
You are great Kings and Generals.
To be honest this is my favorite episode and the best video on marcus aurelieus himself. From time to time when i face stressful situations i come back to this particular video to help me get through the day despite already having many books on him.
Rainy evening + tea + Docu about my favorite Roman Emperor = Perfection
I got goosebumps at the end of the video. Marcus seems to me a very kind gentle emperor..
“Everything we hear is an opinion, not a fact. Everything we see is a perspective, not the truth.”
Loyal to the true Emperor Marcus Aurelius!
Continues to help people 2000 years after his death, I love this guy.
Marcus Aurelius is one of my top 3 people I would love to talk to if it was possible. One of the best leaders of all time, in my opinion. A good book that summarizes his lessons, if you don't have the time to read all his books, is How to think like a Roman emperor. It was a good read.
Here is the rule to remember in the future, When anything tempts you to be bitter: not, 'This is a misfortune' but 'To bear this worthily is good fortune.'
-Marcus Aurelius 👑 📖 🗡
Here’s a suggestion: maybe do a video on Majorian. He’s an absolutely fascinating emperor (ish) that’s overshadowed by more prominent figures of his age such as Ricimer and Odoacer.
In a way, he was a 5th century version of Aurelian, but just born a bit too late to save everything. It’s a shame that the period is so hazy source-wise.
Marcus Aurelius gets me thru the day & the patience to deal with stupid people on daily basis NO LIE 😕 a LEGENDARY noble man
Thank you so much for this vid K&G. Aurelius is one of my favorite rulers of all time. His wisdom guides me daily.
Yes, finally mah boi Aurelius is here.
THANK YOU FOR THIS GREAT WORK 🇩🇿♓
Reading the Meditations was life-altering for me. Marcus Aurelius was a great leader and philosopher despite not having aspirations either power or fame (or maybe partly because). A true philosopher-king.
Marcus Aurelious is that kind of politician that the world needs more than ever.
A humble intellectual that prioritizes duty to the state and his people over personal ambitions? Unfortunately that species of politician is long extinct.
Marcus Aurelius wisdom shines brightly in this video. The last great emperor indeed. Thank you for sharing!
ALWAYS IN MEMORY dear Roman, You have carved the way
I recently finished Gregory Hay's translation of Meditations. The content of Marcus' great quotes aside, the author includes a history of how the text survived, which I found incredibly fascinating.
Here's some cliffs:
- The late-fourth-century Historia Augusta paints a picture of Marcus lecturing on the Mediations to a spellbound audience in Rome. The author notes that this was a charming fantasy and certainly an invention. However, the passage does suggest that Marcus' work was in circulation by the fourth century. Marcus' work was mentioned by the orator Themistius. Additionally, a contemporary of Themistius's, the neo-pagan emperor Julian (known to later ages as Julian the Apostate), whose dialogue "The Caesars" has Marcus pictured as a model for a kind of philospher-king that Julian himself aspired to be.
- The century that followed Themistius and Julian was one of decline, at least in the West - decline in political institutions, and also in the knowledge of Greek. For the next thousand years Marcus' work, like that of Homer and Euripides, would remain unknown to Western readers. Copies survived in the Greek-speaking east, but even there the Meditations seem to have been little read. For centuries, all trace of it is lost.
- A letter from scholar and churchman Arethas, in the tenth century, who writes to a friend - "I have had for a while now a copy of the Emperor Marcus' invaluable book. It was not only old but practically coming apart...I have had it copied and can now pass it on to posterity in better shape." Whether Arethas' copy was indeed responsible for the work's survival we do not know. At any rate, its readership seems to have increased in the centuries that followed.
- It is quoted a generation or two later by the vast Byzantine encyclopedia known as the Suda, and it was perhaps around this period also that an unknown Byantine poet composed a brief appreciation that came to be copied along with the text:
On The Book of Marcus
If you desire to master pain
Unroll this book and read with care,
And in it find abundantly
A knowledge of the things that are,
Those that have been, and those to come.
And know as well that joy and grief
Are nothing more than empty smoke.
- In 1453, the fall of Constantinople, led to an exodus of scholars, bringing with them the Greek texts that inspired the Italian Renaissance. The Meditiations must have been among them. The only complete manuscript to survive is a fourteenth-century codex (now in the Vatican), which is riddled with errors.
- The first printed edition did not appear until 1559, when Wilhelm Holzmann (known as Xylander) produced a text from what seems to have been a more reliable manuscript. That manuscript, unfortunately, has not survived. But even at its best it was a very imperfect witness to what Marcus himself wrote. Our text of the Meditations contains a number of passages that are garbled or in which one or more crucial words seem to have been omitted. Some of these errors may be due to the confused state of Marcus' original copy. Others may have been accidentally introduced in the course of the copying and recopying that the work underwent in the millennium following Marcus' death. In some cases the informed guesswork of scholars over several centuries has been able to restore the original text. In others, there is still uncertainty.
The Five Good Emperors were based on the previous one adopting the best guy for the job instead of one's son; until Joaquin Phoenix came along
None of the previous rulers had sons of their own, so they kinda had no choice. I'm absolutely certain any one of them would have given the empire to a son if they had one.
@@ItReallyIsiPOD Well Antoninus Pius did have 2 sons bit they died in 138. Anyway, my "best man for the job" idea still stands
@@TheJaviferrol they were all distantly related though
@@misaka3468 Yeah but over women from the imperial family marrying into others mostly
Blame Livia for ruining it since the first one.
Ay, at long last! The video about Emperor Aurelius. As Stoic follower, I have been waiting for this. Thank you and great video as always.
Warrior, emperor, philosopher and Jedi Master, don’t forget that
You’re just going to skip over his close relationship with his best general, Maximus Decimus Meridius?
That movie sucked
I don’t know if you’re serious or not. But in case you are. That general was just fictional. He never existed.
@@luciusgarvous He is not serious.And although Maximus from film never existed,situation in which Marcus originally intended to give his power to his favorite general despite having his own biological son did really happened and as in the film his offer was declined.The same general refused the offer two times more after assasination of Commodus and Pertinax.
@@paprskomet Do you remember the name of that general ?
@@canaanite23 Tiberius Claudius Pompeianus.Who is most likely also depicted next to Marcus on several reliefs.
"No matter what anyone says or does, my task is to be good."
"What stands in the way becomes the way."
"The nearer a man comes to a calm mind, the closer he is to strength."
"Where life is possible, then it is possible to live the right life."
"An order and logos permeates existence."
"Go to the rising sun, for I am already setting."
Man.
Marcus Aurelius, was perhaps the most famous example of what would be a stoic human ideal, he acted with a feeling of doing what should be done and not just what he selfishly would like to do. He accepted and embraced the idea of 'amor fati' and tried to live in those terms until the end of his days. Such people may only appear for millennia in millennia.
Marcus Aurelius: Dies
Commodus: *hippity hoppity, PAX ROMANA is now nobody’s property*
Wow I'm glad you finally do Marcus Aurelius! I enjoy reading his meditations