<p><b>A new translation, with an Introduction, by Gregory Hays</b><br> <br>Marcus Aurelius Antoninus (a.d. 121–180) succeeded his adoptive father as emperor of Rome in a.d. 161—and <i>Meditations</i> remains one of the greatest works of spiritual and ethical reflection ever written. With a profound understanding of human behavior, Marcus provides insights, wisdom, and practical guidance on everything from living in the world to coping with adversity to interacting with others. Consequently, the <i>Meditations</i> have become required reading for statesmen and philosophers alike, while generations of ordinary readers have responded to the straightforward intimacy of his style. In Gregory Hays's new translation—the first in a generation—Marcus's thoughts speak with a new immediacy: never before have they been so directly and powerfully presented.</p>