Marcus Aurelius' Meditations is a collection of journal entries which he never intended to share with anyone. They are unfiltered thoughts, at once uniquely personal and terribly global. Although emperor by title, Aurelius prefers to identify as a philosopher. He is concerned with the state of existence and chooses to attack this mystery from all angles internally, using himself as an object of study.
Meditations presents a curious blend of philosophical musing and personal reflection. In fact Aurelius tips his hat to the people in his life who have influenced him, while deliberately asserting his commitment to rely upon nobody's opinion. He looks inside for answers. Meanwhile, he admits certain trepidations about the dusk of his life and his concern that his legacy be remembered accurately. He writes at great length near the end of the book, restating past conclusions in a systematic manner in order to assuage his own concern that the ideas be misquoted or forgotten.
