even sold his personal possessions to alleviate the effects of famine and plague within the empire. Aurelius ruthlessly persecuted the Christians, believing them as a threat to the imperial system. As emperor, he was a champion of the poor, founding schools, orphanages, and hospitals. Although Marcus Aurelius loved peace, he was a good warrior and succeeded in defending the border provinces against invasion. In his spare moments, he jotted down in Greek the rules that guided his own conduct. The resulting volume of “Meditations” was for many generations, one of the world’s most admired books of practical and political wisdom. As a philosopher, Aurelius believed that a divine providence had placed reason in man and it was in the power of man to be one with the rational purpose of the universe (Comptons). This is a duty to a man himself and to the citizens of Gods State. No man can be injured by another, he can only harm himself. He attempted to be a philosopher-king, which he considered a moral rather than political ideal. Aurelius believed that the moral life leads to tranquility and stressed the virtues of wisdom, justice, fortitude, and moderation. Marcus Aurelius died on March 17, 180. He was the last of the “five good emperors” whose combined reigns marked the Golden Age of the Roman Empire. I think stoic philosophy is fairly reasonable and easy to identify with. It is a mistake to regard health, wealth, success, or any other temporary condition as a cause for happiness. Only virtue is good, and vice is evil. The individual who pursues virtue can become wise. Virtue is defined as the attainment of courage, justice, and moderation. These are the ingredients of a good life, and the only things that can provide true happiness. A morally weak individual is unhappy no matter what good fortune the world brings. Money, wealth, and success can create a temporary psychological condition called...
