The Emperor Marcus Aurelius
Reading edition
A STUDY IN IDEALS
BY
JOHN C. JOY, S.J.
B. HERDER 17 SOUTH BROADWAY, ST. LOUIS, MO. CATHOLIC TRUTH SOCIETY OF IRELAND 24 UPPER O’CONNELL STREET, DUBLIN 1913
μητρι ὑπομνήσεως χάριν ἀπαρχαί
Printed by Browne and Nolan, Ltd., Dublin.
CONTENTS
Page
CHAPTER I
Prelude 1
CHAPTER II
The Boy Stoic 11
CHAPTER III
A Philosopher on the Throne 30
CHAPTER IV
Life in the Palace 44
CHAPTER V
On the Danube 55
CHAPTER VI
The Book of Meditations 68
CHAPTER VII
Last Days in Rome 81
CHAPTER VIII
“The End of the Old World” 95
CHAPTER IX
The Martyrs of Christ 106
CHAPTER X
The Pagan à Kempis 128
Even in a palace, life may be led well! So spake the imperial sage, purest of men, Marcus Aurelius. But the stifling den Of common life, where, crowded up pell-mell. Our freedom for a little bread we sell, And drudge under some foolish master’s ken Who rates us if we peer outside our pen— Matched with a palace, is not this a hell? Even in a palace! On his truth sincere Who spake these words, no shadow ever came And when my ill-schooled spirit is aflame Some nobler, ampler stage of life to win, I’ll stop and say, “There were no succour here, The aids to noble life are all within.”
Matthew Arnold.
The Emperor Marcus Aurelius