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  牛津大学出版百年旗舰产品,英文版本原汁原味呈现,资深编辑专为阅读进阶定制,文学评论名家妙趣横生解读。

内容简介

  《沉思录》是古罗马帝国皇帝玛克斯·奥勒留在鞍马劳顿中所记录的与自己心灵的对话。这位一千八百年前的旷代奇人在书中阐述了灵魂与死亡的关系,解析了个人的德行、个人对社会的责任以及对为人处世律己待人之道等诸多人生哲理的领悟。该书不仅是古罗马斯多亚派哲学的里程碑,而且对今人的思想及生活仍有着重要的指导意义,可以说是人间至宝。

作者简介

  玛克斯·奥勒留(121—180),古罗马帝国皇帝。为帝国之治夙兴夜寐,为平定兵患而征战四方,并*终死于军中。奥勒留在文学、修辞、哲学、法律、绘画方面均受过良好教育,利用政事辛劳当中的片暇记录与自己的心灵对话,为后世留下不朽的精神财富——《沉思录》。

精彩书评

    《沉思录》有一种不可思议的魅力,它甜美、忧郁而高贵。这部黄金之书以庄严不屈的精神负起做人的重荷,直接帮助人们去过更加美好的生活。  ——费迪曼《一生的读书计划》

  《沉思录》不是属于某个宗教的,而是所有宗教的人都可以领略到这《牛津英文经典:沉思录(英文版)》背后的灵性的层面。  ——梁文道

目录

Introduction
NoteontheText
SelectBibliography
AChronologyofMarcusAurelius
Meditations
Appendix:ASelectionfromtheCorrespondencebetweenMarcusCorneliusFrontoandMarcusAurelius
ExplanatoryNotes
ListofLettersTranslated
IndexofThemes

精彩书摘

  1.Frommygrandfather*Verus,nobilityofcharacterandevennessoftemper.  2.Fromthereputationofmyfather*andwhatIrememberofhim,modestyandmanliness.  3.Frommymother,*pietyandgenerosity,andtoabstainnotonlyfromdoingwrongbutevenfromcontemplatingsuchanact;andthesimplicity,too,ofherwayoflife,farremovedfromthatoftherich.  4.Frommygreat-grandfather,*thatIneverhadtoattendthepublicschools,butbenefitedfromgoodteachersathome,andtohavecometorealizethatthisisamatteronwhichoneshouldsparenoexpense.  5.Frommytutor,*nottohavesidedwiththeGreensortheBlues[atthechariot-races]orthegladiators*withthelongshieldsorshortones;toendurehardship,andhavefewneeds;todothingsformyselfandnotmeddleintheaffairsofothers;andtoturnadeafeartoslander.  6.FromDiognetus,*nottobecomeobsessedwithtrivialities,andnottobelievetheclaimsofmiracle-mongersandcharlatansaboutincantationsandtheexpulsionofdemonsandthelike;nottoengageinquail-fightingorbecomeexcitedoverpursuitsofthatkind;tobewillingtotolerateplainspeaking;tohavebecomefamiliarwithphilosophy,andtohaveattendedthelecturesfirstofBaccheius,andthenofTandasisandMarcianus;tohavewrittencompositionsasaboy;tohavewishedforaplankbedcoveredonlywithaskinandforeverythingthatformedpartofthegreekdiscipline.  7.FromRusticus:*Igainedtheideathatmycharacterwasinneedofcorrectionandcultivation;andfromhimIlearnednottowritetreatisesonpurelytheoreticalmatters,ordeliverlittlemoralizingsermons,orplaytheasceticorthebenefactorinamannercalculatedtoimpress;toabstainfromoratory,andverse,andfinelanguage,andnottowalkaroundthehouseinceremonialclothing,orindulgeinothersuchvanities;towritelettersinanunaffectedstyle,ashedidwhenhewrotetomymotherfromSinuessa;withregardtothosewhohaveangeredorwrongedme,tobeeasilyrecalledtomyusualframeofmind,andtobeeasilyreconciledassoonastheyarewillingtomakeamoveinmydirection;toreadwithcareandattention,andnotbesatisfiedwithasuperficialimpression;nottoagreetooquicklywiththosewhotalkwithafluenttongue;andfinally,itwasthroughhimthatIcametoknowtheDiscoursesofEpictetus,ashelentmeacopyfromhisownlibrary.  8.FromApollonius:*innerfreedom,andtobedecisivewithoutleavinganythingtochance;tolooktonootherguide,evenforaninstant,thanreasonalone;toremaineverthesame,inthe;toremaineverthesame,inthefaceofseverepain,afterlosingachild,orduringlongillnesses;toseeclearlyfromhislivingexamplethatapersoncanbeextremelyenergeticandyetrelaxed;nottobecomeirritablewhenexpoundingatext;andtoseeinhimsomeonewhoclearlyregardedtheskillandfluencythatheshowedincommunicatingphilosophicaldoctrinesastheleastofhisgifts;andtolearnhowoneshouldacceptfromfriendswhatpassforapparentfavourswithoutloweringoneselfasaresultorshoeinganinsensitivedisregard.  9.FromSextus:*akindlydispositionandtheexampleofahouseholdgovernedbythefatherofthehouse;theideaofwhatitmeanstoliveinaccordancewithnature;*gravitywithoutaffection,andacarefulregardfortheinterestsofone’sfriends;patiencetowardstheunlearnedandthosewhoseopinionsarenotfoundedonmethodicalreflection.Theexampleofonewhocouldaccommodatehimselftoallkindsofpeople,sothathisconversationwasmorecharmingthananyflattery,whileatthesametimehearousedthedeepestrespectfromthosewhoassociatedwithhim.Toshowasuregraspandmethodicalapproachinsearchingoutandorderingtheprinciplesnecessaryforlife.Andheneverdisplayedevenasignofangerorofanyotherpassion,butseemedatoncetobecompletelyfreeofpassionandfullofaffectionforhisfellowhumanbeings;andtobereadytopraise,withoutbeingtoodemonstrative,andtopossessextensiveknowledgewithoutmakingashowoofit.  10.FromAlexanderthegrammarian:*nottobeover-critical;andnottointerruptandcorrectthosewhohaveemployedasolecismorsomeoutlandishordiscordantexpression,butrathertosuggestadroitlytheveryexpressionwhichoughttohavebeenusedwhileprofessingtoofferareplyorsomefurtherconfirmation,ortousesomeothertactfulproceduretosuggesttherightexpressioninanindirectfashion.  11.FromFronto:*tohavesomeconceptionofthemalice,caprice,andhypocrisythataccompanyabsoluterule;andthat,onthewhole,thosewhomwerankaspatriciansaresomewhatlackinginnaturalaffection.*  12.FromAlexanderthePlatonist:*thatweshouldnotoftenorwithoutduenecessityeithersaytoanyoneorwriteinaletter,‘Iamtoobusy’,norinthiswayshouldweconstantlytrytoevadetheobligationsimposedonusbyoursocialrelationshipsbypleadingtheexcuseofurgentbusiness.  13.FromCatulus:*nottodisregardarebukefromafriend,evenifhiscriticismmaybeunreasonable,buttotrytorestorehimtohisusualframeofmind;toofferunsintingpraisetoone’steachersasisrecordedofAthenodotusandDomitius;*andtoshowgenuinelovetoone’schildren.  14.From[mybrother]Severus:*loveforone’sfamily,fortruth,forjustice;thatthroughhimIcametoknowThrasea,Helvidius,Cato,Dio,Brutus,*andtoconceivethatideaofabalancedconstitution,andofgovernmentfoundedonequity*andfreedomofspeech,andofamonarchywhichvaluesaboveallthingsthefreedomofthesubject;andfromhimtooaconsistentandunfailingrespectforphilosophy;andfromhimtooaconsistentandunfailingrespectforphilosophy;andareadinesstohelpothers,andopen-handedgenerosity;tobeofgoodhope,andtrusintheaffectionofone’sfriends;andhowhewouldbecompletelyopenwiththosewhoincurredhisdisapproval,andthathisfriendsneverhadtoresorttoconjectureaboutwhathewishedordidnotwish,foritwasplaintosee.  15.FromMaximus:*tobemasterofoneself,andneverwaverinone’sresolve;tobecheerfulwhenill,orinanyotherpredicament;theexampleofacharactermarkedbyaharmoniousblendofgentlenessandgravity;tosettoworkonthetaskathandwithoutcomplaint.Andtheconfidenceheinspiredineveryonethatwhathewassayingwasjustwhathethought,andthatwhateverhedidwasdonewithnobadintent;nevertobesurprisedordiscontented;andnevertoactinhaste,orhangback,orbeataloss,orbedowncast,andnevertofawnonothersor,ontheotherhand,beirascibleorsuspicious.Tobebeneficent,andreadytoforgive,andfreefromguile;togivetheimpressionofbeingsomeonewhoneverdeviatesfromwhatisrightratherthanonewhohastobekeptontherightpath;andhownobodywouldeverhaveimaginedthatMaximuslookeddownonhim,oryethavepresumedtosupposethathewasbetterthanMaximus;andtobeofgoodhumour.  16.Frommy[adoptive]father:*tobegentle,andtoholdimmovablytojudgementsarrivedaftercarefulconsideration;tobefreefromvainconceitwithregardtoworldlyhonours;zestforworkandperseverance;tolendareadyeartothosewhohaveanythingtoproposeforthecommonbenefit;nevertobedeflectedfromrewardingeachpersonaccordingtohisdeserts;toknowbyexperiencewhentoexertoneselfandwhentorelax;toputacheckonpederasticloveaffairs;*regardforthefeelingsofothers,andhowhewouldnotalwaysinsistthathisfriendsshouldattendhistableoraccompanyhimonhistravels,andhowtheywouldalwasfindhimeverthesameiftheyhadbeenkeptawaybyotherbusiness.Atsessionsofthecouncil,*toexamineeveryquestionwithscrupulouscare,andtobepatient,asitwasnothiswaytoinfatuations;tobeself-sufficientineveryrespect,andtoshowacheerfulfacetotheworld;tolookfarahead,andplaneventhesmallestmattersinadvance,withoutmakingasonganddanceaboutit.Howheputacurbonthepublicacclamationsandeverykindofflatteryduringhisreign;andthecarethatheconstantlydevotedtotheneedsoftheempire,andhisprudentstewardshipofthepublicrevenues,andhiswillingnesstoputupwiththecriticismsfromsuperstitiousfears;andwithregardtopeople,nottocourtpublicfavourbyseekingtopleaseatanypriceorpanderingtothemob;butsobrietyinallthings,andfirmness,andneveratraceofvulgarityorlustfornovelty.  ……

前言/序言

  THEMeditationsofMarcusAureliusisaworkwithoutparallelamongwritingssurvivingfromClassicalantiquity—andanexceptionalworkinanyageandculture.ItisthephilosophicaldiaryofaRomanemperor,probablywrittenwhilehewascampaigninginGermanyneartheendofhislife.Inshort,intense,andoftenpowerfulreflections,Marcustriestoarticulatehiscorebeliefsandvalues.DarwingmainlyonStoicphilosophy,butformulatedinhisownway,Marcusfindstheresourcestohelphimmeetchallengesthatheisacutelyconsciousofbutwhicharealsouniversal:facingone’sownapproachingdeath,makingsenseofone’ssocialroleandprojects,lookingformaralsignificanceinthenaturalworld.  Marcus’LifeandCareer  Marcus(AD121-80)wasborninRomeasMarcusAnniusVerusintoafamilyofSpanishoriginwhichhadalreadyachievedpoliticaldistinction,HisfatherdiedwhileMarcuswasachild,andhewasbroughtupbyhisgrandfather,arelativeoftheemperorHadrian,HadrianadmiredtheyoungMarcus,callinghimVerissimus(‘mosttruthful’).WhenHadrianchoseAntoninusPiusashisheirandsuccessor,hemadeAntoninusadoptashissonsMarcusandanotheryoungman,LuciusVerus.Marcuswaseducatedbyanumberoffamousteachers,includingtheoratorFronto;muchoftheircorrespondencesurvives,andaselectionisincludedinhisvolume.Fromtheageof12,Marcusshowedastronginterestinphilosophy;afteranearlyintroductiontoStoicism,JuniusRusticusguidedhimtoEpictetus’DiscourseswhichformedanimportantinfluenceontheMeditations(1.7).MarcusmarriedAntoninus’daughterFaustina,hisfirstcousin,in145,andseemedtohavehadalargelyhappymarriage,withseveralchildren.InBook1oftheMeditations(theonlybokwhichhasasinglethemeandoverallstructure),Marcusreviewstheethicalandintellectualinfluenceofhisfamilyandfriends,givingspecialattentiontohisadoptivefatherandpredecessorasemperor,AntoninusPius(1.16).  Marcus’periodasemperor(161-80)wasmarkedbygoodrelationsbetweenemperorandsenateandwasgenerallyseenasaperiodofgoodadministration.Heruledasco-emperorwithLuciusVerusuntilLucius’deathfromillnessin169,andthiscollaborationseemedtohaveworkedwell.However,thiswasalsoaperiodwhenthestabilityoftheromanempirewasunderthreatfromexternalenemies,andmuchofMarcus’effortwasdevotedtoorganizingresistancetothesethreats.Between162and165,themainfocuswasonrespondingtotheParthianinvasionoftheeasternpartoftheempire,withLuciusVerusascommander.In166and168,plaguesinItalyandthedeathofLuciusinterruptedattemptstostabilizetheDanubefrontieroftheempire.TherewasaseriesofcampaignsinnorthItalyandGermanyuntilhisdeathin180.Thesecampaignswerelargelysuccessfulandthebordersoftheempireweresecured.AfurtherthreatwasafailedrevoltagainstMarcusbyAvidiusCassius,governorofEgyptandSyriain175.TherewerealsopersecutionsoftheChristiansinRomanGaul(France)andAsiaMinor(Turkey),rememberedbitterlyinChristiansourcesbutnottreatedasmuchofimportanceinRomanhistoricalrecords.Despiteallthesedisturbances,Marcus’periodasemperorwasregardedasagoodoneatthetimeandafterwards,especiallybycontrastwithhisson,Commodus(emperor180-92),whoruledbadlyandwasfinallyassassinatedasatyrant.  Meditations:Form,Purpose,style  InasensetheMeditationshavevirtuallynoliteraryformandbelongtonorecognizedgenreofancientwriting.Thetitle,Meditationswasgiventotheworkintheseventeenthcentury,isnotthoughttobeMarcus’own.ProbablytheworkhadnotitleandwasnotintendedforpublicationbutservedasapurelyprivatenotebookforMarcus’reflections.AncientGreekandRomantextsareconventionallysubdividedinto‘books’and‘chapters’;andthisarrangementhasbeenappliedtothiswork.Butonlythefirstbook(whichrecordsMarcus’ethicaldebtstothosewhohaveinfluencedhim)hasanyclearoverallstructure,andshowlittleornosignofdeliberateorganization.ItseemslikelythatMarcussimplywrotedownoneortwocommentsatmomentsofleisure,forinstance,atthebeginningorendoftheday,andtheresultingworkisthesumofthosecomments.TheMeditationsarewritteninGreek,whichwasthestandardlanguageforancientphilosophyandwhichMarcuswouldhaveknownwell(though,ofcourse,hisnormallanguagewasLatin).Therearesomeindicationsthattheworkwaswrittentowardstheendofhislife;twobooks(2and3)haveheadingwhichrefertohisGermancampaigns.Frequentandincreasingreferencestohisage,dissatisfactionwithhisassociates,andhisapproachingdeathmayindicatethattheorderofthebookscorrespondstotheorderinwhichtheywerewritten.  Inspiteofthenon-standardcharacterofMarcus’book,itisnotdifficulttoidentifyitsoverallaim.Marcusiswritingtowritingtoexaminehisinmostthoughtsandadvisehimselfhowbesttolive.Moreprecisely,hetriestoencapsulate,inshort,stringsentences,keyethicalprinciplesandinsightstosupporttheoveralldirectionofhislife.Asheputsithimself:‘Soconstantlygrantyourselfthisretreatandsorenewyourself;butkeepwithinyouconciseandbasicpreceptsthatwillbeenough,atfirstencounter,tocleanseyoufromalldistressandtosendyoubackwithoutdiscontenttothelifetowhichyouwillreturn’(4.3).Thebroadercontextforthisaimisthespreadofworksof(whatwemightcall)‘practicalethics’inthefirstandsecondcenturiesAD.Thesehavetheirrootsinthephilosophicaltheories,particularlyStoicismandEpicureanism,thatemergedintheHellenisticera(thirdtofirstcenturyBC);butthiskindofwritingisalsoinfluencedbythegreatfourth-centuryBCthinkersPlatoandAristotle,especiallyPlato.EspeciallyimportantforMarcusweretheDiscoursesofEpictetus(c.AD55-135),recordinghisStoicteachingsonpracticalethics.Seneca(c.4BC-AD65),anotherRomanpoliticianstronglyinfluencedbyStoicphilosophy,wroteextensivelyonthistopicthroughthemediumofdialogues,essays,andliteraryletters.TwogeneraltypesofsuchwritingespeciallyunderlietheMeditations,bothtypeswidelyusedinStoicism,whichisthemaintheoryrelevantforMarcus.Onetypeoffersgeneralizedguidanceabouthowtodirectyourethicallife,referringespeciallytothegoodqualitiesorvirtuesyoushouldaimtoexpress,andstressingthattheseshouldinformtherolesandprojectsyouundertakeinlife.ThetreatiseOnDuties(orOnObligations),especiallyBook1,byCicero(106-43BC),anotherRomanpolitician-philosopher,isafamousexampleofthiskindofwriting.Theothertypeisphilosophyusedasameansoftherapy,designedtoidentifypsychologicalandethicalfailings(orsicknesses)andtocurethem.Ciceroalsowroteinhisgenre(TusculanDisputations)asdidSeneca(OnAnger).Marcus’Meditationsreflecttheaimsandthemesofboththesetwokindsofwriting,andcombineadviceandtherapyinahighlydistinctiveway.  ByMarcus’time,Stoicthinkershadalsoworkedoutspecificschemesormethodsofpracticalethics,designedtoenablepeopletoconducttheirownself-improvementinarelativelysystematicway.Senecaforinstance,advocatesathreefoldmethod:(1)assessingtheethicalvalueofeachobjectoractivity,(2)adjustingyourmotivationtomatchthevalueoftheobject,and(3)workingtowardsconsistencybetweenmotivationandaction.Epictetusoffersarathersimilarthree-stagepattern.Thefirststageismatchingourdesireswiththevalueofwhatwedesire,anddoingsoinawaythatshapesouremotionalresponse.Thesecondisformingmotivationthatisethicallyappropriate,particularlyinourdealingswithotherpeople.Thethirdisaimingatcompleteconsistencybetweenourvariousbeliefsandbetweenourbeliefsandouractions.IntheMeditations,wesometimesfindversionsofthesemethods,thoughthestagesarenotalwaysgiveninthesameorderasintheotherthinkers(8.7,9.6-7).OnerecurrentfeatureiswhatMarcusdescribesasa‘stripping’method,focusedongivingthingstheirproperethicalvalueandensuringthatthisvaluationisreflectedinhowweactandfellineachcase.

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