--- product_id: 12684891 title: "The Essential Marcus Aurelius (Tarcher Cornerstone Editions)" price: "€ 28.16" currency: EUR in_stock: true reviews_count: 13 url: https://www.desertcart.sk/products/12684891-the-essential-marcus-aurelius-tarcher-cornerstone-editions store_origin: SK region: Slovakia --- # The Essential Marcus Aurelius (Tarcher Cornerstone Editions) **Price:** € 28.16 **Availability:** ✅ In Stock ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** The Essential Marcus Aurelius (Tarcher Cornerstone Editions) - **How much does it cost?** € 28.16 with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.sk](https://www.desertcart.sk/products/12684891-the-essential-marcus-aurelius-tarcher-cornerstone-editions) ## Best For - Customers looking for quality international products ## Why This Product - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Description This inaugural-and all new-Tarcher Cornerstone Edition presents a stunningly relevant and reliable translation of the thoughts and aphorisms of the Stoic philosopher and Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius, properly placing the philosopher-king's writings within the vein of the world's great religious and ethical traditions. The late antique world possessed no voice like that of Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius (121-180 CE). His private meditations on what constitutes a good life have withstood the centuries and reach us today with the same penetrating clarity and shining light as the words of Shakespeare, Emerson, or Thoreau. In this remarkable new translation, bestselling religious philosopher Jacob Needleman and classics scholar John P. Piazza have retained the depth of Marcus's perspective on life. They have carefully selected and faithfully rendered those passages that clarify Marcus's role as someone who stood within the great religious and ethical traditions that extend throughout every culture in human history. The voice that emerges from their translation is a universal one, equally recognizable to students of Christ, Buddha, the Vedas, the Talmud, and to anyone who sincerely searches for a way of meaning in contemporary life. Review: Insofar as I am a human being, my city is the Cosmos - This was a fantastic read. I had it assigned for an Ethics and Rhetoric class. It was by far the best reading of the quarter. Accessible to anyone, and I mean absolutely anyone. Marcus Aurelius' vivacity, wisdom and wit is every bit as relevant today as when he wrote this nearly two millennium ago. I rushed through this in two weeks, as it was required to be read in that time span for the course I was taking. It could be finished in a day. However, I suggest taking your time with this. It is filled to the brim with pithy wisdom and poignant aphorisms that deserve meditation, reflection, and time to process. I'm going to re-read this book, but take it a very slow pace, perhaps even just an aphorism a day to really give myself time to absorb and enjoy this great philosophical treasure. The introduction was very readable and I enjoyed it almost as much as the text. The translator is a deft philosopher as well as translator. The translator notes that some sayings and sections have been cut out as they are highly debated and require more commentary to decode than this particular version can accommodate. I found I was okay with that. This is an introduction, and while it is of a scholarly quality, I do not think it is for serious scholars. There is no extensive commentary and precious few footnotes But that's the great thing about this text, you don't have to have any degrees or prior knowledge to understand and comprehend Aurelius' insight. It is the most accessible and practically applicable philosophical text I've ever read. Aurelius reached out to the philosopher in every human and shared his wisdom without pomp. Highly Recommended! Review: Well worth a reading, with surprising connections for me... - I am 74 years old, and have heard of this "book" since high school, but never got around to reading it. A dear friend gave me a Roman coin back in 1991, well used, inexpensive, "minted" in the reign of Marcus Aurelius, with his portrait on the front. It is now about 1,850 years old and is my most prized possession. I read about this Emperor in encyclopedias and on-line, but I finally decided to read his own thoughts. This version was inexpensive and looked suitable for a "beginner" like myself. I enjoyed this slim volume immensely. Marcus wrote down ideas he had or had accepted from his teachers about the soul, the commonality of the human race, the use of our minds, our duties to ourselves and others. He wasn't trying to create a best-selling book...the "meditations" range from one paragraph to two pages long, and were pretty much reminder notes to himself. But I was struck by how many passages, were you to take out the phrase "the gods" and change it to "God" came off just like a Christian reminder of behavior endorsed by Jesus. Of course, Jesus had been dead for about 150 years when Marcus was emperor, and his followers and the Roman authorities did not always get along under Marcus' rule. Marcus was a pagan, but I recently learned via an adult Sunday School lesson how diverse, and tolerant of different religious views, the average pagan really was. Often, pagans and the new cult of Christians could be good neighbors, just as a pagan household that worshipped half-a-dozen gods could co-exist peacefully with a pagan neighbor who rated only one of those worth the effort to officially revere. A lot of these "meditations" seem incredibly "modern" to me, and in fact. seemed to likely be a major influence over some the principles developed by the Alcoholics Anonymous and Al-Anon 12-step writings. Keeping calm, tolerant and modest, declining to judge other humans harshly, fixing oneself instead of others...all these occupied Marcus Aurelius, say, around the year 174 when my coin was struck. Simultaneously, he ran the Roman Empire, already in quite a decline since the days of Jesus, and led troops in battle quite a lot of the time. I am delighted to own such a small, well-traveled object as this worn coin with Marcus on front and Mars, the war god, on the back, and now I am happy to have finally read "Meditations." ## Features - Used Book in Good Condition ## Technical Specifications | Specification | Value | |---------------|-------| | Best Sellers Rank | #130,512 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #125 in Individual Philosophers (Books) #162 in Philosophy Metaphysics #215 in Ancient Greek & Roman Philosophy | | Customer Reviews | 4.7 out of 5 stars 464 Reviews | ## Images ![The Essential Marcus Aurelius (Tarcher Cornerstone Editions) - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/817lpKfa15L.jpg) ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Insofar as I am a human being, my city is the Cosmos *by M***S on December 16, 2012* This was a fantastic read. I had it assigned for an Ethics and Rhetoric class. It was by far the best reading of the quarter. Accessible to anyone, and I mean absolutely anyone. Marcus Aurelius' vivacity, wisdom and wit is every bit as relevant today as when he wrote this nearly two millennium ago. I rushed through this in two weeks, as it was required to be read in that time span for the course I was taking. It could be finished in a day. However, I suggest taking your time with this. It is filled to the brim with pithy wisdom and poignant aphorisms that deserve meditation, reflection, and time to process. I'm going to re-read this book, but take it a very slow pace, perhaps even just an aphorism a day to really give myself time to absorb and enjoy this great philosophical treasure. The introduction was very readable and I enjoyed it almost as much as the text. The translator is a deft philosopher as well as translator. The translator notes that some sayings and sections have been cut out as they are highly debated and require more commentary to decode than this particular version can accommodate. I found I was okay with that. This is an introduction, and while it is of a scholarly quality, I do not think it is for serious scholars. There is no extensive commentary and precious few footnotes But that's the great thing about this text, you don't have to have any degrees or prior knowledge to understand and comprehend Aurelius' insight. It is the most accessible and practically applicable philosophical text I've ever read. Aurelius reached out to the philosopher in every human and shared his wisdom without pomp. Highly Recommended! ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Well worth a reading, with surprising connections for me... *by W***S on June 25, 2019* I am 74 years old, and have heard of this "book" since high school, but never got around to reading it. A dear friend gave me a Roman coin back in 1991, well used, inexpensive, "minted" in the reign of Marcus Aurelius, with his portrait on the front. It is now about 1,850 years old and is my most prized possession. I read about this Emperor in encyclopedias and on-line, but I finally decided to read his own thoughts. This version was inexpensive and looked suitable for a "beginner" like myself. I enjoyed this slim volume immensely. Marcus wrote down ideas he had or had accepted from his teachers about the soul, the commonality of the human race, the use of our minds, our duties to ourselves and others. He wasn't trying to create a best-selling book...the "meditations" range from one paragraph to two pages long, and were pretty much reminder notes to himself. But I was struck by how many passages, were you to take out the phrase "the gods" and change it to "God" came off just like a Christian reminder of behavior endorsed by Jesus. Of course, Jesus had been dead for about 150 years when Marcus was emperor, and his followers and the Roman authorities did not always get along under Marcus' rule. Marcus was a pagan, but I recently learned via an adult Sunday School lesson how diverse, and tolerant of different religious views, the average pagan really was. Often, pagans and the new cult of Christians could be good neighbors, just as a pagan household that worshipped half-a-dozen gods could co-exist peacefully with a pagan neighbor who rated only one of those worth the effort to officially revere. A lot of these "meditations" seem incredibly "modern" to me, and in fact. seemed to likely be a major influence over some the principles developed by the Alcoholics Anonymous and Al-Anon 12-step writings. Keeping calm, tolerant and modest, declining to judge other humans harshly, fixing oneself instead of others...all these occupied Marcus Aurelius, say, around the year 174 when my coin was struck. Simultaneously, he ran the Roman Empire, already in quite a decline since the days of Jesus, and led troops in battle quite a lot of the time. I am delighted to own such a small, well-traveled object as this worn coin with Marcus on front and Mars, the war god, on the back, and now I am happy to have finally read "Meditations." ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Timeless wisdom *by K***E on January 31, 2026* Just buy it. Aurelius was a man for all seasons, and his wisdom applies to every human being. I've given six of these as gifts, and reference mine often. ## Frequently Bought Together - The Essential Marcus Aurelius (Tarcher Cornerstone Editions) - The Good Life (Hackett Publishing Co.) --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.sk/products/12684891-the-essential-marcus-aurelius-tarcher-cornerstone-editions](https://www.desertcart.sk/products/12684891-the-essential-marcus-aurelius-tarcher-cornerstone-editions) --- *Product available on Desertcart Slovakia* *Store origin: SK* *Last updated: 2026-05-24*