Lucretius, Epictetus, Marcus Aurelius, Plotinus

by Lucretius, Epictetus, Marcus Aurelius

Robert Maynard Hutchins, Editor in Chief. Lucretius: On the Nature of Things (translated by H. A. J. Munro); The Discourses of Epictetus (translated by George Long); The Meditations of Marcus Aurelius (translated by George Long).

Genres: Philosophy

678 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1952

About the author

Titus Lucretius Carus (c. 99 BC – c. 55 BC) was a Roman poet and philosopher. His only known work is the epic philosophical poem "De Rerum Natura" about the tenets and philosophy of Epicureanism, and which is usually translated into English as On the Nature of Things.

Very little is known about Lucretius's life; the only certain fact is that he was either a friend or client of Gaius Memmius, to whom the poem was addressed and dedicated.

Reviews

[Ridgewalker · Rating 5 out of 5]

I felt a great affinity for Epictetus. His stoic philosophy fit nicely with where I am in my life just now. I like his core thought that happiness comes by not looking toward things which are out of the power of our will, by realizing that nothing is our own, and by willingly giving up all things to the Divine. I like reading philosophy like this book because it gives me answers to the problems I grapple with in my life today. It reminds me I am part of a community of men that spans the ages, and when I read a book like this I can have a conversation with them, with this Greek slave who lived two thousand years ago and be the better for it.

[Mehul Sheth]

Must have the correct translation. I started with this version, but finished with the Gregory Hays translation-so much more readable. Highly recommend, I keep this in my office and when I have 5-10 minutes will read a chapter since this isn't set up like one long continuous story. It essentially presents the same material from numerous angles, as if you are in his mind and he's trying to remind himself of his personal philosophy.

[Peter J. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was hands down the most challenging philosophical work I have read. I am happy that I completed it, but still feel like I only grasped perhaps 60%. I don't mind. It is like mowing deep grass; sometimes it takes a few passes.
There is a lot of similarity between some of Plotinus' views and some characteristics of Brahmanism or Buddhism. Yet in other aspects he is drastically different. He is extremely logic driven and never devolves to stating that your faith should be taken at his word, but rather invites you to consider certain characteristics of both yourself and the universe and presents possible theories for this.

[Darwin Ross · Rating 3 out of 5]

Loved Lucretius; tolerated Epictetus and Marcus Aurelius; endured with suffering Plotinus. Anything that truly makes sense in Plotinus could have been put into a small tract! Thank God there are smarter people than me who have been able to make sense of Plotinus and report it secondarily.