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| The Philosopher-King |
Known as the last of the five good emperors, Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Augustus
or just Marcus Aurelius, was a man who lived by
his awareness of his mortality to
accomplish monumental achievements in his time as emperor of the
giant that was the Roman Empire. The famous quote, 'Seize the day,'
could not be more aptly exemplified by Marcus Aurelius, with accomplishments
including: defeat of a rejuvenated Parthian Empire, success in the Marcomannic
wars against the building Germanic tribes, and quickly suppressing of a major
revolt in the eastern provinces.
However, it was his stoic philosophy that made this man iconic. The 'philosopher king' was what he was called, with a compilation of thoughts in his sought-after works, Meditations. In such writings it can be found an account of how aware this Caesar was of the shortness of his life. In one instance, Aurelius writes, "When you arise in the morning, think of what a precious privilege it is to be alive - to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love." He was noted to look down upon indulgence in the basal desires: excessive sleep, gluttony, and lust. He was a man zeroed in on the present, one to steer away from the sheep, and one aware of his own self-worth and ability.
Aurelius was a confident emperor but not one to overstep his bounds. As leader of one of, if not the greatest empire at the time, how could one not let indulgence interfere with ambition and legacy? This Roman had such a keen awareness of his own mortality that it is said that he would have a servant walk behind him, as the two would travel through Rome's town square. When the people cheered and praised him, the servant's sole duty was to whisper in the Emperor's ear, "You are only a man, you are only a man," as a reminder as to the temporary status of the world he lived in. However, it was his stoic philosophy that made this man iconic. The 'philosopher king' was what he was called, with a compilation of thoughts in his sought-after works, Meditations. In such writings it can be found an account of how aware this Caesar was of the shortness of his life. In one instance, Aurelius writes, "When you arise in the morning, think of what a precious privilege it is to be alive - to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love." He was noted to look down upon indulgence in the basal desires: excessive sleep, gluttony, and lust. He was a man zeroed in on the present, one to steer away from the sheep, and one aware of his own self-worth and ability.
If such a man with such status and power could will himself such an awareness, and in doing so, live up to be named with such an esteemed title as one of the 'Five Good Emperors' of one of the most monolithic empires in human history, than what tells us that we should ignore our own mortality in order to reach our own successes?
Bibliography
Aurelius, Marcus, and Gregory Hays, Meditations. New York: Modern Library, 2002. Print.
