Marcus Aurelius, one of Machiavelli's Five Good Emperors, was the last of the great Stoic philosophers, standing tall in the company of Diogenes, Cicero, and Epictetus. Unknown to many, his literary-philosophical magnum opus was originally written solely for his own guidance and self-improvement. Only posthumously did it come to be circulated, and was then quickly recognized as a laudable handbook of Stoic philosophy and spirituality, eventually receiving the title Meditations. This edition has been faithfully restored to the standards of Professor George Long's venerable 1862 translation, and features his extensive commentary for the benefit of the reader.