Rare first edition in English
London: printed by M. Flesher, for Richard Mynne, 1634.
The first direct English translation of Aurelius' Meditations.
Marcus Aurelius Meditations is the cornerstone text of Stoic thought, penned by the Roman Emperor as a series of personal reflections and ethical guidelines. Composed during military campaigns in the latter part of his reign from 170 to 180 A.D., these entries articulate Aurelius' pursuit of self-improvement and moral philosophy. Through its passages, he explores the transient nature of life, advocates for living in harmony with reason and the natural world, and underscores the value of meeting adversity with resilience and ethical consistency.
Issue points
Typesetting results in an extra page in main text (210 pages to 1635's 209).
Oo1r line 22, "nothing," ("noting" in 1635).
Oo2r, line 22, "coloureth," ("coloured" in 1635), line 31, "peecs," ("peeces" in 1635).
"Some Cursory Notes," is shorter than 1635, ending here with "Remember that thy mind, &c," with the text the same (barring minor typographical changes), through "That which M. Basill doth elegantly call της ανθολικῆς ἀκολείαν, is much to the same purpose."
Housed in custom quarter Morocco over blue marbled board clamshell case.
[14], 1-27, 1-210, 1-45. [A1 unsigned, A2 title page]-A4, B2, C-P4, with folding plate of Roman pottery.