[Meditations].

A finely printed example of this important work of Stoic philosophy by the last of Rome's Five Good Emperors. Marcus Aurelius composed his Meditations between 170 and 180 AD as a private work, intended for his own moral guidance and self-improvement. The first definite mention of the text was made by Arethas of Caesarea in the 10th century, who sent a copy of the Emperors' '[writings] to himself' to Demetrius, Archbishop of Heracleia sometime before 907 AD. Although now lost, this edition is considered the likely source of the two extant manuscripts on which the present-day text is almost entirely based. The work survives to offer us a unique insight into the mind of a Roman emperor and 'philosopher king'. From the library of Clive Behrens (1871-1935), husband of Charlotte Evelina Rothschild (1873-1947), great-grand-daughter of Nathan Mayer Rothschild, founder of the eponymous banking dynasty. Large 8vo (24 x 17.5 cm); title printed in red and black, photographic frontispiece, bookplate to front pastedown, slightly spotted; contemporary Arts & Crafts pigskin binding, covers tooled in gilt with floral design, gilt spine in 6 compartments, top-edge gilt, others uncut, spine darkened, slightly soiled; [4], 202, [2]pp.