Translations of the Meditations of Marcus Aurelius

There are many translations of the Meditations of Marcus Aurelius.  It is important, I think, to know what you are getting when you get a copy of the Meditations for your study.  I think if you are reading Marcus Aurelius for the first time you should consider getting the best translation, which is by Maxwell Staniforth (1964) on Amazon here.  Here is the opening line from the Staniforth translation.  "Courtesy and serenity of temper I first learnt to know from  my grandfather Versus."  This version is not in the public domain so you need to buy a copy of the book.  The book is out of print, so when you buy it on the used book market there is a chance your seller will mess up and send you another book from Penguin Classics, but you don't want that translation because it is flat and lifeless.  You should get the 1964 version from Maxwell Staniforth.  Here is a photo of the book cover.

The book is isbn 0140441409.  There a second entry for the 1964 book on Amazon.  It is odd that there are two entries for the same book on Amazon, but Amazon is not perfect.  You want the out-of-print Penguin edition because the new translation (2002) that is in-print is awful.

Here are other versions of this first verse from the Meditations.

"Of my grandfather Versus I have learned to be gentle and meek, and to refrain from all anger and passion."  Translator:  Meric Casaubon in 1634.  This is available online at Project Gutenberg as the Meditations.

"From my grandfather Versus I learned to relish the beauty of manners, and to restrain all anger." Translator:  Francis Hutcheson (1742).  Online link.

"From my grandfather Versus I learned good morals and the government of my temper."
Translated by George Long (1862).  A Dover Thrift edition available online here.  I do like the Dover Thrift edition.  This is also available online from Project Gutenberg as THE THOUGHTS OF MARCUS AURELIUS ANTONINUS.  Yes, there are two versions of the Meditations at Project Gutenberg.

"From my Grandfather Versus, a kindly disposition and sweetness of temper."  Translated by C. R. Haines 1915.  You can briefly view an online copy here.  The Haines translation can be purchased as a book here.

Now you can select the version of the Meditations you like best. Enjoy your reading!

Robert

Good Acapella Gospel Singing

I want to mention a couple of great acapella gospel albums.  One is Anywhere Is Home by Jean Redpath and Lisa Neustadt.  Here is the list of songs on the album.
1. Turn Your Radio On
2. Just As the Evening Sun
3. Precious Lord
4. Standing on the Promises
5. Now My Dear Companions
6. Life's Railway to Heaven
7. Jesus Hold My Hand
8. If You Believe
9. Let the Lower Lights Be Burning
10. Anywhere Is Home
11. Oh, He's Taken My Feet
12. When Morning Comes
13. Grey Funnel Line
14. Run Come See Jerusalem
15. Sailor's Prayer
16. Near the Cross
17. Face to Face

I was not familiar with #9 Let the Lower Lights Be Burning and #14 Run Come See Jerusalem until I purchased this album and I like them very much.  This album has song samples on Amazon.  The liner notes are very nice.  They include comments on the songs and all the lyrics.  Comments on songs #2 and 3 say that some songs are from an old hymnal, Awakening Glory, owned once by Davis Hammel, a circuit rider preacher in Oklahoma's past.  These are certainly old time gospel songs.  They are largely acapella, but there is occasionally some light instrumentation.

When you read the lyrics to Run Come See Jerusalem you see the song describes the shipwreck of the Pretoria, a ship that went down in the Great Lakes.  Here is a URL to a discussion on this song:  http://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=67533.  It seems to me that Run Come See Jerusalem is more a folk song than a gospel song.  The singers are more folk singers than gospel singers through their careers.

Here is an article about Jean Redpath and here is an article about Lisa Neustadt.  The article about Neustadt mentions she was a child when her family fled Nazi Germany in the 1930's to escape the persecution of the Jews.  We in America have forgotten  that millions of Jews were murdered by the Nazis.  In Treblinka alone 800,000 men, women, and children were systematically killed by Germans, the best educated people in Europe.  I believe it is by the transforming power of the Holy Spirit that people can resist the temptation to do evil.  Gospel music is more than entertainment, it is an inspiration to lead Godly lives.

Another album of theirs is Angels Hovering Round.  Here are the songs on this album.
1. Where the Soul of Man Never Dies
2. Land Where We'll Never Grow Old
3. There Are Angels Hovering 'Round
4. Dry Bones
5. Lighthouse
6. Precious Memories
7. This World Is Not My Home
8. Angel Band
9. Harbour Bells
10. Down on My Knees
11. Jesus, Won't You Come By Here?
12. Give Me Your Hand
13. Have Thine Own Way

Both singers are dead.  Enjoy their songs while their albums are still available.

Robert