Cengiz Rusan

Period 4

11/18/16

Humanities

Marcus Aurelius, who was once an emperor of Rome, wrote a book to himself about how to go about

in life as well as deal with death. The book is called Meditations Aurelius wrote it also to tell his

future self how to take control of his life and change it for the better. Aurelius talks about the Three Stoic

Disciplines, Action, Perception, and Will, as much as death. Marcus Aurelius embraced the idea of death

due to the fact of him knowing it was inevitable for everyone from the Stoic Disciplines.

Aurelius realized that there are only three ways to go on with life in Stoicism. i. To keep on living.

(you should be used to it by now) ii. To end it. (it was your choice, after all) iii. To die (having met your

obligations.) (10.22) Marcus made a choice on living based off of those three choices and stuck with it.

If he had not stuck with it, he would have two remaining choices. Those are the only options. Reason

for optimism. (10.22) If someone does not like their life, they must change it for the better. Aurelius

says if someone cannot get their life back on track, they should end their life. ...or leave life altogether,

not in anger, but matter-of-factly, straightforwardly, without arrogance, in the knowledge you've at least

done that much with your life. (10.9) Aurelius was not afraid to face death like other people were.

Aurelius believed that everything someone goes through in life is able to be dealt with. Everything

that happens is endurable or not. If it's endurable then endure it. If it's unendurable. then stop

complaining. Your destruction will mean it's end as well. (10.3) Aurelius believed everyone should go

through a situation knowing beforehand that they must be able to deal with it. If it is not able to be dealt

with. They must kill themselves. Without a person to deal with the problem or situation in their life, the

problem or situation cannot exist if they are dead.

 Aurelius believed that death can and is a solution to problems in life. If he could not deal with what

life threw at him, he would have committed suicide. That did not happen, instead, he kept his life on

track while he was alive. If he had not, he would have been dead. at least you've done that much with

your life. (10.9)

Aurelius knew death was one hint guaranteed in life. He embraced death, and did not try to put death

off. He believed that if he didn't have a purpose in life, he should just die.