The Meditations has long been revered as a cornerstone of Stoic philosophy. However, because it was his personal journal, its prose is dense and unorganized. This unique edition reorganizes Aurelius' wisdom thematically across twelve Stoic principles — from courage to memento mori — and pairs each one with provocative, bold artwork. It’s a great gift for anyone new to Stoicism or seeking a fresh perspective on this foundational classic.
THE TRANSLATION
To strike a balance between simplicity and scope, we opted to use a careful combination of Farquharson and Long, with a few judicious edits for clarity. The resulting text retains the poetry of the original without losing its punch and immediacy.
DETAILS
Obvious State is a creative studio and publisher founded by Nichole and Evan Robertson in 2011.
We make bold, illustrated editions and fine art drawn from the classics.
Our books and prints are available in our shop and in bookstores and boutiques nationwide.
Our work has been featured at The Folger Shakespeare Library, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, The American Writers Museum, The Emily Dickinson Museum, The Library of Congress, The Getty Museum, The Museum of Contemporary Art and more.
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Provocative visuals paired with punctuated language, full of surprising visual metaphors, subtext, and insider nudges that reveal themselves slowly.
Our pocket editions are portable art objects made to collect, share, and inspire moments of quiet reflection in an overstimulated digital world.
We’re drawn to language that has stood the test of time, insights that strike a chord, poetry that stretches the imagination, and philosophy that prompts critical thinking.
