How Meditations drew on The Republic
A documented line of influence: Marcus Aurelius demonstrably engaged Plato’s work. The commentary below is Gröblé’s, verbatim from each work’s page.
The source
The Republic
Plato · c. 375 BCE
Ancient GreeceThe influenced
Meditations
Marcus Aurelius · c. 175
Ancient RomeRelevance
6/10
On Meditations’s page
- Marcus Aurelius cites The Republic by name in Meditations 9.29 — the philosopher-king reading the philosopher
- He summons Plato's ideal state precisely to renounce it: "do not expect Plato's Republic"
- Knowing what Plato built — a city ordered by reason and justice — sharpens the resignation of an emperor who governed Rome instead
On The Republic’s page
- The ideal city the Roman emperor measured his own against — and let go of
- Marcus Aurelius names The Republic outright: "do not expect Plato's Republic, but be content if the smallest thing goes on well"
- Plato's perfect commonwealth becomes the impossible standard Marcus invokes only to set aside, so he can act in the imperfect empire he actually ruled