EP 70 — The Gods in Marcus Aurelius’ Meditations

The great Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius kept a private diary during his endless military campaigns against the empire’s invaders. A new translation of this important text is now out and prominently features the Greek gods. 

Transcript

PODCAST #70 — The Gods in Marcus Aurelius' Meditations

Welcome to episode 70! Today, we examine how the writings of the famous Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius, from the 2nd century AD, reflect his belief in the Greek gods. Called Meditations, the 2026 translation by Aaron Poochigian offers a fresh take on the ancient text.

Is the book good? Yes. Unlike many earlier versions, it is accessible and feels like an intimate, discovered diary—personal, profound, and mentor-like in its guidance. I was so impressed that I knew one of our episodes had to be based on this new translation. 

I’ve always been drawn to Marcus Aurelius. For those of you who have read any of my novels on the Greek gods, you know that each begins with his matter-of-fact statement,

To those who insist, "Where have you ever seen the gods, and how can you be assured of their existence that you worship them in this way”? My answer is, for one thing, they are perfectly visible to the eye.

By the way, if you think Meditations is an obscure book, global annual sales in recent years are estimated to be in the hundreds of thousands. Poochigian's version is one of the best.

But first, who was Marcus Aurelius? He was one of Rome's most revered emperors. Born in Rome in 121 AD to a prominent family, he ruled from 161 to 180 AD. Adopted by Emperor Antoninus Pius as his successor, Marcus Aurelius was groomed for leadership from a young age, receiving an elite education in rhetoric, philosophy, and governance. He co-ruled initially with his adoptive brother Lucius Verus, until Verus's death in 169, then governed alone amid relentless challenges: brutal wars against Parthian invaders and Germanic tribes along the Danube frontier, a devastating plague that ravaged the empire and internal rebellions. 

Despite these trials, Marcus Aurelius is remembered as the last of the "Five Good Emperors," a period of relative peace and prosperity for Rome. He died in 180 AD, likely from illness contracted during one of his military campaigns. He was succeeded by his son Commodus, whose reign marked the beginning of Rome's long decline.

Commodus, ruling from 180-192 AD, abandoned his father’s Stoic principles, indulging in personal excesses such as gladiatorial combats in which he portrayed himself as Hercules, often rigging fights for glory. His reign was marked by paranoia, with him executing senators and family members on a whim, leading to widespread corruption and economic decline. He was assassinated in his twelfth year as emperor.

I should mention that Stoicism, which Commodus despised, was an ancient Greek philosophy that co-existed with worship of the Olympic gods. It emphasized living in harmony with nature and reason. Core principles included focusing on what you can control (such as your thoughts and actions) while accepting what you cannot (such as external events and fate). 

As translator Aaron Poochigian writes in his introduction to Meditations, Marcus Aurelius’  personal reflections were often scribbled in his tent amid the chaos of warfare. The emperor didn't intend them for publication. He wrote them as a form of self-examination and moral guidance.

Poochigian emphasizes that, "interwoven with his Stoicism, was a profound devotion to the Greek gods, whom he viewed not as distant myths but as embodiments of cosmic order.” Marcus Aurelius saw the universe as governed by a rational divine logos (that is, by reason), and he frequently invoked gods such as Zeus for guidance. By the way, the Stoic use of the word Logos differs from the Christian interpretation.

Poochigian notes that Marcus Aurelius “manifested his piety in daily rituals, temple dedications, and a belief that human duty aligned with divine will—enduring hardships as tests from the gods to build character. This blend of Stoic rationalism and religious reverence made him a model of enlightened rule, inspiring thinkers from Renaissance humanists to modern leaders seeking wisdom in turbulent times.” For Marcus Aurelius, the ability to reason makes us self-aware and, ideally, links us to the gods.

The translator also fills in some blanks, noting that Stoics generally saw traditional Greco-Roman polytheism as compatible with their beliefs. They understood Zeus and the other gods to be manifestations and aspects of Nature and the Logos. The great Stoic authority Chrysippus identifies the cosmic order with a single male God: “the universe is itself God.” Stoic writers regularly refer to this god as “Zeus.” The poet Aratus exclaims, “Our roads and markets are all full of Zeus. Zeus fills our ports and fills the seas.” Marcus Aurelius, in turn, calls the whole universe “the city of Zeus.”

Remember that as you listen to the rest of the podcast, Marcus Aurelius refers to Zeus as God. He also refers to “the gods”, but rarely mentions them by name.

Though Marcus Aurelius rejects demonic possession as superstition, he does believe that the gods communicate with us through dreams and oracles. He also believes that they reveal themselves in our experiences and help us answer our prayers. He asserts unequivocally that the gods care about human affairs.

But before we hear selections from the Meditations …

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Now, back to our podcast! 

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Imagine you are sitting quietly near Marcus Aurelius in his field tent, with his troops surrounding you, resting from battle. The day has been long, and he has received reports from his officers and assessed battle conditions. He questions events, his decisions and his reactions, and writes about them in his journal. He was a military commander for all of his reign, and by the end of the campaigns, his Meditations would fill 12 volumes.

You hear him talk to himself. There’s a constant focus on the Greek gods. He writes in Greek, and in his mind, the gods are always at his shoulder, watching, judging, and advising him as he makes life-or-death decisions.

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In Book 2, Section 4, he writes,

Remember how long you have been procrastinating and how often the gods have pushed back the deadline, and yet you never made use of the time. It is time now to learn what world you are a part of, who governs that world, and how you fit in as an offshoot of it. Accept that your time is limited. If you do not use it to turn your hazy days into sunny skies, it will be up and gone (like you), and it won’t come back.

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In Book 2, Section 11 …

The gods do exist and do care about human affairs. They have given us everything we need to extricate ourselves from all that is truly bad in our relations. If there is anything bad beyond that, the gods would have given us the capacity to extricate ourselves from that as well. If something cannot harm a man, how could it damage his life in any way?

There is no chance that Nature (taken as a whole) would have failed to provide for such situations, either because it was unaware of them or because it knew of them but lacked the power to prevent or amend them. Nor would it ever, through inadequacy or incompetence, make so great a blunder that good and bad things would indiscriminately befall good people and bad people alike. Death and life, celebrity and stigma, pain and pleasure, wealth and want—all these things happen to both good and bad people, so they are neither beautiful nor ugly and neither good nor bad.

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In Book 2, Section 6 …

If you can’t find anything better than the divinity stationed within you to rule your urges, interrogate your thoughts, “drag you away,” as Socrates used to say, from sensory perceptions, teach you your position under the gods, and push you to help your fellow humans—that is, if you find nothing other than the god inside you consequential and worthwhile, don’t make room in your life for anything else.

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In Book 3, Section 13 …

Just as a doctor keeps his scalpels and other gear on hand in an emergency, you should always have your principles with you so that you can accurately dissect what belongs to the gods and what belongs to man. Focus on those last two things, and you will end up performing every action, even the most inconsequential one, with proper respect for the human and the divine and the bond between them. One can only do what’s human correctly if one compares it to what’s divine, and vice versa.

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In Book 4, Section 47 …

 If a god told you that you would die tomorrow or, if not then, the next day for sure, you would have to be an extremely vulgar person to make a big deal out of getting that one extra day. The difference is insignificant, just as insignificant as the difference between “living to a ripe old age” and dying tomorrow.

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In Book 5, Section 10 …

I must find peace in these two principles alone:

All that will happen to me will be in accordance with Nature, and

I have the power to act always in obedience to God and my guiding spirit, and no one can ever make me do otherwise.

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In Book 5, Section 27 …

“Live in harmony with the gods.” A man is doing just that so long as he can keep showing them his soul is at peace with his destiny. Remember that Zeus has given each of us a bit of himself, a guiding spirit, to be our scout and chaperone. It is made of mind, and the Logos, and you should do whatever it asks.

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In Book 6, Section 16 …

A man who covets objects can only ever be a muddle. Still worse, he faults the gods when he can’t acquire them. If you could just come to respect and value your mind, you would be both satisfied with yourself and living harmoniously with your fellow human citizens and the gods. You would, in fact, be using your time to exalt what the gods bestow and arrange.

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In Book 6, Section 23 …

When dealing with animals and their non-rational activities and instincts, remember you have reason, and they do not. Be magnanimous and generous to them.

When dealing with human beings, who do have reason, treat them as fellow members of the human commonwealth.

 As for the gods: Call on them by name as you do whatever you are doing. The amount of time you spend behaving in these ways, though, doesn’t really matter. Even, say, three hours lived in this manner would be enough.

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In Book 6, Section 43 …

Does the sun try to do the work of the rain? Does Asclepius do the work of Ceres, goddess of wheat fields? Think of a single star. Though it is unique, it still works with the other stars toward the greater astral goal, doesn’t it?

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In Book 6, Section 44 …

If the gods have created a plan for me that includes everything I must experience in my life, then that plan is what’s best for me. It’s difficult, in fact, even to imagine a god without foresight. And as for the gods causing harm to me—what benefit could such harm possibly bring to them and to the greater good, which is their focus?

If the gods haven’t made a personal plan for me, they certainly have made one that furthers the shared interests of human beings in general. In that case, my duty would be to welcome and love everything that occurs as an effect that leads back to them as a first cause.

If the gods haven’t made any plans at all (a sacrilegious hypothesis), we shouldn’t offer sacrifices to them, pray to them, or invoke them as witnesses to our contracts. We do those things because we assume they are present in this world and help us live our lives.

Even if the gods don’t have any plans at all for us humans, I can still make plans for myself and keep looking out for what’s beneficial. I know that what’s beneficial to human beings is acting in accordance with our physical makeup and nature. 

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In Book 8, Section 2 …

Before you start doing any action, ask yourself the following questions:

“How does it pertain to me as an individual?” “Will I end up regretting having done it?”

Then go on: “I will be dead any moment now, and then nothing more. What more could I want from life than to do the work at hand as a being who is intelligent, concerned with serving the human commonwealth, and living by the laws the gods propound?”

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In Book 8, Section 19 …

Every single thing—every horse, for instance, or grapevine—exists for a reason. Why is that fact still surprising to you? Helios himself would say, “I exist for a reason,” and so would the other gods. You exist for a reason, too. What is it? Pleasure-seeking? Check in and find out if the intellect in you will permit that occupation.

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In Book 8, Section 23 …

Am I doing something? Then what I am doing should be good for humanity in general. Am I experiencing something? I should accept it because it has come from the gods, from the power that weaves everything together.

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In Book 9, Section 11 …

Show them where they went wrong if you can. If you can’t, remember that kindness was given to you for just such situations. The gods are kind to the wrong. They are so very benevolent that they even help them attain health, wealth, and glory. You could be like the gods in this.

What’s stopping you?

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In Book 9, Section 27 …

When someone is faulting you or reviling you, or when people in general are calling you out, delve into their souls and keep burrowing until you find out what sort of people they are. You’ll learn that it’s not worth contorting yourself to get them to hold a higher opinion of you. Still, you must feel goodwill toward them. They are friends and family insomuch as you all share the same human nature. The gods themselves, in fact, are using various means, including dream omens and prophecies, to help those people achieve their heart’s desire.

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In Book 9, Section 40 …

The gods either have the power to act, or they don’t. If they don’t, why bother praying to them? If they do, why don’t you entreat them in prayer to grant you the ability to be fearless in the face of your fears, passionless in the face of your desires, and insensate when you meet with what can be painful? That’s better than praying for things you want to come to you or for things you don't want to stay away from you. If the gods can help us humans, they surely can help us acquire abilities.

You will perhaps object:

But the gods put the acquisition of those abilities wholly in my own power.

Fine. Wouldn’t it be better then if you got to work on what’s in your power, like a free man, instead of grasping at what’s beyond it, like a despicable slave? Besides, who told you that the gods don’t assist us with what’s in our power? Start praying for that assistance, and you’ll see what comes of it.

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In Book 10, Section 8 …

When you’re trying to keep clear in your mind what the words for the virtues mean, it’s helpful to think of the gods as well. They have no interest in being flattered by us. What they want is for rational beings like you to become like them. In the same way as they want fig trees to do the work of fig trees, dogs to do the work of dogs, and bees to do the work of bees, they want human beings to be busy about their proper human work.

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In Book 12, Section 5 …

The gods have arranged everything in a way that is good for and beneficial to humankind. How then could they have failed to bring to pass the resurrection, instead of the complete extinguishment, of certain special men, very good men, who had the most commerce, so to speak, with divinity and became most intimate with it through devotional rites and observances?

Well, if it’s even true that such men are extinguished, you can be sure that it is so because the gods didn’t feel the need for it to be otherwise. If it were just for those men to return, it would be possible for them to do so. If it were in accordance with Nature, Nature would have brought them back. From the fact that they have been extinguished (if they even have been), you can rest assured that it had to be so.

You should be able to see for yourself that, by asking thatpresumptuous question, you have leveled a charge against the gods. We would not be asking them to justify themselves if we did not expect them to be fully good and just. Since they are, they would never unjustly and irrationally neglect something by leaving it out of their arrangement of the universe.

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In Book 12, Section 31 …

What are you after? Do you want to keep breathing? To keep perceiving? To keep feeling urges? To increase your bulk? To stop expanding? To go on using your voice? To go on thinking? Does any of that strike you as truly worth wanting?

Such things are easily dismissed. Now take the final step and serve God and the Logos. Know that you are clashing with both of them if you value any of those things noted above and if you resent the fact that death will deprive you of them.

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And our final quote is Section 35 near the end of the last book. The year may have been 180 AD. Marcus was 59 and likely caught the Antonine plague, a smallpox-like pandemic that swept the empire. In his next-to-last meditation, he wrote,

To a person who sees everything that arrives in its due season as good, doesn’t fret about the exact number of deeds he has done in accordance with the Logos, and doesn’t care how long he gets to be here looking at the universe, death is not a big deal.

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Perhaps you were sitting near his field desk and witnessing his final entry. You would have seen a confident, fully formed human being living in harmony with Nature, the Logos and God. Neither of you would suspect that his journals would become a worldwide guide to living well.

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AT THE END OF THESE EPISODES, I ALWAYS SAY, JOIN ME ... FOR ANOTHER EPISODE OF GARNER'S GREEK MYTHOLOGY. 

Before I close, let me remind you about a book for the younger members of your household. The Whoosh! Book, Six Magical Bedtime Stories, even has pictures to color! As with all my books, you can find it on Amazon.

For more information, visit PATRICK GARNER BOOKS DOT COM. The website is packed with info about the Greek gods, Aegis Press books and these podcasts.

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