By Metropolitan Cleopas of Sweden
The works “Meditations” by the Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius and “Know Thyself” by Saint Nectarios of Pentapolis are two autobiographical collections of reflections and life experiences written seventeen centuries apart.
Although their authors lived in completely different cultural and theological contexts, and although the works were intended for different audiences, both deal with the inner life and self-knowledge.
Studying their relationship helps highlight the convergences and divergences between Stoicism and the Orthodox tradition.
Marcus Aurelius (121–180 AD) was a Roman Emperor and one of the last representatives of the Stoic school. His work “Meditations” was written after 172 AD, at a time when he already held imperial office. It survives in twelve books—a division that was probably not made by the author himself—and was written in the Greek language.
Apart from the first book, which was written last as an introduction in order to thank his teachers and relatives, the remaining chapters consist of scattered observations and exhortations addressed to himself, without systematic organization.
The content belongs to Stoic philosophy, with a strong influence from Epictetus, and emphasizes that happiness is achieved through freedom from passions, indifference toward material possessions, and reconciliation with the natural order of the world.
The Emperor points out that the span of human life is fleeting and that concepts such as glory or fame are insignificant in comparison with inner peace.
Although it was not intended for publication, the text has been recognized as a guide for life. Aurelius wrote for himself and did not intend to teach others, yet his reflections function as guidelines of common sense. They focus on the idea that a person cannot control anything except himself and that the way one reacts to events is more important than the events themselves.
He repeatedly states that one must rise above insults and remain good toward others, just as “gold or emerald retains its color.”
Saint Nectarios Kefalas, Metropolitan of Pentapolis in Libya (1846–1920) shaped his work “Know Thyself” as a collection of religious and moral studies. It is a book of substantial self-knowledge and spiritual cultivation addressed to every Christian.
The author, following the tradition of the Philokalia Fathers, analyzes with simplicity and theological depth the passions and virtues, the inner struggles, and the possibilities of the person striving to know himself and draw near to God.
In the preface of his work, Saint Nectarios emphasizes that “deep knowledge of oneself is the primary obligation of man” and that man, created in the image of God, is destined to become like his Creator.
Without awareness of oneself, a person becomes enslaved by his passions, fills his heart with sorrow and bitterness, and remains ignorant of the truth of things. The Saint stresses that whoever ignores himself also ignores God and cannot distinguish what is trivial from what is precious.
He explains that self-knowledge is a prerequisite for the knowledge of God. Human beings possess innate moral powers and free will, but they must choose to study themselves in order to activate those powers.
He further states that the command “know thyself” was taught both by religion and philosophy. Ancient Greek philosophy, through Thales and the Oracle of Delphi, regarded self-knowledge as the beginning of every virtue, while in the Christian perspective self-knowledge leads to repentance and grace.
Let us now examine four common points between the two works:
1. Self-Referential Character – Both works contain personal reflections that were not originally written as systematic manuals. Marcus Aurelius recorded scattered thoughts and exhortations directed toward himself, without seeking publication, while Saint Nectarios gathered religious and moral studies with the aim of helping the believer examine his soul.
2. Emphasis on Self-Knowledge and the Inner Life – Both authors agree that true happiness or salvation does not depend on external events but on the inner condition of the human person.
Aurelius sees freedom from passions and indifference toward material possessions as the path to inner peace, while Saint Nectarios considers self-knowledge essential for turning toward God and healing the soul. Both reject attachment to fame and wealth.
Aurelius writes that glory is uncertain and of little value, while Saint Nectarios points out that whoever does not know himself wastes his life on vain and insignificant matters.
3. Analysis of Passions and Virtues – Both studies describe human passions with precision. Aurelius believes that passions and intense emotions (pleasure, pain) hinder happiness and urges people to remain good toward others even when insulted.
Saint Nectarios, pursuing the same goal of healing the soul, analyzes passions and virtues with theological depth. In the chapters of his book, he demonstrates how every passion (such as envy) corrupts the soul and leads to spiritual death, using vivid imagery and citing Patristic sayings.
4. Language and Greek Heritage – Both works were written in Greek and draw elements from the ancient Greek tradition. Aurelius used the language of the educated Romans.
Saint Nectarios adopts the ancient maxim “know thyself” and acknowledges that Greek philosophy first taught this principle, which he integrates into Orthodox theology.
Here are four major differences between the two studies:
1. Worldview and Theology – The most significant difference lies in the background of the authors. Marcus Aurelius expresses Stoic ideas. He believes that the world is governed by a harmony (the Logos) and that man must live in accordance with nature, calmly accepting whatever happens to him. He does not believe in life after death and regards death as the natural dissolution of the elements.
Saint Nectarios, by contrast, writes as an Orthodox hierarch and theologian. He sees man as a creation of God who must cooperate with Divine Grace in order to become “in the likeness” of his Creator. Self-knowledge is a prerequisite for the knowledge of God and salvation; it leads to repentance, participation in the sacraments of the Church, and hope for eternal life.
2. Purpose and Audience – “Meditations” consists of the personal notes of an Emperor seeking philosophical consolation. It reflects the silent struggle of a leader with his passions and with the fear of death.
By contrast, “Know Thyself” is instructional. Saint Nectarios aims to guide the faithful toward self-knowledge and the cultivation of virtues. It is divided into religious and moral studies, theologically developing the three theological virtues (faith, hope, and love), and is addressed both to monastics and to laypeople.
3. The Contribution of Grace and Human Will – For Aurelius, a person achieves inner peace through personal effort, cultivating reason and detachment; Stoicism makes no reference to the grace of God.
Saint Nectarios, however, emphasizes that although human beings possess moral powers and free will, they also need divine assistance. Self-knowledge must be combined with prayer, sacramental life, and love in order to lead to theosis.
4. Attitude Toward Passions and Insults – Aurelius advises people to face insults without anger and to preserve their character intact, because only the self is under one’s control.
For Saint Nectarios, passions (jealousy, greed, envy, and so forth) are illnesses of the soul with serious consequences, since they distance a person from God. In each chapter, he describes the nature of every passion, its consequences, and its cure through repentance, humility, and the virtues.
Saint Nectarios of Pentapolis and the Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius never met historically. They lived in different worlds and expressed different worldviews.
Nevertheless, their works “Meditations” and “Know Thyself” share a common axis; the struggle of the human person to know himself, control his passions, and discover true happiness.
Aurelius proposes a Stoic path in which happiness is found through reconciliation with nature and inner detachment. Saint Nectarios, grounded in Orthodox theology and the Philokalia tradition, teaches that self-knowledge is the beginning of repentance and union with God.
Their relationship is therefore ideological rather than historical. They are two spiritual guides who remind us that the path toward truth passes through our inner life.
