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/lit/ - Literature

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8880313 No.8880313 [Reply] [Original]

I'm really getting into Stoicism recently but I'm struggling with Meditations.

I'm not used to the antiquated writing style. I've tried a couple of translations but both were pretty much the same. Its hard to take in what Aurelius is saying, I'm constantly having to re-read everything to try and make sense of the structure and googling words (even though my vocab is pretty good in general)

Any tips for training myself to understand Meditations more clearly? Or any other antiquated works for that matter

>> No.8880320

Like with any other type of training, take it slow at first and reflect on what he says to understand it. It may seem tedious at first, but you learn to do it faster.

>> No.8880327

>>8880320

But is there a knack to reading the long paragraphs. With modern literature, you get used to short sentences, broken up by full stops.

I don't understand the punctuation style used

>> No.8880337

>>8880327
The style it is written in is more conversational than modern literary prose. Pretend they are instructions given to you by an authority figure.

>> No.8880390
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8880390

>>8880313
Have you tried pic related? I switched to it after I experienced the same struggling you're talking about and this one was way easier to read and understand.

>> No.8880398

>>8880390
>>8880313
I would recommend the same thing OP. I'm a tard and I've been able to get through the penguin version with not much trouble at all.

>> No.8880409

>>8880390
>>8880398

Cool, will pick up a copy. I've been reading Kindle versions

>> No.8880863
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8880863

>>8880313
/r/stoicism has some really intellectual and enlightening conversations

The key to reading meditations is learning greek and not being a fucking brainlet.

>>8880409
>kindle version
All checks out

>> No.8880871

>>8880313

Read it in Latin

>> No.8880878
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8880878

>>8880871
>Read it in Latin
I can't tell if I hate you or OP more

>> No.8880883

>>8880313
Watch cuck porn

>> No.8880887
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8880887

>>8880871
>Read it in Latin

>> No.8881329

>>8880313
Stoicism is for retards who want to delude themselves into being subservient to abstractions that are not based in reality. The reason you are struggling with Meditations is that you have a functioning brain.

>> No.8881369

>>8881329
edgy

>> No.8881384

>>8881369
Not an argument.

>> No.8881390

>>8880313

stoicism is a spook

>> No.8881404

Stoicism advocates abortions and the killing of little children. Stay away

>> No.8881656

>>8880313
>Any tips for training myself to understand Meditations more clearly?

Start with the Greeks. No, seriously, this is exactly what the Greeks help with. If you haven't read much nonfiction, especially from the ancient world, the Greeks are how you settle into that kind of style, subject matter, pacing, etc.