The limits of Stoicism in Marcus Aurelius

Within the book Ta eis heauton of the Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius (121–180 AD) a distinct tendency towards a negative self-image is discerned. This tendency is termed the condition Aurélienne: a never ending striving towards goodness while at the same time experiencing a profound sense of failure. The thesis tries to stablish whether this is due to the personal circumstances and limitations of Marcus Aurelius or whether it is due to his preferred stoic philosophy. A close reading of the text reveals that Marcus’ peculiar use of stoic doctrines for selfreflection sets him apart from other known stoics of his age. This shows that stoicism in practice has only two possible effects: hypocrisy or the condition Aurélienne. Within the context of stoicism therefore, the self as a personal guide for action proves to be ineffective.