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Welcome to the weekend edition of the Daily Stoic. Each weekday we bring you a meditation inspired by the ancient Stoic, something that can help you live up to those four

Stoic virtues of courage, justice, wisdom, and temperance. And here on the weekend we take a deeper dive into those same topics. We interview

Stoic philosophers, we reflect, we prepare, we think deeply about the challenging issues of our time. And we work through this philosophy in a way that's more possible here when we're not

rushing to work or to get the kids to school when we have the time to think to go for a walk to sit with our journals and to prepare for what the future will bring.

Hey, it's Ryan. I've got another edition of a very special episode of the Daily Stoic podcast today. I am bringing you a chapter from one of my favorite books about Stoicism.

Donald Robertson's how to think like a Roman emperor, Stoic philosophy of Marcus Aurelius, his publisher, St. Martins was kind enough to give us this excerpt. I blurred this book as I was telling you, I call it a clear guide for those facing adversity, seeking tranquility and pursuing excellence.

This is the final chapter of the book. It's really the final chapter of Marcus's life. It's chapter eight, death in the view from above. And I think nothing quite captures the tragedy, but the reality of life then, then the passing of Marcus Aurelius, he's undone by the Antonin plague.

Obviously a bit timely here as we still in the throes of the COVID-19 pandemic, you know, the Stoic's talk a lot about death. And then each of the Stoics as each and every one of us eventually will have to do had to face death and Marcus's struggle to do that with dignity, to do it with courage, to do it with acceptance was the ultimate and final test of his philosophy as it will be the ultimate and final test for each.

Marcus struggled to pass the empire on each and every one of his other errors that he had planned to put on the throne were no longer with him and that left commoness.

He struggled to try to get some advisors for commoness. He tried to continue on the packs Romana that had he'd been lucky enough to inherit and try to preserve himself.

And yet so much of this was not to be Donald is a beautiful writer to great book you really like this. So here we go, special excerpt from how to think like a Roman emperor, the Stoic, the philosophy of Marcus really spy down Robertson you get it in ebook physical digital it's a great book you really like it and excited for you to listen.

Vindabona March 17 180 AD the emperor beckons his guard to come close and whispers go to the rising sun for I am already setting.

He barely has enough strength to pronounce these words. Marcus glimps his fear in the young officer's eyes.

The guard hesitates for a moment before nodding awkwardly and returning to his post at the entrance to the imperial quarters.

Marcus pulls the sheet above his head and rolls over uncomfortably as if to go to sleep for the last time.

He can feel death beckoning him on all sides.

How easy it would be to slip into oblivion and be free from the pain and discomfort once and for all.

The pestilence is devouring his frail old body from within.

He hasn't eaten for days weakening himself by fasting.

Now as the sun goes down outside everything is very quiet. His eyelids flutter although the pain keeps him awake.

The emperor slips in and out of consciousness but he doesn't die.

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