Why this project exists

maurelius is a small project I built because I wanted a more direct way to spend time with Marcus Aurelius' Meditations.

Most people first meet the book through a modern translation, often Gregory Hays. That makes the text approachable, but every translation makes choices. Sometimes the English becomes smoother, softer, or more modern than the thought underneath it.

I wanted something that could stay closer to the Greek while still being easy to talk to. Not a replacement for reading the book, and not a way to turn Marcus into a modern life coach. Just a companion that can help you ask a question, find the relevant passages, and see where the answer came from.

Meditations is not arranged like a handbook. It is Marcus writing reminders to himself, often returning to the same themes from different angles. That is part of what makes it worth reading slowly, but it also means that questions about anger, grief, duty, status, patience, or death are scattered across the whole work.

This app searches the source text, translates the passages it finds, and keeps citations visible so you can check the answer for yourself. If something feels useful, follow the citation and read the surrounding chapter. The goal is to make the original text easier to approach, not to hide it behind the AI.

You can start with a question or browse the original text. Built as a weekend project by igorgarbuz.