It seems like it would be exciting. And glamorous. And intoxicating.
But you know, Marcus Aurelius did not want to be king. He dreaded it. We fictionalize this story slightly in our fable The Boy Who Would Be King (we're celebrating the book's fifth anniversary this month—you can get your signed copy here), but it's true. Marcus Aurelius supposedly wept when he found out he would be emperor…because he knew how many bad kings there had been in history (also, more sweetly, since he was just a boy, he did not want to move out of his mother's house).
It's perfectly reasonable that Marcus Aurelius doubted whether he could do so difficult a job, doubted whether he could make it through with his virtue and values intact. In fact, this is probably why he did make for a good emperor, because he was worried about these things.
It is rational to be wary of power—it's also rational to be wary of people who are not. It's reasonable to want to live a quieter life. It's a sign of character not to be tantalized by the trappings of fame or wealth.
But power doesn't wait for the perfect person to raise their hand. Someone will wield it. Someone always does.
So while it's admirable to step away from the spotlight, the harder challenge comes when responsibility comes looking for you…to accept it, like Marcus did, and to worry about keeping your virtue and values intact. And then to fight, as he did, "to be the person philosophy tried to make him." To be the leader who doesn't want to be king, but who is willing to serve when duty calls.
P.S. As we mentioned, we're celebrating the five-year publishing anniversary of The Boy Who Would Be King (great for kids) this month. It's about the journey of a young boy who was chosen as the next emperor and, by training himself through philosophy, would go on to become one of the wisest and most virtuous leaders in history, much like Marcus Aurelius.
The parable is meant to explore what can happen when life calls us to something—do we rise to the challenge and achieve the greatness within us?
You can enjoy reading this fable with your children or grandchildren while learning about history—and some important lessons—at the same time.
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