A: Marcus mentions "gods" but also discusses "atoms" (Epicureanism). The Hays translation clarifies that you can be an atheist and still use 95% of the book. It is about logic and virtue, not dogma.
If you are looking for a modern reading experience similar to Hays but want a different perspective: : Experts often recommend Robin Waterfield’s Annotated Edition Meditations Marcus Aurelius Gregory Hays Free Pdf
Meditations is a personal journal written by Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius (121–180 AD). It is arguably the most influential text on Stoic philosophy available today. The Gregory Hays translation, published in 2002, is widely regarded as the most accessible and modern English rendition, distinguished by its contemporary language and fluid readability. While public domain versions are widely available for free, the Hays translation is a copyrighted work, meaning "free PDFs" found online are often unauthorized distributions. A: Marcus mentions "gods" but also discusses "atoms"