Epistles, Volume I: Epistles 1-65

by Seneca, Richard M. Gummere (Translator)

Overview

Meditative missives.

Seneca, Lucius Annaeus, born at Corduba (Cordova) ca. 4 BC, of a prominent and wealthy family, spent an ailing childhood and youth at Rome in an aunt’s care. He became famous in rhetoric, philosophy, money-making, and imperial service. After some disgrace during Claudius’ reign he became tutor and then, in AD 54, advising minister to Nero, some of whose worst misdeeds he did not prevent. Involved (innocently?) in a conspiracy, he killed himself by order in 65. Wealthy, he preached indifference to wealth; evader of pain and death, he preached scorn of both; and there were other contrasts between practice and principle.

We have Seneca’s philosophical or moral essays (ten of them traditionally called Dialogues)—on providence, steadfastness, the happy life, anger, leisure, tranquility, the brevity of life, gift-giving, forgiveness—and treatises on natural phenomena. Also extant are 124 epistles, in which he writes in a relaxed style about moral and ethical questions, relating them to personal experiences; a skit on the official deification of Claudius, Apocolocyntosis (in LCL 15); and nine rhetorical tragedies on ancient Greek themes. Many epistles and all his speeches are lost.

The 124 epistles are collected in Volumes IV–VI of the Loeb Classical Library’s ten-volume edition of Seneca.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780674990845
Publisher:	Harvard University Press
Publication date:	01/01/1917
Series:	Loeb Classical Library , #75
Edition description:	9th printing/1st pub.1917
Pages:	496
Sales rank:	556,609
Product dimensions:	4.25(w) x 6.38(h) x 1.00(d)
Language:	Latin

About the Author

Richard Mott Gummere (1883–1969) taught Latin at Haverford College and served as Headmaster of the William Penn Charter School in Philadelphia and Dean of Admissions at Harvard College.

Table of Contents

Introduction

Epistles

I. On Saving Time

II. On Discursiveness in Reading

III. On True and False Friendship

IV. On the Terrors of Death

V. On the Philosopher's Mean

VI. On Sharing Knowledge

VII. On Crowds

VIII. On the Philosopher's Seclusion

IX. On Philosophy and Friendship

X. On Living to Oneself

XI. On the Blush of Modesty

XII. On Old Age

XIII. On Groundless Fears

XIV. On Withdrawing from the World

XV. On Brawn and Brains

XVI. On Philosophy, the Guide of Life

XVII. On Philosophy and Riches

XVIII. On Festivals and Fasting

XIX. On Worldliness and Retirement

XX. On Practicing What You Preach

XXI. On the Renown which My Writings Will Bring You

XXII. On the Futility of Half-Way Measures

XXIII. On the True Joy which Comes from Philosophy

XXIV. On Despising Death

XXV. On Reformation

XXVI. On Old Age and Death

XXVII. On the Good which Abides

XXVIII. On Travel as a Cure for Discontent

XXIX. On the Critical Condition of Marcellinus

XXX. On Conquering the Conqueror

XXXI. On Siren Songs

XXXII. On Progress

XXXIV. On a Promising Pupil

XXXV. On the Friendship of Kindred Minds

XXXVI. On the Value of Retirement

XXXVII. On Allegiance to Virtue

XXXVIII. On Quiet Conversation

XXXIX. On Noble Aspirations

XL. On the Proper Style for a Philosopher's Discourse

XLI. On the God within Us

XLII. On Values

XLIII. On the Relativity of Fame

XLIV. On Philosophy and Pedigrees

XLV. On Sophistical Argumentation

XLVI. On a New Book by Lucilius

XLVII. On Master and Slave

XLVIII. On Quibbling as Unworthy of the Philosopher

XLIX. On the Shortness of Life

L. On Our Blindness and Its Cure

LI. On Baiae and Morals

LII. On Choosing Our Teachers

LIII. On the Faults of the Spirit

LIV. On Asthma and Death

LV. On Vatia's Villa

LVI. On Quiet and Study

LVII. On the Trials of Travel

LVIII. On Being

LIX. On Pleasure and Joy

LX. On Harmful Prayers

LXI. On Meeting Death Cheerfully

LXII. On Good Company

LXIII. On Grief for Lost Friends

LXIV. On the Philosopher's Task

LXV. On the First Cause

Index