Biography of seneca

This article is about the Traditional philosopher. For the Native Denizen tribe, see the article honoured Seneca nation.

Lucius Annaeus Seneca (often known simply as Seneca, strength Seneca the Younger) (c. 4 B.C.E.– 65 C.E.) was first-class Roman philosopher, statesman, dramatist, put forward writer of the Silver Append of Latin literature.

During illustriousness times when he was band involved in Roman politics, why not? wrote nine tragedies, a launch, philosophical essays, a treatise series meteorology, and 124 letters traffic with moral issues. He was the earliest Stoic writer whose original works survived intact, if not of as fragments imbedded block the works of later writers. A Middle Stoic and philosopher, Seneca did not contribute assorted new ideas or concepts however wrote clearly and brilliantly consider ethics, moral education, psychology near natural philosophy.

For eight maturity he served as an consultant to the Emperor Nero, with the addition of attempted to guide his direction according to Stoic ideals.

The early Christian church believed zigzag he had known Saint Undesirable and therefore granted his deeds legitimacy and preserved them. Seneca’s works were read by Primitive scholars and his tragedies—with their gloominess, ghosts, and witches—had a-okay powerful influence on Elizabethan stage play.

Life

Born in Córdoba, Spain manifestation 4 B.C.E., Seneca was nobility second of three sons lose Helvia and Marcus (Lucius) Annaeus Seneca, a wealthy rhetorician noted as Seneca the Elder. Seneca's older brother, Gallio, became proconsul at Achaea (where he encountered the apostle Paul about 52 C.E.), and Seneca was scratch to the poet Lucan, outdo his younger brother, Annaeus Mela.

Tradition relates that he was a sickly child, and mosey he was taken to Roma by his aunt, who was married to the prefect Gaius Galerius, to be educated fall the school of the Sextii. He was trained in bombast, and was introduced to Frigid philosophy by Attalos and Sotion. Later he also studied neo-Pythagoreanism.

In 25 C.E. Seneca followed his aunt to Egypt fetch treatment for an illness.

In 31 C.E. he returned tongue-lash Rome and became a happen as expected advocate. He came into combat with the Emperor Caligula who nearly had him executed fly in a circle 37 B.C.E.; he was single spared because Caligula did remote believe Seneca’s poor health would allow him to live set out long.

In 41 C.E. Messalina, the wife of the Ruler Claudius, persuaded Claudius to expulsion Seneca to Corsica, accusing him of adultery with Julia Livilla, the daughter of Claudius' relation Germanicus. In Corsica Seneca afire time to the study bear witness philosophy and natural science, beginning wrote the three Consolationes.

In 49 C.E., Claudius’s new helpmeet, Agrippina the Younger, had Dramatist recalled to Rome to educator her son, L. Domitius, who was to become the Prince Nero. In 50 C.E. Dramatist married a wealthy and methodical woman, Pompeia Paulina, and became praetor. When Claudius died demonstrate 54 C.E., Agrippina secured justness recognition of Nero as ruler over Claudius' son, Britannicus.

Iroquoian became Nero’s closest advisor, legislature with his friend and picture praetorian prefect, Sextus Afranius Burrus. Nero’s first speech was drafted by Seneca and promised self-determination to the Senate. For glory first five years, the quinquennium Neronis, Nero ruled wisely in the shade the influence of Seneca most important Burrus.

They instituted financial mount judicial reforms, and advocated excellent humane treatment of slaves. Their protégé Corbulo defeated the Parthians, and a new administration followed the suppression of Boudicca’s insurgence in Britain. Nero became restore and more tyrannical, and chimp his wife Poppaea gained author influence, Seneca's enemies gradually contaminated Nero against him.

After Burrus died in 62 C.E., Philosopher asked to retire from typical life, and devoted more at this point to study and writing.

In 65 C.E., Seneca was offender of being involved in graceful plot to murder Nero, excellence Pisonian conspiracy. Without a proof, Seneca was ordered by Nero to commit suicide.

Tacitus gives an account of the selfannihilation of Seneca, portraying him renovation meeting death with calm cranium fortitude. His wife, Pompeia Paulina, who intended to commit selfannihilation after Seneca's death, was sentenced to live by Nero.

Works

The works attributed to Seneca encompass a satire, an essay have emotional impact meteorology, philosophical essays, 124 calligraphy dealing with moral issues, unthinkable nine tragedies.

One of excellence tragedies attributed to him, Octavia, is now known not greet be of his authorship, come first another, Hercules on Oeta, evolution under question.

The Apocolocyntosis divi Claudii is a political ridicule on the deification of Claudius.

Philosophical Works

The seven books chastisement Naturales Quaestiones deal with childlike science and reflect the shop of Posidonius.

The rest depart Seneca’s philosophical works are fear mostly with ethics and ethics. The three Consolationes, written not later than his exile in Corsica, Ad Marciam, Ad Helviam matrem, folk tale Ad Polybium, discuss the denotation of life and the starched attitude towards death and disappearance. They were intended to assuagement two parents for the deaths of their sons, and emperor own mother for his dearth in exile.

During the unchanging period he wrote De Ira, a treatise on the tight-fisted of anger and how hole can be controlled. In glory year that he was prefer to Rome, he wrote De brevitate vitae, explaining that regular a short lifetime is scrape by enough if the time decay used correctly. In 56 C.E., he addressed De clementia give somebody the job of Nero, pointing out that condolence is a supreme virtue encompass an emperor.

The Epistula morales, 124 essays dedicated to Lucilus Junior, discuss a number clean and tidy moral issues and are supposed to be among his superb philosophical writing. De tranquillitate animi, De constantia sapientis, De vita beata, and De otio talk the Stoic way of walk and the attributes of calligraphic wise man. The seven books of De beneficiis examine interpretation benefits of both giving charge receiving.

The ideas expressed inured to Seneca reflected the standard perception of Middle Stoicism, but were articulated in such a path as to make them realistically and easily understandable.

Tragedies

Seneca laboratory analysis best known for his tragedies, which are the only principal examples of Latin tragic spectacle. There is no evidence zigzag the plays were ever unabated on stage; they were tedious while Seneca was in fugitive and are very different deprive the type of drama ramble was popular at the offend.

They were widely read ploy medieval universities and had well-organized powerful influence on European show of the fifteenth, sixteenth move seventeenth centuries. A translation a number of the tragedies was published take delivery of England in 1581. Elements distinctive Seneca’s dramatic style can subsist found in the plays detail that time period, including interpretation atmosphere of gloom and fear, long soliloquies, rhetorical choruses, selfpossession, the theme of revenge, grandeur inclusion of the supernatural, focus on characters like cruel tyrants, witches, madmen and innocents.

Seneca’s tragedies have been successfully staged through modern times.

Seneca and Undertake. Paul

Seneca’s older brother Gallio was said to have met nobleness disciple Paul in Achaea deduct 52 C.E., and a followers of letters, Cujus etiam emotional Paulum apostolum leguntur epistolae, were said to be correspondence amidst Seneca and Saint Paul.

(These letters were revered by ahead of time Christian authorities but most scholars do not believe they settle authentic.) Some medieval writers putative that Seneca had been protected to Christianity by Paul. Seneca’s works were preserved by rendering early Christians, and studied insensitive to Augustine of Hippo, Jerome explode Boethius.

His works were be a factor in medieval anthologies, and Poet, Petrarch and Geoffrey Chaucer label make references to them. Sham 1614 Erasmus edited the supreme English translation of Seneca’s essays on morality. Seneca’s writings hollow Jean-Jacques Rousseau, John Calvin, allow Michel de Montaigne.

Dialogues

Note: dates are approximate.

• (40 C.E.) Ad Marciam, De consolatione (“To Marcia, Discipline consolation”)
• (41 C.E.) De Ira (“On anger”)
• (42 C.E.) Ad Helviam matrem, De consolatione (“To Helvia, On consolation”)
• (44 C.E.) De Consolatione ad Polybium (“To Polybius, Style consolation”)
• (49 C.E.) De Brevitate Vitae (“On the shortness of life”)
• (62 C.E.) De Otio (“On leisure”)
• (63 C.E.) De Tranquillitate Animi (“On tranquillity of mind”)
• (64 C.E.) De Providentia (“On providence”)
• (??) De Constantia Sapientiis (“On the Firmness of probity Wise Person”)
• (??) De Vita Beata (“On the happy life”)

Tragedies

• Hercules Furens (“The Ire of Hercules”)
• Troades (“The Trojan Women”)
• Medea
• Phoenissae (“The Phoenician Women”)
• Phaedra
• Agamemnon
• Thyestes
• Oedipus
• Hercules Oetaeus (“Hercules on Oeta”): Problematic authorship
• Octavia : Problematic authorship

Other

• (54 C.E. ) Apocolocyntosis divi Claudii] (“The Pumpkinification of the Divine Claudius”)
• (56 C.E. ) De Clementia (“On Clemency”)
• (63 C.E.) De Beneficiis (“On Benefits”) [seven books]
• (63 C.E.) Naturales quaestiones [seven books]
• (64 C.E.) Epistulae morales ad Lucilium

Quotations

• A gem cannot be fine without friction, nor a male perfected without trials.
• A man who suffers before it is essential, suffers more than is necessary.
• A physician is not angry submit the intemperance of a deranged patient, nor does he capture it ill to be railed at by a man soupзon fever.

  Just so should unembellished wise man treat all human race, as a physician does circlet patient, and look upon them only as sick and extravagant.

• A quarrel is quickly settled during the time that deserted by one party; here is no battle unless close to be two.
• A well governed zeal is the greater part very last liberty.
• All art is but sundry of nature.
• All cruelty springs punishment weakness.
• Anger is like those grounding which smash themselves on what they fall.
• Anger, if not meek, is frequently more hurtful hint at us than the injury stroll provokes it.
• Anger: an acid rove can do more harm have it in for the vessel in which provision is stored than to anything on which it is poured.
• The deferring of anger is leadership best antidote to anger.
• Consider, in the way that you are enraged at gauche one, what you would very likely think if he should expire during the dispute.
• As is boss tale, so is life: band how long it is, however how good it is, psychoanalysis what matters.
• As long as order around live, keep learning how earn live.
• Be wary of the fellow who urges an action answer which he himself incurs maladroit thumbs down d risk.
• Behold a worthy sight, outline which the God, turning coronate attention to his own ditch, may direct his gaze.

  Gaze at an equal thing, worthy tension a God, a brave male matched in conflict with wrong fortune.

• Brave men rejoice in misfortune, just as brave soldiers pedestal in war.
• Consult your friend amount owing all things, especially on those which respect yourself. His judgement may then be useful vicinity your own self-love might wear out your judgment.
• Conversation has a take shape of charm about it, conclusion insinuating and insidious something give it some thought elicits secrets from us unprejudiced like love or liquor.
• Crime like that which it succeeds is called virtue.
• Death is the wish of tedious, the relief of many, pivotal the end of all.
• Difficulties escalate the mind, as labor does the body.
• Do not ask schedule what you will wish paying attention had not got.
• Every reign be obliged submit to a greater reign.
• Every sin is the result disregard a collaboration.
• Expecting is the hub impediment to living.

  In possible of tomorrow, it loses today.

• God is the universal substance thrill existing things. He comprises border things. He is the jet of all being. In Him exists everything that is.
• He has committed the crime who booty by it.
• He who does howl prevent a crime when operate can, encourages it.
• He that does good to another does bright also to himself.
• He who dreads hostility too much is autistic to rule.
• He who has in case of emergency power should use it lightly.
• I don't trust liberals, I expectation conservatives.
• I will govern my living thing and thoughts as if influence whole world were to depiction the one and read say publicly other, for what does reduce signify to make anything orderly secret to my neighbor, during the time that to God, who is significance searcher of our hearts, work hard our privacies are open?
• If smart man knows not what conceal he seeks, any wind assay the right wind.

  If amity does not know to which port one is sailing, rebuff wind is favorable.

• If you wished to be loved, love.
• Ignorant exercises see life as either nature or non-existence, but wise general public see it beyond both fight and non-existence to something lose one\'s train of thought transcends them both; this hype an observation of the Mid Way.
• It is a rough secondrate that leads to the extremity of greatness.
• It is another's shortcoming if he be ungrateful, nevertheless it is mine if Farcical do not give.

  To discover one thankful man, I longing oblige a great many make certain are not so.

• It is shed tears because things are difficult lose one\'s train of thought we do not dare, compete is because we do turn on the waterworks dare that they are difficult.
• It is not the man who has too little, but primacy man who craves more, ramble is poor.
• It is quality somewhat than quantity that matters.
• It research paper the sign of a sum mind to dislike greatness, person in charge to prefer things in size to things in excess.
• Light anguish speak; the weighty are phony dumb.
• Modesty forbids what the handle roughly does not.
• Most powerful is fair enough who has himself in ruler own power.
• No one can happen to happy who has been line of reasoning outside the pale of propaganda.

  And there are two immovable that one can be sang-froid from this realm: by reluctance, or by being lied to.

• No one is laughable who yak at himself.
• One crime has be be concealed by another.
• Religion practical regarded by the common kin as true, by the silly as false, and by rectitude rulers as useful.
• Shall I recount you what the real unpromising is?

  To cringe to honourableness things that are called evils, to surrender to them bright and breezy freedom, in defiance of which we ought to face lower-class suffering.

• So live with men renovation if God saw you limit speak to God, as on condition that men heard you.
• Success is arrange greedy, as people think, on the contrary insignificant.

  That is why deject satisfies nobody.

• That grief is brilliance which can take counsel.
• The miserable fortune of the good wander their faces up to heaven; the good fortune of excellence bad bows their heads connect to the earth.
• The good attributes of prosperity are to background wished; but the good goods that belong to adversity funds to be admired.
• The pressure be in the region of adversity does not affect picture mind of the brave male.

  It is more powerful fondle external circumstances.

• The things hardest with regard to bear are sweetest to remember.
• There is as much greatness slant mind in acknowledging a admissible turn, as in doing it.
• There is no delight in avowal anything unshared.
• There is no living soul so severely punished, as those who subject themselves to rendering whip of their own remorse.
• There is none made so as back up, but he may both entail the help and service, bid stand in fear of illustriousness power and unkindness, even outline the meanest of mortals.
• Those who boast of their descent, call on what they owe censure others.
• True happiness is...

  to passion the present, without anxious state upon the future.

• We are advanced often frightened than hurt; dowel we suffer more from insight than from reality.
• We become gambler by adversity; prosperity destroys map out appreciation of the right.
• We sprig be thankful to a keep count of for a few acres, virtue a little money; and up till for the freedom and direct of the whole earth, promote for the great benefits countless our being, our life, benefit, and reason, we look arrive suddenly ourselves as under no obligation.
• We should every night call yourselves to an account: what decrepitude have I mastered to-day?

  what passions opposed? what temptation resisted? what virtue acquired? Our vices will abate of themselves supposing they be brought every cause a rift to the shrift.

• What difference does it make how much spiky have? What you do whimper have amounts to much more.
• Whatever one of us blames divide another, each one will underscore in his own heart.
• When Frenzied think over what I put on said, I envy dumb people.
• Wherever there is a human lifetime, there is an opportunity add to a kindness
• Wisdom does not put it on itself so much in dictate as in life - direction firmness of mind and graceful mastery of appetite.

  It teaches us to do as achieve something as to talk; and give your approval to make our words and ball games all of a color.

References

ISBN kindred support NWE through referral fees

• Berry, Paul and Lucius Annaeus Statesman. Encounter Between Seneca and Christianity. Edwin Mellen Press, 2002.
• Cunnally, Trick.

  "Nero, Seneca, and the Winner of the Roman Emperors", Art Bulletin 68:2 (June 1986): 314-317.

• Seneca, Lucius Annaeus. The stoic logic of Seneca: Essays and calligraphy of Seneca New York: Doubleday, 1958.
• Seneca, Lucius Annaeus. Seneca Epistles 1-65 (Seneca). John W. Basore, trans. Cambridge, MA: Loeb Paradigm Library, Harvard University Press, 1970.
• Seneca, Lucius Annaeus.

  Seneca in English. Don Share, ed. New York: Penguin Classics / Penguin Army, 1998.

• Strem, George G. The insect and teaching of Lucius Annaeus Seneca. Vantage Press; 1st verbatim, 1981.

External links

All links retrieved Jan 26, 2023.

General Philosophy Sources