Seneca is remembered as one of the most popular Stoic philosophers, partly because a lot of his teachings survived and were passed through antiquity. But how much do you know about Seneca? This week, I'm sharing a chapter for my book, Stoicism 101. I got permission from my publisher to use a few chapters as podcast episodes, and this week's chapter is on Seneca.
Stoic Philosopher, Statesman, Playwright
Quotable Voices
“Men do not care how nobly they live, but only for how long, although it is within the reach of every man to live nobly, but within no man’s power to live long.”
—Seneca
Lucius Annaeus Seneca the Younger, generally referred to as Seneca, was a philosopher, statesman, and playwright. He was active in politics as a Roman senator and later was an advisor to Emperor Nero. Seneca wrote twelve essays and 124 letters about philosophical and ethical issues throughout his life, contributing greatly to the body of Stoic philosophy and placing him as one of the most important Stoic thinkers. Seneca is considered one of the more accessible Stoic writers due to his clear style and excellent prose.
In addition, ten plays are attributed to Seneca, including Medea, Phaedra, and Thyestes. All his plays are dark and grim tragedies, which starkly contrast to his Stoic teachings and writings. Interestingly, his plays were well read throughout medieval and Renaissance Europe, influencing dramatic playwrights of the time, including Shakespeare.
Early Life
Seneca was born around 4 b.c.e. in Córdoba, Hispania (modern-day Spain). His father was a Spanish-born Roman knight, who was a famous writer and teacher of rhetoric in Rome. Seneca went to Rome around the age of five. As a high-born Roman, he received a well-rounded education including studies in rhetoric, literature, and grammar. Seneca was tutored in philosophy from Attalus the Stoic, whom Seneca mentions often in his writings, holding him in high esteem.
Political Career and Exile
Seneca was a successful senator and was well known for his oratory skills. However, in his writings, he referred to Emperor Caligula as a monster. In response, Caligula ordered Seneca to commit suicide, but he was spared when, due to an illness, his friends convinced Caligula that Seneca would die soon anyway. Fortunately for Seneca, Caligula’s reign was cut short when he was assassinated in 41 c.e.
Seneca’s fortune didn’t last long. While he escaped Caligula’s wrath, he was accused of infidelity with Caligula’s sister, Julia Livilla, and he was sentenced to death; however, most historians agree that the charges were likely false. The new emperor, Claudius, instead exiled Seneca to Corsica, where Seneca spent the next eight years.
Philosophical Works
Seneca was a prolific writer, well known for covering a wide range of topics with keen observations about living according to virtue, wealth, time management, and dealing with grief. For example, in his essay On the Shortness of Life, he writes, “It is not that we have a short time to live, but that we waste a lot of it. Life is long enough, and a sufficiently generous amount has been given to us for the highest achievements if it were all well invested.”
In his Moral Letters to Lucilius (also called Letters from a Stoic), which was an ongoing correspondence with his friend, Seneca provides a treasure trove of the practical application of Stoic ideals. For example, he tells Lucilius how to live contently, advising, “No person has the power to have everything they want, but it is in their power not to want what they don’t have, and to cheerfully put to good use what they do have.”
Seneca and Nero
Seneca returned to Rome in 49 c.e. when Claudius married Caligula’s sister Agrippina, and she persuaded Claudius to cancel Seneca’s exile. Upon his return, Seneca was appointed as tutor to Agrippina’s son, the future emperor, Nero. When Nero became emperor, Seneca became his advisor, and his guidance ensured that the first five years of Nero’s reign were successful and prosperous.
As Nero’s behavior became more erratic, Seneca’s influence on him waned. Seneca was also caught up in political intrigue and accused of using his office to enrich himself. This may have been true, as Seneca was extremely rich and owned several estates throughout the Roman Empire. Around this time, Seneca wrote On the Happy Life, where he claimed that gaining wealth along Stoic lines was proper for a philosopher.
Seneca tried to retire from public office twice but each time was refused by Nero. Unable to curb Nero’s excesses and tiring from political intrigue, Seneca spent more time in the countryside focusing on his studies and writing, rarely visiting Rome. It was during this time that he wrote Natural Questions, an encyclopedia of the natural world, and the previously mentioned Moral Letters to Lucilius.
Death
In 65 c.e., Seneca was caught up in the aftermath of the attempted assassination of Nero. Historians argue Seneca’s actual involvement, but Nero ordered Seneca to commit suicide. Seneca accepted his fate Stoically, and with dignity. After dictating his will to a scribe, Seneca, in his home surrounded by friends, cut his wrists. Due to his age and illness, his blood loss was slow and painful, denying him a quick death. He also took poison, but it failed to end his life. Interestingly, Seneca’s wife, Pompeia Paulina also cut her wrists, but Nero ordered she be saved.
Legacy
Seneca’s life and works have had an enduring legacy in philosophy, literature, and political thought. With his practical advice for living virtuously in a turbulent world, his works have had a profound influence on later philosophical and religious thought, including early Christianity and Renaissance Humanism. His teachings continue to offer guidance on ethical living and mental resilience.
Thoughts on Seneca
To be honest, Seneca was a conflicted character in the history of stoicism. He was a keen observer of the human condition and an excellent writer with an ability to succinctly communicate philosophical ideas with clear prose and a slightly poetic flare. Some of my favorites Stoic teachings are from his treatise, de Ira meaning On Anger, and On the Shortness of Life.
But his involvement with Nero wasn't just about trying to reign in Nero's worst impulses. Seneca became extremely wealthy due to his connections and his influence, and often wrote in ways that seemed to try and justify his behavior. But I think on the whole, Seneca tried to live a moral life and influence those around him to live up to Stoic teachings.
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