Lucius Annaeus Seneca was a Roman philosopher, statesman, orator and tragedian. He was one of Rome’s leading intellectual figures in the mid-1st century CE, and as Emperor Nero’s closest adviser effectively governed Rome for five years. Seneca was born in Corduba in Hispania, raised in Rome, and trained in rhetoric and philosophy. His many essays and letters make him a central figure in the history of Stoicism.

Donald Robertson is a cognitive-behavioural psychotherapist, writer, and trainer, specializing in the relationship between philosophy, psychology, and self-improvement. He’s particularly known for his work on Stoic philosophy, and is the author of How To Think Like A Roman Emperor: The Stoic Philosophy of Marcus Aurelius.

Tom Butler-Bowdon is Series Editor of the Capstone Classics series, and has provided Introductions for Plato’s Republic, Adam Smith’s Wealth of Nations, Machiavelli’s The Prince, Florence Scovel Shinn’s The Game of Life and How to Play It, and Kahlil Gibran’s The Prophet. A graduate of the London School of Economics, he is also the author of 50 Economics Classics (2017) and 50 Politics Classics (2015).

www.butler-bowdon.com

An Introduction ix

About Donald Robertson xxxiii

About Tom Butler-Bowdon xxxiv

Chapter One On the Use of Time 1

Chapter Two On Discursiveness in Reading 5

Chapter Three On True and False Friendship 9

Chapter Four On the Terrors of Death 13

Chapter Five On the Philosopher’s Mean 19

Chapter Six On Sharing Knowledge 23

Chapter Seven On Crowds 27

Chapter Eight On the Philosopher’s Seclusion 33

Chapter Nine On Philosophy and Friendship 39

Chapter Ten On Living to Oneself 49

Chapter Eleven On the Blush of Modesty 53

Chapter Twelve On Old Age 57

Chapter Thirteen On Groundless Fears 63

Chapter Fourteen On the Reasons for Withdrawing from the World 71

Chapter Fifteen On Brawn and Brains 79

Chapter Sixteen On Philosophy, the Guide of Life 85

Chapter Seventeen On Philosophy and Riches 91

Chapter Eighteen On Festivals and Fasting 97

Chapter Nineteen On Worldliness and Retirement 105

Chapter Twenty On Practising What You Preach 113

Chapter Twenty One On the Renown Which My Writings May Bring You 119

Chapter Twenty Two On the Futility of Half-Way Measures 125

Chapter Twenty Three On the True Joy Which Comes from Philosophy 133

Chapter Twenty Four On Despising Death 139

Chapter Twenty Five On Reformation 151

Chapter Twenty Six On Old Age and Death 155

Chapter Twenty Seven On the Good Which Abides 161

Chapter Twenty Eight On Travel as a Cure for Discontent 167

Chapter Twenty Nine On the Critical Condition of Marcellinus 171

Chapter Thirty On Conquering the Conqueror 177

Chapter Thirty One On Siren Songs 185

Chapter Thirty Two On Progress 191

Chapter Thirty Three On the Futility of Learning Maxims 195

Chapter Thirty Four On a Promising Pupil 201

Chapter Thirty Five On the Friendship of Kindred Minds 203

Chapter Thirty Six On the Value of Retirement 207

Chapter Thirty Seven On Allegiance to Virtue 213

Chapter Thirty Eight On Quiet Conversation 217

Chapter Thirty Nine On Noble Aspirations 219

Chapter Forty On the Proper Style for a Philosopher’s Discourse 223

Chapter Forty One On the God Within Us 231

Chapter Forty Two On Values 237

Chapter Forty Three On the Relativity of Fame 241

Chapter Forty Four On Philosophy and Pedigrees 243

Chapter Forty Five On Sophistical Argumentation 247

Chapter Forty Six On a New Book by Lucilius 253

Chapter Forty Seven On Master and Slave 255

Chapter Forty Eight On Quibbling as Unworthy of the Philosopher 265

Chapter Forty Nine On the Shortness of Life 273

Chapter Fifty On Our Blindness and Its Cure 279

Chapter Fifty One On Baiae and Morals 283

Chapter Fifty Two On Choosing Our Teachers 289

Chapter Fifty Three On the Faults of the Spirit 297

Chapter Fifty Four On Asthma and Death 303

Chapter Fifty Five On Vatia’s Villa 307

Chapter Fifty Six On Quiet and Study 313

Chapter Fifty Seven On the Trials of Travel 321

Chapter Fifty Eight On Being 325

Chapter Fifty Nine On Pleasure and Joy 341

Chapter Sixty On Harmful Prayers 351

Chapter Sixty One On Meeting Death Cheerfully 353

Chapter Sixty Two On Good Company 355

Chapter Sixty Three On Grief for Lost Friends 357

Chapter Sixty Four On the Philosopher’s Task 365

Chapter Sixty Five On the First Cause 371

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