Letters from a Stoic

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 ixAbout Donald Robertson xxxiiiAbout Tom Butler-Bowdon xxxivChapter One On the Use of Time 1Chapter Two On Discursiveness in Reading 5Chapter Three On True and False Friendship 9Chapter Four On the Terrors of Death 13Chapter Five On the Philosopher’s Mean 19Chapter Six On Sharing Knowledge 23Chapter Seven On Crowds 27Chapter Eight On the Philosopher’s Seclusion 33Chapter Nine On Philosophy and Friendship 39Chapter Ten On Living to Oneself 49Chapter Eleven On the Blush of Modesty 53Chapter Twelve On Old Age 57Chapter Thirteen On Groundless Fears 63Chapter Fourteen On the Reasons for Withdrawing from the World 71Chapter Fifteen On Brawn and Brains 79Chapter Sixteen On Philosophy, the Guide of Life 85Chapter Seventeen On Philosophy and Riches 91Chapter Eighteen On Festivals and Fasting 97Chapter Nineteen On Worldliness and Retirement 105Chapter Twenty On Practising What You Preach 113Chapter Twenty One On the Renown Which My Writings May Bring You 119Chapter Twenty Two On the Futility of Half-Way Measures 125Chapter Twenty Three On the True Joy Which Comes from Philosophy 133Chapter Twenty Four On Despising Death 139Chapter Twenty Five On Reformation 151Chapter Twenty Six On Old Age and Death 155Chapter Twenty Seven On the Good Which Abides 161Chapter Twenty Eight On Travel as a Cure for Discontent 167Chapter Twenty Nine On the Critical Condition of Marcellinus 171Chapter Thirty On Conquering the Conqueror 177Chapter Thirty One On Siren Songs 185Chapter Thirty Two On Progress 191Chapter Thirty Three On the Futility of Learning Maxims 195Chapter Thirty Four On a Promising Pupil 201Chapter Thirty Five On the Friendship of Kindred Minds 203Chapter Thirty Six On the Value of Retirement 207Chapter Thirty Seven On Allegiance to Virtue 213Chapter Thirty Eight On Quiet Conversation 217Chapter Thirty Nine On Noble Aspirations 219Chapter Forty On the Proper Style for a Philosopher’s Discourse 223Chapter Forty One On the God Within Us 231Chapter Forty Two On Values 237Chapter Forty Three On the Relativity of Fame 241Chapter Forty Four On Philosophy and Pedigrees 243Chapter Forty Five On Sophistical Argumentation 247Chapter Forty Six On a New Book by Lucilius 253Chapter Forty Seven On Master and Slave 255Chapter Forty Eight On Quibbling as Unworthy of the Philosopher 265Chapter Forty Nine On the Shortness of Life 273Chapter Fifty On Our Blindness and Its Cure 279Chapter Fifty One On Baiae and Morals 283Chapter Fifty Two On Choosing Our Teachers 289Chapter Fifty Three On the Faults of the Spirit 297Chapter Fifty Four On Asthma and Death 303Chapter Fifty Five On Vatia’s Villa 307Chapter Fifty Six On Quiet and Study 313Chapter Fifty Seven On the Trials of Travel 321Chapter Fifty Eight On Being 325Chapter Fifty Nine On Pleasure and Joy 341Chapter Sixty On Harmful Prayers 351Chapter Sixty One On Meeting Death Cheerfully 353Chapter Sixty Two On Good Company 355Chapter Sixty Three On Grief for Lost Friends 357Chapter Sixty Four On the Philosopher’s Task 365Chapter Sixty Five On the First Cause 371