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Seneca: Fifty Letters of a Roman Stoic
A selection of Seneca’s most significant letters that illuminate his philosophical and personal life.
“There is only one course of action that can make you happy. . . . rejoice in what is yours. What is it that is yours? Yourself; the best part of you.”
In the year 62, citing health issues, the Roman philosopher Seneca withdrew from public service and devoted his time to writing. His letters from this period offer a window onto his experience as a landowner, a traveler, and a man coping with the onset of old age. They share his ideas on everything from the treatment of enslaved people to the perils of seafaring, and they provide lucid explanations for many key points of Stoic philosophy.
This selection of fifty letters brings out the essentials of Seneca’s thought, with much that speaks directly to the modern reader. Above all, they explore the inner life of the individual who proceeds through philosophical inquiry from a state of emotional turmoil to true friendship, self-determination, and personal excellence.
“There is only one course of action that can make you happy. . . . rejoice in what is yours. What is it that is yours? Yourself; the best part of you.”
In the year 62, citing health issues, the Roman philosopher Seneca withdrew from public service and devoted his time to writing. His letters from this period offer a window onto his experience as a landowner, a traveler, and a man coping with the onset of old age. They share his ideas on everything from the treatment of enslaved people to the perils of seafaring, and they provide lucid explanations for many key points of Stoic philosophy.
This selection of fifty letters brings out the essentials of Seneca’s thought, with much that speaks directly to the modern reader. Above all, they explore the inner life of the individual who proceeds through philosophical inquiry from a state of emotional turmoil to true friendship, self-determination, and personal excellence.
339 pages, Paperback
Published December 3, 2021
70 people are currently reading
496 people want to read
About the author
Seneca
2,709 books3,882 followersLucius Annaeus Seneca (often known simply as Seneca or Seneca the Younger); ca. 4 BC – 65 AD) was a Roman Stoic philosopher, statesman, and dramatist of the Silver Age of Latin literature. He was tutor and later advisor to emperor Nero, who later forced him to commit suicide for alleged complicity in the Pisonian conspiracy to have him assassinated.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
January 6, 2023
I really enjoyed this, a lot of the topics discussed felt strangely modern?? Idk but was v good
December 11, 2025
Letters of Seneca by…Seneca
10 out of 10
We learn more about Armageddon almost every day, in the form of Climate Change, which brings about rising sea levels, with the prospect of island states disappearing or moving on to higher ground, wherever they would be welcome, considering that the number of ‘environmental refugees’ will rise constantly, desertification, with more and more dry lands that receive little or no rain for years – one recent example comes from Madagascar, an article from The Economist explaining that there used to be droughts in the south of the island, but never for years on end – and thus sending its inhabitants into forced exile.
The headlines are overwhelming, but there is at least one solution – there would be others, but outside the scope of this note, albeit, come to think of it, the under signed is alas never constrained by the decent limits imposed by politeness and a rebellious audience, there are benefits in not being an influencer and not having people read what you produce, hence no heckling, cancelling and torrents of abuse – and that is offered by Seneca and it is evident in at least some of his Letters, which propose Stoicism as a way of life.
We have to consume less and this is at the heart of Stoicism, although Seneca was not one to suffer in poverty, on the contrary, he was a wealthy man (from one stage in his life onwards anyway) and he has his critics on that count (the Cancel Culture Warriors would…well, cancel him and then the Trump supporters…let us forget about them, listening to the positive psychology precept of Eliminating Negative Thoughts)
Seneca writes in his Letters about the opulence on display in his time and he is aghast at the ‘need for silver taps, columns that support nothing’ and a series of other wasteful attitudes of the ‘average citizens’ as he puts it, for if we go to the excess of the rich, then we are overwhelmed and though there is an argument to be made about the industry that caters for the extremely (or is it filthy) rich, in that there are many employed making luxury, huge yachts, pink, rococo palaces for the Russian and other oligarchs, and they would lose their incomes if we eliminate these, still, humanity needs less consumerism…
Or at least not a consumer society which is just abusing resources for no good reason, as in the quoted passage from the Seneca Letters, a banal tap would do the same job as a silver, platinum one (The Orange Fool, self-proclaimed Very Stable Genius, is again a prototype of kitsch, stupid decoration and flamboyant excess, visible in his ugly apartments, decorated with gold that would be better used elsewhere)
Until technology will be unveiled to allow people to travel in planes, buy clothes and change them at dizzying speeds and do all they are used to now, without destroying the planet, the solution is to change clothes less frequently, change diets…the Economist has another article this week in which it analyses the eating of insects, which should become more common, while the consumption of beef and other animal meat must diminish, until it is eliminated completely, to avoid the rise in temperatures around the globe, if not for the more pertinent, moral reason that it is primitive and inhuman to kill living beasts…
In his Letters, Seneca talks about other issues, it is just that it feels the need to reduce and eventually eliminate waste seems paramount for the very existence of the species and the planet…the great philosopher talks about the Time we also waste, in doing all sorts of things that are undignified, foolish – the example of the eating frenzy practiced in roman (and present) times comes to mind, with vomiting the food just eaten, in order to be able to take in more- the intoxication with alcohol is also stigmatized…
Seneca writes about reading Epicurus (the father of the rival thinking, the Epicurean doctrine) though he is amusing in stating that he is not ready to cross to the other side…Epicurus uses a (somewhat flawed) syllogism and says that people would not trust a secret to a drunk man, but they would trust a good man, ergo a drunkard is not a good man and we must stay away from drink, to the extent we become inebriated anyway…
Some of the lines in the letters of Seneca would get him Cancelled today (and if current trends are to continue or get worse, there will be many classics that will be rejected, banished or their paramount magnum opera would be used as examples of how not to think or do things) while quite a few lines seem jovial and funny, even if the advice there, or the opinion is serious, as in the paragraph about travelling.
The problem with enjoying travel, learning something from it is that you take yourself with you on those peregrinations, if only you could leave yourself at home (I think Seneca may say something similar) and indeed, personal experience makes this reader agree with this point, for he has had the chance to visit (some, often very little of) Portugal, Austria, Egypt and in quite a few instances, there was less to enjoy from the outside, given the turmoil inside, especially given the age and too much testosterone, the need for companionship (one must avoid putting in here the word ‘female’ because it could be ‘appropriation’ or some other, perhaps worse flaunting of the New rules, besides, there seems to be a need for clarification, for an article in The Economist mentions the backlash caused by a Science journal which talked about ‘bodies with a vagina’, while the famous congress woman AOC speaks of menstruating people thus it is now a delicate issue and who am I to enter this outré territory)
Trying to conclude and return to the most important lesson we can get from Seneca, his philosophy and letters that would be the need for Stoicism, which is not the belief of hermits and ascetic shamans (some of them are quite exotic and wild after all, see the idiot with a cap and horns that has entered the Capitol building on January 6, this year) but one that offers joy, bliss and at the same time would help us save the planet, by being satisfied with less (wish for what you already have is a good Stoic precept) and in the process save trees, animals that are at the present tortured and killed in ghastly, astronomic numbers…
10 out of 10
We learn more about Armageddon almost every day, in the form of Climate Change, which brings about rising sea levels, with the prospect of island states disappearing or moving on to higher ground, wherever they would be welcome, considering that the number of ‘environmental refugees’ will rise constantly, desertification, with more and more dry lands that receive little or no rain for years – one recent example comes from Madagascar, an article from The Economist explaining that there used to be droughts in the south of the island, but never for years on end – and thus sending its inhabitants into forced exile.
The headlines are overwhelming, but there is at least one solution – there would be others, but outside the scope of this note, albeit, come to think of it, the under signed is alas never constrained by the decent limits imposed by politeness and a rebellious audience, there are benefits in not being an influencer and not having people read what you produce, hence no heckling, cancelling and torrents of abuse – and that is offered by Seneca and it is evident in at least some of his Letters, which propose Stoicism as a way of life.
We have to consume less and this is at the heart of Stoicism, although Seneca was not one to suffer in poverty, on the contrary, he was a wealthy man (from one stage in his life onwards anyway) and he has his critics on that count (the Cancel Culture Warriors would…well, cancel him and then the Trump supporters…let us forget about them, listening to the positive psychology precept of Eliminating Negative Thoughts)
Seneca writes in his Letters about the opulence on display in his time and he is aghast at the ‘need for silver taps, columns that support nothing’ and a series of other wasteful attitudes of the ‘average citizens’ as he puts it, for if we go to the excess of the rich, then we are overwhelmed and though there is an argument to be made about the industry that caters for the extremely (or is it filthy) rich, in that there are many employed making luxury, huge yachts, pink, rococo palaces for the Russian and other oligarchs, and they would lose their incomes if we eliminate these, still, humanity needs less consumerism…
Or at least not a consumer society which is just abusing resources for no good reason, as in the quoted passage from the Seneca Letters, a banal tap would do the same job as a silver, platinum one (The Orange Fool, self-proclaimed Very Stable Genius, is again a prototype of kitsch, stupid decoration and flamboyant excess, visible in his ugly apartments, decorated with gold that would be better used elsewhere)
Until technology will be unveiled to allow people to travel in planes, buy clothes and change them at dizzying speeds and do all they are used to now, without destroying the planet, the solution is to change clothes less frequently, change diets…the Economist has another article this week in which it analyses the eating of insects, which should become more common, while the consumption of beef and other animal meat must diminish, until it is eliminated completely, to avoid the rise in temperatures around the globe, if not for the more pertinent, moral reason that it is primitive and inhuman to kill living beasts…
In his Letters, Seneca talks about other issues, it is just that it feels the need to reduce and eventually eliminate waste seems paramount for the very existence of the species and the planet…the great philosopher talks about the Time we also waste, in doing all sorts of things that are undignified, foolish – the example of the eating frenzy practiced in roman (and present) times comes to mind, with vomiting the food just eaten, in order to be able to take in more- the intoxication with alcohol is also stigmatized…
Seneca writes about reading Epicurus (the father of the rival thinking, the Epicurean doctrine) though he is amusing in stating that he is not ready to cross to the other side…Epicurus uses a (somewhat flawed) syllogism and says that people would not trust a secret to a drunk man, but they would trust a good man, ergo a drunkard is not a good man and we must stay away from drink, to the extent we become inebriated anyway…
Some of the lines in the letters of Seneca would get him Cancelled today (and if current trends are to continue or get worse, there will be many classics that will be rejected, banished or their paramount magnum opera would be used as examples of how not to think or do things) while quite a few lines seem jovial and funny, even if the advice there, or the opinion is serious, as in the paragraph about travelling.
The problem with enjoying travel, learning something from it is that you take yourself with you on those peregrinations, if only you could leave yourself at home (I think Seneca may say something similar) and indeed, personal experience makes this reader agree with this point, for he has had the chance to visit (some, often very little of) Portugal, Austria, Egypt and in quite a few instances, there was less to enjoy from the outside, given the turmoil inside, especially given the age and too much testosterone, the need for companionship (one must avoid putting in here the word ‘female’ because it could be ‘appropriation’ or some other, perhaps worse flaunting of the New rules, besides, there seems to be a need for clarification, for an article in The Economist mentions the backlash caused by a Science journal which talked about ‘bodies with a vagina’, while the famous congress woman AOC speaks of menstruating people thus it is now a delicate issue and who am I to enter this outré territory)
Trying to conclude and return to the most important lesson we can get from Seneca, his philosophy and letters that would be the need for Stoicism, which is not the belief of hermits and ascetic shamans (some of them are quite exotic and wild after all, see the idiot with a cap and horns that has entered the Capitol building on January 6, this year) but one that offers joy, bliss and at the same time would help us save the planet, by being satisfied with less (wish for what you already have is a good Stoic precept) and in the process save trees, animals that are at the present tortured and killed in ghastly, astronomic numbers…
December 4, 2024
Seneca's letters about life as a stoic was a book I picked up for reading during my work breaks, and it was quite fitting that I would read of stoicism at a workplace where I needed it most. Not that it is some feel-good story that makes your day ten times better, it's simply fitting that the stoic Seneca accompanied you through your endless and shitty workdays with wisdom that transcends the ages.
Quite honestly I can't say I needed his advice, as I am already a tad stoic by nature myself, but it was certainly worth a read for the historic aspect of it alone. Having been through 7 years of Latin language and culture myself, I could find the reading somewhat comforting, even though I can't say I loved the subject as much as I could have.
Either way, it is clear that for people who aren't as stoically inclined as Seneca this book can definitely add some peace of mind to the busy everyday life, and even without this it is an interesting historic read that makes you realize how timeless some sentiments and wisdoms are. Perhaps Seneca's stoic wisdom is even more necessary today than it was when he wrote them down, as life has gotten more hectic.
It was clear what the book was about and what one might expect from it when I picked it off the shelf, and it delivered on exactly that. While I didn't grow as a person in some grand way from reading this, it was a nice step out of the working life into a simpler time of days past.
A short, interesting and somewhat charming read that most people would definitely enjoy.
Quite honestly I can't say I needed his advice, as I am already a tad stoic by nature myself, but it was certainly worth a read for the historic aspect of it alone. Having been through 7 years of Latin language and culture myself, I could find the reading somewhat comforting, even though I can't say I loved the subject as much as I could have.
Either way, it is clear that for people who aren't as stoically inclined as Seneca this book can definitely add some peace of mind to the busy everyday life, and even without this it is an interesting historic read that makes you realize how timeless some sentiments and wisdoms are. Perhaps Seneca's stoic wisdom is even more necessary today than it was when he wrote them down, as life has gotten more hectic.
It was clear what the book was about and what one might expect from it when I picked it off the shelf, and it delivered on exactly that. While I didn't grow as a person in some grand way from reading this, it was a nice step out of the working life into a simpler time of days past.
A short, interesting and somewhat charming read that most people would definitely enjoy.
January 7, 2023
Beautifully written letters that will guide you in your moral journey and give you a glimpse of the issues of those times.
The themes are still as relevant today as they were in the times of Seneca, and the letter format is very pleasurable to read.
This is also the best translation that I have found.
The themes are still as relevant today as they were in the times of Seneca, and the letter format is very pleasurable to read.
This is also the best translation that I have found.
August 17, 2022
I only completed about half of this collection, which itself is a small subset of Seneca's letters. It's amazing how fresh some of the topics he brings up feel, like how fleeting fame is and that we ought to deeply read a few authors rather than being dragged about from popular book to popular book. The more civilization changes, the more people themselves stay the same. I didn't like the affectation of writing letters to someone for whom we don't have the responses (whether he actually was writing to someone or not is unclear), but classical Roman texts gonna do what they gonna do. I feel like a got a good sample of what Seneca is about and might return to him in the future, but the library is calling for its book back.
August 19, 2025
Seneca makes stoic philosophy very friendly and even funny at times. The letter format makes it feel closely personal as if he is talking to you. The ideas in this book are essential and brings our modern perspective back down to the human level. The central stoic teaching that rationality should guide all ethics is communicated well along with interesting tidbits of stoic physics and metaphysics--the notes by the translators were very helpful for that context. Truly one of the most powerful books I've ever read, and after reading I am more equipped than ever to understand stoicism and live a life of virtue.
October 9, 2024
Look. This guy is adamantly against fun. He is only about the stoic philosophy. I don't think this is the way.
What it reminds me of most is asceticism. Deny the pleasures and pains of the world to transcend- in this case, to pure reason and logic.
I'll give it another read once I've read some other Stoics. It's unclear to me whether I dislike his philosophy, or was wrong about the stoic philosophy as a whole. That said, there were some excellent moments in between. It isn't without value.
What it reminds me of most is asceticism. Deny the pleasures and pains of the world to transcend- in this case, to pure reason and logic.
I'll give it another read once I've read some other Stoics. It's unclear to me whether I dislike his philosophy, or was wrong about the stoic philosophy as a whole. That said, there were some excellent moments in between. It isn't without value.
April 19, 2023
Lucius the goat seneca
September 12, 2023
I prefer Marcus Aurelius to Seneca. Seneca is a bit more pretentious. Still some good ideas though.
December 4, 2023
"The question has oftrn been raised whether it is better to have moderate emotions or none at all."
May 17, 2024
Maybe a little too hard to understand for me
May 27, 2024
Im thankful for academics like Graver and Long that put the effort in creating books like this one.
Want to read
June 23, 2024Page 57 - An epicurean on his death bed... didn't really speak to me and felt a bit annoying to read - I think I'm just not in the mood atm so stopped it.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews