In letters from a stoic 49, Seneca begins by saying that certain places bring memories back to our mind, good and bad. He said that these memories are brief when we reflect on them. Time goes by so fast that a present experience is gone in splits of seconds, what we normally term “a moment ago”. “All past time is in the same place; it…
In letters from a stoic 48, Seneca reminds Lucilius about the mutuality of Stoic friendship. In his third letter, he discussed what it means to be a real friend. “But the fact is, the same thing is advantageous to me which is advantageous to you; for I am not your friend unless whatever is at issue concerning you is my concern also. Friendship produces between us a partnership in…
In letters from a stoic 47, we get a glimpse of how slaves were maltreated in Ancient Rome and how Seneca strongly opposed this kind of practice. “I shall pass over other cruel and inhuman conduct towards them; for we maltreat them, not as if they were men, but as if they were beasts of burden. “ …
Stoicism cannot be mastered overnight. The promise of the good life can only be achieved with the perpetual practice of the principles and techniques of the ancient philosophy. A practicing might ask “How do we know if we have reaped the fruits of Stoicism”. In other words, what are the indicators that we have truly caught the wisdom of the philosophy? There is truth in the saying “you…
In letters from a stoic 46, Seneca is giving an honest critique on a book Lucilius wrote himself. There is nothing more suitable to do a book review than the wise old man himself who was considered to be one of the greatest writers in the ancient world. Overall, he was happy and enjoyed reading the book although there is still room for improvement. “I was not merely…