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Who are the Stoic Founders: Seneca + his best quotes
Mar
Seneca is one of the fascinating figures from antiquity and one of the most intriguing Stoic philosophers. In this article, we’ll explore some of the many thought-provoking aspects of his life.
Seneca was born over 2,000 years ago in southern Spain and educated in Rome. His father was Seneca the Elder, a well-known Roman writer. Seneca started a career in politics and quickly became a high-ranking financial clerk.
In 41 AD, Claudius became emperor and exiled Seneca to the island of Corsica, accusing him of supposed adultery with Julia Livilla, the emperor’s niece and Caligula’s sister. During this exile, he wrote letters to his mother to console her. Eight years later, Agrippina, wife of Claudius secured permission for him to return and become the tutor of her son Nero. Seneca’s wealth grew during his years of service to Nero. In 65 AD, Nero ordered Seneca’s death on the premise that Seneca was part of a plot to assassinate him and replace him with Gaius Piso.
Despite those turbulent periods, Stoicism was a constant in Seneca’s life. He was first exposed to the philosophy by Attalus, a stoic philosopher who was Seneca’s teacher. Seneca also admired Cato as his name often appears in his writings. However, Seneca was not confined by Stoicism and often borrowed from other schools such as Epicurus’ thoughts.
After his death, Seneca became an influence on famous figures such as Francis Bacon, Erasmus, Pascal, Montaigne, up to contemporaries such as Nassim Taleb and Tim Ferris.
Seneca wrote on philosophy prolifically and also used philosophy as it is meant to be used: to navigate and manage the upsides and downsides of fortune. His writings came in the form of letters such as On the shortness of Life, a collection of three short stories about the non-renewability of time, our most important resource. Another work worth nothing is Letters from a Stoic which is a collection of letters Seneca wrote to his friends to guide them through problems with wealth, anger, grief, poverty, success, failure, education and so much more.
One of the lessons from Seneca’s writings is to find an anchor. Indeed, in his letters to Lucilius, Seneca urges him to choose a role model as a standard to live by. It is a necessary step in our pursuit of the good life. Another learning was never to be a slave to your wealth. Seneca only wanted the benefits of wealth, but he never depended on it. He was a master of his wealth rather than a slave. In other words, don’t be so trapped by the gifts of good fortune that you’re afraid to lose. Finally, Seneca recommended fighting your ego as it can impede us from learning and progress.
Seneca quotes
“Sometimes even to live is an act of courage.”
― Lucius Annaeus Seneca“True happiness is to enjoy the present, without anxious dependence upon the future, not to amuse ourselves with either hopes or fears but to rest satisfied with what we have, which is sufficient, for he that is so wants nothing. The greatest blessings of mankind are within us and within our reach. A wise man is content with his lot, whatever it may be, without wishing for what he has not.”
― Seneca“Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.”
― Seneca“All cruelty springs from weakness.”
― Seneca, Seneca’s Morals: Of a Happy Life, Benefits, Anger and Clemency“Religion is regarded by the common people as true, by the wise as false, and by rulers as useful.”
― Seneca“Difficulties strengthen the mind, as labor does the body.”
― Lucius Annaeus Seneca“Non est ad astra mollis e terris via” – “There is no easy way from the earth to the stars”
― Seneca“As is a tale, so is life: not how long it is, but how good it is, is what matters.”
― Seneca“We suffer more often in imagination than in reality”
― Lucius Annaeus Seneca“Hang on to your youthful enthusiasms — you’ll be able to use them better when you’re older.”
― Seneca“You act like mortals in all that you fear, and like immortals in all that you desire”
― Lucius Annaeus Seneca, On the Shortness of Life“The time will come when diligent research over long periods will bring to light things which now lie hidden. A single lifetime, even though entirely devoted to the sky, would not be enough for the investigation of so vast a subject… And so this knowledge will be unfolded only through long successive ages. There will come a time when our descendants will be amazed that we did not know things that are so plain to them… Many discoveries are reserved for ages still to come, when memory of us will have been effaced.”
― Seneca, Natural Questions
