Letters from a Stoic

Letters from a Stoic is a collection of letters on philosophy composed in Latin by Seneca during the last years of his life. Lucius Annaeus Seneca (c. 4 BCE-65 CE) was a Roman statesman and philosopher who lived during the early years of the Roman Empire. Between his retirement in 62 CE and his forced suicide in 65 CE, Seneca wrote 124 letters (of which 42 are included in this selection) that collectively act as a guide to Stoic living. These were directed to his friend Lucilius Junior but undoubtedly intended for wider circulation, exploring themes including The Pursuit of Wisdom, Virtuous Action in an Ethically Complex World, and Contentment and the Acceptance of Fate.

Seneca’s Stoicism is known for its accessibility compared to that of other Stoic thinkers. He celebrates the Stoic ideal of self-sufficiency while acknowledging the practical necessity of human connection and participation in societal norms. Seneca’s influence extended far beyond his lifetime; not only did he act as a bridge between the Greek and Roman Stoic schools, but the similarities between his writing and Christian theology led to lasting appreciation of his advice.

This guide is based on the 2004 Penguin Classics edition translated and edited by Robin Campbell.

Content Warning: The source material and guide reference suicide.

Summary

This collection includes 42 of the surviving 124 essays by Seneca, selected with a focus on importance and to avoid undue repetition. Consequently, they cover a wide variety of subjects, but Seneca’s philosophical interests result in repeated discussions of certain topics and the advancement of similar arguments.

Seneca focuses on topics important to philosophical, and especially Stoic, thought in the early imperial era. These include the pursuit of wisdom, what to value outside of this pursuit, and the purpose of philosophy. Across these topics he advances the Stoic imperatives of detachment from worldly needs and fears, but he accepts and even celebrates personal relationships.

The letters often follow a consistent format: a personal anecdote about Seneca’s life followed by a discussion of whatever philosophical topic this anecdote has brought to his mind. While the focus generally changes with each letter, there are observable trends. In Letters 2-9 Seneca is often examining ideas related to the social presence of a philosopher, with letters 7-9 each directly leading on from each other. The next eight letters (from 11-28) are often examining the pursuit of wisdom as the only good in life. Letters 15,16, 27, and 28 especially place this centrally. Seneca’s own age and imminent mortality is a further concern in this section. Letters 33-53 study the purpose of philosophy and how this purpose impacts its study. Letters 83-107 continue to examine the way to learn philosophy while also examining the role of accepting fate in happiness. The final letters (108-123) discuss the ability of philosophy to inspire and give general advice on how to live morally. However, these distinctions are not absolute. In many letters, several topics are discussed and there is no definitive demarcation between topics.