Letters from a Stoic
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- Create Date：2022-08-19 08:53:52
- Update Date：2025-09-06
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- Author：Seneca
- ISBN：0008425051
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Summary
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"No man can live a happy life， or even a supportable life， without the study of wisdom。"
Lucius Annaeus Seneca （4 BC-AD 65） is one of the most famous Roman philosophers。 Instrumental in guiding the Roman Empire under emperor Nero， Seneca influenced him from a young age with his Stoic principles。 Later in life， he wrote Epistulae Morales ad Lucilium， or Letters from a Stoic， detailing these principles in full。
Seneca’s letters read like a diary， or a handbook of philosophical meditations。 Often beginning with observations on daily life， the letters focus on many traditional themes of Stoic philosophy， such as the contempt of death， the value of friendship and virtue as the supreme good。
Using Gummere’s translation from the early twentieth century， this selection of Seneca’s letters shows his belief in the austere， ethical ideals of Stoicism – teachings we can still learn from today。
"No man can live a happy life， or even a supportable life， without the study of wisdom。"
Lucius Annaeus Seneca （4 BC-AD 65） is one of the most famous Roman philosophers。 Instrumental in guiding the Roman Empire under emperor Nero， Seneca influenced him from a young age with his Stoic principles。 Later in life， he wrote Epistulae Morales ad Lucilium， or Letters from a Stoic， detailing these principles in full。
Seneca’s letters read like a diary， or a handbook of philosophical meditations。 Often beginning with observations on daily life， the letters focus on many traditional themes of Stoic philosophy， such as the contempt of death， the value of friendship and virtue as the supreme good。
Using Gummere’s translation from the early twentieth century， this selection of Seneca’s letters shows his belief in the austere， ethical ideals of Stoicism – teachings we can still learn from today。
Reviews
Francesco Bianco
，
Sicuramente da rileggere， una lettura non basta per raccogliere tutto quello che offre。
Michael T Moos
，
Good piece of literary history。
Levi Hobbs
，
Lots of wisdom here。 Sometimes pretty repetitious。 I don't see Seneca as a hypocrite like others do。 I think people like to tear down anyone who sets high standards。 Seneca didn't claim to be perfect， just to be striving for an ideal。 And compared to his contemporaries， he went far towards it。Unfortunately I can't completely get behind his ideal--at least， not the way he goes about it。 The "way" which I refer to is that he simply tries to control and stifle emotions。 I believe in his ideal of no Lots of wisdom here。 Sometimes pretty repetitious。 I don't see Seneca as a hypocrite like others do。 I think people like to tear down anyone who sets high standards。 Seneca didn't claim to be perfect， just to be striving for an ideal。 And compared to his contemporaries， he went far towards it。Unfortunately I can't completely get behind his ideal--at least， not the way he goes about it。 The "way" which I refer to is that he simply tries to control and stifle emotions。 I believe in his ideal of not allowing emotions to rule us。 But the path to that， I think， goes through actually feeling and dealing with your emotions， not simply trying to deny that they exist。 Of course in all fairness， Seneca was over a thousand years before any kind of understanding of how emotions work had been done。 So he shouldn't be faulted for that。Why should you read this？ Because he's a master essayist， for one。 These are really essays wrapped in an "epistolary" （letter-like） form。 He's a master of style and full of thought-provoking ideas。 And above all else， you should read this because Seneca believed in philosophy as a means of improving how one lived。 It's clear he would staunchly oppose today's philosophers， for he makes it clear that philosophy is degraded when it devolves into philology （the study of words） or when it becomes divorced from how to improve one's self; that is， is theory only。 In this respect， he is a man after my own heart。The voice is of an old crotechety man， but one who is effective， transparent， and wise。 I feel like I'm talking to my （now deceased） grandfather who was a retired professor。 This voice is dear to my heart and I'm sure I will be returning to it again and again。 。。。more
Brooms
，
fantastico
Sofia Piermattei
，
Libro letto per scuola， a cavallo tra la 3^ e la 4^ superiore。
Rania Mamayog
，
take what resonates， leave what doesn't take what resonates， leave what doesn't 。。。more
Daniel
，
A life changing collection of letters on the practice of philosophy。 There is great wisdom here。 And reflections upon Roman life which are instructive for our time。
Margot Strother
，
amaze
Muge
，
350。 sayfadan sonra aynı şeyleri tekrar etmeye başlıyor。
Anna Dragula
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Коли заслабне духу， чи накриють сумніви в правильності своїх вчинків-відкрий цю книгу і підправ свій внутрішній компас。«Нехай в найважчу мить кожен скаже: Можливо， буде нам колись про це солодко згадати！Нехай збере всю мужність для боротьби: хто відступить， буде переможений， хто сам піде у наступ на біль， переможе。 Тепер багато хто сам на себе навалює те， чому треба чинити опір。 Якщо ти спробуєш висковзнути з-під гніту， який навис і тисне， він тебе дожене і наляже ще важче， а якщо станеш твердо Коли заслабне духу， чи накриють сумніви в правильності своїх вчинків-відкрий цю книгу і підправ свій внутрішній компас。«Нехай в найважчу мить кожен скаже: Можливо， буде нам колись про це солодко згадати！Нехай збере всю мужність для боротьби: хто відступить， буде переможений， хто сам піде у наступ на біль， переможе。 Тепер багато хто сам на себе навалює те， чому треба чинити опір。 Якщо ти спробуєш висковзнути з-під гніту， який навис і тисне， він тебе дожене і наляже ще важче， а якщо станеш твердо і захочеш зробити зусилля， то і скинеш його。» 。。。more
Nicolas Turrill
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liked the mountain metaphor
Grace B。
，
Who would've guessed that I'd be so much into stoicism。 But how can I not be？ These clear teachings are applicable into anyone's daily life。 The book an easy read， which I even found funny at times。 Seneca's direct approach really did give a hard chuckle。 I'm a tiny bit hesitant to quote him after he made fun of people who share quotes。 Apparently whoever does that has no worthy enough thoughts of their own to share。 Oh， Seneca， if you only could've seen the Facebook morning posts， you'd have mo Who would've guessed that I'd be so much into stoicism。 But how can I not be？ These clear teachings are applicable into anyone's daily life。 The book an easy read， which I even found funny at times。 Seneca's direct approach really did give a hard chuckle。 I'm a tiny bit hesitant to quote him after he made fun of people who share quotes。 Apparently whoever does that has no worthy enough thoughts of their own to share。 Oh， Seneca， if you only could've seen the Facebook morning posts， you'd have more material to write about。 。。。more
Anggie Rachmadevi
，
"No man was ever wise by chance。" "No man was ever wise by chance。" 。。。more
Chad Newman
，
Absolutely would recommend this book。
Jule
，
Dropped because I prefer the translations of the version provided by Tim Ferris。
Jai Israni
，
Would suggest to read Marcus Aurelius first if you haven’t read it yet。
Dan
，
Ancient wisdom as relevant today as ever。 Also a good lesson on how humanity never really changes。 We are but cattle to the slaughter， thrashing and dashing ourselves against the sand， demanding our needs， imploring mercy for our pains。 It is all a bit embarrassing。 Look to the ancients， look to their lessons， because you will find nothing new under the sun， that has not already been faced millions of times and by better people。The letters are much better in the first half， and become far less p Ancient wisdom as relevant today as ever。 Also a good lesson on how humanity never really changes。 We are but cattle to the slaughter， thrashing and dashing ourselves against the sand， demanding our needs， imploring mercy for our pains。 It is all a bit embarrassing。 Look to the ancients， look to their lessons， because you will find nothing new under the sun， that has not already been faced millions of times and by better people。The letters are much better in the first half， and become far less profound in the second。 But this is still great stuff that needs to be read by all。"I am too great， was born to too great a destiny to be my body's slave。 So far as I am concerned that body is nothing more or less than a fetter on my freedom。 I place it squarely in the path of fortune， letting her expend her onslaught on it， not allowing any blow to get through it to my actual self。 For that body is all that is vulnerable about me: within this dwelling so liable to injury there lives a spirit that is free。"-Seneca， Letter LXV 。。。more
P A T
，
30% read。 Di ko na tinapos。 I feel like I'm just wasting time。quotesAssociate with people who are likely to improve you。 Welcome those whom you are capable of improving。 30% read。 Di ko na tinapos。 I feel like I'm just wasting time。quotesAssociate with people who are likely to improve you。 Welcome those whom you are capable of improving。 。。。more
David
，
This is just a beautiful book， it feels although it is written personally for you （well， it would if your name is Lucilius） with simple wisdom given to solve some of life's complex problems。The fact that these letters are originally from around 40 or so AD does not matter， the message is timeless and that is what I find joyful about the Stoicism in general， simple， wise and logical solutions for complex problems， almost applying Occam's Razor to life。As with any person how you choose to live you This is just a beautiful book， it feels although it is written personally for you （well， it would if your name is Lucilius） with simple wisdom given to solve some of life's complex problems。The fact that these letters are originally from around 40 or so AD does not matter， the message is timeless and that is what I find joyful about the Stoicism in general， simple， wise and logical solutions for complex problems， almost applying Occam's Razor to life。As with any person how you choose to live your life and conduct yourself is entirely personal so this may well appeal most to a Stoic who ascribes to what is being said but even so I think anyone could pick this up， enjoy it and benefit from the wisdom in these pages。 The fact it reads so well， like a comfortable chat by a cosy fire with a lifelong friend is a happy benefit。 。。。more
rvanbragt
，
Interesting， but not as interesting as Aurelius' Meditations。 Interesting， but not as interesting as Aurelius' Meditations。 。。。more
Dave
，
Some of Seneca's beliefs and pieces of advice are timeless - Treat your inferiors as you would be treated by your betters; there is no point to exotic travel if that which you wish to escape is yourself。 And some， not so much， such as how to treat your slaves and pronouncements regarding which politician said what 2000 years ago。The first third of the book was 3-star fare， but the last two-thirds dragged， and did not hold my interest。 I can't recommend it， but I'll close this brief review with o Some of Seneca's beliefs and pieces of advice are timeless - Treat your inferiors as you would be treated by your betters; there is no point to exotic travel if that which you wish to escape is yourself。 And some， not so much， such as how to treat your slaves and pronouncements regarding which politician said what 2000 years ago。The first third of the book was 3-star fare， but the last two-thirds dragged， and did not hold my interest。 I can't recommend it， but I'll close this brief review with one of the few thoughts I'll try to remember from the text - The place where one lives can contribute little towards tranquility; it is the mind which must make everything agreeable to itself。 。。。more
Nicolas Cardenas
，
Great stoic wisdom from the Roman philosopher。 The teachings inside makes it easy to start embodying self improvement and realize that most things are up to us if given the right character。
Megan Howard
，
books like this remind me of the smallness we have in our thoughts， that someone thousands of years ago can have similar ideas。 it is both comforting and scary。
Petter Gran
，
Read in one go
Love
，
Så ruskigt svår men många bra lärdomar。 Håller med om saker men tycker han har fel med mycket också。 Han är för extrem。 Hela hans liv handlar om att studera filosofi och jag tycker det finns andra saker som。。。 golf！
Grace
，
first ever self help book thanks
Marko
，
Incredible。 Intensely enriching， both spiritually and intelectually。
Angus Jansen
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Some value to be had， the ideas of stoicism are v dramatic if taken at face value， best to interpret as one sees fit。
alexandrangr
，
it’s been a while since i’ve read a book as good as this one; i even think stoicism might be a new path in philosophy for me。 this collection of letters or “little essays “ was a guide on how to live like a human， not like a “dumb animal” which i will cherish for a long time， i hope。
Rowan
，
Delightfully insightful， it never ceases to amaze just how simple yet impactful the advice of these ancient philosophers can be。 It's beautiful to see how applicable the words of wisdom， now two thousand years aged， can be to modern people， as it demonstrates then insoluble link between all of man and how similar and relatable our struggles as individuals remain despite everything around us changing。 Delightfully insightful， it never ceases to amaze just how simple yet impactful the advice of these ancient philosophers can be。 It's beautiful to see how applicable the words of wisdom， now two thousand years aged， can be to modern people， as it demonstrates then insoluble link between all of man and how similar and relatable our struggles as individuals remain despite everything around us changing。 。。。more
Reference
google book https://www.google.com/search?tbm=bks&q=Letters from a Stoic
hathitrust digital library https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/ls?q1=Letters from a Stoic&field1=ocr&a=srchls&ft=ft&lmt=ft
The British Library https://bll01.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/discovery/search?query=any,contains,Letters from a Stoic&tab=LibraryCatalog&search_scope=Not_BL_Suppress&vid=44BL_INST:BLL01&lang=en&offset=0