seneca context + background Flashcards
What was stoicism?
Saw humanity as one large community living according to divine will
What did stoicism urge people to do?
Elevate reason above desires of the body
What would elevating reason lead to? What does this mean?
Attaining appatheia
Immunity to pain
What was the perfect Stoic?
The person who felt no pain bc they lived their life very simply
What were Seneca’s dates?
4 BC - 65 AD
Who coined stoicism?
Zeno
Where was Seneca born?
Spain
When was Seneca active in politics?
1st Century AD
Who did Seneca fall out of favour with?
Emperor Caligula
When did Seneca retire from political life till?
Until Claudius became emperor in 41
How did Claudius feel about Seneca?
Claudius was displeased w Seneca + exiled him supposedly for Claudius’ niece
Who was Agrippina? What did she do?
2nd wife of Emperor Claudius
Requested Seneca’s return to Rome in 48AD to act as a tutor to their son, Emperor Nero
Who said health + wealth don’t contribute to happiness but Seneca clearly needs them”?
Lydia
What happened with Nero as time went on?
Nero became more erratic + he murdered his own son
What did Seneca do after Nero spiralled?
Lost his position as advisor + retired into private life in 62 AD
What happened after Seneca retired?
A conspiracy to overthrow Nero suggested connection to Seneca + Nero ordered him to commit suicide which he did in 65 AD
Who was Seneca’s wife?
Paulina
Why were Seneca’s teachings considered hypocritical?
He condemned tyranny but acted as an advisor to the tyrannical Nero
Which emperors did Seneca live through the reign of?
Augustus, Tiberius, Caligula Claudius + Nero
Why did Seneca come under criticism?
For his promotion of moderate living esp bc he amassed a huge amount of wealth
What did some Romans mock?
The gap between Seneca’s philosophy + life
When was Seneca considered help?
In early years of Nero + hailed for stability of the first 5 years of Nero’s principate
What does the fact that Seneca’s philosophy survives tell us?
Romans thought it was worthy of reproducing
What does Lydia say?
“Health + wealth don’t contribute to happiness but Seneca clearly needs them”
What did Tactitus say Seneca expressed to Nero?
Seneca expressed his amazement at his own social rise to Nero
What did Seneca train in?
Roman rhetorical training + several diff tutors in philosophy
What did Seneca become in school?
A vegetarian but was talked out of it after a year by his father
What was Seneca a lifelong sufferer of?
Chest problems, possibly chest asthma or angina
What does Seneca say in Letter to Lucilius?
Talks about how he ‘adopted a defiant attitude to sickness’
What does Seneca say in Letter to Lucilius he wanted to do because of his health?
He wanted to cut his life short but thought of his father, who was the kindest father held him back
What is the quote from Seneca in Letter to Lucilius?
“There are times when even to live is an act of bravery”
What does Seneca’s exile tell us?
He experienced the anger of those in power - experienced social degradation at the hands of an emporer
Why did Nero suspect Seneca was involved in the plot against him?
Seneca’s nephew was accused of being involved + had to commit suicide, so did Seneca’s 2 brothers so it seemed only right that Nero would make Seneca commit suicide too
What did Seneca + Paulina do together?
They cut their arms and legs to commit suicide, but failed
How did Seneca die?
Suffocated himself w the steam of a hot bath, Paulina survived
What did Seneca acknowledge?
It was difficult to reach Stoic ideal state of apatheia bc of innate human weakness
What did Seneca desire?
Control/imperium over his public + personal life
Wanted to be influential in society + control over himself
What did Seneca believe about control?
Those who seek controlling the world around them are inferior to those who aspire to have control over themselves
Where does Seneca contradict?
Seems to accept desire as just another natural appetite to be satisfied, like thirst/hunger
Elsewhere he didn’t think this
What does Seneca talk about in ‘On Clemency’?
Letter following Nero’s murder of Britannicus to ensure that it was an end to bloodshed, not beginning
What did the attack on Seneca from Publius Sillius Rufus say?
In 4 years of service to Nero, Seneca gained a personal fortune of 3 hundred million sestertius by charging high interest on loans in Italy + provinces
Who accused Seneca of gaining 3 hundred million sestertius + sleeping w Agrippina?
Publius Sillius Rufus
Where were some of Seneca’s properties?
Baiae + Nomentum, Alban villa + Egyptian estates
What did Seneca claim in ‘On Happy Life’?
A defence of wealth
Properly gaining + spending wealth is appropriate behaviour for a philosopher
What happened to Seneca when he slit his wrists?
Age + diet were blamed for a slow loss of blood + extended his pain rather than a quick death
What was Seneca thinking of in height of wealth + power? What shows this?
He was still thinking of life’s end
Had no usual funeral rites; which he directed in his will
What does Wilson say about Seneca’s wealth?
“Seneca’s wealth went beyond norms even for the elite”
What did Lydia say about Seneca?
“Health + wealth don’t contribute to happiness by Seneca clearly needs them”
