Seneca's definitions. Flashcards
Defining love - Seneca’s view on friendship.
Friendship is a natural human extinct, but one should not seek to gain from it.
Friendship is seen as an act of what?
Community.
“You must live for another, if you want to live for yourself.” (Morality 48.2).
Love must be what?
Love must be mutual and earned.
“If you want to be loved, then love.” (Morality 48.2)
How does Seneca’s relationship with his wife, Paulina, reflect his views on love?
Seneca referred to his love with his wife as ‘pure love’. He stated he would do anything for her, and that he began to care for himself in his old age for her sake
“What could be more pleasant than to be so dear to a wife that because of this, you become dearer to yourself?” (Morality, 104.5)
What was Seneca’s opinion on romantic love?
Seneca saw it as a ‘maddened friendship’ because one who feels romantic love seeks to gain some sort of advantage (unlike someone who feels ‘pure love’).
“(romantic love) fires up souls into the desire for the beautiful object, not without the hope of mutual affection…does a foul passion come from the more honourable cause?” (Morality, 9.11).
Seneca believed that the wise could engage in love, but only if what?
Only if it was separated from desire.
According to Seneca, love was about what?
Love was about you could give to someone, not about gain.
What did Seneca have to say about Desire?
He said that desire was the physical longing of the body. Seneca believed that indulging in lust was against the stoic way of life and condemned it.
Giving into pleasure created what? Who does this remind us of?
Giving into pleasure created wounds in the soul. This reminds us of Plato!
Desire should be controlled so that reason could rule. But stoics recognised a pretty important need…
The need for the birth of children (so, lust) so that the human race could continue.
So Seneca acknowledged that people had to have sex, but what else did he say?
Having children is the ONLY reason one should engage in Sexual activity.
What did Seneca have to say on drinking?
Abstinence from alcohol is reccomended as a way to avoid unwanted desire.
“Drunkeness does not create vices, but brings them out; then the lusty man does not even wait for the bedroom” (Morality, 83.20).
Vices present a danger to attaining what?
Virtue!
What was the only thing preventing humans from being the same as animals?
Giving into desires.
What was the Stoic God like?
Unlike the Greek and Roman gods, the Stoic God was beyong human flaws or desires. Seneca stated that if Gd does not engage in such desires, then neither should we.
What would happen, according to Seneca, if desire was a good thing?
If desire was a good thing, then animals would be at the top of the universal heirarchy and gods at the bottom, which would be absurd! So, desire is a bad thing.
What was Seneca’s views on homoerotic relationships?
Men should not engage in passive sexual activity with other men, as it diminshes their maturity by making them appear like young boys.
