Seneca Letters From a Stoic

EPISTULAE MORALES AD LUCILIUM · 63–65 AD

Seneca's letters on how to live, in a fresh modern translation. Free.

Written by a Roman statesman to a friend in the last years of his life. Each letter is short and practical, and comes with a plain-English breakdown of what it means for us now.

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All 124 letters published

“The soul is never greater than when it has set aside everything external, securing peace for itself by fearing nothing, and riches by craving no riches.” Letter 87: Some Arguments in Favour of the Simple Life

Letters From a Stoic

  1. 1 On Saving Time
  2. 2 On Discursiveness in Reading
  3. 3 On True and False Friendship
  4. 4 On The Terrors of Death
  5. 5 On The Philosopher’s Mean
  6. 6 On Sharing Knowledge
  7. 7 On Crowds
  8. 8 On the Philosopher’s Seclusion
  9. 9 On Philosophy and Friendship
  10. 10 On Living to Oneself
  11. 11 On the Blush of Modesty
  12. 12 On Old Age
  13. 13 On Groundless Fears
  14. 14 On the Reasons for Withdrawing from the World
  15. 15 On Brawn and Brains
  16. 16 On Philosophy, the Guide of Life
  17. 17 On Philosophy and Riches
  18. 18 On Festivals and Fasting
  19. 19 On Worldliness and Retirement
  20. 20 On Practicing What you Preach
  21. 21 On the Renown Which My Writings Will Bring You
  22. 22 On the Futility of Half-Way Measures
  23. 23 On the True Joy Which Comes from Philosophy
  24. 24 On Despising Death
  25. 25 On Reformation
  26. 26 On Old Age and Death
  27. 27 On the Good Which Abides
  28. 28 On Travel as a Cure for Discontent
  29. 29 On the Critical Condition of Marcellinus
  30. 30 On Conquering the Conqueror
  31. 31 On Siren Songs
  32. 32 On Progress
  33. 33 On the Futility of Learning Maxims
  34. 34 On a Promising Pupil
  35. 35 On the Friendship of Kindred Minds
  36. 36 On the Value of Retirement
  37. 37 On Allegiance to Virtue
  38. 38 On Quiet Conversation
  39. 39 On Noble Aspirations
  40. 40 On the Proper Style for a Philosopher’s Discourse
  41. 41 On the God Within Us
  42. 42 On Values
  43. 43 On The Relativity of Fame
  44. 44 On Philosophy and Pedigrees
  45. 45 On Sophistical Argumentation
  46. 46 On a New Book by Lucilius
  47. 47 On Master and Slave
  48. 48 On Quibbling as Unworthy of the Philosopher
  49. 49 On the Shortness of Life
  50. 50 On Our Blindness and Its Cure
  51. 51 On Baiae and Morals
  52. 52 On Choosing Our Teachers
  53. 53 On the Faults of the Spirit
  54. 54 On Asthma and Death
  55. 55 On Vatia’s Villa
  56. 56 On Quiet and Study
  57. 57 On the Trials of Travel
  58. 58 On Being
  59. 59 On Pleasure and Joy
  60. 60 On Harmful Prayers
  61. 61 On Meeting Death Cheerfully
  62. 62 On Good Company
  63. 63 On Grief for Lost Friends
  64. 64 On the Philosopher’s Task
  65. 65 On the First Cause
  66. 66 On Various Aspects of Virtue
  67. 67 On Ill-Health and Endurance of Suffering
  68. 68 On Wisdom and Retirement
  69. 69 On Rest and Restlessness
  70. 70 On the proper time to slip the cable
  71. 71 On the Supreme Good
  72. 72 On Business as the Enemy of Philosophy
  73. 73 On Philosophers and Kings
  74. 74 On Virtue as a Refuge from Worldly Distractions
  75. 75 On the Diseases of the Soul
  76. 76 On Learning Wisdom in Old Age
  77. 77 On Taking One’s Own Life
  78. 78 On the Healing Power of the Mind
  79. 79 On the Rewards of Scientific Discovery
  80. 80 On Worldly Deceptions
  81. 81 On Benefits
  82. 82 On the Natural Fear of Death
  83. 83 On Drunkenness
  84. 84 On Gathering Idea
  85. 85 On Some Vain Syllogisms
  86. 86 On Scipio’s Villa
  87. 87 Some Arguments in Favour of the Simple Life
  88. 88 On Liberal and Vocational Studies
  89. 89 On the Parts of Philosophy
  90. 90 On the Part Played by Philosophy in the Progress of Man
  91. 91 On the Lesson to be Drawn from the Burning of Lyons
  92. 92 On the Happy Life
  93. 93 On the Quality, as Contrasted with the Length, of Life
  94. 94 On the Value of Advice
  95. 95 On the Usefulness of Basic Principles
  96. 96 On Facing Hardships
  97. 97 On the Degeneracy of the Age
  98. 98 On the Fickleness of Fortune
  99. 99 On Consolation to the Bereaved
  100. 100 On the Writings of Fabianus
  101. 101 On the Futility of Planning Ahead
  102. 102 On the Intimations of Our Immortality
  103. 103 On the Dangers of Association with Our Fellow-Men
  104. 104 On Care of Health and Peace of Mind
  105. 105 On Facing the World with Confidence
  106. 106 On the Corporeality of Virtue
  107. 107 On Obedience to the Universal Will
  108. 108 On the Approaches to Philosophy
  109. 109 On the Fellowship of Wise Men
  110. 110 On True and False Riches
  111. 111 On the Vanity of Mental Gymnastics
  112. 112 On Reforming Hardened Sinners
  113. 113 On the Vitality of the Soul and Its Attributes
  114. 114 On Style as a Mirror of Character
  115. 115 On the Superficial Blessings
  116. 116 On Self-Control
  117. 117 On Real Ethics as Superior to Syllogistic Subtleties
  118. 118 On the Vanity of Place-Seeking
  119. 119 On Nature as Our Best Provider
  120. 120 More About Virtue
  121. 121 On Instinct in Animals
  122. 122 On Darkness as a Veil for Wickedness
  123. 123 On the Conflict Between Pleasure and Virtue
  124. 124 On the True Good as Attained by Reason