Seneca,

“[P]hilosophy teaches us to act, not to speak; it exacts of every man that he should live according to his own standards, that his life should not be out of harmony with his words, and that, further, his inner life should be of one hue and not out of harmony with all his activities.”

Your letters seem to always contain a call to action, just when I need it the most.  I’m preparing to settle in to a long and intense period of study.  One which is particular and rigorous.  When doing such work, it’s all too easy to let the practical side of philosophy slip by.

The daily mental reserves seem to only be so deep, and when one is about intense intellectual work, the reserves seem too shallow for what’s left.

But, you remind me, that actual work of a philosopher, as a sculptor to stone, is to shape one’s life.  Thank you for the reminder.

Farewell.

Part of Michel Daw’s Reading Plan of Seneca’s Letters.

Seneca,

Ah, Seneca, your mixed messages are certainly difficult to parse.  Hug the shores, retire from the world, etc.  Are these Stoic teachings, or simply your own proclivities.

I understand that Lucillius was concerned over his finances, most of us studying philosophy today are not in the financial position you yourself were.  Instead, we’re more like Lucillius, trying to split our time between earning enough to get by and philosophy.

Some are academics in related fields, which may make things easier, but many others of us are not working in any such intellectual capacity.

My own inclinations are to hole-up with books and few close associates, but how can we be about the work of human beings *and* philosophers in such a way?  I’m not sure it’s possible.

Obligations, roles, duties on one hand.  Leisure, quiet, study on the other.  And necessity sitting right in the middle leaning to upset the balance.

Farewell.

Part of Michel Daw’s Reading Plan of Seneca’s Letters.

Seneca,

If you retreat to privacy, everything will be on a smaller scale, but you will be satisfied abundantly; in your present condition, however, there is no satisfaction in the plenty which is heaped upon you on all sides. Would you rather be poor and sated, or rich and hungry? Prosperity is not only greedy, but it also lies exposed to the greed of others. And as long as nothing satisfies you, you yourself cannot satisfy others.

The thing I pull from today’s letter is how our intent and actions should be shaped by our personal natures as well as by our nature as rational critters.  You tell Lucilius that he doesn’t not have to, and indeed may not be able to, retire in obscurity, because of his writing, his efforts, and his projects.

The thing that is most poignant to me, is that in addition to studying philosophy, his business, etc. in his retirement, his personal nature will still have an effect on how he plans his projects.

It’s maybe easy for us to assume a cookier-cutter type niche as philosophers.  It’s a useful reminder that if we choose the wrong shape, our own natures might either spill over the edges, or fail to fill the allotted space.

Farewell.

Part of Michel Daw’s Reading Plan of Seneca’s Letters.

Seneca,

If you’ll forgive for the shortness of this letter, I find myself a touch ill these past few days.  Today’s letters covered several topics:  the nature of fasting and ascetic practice in regards to Fate, and a bit on anger.

The example you gave of old growth trees which might repel mighty flames for a long time, versus the lightest fluff  for which a single rogue spark might cause a great conflagration is well taken.

I suppose, then, it is our duty to become like those old trees, not immune and unfeeling to the fires of anger, but far better able to tolerate them, and keep their effects from our core.

On fasting, you mention it is as difficult to take a “Cynic vacation” for a few days, as it is to live in the mold for a lifetime.  I’m not sure that’s true.  A man can withstand almost anything with an end in sight, it’s the unknown journey which prompts the most fear and hardship.

Farewell.

Part of Michel Daw’s Reading Plan of Seneca’s Letters.

Seneca,

“I shall give you also a lesson: Set aside a certain number of days, during which you shall be content with the scantiest and cheapest fare, with coarse and rough dress, saying to yourself the while: “Is this the condition that I feared?” It is precisely in times of immunity from care that the soul should toughen itself beforehand for occasions of greater stress, and it is while Fortune is kind that it should fortify itself against her violence.”

Sadly, such practices are not nearly as common amongst Stoics as you would think.  Maybe more of us have stolen over to the Garden while no one was listening.  Instead, they manipulate and twist the idea of ‘preferred indifferents’ to cover and hide all manner of vices.

I don’t have anything to add, or disagree with.  Your letter is well taken.
Farewell.

Part of Michel Daw’s Reading Plan of Seneca’s Letters.

Seneca,

“Take my advice; call wisdom into consultation; she will advise you not to sit for ever at your ledger. Doubtless, your object, what you wish to attain by such postponement of your studies, is that poverty may not have to be feared by you. But what if it is something to be desired? Riches have shut off many a man from the attainment of wisdom; poverty is unburdened and free from care.”

It has been my position for some time now, that when folks say ‘wealth is a preferred indifferent,’ they misunderstand the issue.  Preference in the ἀδιάφορα (adiaphora) is determined by the thing’s conduciveness to our own virtue.

The words we’re using here are :

• προηγμένα (proêgmena) meaning ‘preferred indifferents,’
•  ἀπροηγμένα (aproêgmena) meaning ‘dispreferred indifferents.’

It might stand to reason, then, that what is preferred to one is dispreferred to another.  For instance, if having a certain amount of money keeps one from doing unvirtuous things to live, then it could be argued that such an amount of wealth is preferred (albeit not required).  However, for another, he may find that austerity and temperate use of things is more conducive to his virtue, in which case that amount of wealth that the first man prefers is dispreferred by the second man.

I suppose the rub lie in being able to accurately determine where those lines fall in regards to ourselves.

We see the common list of προηγμένα (proêgmena), life, health, pleasure, beauty, strength, wealth, good reputation, and noble birth.  However, it seems to me that such a thing is much more personal than this mere list could suggest.

With those thoughts in mind, I bid you a fond farewell.

Part of Michel Daw’s Reading Plan of Seneca’s Letters.