Letters from a Stoic

by Seneca Book 3 in the Penguin Classics series.

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Letters from a Stoic is a selection from Seneca’s Moral Letters to Lucilius, written during the final years of his life. Addressed to a friend serving as a Roman administrator, the letters turn Stoic philosophy into practical counsel on time, death, wealth, friendship, anger, study and self-discipline.

Seneca repeatedly argues that philosophy should alter conduct rather than merely display learning. He considers grief, slavery, travel, crowds and political life while urging Lucilius to reduce dependence on fortune and reputation. Written by a wealthy former adviser to Nero, the letters also reveal the tension between Seneca’s advocacy of simplicity and the compromised world of imperial power from which he was trying to withdraw.