Showing posts with label Seneca. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Seneca. Show all posts

Wednesday, June 24, 2009

To halt of our own accord

Seneca, On Tranquility of Mind, X 6:
Nothing can free us from these mental waverings so effectively as always to establish some limit to advancement and not leave to Fortune the decision of when it shall end, but halt of our own accord.
Foucault, The Care of the Self, p. 93:
And to Lucilius, who is not under any threat, however, Seneca gives the advice to disengage himself from his duties, gradually and at the right time, just as Epicurus counseled, so as to be able to place himself at his own disposal.

Saturday, June 13, 2009

Justice

Which words are used to describe the virtue of Justice?

Seneca: justice, upright (Letters from a Stoic, XC, LXXVIII)

Marcus Aurelius: honesty, gravity, sincerity (Meditations, Book 5, 5); straightforward, considerate (Book 3, 4)

Prudence

Which words are used to describe the virtue of prudence?

Seneca: moral insight (Letters from a Stoic, XC)

Marcus Aurelius: gravity, seriousness, high-mindedness (Meditations, Book 5, 5)

Fortitude

Which words are used to describe the virtue of fortitude?

Seneca: courage, bravery (Seneca, Letters from a Stoic, LXXVII); fortitude (Tacitus' account of Seneca's Death)

Marcus Aurelius: endurance (Meditations, Book 5, 5)

Temperance

Which words are used to describe the virtue of temperance?

Seneca: self-control

Marcus Aurelius: austerity, abstinence, moderation, patience, resignation (Marcus Aurelius, Meditations, Book Five, 5)

Friday, May 22, 2009

Seneca and the Cardinal Virtues

Seneca, Letters from a Stoic, Letter XC:
"...the cardinal virtues of justice, moral insight, self-control and courage."
Here are the cardinal virtues in an early form - "moral insight" provides a strikingly useful definition of "wisdom" in the context of these virtues.