Attalus

One of them left his mark on him for good.

His name was Attalus, a Stoic teacher with a fiery tongue.

Seneca tells us in one of his letters that he was always the first to arrive at his lectures and the last to leave, and that whenever Attalus spoke out against luxury and against the pleasures that enslave, he walked out determined to change his life, and he did, at least in part.

Seneca relates that on Attalus' advice, he gave up oysters and mushrooms for good, which in Rome were a rich man's indulgence.

He gave up perfumes.

For the rest of his life, he never drank wine to excess, and he avoided baths that were too hot.

You swap it for one that doesn't charge you interest.

Now, as I promised you, let's see what the richest philosopher in Rome did in the end.

Together they maintained the balance of power between throne and senate, until the death of Burrus in the year 62.

After that time, a philosopher without the support of military power was unable to cope with the vices and whims of the monster on the throne.

The last two years of Seneca's life were spent in traveling about southern Italy, composing essays on natural history, and relieving his burdened soul by correspondence with his friend Lucilius.

In the year 65 came his suicide, anticipating an act of violence on the emperor's part.

The essay De Providentia, which was also dedicated to him, is of doubtful date and may be fixed at any time between the beginning of the exile in Corsica and the period when the letters were written.

In spite of the many problems which confront us, it may be safely said that the years sixty-three through sixty-five constitute the period of the letters.

We find possible allusions to the Campanian earthquake of sixty-three, a reference to the conflagration at Lyon, which took place either in sixty-four or in sixty-five, and various hints that the philosopher was traveling about Italy in order to forget politics.

The form of this work, as Bacon says, is a collection of essays rather than of letters.

Together they maintained the balance of power between throne and senate until the death of Burrus in the year 62.

After that time, a philosopher without the support of military power was unable to cope with the vices and whims of the monster on the throne.

The last two years of Seneca's life were spent in traveling about southern Italy, composing essays on natural history and relieving his burdened soul by correspondence with his friend Lucilius.

In the year 65 came his suicide, anticipating an act of violence on the emperor's part.

The essay De Providentia, which was also dedicated to him, is of doubtful date and may be fixed at any time between the beginning of the exile in Corsica and the period when the letters were written.

In spite of the many problems which confront us, it may be safely said that the years 63 through 65 constitute the period of the letters.

We find possible allusions to the Campanian earthquake of 63, a reference to the conflagration at Lyon, which took place either in 64 or in 65, and various hints that the philosopher was traveling about Italy in order to forget politics.

The form of this work, as Bacon says, is a collection of essays rather than of letters.