Seneca
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    Seneca

    Seneca(c. 4 BCE–65 CE)

    Roman Stoic philosopher, dramatist, and statesman. Rising to prominence as an orator and imperial advisor, he became tutor and later chief counselor to the young emperor Nero. His Stoic moral writing, especially the Letters to Lucilius, essays, and dialogues, treat philosophy as practical training in virtue, self-mastery, and resilience amid fortune's shocks.

    Read by Emerson (see Emerson's Library), Thoreau (see Thoreau's Reading & Library) & Alcott (see Alcott's Library)

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    Morals

    Full title: Plutarch's Morals

    The Dial's edition: London, 1694

    A Restoration-era English digest rather than a complete, literal translation: L'Estrange 'abstracts' Seneca into brisk, practical pieces meant to function as a handbook of conduct. It draws on Seneca's ethical works—often issued across parts that include topics like benefits, the happy life, anger, and clemency—and it commonly appends L'Estrange's own reflective essay, 'An After-thought.' Edited by Sir Roger L'Estrange.

    Full textSurvives at Houghton Library

    Read by Emerson (see Emerson's Library) & Alcott (see Alcott's Library)