A Dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology. By various writers. Ed. by William Smith. Illustrated by numerous engravings on wood.

SENECA. SENECA. 781
Piso's conspiracy or not, is a matter which has "betokeneth a great mind, as great a wit, and
been warmly discussed, but cannot be determined; much eloquence; in one word, it is one of his
nor if we suppose that he was in the conspiracy, best."
would that circumstance be an additional blot on 8. De Clementia ad Neronem Caesareem Libri duo,
the life of a mall who had aided the tyrant in which has been already mentioned. There is too
killing his mother. Seneca's fame rests on his much of the flatterer in this; but the advice is
numerous writings, which, with many faults, have good. The second book is incomplete. It is in
also great merits. the first chapter of this second book that the
The following are Seneca's works:- anecdote is told of Nero's unwillingness to sign a
1. De Ira, in three books, addressed to Novatus. sentence of execution, and his exclamation, "I
Opinions vary as to the time when it was written. would I could neither read nor write." The work
Lipsius concludes from book iii. c. 18, that it was was written at the beginning of Nero's reign.
written in the time of Caligula, in which case it 9. De Brevitate Vitae ad Paulinzur Liber, recomwould be the earliest of Seneca's works. But this mends the proper employment of tinle and the
conclusion is by no means certain; and it is un- getting of wisdom as the chief purpose of life. Life
likely that he wrote so freely of Caligula while is not really short, but we make it so.
the " beast " was alive. The author has exhausted 10. DLe Vita Beata ad Gallionenm, addressed to
the subject. In the first book he combats what his brother, L. Junius Gallio, is probably one of
Aristotle says of Anger in his Ethic. the later works of Seneca, in which he maintains
2. De Consolatione ad HIelviamn ilatrem Liber, the stoical doctrine that there is no happiness
which has been already mentioned. It is one of without virtue; but he does not deny that other
Seneca's best treatises. The conclusion from c. 17, things, as health and riches, have their value.
that Seneca had been in Egypt, is by no means "No man bath condemned wisdom to perpetual
sure. poverty." Tilhe conclusion of the treatise is lost.
3. De Consolatione ad Polybium Liber, which has 11. De Otio aut Secessu Sapientis, is sometimes
also been already mentioned: it was written in joined to No. 10.
the third year of Seneca's Corsican exile. It is 12. De Beneficiis Libri septeam, addressed to
sometimes placed after the treatise De Brevitate Aebucius Liberalis, is an excellent discussion of
Vitae. Diderot and others maintain that it is not the way of conferring a favour, and of the duties
the composition of Seneca, because it is not worthy of the giver and of the receiver. The handling is
of him, and contains sentiments inconsistent with not very methodical, but it is very complete. It is
the oCbosolatio ad Helvianz and ad Marciarn. But a treatise which all persons might read with profit.
this internal evidence is not supported by any ex- The seventh chapter of the fourth book contains the
ternal evidence; and an unprejudiced criticism will striking passage on Nature and God: —_" What
vindicate the work as Seneca's, though it disgraces else is Nature but God, and a divine being and
him. It contains (c. 26) a humiliating picture of reason which by his searching assistance resideth
the Roman world crouching before an enfranchised in the world and all the parts thereof? " &c.
slave and a stupid master (Schlosser, Univ. IHist. 13. Epistolae ad Lucilium, one hundred and
Uebersicht, vol. iii. pt. 1. pp. 221, 410.) twenty-four in number, are not the correspondence
4. Liber de Consolatione ad Marciare, written of daily life, like that of Cicero, but a collection of
after his return from exile, was designed to console moral maxims and remarks without any systematic
Marcia for the loss of her son. Marcia was the order. They contain much good matter, and have
daughter of A. Cremutius Cordus. (Tacit. Ann. been favourite reading with many distinguished
iv. 34; and the Consol. ad lnarciam, c. 22.) men. Montairne was a great admirer of them, and
5. De Providentia Liber, or Quare bonis vi'is thought them the best of Seneca's writings (Essay of
mnalan accidant curn sit Providentic, is addressed to Books). It is possible that these letters, and indeed
the younger Lucilius, procurator of Sicily. The many of Seneca's moral treatises, were written ill
question that is here discussed often engaged the the latter part of his life, and probably after he
ancient philosophers: the stoical solution of the had lost the favour of Nero. That Seneca sought
difficulty is that suicide is the remedy when mis- consolation and tranquillity of mind in literary
fortune has become intolerable. Lipsius calls this occupation, is manifest. The thoughts which ena Golden Book. In this discourse Seneca says that gaged him and the maxims which he inculcated on
he intends to prove " that Providence hath a others were consolatory to himself at least, while he
power over all things, and that God is always pre- was busied with putting them into form; and that
sent with us." (c. 1.) is as much as most philosophers get from their
6. De Animzi Tranquillitate, addressed to Sere. speculations in the way of comfort. Seneca was
nus, probably written soon after Seneca's return old when he wrote these epistles. (Ep. 12.)
from exile. It is in the form of a letter rather than 14. Apocolocyntosis, is a, satire against the ema treatise: the object is to discover the means by peror Claudius. The word is a play on the term
which tranquillity of mind can be obtained. This Apotheosis or deification, and is equivalent in
work may be compared with the treatise of Plu- meaning to Pumpkinification, or the reception of
tarch 7rEp! eOtOvImas. This treatise was written Claudius among the pumpkins. The subject was
soon after Seneca's return from exile (c. 1), when well enough, but the treatment has no great merit;
he was elevated to the praetorship, and had become and Seneca probably had no other object than to
Nero's tutor. He speaks as one who felt himself gratify his spite against the emperor. If such a
ill at ease in the splendour of the palace after living work was published in the lifetime of Seneca, he
a solitary and frugal life. must have well known that it would not displease
7. De Constantia Sapientis seu quod in sapienteen either Agrippina or Nero; and it leads to the pronon cadit injuria, also addressed to Serenus, is bable inference, that the poisoning of Claudius was
founded on the stoical doctrine of the impassiveness not a matter which he would complain of. In fact,
of the wise man. "; This book," saith Lipsius, the manner of the death of Claudius was a subject