Scribd
Upload
35 views4 pages

Seneca's Final Days and Death

Seneca was a Roman philosopher and Stoic who lived from 4 BC to 65 AD. He played an important role in finalizing Stoic philosophy for Romans. As a tutor to the emperor Nero, Seneca observed his rule but was later sentenced to death by Nero on accusations of conspiracy. When sentenced, Seneca asked to revise his will but was refused. He opened his veins but the blood did not flow quickly enough so he took poison, which also did not work due to his weakened state. He finally died in a steam bath. Seneca helped establish Stoicism among Romans through his writings, though he was not an original philosopher himself.

Uploaded by

Azizul Hakim B 540
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
35 views4 pages

Seneca's Final Days and Death

Seneca was a Roman philosopher and Stoic who lived from 4 BC to 65 AD. He played an important role in finalizing Stoic philosophy for Romans. As a tutor to the emperor Nero, Seneca observed his rule but was later sentenced to death by Nero on accusations of conspiracy. When sentenced, Seneca asked to revise his will but was refused. He opened his veins but the blood did not flow quickly enough so he took poison, which also did not work due to his weakened state. He finally died in a steam bath. Seneca helped establish Stoicism among Romans through his writings, though he was not an original philosopher himself.

Uploaded by

Azizul Hakim B 540
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Introduction: Seneca was the Roman philosopher after Polybius and

Cicero who was able to take Stoic philosophy and meditation one step
further. Unlike Seneca Cicero, he did not write for the re-establishment of
the Roman Empire. The main purpose of his writing was to finalize Stoic
philosophy. In other words, Seneca played an active role in finalizing the
ideology of Stoicism among the Romans. In the words of C.H. McElwain,
“Seneca's writings are a final incomplete analysis of the Stoic philosophy of
the first period of the imperial era”. Although Seneca was not the original
philosopher, his role in the social philosophy of Rome was crucial.

Life Sketch of Seneca: Seneca was born in Spain in 4 BC. In his youth
he had the opportunity of proper education and his knowledge of Stoicism
and Pythagorean philosophy was profound. He was able to explain the
blessings of the poor despite owning abundant wealth.

Seneca's aversion to science is particularly evident in the doctrine of


education. He also considered literary work to be an academic affair. But
he had a keen interest in philosophy. Roman Emperor Nero was his
student. As such, Seneca was able to become a member of Nero's
cabinet. From then on, he closely observed Nero's rule and its aftermath.
He gave Nero knowledge of governance. But Nero was outraged by
Seneca's criticism and sentenced him to death. Seneca died in 65 AD.

Seneca’s death: In 59 AD, Emperor Nero ushered in a reign of terror. A


terrible fire accident in 64 AD destroyed many parts of Rome and Nero
blamed the accident on a small Christian community.

In 65 AD, Gaius Calpumius Piso plotted to assassinate Nero in a coup that


cleared the way for him to be proclaimed emperor by the Pretorian Guard.
Unfortunately, Piso’s plot was betrayed. Things unravelled quickly. More
than forty men were accused of having conspired against Nero. Some of
them were banished. Others were executed. Members from the upper
echelons of society were, according to ancient Roman custom, ordered to
commit suicide, including Piso himself.

Seneca didn’t seem to exert much of an influence on Nero after the first few
years of his reign. In AD 62, and again in 64, Seneca tried unsuccessfully
to retire, but was forced to stay. When the Pisonian conspiracy had been
revealed, Nero decided that Seneca, too, must have been in on the plot,
even though he was probably innocent. Nevertheless, Nero ordered his old
adviser to kill himself.

On news of his sentence, Seneca asked to revise his will. This was
refused. He told his audience that since he could not leave them material
wealth, he left them the example of his life. When his friends began to
mourn, he rebuked them. There is nothing unexpected here. The character
of Nero is well known. One who has killed a mother and a sister will not
blanch at killing a tutor. Then he spoke with Paulina, his wife, begging her
not to mourn overly. She reported her intent to die. Seneca praised her
resolution.

He had his veins opened, but changed his mind. His wounds were bound.
There was time for one more philosophical treatise, which he dictated. He
thereby showed the sound balance of his mind. He opened up his veins
once more, but the blood would not flow fast enough. He took poison,
hemlock, as Socrates had taken, but the poison would not act on his
weakened system. Finally, he was carried into the bath-house, where he
died in the steam and water. (“Seneca: The Life of Stoic”, Paul Veyne,
2014)

Conclusion: Influenced by the Roman Empire in ancient times, the idea of


state thought or state philosophy did not lose its relevance in modern times.
Seneca was an atheist Roman philosopher. He can be called a moralist
plaintiff rather than a political philosopher.

You might also like