Biography
Seneca (Lucius Anne Seineka) - Roman writer, poet, philosopher, politician. It is one of the most significant followers of the philosophy of Stoicism, as well as the teacher of Emperor Nero.
Lucius Anne Seneca was born in the 4th century BC. NS. In the Spanish city of Cordoba in a fairly noble family belonging to the kind of riders. The father of Seneca-senior and mother Gelvia were educated people, studied history, philosophy and rhetoric. A little later, when Lucius and his older brother, Yong Gallion, were young, the spouses decided to move to Rome. There, young louches was a student of the Stoics of Sadin, a sextia, Attal.
The boy's father had good connections and money, so he could not save on the formation and development of the Son. Seneca-senior propheted his child a brilliant career career. And indeed, thanks to personal charisma, the oratorical talent and wonderful erudition of the lawyers of the Seinea Jr. went uphill.
But an unexpected severe disease that required leaving to Egypt for a long restoration, violated all the plans of the novice lawyer. The lucition fell solely, and he almost committed suicide.
After returning from Egypt to Rome Seneca, it begins to express the existing system in the Roman Empire, politicians in the fall of the morals, creates work related to moral issues.
State activities
In 37, Kaligula came to power. He did not approve the activities of the Seyans, which decided to kill him. And only the case saved the philosopher from the wrong fate - the Mistress of Caliguly dissuaded the emperor from the commission of a crime, believing that the louches would die so soon because of the illness.
The end of the Board of Caliguly did not become for the Seinee, Claudius came to power, which continued the tradition of the former emperor. He also negatively belonged to the charismatic, powerful and strong political leader and, and on the advice of his wife, Messalene sent the Mayca to the island of Corsica, where he had to stay long 8 years.
Ironically, the new wife of Claudia Agrippine helped the Motherland Luncture. The powerful woman at that time was concerned about the question of climbing the throne of his 12-year-old son Nero after the death of the emperor. She was disturbed by the son of Claudia from the first marriage - a British, who also claimed the throne. That is why she, affecting her husband, returned the Mayca to Rome - so that he became the educator of a young Nero.
The patronage of the talented philosopher did not pass in vain - Nero became a great and famous emperor at age 17. With his rule, Seneca received the position of consul and status of an almighty adviser.
As usual, any situation has several sides: from one - Lucius had almost endless power, on the other hand, he was in full dependence on the rules of the emperor, with the third - he was an object of hatred for the Roman people and the Senate. This affected his decision to leave voluntarily retired in 64. He left all his wealth in favor of the state treasury and hid in one of his estates.
Philosophy and poetry
Seneca adhered to the philosophy of stoicism. The key features of this direction are indifference, apathy, a quiet attitude to all the blows of fate, fatalism. Very clearly philosophy of stoicism expressed in the statement:
"Walking fate leads, and a resting dragging."
And Seneca, being the successor of this direction, affected the themes of happiness, anger, virtue, mercy. The sights of the Seyans were different from the views of representatives of Roman Stoicism: he tried to know that there is a universe, which manages the world and what he consists, he studied the theory of knowledge.
The result of his philosophical activity is "moral letters to Lucilia." In them, Stoik showed that the philosophy teaches first of all to do, and not to reason. Philosophy can not be fun for the crowd, this is not a show. It forms and forms the soul, streamlines life and manages human actions.
Lucilius is a real person who was an epicurean. There were no such opposite trends in the ancient world as staicism and epicureism, which was the key moments of which hedonism and enjoyment of life. Stoics are the people who lived in extreme asceticism and tried to control their emotions and desires.
Seneki has a lot of work devoted to moral issues, for example, "about anger". In it, he said that it was important not just to put anger in himself, but also to preach the love of neighbor. In another work, a man spoke about mercy - it always brings with him happiness, calm in every home; Especially valuable mercy in the royal house, where it is usually a rare guest.
In general, the lands of the Seneki include 12 treatises - mentioned above "about anger", "On the tranquility of the Spirit", "On a happy life", etc., also 3 more weighty works - "About mercy", "about good deeds" , "Nature Research". In addition, the philosopher wrote 9 tragedies based on mythology. The most famous works are "EDIP", "Medea", "Agamemenon", "Fedra" and others.
Contemporaries appreciate it primarily for wise sayings and deep statements that do not lose their relevance today. Books with his works are actively printed and sold out so far.
Personal life
It is reliably known that the Seneki had at least one wife - Pompei Paulina, who was twice as the younger philosopher. However, historians will be varied as to what period of spouses were married and whether the Seneki women had to Paulina. According to the antique authors, Pompey - the second wife of a philosopher, they met her at home, Seinee was over 50 years old.
This view is contrary to the fact that in the treatise "On Anger" the author mentions his habit every evening to analyze in the presence of his wife the past day. The treatise was written in the emperor of Claudia, when the lace was about 40 years. According to the second version, the philosopher married Paulina at 36 and lived with her in love and harmony until his death.
Anyway, the number of marriages and the year of marriage on Pompei officially not proven - this page of the biography of the philosopher is not fully disclosed. Personal life of genius will remain a secret for contemporaries. But the main and unshakable is that the love of women to the Seinee was selfless and all-friendly, she even decided to death along with his spouse.
Death
The cause of the death of the poet and the philosopher was the intolerance of Emperor Nero to his former caregiver. The emerging plot of Pizon in 65 revealed, and the Seneki's name completely emerged, although no one blamed him. This became a reason for Nero to say goodbye to the philosopher - he ordered the Senecé to cut his veins.
Death Lucia described Tacitus. According to him, sentenced in the last minutes of life was hard and calm, he himself encouraged numerous friends, just twisted once - when she slipped with his wife Paulina. He tried to console her, but the woman decided to follow him. Paulina stopped in time, and she survived her husband for several years.
Seneca, being a Stoik, not hesitating to cut the veins, but because of old age and low-altitude blood did not die. The man ordered his servants to move him to the bath and there, breathing with hot couples and pouring a thick blood, died.
Quotes
The greatness of some cases consists not so much in size, but in the timeliness of them. If you want to live for yourself, you live for others. If today is in your hands, you will depend less on tomorrow. While we are postponing your life, it passes. Required, although not a crime is still a crime.Bibliography
- 40 AD - "Consolation to the Marque"
- 41 AD - "About anger"
- 42 AD - "Consolation to Gelvia"
- 44 AD - "Consolation to Polybia"
- 49 AD - "On the short-term life"
- 62 AD - "About leisure"
- 63 AD - "On the spiritual rest" or "about peace of mind"
- 64 AD - "On Providence"
- 65 AD - "On the perseverance of the sage"
- 65 AD - "On a happy life"