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On The Terror Of Death Seneca Analysis

1945 Words8 Pages

Natali Petriashvili
09.12.15
CL 278
Moral Letters of Seneca
Seneca was a stoic philosopher. “Seneca was one of the most influential political, intellectual, and literary figures whose works survive to us from antiquity. He shaped the development of the tragic drama in Renaissance Europe, he inspired and influenced literary and intellectual figures as different as Montaigne and Calvin” (Ahl 15). Seneca had very interesting views on many topics including virtue, friendship, honesty, and, also, death. His moral letters to Lucilius discuss themes that are discoverable in many philosophers’ works. Death is one of the most mysterious phenomena. No one has yet discovered what becomes of those who pass away; however, many philosophers, including Seneca, …show more content…

The stoic philosopher explained the meaning of an honorable life. According to him, honor and morality is what makes a life meaningful. “…life is not incomplete if it is honorable. At whatever point you leave off living, provided you leave off nobly, your life is a whole” (Bernier 74). As he argued in the fourth letter, a man cannot live with the fear of death, but embrace it. A life lived with fear of the inevitable disregards the phenomena of a life lived with honor. The philosopher claimed that even all slaves and animals live, however the most important is courage and integrity. The importance of life is not in living it, but in living it well. Those who do not live well and fear death do not know the meaning of life and how to live it; however, the philosopher then asks a question in his letter: “You are afraid to die. But come now: is this life of yours anything but death?” (Bernier 74). Not many philosophers argue that life itself is death; nevertheless Seneca argues that, since death is inevitable it is a part of life, therefore life is death. In this letter he states that unlike a journey where one does not reach one’s destination, life is never incomplete if lived honorably. To Seneca, morality, courage and decency remain the most crucial traits for a life

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