Daily #2: Stoicism Complete Essay

Adam Beard
4/5/11

Seneca was a man who was close to Nero and was trusted by Nero. Even though he was sentenced to death, Seneca showed a great deal of stoicism even in the face of death. Death fell upon Seneca, but he was unaffected by it.  Stoicism is the ability to endure pain and hardship while retaining the ability to control one’s emotions; Seneca at his death was a perfect example of a stoic.

One quote that defines stoicism is from the Death of Seneca. “Seneca, quite unmoved, asked for tablets on which to inscribe his will, and, on the centurion's refusal, turned to his friends, protesting that as he was forbidden to requite them, he bequeathed to them the only, but still the noblest possession yet remaining to him, the pattern of his life, which, if they remembered, they would win a name for moral worth and steadfast friendship” (Tacitus: The Death of Seneca, 65 CE). This quote makes a good point about Seneca’s character. Even at the brink of death, Seneca held his emotions on the inside and showed that he did not care that death was coming. Seneca knew he was going to endure the pain of death, but he did not show that he cared at all. Seneca showed the ability to control his emotions on the inside while his friends and family didn’t see that Seneca even cared about death. Seneca was unaffected by the effect of death and death did not even matter to him.

Seneca can also be defined as a stoic by another quote from the Death of Seneca. This quote is, “Upon this the tribune asserted that he saw no signs of fear, and perceived no sadness in his words or in his looks” (Tacitus: The Death of Seneca, 65 CE). This quote tells how Seneca was just sentenced to death but he showed no emotions from it. Seneca did not even show any tears and he was not even scared at the thought of death.  He was unaffected by Nero’s sentence of death to him. Seneca was going through a lot of suffering at the time but it did not seem to upset him. It is as if Seneca just dealt with the pain and didn’t even care his life would be coming to an end. This quote also shows that Seneca was stoical near his death.

Another quote also describes the stoicism shown by Seneca. The quote is, “He had no reason," he said, for "preferring the interest of any private citizen to his own safety, and he had no natural aptitude for flattery” (Tacitus: The Death of Seneca, 65 CE). This quote shows that Seneca did not really show any interest in any one person. He also didn’t really say anything to the people he was close to or complement them for what they have done. Seneca just did not really show an interest in meeting other people or spending time with them. He kept his emotions on the inside and did not show enthusiasm in others. Seneca was more for himself than the wellness of other citizens.

These quotes show the significance of how Seneca represents a stoic. Seneca showed that he was a stoic by the way he reacted to death and by the reaction to others. The truth is that Seneca really did not react to death or other people. He kept all of his feelings and thoughts on the inside and did not show any emotions. Seneca did not show a tear and did not send out a cry of fear. Seneca just endured his hardship and controlled his emotions to a point where he didn’t even show any. Seneca was very quiet and subdued about a topic of death when many other people would cry and scream at the moment of death.  Seneca did not complain or whine; he persevered through feelings of pain. This made Seneca a great example of a stoic.

 Work Cited in APA Format

Tacitus, (1998). In Tacitus: The Death of Seneca, 65 CE. Retrieved Apr. 4, 2011, from http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/ancient/tacitus-ann15a.html