175:, Seneca encourages Polybius to distract himself from grief with his busy work schedule. The tonal switch from consoling Polybius to flattery of Emperor Claudius occurs in chapter 12. (Ball) Seneca credits the emperor as the source of his ‘high station’ and as the giver of his, ‘pleasure of being able to perform duties.’ (Ball) Seneca then delves into a series of prayers of devotion and flattery, which invoke long life for the emperor. This switch is sudden, abrupt, and incongruent with Seneca's Stoic philosophy. (Rudrich) It appears almost desperate in its presentation. In fact, the tone is so recognizably changed, some scholars claim other authorship besides Seneca. (Ball) However, it is most widely accepted that the tonal switch in
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157:’ Literary Secretary, to console him on the death of his brother. The essay contains Seneca’s Stoic philosophy, with particular attention to the inescapable reality of death. Although the essay is about a very personal matter, the essay itself doesn’t seem particularly empathetic to Polybius’ unique case, but rather a broader essay on grief and bereavement. In fact, the reader doesn't ever find out the name of Polybius’ deceased brother. One scholar claims that the
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199:, and her family's enormous wealth and influence most likely inspired Seneca to write this letter of consolation. Through the essay he sticks to philosophical abstractions concerning Stoic precepts of life and death. For a letter offering solace, he notably lacks empathy toward Marcia's individual grief and loss.
206:, Seneca attempts to convince her that the fate of her son, while tragic, should not have been a surprise. She knew many other mothers who had lost their sons; why should she expect her own son to survive her? The acknowledgement, even expectation, of the worst of all possible outcomes is a tenet of Seneca's
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is dated roughly 42/43 AD. In the text, Seneca tells his mother he does not feel grief, therefore she should not mourn his absence. He refers to his exile merely as a ‘change of place’ and reassures her his exile did not bring him feelings of disgrace. Seneca comments on his mother's strong character
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the inhabited world... in huge conflagration it will burn and scorch and burn all mortal things... stars will clash with stars and all the fiery matter of the world... will blaze up in a common conflagration. Then the souls of the
Blessed, who have partaken of immortality, when it will seem best for
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philosophy. While Seneca sympathised with Marcia, he reminded her that "we are born into a world of things which are all destined to die," and that if she could accept that no one is guaranteed a just life (that is, one in which sons always outlive their mothers), she could finally end her mourning
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I am joyous and cheerful, as if under the best of circumstances. And indeed, now they are the best, since my spirit, devoid of all other preoccupations, has room for its own activities, and either delights in easier studies or rises up eager for the truth, to the consideration of its own nature as
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teachings. Although they are personal addresses of Seneca, these works are written more like essays than personal letters of consolation. Furthermore, although each essay is particular in its address of consolation, the tone of these works is notably detached. Seneca seems more preoccupied with
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presenting facts of the universe and the human condition instead of offering solace. This detachment may be a result of Seneca’s attempt to gain favor and contrive a return from exile through these
Consolatio works, instead of merely offering a friendly hand of comfort.
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is an attempt by Seneca to contrive his return from exile. (Rudich) This letter to
Polybius clearly tries to gain his favor, and as well as flatter the Emperor Claudius, ironically seeking to draw empathy for himself in the process:
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As many tears as are left to me by my own fortune I do not refuse to shed lamenting yours. For I will manage to find in my eyes, exhausted as they are by my private crying, some that still may pour out, if this will do you any
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tradition, and takes the form of an essay versus a personal letter. Seneca was most likely motivated to write this letter of consolation to Marcia in order to gain her favor; Marcia was the daughter of a prominent historian,
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approximately 43/44 AD, during his years in exile. Scholars often refer to this work as the definitive representation of the part of Seneca's life he spent in exile. This
Consolatio addresses
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Seneca's seemingly positive outlook on his own exile follows his Stoic philosophy teachings that one should not be upset by uncontrollable events. This quote from
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190:("On Consolation to Marcia") is a work by Seneca written around 40 AD. Like Seneca's other consolatory works, this consolation is constructed in the
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god to create the universe anew… will be changed again into our former elements. Happy, Marcia, is your son who knows these mysteries! (Seneca,
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339:
Baltussen, Han. "Personal Grief and Public
Mourning in Plutarch's Consolitation to his Wife" – "Introduction: Beginnings of Consolation".
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99 consists largely of a copy of a letter Seneca wrote to his friend
Marullus, following the death of his "little son."
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Marcia actively mourned the death of her son
Metilius for over three years. In
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in his twenties, "set no bounds to her tears and moans"; with that of
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are also consolations. Two of the consolations are addressed to
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Seneca contrasted two models of maternal grieving: that of
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Metronax.
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Consoling
Heliodorus: a commentary on Jerome, Letter 60
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314:. Aris and Phillips Ltd. England 1994
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364:. Routledge, 1997. pp. 27–35
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603:Ad Marciam, de Consolatione
599:– Latin text, at Wikisource
572:Of Consolation: To Polybius
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177:De Consolatione ad Polybium
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159:De Consolatione ad Polybium
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218:Ad Marciam de Consolatione
204:De Consolatione ad Marciam
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183:De Consolatione ad Marciam
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346:: 67. July–Aug. 2009.
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97:
95:
74:
69:
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56:
46:
42:
38:
30:
29:
1409:Neostoicism
1320:On Passions
1291:Prohairesis
21:Consolation
1270:Eudaimonia
1199:Katalepsis
1127:Posidonius
1107:Chrysippus
897:authorship
871:Phoenissae
821:Literature
790:philosophy
668:Philosophy
566:Wikisource
535:1624663680
521:0226748332
504:0674992806
466:designatus
295:References
192:Consolatio
153:, Emperor
75:Consolatio
33:refers to
1284:Oikeiôsis
1206:Diairesis
1192:Adiaphora
1147:Epictetus
1122:Panaetius
1102:Cleanthes
984:Portraits
836:Agamemnon
675:Dialogues
549:Dialogues
547:Seneca's
464:, consul
460:Possibly
234:Marcellus
81:Dialogues
1424:Category
1353:Lectures
1337:(Seneca)
1277:Kathekon
1263:Apatheia
1137:Cornutus
1081:Stoicism
975:Stoicism
878:Thyestes
494:Seneca,
440:Epistles
438:Seneca,
418:Epistles
416:Seneca,
396:Epistles
394:Seneca,
380:Archived
278:See also
260:Lucilius
230:Augustus
155:Claudius
151:Polybius
113:Caligula
1217:Physics
1157:more...
963:Related
912:Octavia
885:Troades
864:Phaedra
857:Oedipus
788:Natural
749:Letters
718:De Otio
476:xiv. 48
470:Tacitus
272:Epistle
268:Epistle
264:Epistle
117:Corsica
1298:Sophos
1256:Pathos
1248:Ethics
1238:Pneuma
1226:Physis
1132:Seneca
1026:Gallio
1013:Family
922:Satire
711:De Ira
533:
519:
502:
242:Drusus
68:, and
58:Seneca
35:Seneca
1312:Works
1185:Logos
1176:Logic
1038:Lucan
944:Other
850:Medea
591:Latin
427:xciii
405:lxiii
238:Livia
208:Stoic
167:good.
85:Stoic
1232:Fire
531:ISBN
517:ISBN
500:ISBN
474:Ann.
449:xcix
553:at
344:130
96:In
1426::
589:–
472:,
442:,
420:,
398:,
351:^
303:^
262::
64:,
45:,
41:,
1073:e
1066:t
1059:v
780:)
776:(
653:e
646:t
639:v
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407:.
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