On the Shortness of Life

This little book contains three writings from the classic Roman Philosopher Seneca who lived from about 5 B.C. to 65 A.D. and was a contemporary of the Apostle Paul. (There are even letters supposedly between the two, which were proven to be ancient forgeries, See: Lost Books of the Bible). The three writings contained in this work are: On the shortness of life. Consolation to Helvia. On the tranquility of mind. In these writings the great philosopher warns of the dangers of materialism and how it leads to unhappiness. Life will be miserable for those who acquire through great toil what they must keep by greater toil. The wealthy are no more happy than the poor, for most worry about losing what they have. The author advises not getting to attached to money, public office, or influence because fortune can reclaim them. He suggests to love frugality and the pursuit of learning, study history and philosophy. Be careful what you exchange your time for, life goes by quickly. The ideal amount of money never falls with in the range of poverty or far exceeds it. He believes that people can be happy in simplicity and contemplation. He advises leading a balanced life and beware of fame, power, and responsibilty becasue most that are in high places became trapped and unhappy dreaming of freedom and peace. This was a delightful book and an excellent translation. If you love philosphy I highly recommend adding this little book to your collection. Spend your time wisely it will go by very quickly.

For my mother's fifty-fifth birthday, I gave her a copy of this book. Even I, at sixteen, was completely changed by Seneca's powerful and timeless ideals in this book- these are essays for all ages, all eras, all people. Although Seneca wrote in the beginning of the "common era," his description of a world where people search fruitlessly for happiness through materialism and waiting for the future rings truer than ever in our postmodern age. His ideas for remedying our distress, through accepting each minute of life as it comes and concentrating completely on our present task, are no less than transforming.

So it is, Seneca observes, it's not that we are not given a short life, but that we waste a lot it. Life is long if you know how to use it. How stupid to forget our mortality. "Live immediately." Also known for his tragedy Oedipus, Seneca (Lucius Annaeus) (AD 4-65) was a Stoic philosopher. His reputation as a philosopher is derived primarily from his twelve books of MORAL ESSAYS and philosophical letters. The Stoics emphasized the importance of self-sufficiency and equanimity in the face of adversity, and believed that virtue is attainable only by living in harmony with nature. Although he may not rank with Plato or Aristotle as a philosopher, or with Marcus Aurelius (121-180) (MEDITATIONS) or Epictetus as a Stoic sage, Seneca nevertheless offers us timeless wisdom for living a meaningful life. (It should be noted that this review refers to the 2005 Penguin Great Ideas edition of ON THE SHORTNESS OF LIFE, translated by C. D. N. Costa, which includes the three essays, "On the Shortness of Life," "Consolation to Helvia," and "On Tranquility of Mind.") G. Merritt

Seneca's brand of Stoicism emphasized the philosophy by which his reader might face life's setbacks. In particular he considered it important to confront the fact of one's own mortality. The discussion of how to approach death dominates this book, which is a series of letters to relatives and friends. Seneca himself was ordered to commit suicide by the Emperor Nero, and did so in A.D. 65. This book also elucidates the author's pet peeves, many of which sound quite modern: * Men who comb their few strands of hair forward in an effort to hide their baldness * Historians who memorize obscure dates and battles in an effort to appear knowledgeable * Collectors and hobbyists of any sort * Sports fans (men who sit at "a wrestling ring...keenly following the bouts between boys") * Men who pretend they're younger than they are * Lunatic poets who prose on about love * The current mode of dance (mincing and wriggling) There is very little talk about love or mitigating the pain of death through love. In fact, Seneca recommends that we detach ourselves from strenuous goal-seeking, repeated indulgence in sport and play, or overindulgence in anything. Everything in moderation. Yet his wife did commit suicide with Seneca. Was that out of love or fear? This small book (106 pages) gives its reader a window into the life and customs of the Roman Empire as seen through the clear gaze of one of its eminent philosophers.

I disagree with the former reviewer that this is not a wise purchase. These texts are available online if you know how to find them, so part of buying a book these days is the having of a crafted object upon which to enjoy that text. In this regard, this 100 page book has the title nicely embossed into it's paper cover and its art is simple, classic. The paper inside is an off white that has obviously been carefully chosen. Best of all, the type is very crisp and clear and easy to read. When I buy a book I am most concerned with the quality of the type because, in my opinion, muddy text is distracting. I would agree that it is not a definitive reference, but I enjoy soaking in a few gems from many writers on many subjects, and for this reason I am glad that these little great ideas books are being published. I have not seen the other volume that was aforementioned by the previous reviewer and therefore cannot compare its qualities.