Between Heathenism and Christianity - College of Stoic Philosophers

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" Be " Seneca: His Character and Environment own, as offering a sort of personal challenge or direct ing a rebuke at them which they must needs resent. Seneca was himself conscious that his life and pro fessions were sometimes irreconcilable. He says: To the student who professes his wish and hope to rise to a loftier grade of virtue, I would answer that this is my wish also, but T dare not hope it. I am pre occupied with vices. All I require of myself is, not to be equal to the best, but only to be better than the bad." On the much-debated question of Seneca s respon sibility for the vices of Nero, Merivale is probably right in saying that he must soon have become aware that it was impossible to make even a reasonably virtuous man out of his pupil. Under such circumstances it was natural for him to conclude that the best thing to be done was to allow the youth to indulge in pri vate vices in order to keep him from injuring others. The morality he impressed upon Nero, the modern writer sums up in these words: courteous and moderate; shun cruelty and rapine; abstain from blood; compensate yourself with the pleasures of youth without compunction; amuse yourself, but hurt no man." This principle was a dangerous one, as we now know; but it is easy to be wise after the event. A philosopher ought to have known that it is never safe to make a compromise with vice. Our philoso pher did not know it, or, knowing it, was willing to take the It is risk. doubtless some of his detractors that he has in 34
Seneca: His Character and Environment mind in his defense of riches. He can see no harm in large possessions when they have been honestly, or at least lawfully, acquired and are properly used. It may help us to understand his attitude in this matter if we compare it with that of some of the ministers of our own day, and with some of the ecclesiastical dignitaries of the past, Seneca s philosophy did not come to him as a divine command. It was the fruit of his own cogitation in the search for the supreme good. But there are men in our day, as there have always been, who are not only members of the church but preachers of the Gospel, who are both rich themselves and apologists of the rich. Yet they pro fess to be followers of the Son of God; of Him who taught that it is exceedingly difficult for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. Seneca did not profess to seek this kingdom. His search was after the kingdom of earthly felicity, and he could not see why riches should be an obstacle to his entering it. Seneca was a good exemplar of the truth of a say ing quoted by Xenophon in his Memorabilia of So crates to the effect that even an upright man is some times good, sometimes bad. His writings convey the impression that their author is always under stress. The philosophical composure of which he has much to say, is an aspiration and a hope, not a fruition. When he speaks of the passions he sees them in their intensi ty. He seems to regard all men as either very good or very bad, and finds the latter class to include the great body of mankind. He fails to realize that the ma ss
Page 2: THEQL STACK
Page 7 and 8: Between Heathenism and Christianity
Page 9 and 10: " PREFACE. It is admitted by s
Page 11 and 12: Preface In the following pages I ha
Page 13 and 14: CONTENTS, ....... PAGE. PBEFAOE ...
Page 15 and 16: SENECA: HIS CHARACTER AND ENVIRONME
Page 17 and 18: " " Seneca: His Character
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Page 47 and 48: " The Seneca: His Character an
Page 67 and 68: SELECTIONS FROM THE WRITINGS OF SEN
Page 69 and 70: Selections from the Writings of Sen
Page 83 and 84: De Providentia untouched, I shall u
Page 85 and 86: " Why De Providentia gence and
Page 87 and 88: De Providentia may gain real streng
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De Providentia enough for the immor
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De Providentia down his arms forthw
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De Providentia well-known exemplar
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De Providentia prove by these thing
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De Provldenda to thee when thou wer
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<J5 De Providentia ingly the
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De Providentia V. Add, now, that it
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De Providentia nor am I God s slave
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" " Good De Providentia I
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" " count what others lon
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" For De Providentia found in
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De Providentia "The first whic
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Plutarch and the Greece of His Age
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" Plutarch and the Greece of H
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eformer. Plutarch and the Greece of
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" " The Delay of the Deit
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" To The Delay of the Deity wi
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The Delay of the Deity vices, He ad
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The Delay of the Deity nature, to h
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The Delay of the Deity may turn to
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" " " The Delay of t
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The Delay of the Deity Sikyonians a
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" We The Delay of the Deity ag
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The Delay of the Deity are allowed
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The Delay of the Deity 11. If then
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The Delay of the Deity wished might
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The Delay of the Deity to what is p
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The Delay of the Deity son from his
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" You " Do " "
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The Delay of the Deity conjured up
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Pindar says? 197 The Delay of the D
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The Delay of the Deity to be a vill
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The Delay of the Deity distances fr
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The Delay of the Deity the souls of
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The Delay of the Deity cation and p
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The Delay of the Deity the white. H
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The Delay of the Deity offer suppli
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The Delay of the Deityfalling into
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The Delay of the Deity is intrinsic
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Appendix VOLUME III. De E apud Delp
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Appendix cited by their Latin title
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Between Heathenism and Christianity - College of Stoic Philosophers

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