Please enable JavaScript.
Coggle requires JavaScript to display documents.
L + R: Seneca - Coggle Diagram
L + R: Seneca
Stoicism
- Ultimate goal is Apatheia which is an indifference to bodily pleasures and pains and the focus on the mind
- Emphasises reason over the body
- Advocates a simple, basic lifestyle and the pursuit of Arete
- Arete is the combo of 4 qualities, wisdom, courage, self-control and justice
- Humanity is one large community = Seneca will treat many different people similarly and show a lack of prejudice towards women
- People should not strive after material goods but instead devote themselves to their inner, mental life
-Lots of paradoxes within stoicism: Stoicism enables a man to be self-sufficient and immune to suffering and upsets of life. Even a slave armed with stoicism can be like a king
- Another paradox is "The shortest route to wealth is the contempt of wealth"
-
-
Context
Augustus + The leges Iuliae
- seneca was living during this time period
- could explain why Senecas views of love were so anti-political, he was living under a totalitarian dictator
Seneca = Huge hypocrite
- Seneca was incredibly wealthy and made lots of his money from his extortionate rent prices for people living on his property
- Had a close relationship with the emperor Nero which was an obvious contradiction to his beliefs of sobriety and temperance
- Known for having lavish banquets
- he was known for sleeping with women of the imperial court
-
Senecas views of love
- Viewed love similarly to how we would view friendhsip
- Differs from other stoics stating that life isn't complete without friendship and the friendships aren't for the benefit of ourselves but the value we get out of the relationship
- Lust is the body demanding something from the mind, Seneca believes it should be ignored + fought against
- "Lust was given to humanity not for the sake of pleasure but for the propagation of the human race"
- Seneca. believes intent is essential and a man that lies with his own wife as if she was another women has committed adultry
- Seneca even gives practice advice that is easy applicable on how to avoid 'tempting' situations'
- Believed abstinence from alcohol is a good strategy to avoid giving into lust "Drunkness brings out vices"
Vice: A moral fault or flaw in someones character e.g. greed, pride or envy
- Seneca sees love as a necessary evil that needs to be controlled within the Phaedra
-
Senecas view of women
- Seneca targets his anger of lust and the lack of chastity towards women in his writing
- "Where will you find any women satisfied with just a pair of lovers without needing a different one for each hour of the day, nor is the day long enough for all of them"
Senecas views about his wife
-Seneca refers to Paulina (his wife) as his Conscia (partner with equal knowledge) when he talks about their bedtime routine.
- Shows Seneca sees women as intellectual equals to men and juxtaposes many other poets
- Seneca has very contradicting views surrounding women
Secundum Naturam
- The appeal to the importance of living in accordance with nature or secundum Naturam
- for example men that dress feminine are not living in secundum naturam, same with people who live with hot water and luxury
Phaedra
- Play involved theseus, Hippolytus and Phaedra: Phaedra wants step-son Hippolytus, he rejects her, she tells Theseus he came onto her and he is exiled by his father Theseus
- Seneca describes the maddening effects that lust has for a person through Phaedra in his play
- "She feels no concern for food", "completely drained of strength"
- She's clearly not living in accordance with nature and Sappho juxtaposes this perception