Seneca Lucius AnnaeusSeneca Lucius AnnaeusPhilosopher, poet, dramatistPhilosopher, poet, dramatist

BIOGRAPHYBIOGRAPHY• Born in Cordoba of Spain in 4 BC• Brought to Rome and studied near to stoicians• Became lawyer• Founder of famous philosophical faculty in Rome

Exiled by Kaligula Restored by

Agrippina Tutor of emperor

Nero from 49 AD Owner of a big

fortune Remarkable

influence on NeroAccused of

conspiracy and made by Nero to commit a suicide

His literary production includes: a dozen philosophical essays one hundred twenty-four letters dealing with moral issues nine tragedies a satire (Apocolocyntosis divi Claudii) a meteorological essay and the controversial Octavia

I HAVE undertaken, Nero Caesar, to write on the subject of mercy, in order to serve in a way the purpose of a mirror, and thus reveal you to yourself as one destined to attain to the greatest of all pleasures. For, though the true profit of virtuous deeds lies in the doing, and there is no fitting reward for the virtues apart from the virtues themselves, still it is a pleasure to subject a good conscience to a round of inspection, then to cast one's eyes upon this vast throng… Seneca, On Mercy (De Clementia)

Philosophical cosmotheorySenecaSeneca:

A) is the greatest Roman stoician influenced by Plato, Cynics and Epicurus.

B) is the man of guidance, adherent of moral evolution and completion of the human being through education and humanity

C) accepts the flaws and weaknesses of the humansD) believes that humans are evil and weak and they

will always be

BeliefsGod is the first cause

and his will the lawlaw The human reason or the The human reason or the

immortal immortal psychepsyche is the is the outcome of the god – like outcome of the god – like spirit bound in the bodyspirit bound in the body

Philosophy is the Philosophy is the love love of wisdomof wisdom, inseparate , inseparate from from virtue andteaches the doing and

the right Humans should be

humanistic humanistic even to the sclaves

TragediesHercules Furens (The Madness of Hercules)Troades (The Trojan Women)Phoenissae (The Phoenician Women)PhaedraMedeaThyestesAgamemnonOedipusHercules Oetaeus (Hercules on Oeta) and Octavia closely resemble Seneca's plays in

style, but are probably written by a follower

CHARACTERISTICS OF SENECA’STRAGEDY

Content of tragedies Based on the

ancient prototype especially Euripides

use of contaminatio contaminatio (intermixture of works)

loose structure of hellenistic tragedy

creation of unique unique (in Seneca’s plays) theatrical personaspersonas

Language and style