186:, 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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168:’ 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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210:, 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.
217:, 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
221:
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
99:
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:
177:
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
255:"as soon as she had placed him in the tomb, along with her son she laid away her sorrow, and grieved no more than was respectful to Caesar or fair Tiberius, seeing that they were alive."
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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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115:, while also incorporating his Stoic Philosophy. Seneca is the consoler and the one inflicting suffering in this work, and notes this paradox in the text.
201:("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
111:, Seneca writes his mother to console her on his recent exile to Corsica. In this work, Seneca employs many of the rhetorical devices common to 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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Baltussen, Han. "Personal Grief and Public
Mourning in Plutarch's Consolitation to his Wife" – "Introduction: Beginnings of Consolation".
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594:– English text, translated by Aubrey Stewart (1900), at Wikisource
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are also consolations. Two of the consolations are addressed to
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30:"Consolations" redirects here. For the act of consoling, see
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Seneca contrasted two models of maternal grieving: that of
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93 consoles him on the death of the philosopher
Metronax.
575:– English text, translated by Aubrey Stewart (1900), at
522:, Harry M. Hine, James Ker, Gareth D. Williams (2014).
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Consoling
Heliodorus: a commentary on Jerome, Letter 60
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130:. Scholars have concluded that the
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103:De Consolatione ad Helviam Matrem
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524:Seneca: Hardship and Happiness
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352:American Journal of Philology
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27:Works written around 40–45 AD
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375:. Routledge, 1997. pp. 27–35
341:Oxford UP, 2009. pp. 15–22.
71:’s three consolatory works,
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36:Consolation (disambiguation)
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616:– Latin text, at Wikisource
614:Ad Marciam, de Consolatione
610:– Latin text, at Wikisource
583:Of Consolation: To Polybius
188:De Consolatione ad Polybium
184:De Consolatione ad Polybium
170:De Consolatione ad Polybium
158:De Consolatione ad Polybium
152:De Consolatione ad Polybium
77:De Consolatione ad Polybium
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963:Letters of Paul and Seneca
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509:. Loeb Classical Library.
386:De Consolatione ad Marciam
229:Ad Marciam de Consolatione
215:De Consolatione ad Marciam
199:De Consolatione ad Marciam
194:De Consolatione ad Marciam
140:De Consolatione ad Helviam
132:De Consolatione ad Helviam
73:De Consolatione ad Marciam
58:De Consolatione ad Helviam
50:De Consolatione ad Marciam
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591:Of Consolation: To Marcia
572:Of Consolation: To Helvia
300:Consolatio Literary Genre
295:Consolation of Philosophy
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1372:Discourses of Epictetus
743:De Tranquillitate Animi
715:De Constantia Sapientis
507:Moral Essays, Volume II
1178:Philosophical concepts
906:Plays of questionable
540:. Hackett Publishing.
323:Seneca: Four Dialogues
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208:Aulus Cremutius Cordus
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34:. For other uses, see
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809:Naturales quaestiones
785:Seneca's Consolations
357:: 67. July–Aug. 2009.
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42:Seneca's Consolations
263:Several of Seneca's
122:, sister of Emperor
113:Consolatio Tradition
1346:Letters to Lucilius
1128:Antipater of Tarsus
1123:Diogenes of Babylon
1013:The Death of Seneca
768:Letters to Lucilius
604:text, at Wikisource
334:Scourfield, J.H.D.
259:Consolatory letters
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701:De Brevitate Vitae
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202:
198:
197:
187:
183:
181:
176:
169:
157:
155:
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139:
137:
131:
117:
112:
108:
106:
85:
80:
76:
72:
67:
57:
53:
49:
41:
40:
18:Consolations
1420:Neostoicism
1331:On Passions
1302:Prohairesis
32:Consolation
1281:Eudaimonia
1210:Katalepsis
1138:Posidonius
1118:Chrysippus
908:authorship
882:Phoenissae
832:Literature
801:philosophy
679:Philosophy
577:Wikisource
546:1624663680
532:0226748332
515:0674992806
477:designatus
306:References
203:Consolatio
164:, Emperor
86:Consolatio
44:refers to
1295:Oikeiôsis
1217:Diairesis
1203:Adiaphora
1158:Epictetus
1133:Panaetius
1113:Cleanthes
995:Portraits
847:Agamemnon
686:Dialogues
560:Dialogues
558:Seneca's
475:, consul
471:Possibly
245:Marcellus
92:Dialogues
1435:Category
1364:Lectures
1348:(Seneca)
1288:Kathekon
1274:Apatheia
1148:Cornutus
1092:Stoicism
986:Stoicism
889:Thyestes
505:Seneca,
451:Epistles
449:Seneca,
429:Epistles
427:Seneca,
407:Epistles
405:Seneca,
391:Archived
289:See also
271:Lucilius
241:Augustus
166:Claudius
162:Polybius
124:Caligula
1228:Physics
1168:more...
974:Related
923:Octavia
896:Troades
875:Phaedra
868:Oedipus
799:Natural
760:Letters
729:De Otio
487:xiv. 48
481:Tacitus
283:Epistle
279:Epistle
275:Epistle
128:Corsica
1309:Sophos
1267:Pathos
1259:Ethics
1249:Pneuma
1237:Physis
1143:Seneca
1037:Gallio
1024:Family
933:Satire
722:De Ira
544:
530:
513:
253:Drusus
79:, and
69:Seneca
46:Seneca
1323:Works
1196:Logos
1187:Logic
1049:Lucan
955:Other
861:Medea
602:Latin
438:xciii
416:lxiii
249:Livia
219:Stoic
178:good.
96:Stoic
1243:Fire
542:ISBN
528:ISBN
511:ISBN
485:Ann.
460:xcix
564:at
355:130
107:In
1437::
600:–
483:,
453:,
431:,
409:,
362:^
314:^
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75:,
56:,
52:,
1084:e
1077:t
1070:v
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657:t
650:v
462:.
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418:.
231:)
38:.
20:)
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