Seneca39

Seneca Epistula ad Lucilium XXXIX
Initial commentary by Sarah Doubleday: revised by Jacques Bailly

Introduction
In this letter, Seneca puts forth the Stoic views on excess and pleasures. Stoics believed that passions or excessive and irrational impulses were, or arose from, false judgment. A sage, i.e., a person who had attained moral and intellectual perfection, would no long experience them, because she would have purged all false beliefs. Seneca believed that a sage was immune to misfortune and that virtue is sufficient for happiness. Stoics do not think that all impulses need to be done away with—only excessive or irrational impulses: in other words, all the ordinary human ones, which would be replaced by purified and rarefied counterparts to them that only the sage experiences.

Text

XXXIX. SENECA LUCILIO SUO SALUTEM

[1] Commentarios quos desideras, diligenter ordinatos et in angustum coactos, ego vero componam; sed vide ne plus profutura sit ratio ordinaria quam haec quae nunc vulgo breviarium dicitur, olim cum latine loqueremur summarium vocabatur. Illa res discenti magis necessaria est, haec scienti; illa enim docet, haec admonet. Sed utriusque rei tibi copiam faciam. Tu a me non est quod illum aut illum exigas: qui notorem dat ignotus est. [2] Scribam ergo quod vis, sed meo more; interim multos habes quorum scripta nescio an satis ordinentur. Sume in manus indicem philosophorum: haec ipsa res expergisci te coget, si videris quam multi tibi laboraverint. Concupisces et ipse ex illis unus esse; habet enim hoc optimum in se generosus animus, quod concitatur ad honesta. Neminem excelsi ingenii virum humilia delectant et sordida: magnarum rerum species ad se vocat et extollit. [3] Quemadmodum flamma surgit in rectum, iacere ac deprimi non potest, non magis quam quiescere, ita noster animus in motu est eo mobilior et actuosior quo vehementior fuerit. Sed felix qui ad meliora hunc impetum dedit: ponet se extra ius dicionemque fortunae; secunda temperabit, adversa comminuet et aliis admiranda despiciet. [4] Magni animi est magna contemnere ac mediocria malle quam nimia; illa enim utilia vitaliaque sunt, at haec eo quod superfluunt nocent. Sic segetem nimia sternit ubertas, sic rami onere franguntur, sic ad maturitatem non pervenit nimia fecunditas. Idem animis quoque evenit quos immoderata felicitas rumpit, qua non tantum in aliorum iniuriam sed etiam in suam utuntur. [5] Qui hostis in quemquam tam contumeliosus fuit quam in quosdam voluptates suae sunt? quorum impotentiae atque insanae libidini ob hoc unum possis ignoscere, quod quae fecere patiuntur. Nec immerito hic illos furor vexat; necesse est enim in immensum exeat cupiditas quae naturalem modum transilit. Ille enim habet suum finem, inania et ex libidine orta sine termino sunt. [6] Necessaria metitur utilitas: supervacua quo redigis? Voluptatibus itaque se mergunt quibus in consuetudinem adductis carere non possunt, et ob hoc miserrimi sunt, quod eo pervenerunt ut illis quae supervacua fuerant facta sint necessaria. Serviunt itaque voluptatibus, non fruuntur, et mala sua, quod malorum ultimum est, et amant; tunc autem est consummata infelicitas, ubi turpia non solum delectant sed etiam placent, et desinit esse remedio locus ubi quae fuerant vitia mores sunt. Vale.

Text from thelatinlibrary.com, with minor housekeeping changes unless otherwise noted.

Commentary

Seneca discusses the difference between breviaries and summaries: a breviarium is good for fresh learning, a summarium for reminding. Since they are alternative names for the same thing, Seneca likely means that students like briefness (brev-) while those who already know like to be quickly reminded of the important points (summ-). Summarium is so infrequently used that it is difficult to judge Seneca's claim that it is an older Latin name, while breviarium has a handful of instances around Seneca's time.

A bit of speculation is necessary in order to understand the beginning of this letter. Perhaps we should imagine that Lucilius requested something like summary notes about some idea(s) or some thinker(s). Seneca suggests that Lucilius should consider whether ratio ordinaria would be better than summary notes. Ratio ordinaria might refer to "the usual way" of learning as opposed to the shortcut offered by Seneca's notes: the usual way would be that Lucilius read, study, and make his own notes. Tu a me non est quod illum aut illum exigas may refer to a request made by Lucilius (or imagined by Seneca) that Seneca provide evidence or backup witnesses for his commentarios. That would make qui notorem dat ignotus est have a point: the idea would be that if one needs backup, one doesn't really know the material.

commentarios: sc. libros. | profutura sit: subjunctive in a negative indirect command, primary sequence. The form future participle + sim, sis, sit,... is unnecessary (a simple present subjunctive would convey the same essential thought): it emphatically conveys the futurity relative to the leading verb. | ratio ordinaria: without Lucilius' letters, it is not clear to what this refers: perhaps to the idea that Lucilius might benefit more from simply studying and learning for himself the material on which he has requested commentarios. | breviarium: a breviarium is a short (brev-) version of something. English "breviary" often refers to a Catholic liturgical book, but obviously it would not have that connotation in Seneca’s time. | olim cum latine loqueremur: whether Seneca's claim that it used to be called a summarium has little corroborating evidence for or against. | loqueremur: imperfect subjunctive in cum temporal clause, secondary sequence. | Summarium: another word for a shorter version: an outline, an abridgement, a summary. | discenti... scienti: both dative present active participles, dependent on necessaria. | utriusque rei: we lack Lucilius' half of the conversation: Seneca may be suggesting that he will provide notes that will both remind Lucilius of what he knows and give him new material to learn. | non est quod: idiomatic for “there is no reason why.” | exigas: Subjunctive quod + a rejected reason is unreal and so in the subjunctive. | illum aut illum: because of the following clause, illum aut illum must refer to notores, i.e. authoritative people who could vouchsafe Seneca's claims. | qui notorem dat ignotus est: qui is subject of dat and notorem is its direct object. The omitted antecedent of qui is the subject of est, and ignotus is a predicate nominative with est. The meaning is "One who gives an authority is ignorant," a highly questionable claim.

Seneca will send along some summaries in Seneca's own manner (meo more), but meanwhile he compels Lucilius to read philosophical works.
Seneca claims that Lucilius' noble soul will by nature be stirred by the honorable things (found in the philosophical works) and not delighted by vicious things: humans are, according to Stoicism, by nature good in their original tendencies. An optimistic view.

[2] Scribam ergo quod vis, sed meo more; interim multos habes quorum scripta nescio an satis ordinentur. Sume in manus indicem philosophorum: haec ipsa res expergisci te coget, si videris quam multi tibi laboraverint. Concupisces et ipse ex illis unus esse; habet enim hoc optimum in se generosus animus, quod concitatur ad honesta. Neminem excelsi ingenii virum humilia delectant et sordida: magnarum rerum species ad se vocat et extollit.

sed meo more: sc. scribam in this clause too. | multos: "many people" or even "many writers/thinkers": usually Latin has no explicit word for "people" when an adjective and its gender and number will convey "people" adequately. | ordinentur: subjunctive in a relative clause of characteristic, primary sequence. nescio an is adverbial "perhaps" and does not influence the mood of the verb following it. | Sume: imperative. | expergisci: deponent infinitive. | coget ... si videris: future more vivid conditional: future perfect in the protasis and future in the apodosis. | laboraverint: indirect question subjunctive (quam is an interrogative adverb "how") dependent on videris: primary sequence. | ex illis unus: cardinal numerals take ex or de + the ablative, where English says, e.g. "one of them." | Neminem excelsi ingenii virum: neminem is here used as an adjective modifying virum: excelsi ingenii is genitive of quality. | humilia et sordida: compound subject of delectant.

Philosophy reduces and tempers the ill effects of fortune (at the extreme is the stoic sage, who is immune to fortune).
Seneca claims here that the soul, by its very nature, gives itself an impulse to better things (ad meliora hunc impetum), and thus can flourish (be felix, "happy," but not just fleetingly "happy"). That impulse to better things can transform one's life such that one has a healthy attitude toward both successes and setbacks and one does not think the same things are to be admired as other people do.

[3] Quemadmodum flamma surgit in rectum, iacere ac deprimi non potest, non magis quam quiescere, ita noster animus in motu est eo mobilior et actuosior quo vehementior fuerit. Sed felix qui ad meliora hunc impetum dedit: ponet se extra ius dicionemque fortunae; secunda temperabit, adversa comminuet et aliis admiranda despiciet.

Quemadmodum ... ita ...: correlatives, “Just as ... so ... .” | surgit ...potest: where English requires "and," Latin can omit such conjunctions, which is called "asyndeton," a stylistic device. | iacere, deprimi, and quiescere: complementary infinitives with potest. | eo mobilior et actuosior quo vehementior fuerit: ablatives of degree of difference, used correlatively with comparatives, meaning literally "to the degree (eo) to which (quo) it is more ____, it is more _____," and more fluidly "the more ____, the more ____." | fuerit: Latin employs its future perfect more often than English does its future perfect. Of course, the form fuerit could also be perfect subjunctive, and one could see this clause as a relative clause of characteristic, but the sense does not seem to require that. | felix: sc. est. | hunc impetum: direct object of dedit, referring to the soul's flamelike active striving. | ius: neuter singular accusative object of extra.

| secunda: neuter plural substantive adjective: secundus meaning "favorable" comes from the use of secundus of a current or wind that is "following" and so speeds one along (secundus is related to sequor). | adversa: a participle of adverto that is also an adjective meaning "opposite" or "opposing" in its own right. | aliis admiranda: admiranda is a gerundive: aliis is dative of agent, the norm with gerundives.

Seneca discusses the dangers of excess. It can lead to missing the end goal and cause injury.

[4] Magni animi est magna contemnere ac mediocria malle quam nimia; illa enim utilia vitaliaque sunt, at haec eo quod superfluunt nocent. Sic segetem nimia sternit ubertas, sic rami onere franguntur, sic ad maturitatem non pervenit nimia fecunditas. Idem animis quoque evenit quos immoderata felicitas rumpit, qua non tantum in aliorum iniuriam sed etiam in suam utuntur.

magni animi: genitive of quality. Est boni poetae bene scribere means "it is of (a quality/characteristic/part, etc.) a good poet to write well." A "great soul" is that of the stoic sage. | est: "quasi-impersonal" because it is often translated in English as "it is," but really the infinitives are its subject. | at haec eo quod superfluunt nocent: eo refers to the soul (animi) and is dative because noceo takes dative; quod is causal "because" (followed by indicative because it is presented as a fact, something the author believes to be true). Some editions print haec eo quo superfluunt nocent, in which eo quo are ablatives of degree of difference "these do harm to the degree to which they are excessive." The sentences that follow, however, illustrate more that the mere fact of excess causes harm than that harm varies with the degree of excess, which favors eo quod over eo quo. | sic ... sic ... sic ...: three clauses in asyndeton. | ubertas: nominative, modified by nimia. | rami onere franguntur: sc. "of the fruit on them." | quoque: as with English "too," quoque is almost always placed after the word it modifies. | non tantum ... sed etiam ... : “not only ... but also ....” | qua non tantum in aliorum iniuriam sed etiam in suam utuntur: utor takes ablative qua; tantum adverbial and correlated with etiam; in aliorum iniuriam and in suam (sc. iniuriam) are good examples of how the range of in varies widely from that of English "in."

Seneca continues to talk about the danger of unchecked pleasure. He notes that while the desire for many kinds of pleasure has no logical end and can always expand, it has the saving quality of making those who have such a desire suffer (and hence perhaps has its own cure as a consequence).

[5] Qui hostis in quemquam tam contumeliosus fuit quam in quosdam voluptates suae sunt? quorum impotentiae atque insanae libidini ob hoc unum possis ignoscere, quod quae fecere patiuntur. Nec immerito hic illos furor vexat; necesse est enim in immensum exeat cupiditas quae naturalem modum transilit. Ille enim habet suum finem, inania et ex libidine orta sine termino sunt.

tam... quam...: "so... as... ." Note how fully corrrelated and balanced these clauses are: Qui hostis corresponds to voluptates suae, fuit to sunt, in quemquam to in quosdam, and tam to quam (both of which modify contumeliosus). The order, however, is nicely reversed: ABC contumeliosus fuit CBA sunt. | quosdam: substantive pronoun, accusative object of in (quosdam does not modify voluptates suae, which is nominative). Note that in quemquam and in quosdam are further examples of the phenomenon that in is not always translatable by English "in": here it means "against" or "to," as it frequently does. | impotentiae and insanae libidini: dative because ignoscere takes dative. | possis: what kind of subjunctive? potential. | quod: causal. | exeat: subjunctive following necesse est, which often takes a "semi-independent" subjunctive: "semi-independent" because it is not introduced by a subordinating conjunction, which would have been ut in this instance. | nec immerito: litotes. | exeat cupiditas: cupiditas is subject of exeat, which is a semi-independent subjunctive, as is not unusual with necesse. | Ille: refers to naturalis modus of the previous clause. | inania et ex libidine orta: this vague phrase encompasses all those normal human things that the stoics think arise from false beliefs, including all the emotions. orta is perfect passive participle from orior.

Seneca describes how pleasures can be cultivated into vices. What is 'necessary' by nature is minimal: pleasures lure us into thinking superfluous things 'necessary,' after which we become slaves to our pleasures (because of our bloated idea of what is 'necessary'). It is a vicious cycle that results in bad fixed habits.

[6] Necessaria metitur utilitas: supervacua quo redigis? Voluptatibus itaque se mergunt quibus in consuetudinem adductis carere non possunt, et ob hoc miserrimi sunt, quod eo pervenerunt ut illis quae supervacua fuerant facta sint necessaria. Serviunt itaque voluptatibus, non fruuntur, et mala sua, quod malorum ultimum est, et amant; tunc autem est consummata infelicitas, ubi turpia non solum delectant sed etiam placent, et desinit esse remedio locus ubi quae fuerant vitia mores sunt. Vale.

metitur: deponent. | quo: interrogative. | voluptatibus: dative (or ablative) dependent on mergunt. | se mergunt: the subject of mergunt is the same people as quosdam at the beginning of §5. | adductis: ablative with carere, modifying quibus. | quod: again, not a relative, but “because.” | quod eo pervenerunt ut illis quae supervacua fuerant facta sint necessaria: eo prepares for the result clause ut facta sint necessaria illis, and necessaria provides the antecedent for the relative clause quae supervacua fuerant. English word order might be: quod pervenerunt eo ut facta sint necessaria illis quae supervacua fuerant. | fruuntur: deponent. fruor takes ablative (as does serviunt). | mala sua, quod malorum ultimum est, et amant: the antecedent of quod is the whole thought of mala sua et amant (et is adverbial "even"). English word order might be: et amant mala sua, quod est ultimum malorum. Non-native-Latin speakers need to adjust our minds until it "clicks" and we find Seneca's order makes good sense. | et ... et amant: the first et is a conjunction, "and," while the second et is adverbial "even" or "also." tunc ... ubi ...: correlated "... at the time (tunc) when (ubi)...." | quae fuerant vitia mores sunt: the antecedent of quae is omitted, or rather it is the unexpressed subject of sunt. You can think of it as "things."

Vocabulary

actuosus, -a, um, active

adduco, adducere, adduxi, adductus, lead to, bring to

admiror (1), admire, wonder at

admoneo, admonere, admonui, admonitus, remind, suggest, bring to mind

adversus, -a, -um, adverse

an, whether (introduces indirect question or a second indirect question)

angustus, -a, -um, constrained, small, narrow

animus, -i, m., soul

breviarium, -i, n., epitome, summary, abridgement, abstract

careo, carere, carui, caritum, lack be, be without (+ abl. of separation)

cogo, cogere, coegi, coactus, collect, compress, draw together; force, compel

commentarius, -i, m., notes, notebook, commentary

comminuo, comminuere, comminui, comminutum, diminish

compono, componere, composui, componitus, put together, bring together, compose, collect

concito (1), rouse, urge, encourage

concupisco, concupiscere, concupivi, concupitus, cover, very much desire, strive for

consuetudo, -inis, f., habit, wont

consummo (1), accomplish, complete, finish

contemno, contemnere, contempsi, contemptum, value little, despise

contumeliosus, insulting, abusive

copia, -ae, f., ample supply, plenty

delecto (1), delight, allure

deprimo, deprimere, depressi, depressus, press down

desidero (1), want, ask for

desino, desinere, desii, cease, stop

despicio, despicere, despexi, despectus, lood down on, despise

dicio, dicionis, f., authority, sway

diligenter, carefully

disco, discere, didici, learn

do, dare, dedi, datus, give, provide

doceo, docere, docui, doctus, teach

evenio, evenire, eveni, eventus, turn out, happen

excelsus, -a, -um, eminent, exalted, lofty

exeo, exire, exi(v)i, go out, leave; result, turn out, issue

exigo, exigere, exegi, exactus, demand, require

expergiscor, expergisci, experrectus, to be awakened; to awake

extollo, extollere, exalt, elevate, lift up

extra, outside of (+ acc.)

fecunditas, -atis, f., productivity, fruitfulness, fecundity

felix, felicis, happy, fortunate

finis, finis, m., border, limit

flamma, -ae, f., flame

frango, frangere, fregi, fractus, break

fruor, frui, fructus sum, enjoy, derive enjoyment from (+ abl.)

furor, rage, insanity, anger

generosus, -a, -um, noble, well-born

honestus, -a, -um, honorable

humilis, humil, lowly, humble

iaceo, iacere, ieci, iactus, lie flat

idem, eadem, idem, same

idem, adv., likewise

ignosco, ignoscere, ignovi, ignotus, pardon (+ dat.)

ignotus, -a, -um, ignorant

immensus, -a, um, huge

immerito, undeservedly

immoderatus, -a, -um, excessive, immoderate

impetum, -i, n., impulse, push, force

impotentia, -ae, f., lack of resources, helplessness, inability

inanis, -e, empty, inane, vain

index, indicis, m., list, catalog, index, summary

infelicitas, -atis, f., unhappiness

ingenium, -i, n., nature, temperament, constitution

iniuria, -ae, f., injustice; harm

insanus, -a, -um, unhealthy

interim, meanwhile

ita, so, thus

itaque, thus, therefore

ius, iuris, n., law

laboro (1), exert oneself, work, strive

libido, -inis, f., lust

loquor, loqui, locutus sum, speak

magis, more

malo, malle, malui, prefer

manus, -us, m., hand

maturitas, -atis, f., ripeness

mediocris, -e, medium-sized, moderate

melior, melius, better

mergo, mergere, mersi, mersus, immerse, sink, plunge

metior, metiri, mensus, measure

miser, misera, miserum, wretched

mobilis, mobile, mobile, able to move

modum, -i, n., measure, moderation

mos, moris, m., custom, manner

motus, -us, m., movement, moetion

naturalis, -e, natural, according to nature
nemo, nemininis, no one; can be used as an adjectival no (as in "no man")

nescio, nescire, nescivi, nescitum, not know

nimius, -a, -um, too much, excessive

noceo, nocere, nocui, nocitus, harm (takes dative)

notor, notoris, m., witness, voucher, one who knows

onus, oneris, n., burden

optimus, -a, -um, best

ordinarius, -a, -um, ordinary, usual; regular, in order

ordino (1), arrange, set in order

orior, oriri, ortus sum, arise, come forth, originate

patior, pati, passus sum, endure, suffer, undergo

pervenio, pervenire, perveni, perventum, arrive at, reach

pervenio, pervenire, perveni, reach, arrive at

philosophus, -i, m., philosopher

placeo, placere, placui, placitum, please, satisfy (+ dat.)

pono, ponere, posui, positus, place, put

prosum, prodesse, profui, benefit, help

quemadmodum, just as, in the way in which

quidam, quaedam, quoddam, certain, some, a

quiesco, quiescere, quievi, quietus, be quiet

quisquis, quicquid, whoever, whatever

quod, wherefore, why; non est quod, "there is no reason why"

quoque, too, also

ramus, -i, m., branch

ratio, onis, f., reason

rectus, -a, -um, straight, upright: in rectum, straight upward

redigo, redigere, redegi, redactus, bring down, reduce, diminish

remedium, -i, n., cure, remedy

rumpo, rumpere, rupi, ruptus, break, burst

satis, sufficiently

scio, scire, scivi, scitus, know

secundus, -a, -um, favorable

seges, segetis, f., corn, crop

servio, servire, servi(v)i, servitum, serve, be a slave, be a servant

sic, thus, so

sine, without (+ abl. of separation)

solum, adv., only

sordidus, -a, -um, dirty, unclean, sordid

species, -ei, f., appearance

sterno, sternere, stravi, stratus, lay low; spread out, scatter

summarium, -i, n., summary, epitome, abstract

sumo, sumere, sumpsi, sumptum, take

superfluo, superfluere, overflow

supervacuus, -a, -um, redundant, useless

surgo, surgere, surrexi, surrectum, rise, surge

tam, so, to such a degree

tantum, only

tantus, -a, -um, so much, this much

tempero (1), manage, arrange, order; combine properly

terminus, -i, m., end, limit

transilio, transilire, transilii/-ui, leap over

tunc, then, at that time

turpis, turpe, bad, evil

ubertas, -atis, f., fulness

uterque, utraque, utrumque, each

utilis, -e, useful

utilitas, -atis, usefulness

vehemens, vehementis, strong, eager, ardent

vexo (1), bother, annoy, distress

vitalis, -e, vital, vital

vitium, -i, n., vice

voco (1), call

voluptas, -atis, f., pleasure

vulgo, commonly