Seneca Letter XCI "On the Burning of Lyons"
By Jacques Bailly, based on Robert Walker's initial commentary                          

Text
(text from the LatinLibrary.com which is copied from the OCT)

XCI. SENECA LVCILIO SVO SALVTEM

[1] Liberalis noster nunc tristis est nuntiato incendio quo Lugdunensis colonia exusta est; movere hic casus quemlibet posset, nedum hominem patriae suae amantissimum. Quae res effecit ut firmitatem animi sui quaerat, quam videlicet ad ea quae timeri posse putabat exercuit. Hoc vero tam inopinatum malum et paene inauditum non miror si sine metu fuit, cum esset sine exemplo; multas enim civitates incendium vexavit, nullam abstulit. Nam etiam ubi hostili manu in tecta ignis inmissus est, multis locis deficit, et quamvis subinde excitetur, raro tamen sic cuncta depascitur ut nihil ferro relinquat. Terrarum quoque vix umquam tam gravis et perniciosus fuit motus ut tota oppida everteret. Numquam denique tam infestum ulli exarsit incendium ut nihil alteri superesset incendio. [2] Tot pulcherrima opera, quae singula inlustrare urbes singulas possent, una nox stravit, et in tanta pace quantum ne bello quidem timeri potest accidit. Quis hoc credat? ubique armis quiescentibus, cum toto orbe terrarum diffusa securitas sit, Lugudunum, quod ostendebatur in Gallia, quaeritur. Omnibus fortuna quos publice adflixit quod passuri erant timere permisit; nulla res magna non aliquod habuit ruinae suae spatium: in hac una nox interfuit inter urbem maximam et nullam. Denique diutius illam tibi perisse quam perit narro.

[3] Haec omnia Liberalis nostri adfectum inclinant, adversus sua firmum et erectum. Nec sine causa concussus est: inexpectata plus adgravant; novitas adicit calamitatibus pondus, nec quisquam mortalium non magis quod etiam miratus est doluit. [4] Ideo nihil nobis inprovisum esse debet; in omnia praemittendus animus cogitandumque non quidquid solet sed quidquid potest fieri. Quid enim est quod non fortuna, cum voluit, ex florentissimo detrahat? quod non eo magis adgrediatur et quatiat quo speciosius fulget? Quid illi arduum quidve difficile est? [5] Non una via semper, ne trita quidem incurrit: modo nostras in nos manus advocat, modo suis contenta viribus invenit pericula sine auctore. Nullum tempus exceptum est: in ipsis voluptatibus causae doloris oriuntur. Bellum in media pace consurgit et auxilia securitatis in metum transeunt: ex amico <fit> inimicus, hostis ex socio. In subitas tempestates hibernisque maiores agitur aestiva tranquillitas. Sine hoste patimur hostilia, et cladis causas, si alia deficiunt, nimia sibi felicitas invenit. Invadit temperantissimos morbus, validissimos pthisis, innocentissimos poena, secretissimos tumultus; eligit aliquid novi casus per quod velut oblitis vires suas ingerat. [6] Quidquid longa series multis laboribus, multa deum indulgentia struxit, id unus dies spargit ac dissipat. Longam moram dedit malis properantibus qui diem dixit: hora momentumque temporis evertendis imperis sufficit. Esset aliquod inbecillitatis nostrae solacium rerumque nostrarum si tam tarde perirent cuncta quam fiunt: nunc incrementa lente exeunt, festinatur in damnum. [7] Nihil privatim, nihil publice stabile est; tam hominum quam urbium fata volvuntur. Inter placidissima terror existit nihilque extra tumultuantibus causis mala unde minime expectabantur erumpunt. Quae domesticis bellis steterant regna, quae externis, inpellente nullo ruunt: quota quaeque felicitatem civitas pertulit! Cogitanda ergo sunt omnia et animus adversus ea quae possunt evenire firmandus. [8] Exilia, tormenta [morbi], bella, naufragia meditare. Potest te patriae, potest patriam tibi casus eripere, potest te in solitudines abigere, potest hoc ipsum in quo turba suffocatur fieri solitudo. Tota ante oculos sortis humanae condicio ponatur, nec quantum frequenter evenit sed quantum plurimum potest evenire praesumamus animo, si nolumus opprimi nec illis inusitatis velut novis obstupefieri; in plenum cogitanda fortuna est. [9] Quotiens Asiae, quotiens Achaiae urbes uno tremore ceciderunt! Quot oppida in Syria, quot in Macedonia devorata sunt! Cypron quotiens vastavit haec clades! Quotiens in se Paphus corruit! Frequenter nobis nuntiati sunt totarum urbium interitus, et nos inter quos ista frequenter nuntiantur, quota pars omnium sumus! Consurgamus itaque adversus fortuita et quidquid inciderit sciamus non esse tam magnum quam rumore iactetur. [10] Civitas arsit opulenta ornamentumque provinciarum quibus et inserta erat et excepta, uni tamen inposita et huic non latissimo monti: omnium istarum civitatium quas nunc magnificas ac nobiles audis vestigia quoque tempus eradet. Non vides quemadmodum in Achaia clarissimarum urbium iam fundamenta consumpta sint nec quicquam extet ex quo appareat illas saltem fuisse? [11] Non tantum manu facta labuntur, nec tantum humana arte atque industria posita vertit dies: iuga montium diffluunt, totae desedere regiones, operta sunt fluctibus quae procul a conspectu maris stabant; vasta vis ignium colles per quos relucebat erosit et quondam altissimos vertices, solacia navigantium ac speculas, ad humile deduxit. Ipsius naturae opera vexantur et ideo aequo animo ferre debemus urbium excidia. [12] Casurae stant; omnis hic exitus manet, sive <ventorum> interna vis flatusque per clusa violenti pondus sub quo tenentur excusserint, sive torrentium <impetus> in abdito vastior obstantia effregerit, sive flammarum violentia conpaginem soli ruperit, sive vetustas, a qua nihil tutum est, expugnaverit minutatim, sive gravitas caeli egesserit populos et situs deserta corruperit. Enumerare omnes fatorum vias longum est. Hoc unum scio: omnia mortalium opera mortalitate damnata sunt, inter peritura vivimus.

[13] Haec ergo atque eiusmodi solacia admoveo Liberali nostro incredibili quodam patriae suae amore flagranti, quae fortasse consumpta est ut in melius excitaretur. Saepe maiori fortunae locum fecit iniuria: multa ceciderunt ut altius surgerent. Timagenes, felicitati urbis inimicus, aiebat Romae sibi incendia ob hoc unum dolori esse, quod sciret meliora surrectura quam arsissent. [14] In hac quoque urbe veri simile est certaturos omnes ut maiora celsioraque quam amisere restituant. Sint utinam diuturna et melioribus auspiciis in aevum longius condita! Nam huic coloniae ab origine sua centensimus annus est, aetas ne homini quidem extrema. A Planco deducta in hanc frequentiam loci opportunitate convaluit: quot tamen gravissimos casus intra spatium humanae <pertulit> senectutis! [15] Itaque formetur animus ad intellectum patientiamque sortis suae et sciat nihil inausum esse fortunae, adversus imperia illam idem habere iuris quod adversus imperantis, adversus urbes idem posse quod adversus homines. Nihil horum indignandum est: in eum intravimus mundum in quo his legibus vivitur. Placet: pare. Non placet: quacumque vis exi. Indignare si quid in te iniqui proprie constitutum est; sed si haec summos imosque necessitas alligat, in gratiam cum fato revertere, a quo omnia resolvuntur. [16] Non est quod nos tumulis metiaris et his monumentis quae viam disparia praetexunt: aequat omnis cinis. Inpares nascimur, pares morimur. Idem de urbibus quod de urbium incolis dico: tam Ardea capta quam Roma est. Conditor ille iuris humani non natalibus nos nec nominum claritate distinxit, nisi dum sumus: ubi vero ad finem mortalium ventum est, 'discede' inquit 'ambitio: omnium quae terram premunt siremps lex esto'. Ad omnia patienda pares sumus; nemo altero fragilior est, nemo in crastinum sui certior.

[17] Alexander Macedonum rex discere geometriam coeperat, infelix, sciturus quam pusilla terra esset, ex qua minimum occupaverat. Ita dico: 'infelix' ob hoc quod intellegere debebat falsum se gerere cognomen: quis enim esse magnus in pusillo potest? Erant illa quae tradebantur subtilia et diligenti intentione discenda, non quae perciperet vesanus homo et trans oceanum cogitationes suas mittens. 'Facilia' inquit 'me doce'. Cui praeceptor 'ista' inquit 'omnibus eadem sunt, aeque difficilia'. [18] Hoc puta rerum naturam dicere: 'ista de quibus quereris omnibus eadem sunt; nulli dare faciliora possum, sed quisquis volet sibi ipse illa reddet faciliora'. Quomodo? aequanimitate. Et doleas oportet et sitias et esurias et senescas (si tibi longior contigerit inter homines mora) et aegrotes et perdas aliquid et pereas. [19] Non est tamen quod istis qui te circumstrepunt credas: nihil horum malum est, nihil intolerabile aut durum. Ex consensu istis metus est. Sic mortem times quomodo famam: quid autem stultius homine verba metuente? Eleganter Demetrius noster solet dicere eodem loco sibi esse voces inperitorum quo ventre redditos crepitus. 'Quid enim' inquit 'mea, susum isti an deosum sonent?' [20] Quanta dementia est vereri ne infameris ab infamibus! Quemadmodum famam extimuisti sine causa, sic et illa quae numquam timeres nisi fama iussisset. Num quid detrimenti faceret vir bonus iniquis rumoribus sparsus? [21] Ne morti quidem hoc apud nos noceat: et haec malam opinionem habet. Nemo eorum qui illam accusat expertus est: interim temeritas est damnare quod nescias. At illud scis, quam multis utilis sit, quam multos liberet tormentis, egestate, querellis, supplicis, taedio. Non sumus in ullius potestate, cum mors in nostra potestate sit. Vale.

Introduction

Because this letter is 1) by a stoic, and 2) about a conflagration, it is hard not to think of the role of fire in stoicism. Fire is an all-important element in the Stoic cosmos: Aetius 1.7.33 calls it a creatrix. Fire can also represent the destructive force; cf. Eusebius 15.14.215.18.2. At times it is spoken of as one and the same with God. Here, its destructive force is highlighted, and there is a suggestion that disasters can clear the way for renewed better efforts.

And because stoicism holds that ordinary emotions are problematic at best (the hardline stoic position is that they should be extirpated completely), it is hard not to wonder how that fits with the fear, sadness, and other emotions caused in Seneca and Lucilius' mutual friend Liberalis by the fire. Seneca says that because the complete destruction of a city such as Lyons by fire had no parallel, it would not be any wonder if there was never any fear of it. Seneca means to say that we don't usually fear what we have never imagined, and so we should expand our imaginative capacities to protect ourselves by being ready for anything. Interestingly, although we hear that Liberalis has been hit hard emotionally by the event, we never hear explicit details of  any more particular connection he has to the event or the particulars of his reaction, but §1 and §13 say he is a native of Lyons and was affected by the fire. We don't know what he personally lost in the fire, if anything.

For an estimation of the Stoic determination of how death ought be borne, see Brennan (2005: 237).

A natural, conversational style is evoked throughout Seneca’s letters. Marcus Wilson (2007: 437) concludes that Seneca appreciated the freedom which the genre afforded Seneca. Namely it allowed for the expression of the flow of his thought, more like private conversation than a public speech, and hence is occasionally spontaneous or abrupt.

Commentary

[1] Liberalis noster nunc tristis est nuntiato incendio quo Lugdunensis colonia exusta est; movere hic casus quemlibet posset, nedum hominem patriae suae amantissimum. Quae res effecit ut firmitatem animi sui quaerat, quam videlicet ad ea quae timeri posse putabat exercuit. Hoc vero tam inopinatum malum et paene inauditum non miror si sine metu fuit, cum esset sine exemplo; multas enim civitates incendium vexavit, nullam abstulit. Nam etiam ubi hostili manu in tecta ignis inmissus est, multis locis deficit, et quamvis subinde excitetur, raro tamen sic cuncta depascitur ut nihil ferro relinquat. Terrarum quoque vix umquam tam gravis et perniciosus fuit motus ut tota oppida everteret. Numquam denique tam infestum ulli exarsit incendium ut nihil alteri superesset incendio.

Lugdunensis colonia: modern Lyons, founded in 43 BCE west of the confluence of the Rhône and Saône rivers, would became the chief metropole for the three Gauls in the 1st and 2nd centuries, in spite of the disastrous fire of 65/66 reported here.
Posset: potential subjunctive.
Quae res ...: = "which" or "this event." quae is a "linking relative": in other words, it simply links this sentence to the previous sentence and does not function to create a subordinate clause.
ut ... quaerat: a nominal ut clause. Nominal ut clauses have subjunctives and the whole clause functions as a noun: in this case, the clause is the direct object of effecit.
quam ... quae...: the antecedent of quam is firmitatem, of quae the antecedent is ea.
sui animi: sui refers to the same generic person as quemlibet above, namely a generic anyone, usually rendered in English as "one."
putabat exercuit: quam is the direct object of exercuit: its subject is the generic "one." putabat has the same generic subject "one" and takes indirect speech (quae acc. + posse infinitive, which itself takes a complementary infinitive timeri). English word order might be quam exercuit videlicet ad ea quae putabat posse timeri.
Hoc vero tam inopinatum malum et paene inauditum: this whole phrase is the singular subject of fuit. The basic condition in this sentence is si fuit, non miror.  The ensuing cum clause is dependent on the apodosis and, as causal cum  clauses do, takes the subjunctive.
in tecta inmissus est: frequently when a prefix is added to a verb, the prefix also occurs as a preposition in the same clause.
quamvis: conjunction introducing subjunctive clause.
Sic cuncta depascitur ut: sic prepares for the ut + subjunctive construction.
ferro:  ferro refers to the Latin idiom ferrum et ignis (ignis was in a previous clause), which stands for total destruction. The material, iron, used to make a weapon stands for both the weapon and the destruction it causes. Seneca is saying that in this case there was no need of iron, just fire.
relinquat: subjunctive in result clause, primary sequence.
terrarum ... motus: earthquakes and fire were notorious dangers to towns in antiquity.
everteret: what kind of clause? Why subjunctive? Why imperfect?
ulli: dative of disadvantage.
superesset: why subjunctive? Why imperfect?

[2] Tot pulcherrima opera, quae singula inlustrare urbes singulas possent, una nox stravit, et in tanta pace quantum ne bello quidem timeri potest accidit. Quis hoc credat? ubique armis quiescentibus, cum toto orbe terrarum diffusa securitas sit, Lugudunum, quod ostendebatur in Gallia, quaeritur. Omnibus fortuna quos publice adflixit quod passuri erant timere permisit; nulla res magna non aliquod habuit ruinae suae spatium: in hac una nox interfuit inter urbem maximam et nullam. Denique diutius illam tibi perisse quam perit narro.

tot ... accidit: this sentence's basic structure is two independent clauses (nox stravit opera and accidit in tanta pace), each with a relative clause inside it (quae ... possent and quantum ... potest).
singula . . . singulas: distributive plural adjectives ("one apiece") can bewilder, because they require adaptive English translations: try "each" and "individual" respectively here. Cf. Allen & Greenough §§136, 137; Bradley’s Arnold §532.
tanta pace, quantum . . . timeri potest: tanta  modifies pace, whereas quantum "as great a (thing) as" modifies an unstated "thing" that must be something like "event, catastrophe."
credat: potential subjunctive.
ubique armis quiescentibus: abl. abs. with concessive meaning "even though ..." mixed with temporal meaning "in a time when ... ."
cum ... sit ... quaeritur: concessive cum "although" + subjunctive sit dependent on quaeritur, which means “is sought” literally, and hence “goes missing." Note the present tense quaeritur extending to the very vivid present of the reading of the letter.
orbe terrarum: Latin says orbis terrarum for the physical lands of the earth, and omnes gentes for all the peoples, where English often says "the world" for both.
aliquod ruinae suae spatium: this phrase is the direct object of habuit. aliquod modifies spatium, which means "duration, extent" and takes the genitive ruinae suae.
in hac: sc. re, referring back to res in nulla res magna.
diutius . . . quam: an almost too-clever formulation and exaggeration typical of Seneca.

3. Seneca is not yet recommending any specific course of action to Lucilius or Liberalis. He seems to be reporting what he sees empirically as facts about Liberalis and humans in general.

[3] Haec omnia Liberalis nostri adfectum inclinant, adversus sua firmum et erectum. Nec sine causa concussus est: inexpectata plus adgravant; novitas adicit calamitatibus pondus, nec quisquam mortalium non magis quod etiam miratus est doluit.

adversus sua firmum et erectum: firmum et erectum modify adfectum. adversus is a preposition here, taking an acc. object sua, which refers to the state of affairs, problems, or setbacks of Liberalis' life.
plus: adverb.
mortalium: partitive genitive.
nec quisquam mortalium non magis quod etiam miratus est doluit: nec quisquam mortalium non magis... doluit = omnes mortales magis... doluerunt . The antecedent of quod is omitted, but would be something like id and be the direct object of doluit, "has felt grief at." This same omitted-id construction occurred in §2. etiam = "also."

4. Seneca recommends that nothing ever be unexpected to us. Fortune may take away anything at any time. We can practice for such eventualities by projecting our self into every situation to be ready and not astonished: expect whatever is possible. The point of Seneca's rhetorical questions is surely that there is nothing immune to fortune, no possibility too difficult for fortune to bring it to pass. "Fortune" does not seem to be some independent force in the world: it is just a word for the normal causal chains active in the world.

[4] Ideo nihil nobis inprovisum esse debet; in omnia praemittendus animus cogitandumque non quidquid solet sed quidquid potest fieri. Quid enim est quod non fortuna, cum voluit, ex florentissimo detrahat? quod non eo magis adgrediatur et quatiat quo speciosius fulget? Quid illi arduum quidve difficile est?

praetermittendus animus (sc. est) cogitandumque (sc. est): gerundives in passive periphrastic conjugation.
detrahat ... adgrediatur et quatiat: subjunctives in a relative clause of characteristic: fortuna is the subject of all three.
eo magis . . . quo (magis): "The more . . . the more." eo is ablative of degree of difference.
illi: = fortunae. Both arduum and difficile take dative.

5. Stoicism holds that there is no such thing as good or bad fortune, good or bad health, good or bad possessions, good or bad pain and pleasure: they are all just circumstances, as is everything external to a soul. Goodness and badness do not apply to them: goodness and badness only apply to a soul and how a soul deals with its circumstances, never to things outside of souls. This is a frequent topic of stoicism: cf. Seneca Letter 75.10-12 or Stobaeus, Anthology 2.7.10e.
On a rhetorical note, observe the piles of contrasting elements here.

[5] Non una via semper, ne trita quidem incurrit: modo nostras in nos manus advocat, modo suis contenta viribus invenit pericula sine auctore. Nullum tempus exceptum est: in ipsis voluptatibus causae doloris oriuntur. Bellum in media pace consurgit et auxilia securitatis in metum transeunt: ex amico <fit> inimicus, hostis ex socio. In subitas tempestates hibernisque maiores agitur aestiva tranquillitas. Sine hoste patimur hostilia, et cladis causas, si alia deficiunt, nimia sibi felicitas invenit. Invadit temperantissimos morbus, validissimos pthisis, innocentissimos poena, secretissimos tumultus; eligit aliquid novi casus per quod velut oblitis vires suas ingerat.

una via ... ne trita quidem: ablatives.
modo ... modo: “at one time ... at another.”
in nos: in doesn't always mean "in."
contenta: modifies the subject of invenit (which is the same as the subject of advocat).
transeunt: “become” or “change into."
<fit>: the pointy brackets indicate that this was added (by Reynolds), and the editor kept it but was not so certain of it that it was simply printed as part of the text. It makes good sense but is perhaps unnecessary: consurgit and transeunt provide the idea of a verb, and our mind can fill in an appropriate one for ex amico inimicus and hostis ex socio (note the ab ba ordering).
hibernis: ablative of comparison with maiores. Hibernis modifies an understood tempestatibus.
Invadit: use this verb for the first 4 clauses of this sentence.
aliquid: remember that words like aliquid (nihil, satis) can take a genitive such as novi casus.
ingerat: relative clause of purpose. The prefix in- added to a verb can make it take the dat. in addition to a direct object, as here with ingerat.
   
[6] Quidquid longa series multis laboribus, multa deum indulgentia struxit, id unus dies spargit ac dissipat. Longam moram dedit malis properantibus qui diem dixit: hora momentumque temporis evertendis imperis sufficit. Esset aliquod inbecillitatis nostrae solacium rerumque nostrarum si tam tarde perirent cuncta quam fiunt: nunc incrementa lente exeunt, festinatur in damnum.

Quidquid ... struxit: struxit applies to both clauses, and deum is an irregular gen. pl. quidquid refers to id in the next clause. 
series multis laboribus: none of the standard meanings of series + abl. of means multis laboribus quite work in English here: "massage" the meaning. Perhaps "series of great labors." Not every English of is a Latin genitive.
unus dies ... diem ... hora momentumque: Seneca starts by saying that one day can overturn the work of years, but then corrects himself. Whoever says "a day" as Seneca has just done is missing the fact that a day is a long time for a disaster: an hour or even a moment suffices for massive reversals of fortune. Note that hora momentumque are two things but illogically take a singular verb, which is apparently just fine.
malis properantibus: properantibus is a circumstantial participle which seems to have temporal or conditional force and so might be translated by a full clause in English: "when they are in a rush" or "if they are in a rush."
evertendis imperis: imperis is an alternate form of imperiis.
esset: imperfect subjunctive in a contrary-to-fact conditional. The subject of esset is the counterfactual idea in si tam tarde perirent cuncta quam fiunt: "If ..., that would be a comfort."
festinatur: an impersonal passive.

7. So-called bad things arise for both individuals and for the things they are part of that include other individuals and parts of the external world. Just as the fates affect us, so they also affect the rest of the world in an interconnected way. That is because stoics think "fate" is just another way to refer to all the causes and effects in the world, which are all interconnected. "Fate" is not some force in addition to the normal causal interactions: it is a name for them. The punchline is that we don't control so many of the causes that affect our circumstances that we must be prepared for anything, and by doing so, we will best fit our lives to the world.

[7] Nihil privatim, nihil publice stabile est; tam hominum quam urbium fata volvuntur. Inter placidissima terror existit nihilque extra tumultuantibus causis mala unde minime expectabantur erumpunt. Quae domesticis bellis steterant regna, quae externis, inpellente nullo ruunt: quota quaeque felicitatem civitas pertulit! Cogitanda ergo sunt omnia et animus adversus ea quae possunt evenire firmandus.

privatim ... publice: both adverbs modify stabile est as a unit, although they could be translated into English adjectives modifying nihil and preserve the meaning.
tam ... quam ...: correlatives "as much ... as ...." or "as ... so too ...."
nihilque extra tumultuantibus causis: an ablative absolute construction. tumultuantibus is the active present participle of the intransitive deponent tumultuor. nihil and extra adverbial.
mala: mala is the subject of  erumpunt. It is also the subject in the relative clause unde ... expectabantur.
regna: subject of ruunt and antecedent of both instances of quae.
quota quaeque civitas: quotus quisque can mean either "how many" or "how few."

[8] Exilia, tormenta [morbi], bella, naufragia meditare. Potest te patriae, potest patriam tibi casus eripere, potest te in solitudines abigere, potest hoc ipsum in quo turba suffocatur fieri solitudo. Tota ante oculos sortis humanae condicio ponatur, nec quantum frequenter evenit sed quantum plurimum potest evenire praesumamus animo, si nolumus opprimi nec illis inusitatis velut novis obstupefieri; in plenum cogitanda fortuna est.

meditare: deponent passive imperative.
Potest . . . potest . . . : The anaphoristic treatment of the verb here presages further examples of rhetorical repetition in the paragraphs to come (cf. §§9, 15).
te partiae ... patriam tibi ... eripere ... : note the antithetical and chiastic (ABBA) formulation. eripere takes a direct object and a dative object, but remember that not all datives are to be translated with "to."
te in solitudines abigere ... hoc ipsum fieri solitudo: another antithetical formulation. hoc ipsum refers to in quo turba suffocatur (see next note).
hoc ipsum in quo turba suffocatur: how different Latin grammar is from English! suffocatur is an impersonal "stifling occurs," or "one is suffocated," turba is ablative of means/agent/cause, and quo refers to hoc ipsum "the very situation."
in plenum is idiomatic, "on the whole," "in its whole range."

9. Seneca puts the disaster of Lyons in perspective: other cities have been destroyed too. Humans should rise to such occasions, not be crushed.

[9] Quotiens Asiae, quotiens Achaiae urbes uno tremore ceciderunt! Quot oppida in Syria, quot in Macedonia devorata sunt! Cypron quotiens vastavit haec clades! Quotiens in se Paphus corruit! Frequenter nobis nuntiati sunt totarum urbium interitus, et nos inter quos ista frequenter nuntiantur, quota pars omnium sumus! Consurgamus itaque adversus fortuita et quidquid inciderit sciamus non esse tam magnum quam rumore iactetur.

Quotiens . . . Quot . . . quotiens ... Quotiens .... Quota ... : anaphora. The effect is to universalize the suffering that can be imagined for Lyons. These examples serve not to add to the sense of disaster, but rather, through a type of concinnity (cf. Reinhardt (2005: 8)) to render the disaster more commonplace and therefore less daunting. These events, overwhelming as they might seem in the moment, are in fact all too frequent occurrences.
Syria: some think that Megiddo (aka Armageddon) was destroyed by earthquake: it was abandoned in the 6th c. BCE. After Seneca's time, Hippos (aka Sussita) and Petra were hit by earthquake in 363 CE and Hippos and Jerash (Gerasa)  were both left uninhabited after another in 749 CE.
Paphus: Seneca the Elder, Quaestiones Naturales VI.26.4 says Paphos non semel corruit.
Consurgamus and sciamus: hortatory subjunctives.
inciderit: future perfect.
iactetur: subjunctive in a subordinate clause in indirect statement (sciamus (id) non esse tam magnum).

[10] Civitas arsit opulenta ornamentumque provinciarum quibus et inserta erat et excepta, uni tamen inposita et huic non latissimo monti: omnium istarum civitatium quas nunc magnificas ac nobiles audis vestigia quoque tempus eradet. Non vides quemadmodum in Achaia clarissimarum urbium iam fundamenta consumpta sint nec quicquam extet ex quo appareat illas saltem fuisse?

ornamentumque provinciarum: in apposition to civitas.
quibus ... inserta erat et excepta: compound verbs with in- regularly take dat. quibus also goes with excepta as a dative of disadvantage.
inposita: another appositive to civitas.
omnium istarum ... eradet: There is some turbulence here. English word order might be tempus eradet quoque vestigia omnium istarum civitatium quas nunc audis (esse) magnificas ac nobiles. quoque adverbial with eradet. Supply esse with quas nunc magnificas ac nobiles audis: quas is accusative as subject of the understood esse, and the antecedent of quas might be an understood de quibus going with audis and itself having civitatium as its antecedent.
in Achaia clarissimarum urbium iam fundamenta consumpta sint: the Achaean towns of Helike and Boura sank after a tsunami in 373 BCE. Several ancient authors mention, however, that the ruins were still visible below the waves. Seneca may mean that nothing stuck out above the sea.
sint ... extet: subj. in ind. question. introduced by quemadmodum.
appareat: subj. in relative clause of characteristic.

[11] Non tantum manu facta labuntur, nec tantum humana arte atque industria posita vertit dies: iuga montium diffluunt, totae desedere regiones, operta sunt fluctibus quae procul a conspectu maris stabant; vasta vis ignium colles per quos relucebat erosit et quondam altissimos vertices, solacia navigantium ac speculas, ad humile deduxit. Ipsius naturae opera vexantur et ideo aequo animo ferre debemus urbium excidia.

tantum: adverbial, "only."
posita: n. acc. pl.
dies: subject.
desedere: perf. act. ind.
operta: from operio.
quae: the understood antecedent is ea which is also the subject of operta sunt.
stabant: "used to stand."
quondam: adverb which gave rise to the English adjective "quondam," which is just about equivalent in meaning.

[12] Casurae stant; omnis hic exitus manet, sive <ventorum> interna vis flatusque per clusa violenti pondus sub quo tenentur excusserint, sive torrentium <impetus> in abdito vastior obstantia effregerit, sive flammarum violentia conpaginem soli ruperit, sive vetustas, a qua nihil tutum est, expugnaverit minutatim, sive gravitas caeli egesserit populos et situs deserta corruperit. Enumerare omnes fatorum vias longum est. Hoc unum scio: omnia mortalium opera mortalitate damnata sunt, inter peritura vivimus.

casurae stant: casurae f. pl. Fetch an appropriate recent feminine plural for it to modify. Compare the famous salute: morituri te salutant (which, by the way, although often nowadays held to be a salute of gladiators, was actually reported to have been used by mock-sea-fight combatants to salute Claudius (Suetonius Claudius 21)).
omnis hic exitus manet: omnis (urbes) (direct object) hic exitus (subject: refers to ruin and destruction just discussed).
sive: 5 protases start with sive, all of which have fut. perf. verbs. Although the standard future-more-vivid conditional has a fut. perf. in the protasis and a fut. in the apodosis, the apodosis here is present manet because the present conveys the idea of timelessness and generality: it applies in all cases.
<ventorum> and <impetus>: the pointy brackets indicate emendations by later scholars which the editor considers likely but not certain. As emendations, they are not found in any manuscripts. It is, however, possible to read the sentence without them, in which case interna vis would be generally any confined force, and vastior could modify an understood vis to mean "a greater force" as subject of effregerit: in that case, the sentence could apply to volcanoes, earthquakes, floods, mudslides, tsunamis and any other explosively violent force that seems to become all the more powerful when it breaks out of confinement (per clusa, in abdito) or overcomes some obstacle (obstantia) or overcomes some structure (compaginem soli). But the specificity of flammarum and perhaps torrentium might have lead those who want to add <ventorum> and <impetus> to think that Seneca means to speak of more specific natural forces in these clauses.
flatus: genitive agreeing with violenti.
quo: antecedent is pondus, one of two subjects of excusserint.
gravitas caeli: we might call this "a rough climate" or "a heavy climate."
situs: this word often means "site, position, situation," but can also mean "sitting (so long that the thing gathers dust and rust and grime and breaks down from just lying there)," "neglect," "inactivity."
Enumerare: nominal infinitive subject of est and modified by the predicate nominative longum.
peritura: echoes and generalizes casurae even more.

13. Although everything falls apart, all systems fail, and destruction awaits all, nonetheless, it makes room for new things to arise, sometimes greater.

[13] Haec ergo atque eiusmodi solacia admoveo Liberali nostro incredibili quodam patriae suae amore flagranti, quae fortasse consumpta est ut in melius excitaretur. Saepe maiori fortunae locum fecit iniuria: multa ceciderunt ut altius surgerent. Timagenes, felicitati urbis inimicus, aiebat Romae sibi incendia ob hoc unum dolori esse, quod sciret meliora surrectura quam arsissent.

Haec ergo ... flagranti: the basic clause is haec admoveo Liberali (direct object, verb, indirect object). haec is expanded by atque eiusmodi solacia. Liberali is modified by nostro and flagranti, which takes the abl. of means incredibile quodam amore, which takes the objective genitive patriae suae (which is the antecedent of the relative clause which follows).
excitaretur and surgerent: imperfect subjunctives in secondary sequence in result/purpose clauses (the context must tell: is providence at work? or is chance?).
Timagenes: brought as a slave from Syria, Timagenes was esteemed for history writing in the time of Augustus, but had a wicked wit (witness the bon mot Seneca reports here) and was banned from Augustus' house, whereupon he lived with Asinius Pollio. His works are lost: reportedly Timagenes himself burned his work about Augustus to spite him. (from Seneca de Ira III.23.4ff.) felicitati: inimicus takes dat.
sibi ... dolori: double dative.

[14] In hac quoque urbe veri simile est certaturos omnes ut maiora celsioraque quam amisere restituant. Sint utinam diuturna et melioribus auspiciis in aevum longius condita! Nam huic coloniae ab origine sua centensimus annus est, aetas ne homini quidem extrema. A Planco deducta in hanc frequentiam loci opportunitate convaluit: quot tamen gravissimos casus intra spatium humanae <pertulit> senectutis!

certaturos omnes (sc. esse): indirect speech dependent upon veri simile.
ut ... restituant: purpose clause dependent on certaturos omnes, also part of the indirect speech dependent on veri simile.
amisere: indicative to report a fact, which indicates it is not part of the indirect speech.
sint utinam: unusual word order, because utinam is usually the first word in its clause, or at least precedes the verb. Optative subjunctive, showing emotion.
huic coloniae ... centensimus annus est: a typical way to say "___ is ___ years old."
aetas: in apposition to centensimus annus.
a Planco deducta: deducere is the technical term for "founding" or "establishing" a colonia (hence deducta in the fem.). Lucius Munatius Plancus (circa 87 - circa 15 BCE) founded the colonies of Lugdunum (Lyons) in 43 BCE and Augusta Raurica (close to Basel, Switzerland) in 44 BCE. Tacitus Hist. 1.65.2 reports that the original settlers were veterans.
quot ... gravissimos casus ... <pertulit>: the pointy brackets indicate that a scholar thought the sentence needed a verb, and the editor of the text, although not certain of that, thought it an idea well worth considering. If we omit pertulit, then casus is an accusative of exclamation.
   
[15] Itaque formetur animus ad intellectum patientiamque sortis suae et sciat nihil inausum esse fortunae, adversus imperia illam idem habere iuris quod adversus imperantis, adversus urbes idem posse quod adversus homines. Nihil horum indignandum est: in eum intravimus mundum in quo his legibus vivitur. Placet: pare. Non placet: quacumque vis exi. Indignare si quid in te iniqui proprie constitutum est; sed si haec summos imosque necessitas alligat, in gratiam cum fato revertere, a quo omnia resolvuntur.

Formetur and sciat: hortatory subjunctives.
intellectum patientiamque sortis: sortis is objective genitive dependent on both intellectum and patientiam.
sciat: takes three indirect speech acc. + inf. phrases (nihil esse, illam habere, idem posse), which are all three in asyndeton.
nihil inausum esse fortunae: inausus is uncommon enough that it is not clear what case it "usually" takes, but since it occurs with dative elsewhere, but not genitive, fortunae is likely dative. Fortunately, it is clear that it must mean "for fortune, nothing remains unventured" vel sim.
adversus: a prepositional taking the acc. Used four times in quick succession here, it is used also in §§3,7, and 9. The repetitive formula in this section highlights fortune's omnipresence and omnipotence. Remember that imperantis is just another form of acc. pl. which you may know as -es.
idem ... iuris: idem and words like it (e.g. aliquid, satis, nimium, nihil) can take a genitive where English uses adjectives modifying a noun. Thus idem iuris = "the same rights/jurisdiction."
nihil horum indignandum est: nihil is the direct object of indignandum est ("be indignant at").
his legibus vivitur: impersonal passive, "one lives" or "it is lived" or "living is ... ."
Placet ... Non placet ...: these impersonal verbs function as if they were protases. "It pleases" could be translated as "If it pleases..." Seneca uses almost the same formula at Epistula 70.15.5 Placet? vivi: non placet? licet eo reverti unde venisti. ("Does it please? Then live: Is it not pleasing? Then you can go back whence you came (i.e. to a not living state, as you were before this life)."
quacumque vis exi: i.e. commit suicide by whatever means you like. The stoics felt that suicide was a fine option, but not for the wrong reasons (and all but the stoic sage do things for the wrong reasons, so they were not encouraging or even licensing it). Thus when they say suicide is a fine option, they do not mean that it is fine for you or me, but rather that it is fine if you are a perfected human, the stoic sage, who does it for the right reasons and from the right state of mind.
Indignare and revertere: imperative.
quid ... iniqui: as with idem, (ali-)quid too can take the genitive, here iniqui, where English has an adjective with a noun "some unfairness" or "something unfair."
haec ... necessitas: subject.

16. Material things (monuments, tombstones, etc.) may be unequal, we all die equally and as equals. The same holds true for cities (and other units of people). Seneca says that illustrious origins count for nothing, but adds "except while we are alive." It is unclear why he says that here: perhaps he is merely conceding for the moment that while we are alive, such things seem to matter to many of us so that he can focus on his current point. Surely a stoic does not think illustrious birth or fame really matter: they are clearly indifferents in the stoic value scheme.

[16] Non est quod nos tumulis metiaris et his monumentis quae viam disparia praetexunt: aequat omnis cinis. Inpares nascimur, pares morimur. Idem de urbibus quod de urbium incolis dico: tam Ardea capta quam Roma est. Conditor ille iuris humani non natalibus nos nec nominum claritate distinxit, nisi dum sumus: ubi vero ad finem mortalium ventum est, 'discede' inquit 'ambitio: omnium quae terram premunt siremps lex esto'. Ad omnia patienda pares sumus; nemo altero fragilior est, nemo in crastinum sui certior.

non est quod: literally "there is no because," i.e. "there is no reason why ..." + subjunctive of a rejected reason (yes, that is a grammatical category: when you speak of a reason only to reject it, it goes in the subjunctive).
quae ... disparia: tumulis and his monumentis are the antecedent of quae, which is modified by disparia.
aequat omnis cinis: verb, object, subject.
Ardea: a small town just south of Rome.
Conditor ille: given the lines which this figure delivers, it is clearly not a human: personified providence? nature? a god? God? Seneca may refer to the same figure in two other passages: he refers to a conditor mundi in Letter 119.15.4 Id actum est ab illo mundi conditore, qui nobis vivendi iura descripsit, ut salvi essemus, non ut delicati ("(the fact that we have choice amongst superfluous things) is on account of the founder of the world, who wrote out for us the laws of living for us to be well, not for us to be spoiled"). Seneca also refers to ipse omnium conditor et rector at Dialogi 1.5.8.7f  Inrevocabilis humana pariter ac divina cursus vehit: ille ipse omnium conditor et rector scripsit quidem fata, sed sequitur; semper paret, semel iussit. ("An irreversible course draws along human and divine things alike: the very founder and director of all things indeed wrote down fate, but follows it too; the founder obeys and at the same times issues the orders").
ambitio: vocative.
siremps lex esto: a formula meaning "let the law apply to all alike." The form siremps is obviously archaic, and the explanation of its elements is not clear (see a good dictionary for some conjectures), although the meaning of the formulaic phrase is clear enough. It occurs in archaic legal inscriptions and a half dozen times in all in literary sources.
ad omnia patienda: gerundive used to express purpose.
sui certior (sc. est): sui is an objective genitive.

17. Seneca suggests that Alexander "the Great" should have been called "the Unfortunate" when he started a course in geometry, for he was going to learn how big the earth is and how little of it he had conquered. Seneca brings this anecdote up now as a parallel case in which the same law applies to all no matter their station or wealth or power. Alexander asked for the easy version, to which his teacher replied that the subject matter was the same for all.

[17] Alexander Macedonum rex discere geometriam coeperat, infelix, sciturus quam pusilla terra esset, ex qua minimum occupaverat. Ita dico: 'infelix' ob hoc quod intellegere debebat falsum se gerere cognomen: quis enim esse magnus in pusillo potest? Erant illa quae tradebantur subtilia et diligenti intentione discenda, non quae perciperet vesanus homo et trans oceanum cogitationes suas mittens. 'Facilia' inquit 'me doce'. Cui praeceptor 'ista' inquit 'omnibus eadem sunt, aeque difficilia'.

infelix: in apposition to Alexander.
quam pusilla terra esset: indirect question dependent on sciturus (which modifies Alexander).
ob hoc quod ...: quod "the fact that" introduces an indicative clause. The whole clause is what hoc "this" refers to. One might translate "on account of this, the fact that."
falsum se gerere cognomen: nomen gerere = "to go by a name."
enim: enim, "for," almost always indicates that the current sentence or clause gives the reason for a closely preceding claim (here the claim that Alexander did not deserve the cognomen magnus).
quis enim esse magnus in pusillo potest: the force of this rhetorical question is surely that one cannot be 'great' based on a trifle. Interestingly, Seneca seems to make a quite different point in very similar language at Letter 76.31.32: Nemo istorum quos divitiae honoresque in altiore fastigio ponunt magnus est. Quare ergo magnus videtur? cum basi illum sua metiris. Non est magnus pumilio licet in monte constiterit; colossus magnitudinem suam servabit etiam si steterit in puteo ("No one of those whom riches and honors place on a higher pediment is great. Why then does such a one seem great? you are measuring him together with what he stands on. A dwarf is not great even if he stands on a mountain; the colossus would keep his size even if he stood in a well").
erant illa quae tradebantur: English word order would be illa quae tradebantur erant ... . subtilia and discenda are predicate nominatives agreeing with illa.
non quae ... perciperet: relative clause of characteristic, "not for a ... to perceive." Everything in the clause aside from quae and perciperet is the subject or modifies it.
vesanus: this word is found mostly in poetry. For Seneca’s use of poetic diction in prose and vice versa, see Reinhardt (2005: 213 ff.).
trans oceanum cogitationes suas mittens: Seneca is imagining that Alexander was imagining himself conquering still more lands, even across the ocean.

[18] Hoc puta rerum naturam dicere: 'ista de quibus quereris omnibus eadem sunt; nulli dare faciliora possum, sed quisquis volet sibi ipse illa reddet faciliora'. Quomodo? aequanimitate. Et doleas oportet et sitias et esurias et senescas (si tibi longior contigerit inter homines mora) et aegrotes et perdas aliquid et pereas.

hoc: "the following."
rerum naturam: natura is personified and quoted.
quisquis volet ... reddet: future indicatives. reddere  takes double accusative "to make/render X Y" as in "to make yourself better." Faciliora takes the dative sibi.
opportet: impersonal taking subjunctives doleas, sitias, esurias, senescas, perdas, pereas. The many instances of et are polysyndeton.

19. Seneca suggests fear of pain and thirst, etc. is an artefact of common agreement. Then Seneca jumps to fear of death, and with sic presents it as a parallel to fear of pain, etc., or as a conclusion following from his claim about fear of pain, etc. Next, he says they are all like fear of words. None of these apparently preposterous claims are sufficiently explained.
These claims make sense, however, if we import various stoic ideas that are not fully explained here. Namely the ideas that pain and thirst and hunger and loss, etc. are all mere matters of indifference. Judging that they are bad is necessary for the emotions of fear, dread, etc. to take hold of our souls. Without that judgement, they do not affect our soul, or its good state, our virtue, and so they cannot harm us. We wouldn't choose them, but we know that they happen and will happen to us. They are largely outside of our control, and so we shouldn't worry about them or magnify them into emotions by thinking that they are bad. When they happen to us, we should bear it with equanimity.

[19] Non est tamen quod istis qui te circumstrepunt credas: nihil horum malum est, nihil intolerabile aut durum. Ex consensu istis metus est. Sic mortem times quomodo famam: quid autem stultius homine verba metuente? Eleganter Demetrius noster solet dicere eodem loco sibi esse voces inperitorum quo ventre redditos crepitus. 'Quid enim' inquit 'mea, susum isti an deosum sonent?'

non est quod: literally "there is no because," i.e. "there is no reason why ..." + subjunctive for a rejected reason.
nihil horum: horum refers to the list of verbs doleas, sitias, etc. in §19.
ex consensu istis metus est: literally "by agreement there is fear to these," this means that people dread such things because other people do. istis predicate dative dependent on metus.
Eleganter Demetrius: perhaps Seneca's tongue is 'in his cheek,' because the noises of digestion are not often considered elegant subject matter.
in eodem loco ... quo ...: in other words, Demetrius classifies both phenomena (the opinions of the ignorant and borborygmi, flatulence, and other digestive noises) as the same, namely indifferents, as the next sentence says.
crepitus: modified by redditos.
quid enim mea (sc. interest): mea interest means "it matters to me," "it makes a difference to me," "it is my concern" and takes indirect question (susum isti an deosum sonent). quid = "why" or "how."
susum ... deosum: referring to bodily locations, one or the other end of the digestive tract: where words come from or whence other noises emanate.
an: introduces indirect questions: here it introduces the second of two indirect questions, namely susum isti sonent and dosum isti sonent.

20. Just as one should not think that what others think harms or benefits one, so one should also not think that a good man with a bad reputation will or can do any harm. Words cannot do any real harm, nor can they by being applied to something that is not bad make it really harmful.

[20] Quanta dementia est vereri ne infameris ab infamibus! Quemadmodum famam extimuisti sine causa, sic et illa quae numquam timeres nisi fama iussisset. Num quid detrimenti faceret vir bonus iniquis rumoribus sparsus?

vereri ne infameris ab infamibus: infinitive + a standard fear clause + agent, the whole of which is a predicate nominative to dementia.
famam extimuisti: famam sometimes means "reputation," but often it means only "bad reputation" or only "good reputation" and not merely "reputation." Context must decide. Here it means "bad reputation." It is not clear why extimuisti is perfect or when Lucilius feared ill-repute, although there is also no good reason for it not to be perfect.
timeres ... iussisset: contrary-to-fact subjunctives in a mixed present and past contrary-to-fact conditional that is in a relative clause.
faceret: potential subjunctive.
quid detrimenti: quid, idem, satis, nimium, aliquid and words like them can take a partitive genitive (here detrimenti) where English frequently uses a noun + adjective.
vir bonus: the man is hypothesized to be good, and so, ipso facto, cannot do harm. The idea is that being iniquis rumoribus sparsus cannot change that.

21. None who malign death have tried it: it is a cure for many ills. As long as it does not hold us in an irrational state of fear, it is our escape hatch. Note that Seneca is not recommending suicide, but rather just saying that it, or any other death, far from necessarily being a bad thing, can be good. It is an indifferent to be used and treated as virtue dictates.

[21] Ne morti quidem hoc apud nos noceat: et haec malam opinionem habet. Nemo eorum qui illam accusat expertus est: interim temeritas est damnare quod nescias. At illud scis, quam multis utilis sit, quam multos liberet tormentis, egestate, querellis, supplicis, taedio. Non sumus in ullius potestate, cum mors in nostra potestate sit. Vale.

morti: remember that nocere takes dat.
hoc apud nos: hoc refers to "being sprinkled with bad opinions" from the previous sentence. apud nos, while often literally spatial, here means "in our estimation" or "in our mind."
noceat: either jussive or potential subjunctive, either with much the same force as the other, albeit a different translation.
et haec: refers to the most recent feminine singular, as often.
temeritas est damnare quod nescias: temeritas is predicate nominative. damnare is the subject. quod nescias is a relative clause of characteristic.
illud: "the following."
quam multis . . .quam multos: anaphora, indirect questions.
tormentis, egestate, querellis, supplicis, taedio: ablatives of separation with liberet, all in asyndeton.
cum . . . sit: when temporal cum refers to indefinite time "whenever," it takes the subjunctive.

Passage for Comparison
Compare various parts of Seneca's letter with Seneca's own Quaestiones Naturales VI.1.9-2.4 (book VI is about earthquakes), probably written not long before this letter.

[1,9] Nihil itaque interest utrum me lapis unus elidat, an monte toto premar; utrum supra me domus unius onus ueniat et sub exiguo eius cumulo ac puluere exspirem, an totus caput meum terrarum orbis abscondat; in luce hunc et in aperto spiritum reddam an in uasto terrarum dehiscentium sinu; solus in illud profundum an cum magno comitatu populorum concadentium ferar; nihil interest mea quantus circa mortem meam tumultus sit: ipsa ubique tantundem est.

[1,10] Proinde magnum sumamus animum aduersus istam cladem, quae nec euitari nec prouideri potest, desinamusque audire istos, qui Campaniae renuntiauerunt quique post hunc casum emigrauerunt negantque ipsos umquam in illam regionem accessuros: quis enim illis promittit melioribus fundamentis hoc aut illud solum stare?

[1,11] Omnia eiusdem sortis sunt et, si nondum mota, tamen mobilia: hunc fortasse in quo securius consistitis locum haec nox aut hic ante noctem dies scindet. Unde scis an melior eorum locorum condicio sit in quibus iam uires suas fortuna consumpsit et quae in futurum ruina sua fulta sunt?

[1,12] Erramus enim, si ullam terrarum partem exceptam immunemque ab hoc periculo credimus: omnes sub eadem iacent lege; nihil ita ut immobile esset natura concepit; alia temporibus aliis cadunt et, quemadmodum in urbibus magnis nunc haec domus nunc illa suspenditur, ita in hoc orbe terrarum nunc haec pars facit uitium nunc illa.

[1,13] Tyros aliquando infamis ruinis fuit, Asia duodecim urbes simul perdidit; anno priore in Achaiam et Macedoniam, quaecumque est ista uis mali quae incurrit, nunc Campaniam laesit: circumit fatum et, si quid diu praeteriit, repetit. Quaedam rarius sollicite, saepius quaedam: nihil immune esse et innoxium sinit.

[1,14] Non homines tantum, qui breuis et caduca res nascimur, urbes oraeque terrarum et litora et ipsum mare in seruitutem fati uenit. Nos tamen nobis permansura promittimus bona fortunae, et felicitatem, cuius ex omnibus rebus humanis uelocissima est leuitas, habituram in aliquo pondus ac moram credimus;

[1,15] et perpetua sibi omnia promittentibus in mentem non uenit id ipsum supra quod stamus stabile non esse. Neque enim Campaniae istud aut Achaiae sed omnis soli uitium est, male cohaerere et ex causis pluribus solui et summa manere, partibus ruere.

[2,1] Quid ago? Solacium aduersus pericula rara promiseram: ecce undique timenda denuntio, nego quicquam esse quietis aeternae, quod perire possit et perdere. Ego uero hoc ipsum solacii loco pono et quidem ualentissimi, quando quidem sine remedio timor stultis est: ratio terrorem prudentibus excutit; imperitis magna fit ex desperatione securitas.

[2,2] Hoc itaque generi humano dictum puta quod illis subita captiuitate inter ignes et hostem stupentibus dictum est: "una salus uictis nulllam sperare salutem."

[2,3] Si uultis nihil timere, cogitate omnia esse metuenda; circumspicite quam leuibus causis discutiamur: non cibus nobis, non umor, non uigilia, non somnus sine mensura quadam salubria sunt; iam intellegetis nugatoria esse nos et imbecilla corpuscula, fluida, non magna molitione perdenda. Sine dubio id unum periculi nobis est quod tremunt terrae, quod subito dissipantur ac superposita deducunt!

[2,4] Magni se aestimat qui fulmina et motus terrarum hiatusque formidat. Uult ille imbecillitatis sibi suae conscius timere pituitam? Ita uidelicet nati sumus, tam felicia sortiti membra, in hanc magnitudinem creuimus! Et ob hoc, nisi mundi partibus motis, nisi caelum intonuerit, nisi terra subsederit, perire non possumus!

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Reinhardt, T., M. Lapidge, et al. (2005). Aspects of the language of Latin prose. Oxford, Oxford University Press.
    
Seneca, L. A. and B. Inwood (2007). Seneca : selected philosophical letters. Oxford, Clarendon Press.
    
Seneca, L. A. and L. D. Reynolds (1965). L. Annaei Senecae ad Lucilium epistulae morales. Oxonii, e typographeo Clarendoniano.
    
Wilson, M. (2007). Rhetoric and the Younger Seneca. A Companion to Roman Rhetoric. J. C. R. H. William J. Dominik. Malden, Mass, Blackwell.

Vocabulary
abditus, -a, -um, hidden
abigo, abigere, abegi, abactum, drive away
ac, and (= atque)
accidit, accidere, happen, occur
accuso (1), accuse, blame
ad(j)icio, ad(j)icere, adieci, adiectus, add
adfectus, -us, m., mood, mental state
adfligo, adfligere, adflixi, adflictus, afflict, beset, strike
adgravo (1), make more serious
adgredior, adgredi, adgressus, approach, go to; attack
admoveo, admovere, admovi, admotum, apply
adversus (+ acc.), against; vis-à-vis
advoco (1), summon, call
aegroto (1), be ill, be sick
aequanimitas, -atis, f., patience, good will, calmness
aeque, equally
aequo (1), make equal, equalize: equal, come out equal to
aequus, -a, -um, even, balanced, equanimical
aestivus, -a, -um, summery
aetas, aetatis, f., lifetime, age, time
aevum, -i, n., eternity (in aeum “for eternity”)
ago, agere, egi, actum, drive, make (this verb often needs to be significantly “massaged” to make sense in English: it can mean many many things)
alligo (1), bind, bind up
altus, -a, -um, high
amans, amantis, loving, devoted to (+ gen.)
ambitio, -onis, f., ambition, vanity
amicus, -a, -um, friendly
amitto, amittere, amisi, amissum, lose
amor, amoris, m., love
animus, -i, m., soul
annus, -i, m., year
ante (+acc.), before, in front of
appareo, apparere, apparui, apparitum, be apparent
apud (+acc.), on, unto, with, at, by, near, in the abode of
ardeo, ardere, arsi, arsum, burn, be on fire
arduus, -a, -um, arduous, difficult
arma, armorum, n., pl. arms, weapons
ars, artis, f., skill
auctor, auctoris, m., agent, someone responsible for an act
audio, audire, audivi, auditum, hear
aufero, auferre, abstuli, ablatus, carry away, get rid of
auspicium, -i, n., auspices, divination by birds
auxilium, -i, n., aid, helpmeet
bellum, -i, n., war
cado, cadere, cecidi, casum, fall
caelum, -i, n., sky, heaven
calamitas, -atis, f., disaster
capio, capere, cepi, captum, take, seize, capture
casus, -us, m., disaster, misfortune
causa, -ae, reason, cause
celsus, -a, -um, elevated, exalted, lofty
centensimus, -a, -um, hundredth
certo (1), match, vie, contend, strive
certus, -a, -um, certain, reliable, sure
cinis, cineris, m., ashes
circumstrepo, circumstrepere, circumstrepitum, make a noise around
civitas, -atis, f., state, city; civilization
cladis, -is, f., disaster
claritas, -atis, f., illustriousness
clarus, -a, -um, illustrious, famous
clusus, -a, -um, closed
coepi, coeptum, begin (defective: the perfect system has present meanings)
cogitatio, -onis, f., thought
cogito (1), think, use one’s mind
cognomen, cognominis, n., surname, second name, title
collis, collis, m., hill
colonia, -ae, f., town, colony, settlement
compago, compaginis, f., connection, structure
concutio, concutere, concussi, concussus, strike, smite, shake violently
condicio, -onis, f., situation, condition
conditor, -oris, m., founder, builder, framer
condo, condere, condidi, conditum, build, establish, settle
conp-, see comp-
consensus, -us, m., agreement, convention
conspectus, -us, m., sight
constituo, constituere, constitui, constitutum, set, put, cause to stand, fix, station
consumo, consumere, consumpsi, consumptum, consume
consurgo, consurgere, consurrexi, consurrectum, rise up
contentus, -a, -um, satisfied, content
contingo, contingere, contigi, contactum, happen, fall to one’s lot
convalesco, convalescere, convalui, grow strong, thrive
corrumpo, corrumpere, corrupi, corruptum, spoil, ruin
corruo, corruere, corrui, fall down, tumble down
crastinus, -a, -um, tomorrow’s (in crastinum = on the morrow)
crede, credere, credidi, creditus, believe, have confidence in
crepitus, -us, m., rumbling, noise
cunctus, -a, um, whole, entire, all
damno (1), condemn, doom
damnum, -i, n., loss
debeo, debere, debui, debitus, ought, should, be obliged to; owe
deduco, deducere, deduxi, deductum, lead forth, establish (a colony)
deficio, deficere, defeci, defectus, fail, miss (+dat.); (of fire) go out, expire, become extinct: be absent, leave, abandon
dementia, -ae, f., insanity
denique, finally
deosum/deorsum, from above
depasco, depascere, depavi, depastum, feed on, consume
desedeo, desedere, desedi, desessum, settle down, sink down
desertus, -a, -um, deserted
detraho, detrahere, detraxi, detractus, take away
detrimentum, -i, n., loss, damage, detriment
devoro (1), devour, consume
dico, dicere, dixi, dictum, say, declare
dies, diei, m., day
difficilis, -e, difficult, hard
diffluo, diffluere, dissolve, melt away
diffundo, diffundere, diffudi, diffusus, spread out
diligens, diligentis, careful, industrious
discedo, discedere, discessi, discessum, depart, disperse
disco, discere, didici, learn
dispar, disparis, unlike, dissimilar, unequal
dissipo (1), bring to naught, dissipate
distinguo, distinguere, distinxi, distinctum, distinguish
diutius, adv., for a longer time
diuturnus, -a, -um, lasting
doceo, docere, docui, doctum, teach
doleo, dolere, dolui, feel pain, grieve (also feel pain at, be afflicted by + acc.)
dolor, doloris, m., pain
domesticus, -a, -um, domestic, internal
dum, while
durus, -a, -um, hard, harsh
efficio, efficere, effeci, effectus, bring about, cause
effringo, effringere, effregi, effractum, break open
egero, egerere, egessi, egestum, drive out
egestas, -atis, f., need, lack
eiusmodi, of the sort
eleganter, eloquently
eligo, eligere, elegi, electum, choose
enim, for
enumero (1), list
erado, eradere, erasi, erasum, rub away, scrape away, remove
erectus, -a, -um, upright
ergo, therefore
eripio, eripere, erepi, ereptum, snatch away, tear away
erodo, erodere, erosi, erosum, eat away, corrode
erumpo, erumpere, erupi, eruptum, burst out, burst forth
esurio, essurire, essuritum, be hungry, hunger
etiam, even; also
evenio, evenire, eveni, happen
everto, evertere, everti, eversum, overturn
ex(s)isto, ex(s)istere , exstiti, exstitum, emerge, come forth
exardeo, exardere, exarsi, burn up
excidium, -i, n., downfall, destruction
excipio, excipere, excepi, exceptum, take out, make exempt, make an exception of
excito (1), call out, call forth; stir up, incite
excutio, excutere, excussi, excussum, drive out
exemplum, -i, n., precedent, example, parallel
exeo, exire, exi(v)i, exitum, go out, depart, leave, exit
exerceo, exercere, exercui, exercitus, use, emply, exercise
exilium, -i, n., exile
exitus, -us, m., end
expecto (1), expect
experior, experiri, expertus est, try, put to the test, experience
expugno (1), attack
externus, -a, -um, external, from without
extimesco, extimescere, extimui, be greatly afraid of
exto, extare, stand out, project, be prominent
extra, adv., external, outside
extremus, -a, -um, extreme, the most
exuro, exurere, exussi, exusta, burn, burn up, consume
facilis, -e, easy
falsus, -a, -um, false, incorrect
fama, -ae, f., reputation (bad or good)
fatum, -i, n., fate
felicitas, -atis, f., flourishing condition, happiness, joy
fero, ferre, tuli, latus, bear, carry; tolerate
ferrum, -i, n.,  blade, point (of a weapon)
festino (1), rush
finis, finis, m. (sometimes f.), end, limit
fio, fieri, factus sum, happen, occur, come to be
firmitas, -atis, f., resolve, strength, courage
firmo (1), strengthen
firmus, -a, -um, strong
flagrans, -antis, passionate, excited
flamma, -ae, f., flame
flatus, -us, m., blowing
florens, florentis, flourishing
fluctus, -us, m., flood, flow, surge
formo (1), shape, fashion, form, build
fortasse, perhaps
fortuitus, -a, -um, chance-related, fortuitous
fortuna, -ae, luck, happenstance
fragilis, fragile, fragile, weak
frequenter, often
frequentia, -ae, f., populousness, multitude
fulgeo, fulgere, fulgi, fulsus, shine, be bright
fundamentum, -i, n., foundation
gero, gerere, gessi, gestum, wage, do (nomen gerere = “bear a title”)
gratia, -ae, f., favor, esteem regard
gravis, grave, serious
gravitas, -atis, f., weight
hibernus, -a, -um, wintry
homo, hominis, m., human being
hora, -ae, f., hour
hostilis, -e, hostile, enemy
hostis, hostis, m., enemy
humanus, -a, -um, human
humilis, humile, low
iacto (1), vaunt, exhibit
iam, at this point
ideo, for that reason, for this reason
ignis, ignis, m., fire
imp-, see inp- if item not found under imp-
impar, imparis, unequal
imperium, -i, n., order, instruction (imperis = dat./abl. pl.)
impero (1), give orders, command
impetus, -us, m., impact, onset, attack
improvisus, -a, -um, unforeseen
imus, -a, -um, lowest
in (+ acc.), into, onto, against
inauditus, -a, -um, unheard of
inausus, -a, -um, unattempted
inbecillitas, -tis, f., weakness
incendium, -i, n., fire, conflagration
incido, incidere, incidi, incasum, happen, occur
inclino (1), bring down, cause to decline
incola, -ae, m. or f., inhabitant, resident
incredibilis, -e, incredible
incrementum, -i, n., growth, increase
incurro, incurrere, incurri/incucurri, incursus, enter, run into
indignor (1), deem unworhy, be displeased at
indulgentia, -ae, f., indulgence, forbearance
industria, -ae, f., productive energy
inexpectatus, -a, -um, unlooked for, unexpectedplus
infamis, -e, disreputable, dishonorable
infamo (1), dishonor
infelix, infelicis, unfortunate, unhappy
infestus, -a, -um, troublesome, dangerous
ingero, ingerere, ingessi, ingestum, drive home, force upon one
inimicus, -a, -um, hostile, unfriendly
iniquus, -a, -um, bad, wrong
iniuria, -ae, f., damage, loss, injury
inlustro (1), embellish, make illustrious
inmitto, inmittere, inmisi, inmissus, send onto, set on, inflict on
innocens, innocentis, harmless, innocent
inopinatus, -a, -um, unexpected
inpello, impellere, impulsi, impulsum, drive, push
inperitus/imperitus, -a, -um, ignorant, inexperienced
inpono, inponere, inposui, inpositum, to situtate on, to set on
inquam, say
insero, inserere, inserui , insertum, introduce into
intellectus, -us, m., understanding, comprehension
intentio, intentionis, f., attention
inter ( + acc.), between, among
interest, interesse, interfuit, be the difference between, be between
interim, meanwhile
interitus, -us, m., end, death, downfall
internus, -a, -um, internal
intolerabilis, -e, intolerable, unsufferable
intra (+ acc.), within
intro (1), enter
inusitatus, -a, -um, unusual, unwonted
invado, invadere, invasi, invasum, invade, enter
invenio, invenire, inveni, inventum, find
itaque, thus
iubeo, iubere, iussi, iussus, order, give orders
iugum, -i, n., ridge
ius, iuris, n., right, jurisdiction
labor, -oris, m., work, labor
labor, labi, lapsus sum, slide, slip
latus, -a, -um, broad
lente, adv., slowly
lex, legis, f., law
liberalis, -is, freeborn, freemanly, noble (also a proper name)
libero (1), free
locus, -i, m., space, place
longum est, it is too long
Lugdunensis, of, from, or relating to Lyons
magnificus, -a, -um, magnificent
maior, maioris, greater
malus, -a, -um, bad, evil
maneo, manere, mansi, mansus, await
manus, -us, m., hand
mare, maris, n., sea
meditor (1), think about, consider
melior, melius, better
metior, metiri, mensus sum, measure, mete (out)
metuo, metuere, metui, metutum, fear
metus, -us, m., fear
minime, adv., least
minutatim, little by little
miror (1), wonder at, be amazed at
modo ... modo..., at one point ... at another ...
momentum, -i, n., moment
mons, montis, m., hill, mount
mons, montis, m., mountain.
monumentum, -i, n., monument, memorial, that which brings to mind
mora, -ae, f., delay, stay
morbus, -i, m., disease
morior, moriri, mortuus sum, die
mors, mortis, f., death
mortalis, mortale, mortal (as in “humans are mortal”, not as in “a mortal wound”)
mortalitas, -atis, f., mortality, death
motus, -us, m., movement (terrarum motus = earthquake)
moveo, movere, movi, motus, move (emotionally)
mundus, -i, m., world
nam, for
narro (1), tell a story, tell the story, narrate
nascor, nasci, natus sum, be born
natalis, natale, having to do with birth, origin, lineage
naufragia, -ae, f., shipwreck
navigans, -antis, navigator
ne _____ quidem, not even ______
necessitas, -atis, f., necessity
nedum, not to speak of,
nemo, neminis, no one
nescio, nescire, nesci(v)i, nescitum, not to know, be ignorant of
nimius, -a, -um, excessive
nobilis, -e, noble
noceo, nocere, nocui, nocitum, harm
nolo, nolle, nolui, not want
nomen, nominis, n., name
novitas, -atis, f., novelty, newness, strangeness
novus, -a, -um, novel
nox, noctis, f., night
nullus, -a, -um, no, not one
num, (indicates the sentence is a question)
numquam, never
nunc, now
nuntio (1), announce
oblitus, -a, -um, forgetful
obsto, obstare, obstiti, obstatum, stand in the way of
obstupefio, obstupefieri, obstupefactus sum, be stunned
occupo (1), occupy, be master of
oculus, -i, m., eye
operio, operire, operui, opertum, cover, cover over
opinio, -onis, f., reputation
oportet, it is fitting, it is right
oppidum, -i, n., town
opportunitas, -atis, f., suitableness
opprimo, opprimere, oppressi, oppressum, bring low
opulentus, -a, -um, rich, luxurious
opus, operis, n., work
orbs, orbis., m., sphere (orbs terrarum = “the world”)
origo, originis, f., origin, start
orior, oriri, ortus sum, arise
ornamentum, -i, decoration, apparatus, trappings
ostendo (1), point to, hold up as an example
paene, almost
pareo, parere, parui, paritum, obey
pars, partis, f., part, portion
patientia, -ae, f., patience, endurance, submission
patior, pati, passus sum, suffer, undergo
patria, -ae, f., native land
pax, pacis, f., peace
per (+acc.), through
percipio, percipere, percepi, perceptum, perceive
perdo, perdere, perdidi, perditum, lose
pereo, perire, perii, peritum, perish
perfero, perferre, pertuli, perlatum, undergo
periculum, -i, n., danger
permitto, permittere, permisi, permissus, grant, permit, allow,
perniciosus, -a, -um, destructive
placeo, placere, placui, placitum, please, give pleasure, be approved
placidus, -a, -um, peaceful
plenus, -a, -um, full (in plenum, adv., generally, on the whole)
plurimum, adv., generally, commonly
plurimus, -a, -um, greatest
poena, -ae, f., penalty, punishment
pondus, -eris, n., weight
pono, ponere, posui, positum, put, establish
populus, -i, m., people
potestas, -atis, f., power (esse in potestate alicuius = to be in someone’s power, be subject to someone)
praeceptor, -oris, m., teacher
praemitto, praemittere, praemisi, praemissus, put oneself (into a situation), imagine oneself (in a situation)
praesumo, praesumere, praesumpsi, praesumptum, consider beforehand
praetexo, praetexere, praetexui, praetextum, border
premo, premere, pressi, pressum, press, put pressure on
privatim, privately, in private
procul, far
propero (1), rush, be in a hurry
proprie, in a manner affecting one’s own person (as opposed to others), personally, properly
provincia, -ae, f., province
pthisis, f., consumption (the disease)
publice, publicly, openly
pulcherrimus, -a, - um, superlative of pulcher, beautiful, pretty
pusillus, -a, -um, very small, insignificant
puto (1), think
quaero, quaerere, quaesivi, quaesitum, seek, look for
quam
quamvis, although (+ subj.)
quantus, -a, -um, how much, how great
quatio, quatere, -, quassum, shake
quemadmodum, how
querella/querela, -ae, f., complaint
queror, queri, questus sum, complain
quicumque, quaecumque, quodcumque, whoever, whatever
quiesco, quiescere, quievi, quietus, be silent
quilibet, quaelibet, quodlibet, any one
quisquis, quaeque, quodquod/quicquid/quidquid, whoever, whosoever, everyone, each, every
quondam, once, at one time, formerly
quoque, too, aslo
quot, how many, as many
quotiens, how many times
quotus quisque, quota quaeque, quotum quidque, how few, how many
quotus, -a, -um, how large
raro, adverb of rarus, -a, -um, rare, seldom
reddo, reddere, reddidi, redditum, render, make (+ acc. + acc.)
regio, regionis, f., locality, region
regnum., -i, n., realm
relinquo, relinquere, reliqui, relictus, leave, leave behind
reluceo, relucere, reluxi, blaze, shine
resolvo, resolvere, resolvi, resolutum, untie, loose, open; dissolve, undo
restituo, restituere, restitui, restitutum, rebuild
revertor, reverti, reversus, return, turn back
rex, regis, m., king
ruina, -ae, f., fall, ruin
rumor, -oris, m., rumor
rumpo, rumpere, rupi, ruptum, break, tear, rend
ruo, ruere, rui, rutum, fall, fall down
saepe, often
saltem, at least, anyhow
scio, scire, scivi, scitum, know
secretus, -a, -um,  withdrawn, aloof
securitas, -atis, f., peace, security
semper, always
senectus, senectutis, f., old age
senesco, senescere, senui, grow old, age
series, (no gen. attested), f., series
sine (+abl.), without
singulus, -a, -um, individual, each, separate, single
siremps, like, the same (contracted from similis re ipsa)
sitio, sitiri, siti(v)i, thirst, be thirsty
situs, -us, m., dust and mold and dirt acquired from lying inert
sive ... sive, whether ... or
socius, -a, -um, allied
solacium, -i, n., solace, helpmeet
soleo, solere, solui, solitus, be accustomed, be wont
solitudo, solitudinis, f., desert, wilderness; solitude, loneliness
solum, -i, n., ground, earth, soil
sono, sonere, sonui, sonitum, make a sound, resound
sors, sortis, f., lot
spargo, spargere, sparsi, sparsum, sprinkle, scatter, strew
spatium, -i, n., space, extent, duration
speciosus, -a, -um, beautiful, wondrous looking
specula, -ae, f., cliff
stabilis, -e, stable, steady, enduring
sterno, sternere, stravi, stratus, lay low
sto, stare, steti, status, remain standing; be situated
struo, struere, struxi, structum, build
stultus, -a, -um, foolish
sub (+abl.), under
subinde, here and there, from time to time
subitus, -a, -um, sudden
subtilis, subtile, nuanced, complex
sufficio, sufficere, suffeci, suffectum, (+ dat.) suffice, be enough
suffoco (1), stifle, strangle
summus, -a, -um, highest
supersum, superesse, superfui, survive, remain
supplicium, -i, n., punishment
surgo, surgere, surexi, surrectum, rise up, spring up
susum/sursum, from below
taedium, -i, n., weariness, tediousness, disgust
tam, as much, so, to such a degree
tamen, however, nonetheless
tantum, adv. only
tarde, slowly
tectum, -i, n., roof
temeritas, -atis, f., rashness, thoughtlessness
temperans, -antis, moderate, temperate, self-controlled
tempestas, -atis, storm
tempus, -oris, n., time
teneo, tenere, tenui, tentum, hold
tero, terere, trivi, tritus, wear, rub, grind
terra, -ae, f., earth
terrae, -arum, “the lands,” the earth
terror, -oris, m., terror
timeo, timere, timui, fear
tormentum, -i, n., torment
torrens, torrentis, m., a torrent
tot, so many
trado, tradere, tradidi, traditum, hand over, convey
tranquillitas, -atis, f., peacefulness, calm
transeo, transire, transi(v)i transitum, change (into)
tremor, -oris, m., earthquake
tristis, triste, sad
tumultuor (1), make a disturbance, be in an uproar
tumultus, -us, m., disturbance
tumulus, -i, m., mound, hill, hillock
turba, -ae, f., crowd
tutus, -a, -um, sage
ubi, where
ubique, all around, everywhere
umquam, ever
unde, whence
urbs, urbis, f., city
utilis, -e, useful
valeo, valere, valui, valitum, be well, be strong
validus, -a, -um, strong
vasto (1), devastate
vastus, -a, -um, huge, large, vast
velut, as if
venter, ventris, m., belly
ventus, -i, m., wind
vereor, vereri, veritus sum, fear
vertex, verticis, m., peak
verto, vertere, verti, versum, overturn, destroy
vesanus, -a, -um, insane
vestigium, -i, n., trace
vetustas, -atis, f., age
vexo (1), disturb
via, -ae, f., way, method, manner, path
videlicet, namely
violentia, -ae, f., force, violence
violentus, -a, -um, powerful, violent
vires, virium, f. pl. strength
vis, viris, f., force
vivo, vivere, vixi, victum, live
vix, hardly
voces
volo, velle, volui, want, desire
voluptas, -atis, f., pleasure
volvo, volvere, volvi, volutum, turn