Letters from a Stoic

An Introduction ix About Donald Robertson xxxiii About Tom Butler-Bowdon xxxiv Chapter One On the Use of Time 1 Chapter Two On Discursiveness in Reading 5 Chapter Three On True and False Friendship 9 Chapter Four On the Terrors of Death 13 Chapter Five On the Philosopher's Mean 19 Chapter Six On Sharing Knowledge 23 Chapter Seven On Crowds 27 Chapter Eight On the Philosopher's Seclusion 33 Chapter Nine On Philosophy and Friendship 39 Chapter Ten On Living to Oneself 49 Chapter Eleven On the Blush of Modesty 53 Chapter Twelve On Old Age 57 Chapter Thirteen On Groundless Fears 63 Chapter Fourteen On the Reasons for Withdrawing from the World 71 Chapter Fifteen On Brawn and Brains 79 Chapter Sixteen On Philosophy, the Guide of Life 85 Chapter Seventeen On Philosophy and Riches 91 Chapter Eighteen On Festivals and Fasting 97 Chapter Nineteen On Worldliness and Retirement 105 Chapter Twenty On Practising What You Preach 113 Chapter Twenty One On the Renown Which My Writings May Bring You 119 Chapter Twenty Two On the Futility of Half-Way Measures 125 Chapter Twenty Three On the True Joy Which Comes from Philosophy 133 Chapter Twenty Four On Despising Death 139 Chapter Twenty Five On Reformation 151 Chapter Twenty Six On Old Age and Death 155 Chapter Twenty Seven On the Good Which Abides 161 Chapter Twenty Eight On Travel as a Cure for Discontent 167 Chapter Twenty Nine On the Critical Condition of Marcellinus 171 Chapter Thirty On Conquering the Conqueror 177 Chapter Thirty One On Siren Songs 185 Chapter Thirty Two On Progress 191 Chapter Thirty Three On the Futility of Learning Maxims 195 Chapter Thirty Four On a Promising Pupil 201 Chapter Thirty Five On the Friendship of Kindred Minds 203 Chapter Thirty Six On the Value of Retirement 207 Chapter Thirty Seven On Allegiance to Virtue 213 Chapter Thirty Eight On Quiet Conversation 217 Chapter Thirty Nine On Noble Aspirations 219 Chapter Forty On the Proper Style for a Philosopher's Discourse 223 Chapter Forty One On the

Lucius Annaeus Seneca was a Roman philosopher, statesman, orator and tragedian. He was one of Rome's leading intellectual figures in the mid-1st century CE, and as Emperor Nero's closest adviser effectively governed Rome for five years. Seneca was born in Corduba in Hispania, raised in Rome, and trained in rhetoric and philosophy. His many essays and letters make him a central figure in the history of Stoicism. Donald Robertson is a cognitive-behavioural psychotherapist, writer, and trainer, specializing in the relationship between philosophy, psychology, and self-improvement. He's particularly known for his work on Stoic philosophy, and is the author of How To Think Like A Roman Emperor: The Stoic Philosophy of Marcus Aurelius. Tom Butler-Bowdon is Series Editor of the Capstone Classics series, and has provided Introductions for Plato's Republic, Adam Smith's Wealth of Nations, Machiavelli's The Prince, Florence Scovel Shinn's The Game of Life and How to Play It, and Kahlil Gibran's The Prophet. A graduate of the London School of Economics, he is also the author of 50 Economics Classics (2017) and 50 Politics Classics (2015). www.butler-bowdon.com