Skip to content
Moral Letters to Lucilius
Seneca

Moral Letters to Lucilius

One hundred and twenty-four letters on how to live, written by Seneca to his friend Lucilius.

Start reading →

Volume I

  1. 1On saving time5 sections
  2. 2On discursiveness in reading6 sections
  3. 3On true and false friendship6 sections
  4. 4On the terrors of death11 sections
  5. 5On the philosopher's mean9 sections
  6. 6On sharing knowledge7 sections
  7. 7On crowds12 sections
  8. 8On the philosopher's seclusion10 sections
  9. 9On philosophy and friendship22 sections
  10. 10On living to oneself5 sections
  11. 11On the blush of modesty10 sections
  12. 12On old age11 sections
  13. 13On groundless fears17 sections
  14. 14On the reasons for withdrawing from the world18 sections
  15. 15On brawn and brains11 sections
  16. 16On philosophy, the guide of life9 sections
  17. 17On philosophy and riches12 sections
  18. 18On festivals and fasting15 sections
  19. 19On worldliness and retirement12 sections
  20. 20On practising what you preach13 sections
  21. 21On the renown which my writings will bring you11 sections
  22. 22On the futility of half-way measures17 sections
  23. 23On the true joy which comes from philosophy11 sections
  24. 24On despising death26 sections
  25. 25On reformation7 sections
  26. 26On old age and death10 sections
  27. 27On the good which abides9 sections
  28. 28On travel as a cure for discontent10 sections
  29. 29On the critical condition of Marcellinus12 sections
  30. 30On conquering the conqueror18 sections
  31. 31On siren songs11 sections
  32. 32On progress5 sections
  33. 33On the futility of learning maxims11 sections
  34. 34On a promising pupil4 sections
  35. 35On the friendship of kindred minds4 sections
  36. 36On the value of retirement12 sections
  37. 37On allegiance to virtue5 sections
  38. 38On quiet conversation2 sections
  39. 39On noble aspirations6 sections
  40. 40On the proper style for a philosopher's discourse14 sections
  41. 41On the god within us9 sections
  42. 42On values10 sections
  43. 43On the relativity of fame5 sections
  44. 44On philosophy and pedigrees7 sections
  45. 45On sophistical argumentation13 sections
  46. 46On a new book by Lucilius3 sections
  47. 47On master and slave21 sections
  48. 48On quibbling as unworthy of the philosopher12 sections
  49. 49On the shortness of life12 sections
  50. 50On our blindness and its cure9 sections
  51. 51On Baiae and morals13 sections
  52. 52On choosing our teachers15 sections
  53. 53On the faults of the spirit12 sections
  54. 54On asthma and death7 sections
  55. 55On Vatia's villa11 sections
  56. 56On quiet and study15 sections
  57. 57On the trials of travel9 sections
  58. 58On being37 sections
  59. 59On pleasure and joy18 sections
  60. 60On harmful prayers4 sections
  61. 61On meeting death cheerfully4 sections
  62. 62On good company3 sections
  63. 63On grief for lost friends16 sections
  64. 64On the philosopher's task10 sections
  65. 65On the first cause24 sections

Volume II

  1. 66On various aspects of virtue53 sections
  2. 67On ill-health and endurance of suffering16 sections
  3. 68On wisdom and retirement14 sections
  4. 69On rest and restlessness6 sections
  5. 70On the proper time to slip the cable28 sections
  6. 71On the supreme good37 sections
  7. 72On business as the enemy of philosophy11 sections
  8. 73On philosophers and kings16 sections
  9. 74On virtue as a refuge from worldly distractions34 sections
  10. 75On the diseases of the soul18 sections
  11. 76On learning wisdom in old age35 sections
  12. 77On taking one's own life20 sections
  13. 78On the healing power of the mind29 sections
  14. 79On the rewards of scientific discovery18 sections
  15. 80On worldly deceptions10 sections
  16. 81On benefits32 sections
  17. 82On the natural fear of death24 sections
  18. 83On drunkenness27 sections
  19. 84On gathering ideas13 sections
  20. 85On some vain syllogisms41 sections
  21. 86On Scipio's villa21 sections
  22. 87Some arguments in favour of the simple life41 sections
  23. 88On liberal and vocational studies46 sections
  24. 89On the parts of philosophy23 sections
  25. 90On the part played by philosophy in the progress of man46 sections
  26. 91On the lesson to be drawn from the burning of Lyons21 sections
  27. 92On the happy life35 sections

Volume III

  1. 93On the quality, as contrasted with the length, of life12 sections
  2. 94On the value of advice74 sections
  3. 95On the usefulness of basic principles73 sections
  4. 96On facing hardships5 sections
  5. 97On the degeneracy of the age16 sections
  6. 98On the fickleness of fortune18 sections
  7. 99On consolation to the bereaved32 sections
  8. 100On the writings of Fabianus12 sections
  9. 101On the futility of planning ahead15 sections
  10. 102On the intimations of our immortality30 sections
  11. 103On the dangers of association with our fellow-men5 sections
  12. 104On care of health and peace of mind34 sections
  13. 105On facing the world with confidence8 sections
  14. 106On the corporeality of virtue12 sections
  15. 107On obedience to the universal will12 sections
  16. 108On the approaches to philosophy38 sections
  17. 109On the fellowship of wise men18 sections
  18. 110On true and false riches20 sections
  19. 111On the vanity of mental gymnastics5 sections
  20. 112On reforming hardened sinners4 sections
  21. 113On the vitality of the soul and its attributes32 sections
  22. 114On style as a mirror of character27 sections
  23. 115On the superficial blessings18 sections
  24. 116On self-control8 sections
  25. 117On real ethics as superior to syllogistic subtleties33 sections
  26. 118On the vanity of place-seeking17 sections
  27. 119On nature as our best provider16 sections
  28. 120More about virtue22 sections
  29. 121On instinct in animals24 sections
  30. 122On darkness as a veil for wickedness19 sections
  31. 123On the conflict between pleasure and virtue17 sections
  32. 124On the true good as attained by reason24 sections
Reading edition: Richard M. Gummere (1917–1925). Public domain.