Divine
Letters on the gods, providence, and what is sacred.
5 letters
- 41On The God Within UsRead →Seneca argues that the path to a good mind lies within us, as a divine spirit dwells in every good person, and true excellence comes from perfecting our rational nature rather than external possessions or ornaments.5 min·9 paragraphsDivineNatureVirtue
- 65On The First CauseRead →Seneca reports on a philosophical discussion about causation, presenting Aristotle's four causes (matter, agent, form, purpose) and Plato's addition of a fifth (the pattern or idea). While acknowledging these frameworks, Seneca argues that the true first cause is Creative Reason—God—since all other causes depend ultimately on this single principle. He then defends such metaphysical inquiry against the charge that it wastes time, contending that contemplating the universe elevates the soul, liberates it from the body's tyranny, and reveals our dignity and divine nature.11 min·24 paragraphsNatureDivine
- 73On Philosophers And KingsRead →Seneca argues that philosophers devoted to wisdom are not contemptuous of government and rulers but are actually most grateful to them, since they depend on public security to pursue the contemplative life. He illustrates that those who use peace and freedom well owe greater gratitude than those consumed by insatiable desires, and demonstrates that a wise person's virtue equals or surpasses Jupiter's, differing only in duration.7 min·16 paragraphsVirtueDivine
- 81On BenefitsRead →Seneca argues that encountering ingratitude should not discourage beneficence; rather, one must evaluate whether a benefactor who later harms us has discharged the debt through the prior benefit, and a wise person will judge favorably toward gratitude while understanding that true gratitude is a virtue accessible only to the wise, benefiting the grateful person more than the recipient.15 min·32 paragraphsDivineFriendshipVirtue
- 110On True And False RichesRead →Seneca argues that we must distinguish between necessary and superfluous desires, recognizing that our fears are often baseless illusions born of ignorance. True happiness comes through philosophical understanding of what is genuinely good and bad, rather than through the pursuit of wealth, luxury, or external goods.9 min·20 paragraphsDesireVirtueDivine