Solitude
Letters on withdrawal, quiet, and being alone well.
8 letters
- 7On CrowdsRead →Seneca advises Lucilius to avoid crowds, which corrupt moral character through vice and cruelty. He illustrates this danger with the example of gladiatorial games and emphasizes that one should withdraw from public life, cultivate solitude, and associate only with those who improve virtue.6 min·13 paragraphsSolitudeCharacter
- 9On Philosophy And FriendshipRead →A wise person can be self-sufficient yet still desire friendship, not for utility but as a natural expression of virtue. True friendship arises from intrinsic worth, not external advantage, and the sage cultivates friendships while remaining undisturbed by their loss.10 min·22 paragraphsSolitudeFriendshipVirtue
- 10On Living To OneselfRead →Seneca advises Lucilius to avoid crowds, solitude with the wrong companions, and even solitary self-communion with vice. True solitude is virtuous only when one maintains integrity of character and makes only requests of the gods that could be made openly, free from shameful desires.3 min·5 paragraphsSolitudeVirtueCharacter
- 19On Worldliness And RetirementRead →Seneca urges Lucilius to withdraw from public life and seek otium (philosophical leisure) to achieve peace of mind and genuine friendship, arguing that continuous ambition creates endless desires and prevents true tranquility. He illustrates how fortune and prosperity enslave rather than liberate, citing Maecenas as a cautionary example of how success corrupts, and recommends choosing wise companions over accumulating honors.6 min·13 paragraphsSolitudeFriendshipCharacter
- 55On Vatia's VillaRead →Seneca reflects on Vatia's villa after observing it during a litter ride, using it as a springboard for distinguishing true leisure from mere idleness. He argues that physical location matters little for achieving tranquility—the mind must cultivate it—and that friends separated by distance can maintain their bond through thought and shared intellectual pursuits, making their separation less significant than it appears.6 min·11 paragraphsSolitudeEquanimityFriendship
- 56On Quiet And StudyRead →Seneca argues that while external silence aids study, true tranquility depends not on quiet surroundings but on an undisturbed mind. He illustrates this by describing the cacophony of the bathhouse beneath his lodgings, demonstrating how he has trained himself to ignore such noise; yet he insists that distracting thoughts and inner turmoil are far more disruptive than any external sound, and that genuine peace requires the soul to be at rest through reason and virtuous pursuits rather than mere absence of disturbance.7 min·15 paragraphsSolitudeEquanimityStudy
- 68On Wisdom And RetirementRead →Seneca endorses Lucilius's plan to retire from public life, but advises him to keep his withdrawal discreet and avoid ostentatious displays of philosophy. True retirement serves a greater purpose—the contemplation of divine and human things—and the wise man remains engaged even in solitude by examining and healing the defects of his own soul, much as one treats physical ailments with the care they require.6 min·14 paragraphsSolitudeStudyCharacter
- 109On The Fellowship Of Wise MenRead →Seneca argues that a wise person can benefit another wise person through mutual encouragement of virtue, shared inquiry, and the natural human attraction to goodness. While the wise person is self-sufficient, association with another wise person strengthens virtue through exercise and provides practical counsel in both civic and divine matters.7 min·18 paragraphsVirtueFriendshipSolitude