Seneca is an interesting character. His proponents say he provides a rich, digestible version of realist Stoicism and greatly influenced early Christian thought. His detractors would point to his apparent misalignment between simple philosophy and extravagant lifestyle. I’ll take the middle path: He was a flawed, imperfect man who recognized his misgivings and tried to reconcile what he did with what he thought. Though Letters from a Stoic he manages to provide a realistic application of Stoic teachings.

Over the next weeks, I’ll document my favorite sayings of his.