On the Shortness of Life (Penguin Great Ideas)
and over one million other books are available for Amazon Kindle .
Learn more
| ||||||||||||||||||
Did you know you can trade in your old books for an Amazon.co.uk Gift Card to spend on the things you want? Plus, get an extra £5 Gift Certificate when you trade in books worth £10 or more before June 30, 2012. Visit the Books Trade-In Store for more details. |
Frequently Bought Together
Product details
|
More About the Author
Product Description
Product Description
Throughout history, some books have changed the world. They have transformed the way we see ourselves - and each other. They have inspired debate, dissent, war and revolution. They have enlightened, outraged, provoked and comforted. They have enriched lives - and destroyed them. Now Penguin brings you the works of the great thinkers, pioneers, radicals and visionaries whose ideas shook civilization, and helped make us who we are.
The Stoic writings of the philosopher Seneca offer powerful insights into the art of living, the importance of reason and morality, and continue to provide profound guidance to many through their eloquence, lucidity and timeless wisdom.
About the Author
Lucius Annaeus Seneca, statesman, philosopher, advocate and man of letters, was born in Spain around 4BC. He rose to prominence at Rome, pursuing a double career in the courts and political life, until Claudius sent him into exile exile on the island of Corsica for eight years. Recalled in AD49, he was appointed tutor to the boy who was to become, in AD54, the emperor Nero. Seneca acted for eight years as Nero's unofficial chief minister until Nero too turned against him and he retired from public life to devote himself to philosophy and writing. In AD65, following the discovery of a plot against the emperor, he and many others were compelled by Nero to commit suicide.
C.D.N. Costa has spent most of his working life at Birmingham University, where he is Professor of Classics and Chairman of the School of Antiquity. Among other works, he has written commentaries on the works of Seneca, Letters, Dialogues and the tragedy Medea.
Inside This Book
(Learn More)
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Back Cover
Explore More
Concordance
Browse Sample PagesConcordance
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Back Cover
Tags Customers Associate with This Product(What's this?)Click on a tag to find related items, discussions, and people.
|
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
35 of 40 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
The first book in the Penguin set of 'Great Ideas' (one in a series of twenty; it's a shame that Amazon don't appear to sell the boxed set). You have to keep pinching yourself to remember that it was written some 2000 years ago. Rather long winded (writing style was much more formal back then), it can be quite hard to penetrate, but if you read it in the right mood the words really sink in and convey a wonderful sense of somebody struggling with understanding the world around them and how to behave in it. If only more people shared these feelings these days.
The main disappointment was the lack of contextual setting. Excuse my ignorance, but who was Seneca, what times did he live in, what were the ideas opposing his? A few pages would have sufficed, and would have added so much more, and it would have made a 5.
None-the-less, if you want to widen your reading this is a great place to start.
The main disappointment was the lack of contextual setting. Excuse my ignorance, but who was Seneca, what times did he live in, what were the ideas opposing his? A few pages would have sufficed, and would have added so much more, and it would have made a 5.
None-the-less, if you want to widen your reading this is a great place to start.
8 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Lucius Annaeas Seneca was a Roman stoic philosopher who was born around the turn of the 1st century AD. Seneca became a statesman and politician in Rome, but riled the emperor Claudius in AD 38, and was only spared his life because Claudius believed that Seneca's life was soon to end. As it turned out, Claudius' life ended sooner, and with the succession of Caligula, Seneca was exiled to Corsica around 41 AD, and it wa here that Seneca wrote much of his philosophy. Seneca was recalled to the court of the Emperor Nero, by Nero's mother, Agrippina, in AD 54. Seneca and Burrus advised the young emperor, but in traditional style, as the boy king came of age, he began to listen to hiis advisors, and his mother, less and less. Nero had Agrippina killed in AD 59, and Burrus 'died' in 62. It was time for Seneca to leave the employ of the emperor, he retired to write more philosophy, but this only lasted 3 years, until Nero ordered Seneca to kill himself after having been accused of being part of a plot to kill Nero. Seneca slit his wrists, but did not die due to slow blood flow... he then drank poison, which did not succeed in finishing him off, so to top it he bathed, in order to increase the blood flow. After such Rasputin-esque torment, Seneca did indeed die in AD 65, but Nero followed him in 72, at the age of just 30.
The 3 texts bound together by Penguin exhibit a classical stoic account of the value of life, deifying the influence of fate on one's life, but displaying ways in which one can overcome the fear of fate's cruel hand attacking, in order that one may lead a fulfilled life. The first text is heavy, and Seneca tiresomely promotes the study of philosophy as the only way to live a good and happy life, although the experiences outlined in Seneca's biography will do little to persuade any reader of his doctrine here. However, with the second text, Seneca creates for himself a more accessible persona, in the role of son writing to his mother from exile... this tract is a great deal better than the first and is thankfully less rigorous in detailing Seneca's specific distaste at certain styles of life. The third text however, really soars... it is easily the best of the three in my opinion, and is the best expression of Seneca's stoicism within this collection. The premise is, that if one accepts that, in the words of Lucretius; 'to none life is given in freehold; to alll on a lease', then one sees that life is nature's gift to man, and viewing life in such a style is what is so attractive about the Latin stoic philosophy. Do not mistake this for an easy-going self-help book however, but if you like the sound of it, buy it.
The 3 texts bound together by Penguin exhibit a classical stoic account of the value of life, deifying the influence of fate on one's life, but displaying ways in which one can overcome the fear of fate's cruel hand attacking, in order that one may lead a fulfilled life. The first text is heavy, and Seneca tiresomely promotes the study of philosophy as the only way to live a good and happy life, although the experiences outlined in Seneca's biography will do little to persuade any reader of his doctrine here. However, with the second text, Seneca creates for himself a more accessible persona, in the role of son writing to his mother from exile... this tract is a great deal better than the first and is thankfully less rigorous in detailing Seneca's specific distaste at certain styles of life. The third text however, really soars... it is easily the best of the three in my opinion, and is the best expression of Seneca's stoicism within this collection. The premise is, that if one accepts that, in the words of Lucretius; 'to none life is given in freehold; to alll on a lease', then one sees that life is nature's gift to man, and viewing life in such a style is what is so attractive about the Latin stoic philosophy. Do not mistake this for an easy-going self-help book however, but if you like the sound of it, buy it.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
amazon intro first -
Lucius Annaeus Seneca, statesman, Stoic philosopher, advocate and man of letters, was born in Spain around 4BC. He rose to prominence at Rome, pursuing a double career in the courts and political life, until Claudius sent him into exile exile on the island of Corsica for eight years. Recalled in AD49, he was appointed tutor to the boy who was to become, in AD54, the emperor Nero. Seneca acted for eight years as Nero's unofficial chief minister until Nero too turned against him and he retired from public life to devote himself to philosophy and writing. In AD65, following the discovery of a plot against the emperor, he and many others were compelled by Nero to commit suicide.
this small book is part of the wondrous Penguin Great Ideas mini-book series of twenty books) is not only a great pocket book companion , but inexpensive £4/$5 or less + contains many key texts from key thinkers over the last millenia.
and so - Sencea came from a long + venerable line of greco-roman philosophers in no particular order such as Marucs Aurelius, Cicero ,Zeno + Socrates whose words of wisdom have been passed on + printed through the centuries. Their turbulent lifes + times and consequent thoughts, continue to inform + enlighten us all, a million miles away from religious or political dogma subsequently produced thereafter during the middle ages + into the pre-Enlightenment era.
Seneca offers his thoughts on many key afflictions of mankind : fickleness,fear of solitude,squandering time,obsession with money + fame amongst others. i could quote so many wonderful lines here to reinforce the point but perhaps this one will suffice : "the man (or woman) who spends all his time as though it were his last , neither longs for nor fears the next day" Seneca's wisdom includes key matters such as living + behaving modestly, a need for solitude, an active mind, loyal friendship etc etc. to some - common sense but to some, to many - a breath of fresh air to their cluttered modern lifestyles. the translation here by C.D.N. Costa is a model of clarity.
i can't recommend this small book enough - its never far from my grasp.
Lucius Annaeus Seneca, statesman, Stoic philosopher, advocate and man of letters, was born in Spain around 4BC. He rose to prominence at Rome, pursuing a double career in the courts and political life, until Claudius sent him into exile exile on the island of Corsica for eight years. Recalled in AD49, he was appointed tutor to the boy who was to become, in AD54, the emperor Nero. Seneca acted for eight years as Nero's unofficial chief minister until Nero too turned against him and he retired from public life to devote himself to philosophy and writing. In AD65, following the discovery of a plot against the emperor, he and many others were compelled by Nero to commit suicide.
this small book is part of the wondrous Penguin Great Ideas mini-book series of twenty books) is not only a great pocket book companion , but inexpensive £4/$5 or less + contains many key texts from key thinkers over the last millenia.
and so - Sencea came from a long + venerable line of greco-roman philosophers in no particular order such as Marucs Aurelius, Cicero ,Zeno + Socrates whose words of wisdom have been passed on + printed through the centuries. Their turbulent lifes + times and consequent thoughts, continue to inform + enlighten us all, a million miles away from religious or political dogma subsequently produced thereafter during the middle ages + into the pre-Enlightenment era.
Seneca offers his thoughts on many key afflictions of mankind : fickleness,fear of solitude,squandering time,obsession with money + fame amongst others. i could quote so many wonderful lines here to reinforce the point but perhaps this one will suffice : "the man (or woman) who spends all his time as though it were his last , neither longs for nor fears the next day" Seneca's wisdom includes key matters such as living + behaving modestly, a need for solitude, an active mind, loyal friendship etc etc. to some - common sense but to some, to many - a breath of fresh air to their cluttered modern lifestyles. the translation here by C.D.N. Costa is a model of clarity.
i can't recommend this small book enough - its never far from my grasp.
Would you like to see more reviews about this item?
Were these reviews helpful?
Let us know
Most Recent Customer Reviews
Seneca's Short Book on the Shortness of Life
The Roman stoic philosopher, Lucius Annaeas Seneca, born around the first century AD, seemed to lead a charmed life having been spared by Claudius he went on to tutor Nero;... Read more
Published 8 months ago by RR Waller
One of the Most Important Philosophical Reads
Skillfully overturns a contemporary mass population control myth. This book can unleashe your Life.
Life isn't short at all. Its way too long.
Life isn't short at all. Its way too long.
Published 9 months ago by Don Juan
Even more important now!!
The first in the Penguin 'Great ideas' of which I am slowly working my way through from 1 - 100' and what a great book to start with. Read more
Published 20 months ago by Den
The ideas are generally defensible but Seneca's defence leaves much to...
The book contains three essays, on the shortness of life, on the life of an exile (a letter to his mother), and finally on the tranquility of mind. Read more
Published on 18 Dec 2009 by AK
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
Listmania!
Look for similar items by category
Look for similar items by subject
Feedback
- Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
- I am the Author, and I want to comment on my book.
- I am the Publisher, and I want to comment on this book.
|
