Seneca, On the Brevity of Life and other essays

1 Course Unit

Seneca was the most important writer of Latin in the early imperial period. In addition to poetry, satire, and natural philosophy, he wrote ethical philosophy in the form of letters, dialogues, and essays. His works "On the Brevity of Life" and "On Leisure" speak both the ethical issues of his own time and those of many others, including our own. In this course we will read both these essays with the goals of becoming familiar with Seneca's thought and style of expression, both as an individual and as a writer representative of his age. Students will have the opportunity to respond to Seneca in the form of critical essays, essayistic or epistolary responses, or other forms of their choosing. 1 Course Unit