Preview
  • Essays 1: Of Providence

  • By: Seneca
  • Narrated by: Robin Homer
  • Length: 48 mins
  • 4.6 out of 5 stars (8 ratings)

Prime logo Prime members: New to Audible?
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Essays 1: Of Providence

By: Seneca
Narrated by: Robin Homer
Try for $0.00

$14.95/month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $2.33

Buy for $2.33

Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.

Publisher's summary

The first book in the essays of Seneca deals with good and evil. The dialogue is opened by Lucilius complaining with his friend Seneca that adversities and misfortunes can happen to good men too. How can this fit with the goodness connected with the design of providence? Seneca answers according to the Stoic point of view. Nothing actually bad can happen to the good man (the wise man) because opposites don't mix. What looks like adversity is in fact a means by which the man exerts his virtues. As such, he can come out of the ordeal stronger than before.

So, in perfect harmony with the Stoic philosophy, Seneca explains that the truly wise man can never surrender in the face of misfortunes but as he will always go through them and even if he should fall he will continue fighting on his knees. The wise man understands destiny and its design, and therefore he has nothing to fear from the future. Neither does he hope for anything, because he already has everything he needs - his good behavior.

The conclusion is that actually nothing bad happens to good men. One just has to understand what bad means: bad for the wise man would be to have bad thoughts, to commit crimes, to desire money or fame. Whoever behaves wisely already has all the good possible.

Translation by Aubrey Stewart and produced by Vox Stoica Seneca's Essays series:
1) Of Providence - addressed to Lucilius
2) On the Firmness of the Wise Man - addressed to Serenus
3, 4, 5) Of Anger (Books 1-3) - addressed to his brother Novatus
6) On Consolation - addressed to Marcia
7) Of a Happy Life - addressed to Gallio
8) Of Leisure - addressed to Serenus
9) On Tranquillity of Mind - addressed to Serenus
10) On the Shortness of Life - addressed to Paulinus
11) On Consolation - addressed to Polybius
12) On Consolation - addressed to Helvia

Public Domain (P)2019 Robin Homer
activate_Holiday_promo_in_buybox_DT_T2

What listeners say about Essays 1: Of Providence

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    5
  • 4 Stars
    3
  • 3 Stars
    0
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    0
Performance
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    5
  • 4 Stars
    1
  • 3 Stars
    0
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    0
Story
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    6
  • 4 Stars
    0
  • 3 Stars
    0
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    0

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

one of my favorites from seneca

This is the closest exposition regarding thought on the Logos or stoic idea of a pantheist god I have yet read and the fickleness of fortune.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!