One Hundred Years of Commentaries on
Seneca's Epistulae Morales

© 2000-20
10 Michael Hendry
 


1910 Summers Select Letters of Seneca, edited with introduction and explanatory notes by Walter C. Summers, London, frequently reprinted.
1940 Blankert Samuel Blankert, Seneca (epist.90). Over natuur en cultuur en Posidionius als zijn bron, Amsterdam.
1958 Germani A. Germani, Seneca, Epistole morali a Lucilio, Libro III, Milan.
1965  Scarpat¹ La Lettera 65 di Seneca, testo, introduzione, versione e commento di Giuseppe Scarpat, Paideia Editrice, Brescia, (2nd edition).
  Stückelberger   Alfred Stückelberger, Senecas 88. Brief, Über Wert und Unwert der freien Künste, Carl Winter, Heidelberg.
1969  Campbell Translated in Robin Campbell (tr.), Seneca, Letters from a Stoic, Penguin Classics.
1975 Scarpat² Lucio Anneo Seneca, Lettere a Lucilio, Libro primo, Testo, introduzione, versione e commento di Giuseppe Scarpat, Paideia Editrice, Brescia.
1976 Hijmans Structure and prose rhythms analyzed in Inlaboratus et Facilis: Aspects of Structure in Some Letters of Seneca, by B. L. Hijmans Jr., Mnemosyne Supplement 38, E. J. Brill, Leiden.
1979 Bellincioni Lettere a Lucilio, Libro XV: le lettere 94 e 95, testo, introduzione, versione e commento di Maria Bellincioni, Paideia Editrice, Brescia.
1988 Costa Seneca, 17 Letters, with translation and commentary by C. D. N. Costa, Aris and Philips, Warminster.
2000 Laudizi Lucio Anneo Seneca, Lettere a Lucilio, Libro III: lettere 22 e 23, Testo, introduzione e commento di Giovanni Laudizi, Congedo Editore.
  Op het Veld Quem putas perisse praemissus est, Ein Kommentar zu Senecas 93. und 99. Brief, Shaker Verlag, Aachen.
  Usher¹ The Letters of Seneca, Mark D. Usher¹, Focus.
2001 Motto Seneca’s Moral Epistles, Anna Lydia Motto, Bolchazy-Carducci (2nd edition?).
2003 Trapp Michael Trapp, Greek and Latin Letters, an Anthology with Translation (Cambridge Greek and Latin Classics), Cambridge, 2003. 
2004 Henderson Discussed at length in John Henderson, Morals and Villas in Seneca’s Letters: Places to Dwell, Cambridge, 2005.
  Hönscheid Christoph Hönscheid, Fomenta Campaniae: Ein Kommentar zu Senecas 51., 55. und 56. Brief (Beiträge zur Altertumskunde 190), K. G. Saur, 2004.
2005 von Albrecht Discussed at length in Michael von Albrecht, Wort und Wandlung: Senecas Lebenskunst, Mnemosyne Supplement 250, E. J. Brill, Leiden.
2006 Berno Francesca Romana Berno, L. Anneo Seneca, Lettere a Lucilio libro VI: le lettere 53-57. Testi e manuali per l'insegnamento universitario del latino 91, Bologna: Pàtron, 2006.
  Hamacher Ulf Gregor Hamacher, Senecas 82. Brief an Lucilius: Dialektikkritik illustriert am Beispiel der Bekämpfung des metus mortis. Ein Kommentar, Münich/Leipzig, K. G. Saur, 2006.
  Richardson-Hay Christine Richardson-Hay, First Lessons: Book 1 of Seneca's 'Epistulae Morales', Peter Lang, 2006.
Usher² M. D. Usher, The Student’s Seneca, Oklahoma.
2007 Inwood Translated with commentary in Brad Inwood, Seneca: Selected Philosophical Letters (Clarendon Later Ancient Philosophers), Oxford University Press, 2007. 
Fantham Translated with brief notes in Seneca: Selected Letters: A new translation by Elaine Fantham, Oxford World's Classics, 2010. 
2009 Schafer John Schafer, Ars Didactica: Seneca's 94th and 95th Letters (Hypomnemata, 181), Göttingen, Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 2009. 
2015 Lemmens Thomas Lemmens, Tecum sunt quae fugis. Senecas 104. Brief an Lucilius. Ein Kommentar. Interpretation und Ausblick (= Wiener Studien 37), Wien 2015. 
2018 Berti Emanuele Berti, Lo Stile e l'uomo: Quattro epistole letterarie di Seneca (Sen, epist. 114; 40; 100; 84), Scuola normale superiore, Testi e Commenti, 2018. 
2019 Edwards Catharine Edwards, Seneca: Selected Letters (Cambridge Greek and Latin Classics), Cambridge, 2019. 
  Li Causi Pietro Li Causi and students, Seneca. Epistula ad Lucilium 124, Palermo: la Bibliotheca di Classico Contemporaneo, 2019 (on-line text: here). 
2021 Soldo Janja Soldo, Seneca: Epistulae morales, Book 2, Oxford, 2021.
—— Davies Mark Davies’ forthcoming commentary on Book IV, a revision of his PhD thesis at the University of Auckland (NZ).
—— Grau Jeremias Grau, Somnium aeternitatis. Ein Kommentar zu Lucii Annaei Senecae epistulae morales ad Lucilium liber XVII, 101- 103 (forthcoming), a revision of his PhD thesis at the University of Bamberg.

 Number: Summary of Contents (from Gummere’s Loeb): Length: Commentators: Translators:
Book I
1   Saving time 5   Scarpat², Hijmans, Motto, von Albrecht, Richardson-Hay, Edwards Fantham
2   Discursiveness in reading 6   Scarpat², Motto, von Albrecht, Richardson-Hay Campbell, Fantham
3   True and false friendship 6   Scarpat², Motto, Richardson-Hay Campbell, Fantham
4   The terrors of death 11   Scarpat², Richardson-Hay Fantham
5   The philosopher’s mean 9   Summers, Scarpat², Usher¹, Motto, Richardson-Hay Campbell, Fantham
6   Sharing knowledge 7   Scarpat², Motto, Richardson-Hay Campbell, Fantham
7   Crowds 12   Summers, Scarpat², Costa, Motto, Richardson-Hay, Edwards Campbell, Fantham
8   The philosopher’s seclusion 10   Scarpat², Richardson-Hay Campbell, Fantham
9   Philosophy and friendship 22   Scarpat², Richardson-Hay Campbell, Fantham
10   Living to oneself 5   Scarpat², Richardson-Hay Fantham
11   The blush of modesty 10   Summers, Scarpat², Motto, Richardson-Hay Campbell, Fantham
12   Old age 11   Summers, Scarpat², Costa, Motto, Henderson, Richardson-Hay, Edwards Campbell, Fantham
 
Book II
13   Groundless fears 17   Soldo
14   Reasons for withdrawing from the world 18   Soldo Fantham
15   Brain and brawns 11   Summers, Motto, Soldo Campbell, Fantham
16   Philosophy the guide of life 9   Motto, Soldo Campbell, Fantham
17   Philosophy and wealth 12   Soldo
18   Festivals and fasting 15   Summers, Usher¹, Motto, Edwards, Soldo Campbell, Fantham
19   Worldliness and retirement 12   Soldo Fantham
20   Practicing what you preach 13   Soldo
21   The renown which my writings will bring you 11   Summers, Motto, Edwards, Soldo Fantham
 
Book III
22   The futility of half-way measures 17   Germani, Laudizi
23   The true joy which comes from philosophy 11   Germani, Laudizi, Motto
24   Despising death 26   Germani, Costa, Edwards Fantham
25   Reformation 7   Germani
26   Old age and death 10   Germani, Hijmans Campbell, Fantham
27   The good which abides 9   Summers, Germani, Motto Campbell, Fantham
28   Travel as a cure for discontent 10   Summers, Germani, Usher¹, Motto Campbell, Fantham
29   The critical condition of Marcellinus 12   Germani
 
Book IV
30   Conquering the conqueror 18   Davies
31   Siren songs 11   Davies Fantham
32   Progress 5   Davies
33   The futility of learning maxims 11   Summers, Edwards, Davies Campbell, Fantham
34   A promising pupil 4   Motto, Edwards, Davies Fantham
35   The friendship of kindred minds 4   Davies Fantham
36   The value of retirement 12   Davies Fantham
37   Allegiance to virtue 5   Motto, Davies Fantham
38   Quiet conversation 2   Motto, Trapp, Davies Campbell, Fantham
39   Noble aspirations 6   Davies Fantham
40   The proper style for a philosopher’s discourse 14   Summers, Berti, Davies Campbell, Fantham
41   The god within us 8   Hijmans, Motto, Davies Campbell, Fantham
 
Book V
42   Values 10   Motto
43   The relativity of fame 5   Summers, Usher¹, Motto
44   Philosophy and pedigrees 7   Summers, Usher¹, Motto Fantham
45   Sophistical argumentation 13  
46   A new book by Lucilius 3   Edwards Campbell, Fantham
47   Master and slave 21   Summers (omits most of §5), Costa, Usher¹, Motto, Edwards Campbell, Fantham
48   Quibbling unworthy of the philosopher 12     Campbell, Fantham
49   The shortness of life 12     Fantham
50   Our blindness and its cure 9   Motto
51   Baiae and morals 13   Summers, Motto, Hönscheid Fantham
52   Choosing our teachers 15   Motto
 
Book VI
53   The faults of the spirit 12   Summers, Motto, Berno, Edwards Campbell, Fantham
54   Asthma and death 7   Summers, Costa, Motto, Berno Campbell, Fantham
55   Vatia’s villa 11   Summers, Henderson, Hönscheid, Berno Campbell, Fantham
56   Quiet and study 15   Summers, Costa, Usher¹, Motto, Hönscheid, Berno Campbell, Fantham
57   The trials of travel 9   Summers, Costa, Berno Fantham
58   Being 37   Inwood
59   Pleasure and joy 18     Fantham
60   Harmful prayers 4   Usher¹, Motto Fantham
61   Meeting death cheerfully 4   Motto, Trapp Fantham
62   Good company 3   Usher¹, Motto Fantham
 
Book VII
63   Grief for lost friends 16   Summers, Motto Campbell, Fantham
64   The philosopher’s task 10   Edwards Fantham
65   The first cause 24   Scarpat¹, Inwood Campbell, Fantham
66   Various aspects of virtue 53   Inwood
67   Ill-health and endurance of suffering 16     Fantham
68   Wisdom and retirement 14     Fantham
69   Rest and restlessness 6    
 
Book VIII
70   The proper time to slip the cable 28   Edwards Fantham
71   The supreme good 37   Inwood
72   Business as the enemy of philosophy 11   Motto Fantham
73   Philosophers and kings 16     Fantham
74   Virtue a refuge from wordly distractions 34    
 
Book IX
75   Diseases of the soul 18   Hijmans, Trapp (§1-5 only) Fantham
76   Learning wisdom in old age 35   Summers (§1-6 only), Inwood Fantham
77   Suicide 20   Summers Campbell, Fantham
78   The healing power of the mind 29   Summers, Costa Campbell, Fantham
79   The rewards of scientific discovery 18   Summers (§1-10 only), Costa Fantham
80   Worldly deceptions 10   Summers, Hijmans, Motto Fantham
 
Book X
81   Benefits 32  
82   The natural fear of death 24   Summers (§15-24 only), Hamacher Fantham
83   Drunkenness 27   Costa Campbell, Fantham
 
Books XI-XIII (divisions between them unknown)
84   Gathering ideas 13   Summers (§1-10 only), Usher¹, Motto, Berti Fantham
85   Some vain syllogisms 41   Inwood
86   Scipio’s villa 21   Summers, Henderson, Edwards Campbell, Fantham
87   Arguments for the simple life 41   Summers (§1-11 only), Inwood Fantham
88   Liberal and illiberal studies 46   Summers (§1-20 only), Stückelberger, Costa Campbell, Fantham
 
Book XIV
89   The parts of philosophy 23  
90   Philosophy and the progress of man 46   Summers (omits §26-29), Blankert, Costa, Motto, Edwards Campbell, Fantham
91   The lesson to be drawn from the burning of Lyons 21     Campbell, Fantham
92   The happy life 35   Costa
 
Book XV
93   Quality versus quantity of life 12   Op het Veld
94   The value of advice 74   Bellincioni, Schafer
95   The usefulness of basic principles 73   Bellincioni, Schafer Fantham
 
Book XVI
96   Facing hardships 5   Motto
97   The degeneracy of the age 16     Fantham
98   The fickleness of fortune 18  
99   Consoling the bereaved 32   Op het Veld Fantham
100   The writings of Fabianus 12   Hijmans, Berti
 
Books XVII-XVIII (divisions between them unknown)
101   The futility of planning ahead 15   Grau Fantham
102   Intimations of immortality 30   Grau
103   The dangers of association with our fellow men 5   Grau Fantham
104   Care of health and peace of mind 35   Costa, Lemmens Campbell, Fantham
105   Facing the world with confidence 5     Campbell
106   The corporeality of virtue 12   Inwood
107   Obedience to the universal will 12   Summers Campbell, Fantham
108   Approaches to philosophy 39   Summers (§12-23 only), von Albrecht Campbell, Fantham
109   The fellowship of the wise 18    
 
Book XIX
110   True and false riches 20   Costa Fantham
111   The vanity of mental gymnastics 5  
112   Reforming hardened sinners 4   Motto Fantham
113   The vitality of the soul and its attributes 32   Inwood
114   Style as a mirror of characters: the case of Maecenas 27   Summers (omits §5), Costa, Motto, Berti, Edwards Campbell, Fantham
115   Superficial blessings 18     Fantham
116   Self-control 8     Fantham
117   Real ethics superior to syllogistic subtleties 33   Inwood
 
Book XX
118   The vanity of place-seeking 17   Inwood Fantham
119   Nature our best provider 16   Inwood
120   More on virtue 22   Inwood
121   Instinct in animals 24   Inwood Fantham
122   Darkness as a veil for wickedness 19   Summers, Hijmans, Costa, Inwood Campbell, Fantham
123   The conflict between pleasure and virtue 17   Inwood Campbell, Fantham
124   The true good as attained by reason 24   Inwood, Li Causi Fantham
 
Book XXII
Fragment   Gellius criticizes Seneca’s criticism 13     Fantham