One Hundred Years of Commentaries
on Seneca's Epistulae Morales © 2000-2010 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 | Senecas 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 Senecas 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 Gummeres 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 philosophers 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 philosophers 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 philosophers 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 | Vatias 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 philosophers 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 | Scipios 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 Senecas criticism | 13 | Fantham |