Modern Commentaries on
Seneca's Epistulae Morales

© 2000-200
7 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  Scarpat-1 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.
1975 Scarpat-2 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.
  Usher The Letters of Seneca, Mark D. Usher, Focus.
2001 Motto Seneca’s Moral Epistles, Anna Lydia Motto, Bolchazy-Carducci (2nd edition?).
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.
2007 Inwood Translated with commentary in Brad Inwood, Seneca: Selected Philosophical Letters (Clarendon Later Ancient Philosophers), Oxford University Press, 2007. 
—— Edwards Catharine Edwards’ forthcoming Cambridge ‘green and gold’ edition of selected letters.

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