Seneca

4 BCE to  65 CE

Was born in a Roman province in Spain.

Moved to Rome when he was 4 years old.

His older brother, Gallio, is mentioned in the bible. Acts 18:12-17

Seneca studied and taught Stoic philosophy.

He was a philosopher, statesman, and orator.

Was a proxy ruler with his friends of the Roman world between 54 and 62, being an advisor to Nero.

Was caught up in a plot to kill Nero in 65 CE, and was ordered to his death.

He did not drink wine when he was young, eventually allowing moderate use.

Seneca was a vegetarian, he did say that if you think you need meat you should have it.

Made lasting contribution to Stoicism

Influenced the works and thinking styles of

• St. Augustine
• Dante
• Geoffrey Chaucer
• William Shakespeare 

Letters from a Stoic – Epistulae morales ad Lucilium – collection of 124 letters, sometimes divided into 20 books, dealing with moral issues written to Lucilius Junior.

De Brevitate Vitæ (On the shortness of life) – Essay expounding that any length of life is sufficient if lived wisely – addressed to Paulinus

Daily Goals and Task Prioritization

Certain moments are torn from us,
some are gently removed,
and others glide beyond our reach.
The most disgraceful kind of loss, however, is that due to carelessness.

Seneca

You will find that the largest portion of our life passes while we are doing ill,
a goodly share while we are doing nothing,
and the whole while we are doing that which is not to the purpose.

Seneca

What man can you show me who places any value on his time,
who reckons the worth of each day,
who understands that he is dying daily?

Seneca

Hold every hour in your grasp

Seneca

Lay hold of to-day’s task,
and you will not need to depend so much upon to-morrow’s.

Seneca

While we are postponing, life speeds by

Seneca

Nothing, is ours, except time.

Seneca

What fools these mortals be!
They allow the cheapest and most useless things, which can easily be replaced, to be charged in the reckoning, after they have acquired them;
but they never regard themselves as in debt when they have received some of thatprecious commodity,—time!

Seneca

I cannot boast that I waste nothing,
but I can at least tell you what I am wasting,
and the cause and manner of the loss;

Seneca