Seneca - College of Stoic Philosophers

120 SENECAFriendship [he writes to Lucilius] makes all thingscommon between us, neither prosperity nor adversitycan fall to our single share. We live in common. Noone can live happily who looks to himself alone, whoturns everything to his own profit ; you must live for— another ifyou would live for 'yourself alteri vivasoportet, si vis iibi vivere.' The binding union whichmingles all with all and claims that there are rightscommon to the whole human race must be carefullyand sacredly observed. To this end the cultivationof that tie of intimate friendship I spokegreatest service, for he who shares all thingsof is of thewith hisfriend will share much with mankind.^The soul knows no pleasure comparable to a sweetand faithful friendship. How good it is to have one towhom you can confide every secret, whose knowledgeyou fear less than your own, whose conversation soothesyour cares, whose judgment solves your perplexities,whose cheerfulness drives away melancholy, whose verysight enchants you.^In spite of, perhaps owing to, this lofty notionof friendship, Seneca had a goodlylist of friends.Nearest of allto his heart was Annaeus Serenus,captain of Nero's bodyguard, whose name suggeststhat he may have been a relation. To him headdressed the treatise De Constantia Sapientis;and the De Tranquillitate Animi is in theform of a dialogue between Serenus and himself.The younger man is made to consult Seneca withrespect to certain difficulties which he has encounteredin his progress in philosophy. Hisreason has convinced him that a simplelife isthebest, and his real inclinations agree with hisreason. Yet he finds his eyes dazzled by the'Ep. 48.*De Tranquill. Anim. i.7.