Seneca - College of Stoic Philosophers

SENECA IN RETIREMENT 127by moving ; the muleteer went barefoot, not becauseit was summer, but because he had no shoes. I own,however, that I felt some uneasiness at being thought theowner of this conveyance, and the fact that I did soshows that I have not yet succeeded in freeing myselffrom false shame. Whenever we met some splendid—equipage, do what I would I felt embarrassed a proofthat I am not yet steadfastly fixed in the principlesI approve and commend, for the man who is ashamedof a humble vehicle will glory in a costly one. I havemade little progress. As yet I hardly venture to practisefrugality in public ; I still have regard to the opinionof wayfarers.^But the most interesting of Seneca's friendswas the Epicurean, Lucilius Junior, to whomthe famous letters were addressed, as well asthe Naturales Quaestiones and the treatise DeProvidentia. Lucilius was an administrator, aphilosopher, and a poet. He had known Senecawhen they were both young at Pompeii, wherehe had a house, and where perhaps he wasborn.A man [Seneca wrote to him in Sicily] must be dulland insensible indeed, my Lucilius, who forgets his frienduntil reminded of him by some local association, yetfamiUar spots do sometimes wake again the sense ofbereavement deep hidden in our hearts, not by revivinga perished memory, but by rousing it from slumber.Thus the grief of mourners even when softened by timeis renewed by the sight of a familiar slave at the door,or of clothing, or of a house. I cannot describe howI missed you and how fresh seemed the pain of losingyou when I arrived in Campania, and especially atNaples and when I saw your Pompeii.I see you with1Ep. 87.