Seneca - College of Stoic Philosophers

38 SENECAornaments to be laid at her feet ;to the other,Mela, his leisure, as it may enable him to enjoymore of her society. Her grandchild, Novatilla,^has recently lost her mother ;let Helvia be amother to her and undertake the formation of hermind and manners ;she will find relief in anoccupation so honourable. Her widowed sister,too, will prove to her the greatest comfort of all.It is not, however, to these that she must lookfor the real cure of her distress. That must besomething beyond the reach of fortune and;can only be found in the philosophical studies towhich she must return. Philosophy, if in goodfaith she receive it within her soul, will leave noroom for grief or for anxiety, or for the unprofitabletroubles of a vain despair;to all other faultsand infirmities her breast has long been closed,with philosophyit will be closed to these also.Seneca ends his letter by describing his occupationson the island :Since you will be constantly thinking of me whetheryou will or no ; since, indeed, I shall be with you morethan your other children, not because I am dearer toyou than they, but because the hand naturally seeksthe painful spot, I will tell you how to think of me.Picture me, then, as happy and active, believe thatall is as well with me as possible ;and all is reallywell when the soul, freed from cares, is at leisure forpleasure in lighter studies,its own business, now takingnow in an eager pursuit of truth rising to the contem-1This was the daughter of GalUo, then known as Novatus.To bim Seneca dedicated his treatise De Ira published in 41, inthe interval between the death of Caligula and his banishmentto Corsica.