Ad Marciam, de Consolatione
- Ad Marciam, de Consolatione
Ad Marciam de Consolatione ("To Marcia, for Consolation") is a work by Seneca the Younger written around 50CE.
Seneca wrote this consolation for a woman he knew named Marcia, who actively mourned the death of her son for over three years. He attempted to convince her that the fate of her son, while tragic, should not have been a surprise. She knew many other mothers who had lost their sons; why should she expect her own son to survive her? The acknowledgement, even expecation, of the worst of all possible outcomes is a tenet of Seneca's Stoic philosophy. While Seneca sympathised with Marcia, he reminded her that "we are born into a world of things which are all destined to die," and that if she could accept that no one is guaranteed a just life (that is, one in which sons always outlive their mothers), she could finally end her mourning and live the rest of her life in peace.
:"the inhabited world... in huge conflagration it will burn and scorch and burn all mortal things... stars will clash with stars and all the fiery matter of the world... will blaze up in a common conflagration. Then the souls of the Blessed, who have partaken of immortality, when it will seem best for god to create the universe anew… will be changed again into our former elements. Happy, Marcia, is your son who knows these mysteries!" (Seneca, "Ad Marciam de Consolatione")
Seneca contrasted two models of maternal grieving: that of Octavia Minor, sister of Augustus, who, on losing her only son Marcellus in his twenties, "set no bounds to her tears and moans"; with that of Livia, wife of Augustus, who on losing her son Drusus "as soon as she had placed him in the tomb, along with her son she laid away her sorrow, and grieved no more than was respectful to Caesar or fair Tiberius, seeing that they were alive." [http://www.cnr.edu/home/araia/senecaconsolatio.html]
External links
* [http://www.thelatinlibrary.com/sen/sen.consolatione2.shtml "Ad Marciam, de Consolatione"] (Original, in Latin) at The Latin Library
Wikimedia Foundation.
2010.
Look at other dictionaries:
Seneca's Consolations — refers to Seneca’s three Consolatory works, De Consolatione ad Marciam, De Consolatione ad Polybium, De Consolatione ad Helviam, written around 40 45 AD. Contents 1 Context of the Consolations 2 De Consolatione ad Helviam Matrem 3 De Consolatione … Wikipedia
Aulus Cremutius Cordus — (d. 25 AD) was a Roman historian. There are very few remaining fragments of his work, that covered the civil war and the reign of Augustus Caesar. In 25 AD he was forced by Sejanus who was praetorian prefect under Tiberius to take his life after… … Wikipedia
Consolación a Marcia — La Consolación a Marcia, en latín original Ad Marciam de Consolatione (literalmente, A Marcia, como Consolación ) es una obra escrita por Lucio Anneo Séneca en torno al año 50 e.v. Temas La obra fue escrita para una mujer conocida suya llamada… … Wikipedia Español
Seneca the Younger — Ancient bust of Seneca, part of a double herm (Antikensammlung Berlin) Lucius Annaeus Seneca (often known simply as Seneca) (ca. 4 BC – 65 AD) was a Roman Stoic philosopher, statesman, dramatist, and in one work humorist, of the Silver Age of… … Wikipedia
Сенека — 1) Луций Анней С., известный также под прозванием ритора, отца и старшего, уроженец Кордубы (родился около 54 до Р. Хр., умер около 39 г. по Р. Хр.); происходил из богатой всаднической семьи; в Риме изучал красноречие под руководством Ареллия… … Энциклопедический словарь Ф.А. Брокгауза и И.А. Ефрона
Луций Анней Сенека — Запрос «Сенека» перенаправляется сюда; см. также другие значения. В Википедии есть статьи о других людях с именем Луций Анней. Луций Анней Сенека лат. Lucius Annaeus Seneca … Википедия
Сенека — Lucius Annaeus Seneca Дата рождения: ок. 4 до н. э. Место рождения: Кордова … Википедия
Луций Сенека — Сенека Lucius Annaeus Seneca Дата рождения: ок. 4 до н. э. Место рождения: Кордова … Википедия
Сенека, Луций Анней — Сенека Lucius Annaeus Seneca Дата рождения: ок. 4 до н. э. Место рождения: Кордова … Википедия
Сенека младший — Сенека Lucius Annaeus Seneca Дата рождения: ок. 4 до н. э. Место рождения: Кордова … Википедия
