Seneca on Cruelty, Tyranny, and Liberty
ABSTRACT
This conference explored the Roman Stoic philosopher Seneca's views on human nature, politics, and the passions. In particular, the passion of anger was explored with regard to its relationship to cruelty and tyranny. This was done through reading Seneca's essays and two plays.
READING LIST
Conference Readings
Seneca, Lucius Annaeus. Ad Lucilium Epistulae Morales [Moral Letters to Lucilius, Volumes I-III]. Translated by Richard M. Gummere. London: G. P. Putnam’s Sons, 1925.
Seneca, Lucius Annaeus. Seneca in Ten Volumes, Volume VII "Naturales Quaestiones" [Natural Questions]. Translated by Thomas H. Corcoran. Cambridge and London: Harvard University Press, 1971.
Seneca, Lucius Annaeus. Thyestes. Translated by Caryl Churchill. London: Nick Hern Books Limited, 1995.
Seneca, Lucius Annaeus. Seneca: Anger, Mercy, Revenge. Translated by Robert A. Kaster and Martha C. Nussbaum. Chicago and London: University of Chicago Press, 2010.
Seneca, Lucius Annaeus. On Benefits. Translated by Miriam Griffin and Brad Inwood. Chicago and London: University of Chicago Press, 2011.
Seneca, Lucius Annaeus. Seneca: Six Tragedies. Translated by Emily Wilson. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2010.
Seneca, Lucius Annaeus. Seneca in Ten Volumes, Volume II, "Moral Essays". Translated by John W. Basore. Cambridge and London: Harvard University Press, 1932.
Tacitus. The Annals of Imperial Rome [revised edition]. Translated by Michael Grant. London and New York: Penguin Books, 1971.