Ad [Serenum] de otio (To
Serenus on Leisure) Translated by Timothy Chandler
Stoicism is
a practical philosophy of action (similar to Karma Yoga) geared toward serving
a cosmopolitan ideal (similar to the ideal of universal brother/sisterhood).
Why does Seneca then praise leisure? For one thing, one needs a balanced mind
for an active life of service, hence times of study are necessary. Secondly, as
Seneca has experienced, life can be full of misfortunes that prevent one from
active participation. Therefore, more contemplative pursuits become necessary.
Hence this essay becomes a kind of discussion on the balance between action and
contemplation and their complementary relationship
Value of Leisure
… by force of popular
opinion they promote vices to us. Even if we try no other medicine,
withdrawal in itself will be beneficial: we will be better when alone.
Moreover, then we may withdraw among the best men and choose some example
towards which we may turn our lives. This only comes about in leisure: then
it is possible to maintain what pleases once and for all, where no-one
interrupts who would pervert a still weak judgement with popular
assistance; then life can go forward with one even, steady course [tenor],
life, which we tear apart with the most contradictory purposes. For among
all other evils, it is the worst when we change the vices themselves. Thus
we do not even succeed in this, namely, persisting with a vice that is already
familiar. One thing after another pleases then troubles us, because our
judgements are not only incorrect but also fickle. We are tossed about and
clutch at one thing after another, we cast aside what we sought, seek again
what we cast aside, oscillating between our desire and remorse. For we
depend entirely upon the judgements of others and that seems best to us
which many seek and praise, rather than that which should be sought or praised;
nor do we judge a route good or bad of itself, but by the crowd of one-directional
footprints. (1,1)
Reasons for non-active
participation
If the commonwealth is so
corrupt that it cannot be helped, if it is overrun with evils, the sage
will not strive against trifles nor will he be useful if he expends
himself for nothing. If he has too little influence [auctoritas] or
power [uires], the commonwealth will not allow him to act; if illness impedes
him, just as he would not launch a worn-out ship onto the sea, and just as
he would not enlist himself for military service if a cripple, so he would
not embark on a journey which he knows to be unwieldy. Therefore even one
for whom all the options are still open is able, before he has experienced
any bad weather, to remain in safety and commit himself continuously to
liberal studies [boni artes] and spend his leisure freely, a
cultivator of virtues, which can be practised even by those farthest from public
life. Of course, this leisure is spent by a man so that he may (if possible) benefit
many men, and if not, a few, if not then, those closest to him, and if not
then, himself. For when he makes himself beneficial to the rest of society
he performs a public service [negotium]. Just as one who makes himself
worse not only harms himself but also all those to whom he may have been
useful had he made himself better, so anyone who serves himself well, by
this very act benefits others because he provides that which will benefit
them. (3,3)
Think globally, act locally
We should try to comprehend
two commonwealths: one great and truly common to all, by which gods and
men are held together and in which we should not look for this or that
out-of-the-way place but the boundaries of a city as measured by the
course of the sun; and another in which we are included by accident of
birth, which may be that of the Athenians or of the Carthaginians or any
other city which does not reach out to include all men but only specific
ones. Certain individuals give service to both commonwealths at the same
time, to the greater and to the lesser; some only to the lesser, others
only to the greater. We can serve devotedly this greater commonwealth even
in leisure, or indeed probably better in leisure, for then might we
contemplate what virtue is, … (4, 1)
Inquiring minds have a
sense of wonder
Will this not have been
proved if each individual asks himself how much he desires to know the
unknown? how excited he becomes at every tale? Some set sail and bear
steadfastly the toils of the farthest wandering for the sole reward of
learning something hidden and distant. Such a thing brings people together
for spectacles, drives them to pry open hidden things, to inquire after
secrets, to uncover the past, to hear of the ways of savage peoples.
Nature has given us a curious temperament and, conscious of its own skill
and beauty, has made us the viewers of such great and spectacular things;
for nature would lose the pleasure of itself if so great, so brilliant, so
finely wrought, so shining and so diversely beautiful things were
displayed in solitude. (5, 1)
In order to know that it
wanted to be gazed upon and not merely glanced at, look at the place which
it has given us: it has placed us in the central part of itself and given
us a surrounding view of everything; it has not just made man upright, but
also, intending to make him fit for contemplation, so that he can follow
the gliding constellations as they rise and fall and spread his gaze
around the whole thing, it has made an uplifted head for him and placed it
on a flexible neck; then bringing forth six star-signs per day and six per
night, it has revealed to view no insignificant part of itself, so that
through these things which it has produced for his eyes it rouses keen
interest in all the rest. For we do not behold all things, nor the full
extent of things, but our sight reveals to itself a path of investigation
and lays the foundations for truth, so that inquiry may cross from the
manifest to the obscure and discover something more ancient than this
world itself:…. Therefore, I live in accordance with nature if I have
given myself wholly to it, if I am an admirer and servant of it. Nature,
however, wants me to do two things, both to act and to be free for contemplation:
I do both, since indeed there is no contemplation without action. (5, 4)
Balanced life, balanced
mind
It is important that you
participate in political life with a balanced frame of mind, or you would
always have no peace of mind and never take any time for yourself by which
your attention may pass from the human to the divine. Just as desiring
things without any love of virtues, just as toiling alone without
cultivating ability, is hardly commendable (for those things ought to be
brought together and mixed), so virtue given up to leisure without action
is an imperfect and idle good, never showing what it has learnt. Who
denies that virtue ought to try its progress out in action and not just
deliberate on what is to be done, but also, at last, act decisively and
make real [ad uerum perducere] what has been contemplated? But if through
wisdom itself there is no delay, if a doer is not missing but things to be
done are, surely you allow such a man to be by himself?
In what frame of
mind does the sage withdraw to leisure? In the knowledge that he may there
benefit posterity too with the things he is about to do. (6, 1)
Action, contemplation,
pleasure
Moreover, there are three
kinds of life, and the best of these is usually sought: one is devoted to
pleasure, the second to contemplation and the third to action. In the
first place, however, when we put aside the philosophical disputes, put
aside the hatred, my statement does not actually reconcile with those
following these different courses;
for we may see how all three kinds of
life—under this name or that—come to the same thing: he who sanctions
pleasure is not without contemplation, he who is devoted to contemplation
is not without pleasure, and he who sets his life for action is not
without contemplation. (7, 1)
Searching
for the ideal society
If
I wanted to survey each one, I would find none that can endure the sage
and none that the sage can endure. But if that commonwealth which we
imagine for ourselves cannot be found, leisure turns out to be necessary
for all, because the one thing that could have been preferred to leisure
is nonexistent. If someone tells me to sail on the course that is best,
then says not to sail on the sea where shipwrecks tend to occur and sudden
storms often arise that tear the pilot off-course, unless I am mistaken,
this man forbids me to set sail, however much he praises sailing.… (8,
4)
