Timeless wisdom on controlling anger in personal life and politics
from the Roman Stoic philosopher and statesman Seneca
In his essay "On Anger" (De Ira), the Roman Stoic thinker Seneca (c. 4
BC-65 AD) argues that anger is the most destructive passion: "No plague
has cost the human race more dear." This was proved by his own life,
which he barely preserved under one wrathful emperor, Caligula, and lost
under a second, Nero. This splendid new translation of essential
selections from "On Anger," presented with an enlightening introduction
and the original Latin on facing pages, offers readers a timeless guide
to avoiding and managing anger. It vividly illustrates why the emotion
is so dangerous and why controlling it would bring vast benefits to
individuals and society.
Drawing on his great arsenal of rhetoric, including historical examples
(especially from Caligula's horrific reign), anecdotes, quips, and
soaring flights of eloquence, Seneca builds his case against anger with
mounting intensity. Like a fire-and-brimstone preacher, he paints a grim
picture of the moral perils to which anger exposes us, tracing nearly
all the world's evils to this one toxic source. But he then uplifts us
with a beatific vision of the alternate path, a path of forgiveness and
compassion that resonates with Christian and Buddhist ethics.
Seneca's thoughts on anger have never been more relevant than today,
when uncivil discourse has increasingly infected public debate. Whether
seeking personal growth or political renewal, readers will find, in
Seneca's wisdom, a valuable antidote to the ills of an angry age.
