Non trepidabo ad extrema: mors, performance and exemplarity in SEN., epist. 54
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.25145/j.%20fortunat.%202025.41.03Keywords:
Seneca, Epistuale morales ad Lucilium, death, drama, exemplarityAbstract
Death, drama and exemplarity are three focal points to approach Seneca’s letter collection. According to this, in these letters the moment of death is presented as a crucial performance for assessing one’s life. Taking all these points into account, the current article aims at showing that the meditatio mortis featured in epist. 54 intends to build the epistolary ego as an exemplum of how the final exit should be faced according to the precepts of Stoicism. Seneca was aware that the circumstances of his own death would put his long preparation for this moment to the test. For this reason, this letter can be read as the staging of a rehearsal with the aim of achieving an exemplary performance, which the philosopher could finally perform during his enforced death in 65 CE., a circumstance that, of course, we can only access via later representations (TAC., ann.15, 60-64). In spite of its ambiguity, what Tacitus’ portrait emphasizes is the full agreement between oratio and vita accomplished by Seneca in his death, and this confirms the binding force of texts such as epist. 54.
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