The Moral Epistles

124 Letters to Lucilius

By: Seneca the Younger

Narrated by: James Cameron Stewart

Towards the end of his life, Seneca the Younger (c4 BCE-65 CE) began a correspondence with a friend in Sicily, later collected under the title The Moral Epistles.

In these 124 letters, Seneca expresses, in a wise, steady and calm manner, the philosophy by which he lived - derived essentially from the Stoics. The letters deal with a variety of specific topics - often eminently practical - such as 'On Saving Time', 'On the Terrors of Death', 'On True and False Friendships', 'On Brawn and Brains' and 'On Old Age and Death'.

His views are as relevant to us today as in his own time. He remarks on how we waste our time through lack of clarity of purpose, how we jump from one attraction to another and how fleeting life is. But these are letters to a friend, so the tone is not grandly didactic but friendly, personal and direct and speak to us across the centuries.

Though not so well known as Marcus Aurelius' Meditations, The Moral Epistles are approachable, memorable and immensely rich in content - and especially so in this sympathetic reading by James Cameron Stewart.

Translation Richard Gummere.

Public Domain (P)2016 Ukemi Audiobooks

Seneca's collection of letters

"Epistulae Morales ad Lucilium" known in the English Language as "Seneca Epistles," are a collection of 124 letters which were written by Seneca the Younger about 2,080 years ago. It's a very old philosophical text. This is the English easy to read edition translated by Richard Gummere. 

Supreme Narration

is there a better narrator out there? I'm sure there are some comparable, but he's got to be right up there. I listen to this all the time to try and soak in the concepts while I'm out working on my own. I also use it to get back to sleep in the middle of the night which is only possible because of the quality of his voice and calmness.

Great base line for Stoicism

Familiar for years with Epictetus. His stoic mantra revolves around pain without flinching. This 124 letters dives into many topics and at a minimum gives the reader pause to consider other perspectives. Ryan Holiday kept referencing in a book I have so took the plunge. You should too.

Accessible, practical Stoic philosophical practice

What made the experience of listening to The Moral Epistles the most enjoyable?

Excellent narrator, and the material itself focuses on practical application of Stoic philosophy in daily life - nothing dry or theoretical about it.

A delightful book

I didn't get into this book with any expectations. It was long and hard to listen to. However i enjoyed it very much. It is remarkebly relevant and contemporary and is filled with amazing jewels of wisdom.

enlightening and could not have been read better.

narrator was amazing.enlightening boom.highly recommended. felt add though seneca himself were reading to me. farewell.

For the one seeking Stoic wisdom

This is a must for the avid student of Stoicism. It provides instructions and insights to build excellence.

Adequate for morning routines and break sessions and recurrent listening through time.

Excellent narration

An excellent narration of one of my favorite books! Seneca's observations about humanity and his advice for living the good life hold up, even after 2000 years.

Fantastic reading of the Epistles.

Would you consider the audio edition of The Moral Epistles to be better than the print version?

James Cameron Stewart did a fantastic job narrating the Epistles. I enjoy reading the Epistles but being able to listen to them on the way to work is a true blessing. I really do hope that Mr. Stewart will take on the task of narrating the Dialogues and Epictetus's discourses as well.

Audible, please help make it happen!

Who was your favorite character and why?

Seneca!

Which scene was your favorite?

Every scene that Seneca advises his friend to weather hardships, rethink his priorities, value the present, ext. This book is full of excellent advice delivered in a no nonsense manner.

Could Have Been Written Yesterday

Amazingly, all this wisdom is still super relevant today. Even my 16 year son agreed. And he doesn't like much besides hip-hop.