Seneca · Letters to Lucilius
Letter 16: On philosophy, the guide of life
Letter 16 states that no life is happy, or even bearable, without the study of wisdom, and that the resolution must be renewed daily.
Philosophy is not a pastime: it orders conduct and steers amid uncertainty, and Epicurus adds that living by nature never leaves one poor, living by opinion never leaves one rich.
From the letter
It is clear to you, I am sure, Lucilius, that no man can live a happy life, or even a supportable life, without the study of wisdom; you know also that a happy life is reached when our wisdom is brought to completion, but that life is at least endurable even when our wisdom is only begun.
It moulds and constructs the soul; it orders our life, guides our conduct, shows us what we should do and what we should leave undone; it sits at the helm and directs our course as we waver amid uncertainties.
She will encourage us to obey God cheerfully, but Fortune defiantly; she will teach us to follow God and endure Chance.
Whatever is well said by anyone is mine.—This also is a saying of Epicurus: “If you live according to nature, you will never be poor; if you live according to opinion, you will never be rich.”
Natural desires are limited; but those which spring from false opinion can have no stopping-point.
Coverage
Our editions hold 30 letters of 124 in Richard Mott Gummere’s translation (1917–1925); 29 of them have a page here, those that Joseph Baillard’s French translation (1861) also contains.
Seneca and Epictetus are in Stoic+ — 2 passages of this letter, each with its reference; Marcus Aurelius is free in the app.