Seneca: Of Consolation to Marcia

Marcia actively mourned the death of her son Metilius for over three years. In his consolation, Seneca attempts to convince her that the fate of her son, while tragic, should not have been a surprise. She knew many other mothers who had lost their sons; why should she expect her own son to survive her? The acknowledgement, even expectation, of the worst of all possible outcomes is a tenet of Seneca's Stoic philosophy. While Seneca sympathised with Marcia, he reminded her that "we are born into a world of things which are all destined to die," and that if she could accept that no one is guaranteed a just life (that is, one in which sons always outlive their mothers), she could finally end her mourning and live the rest of her life in peace.

Translated by Aubrey Stewart: https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Of_Consolation:_To_Marcia
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