On the Shortness of Life, On the Happy Life, and Other Essays cover art

On the Shortness of Life, On the Happy Life, and Other Essays

Essays, Volume 1

Preview

£0.00 for first 30 days

Try for £0.00
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection - including bestsellers and new releases.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, celeb exclusives, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
£7.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically. See here for eligibility.

On the Shortness of Life, On the Happy Life, and Other Essays

By: Seneca
Narrated by: James Cameron Stewart
Try for £0.00

£7.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically. See here for eligibility.

Buy Now for £14.99

Buy Now for £14.99

Confirm Purchase
Pay using card ending in
By completing your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and authorise Audible to charge your designated card or any other card on file. Please see our Privacy Notice, Cookies Notice and Interest-based Ads Notice.
Cancel

About this listen

As former tutor and adviser to Emperor Nero, philosopher and statesman Seneca was acutely aware of how short life can be - his own life was cut short when the emperor ordered him to commit suicide (for alleged involvement in a conspiracy). And Seneca proved true to his words - his lifelong avowal to Stoicism enabled him to conduct himself with dignity to the end.

During his rich and busy life, Seneca wrote a series of essays that have advised and enriched the lives of generations down to the present day. This collection contains five of the key essays - 'On the Shortness of Life', 'On the Happy Life', 'On the Tranquil Mind', 'On Providence' and 'On the Firmness of the Wise Person' - and they are replete with observations to remember.

'Those who forget the past, neglect the present, and fear for the future have a life that is very brief and troubled,' Seneca warns.

'You have all the fears of mortals and all the desires of immortals.'

'As long as we wander at random, not following any guide except the shouts and discordant clamours of those who invite us to proceed in different directions, our short life will be wasted in useless roamings.'

Clarity, steadfastness and true enjoyment are his watchwords.

Public Domain (P)2016 Ukemi Productions Ltd
Philosophy Seneca Shortness
activate_Holiday_promo_in_buybox_DT_T2

Listeners also enjoyed...

Letters from a Stoic cover art
Discourses and Selected Writings cover art
Meditations cover art
The Moral Epistles cover art
The Enchiridion & Discourses cover art
Essays 2: On the Firmness of the Wise Man cover art
On Living and Dying Well cover art
Blessings cover art
The History of the Peloponnesian War cover art
How to Think Like a Roman Emperor cover art
Rebbe cover art
The Will to Power cover art
The Antichrist, Ecce Homo cover art
Utilitarianism/On Liberty cover art
The Tao of Seneca cover art
Epicurus of Samos: His Philosophy and Life cover art

What listeners say about On the Shortness of Life, On the Happy Life, and Other Essays

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    93
  • 4 Stars
    29
  • 3 Stars
    12
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    2
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    92
  • 4 Stars
    20
  • 3 Stars
    7
  • 2 Stars
    1
  • 1 Stars
    0
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    81
  • 4 Stars
    22
  • 3 Stars
    11
  • 2 Stars
    2
  • 1 Stars
    1

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Amazing

Everyone should read this especially folks that are at least 21 years. One of the few books everyone should have in their collection and read multiple times.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

essential reading

Wisdom for life that is as true today as when it was written. Essential reading

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

A good read.

Really enjoyed it, easy to listen to. Pleased , looking forward to the next one.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Old man - wise. Old words - wise. Great narration.

A lovely dip-in miscellany of refreshingly interactive, Kant free, philocafe chat. Sumptuous.
A good buy. Plunge!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

A very good read

I really liked it. The narrator has a calming voice. The book helped me to control some of my anxieties. For me, it was kind of a self-help book I've needed.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Matters of a Good Life and Death

Accessible philosopical thought about the most important issues of our lives and of course of our death, nourishing food for thought.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

becomes irrelevant

this audiobook started off well with some profound advice on the shortness of life. however the other essays and there are 90 in total became increasingly difficult to understand or make relevant to today's society or thinking. the narrator spoke in a suitably solemn tone

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

5 people found this helpful