On the Shortness of Life

Content Warning: The source material explores death as a philosophical idea.

The essay de brevitate vitae, or “On the Shortness of Life,” was written by Seneca the Younger and is dated to the year 49 CE. Lucius Annaeus Seneca the Younger (c. 4-65 CE) was an extremely wealthy member of Roman elite society and one of the leading philosophers of his time. In 49 CE, Seneca became tutor to the future emperor Nero and would become Nero’s key advisor when Nero became emperor in 54 CE.

The work is framed as a letter to a “Paulinus”—probably Seneca’s father-in-law, a leading Roman official—but was undoubtedly intended for wider circulation. As a leading exponent of Stoicism, Seneca composed “On the Shortness of Life” as an exposition of his thoughts on Stoic moral philosophy and the treatise plays an important part in the Classical literary-philosophical corpus. At the time of the essay’s publication, Stoicism was a well-established and popular school of philosophy amongst the Roman elite: It encouraged people to reach the state of eudaimonia (a life well lived) through focus on virtuousness in daily life. Seneca’s essay is both instructive and admonitory in nature, as Seneca teaches his reader how to apply Stoic principles in order to use their time wisely rather than waste their life; this is framed as a rational response to the shortness of life and as a means to accept human mortality and the vicissitudes of human experience. As such, while informing his reader about the finite aspect of time, Seneca explores several interconnected themes, including the transience of time, wisdom and self-awareness, the dangers of vices, and the importance of being present in the current moment.

This study guide refers to the 1997 translation by C. D. N. Costa, later published in the Penguin Books Great Ideas series in 2005: “Seneca, On the Shortness of Life: Life is Long If You Know How to Use It.” Page numbers are referenced throughout.

Seneca begins his essay by reflecting on the common complaint that life is too brief. He challenges this notion by arguing that life offers enough time if one uses it wisely. He criticizes people for frittering their days away on useless pursuits or chasing after fleeting pleasures. Seneca also mentions that excessive worry about one’s reputation is a distraction that leads to a wasted life. He argues that it is not the quantity of time lived by an individual that matters most, but the quality of how it is spent. In Seneca’s view, people generally fail to recognize the true value of time as a finite resource; therefore, he offers guidance on how to maximize the potential of one’s life.

Seneca explores the many ways in which people waste their time. He points out that individuals often delay pursuing their true purpose in life and mistakenly assume that they will have more time in the future. He posits that if most people were to stop and contemplate what they have actually accomplished in their life, most would be bereft of what he and the Stoic school consider to be one of life’s simplest and most important accomplishments: having an undisturbed mind and self-awareness. He draws on famous figures that would have been familiar to his audience as exemplars of people whose “accomplishments” were illusions. By discussing Augustus (Rome’s first emperor), Cicero (a renowned Roman orator and politician), and Livius Drusus (another renowned politician), Seneca underscores that everyone—even the affluent and powerful—are subject to the same constraints of time and mortality. Seneca reiterates his thesis that time is finite and a universal truth for all, so one must make the most of the present moment.

According to Seneca, the worst way to waste one’s time is by indulging in pleasures such as drinking and lust because of the dishonor that accompanies these pursuits. Other frivolities and entertainment can similarly distract people from meaningful endeavors in life and, moreover, any “preoccupation” of the mind busies the mind and hinders true living. Those who live by such preoccupations are evading responsibility in life.

Seneca then touches upon the ideas of fame and ambition. While many are driven by a desire for public recognition and praise, this same desire typically leads to a life spoiled by anxiety and discontent. Seneca encourages his readers to rely on themselves for internal—rather than external—validation.

About midway through his essay, Seneca expounds upon the nature of time itself, pointing out first that people waste their time without considering that they are living on borrowed time, as the length of life is uncertain and, therefore, each moment is valuable. Seneca likens the time of life to a journey because the end of each is similarly beguiling. He then explains how time itself is experienced in a tripartite way—past, present, and future—and how each part has a unique quality: “The present is short, the future is doubtful, the past is certain” (15).

Seneca moves on to explore how people misuse their time. He scorns those who endlessly socialize, feast, and revel with friends to no purpose; Seneca subsequently argues that these pursuits lead to a feeling of emptiness in life.

Fullness in life, on the other hand, can be achieved through introspection. Only in solitude can people better understand themselves and work towards improving themselves. Philosophy is the means to achieve inner contentment and wisdom. Yet a well-structured day should include self-reflection along with other activities, including leisure and study. The success of a day and sense of purpose in life is achieved by dedicating oneself to meaningful pursuits.

Seneca later advises Paulinus to “extract yourself from the crowd” and “take some of your own time for yourself too” (29). He further instructs Paulinus to apply his program of solitude for self-improvement, thereby reiterating the value of retreating from the distractions, temptations, and superficialities that pervade society.

Seneca concludes by emphasizing the importance of valuing one’s time, managing it wisely, and granting time to philosophical thought to achieve that wisdom. Retirement, according to Seneca, is not secession from life but, rather, a turn towards oneself to achieve a better of understanding of one’s being and the world in which one lives. Seneca states that the best way to do these things well is to embrace the present. There is no use in fearing death or ostentatiously marking the end of one’s time; people interested in such displays have “lived the shortest of lives” (33).