Deck 26: Letter to Lucilius

Question 1

Seneca believes that we will achieve peace not through lamenting the deaths of those we care about but by being glad that we knew them.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

Seneca says that in lieu of grief we should

A) call to mind pleasant memories of the deceased
B) pray to god on behalf of the deceased
C) devote ourselves to good health in the hope of prolonging our own lives
D) create art that commemorates the deceased

Answer 2

call to mind pleasant memories of the deceased

Question 3

Which of the following statements would Seneca likely agree with?

A) More than the passage of time is necessary in order to overcome grief.
B) Grief is womanly and not suitable for men.
C) Grief is unavoidable but should be minimal in intensity and duration.
D) We can best prepare ourselves for grief by reminding ourselves of human mortality.

Answer 3

Grief is womanly and not suitable for men.
Grief is unavoidable but should be minimal in intensity and duration.
We can best prepare ourselves for grief by reminding ourselves of human mortality.

Question 4

Seneca suggests that we do not grieve or mourn for our own sakes but in order to "prove" our grief or "parade" it before others. Is that a plausible explanation for what motivates us to grieve? If not, what is a more plausible explanation of why we grieve?

Question 5

Seneca analogizes the death of a friend to a loss of one's tunic and argues that, just as one should replace a lost tunic, it is "better to replace your friend than to weep for him." Is Seneca's analogy apt? What, if anything, does Seneca's analogy overlook about grief or about the value of our relationships with others?