Donald Robertson

But I think what he means is that Seneca in Rome would have been known more than today for his political speeches defending Nero. And we have a couple of examples of those. We have on clemency, for example, which is this letter to Nero that was probably made public that kind of puts Nero on something of a pedestal. Also tries to improve his character and teach him more clemency or mercy.

But I think what he means is that Seneca in Rome would have been known more than today for his political speeches defending Nero. And we have a couple of examples of those. We have on clemency, for example, which is this letter to Nero that was probably made public that kind of puts Nero on something of a pedestal. Also tries to improve his character and teach him more clemency or mercy.

But I think what he means is that Seneca in Rome would have been known more than today for his political speeches defending Nero. And we have a couple of examples of those. We have on clemency, for example, which is this letter to Nero that was probably made public that kind of puts Nero on something of a pedestal. Also tries to improve his character and teach him more clemency or mercy.

But at the same time, it praises him as a great ruler, which is ridiculous. He was a tyrant. And at the same time that Seneca was defending Nero, and propping up his regime, there were other Stoics that were fighting against Nero and opposing him in the Senate. They're called the Stoic opposition. And several of them died or were exiled, defying Nero. Epictetus...

But at the same time, it praises him as a great ruler, which is ridiculous. He was a tyrant. And at the same time that Seneca was defending Nero, and propping up his regime, there were other Stoics that were fighting against Nero and opposing him in the Senate. They're called the Stoic opposition. And several of them died or were exiled, defying Nero. Epictetus...

But at the same time, it praises him as a great ruler, which is ridiculous. He was a tyrant. And at the same time that Seneca was defending Nero, and propping up his regime, there were other Stoics that were fighting against Nero and opposing him in the Senate. They're called the Stoic opposition. And several of them died or were exiled, defying Nero. Epictetus...

who was kind of on the periphery of this because Epictetus kind of came from the next generation, but he was a slave owned by Nero's Greek secretary, a guy called Epaphroditus, who was perhaps also Nero's bodyguard. Uh, according to one source, he was certainly very, very close to Nero. Um, Epictetus idolizes the Stoic opposition and never mentioned Seneca once.

who was kind of on the periphery of this because Epictetus kind of came from the next generation, but he was a slave owned by Nero's Greek secretary, a guy called Epaphroditus, who was perhaps also Nero's bodyguard. Uh, according to one source, he was certainly very, very close to Nero. Um, Epictetus idolizes the Stoic opposition and never mentioned Seneca once.

who was kind of on the periphery of this because Epictetus kind of came from the next generation, but he was a slave owned by Nero's Greek secretary, a guy called Epaphroditus, who was perhaps also Nero's bodyguard. Uh, according to one source, he was certainly very, very close to Nero. Um, Epictetus idolizes the Stoic opposition and never mentioned Seneca once.

So he clearly felt those were the Stoics from that generation that he looks up to. And Seneca was seen, even by other Stoics at the time, as a guy that had maybe compromised himself morally.

So he clearly felt those were the Stoics from that generation that he looks up to. And Seneca was seen, even by other Stoics at the time, as a guy that had maybe compromised himself morally.

So he clearly felt those were the Stoics from that generation that he looks up to. And Seneca was seen, even by other Stoics at the time, as a guy that had maybe compromised himself morally.

That's actually a contested point. There's a really cool book that came out recently by Armand Danguer, a classicist who wrote a book called Socrates and Love that I really like that's kind of speculative biography of Socrates. And he claims that Socrates was probably not as ugly as he's made out to be. And that particularly younger in life, he may have been quite a virile and attractive person.

That's actually a contested point. There's a really cool book that came out recently by Armand Danguer, a classicist who wrote a book called Socrates and Love that I really like that's kind of speculative biography of Socrates. And he claims that Socrates was probably not as ugly as he's made out to be. And that particularly younger in life, he may have been quite a virile and attractive person.

That's actually a contested point. There's a really cool book that came out recently by Armand Danguer, a classicist who wrote a book called Socrates and Love that I really like that's kind of speculative biography of Socrates. And he claims that Socrates was probably not as ugly as he's made out to be. And that particularly younger in life, he may have been quite a virile and attractive person.

But, I mean, Socrates' friends describe him as walking like a pelican, having eyes like a crab, having a face like a torpedo fish, and being balding and pot-bellied. And he looks like a satyr as well, we're told. Like one of those kind of goat, like pan or whatever. So those are his friends. Right. And so I guess it's partly the Athenian culture. They were kind of ribbing him a bit and stuff.

But, I mean, Socrates' friends describe him as walking like a pelican, having eyes like a crab, having a face like a torpedo fish, and being balding and pot-bellied. And he looks like a satyr as well, we're told. Like one of those kind of goat, like pan or whatever. So those are his friends. Right. And so I guess it's partly the Athenian culture. They were kind of ribbing him a bit and stuff.

But, I mean, Socrates' friends describe him as walking like a pelican, having eyes like a crab, having a face like a torpedo fish, and being balding and pot-bellied. And he looks like a satyr as well, we're told. Like one of those kind of goat, like pan or whatever. So those are his friends. Right. And so I guess it's partly the Athenian culture. They were kind of ribbing him a bit and stuff.

If you go to Athens today, there's a famous statue of Socrates, a modern statue of him outside the university where he's incredibly buff. Like, I mean, he definitely looks like he's been lifting weights, but that's a modern representation of him. The ancient sculptures we have of him are this little pot-bellied old man,

If you go to Athens today, there's a famous statue of Socrates, a modern statue of him outside the university where he's incredibly buff. Like, I mean, he definitely looks like he's been lifting weights, but that's a modern representation of him. The ancient sculptures we have of him are this little pot-bellied old man,