| Author |
Seneca, Lucius Annaeus, 5? BCE-65 |
| Translator |
Stewart, Aubrey, 1844-1918 |
| Title |
L. Annaeus Seneca on Benefits
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| Note |
Reading ease score: 63.9 (8th & 9th grade). Neither easy nor difficult to read.
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| Note |
Wikipedia page about this book: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/De_Beneficiis
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| Credits |
Produced by Charles Franks, Robert Rowe, David Widger, and the Online
Distributed Proofreading Team
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| Summary |
"On Benefits" by Lucius Annaeus Seneca is a philosophical treatise written in the early 2nd century AD. This work delves into the intricacies of human relationships, focusing particularly on the concepts of giving, receiving, and reciprocating benefits. Seneca explores the moral dimensions of these interactions, emphasizing the importance of intention behind acts of kindness and the rampant issue of ingratitude within society. At the start of the text, Seneca introduces the topic by lamenting humanity's failure to properly bestow or accept benefits, suggesting that this leads to societal discord. He discusses various reasons for ingratitude and reflects on the nature of benefits themselves, positing that the true essence of a benefit lies not in material goods but in the goodwill of the giver. He argues for the careful selection of recipients for one’s generosity, highlighting the necessity of giving thoughtfully and sincerely to foster gratitude, while also urging individuals to cultivate a sense of gratitude and responsibility when receiving benefits. Ultimately, Seneca sets the stage for a rich, philosophical examination of ethics in personal interactions throughout the remainder of the work. (This is an automatically generated summary.)
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| Language |
English |
| LoC Class |
PA: Language and Literatures: Classical Languages and Literature
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| Subject |
Classical literature
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| Subject |
Essays
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| Subject |
Conduct of life
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| Subject |
Benevolence
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| Category |
Text |
| EBook-No. |
3794 |
| Release Date |
Feb 1, 2003 |
| Most Recently Updated |
Feb 8, 2013 |
| Copyright Status |
Public domain in the USA. |
| Downloads |
742 downloads in the last 30 days. |
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