CHAPTER I.
ANNAEUS SENECA to PAUL Greeting.
1 I SUPPOSE, Paul, you have been
informed of that conversation,
which passed yesterday between
me and my Lucilius, concerning
hypocrisy and other subjects; for
there were some of your disciples
in company with us;
2 For when we were retired into
the Sallustian gardens, through
which they were also passing, and
would have gone another way, by
our persuasion they joined
company with us.
3 I desire you to believe, that
we much wish for your conversation;
4 We were much delighted with
your book of many Epistles, which
you have written to some cities
and chief towns of provinces, and
contain wonderful instructions for
moral conduct:
5 Such sentiments, as I suppose
you were not the author of, but
only the instrument of conveying,
though sometimes both the author
and the instrument,
6 For such is the sublimity of
those, doctrines, and their grandeur,
that I suppose the age of a man
is scarce sufficient to be instructed
and perfected in the knowledge of
them. I wish your welfare, my brother.
Farewell.
CHAPTER II.
PAUL to SENECA Greeting.
1 I RECEIVED your letter yesterday
with pleasure, to which I could
immediately have written an answer,
had the young man been at home,
whom I intended to have sent to you:
2 For you know when, and by whom,
at what seasons, and to whom I must
deliver everything which I send.
3 I desire therefore you would
not charge me with negligence, if
I wait for a proper person.
4 I reckon myself very happy in
having the judgment of so valuable
a person, that you are delighted
with my Epistles:
5 For you would not be esteemed
a censor, a philosopher, or be the
tutor of so great a prince, and a
master of everything, if you were
not sincere. I wish you a lasting
prosperity.
CHAPTER III.
ANNAEUS SENECA to PAUL Greeting.
1 I HAVE completed some volumes
and divided them into their
proper parts.
2 I am determined to read them
to Caesar, and if any favourable
opportunity happens, you also
shall be present, when they are
read;
3 But if that cannot be, I will
appoint and give you notice of a
day, when we will together read
over the performance.
4 I had determined, if I could
with safety, first to have your
opinion of it, before I published
it to Caesar, that you might be
convinced of my affection to you.
Farewell, dearest Paul.
CHAP. IV.
PAUL to SENECA Greeting.
AS often as I read your letters,
I imagine you present with
me; nor indeed do I think any
other, than that you are always
with us.
2 As soon therefore as you begin
to come, we shall presently see
each other. I wish you all
prosperity.
CHAPTER V.
ANNAEUS SENECA to PAUL Greeting.
1 WE are very much concerned
at your too long absence
from us.
2 What is it, or what affairs are
they, which obstructs your coming?
3 If you fear the anger of
Caesar because you have abandoned
your former religion, and made
proselytes also of others, you
have this to plead, that your
acting thus proceeded not from
inconstancy, but judgment.
Farewell.
CHAPTER VI.
PAUL to SENECA and LUCILIUS
Greeting.
1 CONCERNING those things,
about which ye wrote to me,
it is not proper for me to mention
anything in writing with pen and
ink: the one of which leaves
marks, and the other evidently
declares things.
2 Especially since I know that
there are near you, as well as me,
those who will understand my
meaning.
3 Deference is to be paid to
all men, and so much the more,
as they are more likely to take
occasions of quarrelling.
4 And if we show a submissive
temper, we shall overcome
effectually in all points, if so
be they are, who are capable of
seeing and acknowledging themselves
to have been in the wrong. Farewell.
CHAPTER VII.
ANNAEUS SENECA to PAUL Greeting.
1 I PROFESS myself extremely
pleased with the reading your
letters to the Galatians,
Corinthians, and people of Achaia.
2 For the Holy Ghost has in
them by you delivered those
sentiments which are very lofty,
sublime, deserving of all respect,
and beyond your own invention.
3 I could wish therefore, that
when you are writing things so
extraordinary, there might not
be wanting an elegancy of speech
agreeable to their majesty.
4 And I must own, my brother,
that I may not at once dishonestly
conceal anything from you, and be
unfaithful to my own conscience,
that the emperor is extremely
pleased with the sentiments of
your Epistles;
5 For when he heard the beginning
of them read, he declared, that he
was surprised to find such notions
in a person, who had not had a
regular education.
6 To which I replied, That the
Gods sometimes made use of mean
(innocent) persons to speak by, and
gave him an instance of this in a
mean countryman named Vatienus,
who, when he was in the country
of Reate, had two men appeared
to him, called Castor and Pollux,
and received a revelation from the
gods. Farewell.
CHAPTER VIII.
PAUL to SENECA Greeting.
1 ALTHOUGH I know the emperor is
both an admirer and favourer of
our religion, yet give me leave
to advise you against your suffering
any injury (by showing favour to us).
2 I think indeed you ventured
upon a very dangerous attempt,
when you would declare (to the
emperor) that which is so very
contrary to his religion, and way
of worship; seeing he is a
worshipper of the heathen gods.
3 I know not what you particularly
had in view, when you told him of
this; but I suppose you did it out
of too great respect for me.
4 But I desire that for the future
you would not do so; for you had
need be careful, lest by showing
your affection for me, you should
offend your master:
5 His anger indeed will do us no
harm, if he continue a heathen;
nor will his not being angry be
of any service to us:
6 And if the empress act worthy
of her character, she will not be
angry; but if she act as a woman,
she will be affronted. Farewell.
CHAPTER IX.
ANNEUS SENECA to PAUL Greeting.
1 KNOW that my letter, wherein
I acquainted you, that I had
read to the Emperor your Epistles,
does not so much affect you as the
nature of the things (contained
in them.)
2 Which do so powerfully divert
men's minds from their former
manners and practices, that I have
always been surprised, and have
been fully convinced of it by many
arguments heretofore.
3 Let us therefore begin afresh;
and if any thing heretofore has
been imprudently acted, do you
forgive.
4 I have sent you a book decopia
verborum. Farewell, dearest Paul.
CHAPTER X.
PAUL to SENECA Greeting.
1 AS often as I write to you,
and place my name before yours,
I do a thing both disagreeable
to myself, and contrary to our
religion:
2 For I ought, as I have often
declared, to become all things to
all men, and to have that regard
to your quality, which the Roman
law has honoured all senators with;
namely, to put my name last in the
(inscription of the) Epistle, that
I may not at length with uneasiness
and shame be obliged to do that
which it was always my inclination
to do. Farewell, most respected
master. Dated the fifth of the
calends of July, in the fourth
Consulship of Nero, and Messala.
CHAPTER XI.
ANNAEUS SENECA to PAUL Greeting.
1 ALL happiness to you,
my dearest Paul.
2 If a person so great, and
every way agreeable as you are,
become not only a common, but
a most intimate friend to me,
how happy will be the case of
Seneca!
3 You therefore, who are so
eminent, and so far exalted above
all, even the greatest, do not think
yourself unfit to be first named in
the inscription of an Epistle;
4 Lest I should suspect you intend
not so much to try me, as to banter
me; for you know yourself to be a
Roman citizen.
5 And I could wish to be in that
circumstance or station which you
are, and that you were in the same
that I am. Farewell, dearest Paul.
Dated the tenth of the calends of
April, in the Consulship of Aprianus
and Capito.
CHAPTER XII.
ANNAEUS SENECA to PAUL Greeting.
1 ALL happiness to you, my dearest
Paul. Do you not suppose I am
extremely concerned and grieved
that your innocence should bring
you into sufferings?
2 And that all the people should
suppose you (Christians) so criminal,
and imagine all the misfortunes
that happen to the city, to be
caused by you?
3 But let us bear the charge
with a patient temper, appealing
for our innocence to the court
above, which is the only one our
hard fortune will allow us to address
to, till at length our misfortunes
shall end in unalterable happiness.
4 Former ages have produced
(tyrants) Alexander the son of
Philip, and Dionysius; ours also
has produced Caius Caesar; whose
inclinations were their only laws.
5 As to the frequent burnings
of the city of Rome, the cause is
manifest; and if a person in my
mean circumstances might be allowed
to speak, and one might declare
these dark things without danger,
every one should see the whole of
the matter.
6 The Christians and Jews are
indeed commonly punished for the
crime of burning the city; but that
impious miscreant, who delights
in murders and butcheries, and
disguises his villainies with lies,
is appointed to, or reserved till,
his proper time.
7 And as the life of every
excellent person is now sacrificed
instead of that one person (who is
the author of the mischief), so this
one shall be sacrificed for many,
and he shall be devoted to be burnt
with fire instead of all.
8 One hundred and thirty-two houses,
and four whole squares (or islands)
were burnt down in six days: the
seventh put an end to the burning.
I wish you all happiness.
9 Dated the fifth of the calends
of April, in the Consulship of
Frigius and Bassus.
CHAPTER XIII.
ANNAEUS SENECA to PAUL Greeting.
1 ALL happiness to you, my dearest
Paul.
2 You have written many volumes in
an allegorical and mystical style,
and therefore such mighty matters
and business being committed to you,
require not to be set off with any
rhetorical flourishes of speech,
but only with some proper elegance.
3 I remember you often said,
that many by affecting such a style
do injury to their subjects, and
lose the force of the matters they
treat of.
4 But in this I desire you to
regard me, namely, to have respect
to true Latin, and to choose just
words, that so you may the better
manage the noble trust which is
reposed in you.
5 Farewell. Dated the fifth of
the nones of July, Leo and Savinus
Consuls.
CHAPTER XIV.
PAUL to SENECA Greeting.
1 YOUR serious consideration is
requited with those discoveries,
which the Divine Being has
granted but to few;
2 I am thereby assured that
I sow the most strong seed in a
fertile soil, not anything material,
which is subject to corruption, but
the durable word of God, which
shall increase and bring forth fruit
to eternity.
3 That which by your wisdom you
have attained to, shall abide
without decay for ever.
4 Believe that you ought to
avoid the superstitions of Jews
and Gentiles.
5 The things which you have in
some measure arrived to, prudently
make known to the emperor, his
family, and to faithful friends;
6 And though your sentiments
will seem disagreeable, and not
be comprehended by them, seeing
most of them will not regard your
discourses, yet the Word of God
once infused into them, will at
length make them become new men,
aspiring towards God.
7 Farewell Seneca, who art
most dear to us. Dated on the
calends of August, in the
Consulship of Leo and Savinus.
REFERENCES TO THE EPISTLES OF ST. PAUL THE APOSTLE
TO SENECA, WITH SENECA'S TO PAUL.
[Several very learned writers have entertained a favourable opinion of
these Epistles. They are undoubtedly of high antiquity. Salmeron cites
them to prove that Seneca was one of Caesar's household, referred to by
Paul, Philip iv. 22, as saluting the brethren at Philippi. In Jerome's
enumeration of illustrious men, he places Seneca, on account of these
Epistles, amongst the ecclesiastical and holy writers of the Christian
Church. Sixtus Senensis has published them in his Bibliotheque, p 89, 90;
and it is from thence that the present translation is made. Baronius,
Bellarmine, Dr. Cave, Spanheim, and others, contend that they are not
genuine.]
