Work

On Anger

Name: On Anger
Author: Seneca

Seneca

Seneca analyzes anger as a desire to punish a perceived wrong and denies that it is useful energy for virtue. The treatise examines its causes, political and domestic damage, and exercises for preventing or slowing its onset.

Composition: c. 41-52 CE
Sources and precision
The internal chronology remains disputed. This range is a qualified reference point, not a certain year.
Confidence D · disputed range
Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy: Seneca
Tradition: Stoicism
Period: Antiquity
Languages: Latin · English · French
Extent: 100 passages · 40,088 words

Before reading

What you will learn

Reconstruct the definition of anger, distinguish first impulse from assent, and examine the functions of delay and self-review.

Short summary

Long summary

The opening books confront rival definitions and maintain that reason can act firmly without punitive passion. Stories of tyrants, wars, and family violence show an emotion magnifying offence, accelerating judgement, and becoming difficult to stop.

The final movement advises delay, daily examination, knowledge of vulnerabilities, and prudent choice of situations. Seneca distinguishes involuntary impulse from assent sustaining anger. His practical resources aim at gradual transformation, not instant removal of every emotion.

Inside this work

The table of contents follows the divisions actually carried by the corpus.

Work › Book › Chapter

Book 121 passages

Book 236 passages

Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36

Book 343 passages

Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Chapter 40
Chapter 41
Chapter 42
Chapter 43

Concepts covered

Historical context

The world around the text

The corpus manifests do not yet establish the precise place and circumstances of composition. The images below document the author’s world or the text’s transmission. They do not claim to show the exact scene of writing.

These are modern reconstructions. They situate a documented place, practice, or transmission and are not period documents.

Modern reconstruction of Writing near Nomentum for On Anger on Prokopton42.com — **Writing near Nomentum**A modern interpretation of Seneca in the documented context titled “Writing near Nomentum”, set around c. 63 CE.Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy: Seneca

Modern reconstruction of Material world: agriculture and food, 54 CE for On Anger on Prokopton42.com — **Material world: agriculture and food, 54 CE**Nero becomes emperor. Seneca serves as tutor and, for a time, political adviser. The image situates On Anger without claiming to show its scene of composition.

Modern reconstruction of Material world: technology, science, and care, 54 CE for On Anger on Prokopton42.com — **Material world: technology, science, and care, 54 CE**Nero becomes emperor. Seneca serves as tutor and, for a time, political adviser. The image situates On Anger without claiming to show its scene of composition.

What the world looked like

Roman world, 1st century BCE to 3rd century CE

Modern reconstruction of the material world around On Anger: Technology, science, and care — **Technology, science, and care**Paved roads, aqueducts, concrete, glassware, mills, and hypocaust heating equip some cities, but energy comes mainly from bodies, animals, water, and wood. Astronomy, geometry, natural history, and engineering compile Greek, Egyptian, and Roman knowledge. Measurement exists without a modern laboratory. Physicians, midwives, baths, plants, and rudimentary surgery can help; reliable anaesthesia, antisepsis, and antibiotics do not exist.

Modern reconstruction of the material world around On Anger: Travel and communication — **Travel and communication**On foot, horseback, cart, or ship, road and sea networks connect the Empire. Travel remains slow, costly, and risky. Imperial couriers, letters on papyrus or tablets, inscriptions, and oral proclamations spread information. Everything is copied by hand.

Modern reconstruction of the material world around On Anger: Farming and food — **Farming and food**Grain, vines, olives, pulses, and livestock supply cities and armies; estates, slavery, and tenancy organize part of the labour.

Modern reconstruction of the material world around On Anger: Clothing, women and men — **Clothing, women and men**Tunics and cloaks are common to both sexes; the stola, toga, footwear, colours, and jewellery mark citizenship, office, wealth, and origin.

State of technology: Paved roads, aqueducts, concrete, glassware, mills, and hypocaust heating equip some cities, but energy comes mainly from bodies, animals, water, and wood.
Science and knowledge: Astronomy, geometry, natural history, and engineering compile Greek, Egyptian, and Roman knowledge. Measurement exists without a modern laboratory.
Medicine and care: Physicians, midwives, baths, plants, and rudimentary surgery can help; reliable anaesthesia, antisepsis, and antibiotics do not exist.
Transport: On foot, horseback, cart, or ship, road and sea networks connect the Empire. Travel remains slow, costly, and risky.
Agriculture and food: Grain, vines, olives, pulses, and livestock supply cities and armies; estates, slavery, and tenancy organize part of the labour.
Communication: Imperial couriers, letters on papyrus or tablets, inscriptions, and oral proclamations spread information. Everything is copied by hand.
Clothing and fashion: Tunics and cloaks are common to both sexes; the stola, toga, footwear, colours, and jewellery mark citizenship, office, wealth, and origin.

Editions, translations, and provenance

The following carriers represent the text. They do not create new passage identities.

Latinoriginal
EnglishAubrey Stewart
FrenchJoseph Baillard

Source manifests: seneca.de_ira

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On AngerSeneca