Moral letters to Lucilius/Appendix

Appendix
Ep. xciv. deals, on the whole, with the question whether doctrines without precepts are enough for the student and the philosopher; Ep. xcv. whether precepts without doctrines will suffice. Seneca concludes that they are both necessary and are complementary to one another, especially in view of the complicated life which one is called upon to live, with its many duties and choices. The terms discussed, with some of the Greek original definitions, may be summed up as follows:-

(1) The outward expressions of &#x1f10;&#x3c0;&#x3b9;&#x3c3;&#x3c4;&#x3ae;&#x3bc;&#x3b7; (scientia, knowledge) and of the &#x3ba;&#x3bf;&#x3b9;&#x3bd;&#x3b1;&#x1f76; &#x1f14;&#x3bd;&#x3bd;&#x3bf;&#x3b9;&#x3b1;&#x3b9; (notiones communes, &#x3c0;&#x3c1;&#x3bf;&#x3bb;&#x3ae;&#x3c8;&#x3b5;&#x3b9;&#x3c2;, innate ideas) are found in the form of &#x1f00;&#x3be;&#x3b9;&#x3ce;&#x3bc;&#x3b1;&#x3c4;&#x3b1; (pronuntiata, incontrovertible statements), &#x3b4;&#x3cc;&#x3b3;&#x3bc;&#x3b1;&#x3c4;&#x3b1; (placita, decreta, scita, doctrines, tenets, dogmas, principles). Determined by &#x1f45;&#x3c1;&#x3bf;&#x3b9; (definitiones, definitions), they are tested by their &#x1f00;&#x3be;&#x3af;&#x3b1; (honestum, moral value), by the &#x3ba;&#x3c1;&#x3b9;&#x3c4;&#x3ae;&#x3c1;&#x3b9;&#x3bf;&#x3bd; (norma iudicii, standard of judgement) or &#x3ba;&#x3b1;&#x3bd;&#x3ce;&#x3bd; (lex, regula, etc.), and by the &#x1f40;&#x3c1;&#x3b8;&#x1f78;&#x3c2; &#x3bb;&#x3cc;&#x3b3;&#x3bf;&#x3c2; (recta ratio, universal law, etc.). By such means the doctrines of philosophy are contrasted with &#x3b4;&#x3cc;&#x3be;&#x3b1; (opinio) and with a &#x3ba;&#x3b1;&#x3c4;&#x3ac;&#x3bb;&#x3b7;&#x3c8;&#x3b9;&#x3c2; (cognitio or comprehensio) which falls short of completeness and perfection. Conduct which results from a thorough understanding and performance of such doctrines is &#x3ba;&#x3b1;&#x3c4;&#x3cc;&#x3c1;&#x3b8;&#x3c9;&#x3bc;&#x3b1; (&#x3c4;&#x3ad;&#x3bb;&#x3b5;&#x3b9;&#x3bf;&#x3bd; &#x3ba;&#x3b1;&#x3b8;&#x1fc6;&#x3ba;&#x3bf;&#x3bd;, perfectum officium, "absolute duty".

(2) The pars praeceptiva (&#x3c0;&#x3b1;&#x3c1;&#x3b1;&#x3b9;&#x3bd;&#x3b5;&#x3c4;&#x3b9;&#x3ba;&#x3ae;) of philosophy, which deals with "average duty" (&#x3ba;&#x3b1;&#x3b8;&#x1fc6;&#x3ba;&#x3bf;&#x3bd;, commune or medium officium), is approved, among others, by Posidonius, Cicero (see the De Officiis), and Seneca. It is related to active living and to the &#x1f00;&#x3b4;&#x3b9;&#x3ac;&#x3c6;&#x3bf;&#x3c1;&#x3b1; (media or indifferentia) (see Subject Index) which play so large a rôle in the individual's daily existence. This department of "counsel," "admonition," or "advice" has many forms. For &#x3c0;&#x3b1;&#x3c1;&#x3b1;&#x3af;&#x3bd;&#x3b5;&#x3c3;&#x3b9;&#x3c2; (monitio) are needed: the &#x3bb;&#x3cc;&#x3b3;&#x3bf;&#x3c2; &#x3c0;&#x3c1;&#x3bf;&#x3c4;&#x3c1;&#x3b5;&#x3c0;&#x3c4;&#x3b9;&#x3ba;&#x3cc;&#x3c2; (exhortatio), &#x3c4;&#x3cc;&#x3c0;&#x3bf;&#x3c2; &#x1f51;&#x3c0;&#x3bf;&#x3b8;&#x3b5;&#x3c4;&#x3b9;&#x3ba;&#x3cc;&#x3c2; (suasio), &#x1f00;&#x3c0;&#x3bf;&#x3c4;&#x3c1;&#x3bf;&#x3c0;&#x3ae; (dissuasio), &#x1f10;&#x3c0;&#x3b9;&#x3c4;&#x3af;&#x3bc;&#x3b7;&#x3c3;&#x3b9;&#x3c2; (obiurgatio), &#x3bb;&#x3cc;&#x3b3;&#x3bf;&#x3c2; &#x3c0;&#x3b1;&#x3c1;&#x3b1;&#x3bc;&#x3c5;&#x3b8;&#x3b7;&#x3c4;&#x3b9;&#x3ba;&#x3cc;&#x3c2; (consolatio), &#x3b1;&#x1f30;&#x3c4;&#x3b9;&#x3bf;&#x3bb;&#x3bf;&#x3b3;&#x3af;&#x3b1; (causarum inquisitio), &#x1f20;&#x3b8;&#x3bf;&#x3bb;&#x3bf;&#x3b3;&#x3af;&#x3b1; (descriptio), and all the gamut of precepts which run from blame to praise. These are reinforced by &#x1f00;&#x3c0;&#x3cc;&#x3b4;&#x3b5;&#x3b9;&#x3be;&#x3b9;&#x3c2; (probatio, argumentum, proof) and by such helps as &#x3c7;&#x3c1;&#x3b5;&#x1fd6;&#x3b1;&#x3b9;, &#x1f00;&#x3c0;&#x3bf;&#x3bc;&#x3bd;&#x3b7;&#x3bc;&#x3bf;&#x3bd;&#x3b5;&#x3cd;&#x3bc;&#x3b1;&#x3c4;&#x3b1; (sententiae, proverbs, maxims).

By such stages of advancement, &#x3c0;&#x3c1;&#x3bf;&#x3ba;&#x3bf;&#x3c0;&#x3ae; (progressio), and relying upon &#x3c0;&#x3b1;&#x3c1;&#x3b1;&#x3b4;&#x3b5;&#x3af;&#x3b3;&#x3bc;&#x3b1;&#x3c4;&#x3b1; (exempla), one rises, through practical precepts and the observance of duties, to an appreciation of the virtues, the contemplative mastery of the Universe, and to the Supreme Good, conformity with Nature (&#x1f41;&#x3bc;&#x3bf;&#x3bb;&#x3bf;&#x3b3;&#x3bf;&#x3c5;&#x3bc;&#x3ad;&#x3bd;&#x3c9;&#x3c2; &#x3c4;&#x1fc7; &#x3c6;&#x3cd;&#x3c3;&#x3b5;&#x3b9; &#x3b6;&#x1fc6;&#x3bd;, vivere convenienter naturae).