
Seneca - On the Shortness of Life: Adapted for the Contemporary Reader
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Narrated by:
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Scott R. Smith
About this listen
De Brevitate Vitae (frequently referred to as On the Shortness of Life in English) is a moral essay written by Seneca the Younger, a Roman Stoic philosopher, to his father-in-law Paulinus. The philosopher brings up many Stoic principles on the nature of time, namely that men waste much of it in meaningless pursuits. According to the essay, nature gives man enough time to do what is really important and the individual must allot it properly. In general, time can be best used in the study of philosophy, according to Seneca.
This essay has been carefully adapted into a contemporary form.
©2016 James Harris (P)2016 James HarrisListeners also enjoyed...
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-
-
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-
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Overall
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Performance
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The majority of mortals, Paulinus, complain bitterly of the spitefulness of Nature, because we are born for a brief span of life, because even this space that has been granted to us rushes by so speedily and so swiftly that all save a very few find life at an end just when they are getting ready to live. Nor is it merely the common herd and the unthinking crowd that bemoan what is, as men deem it, an universal ill; the same feeling has called forth complaint also from men who were famous.
-
-
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- By Michael Augustus Ennis on 12-03-21
By: Seneca, and others
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-
-
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By: Lucius Seneca, and others
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The majority of mortals, Paulinus, complain bitterly of the spitefulness of Nature, because we are born for a brief span of life, because even this space that has been granted to us rushes by so speedily and so swiftly that all save a very few find life at an end just when they are getting ready to live. Nor is it merely the common herd and the unthinking crowd that bemoan what is, as men deem it, an universal ill; the same feeling has called forth complaint also from men who were famous.
-
-
Excellent short read on the shortness of life!
- By Amazon Customer on 11-19-15
By: Lucius Seneca
-
On the Shortness of Life
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- Narrated by: Jeffrey Ito
- Length: 1 hr
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Discover the ancient wisdom that remains as relevant today as it was two millennia ago in On the Shortness of Life by Lucius Annaeus Seneca. This Stoic masterpiece is a powerful guide to reclaiming your time and living a life of purpose. Seneca’s profound insights challenge you to break free from distractions, prioritize what truly matters, and make every moment count.
-
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A Wake-Up Call I Needed
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On the Shortness of Life, On the Happy Life, and Other Essays
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
As former tutor and adviser to Emperor Nero, philosopher and statesman Seneca was acutely aware of how short life can be - his own life was cut short when the emperor ordered him to commit suicide (for alleged involvement in a conspiracy). And Seneca proved true to his words - his lifelong avowal to Stoicism enabled him to conduct himself with dignity to the end. During his rich and busy life, Seneca wrote a series of essays that have advised and enriched the lives of generations down to the present day.
-
-
Completely relevant, ageless wisdom
- By Tobias A. Matejovsky on 12-13-18
By: Seneca
-
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- Penguin Classics
- By: Seneca, Robin Campbell
- Narrated by: Julian Glover
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- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Seeing self-possession as the key to an existence lived 'in accordance with nature', the Stoic philosophy called for the restraint of animal instincts and the importance of upright ethical ideals and virtuous living. Seneca's writings are a profound, powerfully moving and inspiring declaration of the dignity of the individual mind.
-
-
Returned - Not "Unabridged"
- By Michael Augustus Ennis on 12-03-21
By: Seneca, and others
-
Letters from a Stoic: Complete (Letters 1 - 124) Adapted for the Contemporary Reader (Seneca)
- By: Lucius Seneca, James Harris
- Narrated by: Greg Douras
- Length: 16 hrs and 32 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Letters from a Stoic is collection of 124 letters which were written by Seneca at the end of his life, during his retirement, and written after he had worked for the Emperor Nero for 15 years. They are addressed to Lucilius, the then procurator of Sicily. The letters highlight many moral and ethical ways to live, and address many of the issues known to man, about life and death. Each letter has been carefully adapted into modern English to allow for easy listening and understanding. This is the complete volume containing all 124 letters. Enjoy!
-
-
Wisdom across time.
- By cosmitron on 03-21-18
By: Lucius Seneca, and others
-
Marcus Aurelius - Meditations: Adapted for the Contemporary Reader
- By: Marcus Aurelius, James Harris
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Meditations is a series of personal writings by Marcus Aurelius, Roman Emperor from 161 to 180 AD, recording his private notes to himself and ideas on Stoic philosophy. Marcus Aurelius wrote the 12 books of the Meditations as a source for his own guidance and self-improvement. These books have been carefully adapted into modern English form to allow for easy listening. Enjoy!
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Best translation
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What listeners say about Seneca - On the Shortness of Life: Adapted for the Contemporary Reader
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- Jose
- 01-29-18
Greatness...This is a manual on being a Powerhouse
The narrator is very good and the update on language was a great idea. The words are updated to modern speech and modern usage.
The greatness of Seneca is timeless. It is an excellent buy for any reader of stoic work. I will buy a physical version for my young kids.
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- L. Pino
- 02-22-17
Short Audiobook on Brief Lesson: Life is Short
Any additional comments?
King of Persia shed a bounty of tears, not for his victory of the war instead that he had lived so long and was able to witness and survive the wars of his feared enemies. This audiobook was a letter about living your life and acknowledging that it is a brief life. Realizing, it is not that we have a short space of time but that we waste so much of it. This is a valuable lesson even for today when life feels so much longer and we are able to take advantage of so much more.
I really enjoyed the narrator. I did not have to change the speed on the audiobook which is nice when you are wrapped up in the story. This audiobook is short enough to have a few listens to absorb all the lessons.
This audiobook was provided by the author, narrator, or publisher at no cost in exchange for an unbiased review courtesy of Audiobook Boom, but the gift did not bias my review.
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- JLovette
- 01-25-22
I will definitely listen to this again.
Very very thought-provoking!! Highly recommend for today's world experience. I will listen to this again and again.
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- David R. Scott
- 03-28-18
Grating, amateurish narration
Ok wisdom from 20 centuries ago, but the narration was poor and in an unpleasant voice which projected a whiny tone and often nonexistent or misplaced inflection.
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- Anonymous User
- 05-31-23
This is a true nugget of gold. Recommended to all.
Great translation. Very digestible. Lots of practical wisdom for the daily life. Written for fellow humans thousands of years ago and still applies to current days.
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- Sarah
- 03-03-17
Classical thinking, yet so appropriate today
Would you consider the audio edition of On the Shortness of Life to be better than the print version?
Sometimes we think we don't have time to read the writings of famous dead people from 2000 years ago. But, this audio version makes it so easy to listen to. It is performed well, and the content is still so relevant.
Any additional comments?
I was voluntarily provided this free review copy audiobook by the author, narrator, or publisher.
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- Martin
- 06-23-19
Awesome book
I really liked it. Short, but not too short. Lots of wisdom. Good audio. Reader voice is good. Highly recommended!
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- Amir
- 03-03-17
Great Narration, and Enlightening Story
What did you like best about this story?
This is the shorter edition of De Brevitate Vitae (a moral essay written by Seneca the Younger in 49 AD) and is adopted for the contemporary reader. Generally reading a philosophy book can be very challenging and especially Greek philosophy.It's usually very difficult for a contemporary reader to relate to the philosophy and the wisdom behind it, because the essay is written 2000 years ago. But fortunately On the Shortness of Life is written in a way that one can easily understand and learn. Overall it's a great read, it's short but it touches very important subjects, and I would have loved it if it was a bit longer.
What about Scott R. Smith’s performance did you like?
I really enjoyed the narration, and I'm looking forward to see more narrations by Scott R. Smith.
Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?
It made me think about the value of time, and how important it is to enjoy every moment of my life.
Any additional comments?
I was voluntarily provided this free review copy audiobook by the author, narrator, or publisher.
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- Kindle Customer
- 03-04-17
A lot of information on "stuff"
This is a long winded lecture that takes you around and around. I can actually picture the author standing in Rome admit the grand coliseums droning on and on as the Romans did back in ancient times about his philosophy on life. About his take on what we should do and shouldn't do and how he interprets all things around him. I can picture the murmuring among the crowds as they shift about on their stone benches wondering how much longer before a slave can bring refreshments. While others nod and beam encouragement. And still others boo. The only thing he says in this long winded dysentery is Philosophy last longer then the human body and things built by man. I received this book at no charge in exchange for an honest review. Glad the lecture is over. Phew!!
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- Robbie
- 12-24-17
Important statement, with powerful insights.
This is an important statement with many powerful insights. Though much more can be said about this subject, even to dispute some of Seneca's thoughts on the matter, it is worth the listen, which is just one hour.
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