Seneca Belief on Banishing the Passions essays

Seneca Belief on Banishing the Passions essays I do not believe that one can completely banish their emotions. What one can do is control their emotions. I do believe that this is a sound principal for daily living. This can be done through the practice of philosophy. I conclude that emotions should not be banished, but rather controlled. This essay will deal with a quotation from Senecas letter XXXVIII On Allegiance to Virtue. (Seneca, Reader: 68) It will endeavor to explain this quote dealing with five of the main passions which Seneca wishes to banish. Quotation from Senecas letter XXXVIII, on Allegiance to Virtue In Senecas letter XXXVIII On Allegiance to Virtue, (Seneca, Reader: 68) Seneca writes: The passions, which are heavy task masters.....can be banished from you by wisdom, which is the only real freedom. .... If you would have all things under your control, put yourself under the control of reason.(Seneca, Reader: 70) In order to understand this statement, it is essential to break it down into smaller components. In the first sentence, Seneca speaks of the passions, (Seneca, Reader: 70) which according to Seneca are strong feelings of anger, lust, love, ambition and fear. Seneca states that the passions are heavy task masters. By this, Seneca means that the passions have you in their control; they control you as opposed to you controlling them. It takes much energy to release your self from the tight grip of love, lust, fear, anger and ambition. He says that the passions can be banished. (Seneca, Reader: 70) He does not want to kick the passions out, but rather banish them completely. Get rid of them altogether. Seneca says that the way to banish these passions is by wisdom (Seneca, Reader: 70). Wisdom according to Seneca is the source of knowledge that gives us control. It is the complete understandi...