The Elder Seneca 9004057595, 9789004057593

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THE ELDER SENECA

MNEMOSYNE BIBLIOTHECA CLASSICA BATA VA COLLEGERUNT W, DEN BOER • A. D. LEEMAN

• W.

J.

VERDENIUS

BIBLIOTHECAE FASCICULOS EDENDOS CURAVIT W.

J.

VERDENIUS, HOMERUSLAAN

53,

ZEIST

SUPPLEMENTUM QUINQUAGESIMUM PRIMUM LEWIS A. SUSSMAN

THE ELDER SENECA

LUGDUNI BATAVORUM E.

J. BRILL MCMLXXVIII

THE ELDER SENECA BY

LEWIS A. SUSSMAN

LUGDUNI BATAVORUM E.

J.

BRILL MCMLXXVIII

ISBN 90 04 05759 5 Copyright 1978 by E. /. Brill, Leiden, The Netherlands All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or translated in any form, by print, photoprin!, microfilm, microfiche or any other means without written permission from the publisher PRINTED IN THE NETHERLANDS

UXORI ET PARENTIBUS CARIS

CONTENTS Preface Abbreviations of Frequently Cited Works I. Declamation in Rome . 1. The Greek Origins of Declamation . 2. Origins and Development of Declamation in Rome . 3. The Suasoria . 4. The Schools of Rhetoric in Rome II. The Life of the Elder Seneca 1. Sources 2. Career of Seneca 3. Character, Philosophy, and Politics . 4. Views of the Republic and the Principate III. The Controversiae and Suasoriae r. Title and Text . 2. Sententiae, Divisions, Colors ~~M

3. 4.

5. 6. 7.

Division Colors . Format Structure and Unity The Prefaces: Content and Form The Prefaces: Relationship to Other Latin Prose Prefaces The Body of the Controversiae and Suasoriae: arrangement, relative size and length of parts, use of examples Overall Principles and Unity The Controversiae The Suasorie Controversiae and Suasoriae: Sources Objectives . The Decline of Eloquence: A Cure? Other Objectives Publication and Date of Composition

IX XIII

1 2

4 II II

18 18 25 26 31 34 34 35 ~

38 41 43 45 46 51 58 63

64

69 75 83 85 89 91

VIII

CONTENTS

IV. Seneca on Eloquence 1. Overview . 2. Critical Tools and Method 3. Formal Criticism Invention . Arrangement Style Memory Delivery V. The Histories . I. Scope . 2. Composition and Publication 3. Content 4. Sources

94 94 95 III 1 II

II5 II8

131 132 137 142 143 145 150

VI. The Elder Seneca: Afterwards. 1. Influence upon the Roman Declamation Collections . 2. Influence upon Roman Literary Criticism . 3. Influence upon Latin Literature 4. Influence in the Late Classical Period through the Middle Ages and Renaissance

153 153 154 155 168

Bibliographical Note

173

General Index .

I 75

Index of Major Passages Cited in Seneca .

184

PREFACE The elder Seneca (ca. 55 B.C. - ca. A.D. 39) towards the end of his life gathered a collection of extracts from declamations; ten books from controversiae (practice court cases), and at least one book from suasoriae (practice deliberative speeches). Originally each book in the collection was introduced by a preface which dealt with various famous declaimers and contained criticism, not always Seneca's own, of the practitioners and the state of the art. Included within the text of the books themselves are criticisms of the specimens reproduced, anecdotes, and quotations from other literary works. Although declamation originated as a schoolboy exercise, during the early years of the Principate of Octavian Augustus it became a very fashionable fad for adults of the upper class and even professional rhetoricians. These adult declamation sessions were usually public and attracted large crowds. Various speakers would present speeches on the same theme, competing for applause and approbation. After a speech concluded there would be a good deal of critical comment about the performance. The elder Seneca's collection of extracts is our major source for understanding this unusual phenomenon and the profound effect it soon had on literary style. While certainly, by the very nature of his works, Seneca cannot be considered a writer of the first rank, nevertheless he is important not only for preserving this useful information but for the sound, perceptive literary criticism contained in the works. His career and especially those of his sons reflect a vital trend in the Empire-the growing distinction of provincials in politics and literature. To date a general work dealing with Seneca's life and writings has not appeared; the existing studies are usually treatments of specific questions such as the laws in the declamations and their relationship to actual Greek and Roman laws, the declaimers named in the works, the lost Histories, critical vocabulary, manuscript tradition, or textual criticism. 1 Elsewhere he is treated insofar as his works concern the growth of declama-

1 The closest thing to a general study of Seneca is H. Bornecque, Les Declamations et les Dec/amateurs d'apres Seneque le Pere (Lille I