The ancient Roman Republican values can be illustrated by individuals like Cincinnatus or Scipio Africanus. Their actions embody valour, equanimity, and above all, productiveness.
Cincinnatus (519-430 BC) was a farmer, but found himself appointed to lead the Roman army for a while. He did his best to win the war, and as soon as it was done, he went back to his farm and continued to work.
Scipio Africanus (236-183 BC) did lots of travelling during his military campaigns, but travelling did not prevent him from using his spare time for reading and cultivating himself. He was known to be a learned man, and his good decisions reflect the depth of his knowledge.
The old Roman Republican spirit was still shaping Seneca’s views when he wrote his 44th Letter to Lucilius, emphasising a virtue drawn from Aristotle (384-322 BC). I am referring to the virtue of productiveness, which plays a major role in Aristotle’s “Nicomachean Ethics.”
Seneca and Aristotle did not use the word “productiveness” because it wasn’t part of their vocabulary, but they used words that convey the same meaning.
Aristotle would frequently employ “human flourishing” and “thriving” as synonyms for happiness, affirming that happiness entails the development of one’s talents and skills, and putting them into practice.
Seneca on improving one’s station in life
Seneca did something similar in his 44th Letter to Lucilius, where he praises one’s ability to deliver an objectively valuable performance or work. That was a district statement in favour of market value or exchange value, which he considered the coin that drives human choices.
For the sake of simplicity, I am going to employ the word “productiveness” in this discussion. It encompasses accurately the concepts used by Aristotle and Seneca in their writings.
Seneca categorizes productiveness as virtuous, and places it much higher than unearned reputation coming from ancestry or family connections.
Productiveness is the practical outcome of important virtues such initiative, courage and persistence. Such virtues constitute the opposite of passivity, resignation and defeatism.
In ancient Rome, wealthy families like the Claudian, Julian, Cornelian, Flavian and Aemilian occupied most governmental posts, but their historical prominence does not elevate them to ethical models, explained Seneca.
For the individual, productiveness is the key to a good life. I view productiveness as the quintessential virtue because, in the long term, it enables every individual to improve his station in life.
When I say “improve his station in life,” I mean “achieve a substantial, tangible improvement.” I am not talking only about the spiritual or philosophical aspects.
Seneca’s metaphor of the racehorse
Seneca employs a metaphor to define “productiveness.” His recommendation is that we should emulate “a racehorse that is appreciated by its own performance.”
He means a racehorse that wins races, preferably in front of a large public. There is no cheating in an open competition that is watched and scrutinized by many people. Nor is there room for favouritism based on family or personal connections.
Seneca’s prescription for “living in accordance with nature” includes “productiveness” as a crucial virtue. He holds in high regard individuals who have earned a good reputation through their performance.
Let me underline that, in those cases, a good reputation has been derived from productiveness, high performance and skills honed through patient work. The goal was productiveness, not the achievement of fame. One shouldn’t put the cart before the horses.
I regret that Seneca formulated his conclusion rather poorly, but I attribute his lack of accuracy to physical constraints, not to intellectual sloppiness. Let me explain this aspect because it is far from self-evident for today’s readers.
The context of Seneca’s Letters to Lucilius
Seneca wrote the largest part of his philosophical dialogues and letters during his exile. In that period, his lifestyle was still comfortable for ancient Roman standards, but not luxurious.
If you read the Letters to Lucilius, you will see that Seneca repeatedly described his lifestyle as simple and modest. Those adjectives apply to his food, clothes, habitation, entertainment, and every other aspect.
Seneca may have rewritten some of the Letters to Lucilius, but their spontaneous structure and language lead me to think that he only did minimum editing.
Keep in mind that Seneca had been exiled to an island in the Mediterranean Sea. Every parchment roll had to be imported at considerable expense. In those circumstances, I cannot imagine that he would consume his writing materials in endless editing.
Seneca ended his metaphor by observing that “speed is what makes a racehorse worthy.” I view his formulation as less than felicitous, but it remains an endorsement of productiveness.
Within the corpus of ancient philosophy, Seneca is giving us one of the most distinct endorsements of personal development and productiveness. Let us internalize this definition of “living in accordance with nature” and put it daily into practice.
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