CHAPTER I: Annaeus Seneca to Paul, Greeting.
1. I suppose, Paul, you have been informed of that conversation which passed yesterday between me and my Lucilius, concerning hypocrisy and other subjects; for there were some of your disciples in company with us;
2. For when we were retired into the Sallustian gardens, through which they (disciples of Paul) were also passing and would have gone another way, by our persuasion they joined company with us.
3. I desire you to believe that we much wish for your conversation:
4. We were much delighted with your book of many Epistles, which you have written to some cities and chief towns of provinces, and contain wonderful instructions for moral conduct:
5. Such sentiments, as I suppose you were not the author of, but only the instrument of conveying, though sometimes both the author and the instrument.
6. For such is the sublimity of those doctrines, and their grandeur, that I suppose the age of a man is scarcely sufficient to be instructed and perfected in the knowledge of them. I wish your welfare, my brother. Farewell.
NOTES: “Lucilius Junior (fl. 1st century), was the procurator of Sicily during the reign of Nero, a friend and correspondent of Seneca….The information known about Lucilius comes from Seneca’s writings, especially his Moral Letters, which are addressed to Lucilius. Seneca also dedicated his Naturales Quaestiones and his essay De Providentia to Lucilius.” Wikipedia
The Gardens of Sallust were “pleasure gardens” that occupied a large area in the northwestern sector of Rome near the Via Salaria.
CHAPTER 2: Paul to Seneca, Greeting.
1. I received your letter yesterday with pleasure: to which I could immediately have written an answer, had the young man (Timothy?) been at home, whom I intended to have sent to you:
2. For you know when, and by whom, at what seasons, and to whom I must deliver everything I send.
3. I desire therefore you would not charge me with negligence, if I wait for a proper person.
4. I reckon myself very happy in having the judgment of so valuable a person, that you are delighted with my Epistles:
5. For you would not be esteemed a censor, a philosopher, or be the tutor of so great a prince, and a master of everything (Nero), if you were not sincere. I wish you a lasting prosperity.
CHAPTER 3: Annaeus Seneca to Paul, Greeting.
1. I have completed some volumes and divided them into their proper parts.
2. I am determined to read them to Caesar (Nero), and if any favorable opportunity happens, you also shall be present when they are read;
3. But if that cannot be, I will appoint and give you notice of a day when we will together read over the performance.
4. I had determined, if I could with safety, first to have your opinion of it before I published it to Caesar, that you might be convinced of my affection to you. Farewell, dearest Paul.
LETTER 4: Paul to Seneca, Greeting.
1. As often as I read your letters, I imagine you present with me; nor indeed to do I think any other, than that you are always with us.
2. As soon therefore as you begin to come, we shall presently see each other. I wish you all prosperity.
CHAPTER 5: Annaeus Seneca to Paul, Greeting.
1. We are very much concerned at your too long absence from us.
2. What is it, or what affairs are they, which obstruct your coming?
3. If you fear the anger of Caesar (Nero), because you have abandoned your former religion (Judaism), and made proselytes also of others, you have this to plead, that your acting thus proceeded not from inconstancy, but judgment. Farewell.
CHAPTER 6: Paul to Seneca and Lucilius, Greeting.
1. Concerning those things about which you wrote to me, it is not proper for me to mention anything with pen and ink: the one of which leaves marks, and the other evidently declares things.
2. Especially since I know that there are near you, as well as me, those who will understand my meaning.
3. Deference is to be paid to all men, and so much the more, as they are more likely to take occasions of quarreling.
4. And if we show a submissive temper, we shall overcome effectually in all points, if so be they are capable of seeing and acknowledging themselves to have been in the wrong. Farewell.
CHAPTER 7: Annaeus Seneca to Paul, Greeting.
1. I profess myself extremely pleased with the reading your letters to the Galatians, Corinthians, and the people of Achaia (part of Greece).
2. For the Holy Spirit has in them by you delivered those sentiments which are very lofty, sublime, deserving of all respect, and beyond your own invention.
3. I could wish therefore, that when you are writing things so extraordinary, there might not be lacking an elegancy of speech agreeable to their majesty.
4. And I must admit, my brother, so that I may not at once dishonestly conceal anything from you and be unfaithful to my own conscience, that the emperor (Nero) is extremely pleased with the sentiments of your Epistles;
5. For when he heard the beginning of them read, he declared that he was surprised to find such notions in a person who had not had a regular education.
6. To which I replied, that the gods sometimes made use of humble persons to speak by, and gave him an instance of this in a simple countryman, named Vatienus, who, when he was in the country of Reate, had two men appear to him, called Castor and Pollux, and received a revelation from the gods. Farewell.
NOTE: Cicero (106 BC—43 BC) in his book Nature of the Gods 2.2 mentions that Castor and Pollux alerted an ignorant countryman named Vatienus to the defeat of the Macedonian King Perseus by the Romans in 168 BC at the Battle of Pydne.
CHAPTER 8: Paul to Seneca, Greeting.
1. Although I know the emperor (Nero) is both an admirer and favorer of our (religion), yet permit me to advise you against your suffering any injury, (by showing favor to us).
2. I think indeed you ventured upon a very dangerous attempt, when you would declare (to the emperor) that which is so very contrary to his religion and way of worship, seeing he is a worshipper of the heathen gods.
3. I know not what you particularly had in view when you told him of this, but I suppose you did it out of a too great respect for me.
4. But I desire that for the future you would not do so; for you need to be careful, for fear that by showing your affection for me, you could offend your master:
5. His anger indeed will do us no harm, if he continue a heathen; nor will his not being angry be of any service to us:
Empress Octavia, Nero’s first wife
6. And if the empress act worthy of her character, she will not be angry, but if she acts as a woman, she will be affronted. Farewell.
NOTE: Octavia (39-62) was Nero’s first wife whom he ordered to commit suicide in 62. Paul was right to warn Seneca about Nero. He started the first Imperial persecution of Christians
CHAPTER 9: Antaeus Seneca to Paul, Greeting.
1. I know that my letter, wherein I acquainted you, what I had read to the Emperor your Epistles, does not so much affect you as the nature of the things (contained in them),
2. Which do so powerfully divert men’s minds from their former manners and practices that I have always been surprised, and have been fully convinced of it by many arguments until now.
3. Let us therefore begin afresh; and if anything before has been imprudently acted, please forgive.
4. I have sent you a book de copia verborum. Farewell, dearest Paul.
CHAPTER 10: Paul to Seneca, Greeting.
1. As often as I write to you, and place my name before yours, I do a thing both disagreeable to myself and contrary to our religion.
2. For I ought, as I have often declared, to become all things to all men (I Corinthians 9:22), and to have that regard to your quality, which the Roman law has honored all senators with; namely, to put my name last in the (inscription of the) Epistle, that I may not at length with uneasiness and shame be obliged to do that which it was always my inclination to do. Farewell, most respected master. Dated the fifth of the calends of July, in the fourth consulship of Nero, and Messala.
CHAPTER 11: Annaeus Seneca to Paul, Greeting.
1. All happiness to you, my dearest Paul.
2. If a person so great, and in every way as agreeable as you are, become not only common, but a most intimate friend to me, how happy will be the case of Seneca!
3. You therefore, who are so eminent and so far exalted above all, even the greatest, do not think yourself unfit to be first named in the inscription of an Epistle.
4. For fear that I should suspect you intend not so much to test me, as to banter me; for you know yourself to be a Roman citizen.
5. And I could wish to be in that circumstance or station which you are, and that you were in the same that I am. Farewell, dearest Paul. Dated the Xth of the calends of April, in the consulship of Apriann and Capito.
CHAPTER 12: Annaeus Seneca to Paul, Greeting.
1. All happiness to you, my dearest Paul. Do you not suppose that I am extremely concerned and grieved that your innocence should bring you into sufferings?
2. And that all the people should suppose you (Christians) so criminal, and imagine all the misfortunes that happen to the city, to be caused by you?
3. But let us bear the charge with a patient temper, appealing (for our innocence) to the court (above), which is the only one our hard fortune will allow us to address, till at length our misfortunes will end in unalterable happiness.
4. Former ages have produced (tyrants) Alexander the son of Philip, and Dionysius; ours also has produced Caius Caesar; whose inclinations were their only laws.
5. As to the frequent burnings of the city of Rome, the cause is manifest; and if a person in my mean circumstances might be allowed to speak, and one might declare those dark things without danger, everyone should see the whole of the matter.
6. The Christians and Jews are indeed commonly punished for the crime of burning the city; but that impious miscreant who delights in murders and butcheries, and disguises his villainies with lies, is appointed to, or reserved till, his proper time.
7. And as the life of every excellent person is now sacrificed instead of that one person (who is the author of the mischief), so this one shall be sacrificed for many, and he shall be devoted to be burnt with fire instead of all.
8. One hundred and thirty-two houses, and four whole squares were burnt down in six days: the seventh put an end to the burning. I wish you all happiness.
9. Dated the fifth of the calends of April, in the consulship of Frigius and Bassus.
Nero burned Rome in 64 AD
CLICK HERE for article on Nero the Arsonist
CHAPTER 13: Annaeus Seneca to Paul, Greeting.
1. All happiness to you, my dearest Paul.
2. You have written many volumes in an allegorical and mystical style, and therefore such mighty matters and business being committed to you, require not to be set off with any rhetorical flourishes of speech, but only with some proper elegance.
3. I remember you often say, that many by affecting such a style do injury to their subjects, and lose the force of the matters they treat of.
4. But in this I desire you to regard me, namely, to have respect to true Latin, and to choose just words, so you may the better manage the noble trust which is reposed in you.
5. Farewell. Dated Vth of the names of July, Leo and Savinus consuls.
NOTE: Paul wrote his Epistles in Koine Greek, the lingua franca of his world. But he was highly educated in Jerusalem and knew Latin, too. Seems Seneca wanted Paul “to have respect to true Latin.”
CHAPTER 14: Paul to Seneca, Greeting.
1. Your serious consideration repaid [me] with these discoveries that the Divine Being has granted but to few.
2. I am thereby assured that I sow the most strong seed in a fertile soil, not anything material, which is subject to corruption, but the durable word of God, which shall increase and bring forth fruit to eternity.
3. That which by your wisdom you have attained to, shall abide without decay forever.
4. Believe that you ought to avoid the superstitions of Jews and Gentiles.
5. The things which you have in some measure arrived to, prudently make known to the emperor, his family, and to faithful friends;
6. And though your sentiments will seem disagreeable and not be comprehended by them, seeing most of them will not regard your discourses, yet the Word of God once infused into them will at length make them become new men, aspiring towards God.
7. Farewell Seneca, who are most dear to us. Dated on the calends of August, in the consulship of Leo and Savinus.