1/6) It is important to remember that without modern medicine, many in the ancient world endured chronic conditions that today we could treat. Seneca suffered from asthma and described how it informed his Stoic views on mortality:

"I have been dealt one illness in particular..

2/6) .."The Greeks call it 'asthma' but it is adequately described as 'laboured breathing'. Attacks usually last an hour or so - can you imagine drawing your final breath for that long? I have been visited by all types of physical pain but none are more distressing than this"..

3/6) .."With other ailments you might get sick but with this one you are losing your very soul's breath. For this reason doctors call asthma a 'rehearsal for death'. Even when an attack ends I can't rejoice: you don't win this legal case, you just postpone the day of the trial"..

4/6) .."This laboured breathing becomes a panting, lasting for long intervals. Even when it finally abates my breathing does not flow naturally, as if there was some obstruction. Take my word for it: I won't be afraid when my final moment comes. I'm rehearsing it every day"..

5/6) .."We should learn to praise and emulate the man who enjoys life but is not reluctant to die. There is no virtue in leaving anything, if you have to be kicked out! For me there is some virtue in my situation: I am indeed being told to leave but I am doing so willingly"..

6/6) .."The truly wise man is never in the position of being kicked out because that implies he leaves unwillingly; the wise man does nothing unwillingly. He escapes all necessity by his own choice. By his own free will he chooses the action before Fate can demand it of him."

Taken from the Letters of Seneca (54) - written 63-65 AD. Nero ordered Seneca, his former tutor and advisor, to commit suicide in 65 AD in the wake of the Pisonian conspiracy.
#roman #history #medicine #health #asthma #stoicism #stoic #philosophy