Good evening!
Today, I had to translate a text about slavery by Seneca in school.
It is one of his numerous famous letters he addressed to an imaginary apprentice called Lucilius.
I want to briefly give you an idea of what Seneca wrote because I think it is quite interesting.
In his opinion, every human being is made up from the same semen and therefore everyone is free and equal.
Then again, he believed in fortune and said that everyone is a slave of it - so no one is free.
In addition to that, everyone has a person above him, therefore is an inferior.
He demanded that slaves are being well treated and given respect.
Seneca's opinion is very "modern" we would probably say.
It is interesting in the context of Roman culture where slaves later were given civic liberties and considered as equal human beings.
March 2014
赶紧投票吧！ 