The Epistles of Lucius Annaeus Seneca

...he had divers, well-stocked and ornamented, as taken notice of by Juvenal: Senecæ prædivitis horti (The gardens of the very rich Seneca). He mentions some of his seats himself, as the Nomentanum, Albanum, and Baianum. He had likewise a house within the city, which many years retained the name of Seneca’s house in the tenth region. His rich furniture also may be supposed to have created great envy o. But it must be remembered that Seneca, before he came to court, had a great patrimonial revenue. And no wonder he increased it in so plentiful a court and amidst so great a felicity of the Roman state. Yet it cannot be denied that, when at court and in his old age, he bitterly inveighs against this sort of madness and severely reprehends all manner of luxury and extravagance, as you may read in his books Concerning Benefits. In the beginning of his treatise On Tranquillity, he professedly denies that he took any pleasure in his fine variegated tables, or that he was wont to use them. But the reader is particularly recommended to his book Of a Happy Life, wherein his chief point is to defend himself against the aspersions of his enemies. An admirable treatise, says Lipsius, and more valuable in this behalf was the calumny itself, being productive of so excellent a defense.

§ VIII. His Morals then sufficiently refute this objection concerning his riches and proclaim his use—not abuse—of them. He stands quite clear from any charge of pride, excess, or pomp. And with regard to his diet and manner of living, the reader needs only to be referred to that part of Epistle 108 where Seneca speaks of the salutary lectures he received from Attalus, and the happy impression they made upon him with regard to temperance and frugality. As to the rest of his life, it was both serious and severe. The court corrupted him not, nor was he inclined to flattery, a vice almost familiar and allied to such places. No; so far from it, that he said to Nero: "Suffer me to stay a little longer with thee, not to flatter thine ears, (for this is not my custom). I had rather offend thee by truth than please thee by flattery." And even at the point of death, he desired it might be told the prince "he never had a genius addicted to flattery, as no man better knew than Nero; who from Seneca had felt more frequent proofs of freedom than servility." We cannot pass by the commendable custom he speaks of in his third book of Anger, namely, his nightly self-examination with regard both to his words and actions: "I conceal nothing from myself," says he. "I let nothing slip; for why should I fear my own errors? It will be easy for me to say..."

Juvenal—

(o) Dio objects to him as having 500 tables of cedar with ivory feet, all alike and of equal size. It may be so; for in great banquets it was customary to set a table before every several guest. But as Dio was no friend to Seneca, he must be read with caution.