Philosophical Works of Lucius Annaeus Seneca, Vol. 2

in the city, as if held at home by failing health or by studies of wisdom." These are not the actions of a new consul, or even a candidate: and his death, which followed not long after, forbids one to agree [with that date]. What, however, moved learned men to suspect such a thing? The fact that Tacitus writes that in that year a decree of the Senate was made, "that a sham adoption should not aid in any part of public duty, and should not profit even in the usurping of inheritances." But truly this has nothing to do with that Trebellianum: it looks elsewhere, if anyone reads even those prior things in Tacitus. Therefore, I agree that he was indeed a consul, but at another and earlier time: nor can I designate it with certainty. But that honor of his which was constant was to have been the tutor and moderator of the prince: a most excellent one, indeed, so long as the prince gave himself to his counsels and admonitions. Tacitus does not hide it, and names the two to whom the prince usefully surrendered himself. "It was going toward slaughter had not Afranius Burrus and Annaeus Seneca put themselves in the way. These, the governors of the imperial youth, and concordant in an equal partnership of power, prevailed equally by diverse arts. Burrus [by] military cares and the severity of his morals: Seneca [by] the precepts of eloquence and honorable courtesy: helping one another, so that they might more easily hold back the slippery age of the prince from forbidden pleasures, should he despise virtue." Oh, a praiseworthy effort, and consensus! A consensus that is too rare in palaces, where each one wants to stand out so much that he does not want another to do so. But to Seneca.

CHAPTER V.

Whether he held any other office in public, I do not know: privately, I find or at least conclude that he was in Egypt as a young man, on the occasion that his uncle was prefect there. For he writes concerning his aunt to his mother: "She will tell you her own example, of which I myself was a spectator." (Consol. ad Helv. ch. 21). Spectator? Therefore he was present on that voyage (concerning which he speaks there) when his aunt was returning from Egypt. And how, if not from Egypt himself? It was clearly so: and this is the reason why he curiously sprinkles his books (especially the Natural Questions) with quite a few things about Egypt itself, and the Nile. Perhaps he even went from Egypt to the shores of India, via the Red Sea: and thus wanted to comment on India; it is written in Pliny. (Book VI,