On the Shortness of Life

Seneca the Younger, a Roman Stoic philosopher, wrote De Brevitate Vitae (On the Shortness of Life) to his father-in-law Paulinus probably around the year 49 AD. Many Stoic concepts on the nature of time are brought up by the philosopher, including the fact that individuals spend a lot of it on useless activities. According to the article, nature provides individuals with enough time to pursue what is truly essential, and it is up to the person to appropriately allocate it. In general, the optimal use of time is to live in the present moment in order to live a life that is deliberate and meaningful.

This edition is a 1932 translation made by John W. Basore