Although imperfect, the #philosophy developed by #seneca concerning peace of mind is worth studying. It has been practised by thousands of people across the centuries, and still today, can prompt us to improve our lifestyle. Seneca believed that adversity, if faced properly, can help us become emotionally stronger. The difficult question, however, is how to face #adversity effectively, so that we can emerge stronger, not weaker, from setbacks. In his 68th Letter to Lucilius, Seneca praised Gaius Mucius Scaevola, a Roman hero traditionally dated around 509 BC, that is, a man who had lived five centuries before Seneca. According to tradition, Scaevola remained defiant after being captured by the enemy. His defiance was so extreme that he had no problem injuring himself to prove the bravery of Roman soldiers. The spectacle of Scaevola’s self-mutilation made such a strong impression on the enemies that they set him free. Seneca argues that adversity had rendered Scaevola strong, but I fail to see the connection between his self-mutilation and tranquillity. On the contrary, I believe that Scaevola’s story is more likely to provoke nightmares than peace of mind. The argument used by Seneca is logically deficient, but his conclusion is surprisingly accurate; he comes to the conclusion that individuals like Scaevola tend to do well in life because of their audacity. According to Seneca, Scaevola did relatively well because of his bravery, defiance and fearlessness. If he had behaved cowardly, the enemies would have executed him immediately. Seneca’s analysis of Scaevola’s misfortunes is intriguing to say the least. It does not prove that Scaevola grew #courageous and serene due to adversity, but it correctly records a fact of life, namely, that courageous people tend to make better choices. I have witnessed many times that, in the face of setbacks, some individuals will feel crushed and give up all hope, while others grow in emotional strength and motivation. Here is the link to the original article: https://johnvespasian.com/senecas-specific-advice-on-tranquillity/