(“On Anger”) by Lucius Annaeus Seneca is both a political and a therapeutic work. Insofar as it is concerned with retribution and right conduct in social relations, especially also hierarchical relations such as that between master and slave or ruler and subject,
De iramust be read together with Seneca’s works
On Mercy(
De clementia) and
On Benefits(
De beneficiis). Insofar as it analyzes and treats a passion that is regarded as unhealthy and detrimental to human wellbeing, it stands in a tradition of “anger control” and psychotherapy beginning with the
Iliadand the wrath of Achilles (Harris 2001; Braund and Most 2003).
The dedicatee of De ira is Seneca’s older brother, who changed his original name, Lucius Aennaeus Novatus, when he was adopted by a rich and
1646 words
Citation: Wildberger, Jula. "De Ira". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 20 February 2012 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=34378, accessed 12 December 2024.]