In 124 epistles Seneca (ca. 4 BC-AD 65) writes to Lucilius, occasionally about technical problems of philosophy, but more often in a relaxed style about moral and ethical questions, relating them to personal experiences. He thus presents a Stoic philosopher's thoughts about the good life in a contemporary Roman context.

Probably the most attractive of Seneca's works is this collection of 124 Epistles or Letters to Lucilius. Here Seneca writes occasionally about technical problems of philosophy, but more often in a relaxed style about moral and ethical questions, relating them to personal experiences: visits to gladiatorial shows and seaside resorts, the rigors of travel, the loss of friends, and the like. The reader is thus transported to the first century Roman scene while sampling the Stoic philosopher's thoughts about the good life.