Marcia actively mourned the loss of life of her child Metilius for over three years. In Of Consolation to Marcia, Seneca attempts to convince her the fact that destiny of her son, while tragic, should not have already been a surprise. She knew a great many other moms who had lost their sons; why should she anticipate her own boy to endure her? The acknowledgement, also expectation, from the worst of most possible outcomes is usually a tenet of Seneca’s Stoic idea. While Seneca sympathised with Marcia, he reminded her that ‘we are about Essays 6: Of Consolation to Marcia created into a world of factors which are destined to perish,’ which if she could accept that nobody is assured a just existence (that is, one in which sons generally outlive their moms), she could finally end her mourning and live the others of her lifestyle in peace

Translation by Aubrey Stewart and made by Vox Stoica

Seneca’s Essays Series:

1) Of providence – addressed to Lucilius

2) Within the Firmness from the Wise Man – addressed to Serenus

3-5) Of Anger (Books 1-3) – addressed to his brother Novatus

6) Of Consolation – addressed to Marcia

7) Of the Happy Life – addressed to Gallio

8) Of Amusement – resolved to Serenus

9) Of Tranquillity of Brain – addressed to Serenus

10) Around the Shortness of Life – tackled to Paulinus

11) Of Consolation – addressed to Polybius

12) Of Consolation – addressed to Helvia