On the Shortness of Life

Seneca argues that those who “spend all their time in drinking and lust” devote themselves to the worst possible preoccupations. Given the context in which Seneca was writing, why might he think these are the worst vices?

Seneca writes: “Why do we complain about nature? She has acted kindly: life is long if you know how to use it” (2). What does Seneca believe is the root cause of a short life, and the secret to a long life?

What role does the figure of Augustus play in “On the Shortness of Life” and to what extent is Seneca’s presentation of him positive or negative?