On the Firmness of the Wise Man

On the Firmness of the Wise Man is a moral essay written by Seneca in the form of a dialogue. It is practical advice on how to face insults. The work celebrates the serenity of the ideal stoic sage who, with inner firmness, is immune to insults and adversities. It is addressed to his friend Anneus Serenus and was written between the years 47 and 62, being one of the three dialogues addressed to Serenus, which also includes "Of Peace of Mind" and "On leisure".

The essay presents the idea of the stoic sage in clear and practical terms: he is a model to be aspired to, but he is a plausible figure. In a way, the role of the wise man in stoicism is similar to that of Jesus Christ or Buddha: to show the way. Seneca begins the essay by reminding his friend that improvement requires effort, but that becoming a stoic is not as difficult as many believe. He says that difficult things seem impossible in the eyes of the uninitiated, but once the journey begins, one finds his way.

Seneca affirms that not even Fortune can take away from us what it has not given us, and that therefore nothing can take away from us virtue, because virtue is not given to us, it is something that comes from within. Therefore, no real harm can be done to the wise man. All things considered, the picture of the sage that emerges from this book is, as promised at the beginning, that of someone who can, with effort, be copied. Wisdom is not unreachable and striving for it is certainly the objective of us all who are imperfect.