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Book

On the shortness of life

Seneca•20 chapters•45 pages•c. 49 AD

On the Shortness of Life (De Brevitate Vitae) is an essay in which Seneca argues that life is not truly short, but that we waste much of it. He criticizes busyness, distraction, and self-neglect, urging readers to reclaim their time through awareness, clarity, and philosophical reflection. The work remains a timeless meditation on how to live fully and deliberately.

20 chapters

Chapter 1

Chapter 1.1

On the shortness of life

Seneca

2 min

Chapter 2

Chapter 2.1

On the shortness of life

Seneca

4 min

Chapter 3

Chapter 3.1

On the shortness of life

Seneca

3 min

Chapter 4

Chapter 4

On the shortness of life

Seneca

3 min

Chapter 5

Chapter 5

On the shortness of life

Seneca

2 min

Chapter 6

Chapter 6

On the shortness of life

Seneca

2 min

Chapter 7

Chapter 7

On the shortness of life

Seneca

5 min

Chapter 8

Chapter 8

On the shortness of life

Seneca

3 min

Chapter 9

Chapter 9

On the shortness of life

Seneca

3 min

Chapter 10

Chapter 10

On the shortness of life

Seneca

4 min

Chapter 11

Chapter 11

On the shortness of life

Seneca

2 min

Chapter 12

Chapter 12

On the shortness of life

Seneca

5 min

Chapter 13

Chapter 13

On the shortness of life

Seneca

5 min

Chapter 14

Chapter 14

On the shortness of life

Seneca

3 min

Chapter 15

Chapter 15

On the shortness of life

Seneca

3 min

Chapter 16

Chapter 16

On the shortness of life

Seneca

3 min

Chapter 17

Chapter 17

On the shortness of life

Seneca

4 min

Chapter 18

Chapter 18

On the shortness of life

Seneca

3 min

Chapter 19

Chapter 19

On the shortness of life

Seneca

2 min

Chapter 20

Chapter 20

On the shortness of life

Seneca

3 min