A amizade nas cartas a Lucílio de Sêneca

Abstract

If the term "philosophy" in its etymological sense means love for philosophy, that love manifests itself as friendship and this will be one of the most expensive to old themes. This dissertation, following the methodology of reading and analyzing texts, initially invites the reader to retrace the route of the notion of philia/amicitia in the Greco-Roman world in which its foundations were laid and discussed in memorable pages ranging from the fragments of Empedocles of Agrigentum, through the platonic dialogues as Lysis, the Symposium and Phaedrus, the books VIII and IX of the Nicomachean Ethics of Aristotle, Epicurus the letters and dialogue On friendship of Cicero, the last one latter in Republican Rome. However, the pages especially dedicated this monograph are directed to reflection that Seneca, in imperial Rome, gives the friendship in some of the Moral letters to Lucilius, enjoying the philosophical idleness that the adverse political situation in neroniano principality has imposed. Through letters, simple and straightforward textual form to send teaching the young Lucilio, and why not tell us, Seneca rethinks human relationships beyond the usual forms of patronage and clientelism so present in the life of patricians and plebeians of their time and proposes a higher sense of friendship, in the sense that this is reciprocal, caring and unselfish, fundamental component of the happy life and essential part of his practical philosophy. The following results were obtained: the realization that Seneca did not understand Epicurus in relation to friendship, that your way of thinking the Sage is more human than occurred before it, because it presents a sage who feel like having friends and takes pleasure in have friends and your choice in dealing with friendship through letters is made to think that this is the best way to address them.