Commanding Constantia in Senecan Tragedy

Abstract

This paper investigates the language of self-address in Seneca's tragedies. I show that the rhetorical language Seneca's characters direct at themselves constitutes a key similarity to the techniques Seneca recommends in his philosophical works. Initially, I demonstrate how Seneca urges Lucilius and even instructs the Emperor Nero (if only indirectly) to battle for consistency through self-command. Secondly, through careful explication of passages from Agamemnon, Thyestes, and Medea, I show how this same rhetorical figure, self-apostrophe, is used by Seneca's characters to achieve their criminal self-fulfillment. In Senecan tragedy as well as philosophy, consistency is achieved by self-command regardless of whether consistency results in knowledge for Lucilius, clemency for Nero, or revenge for Seneca's tragic characters.