Seneca, the Stoics, and a Coffee Ring

I recently finished Letters from a Stoic, a collection of letters written by Seneca, a Roman of the first century AD. The Latin title is Epistulae morales ad Lucilium which means moral letters to Lucilius. In all there are 124 letters in the collection, but my Penguin Classics edition does not have all of them.

These letters are some of the best extant examples of Stoicism and its way of thinking. My one line summary of Stoicism is happily accept what fortune gives you and be in control of your emotions. The letters are practical advice on how to implement this philosophy in daily life.

I started this book sometime in the middle of last year. The letter format makes it easy to read in little parts. However, that also reduces my drive to finish the book. Since there is no larger structure, there is no need for me to remember the beginning of the book when I get to the end.

Some of the letters are great while a few are less interesting. If I had planned ahead I would have a list of a few good letters for you to check out. The only one I remember anything specific about is Letter XC. Even then I only remember wanted to argue with it.

I do not know as much about Greek and Roman philosophy as I think I should. Reading this is part of my program to fix that. This is the second of three Stoic works I plan on reading. I already read Marcus Aurelius's Meditations and next I will be reading Epictetus's Enchiridion. If you want a suggestion, I recommend you pick up Marcus Aurelius's Meditations. Like all the important works from Ancient Greece and Rome, it is available online.

Now for something different and non-Stoic. I have a recipe to share.

Italian Coffee Ring

1 stick margarine
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 egg
2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup milk

chocolate chips, nuts, or raisins (optional)

Cream the margarine and sugar. This involves waiting until the margarine is soft and mixing it thoroughly with the sugar. After this add the rest of the ingredients and mix some more. For the last item I usually add chocolate chips. I add around a cup, but put in however many you think look good.

On a greased cookie sheet, spoon the dough into two long logs. If desired, you can make one ring instead. Bake at 375 for 15 - 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

After it cools add frosting and cover with jimmies. I would furnish a picture, but these did not stay around the house very long.