Wise by Chance

"No one was ever wise by chance." - Seneca From "Letters from a Stoic" (Letter 76: On Learning Wisdom in Old Age). Seneca wrote 124 letters to his good friend Lucillius in his final three years of life, between his withdrawal from the court of the craven emperor Nero, and his forced death by the emperor's decree. In this letter, Seneca rightly points out that while chance can provide wealth or status, it cannot provide virtue or wisdom, and encourages his friend to diligently study philosophy. In this illustration, an owl carrying a scroll confronts the viewer with wings unfolded. The wings are "lined" with Latin text from Seneca's letters rendered in a handwritten style of the period, a challenge and invitation to contend with the writings of this wise and patient philosopher. • 11x14 inch art print with white border  • Premium, fine art paper made in New York • Elegant eggshell finish• Ships in a a rigid, flat mailer. No need to unroll! • Fits into standard 11x14 frames (or a 16x20