This essay responds to a request from Seneca's friend Serenus, who confesses to a restless dissatisfaction despite his philosophical progress. Seneca diagnoses this condition — a kind of spiritual unease — and prescribes remedies drawn from Stoic practice.
The essay addresses anxiety, ambition, and the difficulty of maintaining inner calm amid the distractions of social life, offering counsel that speaks directly to modern concerns about restlessness and discontent.
"All of us are chained to Fortune. Some are bound by a loose and golden chain, others by a tight chain of baser metal; but what difference does it make?"
— Of Peace of Mind, 10