El estoicismo de Hipólito en el drama de Séneca

Abstract

This article presents an analysis of the Séneca's stoicism through his conception of the character of Hippolytus that surnrnarizes what could be considered an "epí­tome" of polemic between the Greek and the Roman conception of the stoicism. Usually the character of Fedra in Seneca's tragedy has been the favorite subject because of her unfolded pathos; with her, Seneca builds a character who is capable of developing stoic ideas by way of the negative exemplum. At her side, Hippolytus seems to embody the positive way of stoic life by rejection of life in palace and, therefore, of moral corruption. However, in the young Hippolytus is possible to notice the image of the prince who prefers the life in the forests and disregards his political and civil duties when his presence is decisive for the health of the Kingdom