Pieter Paul Rubens. ‘The Death of Seneca’

Seneca is a Roman stoic who lived at the beginning of the 1st century. He preached contempt for death and destiny, and preached freedom from passions. He was an educator and advisor to the Emperor Nero. Nero accused him of treason and ordered him to commit suicide. Seneca cut open his veins in warm water to speed the flow of blood and disclosed his sensations with his disciples when crossing the Great Divide.