To his pupil Nero and to Lucilius (friend and, as metonymy, representative of the entire mankind), Seneca testifies to his pedagogic vocation. With conviction he applies himself to demonstrate the perfect correspondence between the Stoic doctrine and the educational strategy that he proposes. Firstly, the reciprocity of the relationship between educator and pupil appears fundamental; both further their individual knowledge. Secondly, the limitations of an ethical precept that is not anchored in the intensity and concreteness of human life becomes clearly apparent. Furthermore, it brings to question the weakness of a world vision not inspired by an innovative and original path. The starting point is therefore a rigorous examination of conscience to ultimately reach the revolutionary experience of risk in the moment of the last decision. In the name of truth the wise man must have the courage to embrace fate in order to really understand who he is (in a process of oikeiosis both as experience and as target), and he must instil in his pupils the courage to take risks along their own independent journey. In so doing, self-scrutiny and politics can become intertwined. It is herein that the educator s risk and responsibilities lie.Thanks to the intercession of Agrippina, the new wife of the emperor Claudius 1 , Seneca had the opportunity to return from Corsican exile.To Seneca, Agrippina committed the education of his son, the young Nero, so he could learn the overall basis of eloquence, which was considered a necessary art in order to manage power. This opened to the philosopher a double opportunity: first to test directly the value of the pedagogic proposal developed according to the Stoic doctrine, and secondly, to implement the precept according to which the political 1 Agrippina (the Younger) was the sister of Caligula and of Julia Livilla. The latter, daughter of Germanicus and wife of proconsul M. Vinicius, incurred in Messalina s jealousy, the uncle s first wife, the emperor Claudius. Accused of adultery she was exiled and eventually sentenced to death (cf. C. Dio 59, 22; 60, 8,[4][5] 60, 31; Sen., Apocol. 10, 4; Svet., Claud. 29). Seneca found himself involved in the matter, it is not clear if as lover or as accomplice of Julia Livilla; for this reason he was sentenced to exile, in Corsica, from which he returned in 49.