Lucius Annaeus Seneca
Lucius Annaeus Seneca
Lucius Annaeus Senecawas a Roman Stoic philosopher, statesman, dramatist, and in one work humorist, of the Silver Age of Latin literature...
NationalityRoman
ProfessionStatesman
avarice evil promise promises purple rewards robe varied vices
There is no evil that does not promise inducements. Avarice promises money; luxury, a varied assortment of pleasures; ambition, a purple robe and applause. Vices tempt you by the rewards they offer.
evil heart human powerful propensity subdued
No evil propensity of the human heart is so powerful that it may not be subdued by discipline.
discipline evil heart human powerful propensity subdued
No evil propensity of the human heart is so powerful that it may mot be subdued by discipline.
cases envy estimate evil less loss troubles
No evil is without its compensation. The less money, the less trouble; the less favor, the less envy. Even in those cases which put us out of wits, it is not the loss itself, but the estimate of the loss that troubles us.
behind constant evil fault looks quality
It is the constant fault and inseparable evil quality of ambition, that it never looks behind it.
attention behold brave direct equal evil man matched turning worthy
Behold a worthy sight, to which the God, turning his attention to his own work, may direct his gaze. Behold an equal thing, worthy of a God, a brave man matched in conflict with evil fortune.
contentment deprived endure endured happy highest lowest man misfortune
Happy the man who can endure the highest and the lowest fortune. He, who has endured such vicissitudes with equanimity, has deprived misfortune of its power.
insult
It is often better not to see an insult than to avenge it.
man sick
It is medicine, not scenery, for which a sick man must go searching.
desires fears king
He is a king who fears nothing, he is a king who desires nothing!
close either god openly placed whatever
Whatever is to make us better and happy, God has placed either openly before us or close to us.
bounds due security state whatever
Whatever has overstepped its due bounds is always in a state of instability.
genius mixture
There is no genius without a mixture of madness.
compelling enter equal fortune freedom lists means slave
Freedom is not being a slave to any circumstance, to any constraint, to any chance; it means compelling Fortune to enter the lists on equal terms.