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
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.
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.
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.
favorable man port wind
If a man does not know what port he is steering for, no wind is favorable to him.
courage fortune
Fortune can take away riches, but not courage.
powerful
He is the most powerful who has himself, in his power.
act action considered unless
No action will be considered blameless, unless the will was so, for by the will the act was dictated.
art bear borne bravely cannot endured girl midst pain scorned short slight thou
Pain, scorned by yonder gout-ridden wretch, endured by yonder dyspeptic in the midst of his dainties, borne bravely by the girl in travail. Slight thou art, if I can bear thee, short thou art if I cannot bear thee!