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
amuse anxious blessings content dependence either enjoy fears great happiness hopes mankind ourselves rest satisfied true wants whatever wise wishing within
True happiness is to enjoy the present, without anxious dependence upon the future, not to amuse ourselves with either hopes or fears but to rest satisfied with what we have, which is sufficient, for he that is so wants nothing. The great blessings of mankind are within us and within our reach. A wise man is content with his lot, whatever it may be, without wishing for what he has not.
wants
Poverty wants some, luxury many, and avarice all things.
fashion vices
What were once vices are the fashion of the day.
deal egyptian palate pleasures strangle whom
The pleasures of the palate deal with us like the Egyptian thieves, who strangle those whom they embrace.
act action considered unless
No action will be considered blameless, unless the will was so, for by the will the act was dictated.
amiable ancestry born unless
No one is better born than another, unless they are born with better abilities and a more amiable disposition.
despised hate learned until
No one can be despised by another until he has learned to despise himself.
flow flowing inward peace tears
Let tears flow of their own accord: their flowing is not inconsistent with inward peace and harmony.
dry eyes merely observe shed tears
Many shed tears merely for show, and have dry eyes when no one's around to observe them.
creature fellow hold remember whenever
Whenever you hold a fellow creature in distress, remember that he is a man.
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!
ancestry boast brag owe
Those who boast of their decent, brag on what they owe to others.
adversity struck troubles
Light troubles speak; the weighty are struck dumb.
bad
Even after a bad harvest there must be sowing.