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
men
It is the superfluous things for which men sweat.
building carried drudgery equally form inventing inventions lessons lies lowest men object office pace parts perfection philosophy rapid teach time warmth windows writer
In my own time there have been inventions of this sort, transparent windows tubes for diffusing warmth equally through all parts of a building short-hand, which has been carried to such a perfection that a writer can keep pace with the most rapid speaker. But the inventing of such things is drudgery for the lowest slaves; philosophy lies deeper. It is not her office to teach men how to use their hands. The object of her lessons is to form the soul.
brave men rejoice soldiers triumph veterans-day war
Brave men rejoice in adversity, just as brave soldiers triumph in war.
demands display few grief men sad
The display of grief makes more demands than grief itself. How few men are sad in their own company.
beyond both either existence ignorant life men middle people transcends
Ignorant people see life as either existence or non-existence, but wise men see it beyond both existence and non-existence to something that transcends them both; this is an observation of the Middle Way.
god heard men saw
So live with men as if God saw you and speak to God, as if men heard you.
men
For many men, the acquisition of wealth does not end their troubles, it only changes them.
dash force foreign grow men wear
It is the superfluous things for which men sweat, - superfluous things that wear our togas theadbare, that force us to grow old in camp, that dash us upon foreign shores.
bottom economy economy-and-economics late
Economy is too late when you are at the bottom of your purse.
drag fate fates lead
The fates lead the willing, and drag the unwilling.
sentiments
Nothing is so contemptible as the sentiments of the mob.
dislike great measure mind prefer sign
It is the sign of a great mind to dislike greatness, and prefer things in measure to things in excess.
quality quantity rather
It is the quality rather than the quantity that matters.
enjoy mar pleasure pleasures present
So enjoy present pleasures as to not mar those to come.