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
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.
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.
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.
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.
bear hard memory sweet
Things that were hard to bear are sweet to remember.
charm charming conversation insidious love secrets
Conversation has a kind of charm about it, an insuating and insidious something that elicits secrets from us just like love or liquor.
charm conversation insidious love secrets
Conversation has a kind of charm about it, an insinuating and insidious something that elicits secrets just like love or liquor.
expectation running serve
Even if it is to be, what end do you serve by running to distress?
affairs fate rules
Fate rules the affairs of men, with no recognizable order.
along fate leads
Fate leads the willing, and drags along the reluctant.