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Ideas of Seneca the Younger, by Text
[Roman, -4 - 65, Born in Cordoba, Spain. Chief adviser to the Emperor Nero. Murdered by his master.]
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006
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p.39
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13290
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One joy of learning is making teaching possible
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048
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p.96
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13292
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Selfishness does not produce happiness; to live for yourself, live for others
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048
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p.98
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13293
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What philosophy offers humanity is guidance
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054
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p.104
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13294
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We know death, which is like before birth; ceasing to be and never beginning are the same
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054
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p.105
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13295
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Wise people escape necessity by willing it
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065
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p.119
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13297
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To the four causes Plato adds a fifth, the idea which guided the event
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077
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p.125
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13298
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Suicide may be appropriate even when it is not urgent, if there are few reasons against it
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077
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p.126
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13299
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Living is nothing wonderful; what matters is to die well
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077
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p.127
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13300
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It is as silly to lament ceasing to be as to lament not having lived in the remote past
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077
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p.129
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13301
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We are scared of death - except when we are immersed in pleasure!
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077
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p.130
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13302
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Life is like a play - it is the quality that matters, not the length
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078
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p.134
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13303
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A man is as unhappy as he has convinced himself he is
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083
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p.140
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13305
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Character is ruined by not looking back over our pasts, since the future rests on the past
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088
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p.154
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13307
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If everything can be measured, try measuring the size of a man's soul
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088
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p.156
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13308
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It's no good winning lots of fights, if you are then conquered by your own temper
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088
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p.158
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13311
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Does time exist on its own? Did anything precede it? Did it pre-exist the cosmos?
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088
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p.158
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13310
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Wisdom does not lie in books, and unread people can also become wise
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088
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p.158
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13309
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That something is a necessary condition of something else doesn't mean it caused it
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088
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p.159
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13312
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Excessive curiosity is a form of intemperance
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088
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p.160
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13313
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Even philosophers have got bogged down in analysing tiny bits of language
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090
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p.163
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13315
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To govern used to mean to serve, not to rule; rulers did not test their powers over those who bestowed it
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090
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p.171
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13317
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Philosophy aims at happiness
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090
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p.176
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13318
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Nature doesn't give us virtue; we must unremittingly pursue it, as a training and an art
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091
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p.183
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13319
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If we control our own death, no one has power over us
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102
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p.226
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13324
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Living contrary to nature is like rowing against the stream
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104
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p.184
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13320
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Sometimes we have a duty not to commit suicide, for those we love
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104
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p.185
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13321
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Is anything sweeter than valuing yourself more when you find you are loved?
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108
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p.201
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13322
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Both teachers and pupils should aim at one thing - the improvement of the pupil
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117.13
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p.136
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21399
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Referring to a person, and speaking about him, are very different
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120.5
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p.76
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22239
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Humans acquired the concept of virtue from an analogy with bodily health and strength [Allen]
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122
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p.222
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13323
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The whole point of pleasure-seeking is novelty, and abandoning established ways
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123
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p.227
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13325
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Trouble in life comes from copying other people, which is following convention instead of reason
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§01
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p.18
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13552
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Anger is an extreme vice, threatening sanity, and gripping whole states
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§04
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p.21
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13553
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Anger is a vice which afflicts good men as well as bad
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§06
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p.23
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13554
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True greatness is never allowing events to disturb you
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§36
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p.47
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13556
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Every night I critically review how I have behaved during the day
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§1
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p.4
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13548
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The ocean changes in volume in proportion to the attraction of the moon
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§2
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p.4
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13549
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Nothing bad can happen to a good man
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§4
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p.10
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13550
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To be always happy is to lack knowledge of one half of nature
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§02
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p.86
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13557
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Unfortunately the majority do not tend to favour what is best
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§08
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p.92
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13558
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The supreme good is harmony of spirit
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§09
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p.93
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13559
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I seek virtue, because it is its own reward
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§11
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p.93
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13560
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A wise man is not subservient to anything
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§13
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p.96
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13561
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Virtue is always moderate, so excess need not be feared
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§17
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p.99
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13563
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Why does your wife wear in her ears the income of a wealthy house?
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§17
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p.99
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13562
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It is shameful to not even recognise your own slaves
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§22
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p.103
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13564
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There is far more scope for virtue if you are wealthy; poverty only allows endurance
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§24
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p.106
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13565
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If wealth was a good, it would make men good
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