Seneca the Younger Quotes
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In whatever direction you turn, you will see God coming to meet you; nothing is void of him, he himself fills all his work.
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The state of that man's mind who feels too intense an interest as to future events, must be most deplorable.
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You should rather suppose that those are involved in worthwhile duties who wish to have daily as their closest friends Zeno, Pythagoras, Democritus and all the other high priests of liberal studies, and Aristotle and Theophrastus. None of these will be too busy to see you, none of these will not send his visitor away happier and more devoted to himself, none of these will allow anyone to depart empty-handed. They are at home to all mortals by night and by day.
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Dissembling profiteth nothing; a feigned countenance, and slightly forged externally, deceiveth but very few.
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Death is a punishment to some, to others a gift and to many a favour.
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The first step towards amendment is the recognition of error.
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Trifling trouble find utterance; deeply felt pangs are silent.
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Philosophy is the art and law of life, and it teaches us what to do in all cases, and, like good marksmen, to hit the white at any distance.
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Concealed anger is to be feared; but hatred openly manifested destroys its chance of revenge.
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Nothing will ever please me, no matter how excellent or beneficial, if I must retain the knowledge of it to myself. . . . . . No good thing is pleasant to possess, without friends to share it.
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It is only the surprise and newness of the thing which makes that misfortune terrible which by premeditation might be made easy to us. For that which some people make light by sufferance, others do by foresight.
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Leave in concealment what has long been concealed.
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A hungry people listens not to reason, not cares for justice, nor is bent by any prayers.
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You have to persevere and fortify your pertinacity until the will to good becomes a disposition to good.
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Lightning will wreck its displeasures not only upon pillars, trees, and sheep, but upon altars and temples, and let the sacrilegious go free.
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As long as we are among humans, let us be humane.
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Who has more leisure than a worm?
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Happy he whoe'er, content with the common lot, with safe breeze hugs the shore, and, fearing to trust his skiff to the wider sea, with unambitious oar keeps close to the land.
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He who asks with timidity invites a refusal.
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Not to feel one's misfortunes is not human, not to bear them is not manly.
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Ponder for a long time whether you shall admit a given person to your friendship; but when you have decided to admit him, welcome him with all your heart and soul. Speak as boldly with him as with yourself.
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Make haste to live, and consider each day a life.
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The young man must store up, the old man must use.
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Something that can never be learnt too thoroughly can never be said too often.