Seneca Quotes (5 BC - 65 AD)
Be silent as to services you have rendered, but speak of favours you have received.
Consult your friend on all things, especially on those which respect yourself. His counsel may then be useful where your own self-love might impair your judgment.
Dangerous is wrath concealed. Hatred proclaimed doth lose its chance of wreaking vengeance.
Desultory reading is delightful, but to be beneficial, our reading must be carefully directed.
Difficulties strengthen the mind, as labour does the body.
He will live ill who does not know how to die well.
I do not distinguish by the eye, but by the mind, which is the proper judge.
If a man does not know to what port he is steering, no wind is favourable to him.
It is a denial of justice not to stretch out a helping hand to the fallen; that is the common right of humanity.
It is easier to exclude harmful passions than to rule them, and to deny them admittance than to control them after they have been admitted.
It is not because things are difficult that we do not dare; it is because we do not dare that they are difficult.
It is pleasant at times to play the madman.
It is rash to condemn where you are ignorant.
About Me
- CyberKitten
- I have a burning need to know stuff and I love asking awkward questions.
6 comments:
"It is pleasant at times to play the madman." -- Indeed. lol
Too many people would like to label these concepts as Christian. But morality did not begin with Christianity. Actually, it looks like Christianity has borrowed pretty heavily from ancient philosophers.
dbackdad said: Actually, it looks like Christianity has borrowed pretty heavily from ancient philosophers.
Seneca was a Roman Stoic (and tutor of the Emperor Nero for his sins) so was likely to be have been aware of Christianity. Its possible (even probable) that there was quite a bit of cross fertilisation going on.
One of his quotes which did ring a bell:
It is not because things are difficult that we do not dare; it is because we do not dare that they are difficult.
Does that sound like JFK to you? [grin]
Anyway - I agree that we can learn a lot from Ancient philosophy about how to live our lives (and much else besides) without recourse to Christian ideas of morality and whatnot. I can't help wondering where we would be today without the influence of Christianity. I doubt if it would be such a bad place to be......
"I can't help wondering where we would be today without the influence of Christianity"
Jewish?
:-)
JM said: Jewish?
More likely pagan don't you think? [grin]
I think a lot of what we do and believe is Pagan, people don't realize how Christianity co-opted Pagan beliefs and customs.
VV said: I think a lot of what we do and believe is Pagan, people don't realize how Christianity co-opted Pagan beliefs and customs.
Very true.... and most of the people who don't know that are themselves Christians. Pagans know only too well how their beliefs have been co-opted.
Post a Comment