Lucius Annaeus Seneca, (4 B.C.-A.D. 65) Roman Stoic philosopher, statesman, dramatist, "Seneca the Younger" Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Comment on this quote Share via Email Print this Page [1-30] of 117 Lucius Annaeus Seneca quotesLucius Annaeus Seneca QuotesLucius Annaeus Seneca Next 30 quotes A golden bit does not make a better horse.~ Lucius Annaeus Seneca A sword by itself does not slay; it is merely the weapon used by the slayer.~ Lucius Annaeus Seneca A sword never kills anybody; it's a tool in the killer's hand.~ Lucius Annaeus Seneca Arms observe no bounds; nor can the wrath of the sword, once drawn, be easily checked or stayed; war delights in blood.~ Lucius Annaeus Seneca As is a tale, so is life: not how long it is, but how good it is, is what matters.~ Lucius Annaeus Seneca As long as you live, keep learning how to live.~ Lucius Annaeus Seneca Difficulties strengthen the mind, as labor does the body.~ Lucius Annaeus Seneca Enjoy present pleasures in such a way as not to injure future ones.~ Lucius Annaeus Seneca Every man prefers belief to the exercise of judgment.~ Lucius Annaeus Seneca If one doesn't know his mistakes, he won't want to correct them.~ Lucius Annaeus Seneca Live among men as if God beheld you; speak with God as if men were listening.~ Lucius Annaeus Seneca Most powerful is he who has himself in his own power.~ Lucius Annaeus Seneca Once again prosperous and successful crime goes by the name of virtue; good men obey the bad, might is right and fear oppresses law.~ Lucius Annaeus Seneca That is why we give to children a proverb, or that which the Greeks call Chreia, to be learned by heart; that sort of thing can be comprehended by the young mind, which cannot as yet hold more. For a man, however, whose progress is definite, to chase after choice extracts and to prop his weakness by the best known and the briefest sayings and to depend upon his memory, is disgraceful; it is time for him to lean on himself. He should make such maxims and not memorize them. For it is disgraceful even for an old man, or one who has sighted old age, to have a note-book knowledge. "This is what Zeno said." But what have you yourself said? "This is the opinion of Cleanthes." But what is your own opinion? How long shall you march under another man's orders? Take command, and utter some word which posterity will remember. Put forth something from your own stock.~ Lucius Annaeus Seneca Tis the upright mind that holds true sovereignty.~ Lucius Annaeus Seneca Toward good men God has the mind of a father, he cherishes for them a manly love, and he says, "Let them be harassed by toil, by suffering, by losses, in order that they may gather true strength." Bodies grown fat through sloth are weak, and not only labour, but even movement and their very weight cause them to break down. Unimpaired prosperity cannot withstand a single blow; but he who has struggled constantly with his ills becomes hardened through suffering; and yields to no misfortune; nay, even if he falls, he still fights upon his knees.~ Lucius Annaeus Seneca Virtue runs no risk of becoming contemptible by being exposed to view, and it is better to be despised for simplicity than to be tormented by continual hypocrisy.~ Lucius Annaeus Seneca Laws do not persuade just because they threaten.~ Lucius Annaeus Seneca Men do not care how nobly they live, but only how long, although it is within the reach of every man to live nobly, but within no man's power to live long.~ Lucius Annaeus Seneca Besides, he who follows another not only discovers nothing but is not even investigating.~ Lucius Annaeus Seneca Growth is slow but collapse is rapid.~ Lucius Annaeus Seneca The much occupied man has no time for wantonness, and it is an obvious commonplace that the evils of leisure can be shaken off by hard work.~ Lucius Annaeus Seneca Unrighteous fortune seldom spares the highest worth; no one with safety can long front so frequent perils. Whom calamity oft passes by she finds at last.~ Lucius Annaeus Seneca Who vaunts his race, lauds what belongs to others.~ Lucius Annaeus Seneca What is freedom? It means not being a slave to any circumstance, to any restraint, to any chance.~ Lucius Annaeus Seneca Freedom can't be kept for nothing. If you set a high value on liberty, you must set a low value on everything else.~ Lucius Annaeus Seneca Worse than war is the very fear of war.~ Lucius Annaeus Seneca The cause of anger is the belief that we are injured; this belief, therefore, should not be lightly entertained. We ought not to fly into a rage even when the injury appears to be open and distinct: for some false things bear the semblance of truth. We should always allow some time to elapse, for time discloses the truth.~ Lucius Annaeus Seneca Democracy is more cruel than wars or tyrants.~ Lucius Annaeus Seneca Who profits by a sin has done the sin.~ Lucius Annaeus Seneca Next 30 quotes Share on Facebook Tweet Email Print