The +30 best phrases of Seneca

Seneca was a great philosopher

On April 12, AD 65, one of the greatest philosophers of the Roman Empire died: Lucius Annaeus Seneca. A stoic philosopher who left us great phrases in his life and a book that is considered today as a true self-help manual. It is about his essay Letters to Lucio.

We are going to offer you his best phrases so that you can better understand his thinking and why he continues to be a reference for many today.

This thought and maximum exponent of the philosophical current known as Stoicism, was born around 4 BC and died in 65 AD, when he felt forced to take his own life. It had a great relevance in the Roman Empire during the foundation of Emperor Nero has given us great reflections. His reflections have to do with morality for the most part and none of them, to this day, have any waste.

In this way we can see how the human being continues to think about morality practically the same ... regardless of the centuries that pass. Do not miss below some of those famous phrases and that You cannot miss the opportunity to meet and reflect on them.

Seneca quotes

  • We do not dare to many things because they are difficult, but they are difficult because we do not dare to do them.
  • Anger: an acid that can do more damage to the container in which it is stored than to anything on which it is poured.
  • Friendship is always helpful; Love sometimes hurts.
  • Long is the path of teaching through theories; short and effective through examples.
  • Sadness, although always justified, is often just laziness. Nothing takes less effort than being sad.
  • There is no one less fortunate than the man who is forgotten by adversity because he has no opportunity to test himself.
  • It is the same virtue to moderate in joy as to moderate in pain.
  • So great is the pleasure in finding a grateful man that it is worth risking to become an ingrate.
  • He who has little is not poor, but he who desires much.
  • What the law does not prohibit, honesty can prohibit.
  • A man without passion is so close to stupidity that he only needs to open his mouth to fall for it.
  • The first art that those who aspire to power must learn is that of being able to endure hatred.
  • Strong spirits enjoy adversity as fearless soldiers triumph in wars.
  • The height of unhappiness is to fear something, when nothing is expected.
  • It is a king who fears nothing, it is a king who wishes nothing; and we can all give ourselves that kingdom.
  • More harmful is the wealth that comes upon great greed.
  • There is no one less fortunate than the man who is forgotten by adversity because he has no opportunity to test himself.
  • The arms of fortune are not long. They tend to rely on whoever is closest to them.
  • Sadness, although always justified, is often just laziness. Nothing takes less effort than being sad.
  • The first art that those who aspire to power must learn is that of being able to endure hatred.
  • Worse are hidden hatreds than uncovered ones.
  • Listen even to the little ones, because nothing is despicable in them.
  • A great sailor can sail even if his sails are for hire.
  • Uncontained, anger is often more damaging than the injury that provokes it.
  • Some are considered large because the pedestal is also counted.
  • If you submit to nature, you will never be poor; if you submit to opinion, you will never be rich.
  • Unforeseen misfortune hurts us more strongly.
  • The noble soul possesses the great quality of being passionate about honest things
  • What you think of yourself matters much more than what others think of you.
  • The total harmony of this world is formed by a natural agglomeration of discords.
  • Necessary are new favors of fortune to preserve happiness.
  • I'd rather bother with the truth, than indulge in flattery.
  • Not having anything that excites you, that urges you, that with its attack or with its announcement puts the mettle of your soul to the test, being thrown into leisure without worries is not tranquility but indolence.
  • Life is divided into three times: present, past and future. Of these, the present is very brief; the future, doubtful; the past, true.
  • When you are in the midst of adversity, it is too late to be cautious.
  • The greatest obstacle in life is the waiting for tomorrow and the loss of today.
  • Through the rough you reach the stars.
  • No matter how high fortune has put a man, he always needs a friend.
  • He who has much wants more, which shows that he does not have enough; But he who has enough has reached a point where the rich never reach.
  • Life is like a legend: it does not matter that it is long, but that it is well narrated.
  • A man without passion is so close to stupidity that he only needs to open his mouth to fall for it.

Seneca makes you think

  • Know that when you are friends with yourself, you are also friends with everyone.
  • Do you want to know what freedom is? Not to be a slave to anything, to any necessity, to any chance, to reduce fortune to terms of equity.
  •  What the law does not prohibit, honesty can prohibit.
  • Live with the inferior as you would like the superior to live with you. Always do with the slave no more than what you would like an owner to do with you.
  • I'll tell you what true pleasure is and where it comes from: a good conscience, right intentions, good deeds, contempt for random things, the placid air full of security, the life that always treads the Same way.
  • He who is prudent is moderate; the one that is moderate is constant; he who is constant is imperturbable; He who is imperturbable lives without sadness; he who lives without sadness is happy; therefore the prudent is happy.
  • In my opinion, there is no man who appreciates virtue more and follows it more willingly than he who, by not betraying his conscience, has lost the reputation of a good man.
  • The reward of a good action is having done it.
  • We do not receive a short life, but we shorten it. We are not destitute of her, but wayward.
  • Long is the path of teaching through theories; short and effective through examples.
  • No hope remains of virtue, when vices not only delight, but are approved of.
  • Better suffers evil who always fears it.
  • It is the same virtue to moderate in joy as to moderate in pain.
  • Fear is painted on the face.
  • So great is the pleasure in finding a grateful man that it is worth risking to become an ingrate.
  • The death that nature commands must be expected.
  • The will is what gives value to small things.
  • If opinions weigh, don't count them.
  • It is proof of virtue to displease the wicked.
  • He who has little is not poor, but he who desires much.
  • No discovery would be made any longer if we were content with what we know.
  • It does not matter that you read many books, it is more important that the ones that you
  • It is unfair to do wrong to the one who did it the least.
  • Every day we must judge a new life.
  • It is never too much to publish what needs to be known.
  • When a sailboat does not know which port it is going to, no wind is adequate.
  • There is no strong or consistent tree but one that the wind blows frequently.

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      Jose Castillo said

    Anneus lucio great Roman philosopher dries up, but because of his friendship with Saul he was disloyal to the great Rome, it is possible his conspiracy to facilitate the rebellions of Palestinians, Egyptians and Hebrews

         Anonymous said

      Very useful for my building