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Moral Letters Vol II

Seneca

§ Section 18

On benefits

81:18

Book Subtitle: Seneca's timeless letters of advice and wisdom.

Book Description: The second volume of Seneca's moral letters to Lucilius. Each letter contains Seneca's advice and wisdom won from a life of Roman politics.

18.

For ungrateful men make mistakes in this respect also: they have to pay their creditors both capital and interest, but they think that benefits are currency which they can use without interest.

So the debts grow through postponement, and the later the action is postponed the more remains to be paid.

A man is an ingrate if he repays a favour without interest.

Therefore, interest also should be allowed for, when you compare your receipts and your expenses.