24. “He who is brave is fearless; he who is fearless is free from sadness; he who is free from sadness is happy.” It is our own school which has framed this syllogism; they attempt to refute it by this answer, namely, that we Stoics are assuming as admitted a premiss which is false and distinctly controverted,—that the brave man is fearless. “What!” they say, “will the brave man have no fear of evils that threaten him?
That would be the condition of a madman, a lunatic, rather than of a brave man.
The brave man will, it is true, feel fear in only a very slight degree; but he is not absolutely free from fear.”
Book: Moral Letters Vol II
Subtitle: Seneca's timeless letters of advice and wisdom.
Author: Seneca
Chapter: On some vain syllogisms
Location: Chapter 85, Section 23
Content:
24. “He who is brave is fearless; he who is fearless is free from sadness; he who is free from sadness is happy.” It is our own school which has framed this syllogism; they attempt to refute it by this answer, namely, that we Stoics are assuming as admitted a premiss which is false and distinctly controverted,—that the brave man is fearless. “What!” they say, “will the brave man have no fear of evils that threaten him?
That would be the condition of a madman, a lunatic, rather than of a brave man.
The brave man will, it is true, feel fear in only a very slight degree; but he is not absolutely free from fear.”