29.
Do you desire another case?
Take that of the younger Marcus Cato, with whom Fortune dealt in a more hostile and more persistent fashion.
But he withstood her, on all occasions, and in his last moments, at the point of death, showed that a brave man can live in spite of Fortune, can die in spite of her.
His whole life was passed either in civil warfare, or under a political regime which was soon to breed civil war.
And you may say that he, just as much as Socrates, declared allegiance to liberty in the midst of slavery—unless perchance you think that Pompey, Caesar, and Crassus were the allies of liberty!
Book: Moral Letters Vol III
Subtitle: Seneca's timeless letters of advice and wisdom.
Author: Seneca
Chapter: On care of health and peace of mind
Location: Chapter 104, Section 29
Content:
29.
Do you desire another case?
Take that of the younger Marcus Cato, with whom Fortune dealt in a more hostile and more persistent fashion.
But he withstood her, on all occasions, and in his last moments, at the point of death, showed that a brave man can live in spite of Fortune, can die in spite of her.
His whole life was passed either in civil warfare, or under a political regime which was soon to breed civil war.
And you may say that he, just as much as Socrates, declared allegiance to liberty in the midst of slavery—unless perchance you think that Pompey, Caesar, and Crassus were the allies of liberty!