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Moral Letters Vol III

Seneca

§ Section 3

On obedience to the universal will

107:3

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

Book Description: The final volume of Seneca's moral letters. Common Stoic themes emerge again and again: the unreliability of fortune, the ability to form Stoic resolve, and the importance of virtue.

3.

Does one wish to die?

Let the mind be prepared to meet everything; let it know that it has reached the heights round which the thunder plays.

Let it know that it has arrived where— Grief and avenging Care have set their couch, And pallid sickness dwells, and drear Old Age.

With such messmates must you spend your days.

Avoid them you cannot, but despise them you can.

And you will despise them, if you often take thought and anticipate the future.