16.
All this may be regarded as a concession to the ways of Greece; we ourselves should preferably turn our attention to words like these: “No man is good by chance.
Virtue is something which must be learned.
Pleasure is low, petty, to be deemed worthless, shared even by dumb animals—the tiniest and meanest of whom fly towards pleasure.
Glory is an empty and fleeting thing, lighter than air.
Poverty is an evil to no man unless he kick against the goads.
Death is not an evil; why need you ask?
Death alone is the equal privilege of mankind.
Superstition is the misguided idea of a lunatic; it fears those whom it ought to love; it is an outrage upon those whom it worships.
For what difference is there between denying the gods and dishonouring them?”
Book: Moral Letters Vol III
Subtitle: Seneca's timeless letters of advice and wisdom.
Author: Seneca
Chapter: On the conflict between pleasure and virtue
Location: Chapter 123, Section 16
Content:
16.
All this may be regarded as a concession to the ways of Greece; we ourselves should preferably turn our attention to words like these: “No man is good by chance.
Virtue is something which must be learned.
Pleasure is low, petty, to be deemed worthless, shared even by dumb animals—the tiniest and meanest of whom fly towards pleasure.
Glory is an empty and fleeting thing, lighter than air.
Poverty is an evil to no man unless he kick against the goads.
Death is not an evil; why need you ask?
Death alone is the equal privilege of mankind.
Superstition is the misguided idea of a lunatic; it fears those whom it ought to love; it is an outrage upon those whom it worships.
For what difference is there between denying the gods and dishonouring them?”