1.
While reading the letter in which you were lamenting the death of the philosopher Metronax as if he might have, and indeed ought to have, lived longer, I missed the spirit of fairness which abounds in all your discussions concerning men and things, but is lacking when you approach one single subject,—as is indeed the case with us all.
In other words, I have noticed many who deal fairly with their fellow-men, but none who deals fairly with the gods.
We rail every day at Fate, saying “Why has A. been carried off in the very middle of his career?
Why is not B. carried off instead?
Why should he prolong his old age, which is a burden to himself as well as to others?”
Book: Moral Letters Vol III
Subtitle: Seneca's timeless letters of advice and wisdom.
Author: Seneca
Chapter: On the quality, as contrasted with the length, of life
Location: Chapter 93, Section 1
Content:
1.
While reading the letter in which you were lamenting the death of the philosopher Metronax as if he might have, and indeed ought to have, lived longer, I missed the spirit of fairness which abounds in all your discussions concerning men and things, but is lacking when you approach one single subject,—as is indeed the case with us all.
In other words, I have noticed many who deal fairly with their fellow-men, but none who deals fairly with the gods.
We rail every day at Fate, saying “Why has A. been carried off in the very middle of his career?
Why is not B. carried off instead?
Why should he prolong his old age, which is a burden to himself as well as to others?”