On the value of advice
94:10
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.
10. “Shall you then offer precepts that are clear, or precepts that are doubtful?
Those which are clear need no counsellor, and doubtful precepts gain no credence; so the giving of precepts is superfluous.
That this is so learn thus: if you are counselling someone on a matter which is of doubtful clearness and doubtful meaning, you must supplement your precepts by proofs; and if you must resort to proofs, your means of proof are more effective and more satisfactory in themselves.
Book: Moral Letters Vol III
Subtitle: Seneca's timeless letters of advice and wisdom.
Author: Seneca
Chapter: On the value of advice
Location: Chapter 94, Section 10
Content:
10. “Shall you then offer precepts that are clear, or precepts that are doubtful?
Those which are clear need no counsellor, and doubtful precepts gain no credence; so the giving of precepts is superfluous.
That this is so learn thus: if you are counselling someone on a matter which is of doubtful clearness and doubtful meaning, you must supplement your precepts by proofs; and if you must resort to proofs, your means of proof are more effective and more satisfactory in themselves.