37.
Now, as the former sort, who are inclined towards the good, can be raised to the heights more quickly: so the weaker spirits will be assisted and freed from their evil opinions if we entrust to them the accepted principles of philosophy; and you may understand how essential these principles are in the following way.
Certain things sink into us, rendering us sluggish in some ways, and hasty in others.
These two qualities, the one of recklessness and the other of sloth, cannot be respectively checked or roused unless we remove their causes, which are mistaken admiration and mistaken fear.
As long as we are obsessed by such feelings, you may say to us: “You owe this duty to your father, this to your children, this to your friends, this to your guests”; but greed will always hold us back, no matter how we try.
A man may know that he should fight for his country, but fear will dissuade him.
A man may know that he should sweat forth his last drop of energy on behalf of his friends, but luxury will forbid.
A man may know that keeping a mistress is the worst kind of insult to his wife, but lust will drive him in the opposite direction.
Book: Moral Letters Vol III
Subtitle: Seneca's timeless letters of advice and wisdom.
Author: Seneca
Chapter: On the usefulness of basic principles
Location: Chapter 95, Section 36
Content:
37.
Now, as the former sort, who are inclined towards the good, can be raised to the heights more quickly: so the weaker spirits will be assisted and freed from their evil opinions if we entrust to them the accepted principles of philosophy; and you may understand how essential these principles are in the following way.
Certain things sink into us, rendering us sluggish in some ways, and hasty in others.
These two qualities, the one of recklessness and the other of sloth, cannot be respectively checked or roused unless we remove their causes, which are mistaken admiration and mistaken fear.
As long as we are obsessed by such feelings, you may say to us: “You owe this duty to your father, this to your children, this to your friends, this to your guests”; but greed will always hold us back, no matter how we try.
A man may know that he should fight for his country, but fear will dissuade him.
A man may know that he should sweat forth his last drop of energy on behalf of his friends, but luxury will forbid.
A man may know that keeping a mistress is the worst kind of insult to his wife, but lust will drive him in the opposite direction.