Seneca the Younger: Trending quotes (page 3)

“Fire tries gold, misfortune tries brave men.”
Ignis aurum probat, miseria fortes uiros.

“That is why we give to children a proverb, or that which the Greeks call Chreia, to be learned by heart; that sort of thing can be comprehended by the young mind, which cannot as yet hold more. For a man, however, whose progress is definite, to chase after choice extracts and to prop his weakness by the best known and the briefest sayings and to depend upon his memory, is disgraceful; it is time for him to lean on himself. He should make such maxims and not memorize them. For it is disgraceful even for an old man, or one who has sighted old age, to have a note-book knowledge. "This is what Zeno said." But what have you yourself said? "This is the opinion of Cleanthes." But what is your own opinion? How long shall you march under another man's orders? Take command, and utter some word which posterity will remember. Put forth something from your own stock.”
Ideo pueris et sententias ediscendas damus et has quas Graeci chrias vocant, quia complecti illas puerilis animus potest, qui plus adhuc non capit. Certi profectus viro captare flosculos turpe est et fulcire se notissimis ac paucissimis vocibus et memoria stare: sibi iam innitatur. Dicat ista, non teneat; turpe est enim seni aut prospicienti senectutem ex commentario sapere. 'Hoc Zenon dixit': tu quid? 'Hoc Cleanthes': tu quid? Quousque sub alio moveris? impera et dic quod memoriae tradatur, aliquid et de tuo profer.

“Virtue runs no risk of becoming contemptible by being exposed to view, and it is better to be despised for simplicity than to be tormented by continual hypocrisy.”

“He who receives a benefit with gratitude, repays the first installment of it.”
Qui grate beneficium accipit, primam eius pensionem solvit.

“Who vaunts his race, lauds what belongs to others.”
qui genus iactat suum, aliena laudat.

“Tis the first art of kings, the power to suffer hate.”
ars prima regni est posse invidiam pati.

“Pyrrhus: No law demands mercy to prisoners
Agamemnon: Though the law forbids it not, yet decency forbids it.
Pyr: The victor is at liberty to do whatever he likes.
Agam.: To whom much is allowed, it is least suitable to act wantonly.”
Pyrrhus: Lex nulla capto parcit aut poenam impedit. Agamemnon: Quod non vetat lex, hoc vetat fieri pudor. Pyr: Quodcumque libuit facere victori licet. Agam.: Minimum decet libere cui multum licet.

“Unjust rule never abides continually.”
Iniqua nunquam regna perpetuo manent.

“Growth is slow but collapse is rapid.”

“It is not that we have a short space of time, but that we waste much of it. Life is long enough.”
Non exiguum temporis habemus, sed multum perdidimus. Satis longa vita.

“The much occupied man has no time for wantonness, and it is an obvious commonplace that the evils of leisure can be shaken off by hard work.”
numquam vacat lascivire districtis, nihilque tam certum est quam otii vitia negotio discuti.

“Why does God afflict the best of men with ill-health, or sorrow, or other troubles? Because in the army the most hazardous services are assigned to the bravest soldiers: a general sends his choicest troops to attack the enemy in a midnight ambuscade, to reconnoitre his line of march, or to drive the hostile garrisons from their strong places. No one of these men says as he begins his march, " The general has dealt hardly with me," but "He has judged well of me."”
Quare deus optimum quemque aut mala valetudine aut luctu aut aliis incommodis adficit? quia in castris quoque periculosa fortissimis imperantur: dux lectissimos mittit qui nocturnis hostes adgrediantur insidiis aut explorent iter aut praesidium loco deiciant. Nemo eorum qui exeunt dicit 'male de me imperator mervit', sed 'bene iudicavit'.

“Religion is regarded by the common people as true, by the wise as false, and by rulers as useful.”

“It is better, of course, to know useless things than to know nothing.”
Satius est supervacua scire quam nihil.

“Besides, he who follows another not only discovers nothing but is not even investigating.”
Praeterea qui alium sequitur nihil invenit, immo nec quaerit.

“Tis the upright mind that holds true sovereignty.”
mens regnum bona possidet.

“Pyrrhus: Mercy often means giving death, not life.”
Pyrrhus: Mortem misericors saepe pro vita dabit.

“If you wish to be loved, love.”

“A good judge condemns wrongful acts, but does not hate them.”
bonus iudex damnat inprobanda, non odit.