Sénèque citations

Page 3

“Nul ne sait répondre aux bienfaits que le sage : l’insensé aussi y répondra d’une manière telle quelle, selon sa portée; le savoir lui manquera plutôt que la volonté. La volonté ne s’apprend point.”
Nemo referre gratiam scit nisi sapiens : stultus quoque, utcumque scit et quemadmodum potest, referat; scientia illi potius, quam voluntas desit. Velle non discitur.

“La mort n'est ni un bien ni un mal : en effet, il faut être quelque chose pour pouvoir être bon ou mauvais; mais ce qui en soi n'est rien et ramène tout au néant, ne nous abandonne à aucune Fortune : en effet, les maux et les biens s'exercent sur la matière. La Fortune n'a pas prise sur ce que la Nature a laissé échapper et celui qui n'est plus ne peut-être malheureux.”

“La mauvaise Fortune ne brise que celui que la bonne Fortune a aveuglé.”

“Si un grand homme tombe, c'est un grand homme qui est à terre et je dirai qu'on ne le méprise pas plus qu'on ne piétine les ruines d'un temple consacré que les personnes pieuses révèrent tout autant que si les murs étaient encore debout.”

“Il doit nécessairement craindre beaucoup, celui qui est craint de beaucoup.”

“Les destins conduisent celui qui veut, ils traînent celui qui ne veut pas.”

“Personne ne meurt trop tôt puisque personne n'était destiné à vivre plus longtemps qu'il n'a vécu.”

“Là où il n'y a plus d'amélioration possible, le déclin est proche.”

“Quand tu auras désappris à espérer, je t'apprendrai à vouloir.”

“Si on nous donnait le choix entre ne pas être longtemps heureux et ne jamais l'être, mieux vaudrait un bonheur prêt à s'envoler que pas de bonheur du tout.”

“On n'est jamais méprisé par autrui que si on commence par se mépriser soi-même.”

“La véritable joie est une chose sérieuse.”

“Ce serait une sorte de consolation pour notre fragilité comme pour celle des choses qui nous touchent, si tout était aussi lent à périr qu’à croître; mais le progrès veut du temps pour se développer : la chute vient au pas de course.”

“La croissance est lente, mais la chute est rapide.”

“A golden bit does not make a better horse.”
Non faciunt meliorem equum aurei freni.

“It would be some consolation for the feebleness of ourselves and our works, if all things should perish as slowly as they come into being; but as it is, increases are of sluggish growth, but the way to ruin is rapid.”

“What need is there to weep over parts of life? The whole of it calls for tears.”

“You are doing an excellent thing, one which will be wholesome for you, if, as you write me, you are persisting in your effort to attain sound understanding; it is foolish to pray for this when you can acquire it from yourself. We do not need to uplift our hands towards heaven, or to beg the keeper of a temple to let us approach his idol's ear, as if in this way our prayers were more likely to be heard. A god is near you, with you, and in you. This is what I mean, Lucilius: there sits a holy spirit within us, one who marks our good and bad deeds, and is our a guardian.”
Facis rem optimam et tibi salutarem, si, ut scribis, perseveras ire ad bonam mentem, quam stultum est optare, cum possis a te impetrare. Non sunt ad caelum elevandae inarms nee exorandus aedituus, ut nos ad aurem simulacri, quasi magis exaudiri possimus, admittat; Prope est a te deus, tecum est, intus est. Ita dico, Lucili: sacer intra nos spiritus sedet, malorum bonorumque nostrorum observator et custos...

“Man is a reasoning animal.”
Rationale enim animal est homo.

“A great pilot can sail even when his canvas is rent.”
Magnus gubernator et scisso navigat velo.

“All savageness is a sign of weakness.”
Omnis enim ex infirmitate feritas est.

“Who profits by a sin has done the sin.”
Cui prodest scelus, is fecit.

“Things ’twas hard to bear ’tis pleasant to recall.”
quae fuit durum pati, meminisse dulce est.

“All art is but imitation of nature.”
Omnis ars naturae imitatio est.

“We often want one thing and pray for another, not telling the truth even to the gods.”
Saepe aliud volumus, aliud optamus, et verum ne dis quidem dicimus.

“He [Hercules] will find a way — or make one.”
inveniet viam aut faciet.

“If any one is angry with you, meet his anger by returning benefits for it: a quarrel which is only taken up on one side falls to the ground: it takes two men to fight.”
Irascetur aliquis: tu contra beneficiis prouoca; cadit statim simultas ab altera parte deserta; nisi paria non pugnant.

“That most knowing of persons – gossip.”
Is qui scit plurimum, rumor.

“What then? Shall I not follow in the footsteps of my predecessors? I shall indeed use the old road, but if I find one that makes a shorter cut and is smoother to travel, I shall open the new road. Men who have made these discoveries before us are not our masters, but our guides. Truth lies open for all; it has not yet been monopolized. And there is plenty of it left even for posterity to discover.”
Quid ergo? non ibo per priorum vestigia? ego vero utar via vetere, sed si propiorem planioremque invenero, hanc muniam. Qui ante nos ista moverunt non domini nostri sed duces sunt. Patet omnibus veritas; nondum est occupata; multum ex illa etiam futuris relictum est.

“Friendship is always helpful, but love sometimes even does harm”
Amicitia semper prodest, amor aliquando etiam nocet

“Don't ask for what you'll wish you hadn't got.”
postea noli rogare quod inpetrare nolueris.

“The wise man will live as long as he ought, not as long as he can.”
Sapiens vivit quantum debet, non quantum potest.

“He who, when he may, forbids not sin, commands it.”
Qui non vetat peccare cum possit, iubet.

“A great step towards independence is a good-humored stomach, one that is willing to endure rough treatment.”
Magna pars libertatis est bene moratus venter et contumeliae patiens.

“No man expects such exact fidelity as a traitor.”
fidei acerrimus exactor est perfidus

“It is too late to spare when you reach the dregs of the cask.”
Sera parsimonia in fundo est.

“Live among men as if God beheld you; speak with God as if men were listening.”
sic vive cum hominibus tamquam deus videat, si loquere cum deo tamquam homines audiant.

“A great fortune is a great slavery.”
Magna servitus est magna fortuna. / Magna servitus est magna servitus

“What man can you show me who places any value on his time, who reckons the worth of each day, who understands that he is dying daily?”
Quem mihi dabis qui aliquod pretium tempori ponat, qui diem aestimet, qui intellegat se cotidie mori?

“On him does death lie heavily, who, but too well known to all, dies to himself unknown.”
Illi mors gravis incubat Qui notus nimis omnibus Ignotus moritur sibi

“Nothing lasts forever, few things even last for long: all are susceptible of decay in one way or another; moreover all that begins also ends.”
Nihil perpetuum, pauca diuturna sunt; aliud alio modo fragile est, rerum exitus variantur, ceterum quicquid coepit et desinit.

“It is a rough road that leads to the heights of greatness.”
Confragosa in fastigium dignitatis via est.

“What is wisdom? Always desiring the same things, and always refusing the same things.”
quid est sapienta? semper idem velle atque idem nolle.