The 7 best phrases of Seneca

Many of Seneca’s phrases have survived time because they are true compendiums of wisdom.. It could not be otherwise with one of the most illustrious men of the Roman Empire, who created a school with his thoughts and decisively influenced his contemporaries.

The highlight of Seneca’s phrases is their ethical message. Almost all of his writings, and indeed his life itself, are a model of morality. He belonged to the philosophical school of Stoicism, which advocated moderation. Those were times when precisely what predominated was excess.

The impressive intelligence and oratorical ability of this thinker generated much intrigue and envy. He suffered all his life from recurring asthma. He was also close to power, knowledge and philosophy. These are just some of those phrases from Seneca that have remained for posterity.

1. To dare or not to do it

One of Seneca’s phrases says the following: “we dare not to many things because they are difficult, but they are difficult because we do not dare to do them”. A sharp reflection that is impressive if you take into account that it was made about 2,000 years ago.

By this Seneca means that things can be much more complicated in the mind which in reality itself. She understood that human beings tend to overestimate what we observe out of fear.

2. One of the most beautiful phrases of Seneca

This is, without a doubt, one of Seneca’s most beautiful phrases. He says like this: “Without reason He who sails again complains about the sea”. In this brief sentence you can appreciate his poetic capacity, his delicate sensitivity and his lucid realism.

The metaphor alludes to the fact that a person has no reason to complain about what he himself seeks.. Implicitly, he points out that perhaps the first time is excusable, but a repeat offense is not. If he sails again it is because he had already done it before. If you don’t like him, why does he do it again?

3. Hidden and discovered hatreds

If Seneca knew anything, it was hatred. Many of them, totally free. He was never a man of conspiracies or intrigues against others. Despite this, his intelligence and fluidity aroused suspicions, envies and preventions..

Perhaps that is why one of Seneca’s phrases says: “Hidden hatreds are worse than those discovered.”. It is possible that we have all experienced that reality at some point. Often, the most bitter hatreds are not the most visible.

4. The value of difficulty

As a good Stoic, Seneca placed great value on the difficulty. He did not give it a negative meaning, nor did he think it should be avoided. Quite the opposite. He maintains that problems are a source of growth and advancement.

This is wonderfully captured in this phrase: “Difficulties strengthen the mind, as work does the body.”. In other words, Seneca sees difficulty as an opportunity to exercise and develop the ability to reason.

5. A measure against anger

This is another of those Seneca phrases that surprises with its simplicity and depth. It offers a concrete measure for managing anger. It is a simple and totally effective formula for those who practice it. He points out: “Against anger, procrastination”.

It is a measure that does not fail. In most cases, anger is simply controlled with a short pause.. It is enough to stay still and quiet for a couple of minutes. Calm returns and we don’t do or say anything we might regret.

6. The value of living

Seneca’s life was definitely not a garden of roses. Especially during the reign of Caligula, who cruelly persecuted him just out of jealousy. Also, later, with Nero, her pupil. The same one who sentenced him to the death penalty.

All this without taking into account that Seneca always had very fragile health and suffered unspeakably from his asthma attacks. Perhaps for all this, one of the phrases that has gone down in history says: “Sometimes even living is an act of courage”.

7. The logic of customs

Seneca makes a statement that is very wise and sharp about customs. He says the following: “Good customs conform to one another, and that is why they last.”. As always, in a short sentence he summarizes a world of wisdom.

What it suggests is that customs are not isolated realities.. A good habit does not survive in the midst of several negative habits. To be stable, they must also be consistent or coherent with each other.

Seneca’s phrases are counted in the hundreds and all of them are truly extraordinary. It is not without reason that his thoughts have broken the barriers of time and are fully valid in today’s world.

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