Lucius Annaeus Seneca→Lucilius Junior|c. 65 AD|Seneca the Younger|From Southern Italy (regional)|To Sicily (regional)|AI-assisted
[1] I will tell you what you must observe in order to live more safely. All the same, I would have you listen to these precepts as if I were instructing you in the method by which you might maintain good health on your estate at Ardea. Consider what the things are that spur one man on to the ruin of another: you will find that they are hope, envy, hatred, fear, and contempt. [2] Of all these, contempt is by far the most harmless—so much so that many have taken cover behind it as a remedy. The man whom someone despises he no doubt tramples on, but then passes by; no one does harm persistently, no one does it carefully, to a man he despises. Even the soldier lying prostrate on the battle-line is passed over, while the fight is carried on against the one still standing.
[3] You will escape the hopes of unscrupulous men if you possess nothing that could rouse another's greedy and dishonest craving, if you own nothing conspicuous; for people covet even small things, when these are of a kind that is rarely noticed. You will escape envy if you do not thrust yourself before men's eyes, if you do not parade your goods, if you know how to take your joy in private. Hatred arises either from giving offense—and this you will avoid by provoking no one—or it is unprovoked, and from that sort common sense will protect you. This has proved dangerous to many: some have incurred hatred without having an enemy. [4] As for not being feared, both a moderate fortune and a mildness of disposition will secure that for you: let men know that you are the kind of person whom they can offend without danger, and let reconciliation with you be both easy and assured. To be feared, moreover, is as troublesome at home as abroad, as troublesome from slaves as from free men: there is no one who does not have strength enough to do harm. Add to this the fact that whoever is feared, fears in turn: no one has ever been able to be an object of terror and remain free from care. [5] Contempt is left to be discussed—and the measure of it lies within the control of the man who has taken it on himself, who is despised because he willed it, not because he had to be. The disadvantage of this is dispelled both by honorable pursuits and by friendships with those who are powerful in the eyes of some powerful man—men to whom it will be useful to attach yourself, but not to entangle yourself, lest the remedy cost you more than the danger.
[6] Nothing, however, will profit you so much as keeping quiet and speaking very little with others, very much with yourself. There is a certain sweetness in conversation that creeps in and coaxes us, and, no differently than drunkenness or love, draws out our secrets. No one will keep silent about what he has heard; no one will speak only as much as he has heard; and whoever does not keep silent about the matter will not keep silent about its author. Each man has someone in whom he confides just as much as has been confided to him; though he guards his own talkativeness and is content with a single pair of ears, he will create a whole crowd; and so what was just now a secret becomes rumor.
[7] A great part of security lies in doing nothing unjust: those who lack self-control lead a confused and disordered life; they fear as much as they injure, and at no time are they at peace. For they are in a panic once they have acted, and they are stuck fast; their conscience does not allow them to do anything else, and again and again compels them to answer to themselves. Anyone who awaits punishment pays it; and anyone who has deserved it awaits it. [8] In a bad conscience some circumstance may grant safety, but none can grant freedom from care; for such a man thinks that, even if he is not caught, he could be caught, and he tosses in his sleep, and whenever he speaks of someone else's crime, he is thinking of his own; it does not seem to him sufficiently blotted out, nor sufficiently concealed. A guilty man has sometimes had the good luck to lie hidden, but never the confidence of it. Farewell.
I shall now tell you certain things to which you should pay attention in order to live more safely. Do you however,—such is my judgment,—hearken to my precepts just as if I were counselling you to keep safe your health in your country-place at Ardea.
Reflect on the things which goad man into destroying man: you will find that they are hope, envy, hatred, fear, and contempt. Now, of all these, contempt is the least harmful, so much so that many have skulked behind it as a sort of cure. When a man despises you, he works you injury, to be sure, but he passes on; and no one persistently or of set purpose does hurt to a person whom he despises. Even in battle, prostrate soldiers are neglected: men fight with those who stand their ground. And you can avoid the envious hopes of the wicked so long as you have nothing which can stir the evil desires of others, and so long as you possess nothing remarkable. For people crave even little things, if these catch the attention or are of rare occurrence.
You will escape envy if you do not force yourself upon the public view, if you do not boast your possessions, if you understand how to enjoy things privately. Hatred comes either from running foul of others: and this can be avoided by never provoking anyone; or else it is uncalled for: and common-sense will keep you safe from it. Yet it has been dangerous to many; some people have been hated without having had an enemy. As to not being feared, a moderate fortune and an easy disposition will guarantee you that; men should know that you are the sort of person who can be offended without danger; and your reconciliation should be easy and sure. Moreover, it is as troublesome to be feared at home as abroad; it is as bad to be feared by a slave as by a gentleman. For every one has strength enough to do you some harm. Besides, he who is feared, fears also; no one has been able to arouse terror and live in peace of mind.
Contempt remains to be discussed. He who has made this quality an adjunct of his own personality, who is despised because he wishes to be despised and not because he must be despised, has the measure of contempt under his control. Any inconveniences in this respect can be dispelled by honourable occupations and by friendships with men who have influence with an influential person; with these men it will profit you to engage but not to entangle yourself, lest the cure may cost you more than the risk. Nothing, however, will help you so much as keeping still—talking very little with others, and as much as may be with yourself. For there is a sort of charm about conversation, something very subtle and coaxing, which, like intoxication or love, draws secrets from us. No man will keep to himself what he hears. No one will tell another only as much as he has heard. And he who tells tales will tell names, too. Everyone has someone to whom he entrusts exactly what has been entrusted to him. Though he checks his own garrulity, and is content with one hearer, he will bring about him a nation, if that which was a secret shortly before becomes common talk.
The most important contribution to peace of mind is never to do wrong. Those who lack self-control lead disturbed and tumultuous lives; their crimes are balanced by their fears, and they are never at ease. For they tremble after the deed, and they are embarrassed; their consciences do not allow them to busy themselves with other matters, and continually compel them to give an answer. Whoever expects punishment, receives it, but whoever deserves it, expects it. Where there is an evil conscience something may bring safety, but nothing can bring ease; for a man imagines that, even if he is not under arrest, he may soon be arrested. His sleep is troubled; when he speaks of another man’s crime, he reflects upon his own, which seems to him not sufficiently blotted out, not sufficiently hidden from view. A wrongdoer sometimes has the luck to escape notice but never the assurance thereof. Farewell.
[1] Quae observanda tibi sint ut tutior vivas dicam. Tu tamen sic audiascenseo ista praecepta quomodo si tibi praeciperem qua ratione bonam valetudinemin Ardeatino tuereris. Considera quae sint quae hominem in perniciem hominisinstigent: invenies spem, invidiam, odium, metum, contemptum. [2] Ex omnibusistis adeo levissimum est contemptus ut multi in illo remedii causa delituerint. Quem quis contemnit, calcat sine dubio sed transit; nemo homini contemptopertinaciter, nemo diligenter nocet; etiam in acie iacens praeteritur, cum stante pugnatur.
[3] Spem inproborum vitabis si nihil habueris quod cupiditatem alienamet inprobam inritet, si nihil insigne possederis; concupiscuntur enim etiam+pars innotarum sunt sic raro+. Invidiam effugies si te non ingesserisoculis, si bona tua non iactaveris, si scieris in sinu gaudere. Odium autest ex offensa (hoc vitabis neminem lacessendo) aut gratuitum, a quo tesensus communis tuebitur. Fuit hoc multis periculosum: quidam odium habueruntnec inimicum. [4] Illud, ne timearis, praestabit tibi et fortunae mediocritaset ingeni lenitas: eum esse te homines sciant quem offendere sine periculopossint; reconciliatio tua et facilis sit et certa. Timeri autem tam domimolestum est quam foris, tam a servis quam a liberis: nulli non ad nocendumsatis virium est. Adice nunc quod qui timetur timet: nemo potuit terribilisesse secure. [5] Contemptus superest, cuius modum in sua potestate habetqui illum sibi adiunxit, qui contemnitur quia voluit, non quia debuit. Huius incommodum et artes bonae discutiunt et amicitiae eorum qui apudaliquem potentem potentes sunt, quibus adplicari expediet, non inplicari, ne pluris remedium quam periculum constet.
[6] Nihil tamen aeque proderit quam quiescere et minimum cum aliisloqui, plurimum secum. Est quaedam dulcedo sermonis quae inrepit et eblandituret non aliter quam ebrietas aut amor secreta producit. Nemo quod audierittacebit, nemo quantum audierit loquetur; qui rem non tacuerit non tacebitauctorem. Habet unusquisque aliquem cui tantum credat quantum ipsi creditumest; ut garrulitatem suam custodiat et contentus sit unius auribus, populumfaciet; sic quod modo secretum erat rumor est.
[7] Securitatis magna portio est nihil inique facere: confusam vitamet perturbatam inpotentes agunt; tantum metuunt quantum nocent, nec ullotempore vacant. Trepidant enim cum fecerunt, haerent; conscientia aliudagere non patitur ac subinde respondere ad se cogit. Dat poenas quisquisexpectat; quisquis autem meruit expectat. [8] Tutum aliqua res in malaconscientia praestat, nulla securum; putat enim se, etiam si non deprenditur, posse deprendi, et inter somnos movetur et, quotiens alicuius scelus loquitur, de suo cogitat; non satis illi oblitteratum videtur, non satis tectum. Nocens habuit aliquando latendi fortunam, numquam fiduciam. Vale.
◆
[1] I will tell you what you must observe in order to live more safely. All the same, I would have you listen to these precepts as if I were instructing you in the method by which you might maintain good health on your estate at Ardea. Consider what the things are that spur one man on to the ruin of another: you will find that they are hope, envy, hatred, fear, and contempt. [2] Of all these, contempt is by far the most harmless—so much so that many have taken cover behind it as a remedy. The man whom someone despises he no doubt tramples on, but then passes by; no one does harm persistently, no one does it carefully, to a man he despises. Even the soldier lying prostrate on the battle-line is passed over, while the fight is carried on against the one still standing.
[3] You will escape the hopes of unscrupulous men if you possess nothing that could rouse another's greedy and dishonest craving, if you own nothing conspicuous; for people covet even small things, when these are of a kind that is rarely noticed. You will escape envy if you do not thrust yourself before men's eyes, if you do not parade your goods, if you know how to take your joy in private. Hatred arises either from giving offense—and this you will avoid by provoking no one—or it is unprovoked, and from that sort common sense will protect you. This has proved dangerous to many: some have incurred hatred without having an enemy. [4] As for not being feared, both a moderate fortune and a mildness of disposition will secure that for you: let men know that you are the kind of person whom they can offend without danger, and let reconciliation with you be both easy and assured. To be feared, moreover, is as troublesome at home as abroad, as troublesome from slaves as from free men: there is no one who does not have strength enough to do harm. Add to this the fact that whoever is feared, fears in turn: no one has ever been able to be an object of terror and remain free from care. [5] Contempt is left to be discussed—and the measure of it lies within the control of the man who has taken it on himself, who is despised because he willed it, not because he had to be. The disadvantage of this is dispelled both by honorable pursuits and by friendships with those who are powerful in the eyes of some powerful man—men to whom it will be useful to attach yourself, but not to entangle yourself, lest the remedy cost you more than the danger.
[6] Nothing, however, will profit you so much as keeping quiet and speaking very little with others, very much with yourself. There is a certain sweetness in conversation that creeps in and coaxes us, and, no differently than drunkenness or love, draws out our secrets. No one will keep silent about what he has heard; no one will speak only as much as he has heard; and whoever does not keep silent about the matter will not keep silent about its author. Each man has someone in whom he confides just as much as has been confided to him; though he guards his own talkativeness and is content with a single pair of ears, he will create a whole crowd; and so what was just now a secret becomes rumor.
[7] A great part of security lies in doing nothing unjust: those who lack self-control lead a confused and disordered life; they fear as much as they injure, and at no time are they at peace. For they are in a panic once they have acted, and they are stuck fast; their conscience does not allow them to do anything else, and again and again compels them to answer to themselves. Anyone who awaits punishment pays it; and anyone who has deserved it awaits it. [8] In a bad conscience some circumstance may grant safety, but none can grant freedom from care; for such a man thinks that, even if he is not caught, he could be caught, and he tosses in his sleep, and whenever he speaks of someone else's crime, he is thinking of his own; it does not seem to him sufficiently blotted out, nor sufficiently concealed. A guilty man has sometimes had the good luck to lie hidden, but never the confidence of it. Farewell.
AI-assisted translation - This translation was produced with AI assistance and has not been peer-reviewed. See the 19th-century translation or original Latin/Greek below for scholarly use.
Latin / Greek Original
[1] Quae observanda tibi sint ut tutior vivas dicam. Tu tamen sic audiascenseo ista praecepta quomodo si tibi praeciperem qua ratione bonam valetudinemin Ardeatino tuereris. Considera quae sint quae hominem in perniciem hominisinstigent: invenies spem, invidiam, odium, metum, contemptum. [2] Ex omnibusistis adeo levissimum est contemptus ut multi in illo remedii causa delituerint. Quem quis contemnit, calcat sine dubio sed transit; nemo homini contemptopertinaciter, nemo diligenter nocet; etiam in acie iacens praeteritur, cum stante pugnatur.
[3] Spem inproborum vitabis si nihil habueris quod cupiditatem alienamet inprobam inritet, si nihil insigne possederis; concupiscuntur enim etiam+pars innotarum sunt sic raro+. Invidiam effugies si te non ingesserisoculis, si bona tua non iactaveris, si scieris in sinu gaudere. Odium autest ex offensa (hoc vitabis neminem lacessendo) aut gratuitum, a quo tesensus communis tuebitur. Fuit hoc multis periculosum: quidam odium habueruntnec inimicum. [4] Illud, ne timearis, praestabit tibi et fortunae mediocritaset ingeni lenitas: eum esse te homines sciant quem offendere sine periculopossint; reconciliatio tua et facilis sit et certa. Timeri autem tam domimolestum est quam foris, tam a servis quam a liberis: nulli non ad nocendumsatis virium est. Adice nunc quod qui timetur timet: nemo potuit terribilisesse secure. [5] Contemptus superest, cuius modum in sua potestate habetqui illum sibi adiunxit, qui contemnitur quia voluit, non quia debuit. Huius incommodum et artes bonae discutiunt et amicitiae eorum qui apudaliquem potentem potentes sunt, quibus adplicari expediet, non inplicari, ne pluris remedium quam periculum constet.
[6] Nihil tamen aeque proderit quam quiescere et minimum cum aliisloqui, plurimum secum. Est quaedam dulcedo sermonis quae inrepit et eblandituret non aliter quam ebrietas aut amor secreta producit. Nemo quod audierittacebit, nemo quantum audierit loquetur; qui rem non tacuerit non tacebitauctorem. Habet unusquisque aliquem cui tantum credat quantum ipsi creditumest; ut garrulitatem suam custodiat et contentus sit unius auribus, populumfaciet; sic quod modo secretum erat rumor est.
[7] Securitatis magna portio est nihil inique facere: confusam vitamet perturbatam inpotentes agunt; tantum metuunt quantum nocent, nec ullotempore vacant. Trepidant enim cum fecerunt, haerent; conscientia aliudagere non patitur ac subinde respondere ad se cogit. Dat poenas quisquisexpectat; quisquis autem meruit expectat. [8] Tutum aliqua res in malaconscientia praestat, nulla securum; putat enim se, etiam si non deprenditur, posse deprendi, et inter somnos movetur et, quotiens alicuius scelus loquitur, de suo cogitat; non satis illi oblitteratum videtur, non satis tectum. Nocens habuit aliquando latendi fortunam, numquam fiduciam. Vale.