Plain
Seneca — The Senator

All this will make the mind seem even more miserable, I think, because it's madness to choose evil over good. No insane person can be happy. And no one can be sane if they think harmful things are the highest good and try to get them. The happy person is someone who can judge everything correctly. They're satisfied with whatever situation they're in right now and at peace with their life conditions. That person is happy whose reason approves of their entire way of living.

On the Happy Life, Section 6 20 of 101
Knowing Yourself What Matters Most
Seneca — The Senator Original

all this will make it appear, in my opinion, yet more wretched, because it is insanity to choose evil instead of good: now no insane person can be happy, and no one can be sane if he regards what is injurious as the highest good and strives to obtain it. The happy man, therefore, is he who can make a right judgment in all things: he is happy who in his present circumstances, whatever they may be, is satisfied and on friendly terms with the conditions of his life. That man is happy, whose reason recommends to him the whole posture of his affairs.

On the Happy Life, Section 6 20 of 101
Seneca — The Senator

"But," our opponent says, "the mind will have its own pleasures too." Fine, let it have them. Let the mind be the judge of luxury and pleasure. Let it dive headfirst into everything that feels good to the body. Then let it look back on what it enjoyed before. With all those faded thrills fresh in memory, let it celebrate and eagerly wait for those old pleasures it plans to experience again. And while the body lies there stuffed and helpless in the present moment, let the mind send its thoughts racing toward the future and count up its hopes:

On the Happy Life, Section 6 19 of 101
What Matters Most Freedom & Control
Seneca — The Senator Original

“But,” says our adversary, “the mind also will have pleasures of its own.” Let it have them, then, and let it sit in judgment over luxury and pleasures; let it indulge itself to the full in all those matters which give sensual delights: then let it look back upon what it enjoyed before, and with all those faded sensualities fresh in its memory let it rejoice and look eagerly forward to those other pleasures which it experienced long ago, and intends to experience again, and while the body lies in helpless repletion in the present, let it send its thoughts onward towards the future, and take stock of its hopes:

On the Happy Life, Section 6 19 of 101
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Ancient philosophy, in plain English.

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