Plain
Seneca — The Senator

But our opponent says, "You only practice virtue because you hope to get some pleasure from it." First, even if virtue does give us pleasure, that's not why we pursue her. She doesn't give this as her main gift — she throws it in as a bonus. This isn't the goal she works toward. She achieves this too, but she's aiming at something else. Think of a farmer plowing his field to grow corn. He might find some flowers mixed in with his crop. These flowers might delight the eye, but he didn't do all that work to grow them. The farmer had another purpose. The flowers were just an extra benefit. That's how pleasure works with virtue. Pleasure isn't the reward or the reason for virtue — it comes along for the ride. We don't choose virtue because she gives us pleasure. But if we do choose her, she gives us pleasure too.

On the Happy Life, Section 9 30 of 101
Doing The Right Thing What Matters Most
Seneca — The Senator Original

"But," says our adversary, "you yourself only practise virtue because you hope to obtain some pleasure from it." In the first place, even though virtue may afford us pleasure, still we do not seek after her on that account: for she does not bestow this, but bestows this to boot, nor is this the end for which she labours, but her labour wins this also, although it be directed to another end. As in a tilled-field, when ploughed for corn, some flowers are found amongst it, and yet, though these posies may charm the eye, all this labour was not spent in order to produce them—the man who sowed the field had another object in view, he gained this over and above it—so pleasure is not the reward or the cause of virtue, but comes in addition to it; nor do we choose virtue because she gives us pleasure, but she gives us pleasure also if we choose her.

On the Happy Life, Section 9 30 of 101
Seneca — The Senator

When we do this, we get a strength and ability that work together as allies. This creates a kind of reasoning that never wavers between two choices or gets confused about what to believe. A mind like this — organized, with all its parts working together in harmony — has reached the highest good. It has nothing evil or dangerous left in it. Nothing can shake it or make it stumble. It will do everything guided by its own clear will. Nothing unexpected will throw it off course. Whatever it does will turn out well, quickly and easily, without any tricks or schemes. Slow, hesitant action shows internal conflict and uncertainty. So you can boldly say this: the highest good is having a unified mind. Where there's agreement and unity, the virtues must be present. It's the vices that fight with each other.

On the Happy Life, Section 8 29 of 101
Knowing Yourself Calm Your Mind
Seneca — The Senator Original

By this means we shall obtain a strength and an ability which are united and allied together, and shall derive from it that reason which never halts between two opinions, nor is dull in forming its perceptions, beliefs, or convictions. Such a mind, when it has ranged itself in order, made its various parts agree together, and, if I may so express myself, harmonized them, has attained to the highest good: for it has nothing evil or hazardous remaining, nothing to shake it or make it stumble: it will do everything under the guidance of its own will, and nothing unexpected will befal it, but whatever may be done by it will turn out well, and that, too, readily and easily, without the doer having recourse to any underhand devices: for slow and hesitating action are the signs of discord and want of settled purpose. You may, then, boldly declare that the highest good is singleness of mind: for where agreement and unity are, there must the virtues be: it is the vices that are at war one with another.

On the Happy Life, Section 8 29 of 101
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Ancient philosophy, in plain English.

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