Plain
Seneca — The Senator

Stop telling philosophers they shouldn't have money. No one has said that wisdom must come with poverty. A philosopher can own plenty of wealth. But it can't be wealth stolen from others or stained with someone else's blood. The philosopher must earn it without wronging anyone and without using shameful methods. The money must be earned honorably and spent honorably. It should be the kind of wealth that only jealous people would criticize. Make it as large as you want — it will still be honorable. As long as it includes things everyone would want to own, but nothing that someone else can rightfully claim as theirs.

On the Happy Life, Section 23 74 of 101
Doing The Right Thing What Matters Most
Seneca — The Senator Original

Cease, then, forbidding philosophers to possess money: no one has condemned wisdom to poverty. The philosopher may own ample wealth, but will not own wealth that which has been torn from another, or which is stained with another's blood: his must be obtained without wronging any man, and without its being won by base means; it must be alike honourably come by and honourably spent, and must be such as spite alone could shake its head at. Raise it to whatever figure you please, it will still be an honourable possession, if, while it includes much which every man would like to call his own, there be nothing which any one can say is his own.

On the Happy Life, Section 23 74 of 101
Seneca — The Senator

"Why are you laughing at me then," you say, "when you put riches in the same place I do?" Do you want to know how different our positions really are? If my wealth leaves me, it will only take itself. But you would be lost and confused — you'd feel like you weren't even yourself anymore if your money disappeared. Wealth has a place in my life, but it has the top place in yours. In the end, my riches belong to me. You belong to your riches.

On the Happy Life, Section 22 73 of 101
Freedom & Control Knowing Yourself
Seneca — The Senator Original

"Why then," say you, "do you laugh at me, since you place them in the same position that I do?" Do you wish to know how different the position is in which we place them? If my riches leave me, they will carry away with them nothing except themselves: you will be bewildered and will seem to be left without yourself if they should pass away from you: with me riches occupy a certain place, but with you they occupy the highest place of all. In fine, my riches belong to me, you belong to your riches.

On the Happy Life, Section 22 73 of 101
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Ancient philosophy, in plain English.

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