Plain
Seneca — The Senator

Theophrastus claims that a good person must be angry with bad people. If that's true, then the better someone is, the angrier they should be. But wouldn't a truly good person be more calm and peaceful instead? Would they really hate anyone?

Why should you hate people who sin? They're just making mistakes. Error leads them into crimes. It doesn't make sense for a wise person to hate people who make errors. If you did that, you'd have to hate yourself too. Think about how many things you do against good morals. Think about how much you've done that needs forgiveness. Soon you'll be angry with yourself as well. After all, no fair judge uses different standards for himself than he uses for others.

On Anger, Book 1, Section 14 Book 1 · 41 of 69
Human Nature Doing The Right Thing
Seneca — The Senator Original

It is impossible, says Theophrastus, for a good man not to be angry with bad men. By this reasoning, the better a man is, the more irascible he will be: yet will he not rather be more tranquil, more free from passions, and hating no one: indeed, what reason has he for hating sinners, since it is error that leads them into such crimes? now it does not become a sensible man to hate the erring, since if so he will hate himself: let him think how many things he does contrary to good morals, how much of what he has done stands in need of pardon, and he will soon become angry with himself also, for no righteous judge pronounces a different judgment in his own case and in that of others.

On Anger, Book 1, Section 14 Book 1 · 41 of 69
Seneca — The Senator

Look, doesn't fear sometimes make men braver by working backwards? Doesn't the terror of death wake up even the biggest cowards to fight? But anger, drunkenness, fear, and things like that are cheap tricks that don't last long. They can't give real weapons to virtue. Virtue doesn't need vices to help it — though these emotions might give a little push to lazy and cowardly minds. No one becomes truly brave through anger. The only exception is someone who wouldn't be brave at all without anger. So anger isn't helping courage — it's replacing it. And here's another thing: if anger were actually good, wouldn't it show up in all the best people? But the angriest creatures are babies, old people, and sick people. Every weak person complains by nature.

On Anger, Book 1, Section 13 Book 1 · 40 of 69
Human Nature Knowing Yourself
Seneca — The Senator Original

Why, does not fear often by the rule of contraries make men bolder, and does not the terror of death rouse up even arrant cowards to join battle? Yet anger, drunkenness, fear, and the like, are base and temporary incitements to action, and can furnish no arms to virtue, which has no need of vices, although they may at times be of some little assistance to sluggish and cowardly minds. No man becomes braver through anger, except one who without anger would not have been brave at all: anger does not therefore come to assist courage, but to take its place. What are we to say to the argument that, if anger were a good thing it would attach itself to all the best men? Yet the most irascible of creatures are infants, old men, and sick people. Every weakling is naturally prone to complaint.

On Anger, Book 1, Section 13 Book 1 · 40 of 69
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Ancient philosophy, in plain English.

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