Plain
Seneca — The Senator

We don't need an angry judge to punish wrongdoers. Since anger itself is a mental flaw, it's wrong to punish sins with sin. "What! Shouldn't I be angry with a robber or a poisoner?" No — I'm not angry with myself when I need to drain blood from a wound. I use all kinds of punishment as medicine. You're still in the early stages of going wrong. You make mistakes often, but not serious ones yet. I'll try to fix this with a warning — first in private, then in public. You've gone too far to be saved by words alone. You need to be controlled by shame. For the next person, something stronger is needed — something that will leave a mark. You, sir, will be sent into exile to a remote place.

On Anger, Book 1, Section 16 Book 1 · 45 of 69
Doing The Right Thing Human Nature
Seneca — The Senator Original

We do not, therefore, need an angry chastiser to punish the erring and wicked: for since anger is a crime of the mind, it is not right that sins should be punished by sin. "What! am I not to be angry with a robber, or a poisoner?" No: for I am not angry with myself when I bleed myself. I apply all kinds of punishment as remedies. You are as yet only in the first stage of error, and do not go wrong seriously, although you do so often: then I will try to amend you by a reprimand given first in private and then in public. You, again, have gone too far to be restored to virtue by words alone; you must be kept in order by disgrace. For the next, some stronger measure is required, something that he can feel must be branded upon him; you, sir, shall be sent into exile and to a desert place.

On Anger, Book 1, Section 16 Book 1 · 45 of 69
Seneca — The Senator

We put down rabid dogs. We kill dangerous bulls. We slaughter diseased sheep before they infect the herd. We destroy deformed births. We even drown babies born too weak or badly formed. This isn't cruelty — it's practical reasoning. We separate what's harmful from what's healthy.

The same goes for punishment. Nothing undermines punishment more than anger. Punishment works better when it comes from calm judgment, not rage. That's why Socrates told his slave, "I would hit you if I weren't angry." He waited until he cooled down to discipline the slave. In that moment, he was disciplining himself instead.

Who can claim to control their emotions when even Socrates didn't trust himself with his anger?

On Anger, Book 1, Section 15 Book 1 · 44 of 69
Calm Your Mind Knowing Yourself
Seneca — The Senator Original

We knock mad dogs on the head, we slaughter fierce and savage bulls, and we doom scabby sheep to the knife, lest they should infect our flocks: we destroy monstrous births, and we also drown our children if they are born weakly or unnaturally formed; to separate what is useless from what is sound is an act, not of anger, but of reason. Nothing becomes one who inflicts punishment less than anger, because the punishment has all the more power to work reformation if the sentence be pronounced with deliberate judgment. This is why Socrates said to the slave, “I would strike you, were I not angry.” He put off the correction of the slave to a calmer season; at the moment, he corrected himself. Who can boast that he has his passions, under control, when Socrates did not dare to trust himself to his anger?

On Anger, Book 1, Section 15 Book 1 · 44 of 69
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Ancient philosophy, in plain English.

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