Plain
Seneca — The Senator

The next man is thoroughly evil and needs harsher treatment: chains and public prison. You, finally, have a mind that can't be cured. You pile crime on top of crime. You've reached the point where you don't need arguments to convince you to do evil — sin itself is reason enough to sin. You've soaked your whole heart in wickedness so completely that we can't remove the wickedness without tearing out your heart too. Miserable man! You've been wanting to die for a long time. We'll do you a favor. We'll take away the madness you suffer from. To you who have been a misery to yourself and everyone else for so long, we'll give the only good thing left: death. Why should I be angry with a man when I'm doing him good? Sometimes the truest compassion is killing someone.

On Anger, Book 1, Section 16 Book 1 · 46 of 69
Doing The Right Thing Human Nature
Seneca — The Senator Original

The next man's thorough villany needs harsher remedies: chains and public imprisonment must be applied to him. You, lastly, have an incurably vicious mind, and add crime to crime: you have come to such a pass, that you are not influenced by the arguments which are never wanting to recommend evil, but sin itself is to you a sufficient reason for sinning: you have so steeped your whole heart in wickedness, that wickedness cannot be taken from you without bringing your heart with it. Wretched man! you have long sought to die; we will do you good service, we will take away that madness from which you suffer, and to you who have so long lived a misery to yourself and to others, we will give the only good thing which remains, that is, death. Why should I be angry with a man just when I am doing him good: sometimes the truest form of compassion is to put a man to death.

On Anger, Book 1, Section 16 Book 1 · 46 of 69
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
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Ancient philosophy, in plain English.

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