On Anger, Book 1, Section 3 — In Plain English

Seneca — The Senator

"We often get angry," says our opponent, "not with people who have already hurt us, but with people who are about to hurt us. This proves that anger doesn't come from actual injury." It's true we get angry with those who plan to hurt us. But they are already hurting us with their intentions. Someone who is planning to do harm is already doing it. "Weak people," he argues, "often get angry with powerful people. This proves that anger isn't about wanting to punish your enemy — because people don't want to punish someone when they have no hope of doing it." First of all, I talked about the desire to inflict punishment, not the power to do it. People want things even when they can't get them.

Seneca — The Senator Original

"We often are angry," says our adversary, "not with men who have hurt us, but with men who are going to hurt us: so you may be sure that anger is not born of injury." It is true that we are angry with those who are going to hurt us, but they do already hurt us in intention, and one who is going to do an injury is already doing it. "The weakest of men," argues he, "are often angry with the most powerful: so you may be sure that anger is not a desire to punish their antagonist—for men do not desire to punish him when they cannot hope to do so." In the first place, I spoke of a desire to inflict punishment, not a power to do so: now men desire even what they cannot obtain.