Plain
Seneca — The Senator

People with more moisture in their bodies get angry slowly. They don't have heat ready to use, so they need movement to build it up. That's why women and children have sharp anger rather than strong anger. It flares up over small things. During the dry times of life, anger is violent and powerful, but it doesn't grow or build on itself. As heat fades, cold takes its place. Old men are cranky and full of complaints. So are sick people and those recovering from illness. Anyone whose heat has been drained by exhaustion or blood loss acts this way. People wasted by thirst or hunger are the same. So are those who are naturally bloodless and weak from poor diet. Wine stirs up anger because it increases heat. Depending on each person's nature, some explode when heavily drunk, others when just slightly drunk. This also explains why blonde, red-faced people are so hot-tempered. They naturally have the color that others turn when angry. Their blood runs hot and moves easily.

On Anger, Book 2, Section 19 Book 2 · 45 of 103
Human Nature Facing Hardship
Seneca — The Senator Original

Those who have more moisture in them become angry by slow degrees, because they have no heat ready at hand, but it has to be obtained by movement; wherefore the anger of women and children is sharp rather than strong, and arises on lighter provocation. At dry times of life anger is violent and powerful, yet without increase, and adding little to itself, because as heat dies away cold takes its place. Old men are testy and full of complaints, as also are sick people and convalescents, and all whose store of heat has been consumed by weariness or loss of blood. Those who are wasted by thirst or hunger are in the same condition, as also are those whose frame is naturally bloodless and faints from want of generous diet. Wine kindles anger, because it increases heat; according to each man's disposition, some fly into a passion when they are heavily drunk, some when they are slightly drunk: nor is there any other reason than this why yellow-haired, ruddy-complexioned people should be excessively passionate, seeing that they are naturally of the colour which others put on during anger; for their blood is hot and easily set in motion.

On Anger, Book 2, Section 19 Book 2 · 45 of 103
Seneca — The Senator

A hot-tempered mind is naturally most prone to anger. Just as there are four elements — fire, air, earth, and water — there are also four corresponding powers: hot, cold, dry, and moist. The way these elements mix together creates all the differences we see in places, animals, bodies, and personalities. Our own dispositions lean toward one or another of these depending on which element is strongest in us. That's why we describe some regions as wet or dry, warm or cold.

On Anger, Book 2, Section 19 Book 2 · 44 of 103
Human Nature Facing Hardship
Seneca — The Senator Original

A hot mind is naturally the most prone to anger: for as there are four elements,[8] consisting of fire, air, earth, and water, so there are powers corresponding and equivalent to each of these, namely, hot, cold, dry, and moist. Now the mixture of the elements is the cause of the diversities of lands and of animals, of bodies and of character, and our dispositions incline to one or the other of these according as the strength of each element prevails in us. Hence it is that we call some regions wet or dry, warm or cold.

On Anger, Book 2, Section 19 Book 2 · 44 of 103
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Ancient philosophy, in plain English.

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