Plain
Seneca — The Senator

Don't let these men eat too much either. If they do, their bodies will bloat and their minds will bloat right along with them. They should exercise, but not to exhaustion. This will cool down their natural heat without draining it completely, and burn off their excess fiery energy. Games will help too. Moderate fun relaxes the mind and brings it back into balance. People who tend toward sluggishness or cold stiffness don't have much risk of anger, but they face worse problems: cowardice, gloominess, despair, and constant suspicion. These types need to be softened, comforted, and cheered up. Since we need completely different remedies for anger and for sullenness — in fact, these two problems require opposite treatments — we should always focus on whichever one is winning the battle.

On Anger, Book 2, Section 20 Book 2 · 48 of 103
Calm Your Mind Human Nature
Seneca — The Senator Original

Neither should such men be over-fed: for if so, their bodies will swell, and their minds will swell with them. Such men ought to take exercise, stopping short, however, of fatigue, in order that their natural heat may be abated, but not exhausted, and their excess of fiery spirit may be worked off. Games also will be useful: for moderate pleasure relieves the mind and brings it to a proper balance. With those temperaments which incline to moisture, or dryness and stiffness, there is no danger of anger, but there is fear of greater vices, such as cowardice, moroseness, despair, and suspiciousness: such dispositions therefore ought to be softened, comforted, and restored to cheerfulness: and since we must make use of different remedies for anger and for sullenness, and these two vices require not only unlike, but absolutely opposite modes of treatment, let us always attack that one of them which is gaining the mastery.

On Anger, Book 2, Section 20 Book 2 · 48 of 103
Seneca — The Senator

Just as nature makes some men quick to anger, many other things can have the same effect. Some people get this way from illness or injury. Others from hard work, lost sleep, anxious nights, intense desires, and love. Anything that hurts the body or spirit makes a troubled mind ready to find fault. But these are just the starting points — the things that cause anger. Your habits of thinking have enormous power. If your habits are harsh, they make the problem worse. As for nature itself, it's hard to change. We can't alter the basic mix of elements we were born with. But knowledge can help this much: we should keep wine away from hot-tempered people. Plato thought wine should also be forbidden to boys, so that fire doesn't make fire fiercer.

On Anger, Book 2, Section 20 Book 2 · 47 of 103
Human Nature Knowing Yourself
Seneca — The Senator Original

But just as nature makes some men prone to anger, so there are many other causes which have the same power as nature. Some are brought into this condition by disease or bodily injury, others by hard work, long watching, nights of anxiety, ardent longings, and love: and everything else which is hurtful to the body or the spirit inclines the distempered mind to find fault. All these, however, are but the beginning and causes of anger. Habit of mind has very great power, and, if it be harsh, increases the disorder. As for nature, it is difficult to alter it, nor may we change the mixture of the elements which was formed once for all at our birth: yet knowledge will be so far of service, that we should keep wine out of the reach of hot-tempered men, which Plato thinks ought also to be forbidden to boys, so that fire be not made fiercer.

On Anger, Book 2, Section 20 Book 2 · 47 of 103
‹ Previous Next ›

Ancient philosophy, in plain English.

About · Support