Plain
Seneca — The Senator

Nothing will help you more than understanding two things about anger: how ugly it is, and how dangerous it is. No emotion looks more disturbing. It ruins the most beautiful face and turns a peaceful expression savage. When people are angry, "all grace has fled." Even if their clothes are stylish, they'll drag them on the ground without caring how they look. Even if their hair was perfectly styled by nature or by art, it will stick up wildly to match their wild mind. Their veins bulge. Their chest heaves from rapid breathing. Their neck swells as they scream out crazy words. Their limbs shake, their hands fidget, their whole body rocks back and forth. What do you think is happening in their mind when their outside appearance is so awful? How much more terrifying is the face they wear inside their chest? How much sharper their pride, how much more violent their rage — which will destroy them unless it finds some way out?

On Anger, Book 2, Section 35 Book 2 · 97 of 103
Calm Your Mind Human Nature
Seneca — The Senator Original

Nothing, however, will be of so much service as to consider, first, the hideousness, and, secondly, the danger of anger. No passion bears a more troubled aspect: it befouls the fairest face, makes fierce the expression which before was peaceful. From the angry "all grace has fled;" though their clothing may be fashionable, they will trail it on the ground and take no heed of their appearance; though their hair be smoothed down in a comely manner by nature or art, yet it will bristle up in sympathy with their mind. The veins become swollen, the breast will be shaken by quick breathing, the man's neck will be swelled as he roars forth his frantic talk: then, too, his limbs will tremble, his hands will be restless, his whole body will sway hither and thither. What, think you, must be the state of his mind within him, when its appearance without is so shocking? how far more dreadful a countenance he bears within his own breast, how far keener pride, how much more violent rage, which will burst him unless it finds some vent?

On Anger, Book 2, Section 35 Book 2 · 97 of 103
Seneca — The Senator

Would anyone want to hit an enemy so hard that his hand gets stuck in the wound? Would you want to strike so wildly that you can't recover your balance? That's exactly what anger is like — a weapon you can barely pull back once you've swung it. We're careful to choose light, manageable swords for ourselves. So why don't we avoid these clumsy, uncontrollable impulses of the mind? The only kind of speed we admire is the kind that can stop when told to. Speed that can be guided and slowed from a run to a walk. We know our muscles are diseased when they move against our will. A man must be either old or sick if he runs when he means to walk. Let's remember that our strongest and healthiest mental actions are the ones we control — not the ones that control us.

On Anger, Book 2, Section 35 Book 2 · 96 of 103
Calm Your Mind Freedom & Control
Seneca — The Senator Original

Does any one wish to strike his enemy so hard, as to leave his own hand in the wound, and not to be able to recover his balance after the blow? yet such a weapon is anger: it is scarcely possible to draw it back. We are careful to choose for ourselves light weapons, handy and manageable swords: shall we not avoid these clumsy, unwieldy, and never-to-be-recalled impulses of the mind? The only swiftness of which men approve is that which, when bidden, checks itself and proceeds no further, and which can be guided, and reduced from a run to a walk: we know that the sinews are diseased when they move against our will. A man must be either aged or weakly who runs when he wants to walk: let us think that those are the most powerful and the soundest operations of our minds, which act under our own control, not at their own caprice.

On Anger, Book 2, Section 35 Book 2 · 96 of 103
‹ Previous Next ›

Ancient philosophy, in plain English.

About · Support