Plain
Seneca — The Senator

If someone has enough power to treat anger like a boss, let them destroy it completely. But only if it's the worst kind of anger — savage, inhuman, bloodthirsty, and impossible to cure except by fear of something stronger. Let's give our minds the peace that comes from constantly thinking about good principles, doing good deeds, and focusing only on what's honorable. Let's satisfy our own conscience completely, but don't work to build our reputation. As long as we deserve praise, let's be content — even if people speak badly of us.

On Anger, Book 3, Section 41 Book 3 · 114 of 121
Calm Your Mind Doing The Right Thing
Seneca — The Senator Original

If any one's power is so great that he can treat anger with the tone of a superior let him crush it out of existence, but only if it be of the kind of which I have just spoken, fierce, inhuman, bloodthirsty, and incurable save by fear of something more powerful than itself . . . . . . . . let us give the mind that peace which is given by constant meditation upon wholesome maxims, by good actions, and by a mind directed to the pursuit of honour alone. Let us set our own conscience fully at rest, but make no efforts to gain credit for ourselves: so long as we deserve well, let us be satisfied, even if we should be ill spoken of.

On Anger, Book 3, Section 41 Book 3 · 114 of 121
Seneca — The Senator

Anyone would think he did this for show. But it was pure cruelty. The boy slipped away from the men trying to grab him and threw himself at Caesar's feet. He wasn't asking to live — just to die some other way. Not to be eaten. Caesar was horrified by this new kind of cruelty. He ordered the boy to be freed. Then he had all the crystal dishes broken and the fish tank filled in. This was the right way for Caesar to handle his friend. He used his power well. Who do you think you are, ordering people killed at dinner? Using torture no one has ever heard of? Should a man's guts be ripped open because your cup got broken? You must think pretty highly of yourself if you'll order executions even when the emperor is watching.

On Anger, Book 3, Section 40 Book 3 · 113 of 121
Doing The Right Thing Human Nature
Seneca — The Senator Original

Who would not think that he did this out of luxury? but it was out of cruelty. The boy slipped through the hands of those who tried to seize him, and flung himself at Caesar’s feet in order to beg for nothing more than that he might die in some different way, and not be eaten. Caesar was shocked at this novel form of cruelty, and ordered him to be let go, and, in his place, all the crystal ware which he saw before him to be broken, and the tank to be filled up. This was the proper way for Caesar to reprove his friend: he made a good use of his power. What are you, that when at dinner you order men to be put to death, and mangled by an unheard-of form of torture? Are a man’s bowels to be torn asunder because your cup is broken? You must think a great deal of yourself, if even when the emperor is present you order men to be executed.

On Anger, Book 3, Section 40 Book 3 · 113 of 121
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Ancient philosophy, in plain English.

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