Plain
Seneca — The Senator

When you throw something at a hard surface, it bounces back and hurts you instead. The same thing happens with insults — they can't touch a truly great mind. The mind is stronger than the insult, so the insult just bounces off. How much better it is to let all wrongs and insults bounce off you, like wearing armor that no weapon can pierce. When you seek revenge, you're admitting that someone actually hurt you. A great mind doesn't get disturbed by injury. The person who hurt you is either stronger or weaker than you. If they're weaker, show mercy. If they're stronger, protect yourself.

On Anger, Book 3, Section 5 Book 3 · 19 of 121
Calm Your Mind Facing Hardship
Seneca — The Senator Original

As weapons rebound from a hard surface, and solid substances hurt those who strike them, so also no insult can make a really great mind sensible of its presence, being weaker than that against which it is aimed. How far more glorious is it to throw back all wrongs and insults from oneself, like one wearing armour of proof against all weapons, for revenge is an admission that we have been hurt. That cannot be a great mind which is disturbed by injury. He who has hurt you must be either stronger or weaker than yourself. If he be weaker, spare him: if he be stronger, spare yourself.

On Anger, Book 3, Section 5 Book 3 · 19 of 121
Seneca — The Senator

Even if we ignore anger's immediate effects — like heavy losses, dangerous plots, and the constant worry that comes with conflict — anger punishes itself the moment it punishes others. It abandons human feelings. Love tells us to care for people, but anger tells us to hate them. Love tells us to help others, but anger tells us to hurt them. Here's another problem: anger seems to come from high self-respect and appears to show courage, but it's actually pathetic and petty. You must feel inferior to someone if you think they've looked down on you. A truly great mind knows its own worth and doesn't seek revenge for insults — because it doesn't even feel insulted.

On Anger, Book 3, Section 5 Book 3 · 18 of 121
Calm Your Mind Human Nature
Seneca — The Senator Original

Moreover, even if we pass over its immediate consequences, such as heavy losses, treacherous plots, and the constant anxiety produced by strife, anger pays a penalty at the same moment that it exacts one: it forswears human feelings. The latter urge us to love, anger urges us to hatred: the latter bid us do men good, anger bids us do them harm. Add to this that, although its rage arises from an excessive self-respect and appears to show high spirit, it really is contemptible and mean: for a man must be inferior to one by whom he thinks himself despised, whereas the truly great mind, which takes a true estimate of its own value, does not revenge an insult because it does not feel it.

On Anger, Book 3, Section 5 Book 3 · 18 of 121
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Ancient philosophy, in plain English.

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