Plain
Seneca — The Senator

Are you waiting for some enemy to free you by destroying your whole country? For some powerful king to come from far away? Look around you — everywhere you look, you can see a way to end your suffering. You see that cliff? That's a path to freedom. You see that ocean? That river? That well? Freedom waits at the bottom of each one. You see that tree? Stunted, diseased, withered as it is — freedom still hangs from its branches. You see your own throat, your own neck, your own heart? Each one is a way to escape slavery. Are the methods I'm showing you too hard? Do they need too much strength and courage? You ask what path leads to freedom? Any vein in your body.

On Anger, Book 3, Section 15 Book 3 · 51 of 121
Freedom & Control Facing Hardship
Seneca — The Senator Original

for some enemy to avenge you by the destruction of your entire nation, or for some powerful king to arrive from a distant land? Wherever you turn your eyes you may see an end to your woes. Do you see that precipice? down that lies the road to liberty; do you see that sea? that river? that well? Liberty sits at the bottom of them. Do you see that tree? stunted, blighted, dried up though it be, yet liberty hangs from its branches. Do you see your own throat, your own neck, your own heart? they are so many ways of escape from slavery. Are these modes which I point out too laborious, and needing much strength and courage? do you ask what path leads to liberty? I answer, any vein[3] in your body.

On Anger, Book 3, Section 15 Book 3 · 51 of 121
Seneca — The Senator

Whether life is worth living under such conditions — well, that's a different question for another time. Let's not comfort these miserable people or tell them to obey their torturers. Instead, let's show them that no matter how enslaved a person might be, there's always a path to freedom open — unless their mind is sick. It's your own fault if you suffer when you could end your misery by ending yourself. To the man whose king shot arrows at his friends' chests, and to the man whose master forced fathers to eat their children's hearts, I would say: 'You fool, why are you moaning? What are you waiting for?'

On Anger, Book 3, Section 15 Book 3 · 50 of 121
Freedom & Control Facing Hardship
Seneca — The Senator Original

Whether life is worth having at such a price, we shall see hereafter; that is another question. Let us not console so sorry a crew, or encourage them to submit to the orders of their butchers; let us point out that however slavish a man’s condition may be, there is always a path to liberty open to him, unless his mind be diseased. It is a man’s own fault if he suffers, when by putting an end to himself he can put an end to his misery. To him whose king aimed arrows at the breasts of his friends, and to him whose master gorged fathers with the hearts of their children, I would say “Madman, why do you groan? for what are you waiting?

On Anger, Book 3, Section 15 Book 3 · 50 of 121
‹ Previous Next ›

Ancient philosophy, in plain English.

About · Support