On Peace of Mind, Section 11 — In Plain English

Seneca — The Senator

What I've been saying applies only to flawed, ordinary, and troubled people — not to the wise man. He doesn't need to walk around afraid and overly careful. He has such confidence in himself that he walks straight toward Fortune without hesitation. He will never back down from her. He has no reason to fear her either. He knows that not only his possessions, property, and positions, but even his body, his eyes, his hands, and everything that makes life precious to him — even his very self — are all things he might lose at any moment. He lives as if he had borrowed them all, and he's ready to give them back cheerfully whenever they're asked for. But he doesn't think little of himself just because he knows he doesn't truly own himself. Instead, he handles all his duties as carefully and thoughtfully as an honest trustee would care for property left in his charge.

Seneca — The Senator Original

These remarks of mine apply only to imperfect, commonplace, and unsound natures, not to the wise man, who needs not to walk with timid and cautious gait: for he has such confidence in himself that he does not hesitate to go directly in the teeth of Fortune, and never will give way to her. Nor indeed has he any reason for fearing her, for he counts not only chattels, property, and high office, but even his body, his eyes, his hands, and everything whose use makes life dearer to us, nay, even his very self, to be things whose possession is uncertain; he lives as though he had borrowed them, and is ready to return them cheerfully whenever they are claimed. Yet he does not hold himself cheap, because he knows that he is not his own, but performs all his duties as carefully and prudently as a pious and scrupulous man would take care of property left in his charge as trustee.