On Peace of Mind, Section 11 — In Plain English

Seneca — The Senator

I'll never be embarrassed to quote a good line just because it comes from a bad person. Publilius was a more powerful writer than any of our other playwrights — whether they wrote comedies or tragedies. When he chose to rise above cheap laughs and crowd-pleasing speeches, he wrote verses too noble even for tragedy, let alone comedy. One of them goes like this:

"What one person has suffered can happen to any of us."

If you take this message to heart and look at all the misfortunes that happen to other people — and there are always plenty — remembering that nothing stops these same things from happening to you, you'll prepare yourself for trouble long before it hits. It's too late to train your mind to handle danger after the danger has already arrived.

Seneca — The Senator Original

I shall never be ashamed to quote a good saying because it comes from a bad author. Publilius, who was a more powerful writer than any of our other playwrights, whether comic or tragic, whenever he chose to rise above farcical absurdities and speeches addressed to the gallery, among many other verses too noble even for tragedy, let alone for comedy, has this one:—

"What one hath suffered may befall us all."

If a man takes this into his inmost heart and looks upon all the misfortunes of other men, of which there is always a great plenty, in this spirit, remembering that there is nothing to prevent their coming upon him also, he will arm himself against them long before they attack him. It is too late to school the mind to endurance of peril after peril has come.