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SENECA - College of Stoic Philosophers

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est.<br />

THE EPISTLES OF <strong>SENECA</strong><br />

Atqui cum voles veram hominis aestimationem<br />

inire et scire, quails sit, nudum inspice<br />

;<br />

ponat patrimonium,<br />

ponat honores et alia fortunae mendacia,<br />

corpus ipsum exuat.<br />

Animum intuere, qualis quantusque<br />

sit, alieno an suo magnus.<br />

33 Si rectis oculis gladios micantes videt et si scit<br />

sua nihil interesse, utrum anima per os an per iugulum<br />

exeat, beatum voca ;<br />

si cum illi denuntiata sunt<br />

corporis tormenta et quae casu veniunt et quae<br />

potentioris iniuria, si vincula et exilia et vanas humanarum<br />

formidines mentium securus audit et dicit :<br />

" Non ulla laborura,<br />

O virgo, nova mi fades inopinave surgit ;<br />

Orania praecepi atque animo mecum ipse peregi.<br />

Tu hodie ista denuntias ;<br />

ego semper denuntiavi mihi<br />

34 et hominem paravi ad humana." Praecogitati mali<br />

mollis ictus venit. At stultis et fortunae credentibus<br />

omnis videtur nova rerum et inopinata facies ;<br />

magna<br />

autem pars est apud imperitos mali novitas. Hoc ut<br />

scias, ea quae putaverant aspera, fortius, cum adsue-<br />

35 vere, patiuntur. Ideo sapiens adsuescit futuris malis<br />

et quae alii diu patiendo levia faciunt, hie levia facit<br />

a<br />

As the world-soul is<br />

spread through the universe, so<br />

the human soul (as fire, or breath) is diffused through the<br />

body, and may take its departure in various ways.<br />

6 Vergil, Aeneid, vi. 103 if.<br />

(The answer <strong>of</strong> Aeneas to<br />

the Sibyl's prophecy.)<br />

166

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