Seneca - College of Stoic Philosophers

EXILE IN CORSICA 45dead.^ Everything in the island displeased him— the burning heat of the summer, the terriblecold of the winter, the unfertile soil, the lonelinessand ruggedness of the country.^The cri de cceur with which he ends the work— perhaps the only sincere passage it contains —bears strong witness to its authenticity :I have strung together these thoughts [he writessadly] to the best of my ability {utcimque potui) from abrain dulled and confused by the rust of a long inactivity.They are, perhaps, quite unworthy of your attention,quite unfitted for the object I had in view. But whatwould you have ? How can a man overwhelmed byhis own misfortunes give comfort to others ? How canhe find the words he wants, or express his meaningwith felicity,when the only language he hears is one soharsh and uncouth as to offend the ears even of themore civilised among barbarians themselves ?^Occisi jugulum quisquis scrutaris amici,Tu miserum necdum me satis esse putas ?Desere confossum. Victor! vulnus iniquoMortiferum impressit mortua saepe manus.*Non panis, non haustus aquae, non ultimus ignis;Hie sola haec duo sunt : exsul et exsilium.