Seneca d.J.: Zitate auf Englisch (seite 3)

“Tis the first art of kings, the power to suffer hate.”
ars prima regni est posse invidiam pati.

“Pyrrhus: No law demands mercy to prisoners
Agamemnon: Though the law forbids it not, yet decency forbids it.
Pyr: The victor is at liberty to do whatever he likes.
Agam.: To whom much is allowed, it is least suitable to act wantonly.”
Pyrrhus: Lex nulla capto parcit aut poenam impedit. Agamemnon: Quod non vetat lex, hoc vetat fieri pudor. Pyr: Quodcumque libuit facere victori licet. Agam.: Minimum decet libere cui multum licet.

“Unjust rule never abides continually.”
Iniqua nunquam regna perpetuo manent.

“Growth is slow but collapse is rapid.”

“It is not that we have a short space of time, but that we waste much of it. Life is long enough.”
Non exiguum temporis habemus, sed multum perdidimus. Satis longa vita.

“The much occupied man has no time for wantonness, and it is an obvious commonplace that the evils of leisure can be shaken off by hard work.”
numquam vacat lascivire districtis, nihilque tam certum est quam otii vitia negotio discuti.

“Why does God afflict the best of men with ill-health, or sorrow, or other troubles? Because in the army the most hazardous services are assigned to the bravest soldiers: a general sends his choicest troops to attack the enemy in a midnight ambuscade, to reconnoitre his line of march, or to drive the hostile garrisons from their strong places. No one of these men says as he begins his march, " The general has dealt hardly with me," but "He has judged well of me."”
Quare deus optimum quemque aut mala valetudine aut luctu aut aliis incommodis adficit? quia in castris quoque periculosa fortissimis imperantur: dux lectissimos mittit qui nocturnis hostes adgrediantur insidiis aut explorent iter aut praesidium loco deiciant. Nemo eorum qui exeunt dicit 'male de me imperator mervit', sed 'bene iudicavit'.

“Religion is regarded by the common people as true, by the wise as false, and by rulers as useful.”

“It is better, of course, to know useless things than to know nothing.”
Satius est supervacua scire quam nihil.

“Besides, he who follows another not only discovers nothing but is not even investigating.”
Praeterea qui alium sequitur nihil invenit, immo nec quaerit.

“Tis the upright mind that holds true sovereignty.”
mens regnum bona possidet.

“Pyrrhus: Mercy often means giving death, not life.”
Pyrrhus: Mortem misericors saepe pro vita dabit.

“If you wish to be loved, love.”

“A good judge condemns wrongful acts, but does not hate them.”
bonus iudex damnat inprobanda, non odit.

“Toward good men God has the mind of a father, he cherishes for them a manly love, and he says, "Let them be harassed by toil, by suffering, by losses, in order that they may gather true strength." Bodies grown fat through sloth are weak, and not only labour, but even movement and their very weight cause them to break down. Unimpaired prosperity cannot withstand a single blow; but he who has struggled constantly with his ills becomes hardened through suffering; and yields to no misfortune; nay, even if he falls, he still fights upon his knees.”
Patrium deus habet adversus bonos viros animum et illos fortiter amat et "Operibus," inquit, "doloribus, damnis exagitentur, ut verum colligant robur." Languent per inertiam saginata nec labore tantum sed motu et ipso sui onere deficiunt. Non fert ullum ictum inlaesa felicitas; at cui assidua fuit cum incommodis suis rixa, callum per iniurias duxit nec ulli malo cedit sed etiam si cecidit de genu pugnat.

“For we are mistaken when we look forward to death; the major portion of death has already passed. Whatever years be behind us are in death's hands.”
In hoc enim fallimur, quod mortem prospicimus: magna pars eius iam praeterit; quidquid aetatis retro est mors tenet.

“Withdraw into yourself, as far as you can. Associate with those who will make a better man of you. Welcome those whom you yourself can improve. The process is mutual; for men learn while they teach.”
Recede in te ipse quantum potes; cum his versare qui te meliorem facturi sunt, illos admitte quos tu potes facere meliores. Mutuo ista fiunt, et homines dum docent discunt.

“This is the worst trait of minds rendered arrogant by prosperity, they hate those whom they have injured.”
Hoc habent pessimum animi magna fortuna insolentes: quos laeserunt et oderunt.

“Just as we suffer from excess in all things, so we suffer from excess in literature; thus we learn our lessons, not for life, but for the lecture room.”
Quemadmodum omnium rerum, sic litterarum quoque intemperantia laboramus: non vitae sed scholae discimus.