The workes of Lucius Annæus Seneca, both morrall and naturall Containing, 1. His bookes of benefites. 2. His epistles. 3. His booke of prouidence. 4. Three bookes of anger. 5. Two bookes of clemencie. 6. His booke of a blessed life. 7. His booke of the tranquilitie of the minde. 8. His booke of the constancie of a wiseman. 9. His booke of the shortnesse of life. 10. Two bookes of consolation to Martia. 11. Three bookes of consolation to Heluia. 12. His booke of consolation to Polibius. 13. His seuen bookes of naturall questions. Translated by Tho. Lodge, D. in Physicke.

EPIST. XCVIII.

That we ought onely to trust internall goods, and that the rest com and go. That this is to be meditated vpon, and that all things ought to be considered and esteemed as tran∣sitory, The minde therefore is to be prepared to the losse of such things, and to be con∣firmed in patience. Why not? Other men haue suffered the like. Follow thou their example, nay more, be thou the example thy selfe. Assuredly this is one amongst his good and profitable Epistles.

NEuer beleeue thou that any man is happy, whose felicity is in suspence. He buildeth vpon vncertainties, that reioyceth in ca∣sualties; for the ioy that hath entred will quickly fleete away. But that which proceedeth from it selfe is both faithfull and firme, and increaseth, and prosecuteth euen vnto the end. The rest, which the common sort admire, are good for a time. What then? May not they serue and giue pleasure? Who denyeth it? But so as they depend on vs, not we on them. All whatsoeuer fortune beholdeth became fruitfull and plea∣sant in this sort, if he that possesseth them be Master of himselfe likewise, and is not subiect to that which he hath. For they are deceiued, my Lucilius, that think that fortune giueth vs eyther any thing that is good or euill. He giueth vs the matter of goods and euils, and the beginnings of things, which shall either haue a happy or vnhappy issue with vs. For the minde is stronger then any fortune, he conducteth his affaires, eyther right or wrong, he is himselfe the cause of his contented or miserable life. An euill man conuerteth all things to the worst, yea, euen those things which happened with appearance of great good. An vpright and good conscience correcteth the infirmities of fortune, and mollifi∣eth those things which are hard and vntoward by his knowledge how to suffer, and the same man most gratefully and modestly entertaineth prosperity, and constantly and couragiously aduersitie, who although he be prudent, although

he doth all things with an exact iudgement, although he attempt nothing a∣boue his strength, yet that intire good which is setled and exempted from the threats of fortune doth not befall him, except he be assured against whatsoeuer is vncertaine. Whether it be thou wilt obserue others (for the iudgement is most free in other mens affaires) or whether leauing partiality a part, thou wilt beholde thy selfe, thou shalt both thinke and confesse this, that no one of these goods which are desired and prised is profitable, except thou arme thy sel••e a∣gainst lightnesse, and those things that depend on casualtie, except that oft and without complaint thou speake thus in euery one of thy losses. It is the pleasure of the gods that it should goe otherwise. Or rather that I may report a speech more strong and iust, whereby thy minde may be more enabled, say thus when as any thing hath falne out otherwise then thou thoughtest: The gods send better. Being thus composed, nothing shall be casuall: and so shall he be composed, if they shall but imagine what the variety of humane affairs may, before he feele it, if he so possesse his children, his wife and patrimony, as if he should not alwaies haue them, and as if he should not be more miserable for this cause, if he should be forced to lose them. Wretched is that minde that is tor∣mented with that which is to succeed, and before miseries is he miserable who is carefull, that those things wherein he taketh delight should continue with him to his end: for he shall neuer be in quiet, and in expectation of the future, he shall lose the present which he might enioy. But the griefe of the thing that is lost, and the feare of that which is to be lost, are both ••quall. Neyther there∣fore doe I command thee to be negligent. But decline thou from those things that are to be feared, and foresee all that which prudence may foresee: consider and preuent that thing which may offend thee long time before it happen. To this ef••ect thy confidence will serue thee greatly, and thy certaine resolution to support all accidents. He can beware of fortune that can suffer fortune: vn∣doubtedly he neuer stormeth in his tranquillity. It is a misery and extreame folly to be alwayes in feare; what folly is this to goe before a mans euill? In briefe, to let thee know that in a word, which I think I will describe vnto thee, these busie-bodies, and tormenters of themselues: they are as intemperate in their miseries as they were before them. He grieueth more then he needeth, that grieueth before he needeth; for by the same infirmity he estimateth not his griefe, whe••eby he expecteth it not; with the same intemperance he faineth to himselfe pe••petuall felicity, he imagineth that all these things that haue be∣••alne him, should not onely endure but increase and forgetting that all humane things are both tossed and changed, which is while he promiseth himselfe one∣ly an assured estate in his casualties. I finde then that Metrodorus spake very fitly, when in a letter he sent vnto his sister to comfort her in the death of her sonne, which was a childe of great hope, he said that all the goods of mortall men are mortall. Of these goods speaketh he which men so much affect and ••locke after; for the true good perisheth not, wisedome and vertue are certaine and eternall, these onely are the immortall goods that haue befalne mortall men. But men are so vnhappy, and so farre forgetfull whether they goe, whe∣ther euery day draweth them vnto, that they wonder if they lose any thing, being assu••ed one day to lose all. Whatsoeuer it be that thou art called Ma∣ster of, know that it is not thine, although thou possesse it. Thou art infirme and mortall, there is nothing then in this world that is firme and immortall for thee. It is as necessary our goods should perish as be lost, and if we take heede it is a great comfort to lose those goods with a setled and resolute minde, which

must perish. What remedy then shall we finde out against these losses? This, that we may keepe in memorie such things as are lost, neither suffer the fruit of them, which we haue gotten by them, to perish with them. To haue may be ta∣ken from vs; to haue had, neuer. Most ingratefull is he, who wh••n he hath lost, oweth nothing for that he hath receiued. Casualty taketh our substance from vs, but leaueth the vse and fruit thereof with vs, which we lose by the iniquitie of our desire. Say vnto thy selfe; Of these things that seeme so terrible, nothing is inuincible. Many there are that haue ouercome each one o•• them, M••tius the ••ire, Regulus the crosse, Socrates poison, Rutillius banishment. Cato death enforced by his owne sword. Let vs likewise get some victorie: moreouer, those things which allow & entice the cōmon sort, vnder appearance of beauty & happines, haue by many & oftentimes bin contemned. Fabricius being chiefe of the army•• reiected riches, and being Censor cōdemned them. Tubero iudged pouertie to be worthy both of himselfe & the Capitol, when as vsing earthen pots in his pub∣like supper, he shewed that man ought to content himselfe with that, wh••rwith the gods disdained not to be sometimes serued. Sextius the Father, a man fit to gouerne the affaires of a Common-weale, refused all honourable Offices, and would not accept the dignitie of a Senator, which Iulius Caesar had presented him, knowing well that whatsoeuer may be giuen, may be taken away. Let vs likewise doe some of these things valiantly. Let vs ranke our selues as exemplar men among the rest. Why are we faint-hearted? Why despaire we? What∣soeuer might be done, can be done. Let vs now purge our mindes, and follow Nature, for he that erreth and strayeth from her must of force, desire, and feare, and be a slaue to casualties. We may returne into the way, we haue libertie to recouer our constancie. Let vs be restored, that we may endure grief••s, in what manner soeuer they assaile our bodies; and say vnto Fortune, Thou hast to deale with a man, search out some other, a man whom thou mayest ouercome. By these say∣ings and such like, the force of that vlcer is appeased, wherof I desire either ease or recure, or strength to support and waxe old with the same. But I am secure of him; the question is of our losse, whereby a worthy old man is taken from vs. For he is full of life, who desireth that nothing should be added vnto him for his owne cause, but for theirs to whom he is profitable. He doth liberally, be∣cause he liueth. Another ere this had finished all these troubles: this man thin∣keth it as foule a thing to shunne death, as to seeke after death. What then, shall he not forsake it, if he be perswaded thereunto? Why should he not forsake it? If no man now hath any further vse of him, if hee haue no businesse but to waite vpon paine. This (my Lucillius) is to learne Philosophie in art and to be exercised in the truth, to see what minde a prudent man hath against death, a∣gainst dolor, when the one approcheth, the other presseth him. That which is to be done, is to be learned of him that doth it. Hitherto we haue debated by arguments, whether any man may resist paine, or death likewise may humble great mindes, when it assaileth them. What need many words? The thing discouereth it selfe, let vs trauell thereunto: neither doth death make him more stronger agains•• paine, neither paine confirme him against death, hee armeth himselfe against both; neither patiently greeueth he in hope of death, neither dieth he willingly thorow the tediousnesse of paine; he endureth the one, hee respecteth the other.