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.

CHAP. III.

ME thinks I see thy mind incensed,* 1.1 and boiling with anger, and thou art addressed to crie out; These are they that lessen the authority of your precepts: you promise great things, and such as neither may bee wished, nor can bee beleeued. Afterwards, after so ma∣ny great words, and when you haue denied that a Wise-man is poore, you confesse that oftentimes he hath want of a seruant, of cloathing, of a house, and of meat. Hauing denied that a Wiseman is a foole, you auow that

hee is sometimes transported, and that hee speaketh some things vnproperly; in briefe, that hee suffereth himselfe to bee distracted thether, whether the vio∣lence of his passion carrieth him. You deny that a Wiseman is a slaue, and yet confesse that hee may be sould, that hee will doe that which is commanded him, and will subiect himselfe as a slaue to all that seruice which his Master shall require at his hands. Thus after you haue braued a long time, you fall into the condition of other men; and there is no difference betweene you but in change of names. I suspect that there is I know not what like in that which you propose, that a wise-man cannot bee outraged eyther in deed or word. But if these be different things; that i••, if you say, that a Wiseman cannot be angrie, or cannot be iniuried. For if you say that hee endureth the i••iurie patiently, hee hath no priuiledge. He pertaketh onely a common good, that is to say, pati∣ence, which is learned by a custome of hearing, and bearing iniuries. If thou saeist that hee cannot bee outraged, that is to say, that no man will attempt to doe him iniurie:* 1.2 I will giue ouer all other affaires, and become a Stoicke. But my intent is not to dignifie a Wise wan with an imaginary honour of wordes, but to lodge him in such a place where no iniury may attaine vnto him. What then? shall there bee no man that will attempt or prouoke him? There is no∣thing so sacred in this world, that meeteth not with some sacriledge. But the gods cease not to be raised aloft, although there bee some so wicked men that will assaile a greatnesse and maiesty, so high placed that they cannot hurt or at∣taine vnto. That thing is exempt from harme, not because it is not stroken, but because it is not interessed. By this marke I will make thee know a Wise man. Doubtest thou that an inuincible force, although it be assailed, is no more assured, then that force which is not prouoked, considering that there is not a∣ny force in those forces that are vnapproued, and that contrariwise the con∣stancy which despiseth all assaults, is iustly helde for the most certaine? So know thou that a Wiseman is more to bee esteemed, because no iniurie can do him harme, then if no man prouoked him any wayes. I will call him a valiant man that is inuincible in warre, that is not astonished vpon the enemies charge, who taketh no pleasure in fatting idlenesse, nor in the conuersation of such as doe nothing. I say then that a Wiseman is not subiect or exposed to a∣ny iniury whatsoeuer, neither careth he how many darts are shot against him, since hee knoweth that hee cannot bee pierced. Euen as there are certain hard stones which Iron cannot enter, and the Adamant will neither be cut, filed or bet to powder,* 1.3 but abateth the edge of these tooles that are applied vnto it: as there are certaine things which cannot bee consumed by fire, but continue their hardnesse and habitude amidst the flames; and euen as the rockes that are fixed in the heart of the sea breake the waues, and although they haue beene as∣saulted, and bet vpon many infinite times, retaine no impression of the stormes that haue assailed them. euen so the heart of a Wiseman is solid, and hath gathered such force that hee is as secure from iniury, as those I made men∣tion of.

Notes

• * 1.1

  A reply to this resolutiō, groun∣ded on the Para∣dox of the Stoickes.
• * 1.2

  An answere to this reply.
• * 1.3

  Diuers compa∣risons to fortifie his answere.