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. XXIII.

5 1.1WEe may accuse the Destinies longer, but we cannot change them, they continue obstinate and in••xorable; no man can moue them eyther with vpbraides, or teares, or perswasions: they acquit no man of any thing, they pardon nothing: let vs therefore spare our teares, because they are vnprofitable: for sooner will sorrow lodge vs with him then returne him vnto vs; since shee tormenteth vs, & com∣forteth vs not, let vs shake her off in good time, and let vs retire our minds from vaine solaces, and from a bitter desire of sorrow: for except reason restrain our teares, fortune will not. Goe to, turne thy selfe on euery side, and consider all men in this world: there is in euery place an ample and continuall cause of teares; one man is called to his dayly labour, by a laborious pouerty, an o∣ther tormented with insatiable ambition, an other feareth those riches he hath wished for, and is sicke of his owne desires, this man is afflicted with care, that man with labour, this man is tyred with a troupe of sutors that besiege his dores, this man is sorry that hee hath children, that man because he hath lost them: we shall sooner want teares then cause of sorrow. Considerest thou not what life it is that nature hath presented vs with, since shee would that teares should be the first presages of our coudition in this world? This is our begin∣ning whereunto all the course of our yeares haue relation: thus liue wee, and therefore wee ought to keepe a measure in this thing, which wee ought to doe so often: and then considering how many fatall accidents attend vs, if wholly wee cannot giue ouer our teares; at leastwise we ought to reserue some part of them for time to come.6 1.2 There is nothing wherein wee ought to bee more sparing then this whereof wee haue so frequent vse. Moreouer thou shalt bee very much comforted, if thou thinkest that thy brother, for whom thou afflictest thy selfe in this sort, taketh lesse pleasure in that thou doest then any man thou canst name: hee will not, or hee knoweth not that thou art thus tormented: It is therefore an vnprofitable labour to grieue for him, for if hee feeleth nothing, it is superfluous, and if he feeleth, hee taketh no pleasure therein.

Notes

• 5 1.1

  W••e ought not to grieue and to••ment our se••ues for that which is firme vnauoidable, & immutable.
• 6 1.2

  They that wee lament for sor∣row not them∣selues, nor are sorry for vs; nei∣ther take plea∣sure in our la∣mentatio••s.