Seneca, On the Happy Life 43: To Climb a Steep Path

“Philosophers do not carry into effect all that they teach."

No, but they effect much good by their teaching, by the noble thoughts which they conceive in their minds; would, indeed, that they could act up to their talk. What could be happier than they would be?

But in the meanwhile, you have no right to despise good sayings and hearts full of good thoughts. Men deserve praise for engaging in profitable studies, even though they stop short of producing any results. Why need we wonder if those who begin to climb a steep path do not succeed in ascending it very high?

Yet, if you are a man, look with respect on those who attempt great things, even though they fall. It is the act of a generous spirit to proportion its efforts not to its own strength, but to that of human nature, to entertain lofty aims, and to conceive plans which are too vast to be carried into execution even by those who are endowed with gigantic intellects, who appoint for themselves the following rules:

"I will look upon death or upon a comedy with the same expression of countenance.

“I will submit to labors, however great they may be, supporting the strength of my body by that of my mind.

“I will despise riches when I have them as much as when I have them not; if they are elsewhere I will not be more gloomy, if they sparkle around me I will not be more lively than I should otherwise be.

“Whether Fortune comes or goes I will take no notice of her. I will view all lands as though they belong to me, and my own as though they belonged to all mankind. . . .”

—Seneca the Younger, On the happy life, Chapter 20 (tr Stewart)

Wisdom will set the goal of the good life for us, and philosophy will be the companion to help us work toward the goal. Action will proceed from understanding, though it will do so by degrees, and it will sometimes fall short. No matter. The success is in the effort itself, and the steep path to the summit makes the climb all the more worthy and noble.

My mind will often race far ahead of my deeds, though this should hardly be a discouragement. I must set my sights high, but also be fully understanding of where I stand now and what I have the strength to do.

I find great comfort in Seneca’s rules, not only at those times I may succeed, but especially at those times when I fail.

I should have no fear of death, and I should even laugh at death, because it is hardly a dreadful thing. It should only serve to remind me of what is good, because to know that I can die at any moment is also to know that I must pursue the joy of virtue in every moment.

I should remember that the value of any of my efforts will be essentially defined by how I think about them. Where my estimation finds something good, there will be benefit, and where my estimation sees only bad, there will be harm. Nothing in this life is interesting or boring, valuable or useless, helpful or a hindrance, except in the way the mind chooses to understand it or not to understand it.

I should always define myself by what is within me, and not by what is outside of me. I should never wish to be rich, and I should never wish to be poor, because the presence or absence of possessions is not the fulfillment of my nature, or the measure of my happiness.

I should never look to Fortune as my guide, since what she gives and what she takes away are beyond my power. I should even cease to think of the difference between what belongs to me and what belongs to another. The true goods that Nature provides are to be shared by all, not gifted only to some.

Written in 10/2016