You may perhaps remember my saying that the things which have been generally desired and feared have been trampled down by many a man in moments of sudden passion.
There have been found men who would place their hands in the flames, men whose smiles could not be stopped by the torturer, men who would shed not a tear at the funeral of their children, men who would meet death unflinchingly. It is love, for example, anger, lust, which have challenged dangers.
If a momentary stubbornness can accomplish all this when roused by some goad that pricks the spirit, how much more can be accomplished by virtue, which does not act impulsively or suddenly, but uniformly and with a strength that is lasting!
It follows that the things which are often scorned by the men who are moved with a sudden passion, and are always scorned by the wise, are neither goods nor evils. Virtue itself is therefore the only good; she marches proudly between the two extremes of fortune, with great scorn for both.
If, however, you accept the view that there is anything good besides that which is honorable, all the virtues will suffer. For it will never be possible for any virtue to be won and held, if there is anything outside itself which virtue must take into consideration.
If there is any such thing, then it is at variance with reason, from which the virtues spring, and with truth also, which cannot exist without reason. Any opinion, however, which is at variance with truth, is wrong.
There have been found men who would place their hands in the flames, men whose smiles could not be stopped by the torturer, men who would shed not a tear at the funeral of their children, men who would meet death unflinchingly. It is love, for example, anger, lust, which have challenged dangers.
If a momentary stubbornness can accomplish all this when roused by some goad that pricks the spirit, how much more can be accomplished by virtue, which does not act impulsively or suddenly, but uniformly and with a strength that is lasting!
It follows that the things which are often scorned by the men who are moved with a sudden passion, and are always scorned by the wise, are neither goods nor evils. Virtue itself is therefore the only good; she marches proudly between the two extremes of fortune, with great scorn for both.
If, however, you accept the view that there is anything good besides that which is honorable, all the virtues will suffer. For it will never be possible for any virtue to be won and held, if there is anything outside itself which virtue must take into consideration.
If there is any such thing, then it is at variance with reason, from which the virtues spring, and with truth also, which cannot exist without reason. Any opinion, however, which is at variance with truth, is wrong.
—from Seneca, Moral Letters 76
I hear many claims about the inherent weakness of human nature, and much cynicism about expecting anyone to ever perform any noble deeds. Yet by assuming that people must be base, cowardly, or lazy, we are merely lowering the bar, treating a creature gifted with reason and will as if he were no more than a slave to brute instinct. Yes, a man will be subject to volatile impressions, but he still remains the master of his own judgments.
That many might choose to follow the herd instead of thinking for themselves is hardly a necessity: each one of us makes his own estimation of his own impulses, and each one of us can always decide differently. If I have favored the path of least resistance, it is merely because I have deemed convenience to be greater than character, an error I may begin to correct at this very moment.
We are impressed by deeds committed out of intense passion, though they are hardly extraordinary, since all of us will do most anything for the sake of what we presently perceive to be the greatest reward. Rage, terror, or lust are passing emotions, however, and it is only when an action is supported by the depth of a genuine understanding that we can speak of a conviction as being absolutely indomitable.
Both the lover and the sage will recognize why the circumstances of this life, whether pleasant or painful, are as nothing compared to the glory of the prize: they become indifferent to poverty and riches, sickness and health, torment and luxury. As a boy, I would go through hell or high water for the sake of a girl, and now as a man, I am finally working on doing the same for the sake of my conscience.
Imagine if I had stopped for a beer with the guys on my wedding night. It is now no different if I were to look the other way when I catch the boss with his hand in the till, or the priest with his hand under a skirt. Let the opinion be anchored in a knowledge of the true and the good, and then the hesitation will fall away; equivocation is the mark of the two-faced man.
It is both funny and sad when certain folks speak of compromising one’s principles in the name of utility as being “reasonable”, when it is actually the most unreasonable thing in the world. A sound mind demands integrity and consistency, not feeble duplicity and cheap excuses. If virtue doesn’t come first, it won’t mean much of anything at all, quickly sold off to the highest bidder with the sweetest smile.
I hear many claims about the inherent weakness of human nature, and much cynicism about expecting anyone to ever perform any noble deeds. Yet by assuming that people must be base, cowardly, or lazy, we are merely lowering the bar, treating a creature gifted with reason and will as if he were no more than a slave to brute instinct. Yes, a man will be subject to volatile impressions, but he still remains the master of his own judgments.
That many might choose to follow the herd instead of thinking for themselves is hardly a necessity: each one of us makes his own estimation of his own impulses, and each one of us can always decide differently. If I have favored the path of least resistance, it is merely because I have deemed convenience to be greater than character, an error I may begin to correct at this very moment.
We are impressed by deeds committed out of intense passion, though they are hardly extraordinary, since all of us will do most anything for the sake of what we presently perceive to be the greatest reward. Rage, terror, or lust are passing emotions, however, and it is only when an action is supported by the depth of a genuine understanding that we can speak of a conviction as being absolutely indomitable.
Both the lover and the sage will recognize why the circumstances of this life, whether pleasant or painful, are as nothing compared to the glory of the prize: they become indifferent to poverty and riches, sickness and health, torment and luxury. As a boy, I would go through hell or high water for the sake of a girl, and now as a man, I am finally working on doing the same for the sake of my conscience.
Imagine if I had stopped for a beer with the guys on my wedding night. It is now no different if I were to look the other way when I catch the boss with his hand in the till, or the priest with his hand under a skirt. Let the opinion be anchored in a knowledge of the true and the good, and then the hesitation will fall away; equivocation is the mark of the two-faced man.
It is both funny and sad when certain folks speak of compromising one’s principles in the name of utility as being “reasonable”, when it is actually the most unreasonable thing in the world. A sound mind demands integrity and consistency, not feeble duplicity and cheap excuses. If virtue doesn’t come first, it won’t mean much of anything at all, quickly sold off to the highest bidder with the sweetest smile.
—Reflection written in 10/2013
IMAGE: Hans Baldung, Mucius Scaevola Before Porsenna (1531)
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