Latin quotes by Seneca

Seneca (1-65 AD), Spanish Philosopher, counselor to Nero

Lucius Annaeus Seneca

He was born in Cordoba, Spain. His works include Controversiae (Disputes), Suasoriae (Councils), Epistulae morales ad Lucilium, (124 letters to Liculius) and Dialogi (Dialogues) .

1. Aequat omnes cinis - Ashes makes everybody equal (Seneca)
2. Aliquando et insanire iucundum est - Sometimes it is enjoyable to be insane (Seneca De tranquillitate animi XVII 10)
3. Amicitia semper prodest, amor aliquando etiam nocet - Friendship always takes advantage, love sometimes fails (Seneca)
4. Animum debes mutare non caelum - You should change your attitude, not your sky (Seneca - Epistulae morales ad Lucilium, XXVIII - You don't make things better, just by moving to another place. You need to change your way of life.)
5. Artes serviunt vitae, sapientia imperat - The arts provide a service to life, wisdom governs it (Philosophical Term - Seneca, Letters to Lucilius, 85, 32)
6. Athenea fuerunt lumen orbis - Athens was the torch's world (Seneca)
7. Aut regem, aut fatuum nasci oportet - One Ought to Be Born a King or a Fool (Seneca - Apocolocyntosis, I, 1)
8. Bonis nocet qui malis parcet - Goodness injures what evil spares (Seneca - De Moribus, 114 - Goodness discourages what evil doesn't discourage)
9. Copia ciborum, subtilitas impeditur - The abundance of food hampers intelligence (Seneca)
10. Crudelius est quam mori semper timere mortem - It is more cruel to always fear death than to die (Seneca)
11. Cui prodest scelus, is fecit - Who benefits by the crime, he is the guilty man (Seneca Medea - Legal Term - Usually asked in court as Cui prodest?)
12. Culpa par odium exigit - The offense requires a proportional rejection (Legal term - Seneca)
13. Debet semper plus esse virium in vectores quam in onere - The one that carries the burden, must always be stronger than the burden (Seneca)
14. Divitae bonum non sunt - Material wealth is not the one good (Seneca)
15. Dulce maerenti, populus dolentum - It is sweet for one in grief to know that other people suffer (Seneca - Troades)
16. Errare humanum est, perseverare diabolicum - To err is human, to persist in it, is diabolical (Seneca)
17. Facilius est paupertatem laudare quam ferre - It is easier to praise poverty than to endure it (Philosophical term - Seneca)
18. Facilius per partes in cognitionem totius adducimur - It is easier to understand parts, than to understand the whole (Seneca Epistulae Morales LXXXIX)
19. Fallaces sunt rerum species - The appearances of things are deceptive (Seneca, De Beneficiis IV, 34)
20. Fata volentem ducunt, nolentem trahunt - Destiny carries the willing man; and drags the unwilling (Seneca - Epistulae morales, XVIII)
21. Ferae pericula quae vident fugiunt - The beasts flee the dangers they see (Seneca)
22. Gladiator in arena consilium capit - The gladiator is formulating his plan in the arena (Too late - Seneca)
23. Homines, dum docent, discunt - Men learn while they teach (Seneca)
24. Homo sit naturaliter animal socialis - Man is by nature a social animal (Seneca)
25. Id bonum cura quod vetustate fit melius - Take care of the good since it improves with age (Seneca Epistulae ad Lucilium II, 15, 5)

Total: 57