{ "schema": "prokopton42-public-passage-v1", "id": "seneca.de_vita_beata", "canonical_url": "https://prokopton42.com/en/works/seneca/de-vita-beata/reference-20/", "language": "en", "title": "On the Happy Life", "author": "Seneca", "date": "c. 58 CE", "summary": "Seneca defines happiness as rational agreement with nature and rejects turning it into pursuit of pleasure. The essay also answers critics who oppose his wealth and proximity to power to the austere demands he professes.", "learning": "Distinguish pleasure from the highest good, analyze Stoic use of wealth, and assess Seneca’s answer to the charge of inconsistency.", "long_summary": "The text first asks which guide to follow because majority opinion often reproduces error. Virtue, inner freedom, and governed use of external advantages are then opposed to a life subject to sensation.\n\nSeneca admits he is not wise and defends the right to indicate a standard not yet fulfilled. The philosopher may possess wealth without being possessed by it. This distinction carries the dialogue’s tension among moral progress, personal justification, and visible consistency.", "historical_context": "The corpus manifests do not yet establish the precise place and circumstances of composition. The images below document the author’s world or the text’s transmission. They do not claim to show the exact scene of writing.", "material_world_label": "Roman world, 1st century BCE to 3rd century CE", "material_world": { "technology": "Paved roads, aqueducts, concrete, glassware, mills, and hypocaust heating equip some cities, but energy comes mainly from bodies, animals, water, and wood.", "science": "Astronomy, geometry, natural history, and engineering compile Greek, Egyptian, and Roman knowledge. Measurement exists without a modern laboratory.", "medicine": "Physicians, midwives, baths, plants, and rudimentary surgery can help; reliable anaesthesia, antisepsis, and antibiotics do not exist.", "transport": "On foot, horseback, cart, or ship, road and sea networks connect the Empire. Travel remains slow, costly, and risky.", "agriculture": "Grain, vines, olives, pulses, and livestock supply cities and armies; estates, slavery, and tenancy organize part of the labour.", "communication": "Imperial couriers, letters on papyrus or tablets, inscriptions, and oral proclamations spread information. Everything is copied by hand.", "clothing": "Tunics and cloaks are common to both sexes; the stola, toga, footwear, colours, and jewellery mark citizenship, office, wealth, and origin." }, "material_world_scenes": [ { "asset": "/assets/timeline/landmarks/09-54-ce/world-01.webp", "title": "Technology, science, and care", "description": "Paved roads, aqueducts, concrete, glassware, mills, and hypocaust heating equip some cities, but energy comes mainly from bodies, animals, water, and wood. Astronomy, geometry, natural history, and engineering compile Greek, Egyptian, and Roman knowledge. Measurement exists without a modern laboratory. Physicians, midwives, baths, plants, and rudimentary surgery can help; reliable anaesthesia, antisepsis, and antibiotics do not exist." }, { "asset": "/assets/timeline/landmarks/09-54-ce/world-02.webp", "title": "Travel and communication", "description": "On foot, horseback, cart, or ship, road and sea networks connect the Empire. Travel remains slow, costly, and risky. Imperial couriers, letters on papyrus or tablets, inscriptions, and oral proclamations spread information. Everything is copied by hand." }, { "asset": "/assets/timeline/landmarks/09-54-ce/world-03.webp", "title": "Farming and food", "description": "Grain, vines, olives, pulses, and livestock supply cities and armies; estates, slavery, and tenancy organize part of the labour." }, { "asset": "/assets/timeline/landmarks/09-54-ce/world-04.webp", "title": "Clothing, women and men", "description": "Tunics and cloaks are common to both sexes; the stola, toga, footwear, colours, and jewellery mark citizenship, office, wealth, and origin." } ], "intellectual_tradition": { "id": "stoicism", "label": "Stoicism" }, "period": { "id": "ancient", "label": "Antiquity" }, "languages": [ "lat", "en", "fr" ], "manifestations": [ { "annotation_file": "data/corpus/normalized/seneca/de-vita-beata/annotations/lat-perseus-editorial-notes.ndjson", "annotation_records": 31, "file": "data/corpus/normalized/seneca/de-vita-beata/representations/lat-perseus-lat2.ndjson", "language": "lat", "records": 28, "role": "original", "source_id": "perseus.seneca.de_vita_beata.perseus_lat2" }, { "file": "data/corpus/normalized/seneca/de-vita-beata/representations/en-stewart.ndjson", "language": "en", "records": 28, "source_id": "project-gutenberg.seneca.aubrey-stewart-minor-dialogues-1889", "translator": "Aubrey Stewart" }, { "file": "data/corpus/normalized/seneca/de-vita-beata/representations/fr-baillard.ndjson", "language": "fr", "records": 28, "source_id": "baillard-1914-wikisource-fr", "translator": "Joseph Baillard" } ], "concepts": [ { "id": "anger", "label": "Anger" }, { "id": "beneficence", "label": "Beneficence" }, { "id": "care_of_soul", "label": "Care of the soul" }, { "id": "courage", "label": "Courage" }, { "id": "death", "label": "Death" }, { "id": "desire", "label": "Desire" }, { "id": "ether_field", "label": "Ether and field" }, { "id": "faith", "label": "Faith" }, { "id": "family", "label": "Family" }, { "id": "fear", "label": "Fear" }, { "id": "forgiveness", "label": "Forgiveness" }, { "id": "fortune", "label": "Fortune" }, { "id": "freedom", "label": "Freedom" }, { "id": "friendship", "label": "Friendship" }, { "id": "god", "label": "God" }, { "id": "impressions_and_assent", "label": "Impressions and assent" }, { "id": "law", "label": "Law" }, { "id": "love", "label": "Love" }, { "id": "memory", "label": "Memory" }, { "id": "messiah", "label": "Messiah" }, { "id": "mindfulness", "label": "Mindfulness" }, { "id": "nature", "label": "Nature" }, { "id": "philosophical_eros", "label": "Philosophical eros" }, { "id": "philosophical_training", "label": "Philosophical training" }, { "id": "poverty_wealth", "label": "Poverty and wealth" }, { "id": "prayer", "label": "Prayer" }, { "id": "reason", "label": "Reason" }, { "id": "roles", "label": "Roles and relationships" }, { "id": "salvation", "label": "Salvation" }, { "id": "service", "label": "Service" }, { "id": "spirit", "label": "Spirit" }, { "id": "time", "label": "Time" }, { "id": "truth", "label": "Truth" }, { "id": "virtue", "label": "Virtue" }, { "id": "wisdom", "label": "Wisdom" }, { "id": "yi_rightness", "label": "Yi, fitting rightness" } ], "source_work_ids": [ "seneca.de_vita_beata" ], "passages": 28, "word_count": 12779, "word_counts_by_language": { "en": 12779, "fr": 11147, "lat": 7265 }, "editorial_status": "gpt_5_6_semantic_draft_v1", "structure": { "citation_scheme": "seneca_dialogue_chapter_v1", "kind": "native", "levels": [ { "key": "chapter", "label_fr": "Chapitre", "label_en": "Chapter" } ], "leaf_fr": "Chapitre", "leaf_en": "Chapter" }, "canonical_passage_id": "passage:seneca.de_vita_beata:20", "canonical_ref": "20", "canonical_parent_ref": null, "canonical_parent_id": null, "representations": [ { "language": "lat", "text": "\" Non praestant philosophi quae loquuntur.\" Multum tamen praestant quod loquuntur, quod honesta mente concipiunt; namque idem si et paria dictis agerent, quid esset illis beatius ? Interim non est quod contemnas bona verba et bonis cogitationibus plena praecordia. Studiorum salutarium etiam citra effectum laudanda tractatio est. Quid mirum, si non escendunt in altum ardua adgressi ? Sed si vir es, suspice, etiam si decidunt, magna conantis. Generosa res est respicientem non ad suas sed ad naturae suae vires conari, alta temptare et mente maiora concipere, quam quae etiam ingenti animo adornatis effici possunt. Qui sibi hoc proposuit: \" Ego mortem eodem voltu comoediamque videbo. Ego laboribus, quanticumque illi erunt, parebo animo fulciens corpus. Ego divitias et praesentis et absentis aeque contemnam, nec si aliubi iacebunt, tristior, nec si circa me fulgebunt, animosior. Ego fortunam nec venientem sentiam nec recedentem. Ego terras omnis tamquam meas videbo, meas tamquam omnium. Ego sic vivam quasi sciam aliis esse me natum et naturae rerum hoc nomine gratias agam ; quo enim melius genere negotium meum agere potuit ? Unum me donavit omnibus, uni mihi omnis. Quicquid habebo, nec sordide custodiam nec prodige spargam. Nihil magis possidere me credam quam bene donata. Non numero nec pondere beneficia nec ulla nisi accipientis aestimatione perpendam ; numquam id mihi multum erit, quod dignus accipiet. Nihil opinionis causa, omnia conscientiae faciam. Populo spectante fieri credam quicquid me conscio faciam. Edendi mihi erit bibendique finis desideria naturae restinguere, non implere alvum et exinanire. Ero amicis iucundus, inimicis mitis et facilis. Exorabor, antequam roger, et honestis precibus occurram. Patriam meam esse mundum sciam et praesides deos, hos supra me circaque me stare factorum dictorumque censores. Quandoque aut natura spiritum repetet aut ratio dimittet, testatus exibo bonam me conscientiam amasse, bona studia, nullius per me libertatem deminutam, minime meam \"—qui haec facere proponet, volet, temptabit, ad deos iter faciet, ne ille, etiam si non tenuerit, Magnis tamen excidit ausis. Vos quidem, quod virtutem cultoremque eius odistis, nihil novi facitis. Nam et solem lumina aegra formidant et aversantur diem splendidum nocturna animalia, quae ad primum eius ortum stupent et latibula sua passim petunt, abduntur in aliquas rimas timida lucis. Gemite et infelicem linguam bonorum exercete convicio, hiate, commordete ; citius multo frangetis dentes quam imprimetis.", "edition": "Perseus canonical Latin TEI", "source_id": "perseus.seneca.de_vita_beata.perseus_lat2", "translation_type": "original" }, { "language": "en", "text": "“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 be 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 labours, 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 be 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: I will so live as to remember that I was born for others, and will thank Nature on this account: for in what fashion could she have done better for me? she has given me alone to all, and all to me alone. Whatever I may possess, I will neither hoard it greedily nor squander it recklessly. I will think that I have no possessions so real as those which I have given away to deserving people: I will not reckon benefits by their magnitude or number, or by anything except the value set upon them by the receiver: I never will consider a gift to be a large one if it be bestowed upon a worthy object. I will do nothing because of public opinion, but everything because of conscience: whenever I do anything alone by myself I will believe that the eyes of the Roman people are upon me while I do it. In eating and drinking my object shall be to quench the desires of Nature, not to fill and empty my belly. I will be agreeable with my friends, gentle and mild to my foes: I will grant pardon before I am asked for it, and will meet the wishes of honourable men half way: I will bear in mind that the world is my native city, that its governors are the gods, and that they stand above and around me, criticizing whatever I do or say. Whenever either Nature demands my breath again, or reason bids me dismiss it, I will quit this life, calling all to witness that I have loved a good conscience, and good pursuits; that no one’s freedom, my own least of all, has been impaired through me.” He who sets up these as the rules of his life will soar aloft and strive to make his way to the gods: of a truth, even though he fails, yet he “Fails in a high emprise.” But you, who hate both virtue and those who practise it, do nothing at which we need be surprised, for sickly lights cannot bear the sun, nocturnal creatures avoid the brightness of day, and at its first dawning become bewildered and all betake themselves to their dens together: creatures that fear the light hide themselves in crevices. So croak away, and exercise your miserable tongues in reproaching good men: open wide your jaws, bite hard: you will break many teeth before you make any impression.", "translator": "Aubrey Stewart", "edition": "Minor Dialogues Together with the Dialogue on Clemency (1889)", "source_id": "project-gutenberg.seneca.aubrey-stewart-minor-dialogues-1889", "translation_type": "historical_human_translation" }, { "language": "fr", "text": "Les philosophes ne réalisent pas tout ce qu’ils disent ? mais ils font déjà beaucoup par cela seul qu’ils disent, et parce qu’ils conçoivent l’idée du beau moral. Eh ! si leurs actes étaient au niveau de leurs discours, quelle félicité surpasserait la leur ? Jusque-là il n’y a pas lieu de mépriser de bonnes paroles et des cœurs pleins de bonnes pensées. L’application aux études salutaires, restât-t-elle restât-elle en deçà du but, est louable encore. Est-ce merveille qu’on n’arrive pas au faîte quand on s’attaque à de si rudes montées ? Admirez du moins, lors même qu’ils tombent, leur généreuse audace. Elle est noble l’ambition de l’homme qui, consultant moins ses forces que celles de la nature humaine, s’essaye à de grandes choses, fait effort et se crée en lui-même des types de grandeur que les âmes le plus virilement douées seraient impuissantes à reproduire. L’homme qui s’est dit d’avance : « L’aspect de la mort ne me troublera pas plus que son nom. Je me résignerai à toutes les épreuves, si grandes qu’elles soient ; mon âme prêtera force à mon corps. Les richesses, je les dédaignerai absentes aussi bien que présentes ; ni plus triste de les voir entassées chez d’autres, ni plus fier si elles m’entourent de leur éclat. Que la fortune me vienne ou se retire, je ne m’en apercevrai pas. Je regarderai toutes les terres comme à moi, les miennes comme à tous. Je vivrai en homme qui se sent né pour ses semblables, et je rendrai grâce à la nature d’une si belle mission. Pouvait-elle mieux pourvoir à mes intérêts ? Elle m’a donné moi seul à tous et tous à moi seul. Ce que j’aurai, quoi que ce soit, je ne le garderai pas en avare, je ne le sèmerai pas en prodigue : je ne croirai rien posséder mieux que ce que j’aurai sagement donné. Je ne compterai ni ne pèserai mes bienfaits : l’obligé seul y mettra le prix. Jamais je ne penserai aller trop loin en obligeant qui le mérite. Je ne ferai rien pour l’opinion, je ferai tout pour ma conscience : je me figurerai avoir le public pour témoin de tout ce qu’elle me verra faire. J’aurai pour terme du manger et du boire de satisfaire les appétits naturels, non de remplir mon estomac, puis de le vider facticement. Agréable à mes amis, doux et traitable à mes ennemis, je ferai grâce avant qu’on m’implore, je préviendrai toute légitime prière. Je saurai que ma patrie c’est le monde, que les dieux y président, que sur ma tête, qu’autour de moi veillent ces juges sévères de mes actes et de mes paroles. Et, à quelque instant que la nature redemande ma vie ou que la raison me presse de partir, je m’en irai avec le témoignage d’avoir aimé la bonne conscience, les bonnes études, de n’avoir pris sur la liberté de personne, ni laissé prendre sur la mienne. »", "translator": "Joseph Baillard", "edition": "Œuvres complètes de Sénèque le Philosophe (1914)", "source_id": "baillard-1914-wikisource-fr", "translation_type": "historical_human_translation" } ], "content_checksum": "ca8f06072fca7ad4ceec8efa7237ce56b0b5eebfa51d5ceeda9deb9e6a111058" }