Old wisdom

It is nice to find passages in books that agree with ones philosophy – and the wise and often quite humorous sayings of those of yesteryear.

For instance, in a book (translated by James S. Romm) on the writings of the Roman Stoic, Seneca (c. 4BC – AD 65), there is this passage which shows great wisdom and some humour I think:-

“It is fitting for you to experience pain, and thirst, and hunger, and old age – if, that is a long delay in the human world befalls you – and illness, and loss, and death. But there is no reason to trust those who make a great din all around you: nothing of these things is bad, nothing is unbearable or harsh. Fear attaches to them only by consensus. You fear death, but your fear is only of a rumour, and what could be more foolish than a man who’s afraid of words? Our friend Demetrius often says the words of the ignorant issue from the same place as the rumbling of their guts. “What matter to me,” he says, “ whether they sound off from up top or from down below?” 

So true!!