Six Tragedies Quotes

“A family formed by crime must be broken by more crime.”
― Seneca, Six Tragedies

“In times of happiness, no point in shaking things up.
But in a time of crisis, the safest thing is change.”
― Seneca, Six Tragedies

“Truth often harms the one who digs it up.”
― Seneca, Six Tragedies

“When things are at their worst,
there are no tears.”
― Seneca, Six Tragedies

“I think the pinnacle of misfortune is to be forced by chance to want things one should loathe.”
― Seneca, Six Tragedies

“If you gain from a crime, you did it.”
― Seneca, Six Tragedies

“Restless people often pretend to be calm.”
― Seneca, Six Tragedies

“The surest way for those who want to rule
is praising moderation, talking of peace and quiet.”
― Seneca, Six Tragedies

“Ignorance is no cure for suffering.”
― Seneca, Six Tragedies

“Theseus: What is the crime for which you must pay by death?
Phaedra: My life.”
― Seneca, Six Tragedies

“No delicate breeze brings comfort with icy breath of wind
to the hearts which pant on the flames.”
― Seneca, Six Tragedies

“Those who abuse their power never stay powerful long.
Moderate governments survive.”
― Seneca, Six Tragedies

“Poor woman, do you want to know where hatred ends? Look to love.”
― Seneca, Six Tragedies

“Kingdoms which act unjustly never last.”
― Seneca, Six Tragedies

“Kings hate to hear the things they order spoken.”
― Seneca, Six Tragedies

“One cannot sincerely weep over getting what one wanted.”
― Seneca, Six Tragedies

“Stand, if you wish, on the slippery pinnacle of power.
But I am satisfied with sweet peace.
Let my place be humble, let me enjoy
quiet free time forever.”
― Seneca, Six Tragedies

“Conscience prevents the crimes that law allows.”
― Seneca, Six Tragedies

“I will destroy and ruin everything.”
― Seneca, Six Tragedies

“There is no other life so free, so clean of sin,
so respectful of the ways of old,
as that which leaves the city walls, to be happy in the woods.”
― Seneca, Six Tragedies

“No time is too short for criminals to do wrong.”
― Seneca, Six Tragedies

“When arrogant hands once seize power, the ruler thinks authority resides in stubbornness.”
― Seneca, Six Tragedies

“A man who makes a decision without listening to both sides is unjust, even if his ruling is a fair one.”
― Seneca, Six Tragedies

“The one who knows no hope knows no despair.”
― Seneca, Six Tragedies

“Time flies on fickle wings”
― Seneca, Six Tragedies

“If you want to keep a secret, never share it.”
― Seneca, Six Tragedies

“. . . As smoke from a hot fire
looks dirty for a minute and then fades,
as heavy clouds which we have glimpsed just now
suddenly disappear with a puff of the cold North Wind,
so flows away this breath which is our master.
After death is nothing. Even death itself
is nothing: just the finishing-line in the race.
If you hunger for life, abandon hope. If you worry, let go fear.
Hungry time and emptiness devour us.
Death is a single whole: it kills our body
and does not spare the soul. The realm of Taenarus,
kingdom of cruel Hades, and the guard-dog
Cerberus, fierce defender of the gate,
are fictions, tall tales, empty fairy stories,
myths, as close to the truth as a bad dream.
Do you want to know where you will be after death?
Where the unborn are.”
― Seneca, Six Tragedies

“The ability to do without a kingdom is a kingdom.”
― Seneca, Six Tragedies

“enjoy your youth; its time is fleeting, soon gone.”
― Seneca, Six Tragedies

“What can reason do? Passion, passion rules.”
― Seneca, Six Tragedies