- Source
- Seneca, Lucius Annaeus. Ad Lucilium Epistulae Morales, Vol 1-3. Gummere, Richard Mott, editor. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press; London: William Heinemann, Ltd., 1917-1925.
- Translation
- AI-generated (gemini-3.5-flash) — machine translation; may contain errors
- Languages
- 日本語 · English · 简体中文 · 한국어
- CTS URN
- urn:cts:latinLit:phi1017.phi015.humanitext-lat2:93.1-93.6
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-11-07
Addressing Lucilius's grief over Metronax's death, Seneca argues that the essence of life lies not in its duration but in its completeness of virtue and action.
In epistula, qua de morte Metronactis philosophi querebaris tamquam et potuisset diutius vivere et debuisset, aequitatem tuam desideravi,1 quae tibi in omni persona, in omni negotio superest, in una re deest, in qua omnibus. Multos inveni aequos adversus homines, adversus deos neminem, Obiurgamus cotidie fatum: "quare ille in medio cursu raptus est? Quare ille non rapitur? Quare senectutem et sibi et aliis gravem extendit? "
In the letter in which you complained about the death of the philosopher Metronax, as if he both could have lived longer and should have, I missed your fairness, which is abundant in you toward every person and in every business, but is lacking in one thing, in which it is lacking in all. I have found many who are fair toward humans, but no one toward the gods. We daily reproach fate: “Why was that man snatched away in mid-course? Why is that other not snatched away? Why does he extend an old age heavy both to himself and to others?”
Utrum, obsecro te, aequius iudicas te naturae an tibi parere naturam? Quid autem interest, quam cito exeas, unde utique exeundum est? Non ut diu vivamus curandum est, sed ut satis; nam ut diu vivas, fato opus est, ut satis, animo. Longa est vita, si plena est; impletur autem, cum animus sibi bonum suum reddidit et ad se potestatem sui transtulit.
Which, I beseech you, do you judge to be fairer: that you obey nature, or that nature obey you? What difference, moreover, does it make how quickly you depart from a place whence you must depart in any case? We must care not that we live long, but that we live sufficiently; for to live long, you need fate, but to live sufficiently, you need the mind. Life is long, if it is full; and it is filled when the mind has rendered its own good to itself and has transferred control of itself to itself.
Quid illum octoginta anni iuvant per inertiam exacti? Non vixit iste, sed in vita moratus est, nec sero mortuus est, sed diu. Octoginta annis vixit. Interest, mortem eius ex quo die numeres.
What do those eighty years, spent in sluggishness, help that man? He did not live, but lingered in life, nor did he die late, but was long in dying. “He lived eighty years.” It makes a difference from which day you count his death.
At ille obiit viridis. Sed officia boni civis, boni amici, boni filii executus est; in nulla parte cessavit. licet aetas eius inperfecta sit, vita perfecta est. Octoginta annis vixit. Immo octoginta annis fuit, nisi forte sic vixisse eum dicis, quomodo dicuntur arbores vivere. Obsecro te, Lucili, hoc agamus, ut quemadmodum pretiosa rerum sic vita nostra non multum pateat, sed multum pendeat.2 Actu illam metiamur, non tempore. Vis scire, quid inter hunc intersit vegetum contemptoremque fortunae functum omnibus vitae humanae stipendiis3 atque in summum bonum eius evectum, et illum, cui multi anni transmissi sunt? Alter post mortem quoque est, alter ante mortem periit.
”But he died in his prime.” But he performed the duties of a good citizen, a good friend, a good son; he failed in no part. Although his age was incomplete, his life was perfect. “He lived eighty years.” Nay, he existed for eighty years, unless by chance you say he lived in the way trees are said to live. I beseech you, Lucilius, let us make it our aim that, just as with precious things, so our life should not extend much, but weigh much. Let us measure it by action, not by time. Do you want to know what difference there is between this active man, a despiser of fortune, who has performed all the duties of human life and has been raised to its highest good, and that other through whom many years have passed? One exists even after death, the other perished before death.
Laudemus itaque et in numero felicium reponamus eum, cui quantulumcumque temporis contigit, bene conlocatum est. Vidit enim veram lucem. Non fuit unus e multis. Et vixit et viguit. Aliquando sereno usus est, aliquando, ut solet, validi sideris fulgor per nubila emicuit. Quid quaeris quamdiu vixerit? Vivit; ad posteros usque transiluit et se in memoriam dedit.
Let us therefore praise and place in the number of the happy that man for whom whatever little time fell to his lot was well employed. For he saw the true light. He was not one of the many. He both lived and flourished. Sometimes he enjoyed clear weather, sometimes, as is wont, the brightness of a powerful star shone out through the clouds. Why do you ask how long he lived? He lives; he has leaped across even to posterity and has given himself into memory.
Nec ideo mihi plures annos accedere recusaverim, nihil tamen mihi ad beatam vitam defuisse dicam, si spatium eius inciditur. Non enim ad eum diem me aptavi, quem ultimum mihi spes avida promiserat, sed nullum non tamquam ultimum aspexi.4 Quid me interrogas, quando natus sim, an inter iuniores adhuc censear?
Nor for that reason would I refuse more years to be added to me, yet I will say that nothing was lacking to me for a happy life, even if its span is cut short. For I have not fitted myself to that day which greedy hope had promised me as the last, but I have looked upon every day as if it were the last. Why do you ask me when I was born, or whether I should still be counted among the younger men?
- 93.1aequitatem tuam desideravi
The verb desiderare here means "to miss, regret the lack of, or long for." Seneca is pointing out that Lucilius's usual "fairness" (aequitas) is missing in his attitude toward Metronax's death.
- 93.4non multum pateat, sed multum pendeat
A wordplay contrasting pateat (from pateo, "to extend, occupy space") and pendeat (from pendeo, "to weigh, be of value"). Just as precious items do not occupy much space but carry great weight/value, so our lives should be measured not by physical length but by moral weight.
- 93.4functum omnibus vitae humanae stipendiis
The verb fungor ("to perform, complete") governs the ablative case (omnibus... stipendiis). stipendium literally refers to military service or soldier's pay; here it is used metaphorically for the duties or services of human life, reflecting the Stoic comparison of life to military service (militia).
- 93.6nullum non tamquam ultimum aspexi
The double negative nullum non functions as a strong affirmative meaning "every single day." It describes the sage's attitude of viewing every day as if it were their last.