Seneca · c. 4 BCE – 65 CE
On Benefits 1.9 ¶1–2 — Seneca
Translation by Aubrey Stewart (1887)
Seneca, On Benefits 1.9 ¶1–2
You see how the mind even in the straitest circumstances finds the means of generosity. Aeschines seems to me to have said, “Fortune, it is in vain that you have made me poor; in spite of this I will find a worthy present for this man. Since I can give him nothing of yours, I will give him something of my own.” Nor need you suppose that he held himself cheap; he made himself his own price. By a stroke of genius this youth discovered a means of presenting Socrates to himself. We must not consider how great presents are, but in what spirit they are given. A rich man is well spoken of if he is clever enough to render himself easy of access to men of immoderate ambition, and although he intends to do nothing to help them, yet encourages their unconscionable hopes; but he is thought the worse of if he be sharp of tongue, sour in appearance, and displays his wealth in an invidious fashion. For men respect and yet loathe a fortunate man, and hate him for doing what, if they had the chance, they would do themselves.
Cite this passage
Seneca, On Benefits 1.9 ¶1–2, tr. Aubrey Stewart (1887)
https://whatwouldstoicsdo.com/passage/on-benefits/1.9.1
Seneca, Dialogues, tr. Aubrey Stewart (1887–1889). Text: Standard Ebooks (CC0). Sources and licences
In plain English
AI-written notesEven in the tightest circumstances you can find something of your own to give, and what matters is the spirit and not the size of a present. A second, abruptly different paragraph observes that people praise a rich man who is approachable and dislike one who is sour and flaunts his wealth, since they both respect and resent the fortunate.
Older wording
- “straitest”
- — most restricted; tightest
- “invidious”
- — likely to cause resentment
- “unconscionable”
- — unreasonable; excessive
Themes and situations
- Kindness and forgiveness
- Gratitude
- Wealth and poverty
- Reputation and others' opinions
Quote cards
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