The Wisdom of Quotes
Seneca Made This Plea 🗣️
Accepting harm, finding your inner strength
“Bound upon me, rush upon me, I will overcome you by enduring your onset. Whatever strikes against that which is firm and unconquerable merely injures itself by its own violence. Wherefore, seek some soft and yielding object to pierce with your darts”. — Seneca
Seneca, a prominent Roman philosopher, statesman, and Stoic thinker of the 1st century AD, is known for his profound insights into human nature, ethics, and the art of living a meaningful life. The quote reflects the essence of his Stoic philosophy, which emphasizes resilience in the face of adversity and the importance of maintaining inner strength.
In this particular quote, Seneca conveys the idea that strength and resilience lie in enduring life’s challenges, much like a steadfast rock resisting the force of oncoming waves. He encourages us to choose our battles wisely, directing our energy toward those things we can truly influence, rather than wasting it on futile resistance. Seneca’s teachings continue to inspire individuals seeking wisdom and practical guidance in navigating the complexities of existence, making him a timeless figure in the history of philosophy.
Seneca is a timeless philosopher, his works not only inspire one of my core values (resilience), but he also moves me with his words.
In this quote from his work, we see that he lets out a warcry, it is a perfect emphasis of Romanised Stoicism — that willingness to accept danger to grow. Let’s break it down.
“Bound upon me, rush upon me, I will overcome you by enduring your onset”. This is a truly remarkable phrase, so much so, I think we don’t do this enough in life. Think about your life, there are so many moments in life, in which, we don’t accept the worthiness of danger, violence, or hardships. We’re brought up in a weak world, one that coddles you and your values, and ensures that your flame doesn't fan out.
Yet, I think this is worthless! That which doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, as you learn from the problems found in the world, and you regrow into something that overcomes those problems. If we never had the criminal, if we never had a concept of bad, how would we know what good is? So when Seneca calls forth the evil to come, ensuring that he will overcome it, is a plea to accept evil, accept danger. Push to overcome and grow the hell up! Without something that we don’t like, we can’t push to stop it. We must have and must accept the opposite of good. In doing so, we grow and flourish into a better flame of life.
“Whatever strikes against that which is firm and unconquerable merely injures itself by its own violence”. I love this part because it is very true! If we try right now to punch a wall or even attempt to run through it (don’t try this!!), we will be hurt by its unconquerable and firm structure, we will ricochet our violence onto us.
This is true for one who has a strong & unbeatable mind. If your mind is truly unattackable, then you shall persevere over all obstacles that try to get in your way. Suddenly you find, you cannot be bullied or pushed into doing things you wish not to do. This is so important in life as life is a game of decisions made by you.
If you let another make those decisions for you by getting into your head or even taking the reigns. You shall live a miserable life. So be firm in life, don’t be afraid to build up yourself to defend the onslaught of life. Plus, let’s start expecting it! Life is not pretty, so why live in a fictitious bed of flowers? Life is hard, and yes it can be good, but we must have vigilance to see the bad on the horizon and to defend our utopia in life!
Thanks for Reading ❤️🔥
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About me 🤓✍️💪
Hi there! I’m J. Stevens, a Philosophy & Psychology student passionate about personal growth through writing. I believe in the power of words to transform and uplift our souls — especially my own. While I’m always striving for self-improvement, I hope my writing inspires and resonates with you. If you enjoyed this piece, please consider following my publication for more content like this:
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