Seneca, Letter 19

Urging Lucilius to retire

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Ep. 19.1Exultō, quotiēns epistulās tuās accipiō.I leap for joy whenever I receive your letters. Ep. 19.1Inplent enim mē bonā spē et iam nōn prōmittunt dē tē, sed spondent.For they fill me with good hope, and now they do not merely promise on your behalf, they guarantee. Ep. 19.1Ita fac, ōrō atque obsecrō.Do just that, I beg and beseech you. Ep. 19.1Quid enim habeō melius, quod amīcum rogem, quam quod prō ipsō rogātūrus sum?For what better thing do I have to ask of a friend than what I am going to ask on his own behalf? Ep. 19.1Sī potes, subdūc tē istīs occupātiōnibus;If you can, withdraw yourself from those occupations of yours; Ep. 19.1sī minus, ēripe.if not, tear yourself away. Ep. 19.1Satis multum temporis sparsimus;We have scattered quite enough time; Ep. 19.1incipiāmus vāsa in senectūte colligere.let us begin to pack our baggage in old age. Ep. 19.2Numquid invidiōsum est?Surely there is nothing to resent in that? Ep. 19.2In fretō vīximus, moriāmur in portū.We have lived in the open strait; let us die in harbour.

Ep. 19.2Neque ego suāserim tibi nōmen ex ōtiō petere, quod nec iactāre dēbēs nec abscondere.Nor would I advise you to seek a name from your retirement, which you ought neither to parade nor to hide. Ep. 19.2Numquam enim ūsque eō tē abigam generis hūmānī furōre damnātō, ut latebram tibi aliquam parārī et oblīviōnem velim;For I shall never drive you so far, by condemning the madness of the human race, as to want some hiding place and oblivion to be prepared for you; Ep. 19.2id age, ut ōtium tuum nōn ēmineat, sed appāreat.see to it that your retirement does not stand out, but is visible. Ep. 19.3Deinde vidēbunt dē istō, quibus integra sunt et prīma cōnsilia, an velint vītam per obscūrum trānsmittere;Next, those whose plans are still fresh and untouched will see about this question, whether they wish to pass their life in obscurity; Ep. 19.3tibi līberum nōn est.for you it is not open. Ep. 19.3In medium tē prōtulit ingeniī vigor, scrīptōrum ēlegantia, clārae et nōbilēs amīcitiae.The vigour of your talent, the elegance of your writings, your famous and noble friendships have brought you forward into public view.

Ep. 19.3Iam nōtitia tē invāsit.Fame has already taken hold of you. Ep. 19.3Ut in extrēma mergāris ac penitus recondāris, tamen priōra mōnstrābunt.Though you plunge into the remotest place and hide yourself deep away, still your past will reveal you. Ep. 19.4Tenebrās habēre nōn potes;You cannot have darkness; Ep. 19.4sequētur, quōcumque fūgeris, multum prīstinae lūcis.wherever you flee, much of your former light will follow. Ep. 19.4Quiētem potes vindicāre sine ūllīus odiō, sine dēsīderiō aut morsū animī tuī.Quiet you can claim without anyone's ill will, without regret or pangs of conscience. Ep. 19.4Quid enim relinquēs, quod invītus relictum ā tē possīs cōgitāre?For what will you leave behind that you could think of as left by you unwillingly? Ep. 19.4Clientēs?Your clients? Ep. 19.4Quōrum nēmō tē ipsum sequitur, sed aliquid ex tē.Not one of them follows you yourself, but something from you. Ep. 19.4Amīcitia ōlim petēbātur, nunc praeda;Friendship was once sought, now plunder; Ep. 19.4mūtābunt testāmenta dēstitūtī senēs, migrābit ad aliud līmen salūtātor.deserted old men will change their wills, the caller at the morning levée will move on to another doorstep. Ep. 19.4Nōn potest parvō rēs magna cōnstāre;A great thing cannot be had at a small cost; Ep. 19.4aestimā, utrum tē relinquere an aliquid ex tuīs malīs.weigh up whether it is better to give up yourself or something of what is yours.

Ep. 19.5Utinam quidem tibi senēscere contigisset intrā nātālium tuōrum modum, nec tē in altum fortūna mīsisset!Would that it had been your lot to grow old within the limits of your birth, and that fortune had not sent you out into the deep! Ep. 19.5Tulit tē longē ā cōnspectū vītae salūbris rapida fēlīcitās, prōvincia et prōcūrātiō, et quicquid ab istīs prōmittitur;Swift prosperity has carried you far from the sight of a healthy life: a province, an agency, and whatever is promised by these; Ep. 19.5maiōra deinde officia tē excipient et ex aliīs alia.then greater duties will take you up, and one after another. Ep. 19.6Quis exitus erit?What end will there be? Ep. 19.6Quid expectās, dōnec dēsinās habēre, quod cupiās?Why wait until you stop having anything to desire? Ep. 19.6Numquam erit id tempus.That time will never come. Ep. 19.6Quālem dīcimus seriem esse causārum, ex quibus nectitur fātum, tālem esse cupiditātum;Just as we say there is a chain of causes from which fate is woven, so there is one of desires; Ep. 19.6altera ex fīne alterīus nāscitur.one is born from the end of another. Ep. 19.6In eam dēmissus es vītam, quae numquam tibi terminum miseriārum ac servitūtis ipsa factūra sit.You have been plunged into a life which will never of itself put an end to your miseries and your slavery.

Ep. 19.6Subdūc cervīcem iugō trītam;Withdraw your neck from the yoke that has chafed it; Ep. 19.6semel illam incīdī quam semper premī satius est.it is better to have it cut once and for all than to be always pressed. Ep. 19.7Sī tē ad prīvāta rettuleris, minōra erunt omnia, sed affatim implēbunt;If you withdraw into private life, everything will be smaller, but it will fill you abundantly; Ep. 19.7at nunc plūrima et undique ingesta nōn satiant.but now the very great amounts heaped upon you from every side do not satisfy you. Ep. 19.7Utrum autem māvīs ex inopiā saturitātem an in cōpiā famem?Which do you prefer, a full stomach from scarcity, or hunger amid plenty? Ep. 19.7et avida fēlīcitās est et aliēnae aviditātī exposita.Prosperity is both greedy and exposed to the greed of others. Ep. 19.7Quamdiū tibi satis nihil fuerit, ipse aliīs nōn eris.As long as nothing is enough for you, you yourself will not be enough for others. Ep. 19.8"Quōmodo," inquis, "exībō?"'How,' you say, 'shall I get out?' Ep. 19.8Utcumque.Any way you can. Ep. 19.8Cōgitā, quam multa temerē prō pecūniā, quam multa labōriōsē prō honōre temptāverīs;Think how many things you have attempted rashly for money, how many with toil for office; Ep. 19.8aliquid et prō ōtiō audendum est, aut in istā sollicitūdine prōcūrātiōnum et deinde urbānōrum officiōrum senēscendum in tumultū ac semper novīs flūctibus, quōs effugere nūllā modestiā, nūllā vītae quiēte contigit.something must be dared for leisure too, or else you must grow old in that anxiety of agencies and then of civic duties, amid turmoil and ever-new waves, which no one has ever managed to escape by any modesty, by any quietness of life.

Ep. 19.8Quid enim ad rem pertinet, an tū quiēscere velīs?For what does it matter whether you wish to be at rest? Ep. 19.8Fortūna tua nōn vult.Your fortune does not wish it. Ep. 19.8Quid sī illī etiam nunc permīseris crēscere?What if you allow it to grow even now? Ep. 19.8Quantum ad successūs accesserit, accēdet ad metūs.Whatever is added to your successes will be added to your fears. Ep. 19.9Volō tibi hōc locō referre dictum Maecēnātis vēra in ipsō culmine ēlocūtī: "Ipsa enim altitūdō attonat summa."I want to quote to you at this point a saying of Maecenas, who spoke the truth on the very summit: 'For height itself strikes the summits with thunder.' Ep. 19.9Sī quaeris, in quō librō dīxerit;If you ask in what book he said it; Ep. 19.9in eō, quī Promētheus īnscrībitur.in the one entitled 'Prometheus'. Ep. 19.9Hoc voluit dīcere, attonita habet summa.He meant to say this, that height holds the summits thunderstruck. Ep. 19.9Est ergō tantī ūlla potentia, ut sit tibi tam ēbrius sermō?Is any power, then, worth so much that your speech should be so drunken? Ep. 19.9Ingeniōsus ille vir fuit, magnum exemplum Rōmānae ēloquentiae datūrus, nisi illum ēnervāsset fēlīcitās, immō castrāsset.He was a man of talent, who would have given a great model of Roman eloquence, had not prosperity unmanned him, or rather castrated him.

Ep. 19.9Hic tē exitus manet, nisi iam contrahēs vēla, nisi, quod ille sērō voluit, terram legēs.This end awaits you, unless you now shorten sail, unless you make for land, as he wished to do too late. Ep. 19.10Poteram tēcum hāc Maecēnātis sententiā parem facere ratiōnem.I could have squared accounts with you with this saying of Maecenas. Ep. 19.10Sed movēbis mihi contrōversiam, sī nōvī tē, nec volēs quod dēbeō in asperō et inprobō accipere.But you will pick a quarrel with me, if I know you, and you will not want to accept what I owe in rough and bad coin. Ep. 19.10Ut sē rēs habet, ab Epicūrō versūra facienda est.As things stand, I must take out a loan from Epicurus. Ep. 19.10"Ante," inquit, "circumspiciendum est, cum quibus ēdās et bibās, quam quid ēdās et bibās.'You must look round,' he says, 'to see with whom you eat and drink, before you look at what you eat and drink. Ep. 19.10Nam sine amīcō vīscerātiō leōnis ac lupī vīta est."For feeding on flesh without a friend is the life of a lion and a wolf.' Ep. 19.11Hoc nōn continget tibi, nisi sēcesseris;This will not fall to your lot unless you withdraw; Ep. 19.11aliōquī habēbis convīvās, quōs ex turbā salūtantium nōmenclātor dīgesserit.otherwise you will have guests whom your name-caller has sorted out from the crowd of callers.

Ep. 19.11Errat autem, quī amīcum in ātriō quaerit, in convīviō probat.But he is wrong who seeks a friend in the hall, and tests him at the banquet. Ep. 19.11Nūllum habet maius malum occupātus homō et bonīs suīs obsessus, quam quod amīcōs sibi putat, quibus ipse nōn est, quod beneficia sua efficācia iūdicat ad conciliandōs amīcōs, cum quīdam, quō plūs dēbent, magis ōderint.A busy man, besieged by his own goods, has no greater evil than this, that he thinks men his friends to whom he himself is not a friend, that he judges his favours effective for winning friends, when some men hate the more, the more they owe. Ep. 19.11Leve aes aliēnum dēbitōrem facit, grave inimīcum.A light debt makes a man your debtor, a heavy one your enemy. Ep. 19.12"Quid ergō?'What then? Ep. 19.12Beneficia nōn parant amīcitiās?"Do favours not win friendships?' Ep. 19.12Parant, sī acceptūrōs licuit ēligere, sī conlocāta, nōn sparsa sunt.They do, if one has been allowed to choose those who will receive them, if they have been placed, not scattered. Ep. 19.12Itaque dum incipis esse mentis tuae, interim hōc cōnsiliō sapientium ūtere, ut magis ad rem exīstimēs pertinēre, quis, quam quid accēperit.So, while you are beginning to be your own master, meanwhile use this counsel of the wise, and consider that it matters more who has received a favour than what he has received.

Ep. 19.12Valē.Farewell.

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Grammar in this passage: purpose clauses ×4, ablative absolute ×1, indirect statement ×4, gerunds and gerundives ×5

Latin vocabulary for this passage (347 words)

exsultō (exultō), -āre, -āvī	leap up; exult, rejoice; run riot
quotiēns (adv.)	how many times; as often as
epistula, -ae f.	letter
tuus, -a, -um	thy, thine, your
accipiō, -cipere, -cēpī, -ceptus	take to oneself, receive, accept; hear; suffer
impleō, -ēre, -plēvī, -plētum	fill; fulfil, complete
enim, conj.	for
ego, meī, pers. pron.	I
bonus, -a, -um	good
spēs, speī, f.	hope
et, conj.	and; et ... et, both ... and
iam, adv.	now, already
nōn, adv.	not
prōmittō, -mittere, -mīsī, -missus	send or put forth, promise
dē, prep, with abl.	down from, from, out of; about, concerning, of
tū, tuī, pers. pron.	thou, you
sed, conj.	but
spondeō, -ēre, spopondī, spōnsus	promise solemnly; stand surety, guarantee (a debt)
ita, adv.	in this manner, thus, so; ita ut, as
faciō, facere, fēcī, factus	make, do; iter facere, see iter
ōrō, -āre, -āvī, -ātus	speak; beg, pray
atque, ac (conj.)	and; after comparisons: as, than (ac only before consonants)
obsecrō, -secrāre, -secrāvī, -secrātus	beseech, entreat
quis, quid, interrog. pron.	who? which? what?
habeō, -ēre, -uī, -itus	have, hold; consider
quī, quae, quod, rel. pron.	who, which
amīcus, -ī, m.	friend
rogō, -āre, -āvī, -ātus	ask
quam, adv.	how? as; than; with superl., as ... as possible
prō, prep. with abl.	before, in front of; for, in behalf of; for, as; in return for, for
ipse, ipsa, ipsum, intensive pron.	self, himself, herself, itself, themselves; often to be rendered by very
sum, esse, fuī, futūrus	be
sī, conj.	if
possum, posse, potuī	be able, have power, can
subdūcō, -dūcere, -dūxī, -ductus	draw up, beach
iste, ista, istud, dem. pron.	that of yours, that
occupātiō, -ōnis f.	business, engagement, being busy
minus, comp. adv.	less
ēripiō, -ripere, -ripuī, -reptus	snatch out or away, rescue
satis, adv.	enough, sufficiently
multum, -ī, n.	much
tempus, temporis, n.	time, season
spargō, spargere, sparsī, sparsus	scatter, sprinkle
incipiō, -ere, incēpī, inceptum	begin
vās, vāsis, n., plur. vāsa, -ōrum	vessel
in, prep. with acc. and abl.	with acc.: into, onto, against; with abl.: in, on
senectūs, -tūtis f.	old age
colligō, -ere, -lēgī, -lēctum	gather, collect (sē colligere: recover oneself)
numquid (interrog. particle)	surely not? can it be that ...? (expects 'no'); in later Latin also a simple question
invidiōsus, -a, -um	arousing ill-will, odious
fretum, -ī, n.	strait
vīvō, vīvere, vīxī, vīctus	live
morior, morī, mortuus	die
portus, -ūs, m.	harbor, haven, port
neque or nec, conj.	and not, nor; neque ... neque, neither ... nor; neque enim, for ... not
suādeō, -ēre, suāsī, suāsus	advise, urge
nōmen, -minis, n.	name (that by which one is known)
ex, ē (prep. + abl.)	out of, from; of (ē only before consonants)
ōtium, -ī n.	leisure, rest; peace, quiet
petō, -ere, -īvī or -iī, -ītus	seek, ask; attack
iactō, -āre, -āvī, -ātum	toss about; discuss
dēbeō, -ēre, -uī, -itus	owe; with infin., ought
abscondō, -ere, -condī, -conditus	hide, conceal
numquam, adv.	never
ūsque, adv.	all the time; ūsque ad, as far as, until; quō ūsque, see quō
eō (adv.)	to that place, thither; to that point (usque eō); (with comparatives) by so much, all the (more)
abigō, -ere, -ēgī, -āctus	drive away, drive off (cattle), steal
genus, generis, n.	kind, nature
hūmānus, -a, -um	of man, human
furor, -ōris, m.	rage, fury, frenzy, madness
damnō, -āre, -āvī, -ātum	condemn
ut, conj.	as; when; that; ita ut, as
latebra, -ae f.	hiding place, lair
aliquī, -qua, -quod, indef. pron. adj.	some, any
parō, -āre, -āvī, -ātus	make ready, prepare
oblīviō, -ōnis f.	forgetfulness, oblivion
volō, velle, voluī	wish
is, ea, id, dem. pron.	this, that; he, she, it, they
agō, agere, ēgī, āctus	drive; do; pass, lead; grātiās agere, see grātia
ēmineō, -ēre, -uī	stand out, project
appāreō, -ēre, -uī, -itum	appear, come into view, show oneself
deinde, adv.	then, next
videō, vidēre, vīdī, vīsus	see; pass., seem
integer, -gra, -grum	untouched, fresh, whole
prīmus, -a, -um	first, foremost
cōnsilium, -ī, n.	advice; plan, design, purpose; prudence
an, conj.	or (in questions)
vīta, -ae, f.	life
per, prep, with ace.	through, by means of
obscūrus, -a, -um	dark
trānsmittō, -mittere, -mīsī, -missus	send across; cross over
līber, lībera, līberum	free
medius, -a, -um	mid, middle
prōferō, -ferre, -tulī, -lātus	bring forward, bring out
ingenium, -ī n.	natural ability, talent, cleverness; character
vigor, -ōris m.	vigour, energy, liveliness
scrīptor, -ōris m.	writer, author
ēlegantia, -ae f.	elegance, refinement, good taste (in style)
clārus, -a, -um	clear, loud; famous
nōbilis, -e	well-known, noble
amīcitia, -ae f.	friendship, alliance
nōtitia, -ae f.	knowledge, acquaintance
invādō, -ere, -vāsī, -vāsus	go into, attack, seize; come upon
extrēmus, -a, -um	last, extreme, furthest
mergō, mergere, mersī, mersus	dip, plunge, sink
penitus (adv.)	deep within, far inside
recondō, -ere, -didī, -ditus	put away, hide, store
tamen, adv.	however, yet, nevertheless
prior, prius	earlier, former; in front (priōrēs: those in front)
mōnstrō, -āre, -āvī, -ātus	point out, show
tenebrae, -ārum f. pl.	darkness
sequor, sequī, secūtus	follow
quōcumque (adv.)	to whatever place; in whatever direction
fugiō, fugere, fūgī, fugitūrus	flee, run away
prīstinus, -a, -um	former
lūx, lūcis, f.	light
quiēs, quiētis, f.	rest, repose
vindicō, -āre, -āvī, -ātum	punish; claim
sine, prep. with abl.	without
ūllus, -a, -um	any
odium, -ī, n.	hatred
dēsīderium, -ī, n.	desire, longing
aut, conj.	or; aut ... aut, either ... or
morsus, -ūs m.	bite; jaws
animus, -ī, m.	mind; heart; spirit, courage
relinquō, -linquere, -līquī, -lictus	leave behind, leave
invītus, -a, -um	unwilling
ā, ab (prep. + abl.)	away from, from; by (ā only before consonants)
cōgitō, -āre, -āvī, -ātus	consider, think over
cliēns, -entis m.	client, dependent
nēmō, nēminis, m. and f.	no one, nobody
aliquis, -quid, indef. pron.	someone, any one, something, anything, some, any
ōlim, adv.	once upon a time, once, formerly, of old
nunc, adv.	now
praeda, -ae, f.	booty, spoil, plunder
mūtō, -āre, -āvī, -ātus	change
testāmentum, -ī n.	will (testament)
dēstituō, -ere, -stituī, -stitūtum	leave in the lurch, abandon
senex, senis, m.	old man
migrō, -āre, -āvī, -ātum	move, change one's home
ad, prep. with acc.	to, toward; at, near; for
alius, -a, -ud	another, other; aliī ... aliī, some ... others
līmen, -minis, n.	threshold; door
salūtātor, -ōris m.	visitor who pays a morning call; client paying respects
parvus, -a, -um	little, small
rēs, reī, f.	thing, matter, affair, circumstance, situation; rē vērā, in truth, in fact, really
magnus, -a, -um	large, big, great, mighty; loud
cōnstō, -stāre, -stitī, -stātūrus	stand together, agree; consist;
aestimō, -āre, -āvī, -ātum	value, reckon
utrum (conj.)	whether (utrum … an: whether … or)
malum, -ī, n.	evil, mischief
utinam (adv.)	if only, would that (with subjunctive)
quidem, adv.	in fact, indeed, certainly; nē ... quidem, not ... even
senēscō, -ere, senuī	grow old
contingō, -ere, -tigī, -tāctum	touch, reach
intrā, prep. with acc.	within
nātālis, -e	of birth (diēs nātālis: birthday)
modus, -ī, m.	way, manner
altum, -ī n.	the deep, the open sea; a height
fortūna, -ae, f.	fortune
mittō, mittere, mīsī, missus	send
ferō, ferre, tulī, lātus	bear, bring
longē, adv.	far
cōnspectus, -ūs, m.	sight
salūber (salūbris), -bris, -bre	healthy, wholesome, beneficial
rapidus, -a, -um	swift; consuming, fierce
fēlīcitās, -ātis f.	good fortune, luck
prōvincia, -ae f.	province; here, the Roman Province in southern Gaul
prōcūrātiō, -ōnis f.	management, charge
quisquis, quidquid (quicquid)	whoever, whatever
officium, -ī, n.	service; duty
excipiō, -cipere, -cēpī, -ceptus	take out or up, receive, welcome, entertain
quī, quae, quod, interrog. pron. adj.	what?
exitus, -ūs m.	way out; outcome, end
exspectō, -spectāre, -spectāvī, -spectātus	look out for, wait for, await, expect; wait
dōnec (conj.)	until; while, as long as
dēsinō, -sinere, -siī, -situs	stop, cease (+ inf.)
cupiō, -ere, -īvī, -ītus	desire, long for, wish
quālis, -e	of what sort? what kind of?
dīcō, dīcere, dīxī, dictus	say, speak; diem dīcere, to appoint or set a day
seriēs, -ēī f.	row, chain, succession
causa, -ae, f.	cause, reason; abl. causā, for the sake of
nectō, -ere, nexuī, nexus	tie, bind; contrive (a plot)
fātum, -ī, n.	destiny, fate
tālis, -e	such
cupiditās, -tātis, f.	desire, longing, eagerness
alter, -era, -erum	one or the other (of two); another, second
fīnis, -is, m.	end, boundary; plur., borders, territory, country
nāscor, -ī, nātus sum	be born; rise, begin
dēmittō, -mittere, -mīsī, -missus	send down, let fall; animōs dēmittere, to lose courage
terminus, -ī m.	boundary, limit
miseria, -ae f.	misery, distress, suffering
servitūs, -tūtis, f.	slavery, servitude
cervīx, -īcis f.	neck (often pl.)
iugum, -ī, n.	yoke
terō, -ere, trīvī, trītus	rub, wear away; tempus terere: waste time
semel (adv.)	once (semel atque iterum: again and again)
ille, illa, illud, dem. pron.	that; he, she, it, they; ille ... hīc, see hīc
incīdō, -ere, -cīdī, -cīsus	cut into, cut through
semper, adv.	always
premō, premere, pressī, pressus	press, check, restrain
satius, comp. (n.)	better, preferable (satius est: it is better)
prīvātus, -a, -um	private
referō, referre, rettulī, relātus	bring or carry back, return; pedem referre, to draw back, retire, retreat; grātiam referre, see grātia
omnis, -e	all, every
affatim (adv.)	abundantly, sufficiently, in plenty
at, conj.	but
multus, -a, -um	much, great; plur., many
undique, adv.	from or on all sides
ingerō, -gerere, -gessī, -gestus	heap on, pour in; stuff in
satiō, -āre, -āvī, -ātus	fill, satisfy; satiārī, eat one's fill
autem, conj.	moreover; but, however; now
mālō, mālle, māluī	wish rather, prefer
inopia, -ae f.	lack, want, scarcity
saturitās, -ātis f.	fullness, plenty, one's fill
cōpia, -ae, f.	supply, abundance; plur., forces, troops
famēs, -is, abl. famē, f.	hunger
avidus, -a, -um	eager, greedy (for: gen.)
aliēnus, -a, -um	belonging to another, out of place
aviditās, -ātis f.	greed, eager desire
expōnō, -pōnere, -posuī, -positus	put out, set forth; put on shore, land; explain
quamdiū (adv., conj.)	how long; as long as
nihil, n., indecl.	nothing
quōmodo (adv.)	how; in what way
inquam, inquis, inquit, defective verb	I say, you say, he says
exeō, -īre, -iī, -itus	go out
utcumque (adv., conj.)	however, in whatever way
temerē, adv.	rashly
pecūnia, -ae, f.	money (the possession of cattle constituting wealth in early times)
labōriōsē (adv.)	laboriously, with great toil
honor, -ōris, m.	honor
temptō, -āre, -āvī, -ātus	try, attempt
audeō, audēre, ausus sum	dare
sollicitūdō, -tūdinis, f.	anxiety, care, apprehension
urbānus, -a, -um	of the city (Rome), urban
tumultus, -ūs m.	uproar, uprising
novus, -a, -um	new; novissimus, last
flūctus, -ūs m.	wave
effugio, -fugere, -fūgī	flee out or away, escape
nūllus, -a, -um	not any, none, no
modestia, -ae f.	moderation, discipline, restraint
pertineō, -ēre, -uī	extend, reach; tend toward, concern
quiēscō, -ere, quiēvī, quiētus	rest, keep quiet
etiam, adv.	and now, also, too, even
permittō, -ere, -mīsī, -missum	allow, permit; entrust
crēscō, -ere, crēvī, crētum	grow, rise (in power)
quantus, -a, -um	how great or much?
successus, -ūs m.	outcome, success
accēdō, -ere, accessī, accessum	come near, approach; be added
metus, -ūs m.	fear, dread
hic, haec, hoc, dem. pron.	this; ille ... hīc, that ... this, the former ... the latter
locus, -ī, m., plur. loca, -orum, n.	place, situation
dictum, -ī n.	word, order (dictō audiēns: obedient)
vērus, -a, -um	true; rē vērā, in truth, in fact
culmen, -inis n.	top, summit
ēloquor, -ī, ēlocūtus sum	speak out, say, declare
altitūdō, -inis f.	height; depth
attonō (adtonō), -āre, -uī, -itus	stun, stupefy, drive frantic
summus, -a, -um	uppermost, highest, greatest
quaerō, quaerere, quaesīvī, quaesītus	seek; ask, inquire
liber, librī m.	book; record
īnscrībō, -scrībere, -scrīpsī, -scrīptus	write on, inscribe
attonitus, -a, -um	thunderstruck, astonished
ergō (adv.)	therefore, then; quid ergō? what then?
tantus, -a, -um	so great or much
potentia, -ae f.	power, influence
tam, adv.	so
ēbrius, -a, -um	drunk
sermō, -ōnis, m.	conversation, talk, speech
ingeniōsus, -a, -um	clever, talented, inventive
vir, virī, m.	man
exemplum, -ī n.	example, precedent
Rōmānus, -a, -um	Roman
ēloquentia, -ae f.	eloquence, skill in speaking
dō, dare, dedī, datus	give
nisi, conj.	if not, unless
ēnervō, -āre, -āvī, -ātus	weaken, unman, sap the strength of
immō (adv.)	no rather, on the contrary; immō vērō: no, indeed, even
castrō, -āre, -āvī, -ātus	castrate; weaken, emasculate
maneō, manēre, mānsī, mānsus	remain
contrahō, -ere, -trāxī, -trāctum	draw together, collect
vēlum, -ī n.	sail
sērō (adv.)	late, in the evening; too late
terra, -ae, f.	land, earth
legō, legere, lēgī, lēctus	choose, pick out; read
sententia, -ae, f.	opinion; purpose
pār, paris	equal
ratiō, -ōnis, f.	plan, means, method, manner; reason; account
moveō, movēre, mōvī, mōtus	move
contrōversia, -ae, f.	quarrel, dispute, debate
nōscō, -ere, nōvī, nōtum	get to know (perf. nōvī: know)
asper, -era, -erum	rough, harsh; difficult
improbus, -a, -um	wicked, shameless; persistent, relentless; as noun: rogue
suī, sibi, sē or sēsē, reflexive pron.	himself, herself, itself, themselves
versūra, -ae f.	borrowing to pay a debt; versūram facere: raise a loan
ante, prep, with acc. and adv.	before
circumspiciō, -ere, -spexī, -spectus	look around; look around for, consider
cum, prep, with abl.	with
ēdō, -dere, -didī, -ditus	put forth, give out, utter
bibō, bibere, bibī	drink
nam, conj.	for
vīscerātiō, -ōnis f.	public distribution of meat; devouring of flesh
leō, -ōnis, m.	lion
lupus, -ī m.	wolf
sēcēdō, -cēdere, -cessī, -cessus	go apart, withdraw
aliōquī (adv.)	otherwise; in other respects
convīva, -ae m. and f.	guest (at a meal)
turba, -ae f.	crowd
salūtō, -āre, -āvī, -ātus	greet; pay a morning call on
nōmenclātor, -ōris m.	slave who told his master the names of people he met
dīgerō, -ere, -gessī, -gestus	distribute, arrange; interpret
errō, -āre, -āvī, -ātus	wander, stray; be mistaken
ātrium, -ī, n.	hall
convīvium, -ī n.	banquet, dinner party
probō, -āre, -āvī, -ātum	prove, show; approve
occupō, -cupāre, -cupāvī, -cupātus	seize; fill
homō, hominis, m.	man
bonum, -ī n.	a good thing, advantage; (pl.) goods
suus, -a, -um	his, her, its, or their own; his, her, its, their
obsideō, -sidēre, -sēdī, -sessus	beset, besiege
quod, conj.	that, in that, because
putō, -āre, -āvī, -ātus	think
beneficium, -ī, n.	well-doing, kindness, service, benefit
efficāx, -ācis	effective, powerful
iūdicō, -āre, -āvī, -ātum	judge, decide
conciliō, -āre, -āvī, -ātum	win over; win, obtain
cum, conj.	when, while, after; since; although
quīdam, quaedam, quoddam, indef. pron.	a certain, certain
plūs (adv.)	more
magis, comp. adv.	more, rather
ōdī, ōdisse, used only in tenses of completed action with the force of tenses of incomplete action	hate
levis, -e	light, slight
aes, aeris, n.	copper, bronze
dēbitor, -ōris m.	debtor
gravis, -e	heavy; severe, grievous, serious
inimīcus, -a, -um	unfriendly, hostile
licet, -ēre, -uit or -itum est, impers.	is lawful or permitted
ēligō, -ere, ēlēgī, ēlēctum	pick out, choose
collocō (conlocō), -āre, -āvī, -ātum	place, station; give in marriage
itaque, adv.	and so, accordingly, therefore
dum, conj.	while, as; as long as; until
mēns, mentis f.	mind, spirit
interim (adv.)	meanwhile
sapiēns, -entis	wise; as noun, a wise man, a philosopher
ūtor, ūtī, ūsus	use
exīstimō, -āre, -āvī, -ātus	consider, believe, think
valeō, -ēre, -uī, -itūrus	be strong or effectual, have effect, prevail

Seneca, Epistulae Morales 2–52. Latin text: R. M. Gummere, Seneca: Ad Lucilium Epistulae Morales (Loeb, 1917–25), public domain; digital text from the Perseus Digital Library, CC BY-SA. Word analysis: drafted by our own tagger (trained on the hand-checked texts on this site), with every doubtful word checked by hand. English translation and section titles: written for this app, each checked against the Latin by a second reader.