Seneca, Letter 8

Seneca's retirement for posterity's sake

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Ep. 8.1"Tū mē," inquis, "vītāre turbam iubēs, sēcēdere et cōnscientiā esse contentum?'Do you,' you say, 'bid me avoid the crowd, withdraw, and be content with my conscience? Ep. 8.1Ubi illa praecepta vestra, quae imperant in āctū morī?"Where are those precepts of yours which command us to die in action?' Ep. 8.1Quod ego tibi videor interim suādēre, in hōc mē recondidī et forēs clūsī, ut prōdesse plūribus possem.As for the course I seem to you meanwhile to be urging, I have hidden myself away and shut my doors for this purpose, that I might be of use to more people. Ep. 8.1Nūllus mihi per ōtium diēs exit.No day of mine passes in idleness. Ep. 8.1Partem noctium studiīs vindicō.I claim part of the nights for study. Ep. 8.1Nōn vacō somnō sed succumbō, et oculōs vigiliā fatīgātōs cadentēsque in opere dētineō.I do not make time for sleep but give in to it, and I keep my eyes, wearied with waking and drooping, at their work. Ep. 8.2Sēcessī nōn tantum ab hominibus, sed ā rēbus, et inprīmīs ā meīs rēbus;I have withdrawn not only from men, but from affairs, and above all from my own affairs; Ep. 8.2posterōrum negōtium agō;I am doing the business of posterity; Ep. 8.2illīs aliqua, quae possint prōdesse, cōnscrībō.for them I am writing down some things which may be of use.

Ep. 8.2Salūtārēs admonitiōnēs, velut medicāmentōrum ūtilium compositiōnēs, litterīs mandō, esse illās efficācēs in meīs ulceribus expertus, quae etiam sī persānāta nōn sunt, serpere dēsiērunt.Healthful counsels, like the recipes of useful medicines, I commit to writing, having found them effective on my own sores, which, even if they are not fully healed, have ceased to spread. Ep. 8.3Rēctum iter, quod sērō cognōvī et lassus errandō, aliīs mōnstrō.The right road, which I recognised late and when weary with wandering, I point out to others. Ep. 8.3Clāmō: "Vītāte, quaecumque vulgō placent, quae cāsus adtribuit.I cry out: 'Avoid whatever pleases the crowd, whatever chance bestows. Ep. 8.3Ad omne fortuītum bonum suspīciōsī pavidīque subsistite;At every good that comes by chance, stop short, suspicious and fearful; Ep. 8.3et fera et piscis spē aliquā oblectante dēcipitur.both the wild beast and the fish are deceived by some alluring hope. Ep. 8.3Mūnera ista fortūnae putātis?Do you think these are gifts of fortune? Ep. 8.3Īnsidiae sunt.They are snares. Ep. 8.3Quisquis vestrum tūtam agere vītam volet, quantum plūrimum potest, ista viscāta beneficia dēvītet, in quibus hoc quoque miserrimī fallimur;Whoever of you wishes to lead a safe life, let him shun as much as ever he can these limed favours, in which we most wretched men are deceived in this too; Ep. 8.3habēre nōs putāmus, haerēmus."we think that we possess, but we are caught fast.' Ep. 8.4"In praecipitia cursus iste dēdūcit.'That course leads down to the precipice.

Ep. 8.4Huius ēminentis vītae exitus cadere est.The end of this lofty life is to fall. Ep. 8.4Deinde nē resistere quidem licet, eum coepit trānsversōs agere fēlīcitās, aut saltim rēctīs aut semel ruere;Then it is not even possible to stand firm, once prosperity has begun to drive men off course, or at least to fall upright and once for all; Ep. 8.4nōn ēvertit fortūna, sed cernulat et allīdit."fortune does not overturn, but tips headlong and dashes down.' Ep. 8.5"Hanc ergō sānam ac salūbrem fōrmam vītae tenēte, ut corporī tantum indulgeātis, quantum bonae valitūdinī satis est.'Hold fast, then, to this sound and healthful pattern of life: indulge the body only so far as is enough for good health. Ep. 8.5Dūrius trāctandum est, nē animō male pāreat.It must be treated rather harshly, so that it may not disobey the mind. Ep. 8.5Cibus famem sēdet, pōtiō sitim extinguat, vestis arceat frīgus, domus mūnīmentum sit adversus īnfesta corporis.Let food appease hunger, let drink quench thirst, let clothing keep off cold, let a house be a defence against what threatens the body. Ep. 8.5Hanc utrum caespes ērēxerit an varius lapis gentis aliēnae, nihil interest;Whether turf has raised it or variegated marble from a foreign land makes no difference; Ep. 8.5scītōte tam bene hominem culmō quam aurō tegī.know that a man is sheltered as well by thatch as by gold.

Ep. 8.5Contemnite omnia, quae supervacuus labor velut ōrnāmentum ac decus pōnit.Despise all the things which needless toil sets up as ornament and adornment. Ep. 8.5Cōgitāte nihil praeter animum esse mīrābile, cui magnō nihil magnum est."Reflect that nothing is admirable except the mind, to which, being great, nothing is great.' Ep. 8.6Sī haec mēcum, sī haec cum posterīs loquor, nōn videor tibi plūs prōdesse, quam cum ad vadimōnium advocātus dēscenderem, aut tabulīs testāmentī ānulum inprimerem, aut in senātū candidātō vōcem et manum commodārem?If I say these things to myself, if I say them to posterity, do I not seem to you to be doing more good than when I went down as an advocate to a court appearance, or pressed my ring on the tablets of a will, or lent my voice and hand in the senate to a candidate? Ep. 8.6Mihi crēde, quī nihil agere videntur, maiōra agunt;Believe me, those who seem to be doing nothing are doing greater things; Ep. 8.6hūmāna dīvīnaque simul trāctant.they deal with things human and divine at once. Ep. 8.7Sed iam fīnis faciendus est et aliquid, ut īnstituī, prō hāc epistulā dēpendendum.But now I must make an end and, as I have arranged, pay something in return for this letter.

Ep. 8.7Id nōn dē meō fīet;It will not come from my own store; Ep. 8.7adhūc Epicūrum complicāmus, cuius hanc vōcem hodiernō diē lēgī: "Philosophiae serviās oportet, ut tibi contingat vēra lībertās."I am still unrolling Epicurus, whose saying I read today: 'You must be a slave to philosophy, that true freedom may fall to your lot.' Ep. 8.7Nōn differtur in diem, quī sē illī subiēcit et trādidit;The man who has submitted and handed himself over to her is not put off from day to day; Ep. 8.7statim circumagitur.he is set free at once. Ep. 8.7Hoc enim ipsum philosophiae servīre lībertās est.For this very thing, being a slave to philosophy, is freedom. Ep. 8.8Potest fierī, ut mē interrogēs, quārē ab Epicūrō tam multa bene dicta referam potius quam nostrōrum.It may be that you ask me why I quote so many good sayings from Epicurus rather than from our own school. Ep. 8.8Quid est tamen, quārē tū istās Epicūrī vōcēs putēs esse, nōn pūblicās?Yet what reason is there why you should think these sayings belong to Epicurus and are not common property?

Ep. 8.8Quam multī poētae dīcunt, quae philosophīs aut dicta sunt aut dīcenda!How many poets say things which have been said by philosophers or ought to be said! Ep. 8.8Nōn adtingam tragicōs nec togātās nostrās.I will not touch on the tragedians or our comedies in Roman dress. Ep. 8.8Habent enim hae quoque aliquid sevēritātis et sunt inter cōmoediās ac tragoediās mediae.For these too have something of seriousness and stand midway between comedies and tragedies. Ep. 8.8Quantum disertissimōrum versuum inter mīmōs iacet!What a quantity of most eloquent verses lies among the mimes! Ep. 8.8Quam multa Pūbliliī nōn excalceātīs, sed coturnātīs dīcenda sunt!How many lines of Publilius ought to be spoken not by actors in slippers, but by actors in tragic boots! Ep. 8.9Ūnum versum eius, quī ad philosophiam pertinet et ad hanc partem, quae modo fuit in manibus, referam, quō negat fortuīta in nostrō habenda: "Aliēnum est omne, quicquid optandō ēvenit."I will quote one verse of his which bears on philosophy and on that part of it which was in hand just now, in which he says that things that come by chance are not to be counted as our own: 'Whatever comes by wishing is all another's.' Ep. 8.10Hunc sēnsum ā tē dīcī nōn paulō melius et adstrictīs meminī: "Nōn est tuum, fortūna quod fēcit tuum."I remember that this thought was expressed by you not a little better and more concisely: 'What fortune has made yours is not yours.' Ep. 8.10Illud etiamnunc melius dictum ā tē nōn praeterībō: "Darī bonum quod potuit, auferrī potest."I will not pass over that one, even better still, spoken by you: 'The good that could be given can be taken away.' Ep. 8.10Hoc nōn inputō in solūtum;This I do not charge to your account as payment; Ep. 8.10dedī dē tuō tibi.I have given you something of your own.

Ep. 8.10Valē.Farewell.

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Grammar in this passage: gerunds and gerundives ×8, ablative absolute ×1, indirect statement ×5, purpose clauses ×2

Latin vocabulary for this passage (298 words)

tū, tuī, pers. pron.	thou, you
ego, meī, pers. pron.	I
inquam, inquis, inquit, defective verb	I say, you say, he says
vītō, -āre, -āvī, -ātus	avoid, escape
turba, -ae f.	crowd
iubeō, iubēre, iussī, iussus	bid, order, command
sēcēdō, -cēdere, -cessī, -cessus	go apart, withdraw
et, conj.	and; et ... et, both ... and
cōnscientia, -ae f.	awareness; consciousness of guilt, guilty conscience
sum, esse, fuī, futūrus	be
contentus, -a, -um	content, satisfied (+ abl.)
ubi, adv.	where; conj., when
ille, illa, illud, dem. pron.	that; he, she, it, they; ille ... hīc, see hīc
praeceptum, -ī n.	instruction, order
vester, -tra, -trum	your
quī, quae, quod, rel. pron.	who, which
imperō, -perāre, -perāvī, -perātus	command, order, enjoin
in, prep. with acc. and abl.	with acc.: into, onto, against; with abl.: in, on
āctus, -ūs m.	proceeding, course of action, procedure
morior, morī, mortuus	die
videō, vidēre, vīdī, vīsus	see; pass., seem
interim (adv.)	meanwhile
suādeō, -ēre, suāsī, suāsus	advise, urge
hic, haec, hoc, dem. pron.	this; ille ... hīc, that ... this, the former ... the latter
recondō, -ere, -didī, -ditus	put away, hide, store
forēs, -ium f. pl.	door, double door; entrance
claudō, -ere, clausī, clausum	close, shut; (agmen) bring up the rear
ut, conj.	as; when; that; ita ut, as
prōsum, prōdesse, prōfuī	be of advantage, profit, avail, assist
plūrēs, -a, plur. adj.	more, many, several
possum, posse, potuī	be able, have power, can
nūllus, -a, -um	not any, none, no
per, prep, with ace.	through, by means of
ōtium, -ī n.	leisure, rest; peace, quiet
diēs, -ēī, m. and f.	day
exeō, -īre, -iī, -itus	go out
pars, partis, f.	part, side, direction
nox, noctis, f.	night
studium, -ī, n.	eagerness, zeal; study, pursuit
vindicō, -āre, -āvī, -ātum	punish; claim
nōn, adv.	not
vacō, -āre, -āvī, -ātum	be empty, be unoccupied
somnus, -ī, m.	sleep, drowsiness
sed, conj.	but
succumbō, -ere, -cubuī, -cubitum	sink under, give way, yield
oculus, -ī, m.	eye
vigilia, -ae, f.	watch
fatīgō, -āre, -āvī, -ātus	tire, wear out
cadō, cadere, cecidī, cāsūrus	fall
que, enclitic conj.	and
opus, operis, n.	work, task
dētineō, -ēre, -tinuī, -tentum	hold back, detain
tantum, adv.	so much or far, only
ā, ab (prep. + abl.)	away from, from; by (ā only before consonants)
homō, hominis, m.	man
rēs, reī, f.	thing, matter, affair, circumstance, situation; rē vērā, in truth, in fact, really
inprīmīs (imprīmīs) (adv.)	above all, especially, first of all
meus, -a, -um	my, mine
posterī, -ōrum m. pl.	descendants, posterity
negōtium, -ī, n.	business, matter; task, trouble, difficulty
agō, agere, ēgī, āctus	drive; do; pass, lead; grātiās agere, see grātia
aliquis, -quid, indef. pron.	someone, any one, something, anything, some, any
cōnscrībō, -ere, -scrīpsī, -scrīptum	enlist, enroll
salūtāris, -e	healthful, beneficial, bringing safety
admonitiō, -ōnis f.	reminder, advice, warning
velut	even or just as, as
medicāmentum, -ī, n.	drug; poison, potion
ūtilis, -e	useful, advantageous
compositiō, -ōnis f.	arrangement; settlement, reconciliation
litterae, -ārum f. pl.	letters (of the alphabet); a letter, dispatch
mandō, -dāre, -dāvī, -dātus	put in hand, intrust, commit; charge, command
efficāx, -ācis	effective, powerful
ulcus, -eris n.	sore, ulcer, boil
experior, -īrī, expertus sum	try, test, experience
etiam, adv.	and now, also, too, even
sī, conj.	if
persānō, -āre, -āvī, -ātus	heal completely, cure
serpō, serpere, serpsī	creep, crawl; spread gradually
dēsinō, -sinere, -siī, -situs	stop, cease (+ inf.)
rēctus, -a, -um	direct, straight
iter, itineris, n.	a going, journey, march; iter facere, to journey, march
sērō (adv.)	late, in the evening; too late
cognōscō, -gnōscere, -gnōvī, -gnitus	find out, learn; in tenses of completed action, have found out, know
lassus, -a, -um	weary, tired
errō, -āre, -āvī, -ātus	wander, stray; be mistaken
alius, -a, -ud	another, other; aliī ... aliī, some ... others
mōnstrō, -āre, -āvī, -ātus	point out, show
clāmō, -āre, -āvī, -ātus	shout, cry out; proclaim
quīcumque, quaecumque, quodcumque	whoever, whatever
vulgō (adv.)	everywhere, commonly
placeō, -ēre, placuī, placitum (+ dat.)	please (placuit eī: he decided)
cāsus, -ūs, m.	fall; chance, accident
attribuō, -ere, -tribuī, -tribūtum	assign, allot
ad, prep. with acc.	to, toward; at, near; for
omnis, -e	all, every
fortuītus, -a, -um	accidental, happening by chance; n. pl., accidents
bonum, -ī n.	a good thing, advantage; (pl.) goods
suspīciōsus, -a, -um	suspicious, distrustful; arousing suspicion
pavidus, -a, -um	frightened
subsistō, -ere, -stitī	halt, make a stand
fera, -ae, f.	wild animal, beast
piscis, -is m.	fish
spēs, speī, f.	hope
aliquī, -qua, -quod, indef. pron. adj.	some, any
oblectō, -āre, -āvī, -ātus	delight, amuse, entertain
dēcipiō, -cipere, -cēpī, -ceptus	catch, deceive
mūnus, mūneris, n.	service, office, duty; present, gift
iste, ista, istud, dem. pron.	that of yours, that
fortūna, -ae, f.	fortune
putō, -āre, -āvī, -ātus	think
īnsidiae, -ārum, f. plur.	ambush; plot, stratagem
quisquis, quidquid (quicquid)	whoever, whatever
vōs	plur. of tū
tūtus, -a, -um	safe
vīta, -ae, f.	life
volō, velle, voluī	wish
quantum, adv.	how much? how?
plūrimum (adv.)	most, very much (plūrimum posse: be most powerful)
viscātus, -a, -um	smeared with birdlime
beneficium, -ī, n.	well-doing, kindness, service, benefit
dēvītō, -āre, -āvī, -ātus	avoid, shun
quoque, adv.	also
miser, misera, miserum	wretched, unhappy
fallō, fallere, fefellī, falsus	deceive
habeō, -ēre, -uī, -itus	have, hold; consider
nōs	plur. of ego
haereō, haerēre, haesī, haesūrus	stick; hesitate
praeceps, -cipitis	headlong
cursus, -ūs, m.	running, speed; course, route, voyage; race
dēdūcō, -dūcere, -dūxī, -ductus	lead down or away, bring; nāvem dēdūcere, to draw down or launch a ship
ēminēns, -entis	projecting, standing out; (comp.) ēminentior, further projecting
exitus, -ūs m.	way out; outcome, end
deinde, adv.	then, next
nē, adv.	not; nē ... quidem, not ... even; conj., that not, lest
resistō, -sistere, -stitī	stand back, resist
quidem, adv.	in fact, indeed, certainly; nē ... quidem, not ... even
licet, -ēre, -uit or -itum est, impers.	is lawful or permitted
is, ea, id, dem. pron.	this, that; he, she, it, they
coepī, coepisse, coeptus (used in tenses of completed action)	have begun, began
trānsversus, -a, -um	running across, crosswise
fēlīcitās, -ātis f.	good fortune, luck
aut, conj.	or; aut ... aut, either ... or
saltem (adv.)	at least
semel (adv.)	once (semel atque iterum: again and again)
ruō, -ere, -ī, -itūrus	rush
ēvertō, -vertere, -vertī, -versus	overturn, overthrow, destroy
cernulō, -āre	throw headlong, upend
allīdō, -ere, -līsī, -līsus	dash against, throw down
ergō (adv.)	therefore, then; quid ergō? what then?
sānus, -a, -um	healthy, sane (prō sānō: sensibly)
atque, ac (conj.)	and; after comparisons: as, than (ac only before consonants)
salūbris, -e	healthy, wholesome
fōrma, -ae, f.	form, appearance; beauty
teneō, -ēre, -uī, -tus	hold, keep; hold back, restrain, stop
corpus, corporis, n.	body
indulgeō, -ēre, indulsī (+ dat.)	be kind to, favour
quantus, -a, -um	how great or much?
bonus, -a, -um	good
valētūdō, -inis f.	health, state of health; ill health
satis, adv.	enough, sufficiently
dūrē, adv. (comp. dūrius)	harshly, roughly; dūrius cōnsulere, to take drastic measures
trāctō, -āre, -āvī, -ātus	handle, touch, feel
animus, -ī, m.	mind; heart; spirit, courage
male, adv.	badly, ill
pāreō, -ēre, -uī	obey
cibus, -ī, m.	food
famēs, -is, abl. famē, f.	hunger
sēdō, -āre, -āvī, -ātus	settle, calm, put down
pōtiō, -ōnis f.	drink, draught; potion, poison
sitis, -is f.	thirst
ex(s)tinguō, -ere, -stīnxī, -stīnctus	put out, quench; destroy
vestis, -is, f.	clothing, dress, robe
arceō, -ēre, -uī	keep off, keep away, shut out
frīgus, -oris n.	cold
domus, -ūs, f.	house, home
mūnīmentum, -ī n.	defence, barrier
adversum (prep. + acc.; also adversus)	against, opposite
īnfestus, -a, -um	unsafe, dangerous
utrum (conj.)	whether (utrum … an: whether … or)
caespes, -itis m.	turf, sod
ērigō, -rigere, -rēxī, -rēctus	raise or set up, raise, lift; cheer, encourage
an, conj.	or (in questions)
varius, -a, -um	various
lapis, -idis, m.	stone
gēns, gentis, f.	race, nation
aliēnus, -a, -um	belonging to another, out of place
nihil, n., indecl.	nothing
intersum, -esse, -fuī, -futūrus	be or lie between
sciō, -īre, -īvī, -ītus	know
tam, adv.	so
bene, adv.	well; successfully
culmus, -ī m.	stalk, stem; straw, thatch
quam, adv.	how? as; than; with superl., as ... as possible
aurum, -ī, n.	gold
tegō, tegere, tēxī, tēctus	cover
contemnō, -ere, -tempsī, -temptus	despise, scorn, think little of
supervacuus, -a, -um	superfluous, unnecessary, needless
labor, -ōris, m.	labor, toil
ōrnāmentum, -ī n.	honour, distinction; ornament
decus, -oris n.	honour, glory; what is fitting, propriety
pōnō, pōnere, posuī, positus	place, put; pōnī with in and abl., to be placed in, rest or depend on
cōgitō, -āre, -āvī, -ātus	consider, think over
praeter, prep. with acc.	before, past, by; besides, except
mīrābilis, -e	wonderful, marvellous
magnus, -a, -um	large, big, great, mighty; loud
cum, prep, with abl.	with
loquor, loquī, locūtus	speak
plūs (adv.)	more
cum, conj.	when, while, after; since; although
vadimōnium, -ī n.	bail, a promise to appear in court
advocō, -āre, -āvī, -ātus	call, summon (contiōnem advocāre: call an assembly)
dēscendō, -scendere, -scendī, -scēnsus	climb down, descend
tabula, -ae f.	tablet, written list
testāmentum, -ī n.	will (testament)
ānulus, -ī m.	ring, finger-ring
imprimō, -ere, -pressī, -pressus	press upon, press into
senātus, -ūs m.	senate
candidātus, -ī m.	candidate for office
vōx, vōcis, f.	voice; word
manus, -ūs, f.	hand
commodō, -āre, -āvī, -ātus	lend, provide, supply
crēdō, -dere, -didī, -ditus	believe
hūmānus, -a, -um	of man, human
dīvīnus, -a, -um	divine, of the gods
simul, adv.	at the same time; simul atque or ac, as soon as
iam, adv.	now, already
fīnis, -is, m.	end, boundary; plur., borders, territory, country
faciō, facere, fēcī, factus	make, do; iter facere, see iter
īnstituō, -stituere, -stituī, -stitūtus	decide upon, determine
prō, prep. with abl.	before, in front of; for, in behalf of; for, as; in return for, for
epistula, -ae f.	letter
dēpendō, -pendere, -pendī, -pēnsus	pay; poenās dēpendere, pay the penalty
dē, prep, with abl.	down from, from, out of; about, concerning, of
fīō, fierī, factus sum	be done or made, become, happen
adhūc, adv.	to this point, up to this time, yet, still
complicō, -āre, -āvī, -ātus	fold up, roll up; complicamus: we are winding up (our reading of)
hodiernus, -a, -um	of today; hodiernō diē, today
legō, legere, lēgī, lēctus	choose, pick out; read
philosophia, -ae f.	philosophy
serviō, -ire, -īvī, -ītus	be subject to, serve
oportet, -ēre, oportuit (impersonal)	it is right, it is necessary
contingō, -ere, -tigī, -tāctum	touch, reach
vērus, -a, -um	true; rē vērā, in truth, in fact
lībertās, -tātis, f.	freedom, liberty
differō, differre, distulī, dīlātum	differ; scatter, put off
suī, sibi, sē or sēsē, reflexive pron.	himself, herself, itself, themselves
subiciō, -icere, -iēcī, -iectus	throw or place under
trādō, -dere, -didī, -ditus	give across, over, or up, deliver; hand down, relate, report
statim, adv.	on the spot, forthwith, at once, immediately
circumagō, -agere, -ēgī, -āctus	turn round, wheel about
enim, conj.	for
ipse, ipsa, ipsum, intensive pron.	self, himself, herself, itself, themselves; often to be rendered by very
interrogō, -āre, -āvī, -ātus	ask, question
quārē (adv.)	why; for which reason
multus, -a, -um	much, great; plur., many
dictum, -ī n.	word, order (dictō audiēns: obedient)
referō, referre, rettulī, relātus	bring or carry back, return; pedem referre, to draw back, retire, retreat; grātiam referre, see grātia
potius (adv.)	rather
noster, -tra, -trum	our
quis, quid, interrog. pron.	who? which? what?
tamen, adv.	however, yet, nevertheless
pūblicus, -a, -um	public, of the state (rēs pūblica: the state)
poēta, -ae, m.	poet
dīcō, dīcere, dīxī, dictus	say, speak; diem dīcere, to appoint or set a day
philosophus, -ī m.	philosopher
attingō, -tingere, -tigī, -tāctus	touch at
tragicus, -a, -um	tragic, like a tragedy
neque or nec, conj.	and not, nor; neque ... neque, neither ... nor; neque enim, for ... not
togātus, -a, -um	wearing the toga; Gallia togata: Gaul this side of the Alps, whose people had Roman citizenship
sevēritās, -ātis f.	strictness, severity
inter, prep, with acc.	among, between
cōmoedia, -ae f.	comedy
tragoedia, -ae f.	tragedy; (fig.) bombast, theatrical fuss
medius, -a, -um	mid, middle
disertus, -a, -um	eloquent, skilled in speaking
versus, -ūs m.	line (of writing), verse
mīmus, -ī m.	mime, farce (a popular comic stage show); mime actor
iaceō, -ēre, -uī	lie, be prostrate
excalceō, -āre, -āvī, -ātus	take off the shoes; excalceati: actors not in tragic boots, comic actors
cothurnātus, -a, -um	wearing tragic boots; tragic, lofty
ūnus, -a, -um	one; only, alone
pertineō, -ēre, -uī	extend, reach; tend toward, concern
modo, adv.	only
negō, -āre, -āvī, -ātus	say no or not, deny, refuse
optō, -āre, -āvī, -ātus	wish for, desire; pray for
ēveniō, -venīre, -vēnī, -ventus	come out; turn out, happen, befall
sēnsus, -ūs m.	feeling, sensation; perception; sentiment
paulō, adv.	by a little, a little, somewhat
astringō (adstringō), -ere, -strīnxī, -strictus	bind fast, tie up; (of a sword) hold tight
meminī, meminisse	remember
tuus, -a, -um	thy, thine, your
etiamnunc (adv.)	even now, still; further, besides
praetereō, -īre, -iī, -itus	pass by
dō, dare, dedī, datus	give
auferō, auferre, abstulī, ablātus	bear away, carry off
imputō, -āre, -āvī, -ātus	charge to someone's account; claim credit for (a favour)
solvō, solvere, solvī, solūtus	loosen, unbind, release; pay; with or without nāvem, cast off, set sail, put to sea
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.