But the chief obstacle the translator has to contend against is his diction. This is highly rhetorical and very difficult to transfer into another language, unless the translator has at command all the resources of his mother tongue. Such a wealth of resources, I do not hesitate to confess, is not within my reach. If a translation is to make the same impression on the reader or hearer that is made by the original, it is as important to preserve the peculiarities of a writer’s style as to render accurately the meaning of the separate words. While I flatter myself that I have been fairly successful in the interpretation of Seneca’s words, I am not equally sanguine as to his diction. I believe, however, that I have in no case strayed very far afield and that the reading of the following pages will convey not only a fairly correct idea of what Seneca thought on many important problems, but also of the manner in which he expressed himself. I hope at some future time, if life and health are vouchsafed to me, to prepare a complete translation of Seneca’s moral writings. SELECTIONS FROM THE WRITINGS OF SENECA, TO WHICH PASSAGES MORE OR LESS CLOSELY AKIN OCCUR IN THE SCRIPTURES. FROM THE LETTERS TO LUCILIUS. A holy spirit dwells within us, the observer and keeper of the evil and the good; it treats us just as it is treated by us. If you do what is right, let all men know it; if what is wrong, does it matter that no one knows it, since you know it yourself? O what a wretched man you are if you disregard such a witness! The human mind has come down from the spirit that dwells on high. Fortune exempts many from punishment; from fear, no one. It is natural for those who have done wrong to be afraid. The light is irksome to a bad conscience. The guilty have sometimes the good fortune not to be found out; never the certainty of it. Good precepts, if you often reflect upon them, will profit you equally with good examples. If thou wouldst gain the favor of the gods, be good. He adequately worships the gods who imitates them. It suffices God that he be worshiped and loved; love cannot be mixed with fear. What thou hast learned, confirm by doing. A great and holy spirit, it is true, holds converse with us, but it cleaves to its origin. Let the young reverence and look up to their teachers. How wisely you live is an important matter: not, how long. It is not a good thing to live; it is, to live wisely. He who would live for himself must live for others. He who has much covets more. No one is worthy of God save him who contemns riches. Dare to contemn riches and thus to make thyself worthy of God. The shortest road to riches is to contemn riches. Not he who has little but he who covets more is poor. Thin is the texture of a lie; it is easily seen through if closely examined.