Anger, if not restrained, is frequently more hurtful to us than the injury that provokes it.
Seneca The YoungerRead
It is another's fault if he be ungrateful, but it is mine if I do not give. To find one thankful man, I will oblige a great many that are not so.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote highlights the importance of giving regardless of the recipient's gratitude.
Seneca emphasizes the idea that the act of giving is a personal responsibility, and one should not let the potential ingratitude of others deter them from being generous. While we cannot control how others respond, we can control our willingness to offer help or kindness, and in doing so, we enrich ourselves and the world around us.
Themes
GratitudeGivingKindnessResponsibilityGenerosity
In practice
Example use cases
Using this quote in a speech about philanthropy at a charity event.
More from Seneca The Younger
All quotes βNo tree becomes rooted and sturdy unless many a wind assails it. For by its very tossing it tightens its grip and plants its roots more securely; the fragile trees are those that have grown in a sunny valley.
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Slavery takes hold of few, but many take hold of slavery.
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To be able to endure odium is the first art to be learned by those who aspire to power.
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Wherever there is a human being, there is an opportunity for a kindness.
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Loyalty is the holiest good in the human heart.
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