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Stoicism in the Original Latin: 10 Quotes from Seneca and Marcus Aurelius

Stoicism has seen a massive resurgence in recent years, but much of its power is lost in translation. Reading the original Latin of Seneca the Younger or the Meditations of Marcus Aurelius (who wrote in Greek but was heavily influenced by the Roman tradition) provides a "gravitas" that modern English often lacks.

Here are 10 core Stoic quotes in their original Latin, along with a deep dive into the grammar that gives them their weight.

1. Memento Mori

  • Translation: "Remember that you will die."
  • Grammar: This uses the imperative memento (remember!) and the infinitive mori (to die). It is a stark reminder of the impermanence of life.

2. Amor Fati

  • Translation: "Love of fate."
  • Grammar: A simple pairing of amor (love) and the genitive fati (of fate). It is the radical acceptance of whatever happens.

3. Non ducor, duco

  • Translation: "I am not led, I lead."
  • Grammar: A perfect example of the active vs. passive voice in Latin verbs (ducere).

4. Vivere est militare

  • Translation: "To live is to fight (to be a soldier)."
  • Source: Seneca, Epistulae Morales.

5. Ignis aurum probat, miseria fortes viros

  • Translation: "Fire tests gold; misfortune tests brave men."
  • Grammar: Notice the parallelism in the sentence structure, a favorite technique of Seneca.

6. Dum spiro spero

  • Translation: "While I breathe, I hope."

7. Incepto ne desistam

  • Translation: "May I not shrink from my purpose."

8. Perseverantia vincit

  • Translation: "Perseverance conquers."

9. Nihil admirari

  • Translation: "To be surprised by nothing."

10. Faber est suae quisque fortunae

  • Translation: "Every man is the artisan of his own fortune."

Why the Original Latin Matters

When you read Seneca's letters in Latin, you see the precision of his vocabulary. He doesn't just use "words"; he selects terms with specific legal, military, and philosophical connotations.

Analyze Stoic Texts

Ready to go deeper?

  • Use the Text Analyzer to break down the complex sentences in Seneca's Epistles.
  • Look up keywords like virtus (virtue) or ratio (reason) in our Dictionary to see their full range of meanings.
  • Browse the Library for original Stoic texts.

Live like a Roman. Start reading Stoic Latin today.