Live among people as if God were watching.
Seneca, Letters to Lucilius 10.5
sic vive cum hominibus tamquam deus videat
Live among people as if God were watching.
Seneca, Letters to Lucilius 10.5
What it means
The full line continues: speak to God as if people could hear. Seneca wants no gap between your private and public self. Act the same whether anyone is looking or not.
The source
"Live among people as if God were watching." Seneca said it in Letters to Lucilius 10.5. Translated from the original Latin by Spartan Surfers.
"sic vive cum hominibus tamquam deus videat"Original Latin, Letters to Lucilius 10.5. Text read at thelatinlibrary.com.
Who said it
Seneca (c. 4 BC–65 AD). Stoic philosopher, playwright and adviser to the emperor Nero. His letters to his friend Lucilius are the most readable handbook of Stoicism ever written.
Questions
- What does "Live among people as if God were watching." mean?
- The full line continues: speak to God as if people could hear. Seneca wants no gap between your private and public self. Act the same whether anyone is looking or not.
- Who said "Live among people as if God were watching."?
- Seneca (c. 4 BC–65 AD). Source: Letters to Lucilius 10.5.
- What is the original Latin?
- sic vive cum hominibus tamquam deus videat. Translated from the original Latin by Spartan Surfers.
- Is "Live among people as if God were watching." on a shirt?
- Yes. We print it to order on our tees in 7 illustrated looks, from $44, with free US shipping.
Cite this line
"Live among people as if God were watching." (Seneca, Letters to Lucilius 10.5, translated by Spartan Surfers). https://spartansurfers.com/quotes/live-among-people-as-if-god-were-watching
Filed under Quotes about character and Stoic quotes.
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More from Seneca
- Claim yourself back.Letters to Lucilius 1.1
- Most of life slips away doing nothing, or the wrong thing.Letters to Lucilius 1.1
- While you put life off, it runs past.Letters to Lucilius 1.3
- Nothing is truly yours except your time.Letters to Lucilius 1.3
- Be everywhere and you are nowhere.Letters to Lucilius 2.2
- Poor is not having little. Poor is wanting more.Letters to Lucilius 2.6