Poor is not having little. Poor is wanting more.
Seneca, Letters to Lucilius 2.6
non qui parum habet, sed qui plus cupit, pauper est
Poor is not having little. Poor is wanting more.
Seneca, Letters to Lucilius 2.6
What it means
Poverty in Seneca's sense is a state of mind, not a bank balance. Someone with plenty who always wants more is never satisfied. Decide what enough looks like, and you stop being poor.
The source
"Poor is not having little. Poor is wanting more." Seneca said it in Letters to Lucilius 2.6. Translated from the original Latin by Spartan Surfers.
"non qui parum habet, sed qui plus cupit, pauper est"Original Latin, Letters to Lucilius 2.6. 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 "Poor is not having little. Poor is wanting more." mean?
- Poverty in Seneca's sense is a state of mind, not a bank balance. Someone with plenty who always wants more is never satisfied. Decide what enough looks like, and you stop being poor.
- Who said "Poor is not having little. Poor is wanting more."?
- Seneca (c. 4 BC–65 AD). Source: Letters to Lucilius 2.6.
- What is the original Latin?
- non qui parum habet, sed qui plus cupit, pauper est. Translated from the original Latin by Spartan Surfers.
- Is "Poor is not having little. Poor is wanting more." 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
"Poor is not having little. Poor is wanting more." (Seneca, Letters to Lucilius 2.6, translated by Spartan Surfers). https://spartansurfers.com/quotes/poor-is-not-having-little-poor-is-wanting
Filed under Quotes about calm 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
- Trusting everyone and trusting no one are both mistakes.Letters to Lucilius 3.4