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What it means

Seneca asks whether you would rather live in a market or in a camp. Those who climb, struggle and take the hard posts are the bravest. Hardship is not a sign that life went wrong; it is the job.

The source

"To live is to be a soldier." Seneca said it in Letters to Lucilius 96.5. Translated from the original Latin by Spartan Surfers.

"Atqui vivere, Lucili, militare est."

Original Latin, Letters to Lucilius 96.5. 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 "To live is to be a soldier." mean?
Seneca asks whether you would rather live in a market or in a camp. Those who climb, struggle and take the hard posts are the bravest. Hardship is not a sign that life went wrong; it is the job.
Who said "To live is to be a soldier."?
Seneca (c. 4 BC–65 AD). Source: Letters to Lucilius 96.5.
What is the original Latin?
Atqui vivere, Lucili, militare est. Translated from the original Latin by Spartan Surfers.
Is "To live is to be a soldier." 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

"To live is to be a soldier." (Seneca, Letters to Lucilius 96.5, translated by Spartan Surfers). https://spartansurfers.com/quotes/to-live-is-to-be-a-soldier

Filed under Quotes about discipline and grit and Stoic quotes.

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