On Anger defines and explains anger within the context of Stoic philosophy, and offers therapeutic advice on how to prevent and control anger.
Translated by Aubrey Stewart: https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Of_Ang...

(Note to YouTube: This is my own recording, it is not taken from anywhere else. I retain the copyright)

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Notes:
1: Treatment depends on the degree of anger and on the personality of the individual.
2: Anger affects all peoples and not just individuals but sometimes entire nations.
3: Despite all its terrible faults, many still believe anger to be a virtue.
4: Anger dominates one’s mind and removes one’s freedom; a man in the grip of anger acts like an animal.
5: To help avoid becoming angry, remind yourself frequently of its vices. How far more glorious it is to be impervious to insults than to revenge them.
6: “There is no greater proof of magnanimity than that nothing which befalls you should be able to move you to anger.” Avoid scattering your attention on many projects or taking on things beyond your ability, doing so leads to anger.
7: Be neither petty nor yet reckless in your projects. Before beginning, estimate your power and the power needed to complete it. Failure moves the hot blooded to anger, the cold blooded to sorrow.
8: Associate with good tempered people, we copy our habits from those around us. Avoid or check disputes before they become rooted and grow.
9: Cut out things that aggravate you, like law courts and politics. You can adjust your life such that you are less exposed to anger.
10: We don’t all take offense in the same way. Determine what your weak point is and guard against it.
11: Don’t go looking for things to take offense at. It is possible to turn offenses into something to be laughed at.
12: Many deliberately make themselves angry in choosing to take offense at trifles. Consider deeply the other person’s perspective and delay your judgement.
13: Our inward thoughts become influenced by our outward behaviour. Control anger if you can, hide its effects if you cannot.
14: It’s entirely possible to restrain anger, as people do so when in extreme fear
15: Even the anger which arises from unheard of outrages can be concealed. Occasionally it is necessary to control anger in this way.
16: Anger results in misery, it is better to endure hardships that to give in to anger.
17: Anger leads one to inhuman acts.
18: Anger becomes addictive.
19: Anger can ruin and tear apart whole nations
20: Anger can lead one to act without thought.
21: Some even become angry with inanimate objects.
22: Expect people to criticise you and learn to accept it when it happens.
23: Just because you’re powerful it doesn’t mean you need to be angry when someone less powerful criticises you.
24: Everyone gives offense at some time and there’s usually a good reason to excuse them, look for it.
25: Everyone makes mistakes. Ponder your own mistakes before becoming angry at others. Becoming angry generally does you more harm than the thing you’re angry at.
26: People making mistakes generally don’t know they are making them, they believe they are in the right.
27: It’s better to heal an injury than avenge it. You will cease to be angry at some point, so why not chose to cease now?
28: It is better to focus on good than on harm. We frequently cause ourselves harm through anger.
29: People frequently become angry wrongly then choose to stay so rather than admit fault.
30: Observe how trifling are the matters that provoke anger
31: Whoever you envy, there are people who envy you. Be grateful for what you have not angry at what you don’t.
32: Let different qualities in different people keep us from quarrelling with them: fear, shame or disdain can all be useful to prevent anger.
33: Goods are not good if they disrupt your tranquillity.
34: It is the setting of great value on trifles and then competition over them that causes anger.
35: Don’t be pretentious or set yourself apart from other people, we are all human, you are nothing special.
36: Toughen your spirit. Ask yourself how you have improved yourself each day.
37: Expect troubles. When encountering rudeness, observe how petty it is and smile to yourself.
38: Respond to insults with humour.
39: Do not attack another’s anger head on. Console them and delay their actions. Aim to let their anger subside somewhat before tackling it.
40: Don’t reprove a man who is still angry.
41: On rare occasions, if someone’s anger is aiming towards inhuman acts, you can use fear to prevent them taking action.
42: Your time is limited, don’t waste it being angry.
43: Death faces us all and is the bigger concern. Don’t trouble yourself with the petty acts of others, focus your time on doing good not evil.

#Stoicism #Seneca #VoxStoica