Seneca's Idea Of Virtue

Virtue is defined as behavior showing high moral standards. Seneca makes virtue his main idea of the passage “On Liberal and Vocational Studies”, giving his belief as to what it takes to be virtuous. Seneca believes liberal arts do not convert people to virtue rather gives them the ability to do well, yet this allows one to not have control and freedom of their mind. Being virtuous comes from morals and or second nature. When virtuous one obtains qualities of kindliness, temperance, and wisdom. A virtuous foundation does not start with liberal arts, rather it starts with the freedom of one’s mind. Seneca states “No art, however, is sufficient unto itself, if the foundation upon which it rests depends upon mere favour” Not can concept can be
This characteristic “forbids you to be over-bearing towards your associates and it forbids you to be grasping” Ultimately just about everyones main goal is to become number, the alpha. In kindliness this idea is destroyed and replaced with an open mind of equals, by forbidding the act of greed and selfishness, one potentially grows into one of a virtuous person. One shouldn’t show actions of rapacity, ones should be rejoiced in their earnings and want to portion it with the world. Seneca goes on to write “...kindliness which spares a neighbor’s life as if it were one's own..." A person that is able to display this amount of courage understands that no one man’s life is more valuable than any other person, placing themselves into the shoes of a stranger, doing on to them what you would do onto oneself. Knowing it isn’t your decision but is willing to make that change if necessary, that’s how the aspect of kindliness sticks to being virtuous so
Temperance being “moderation or self-restraint in action, statement, etc.”, Seneca states “[Temperance] some it hates and routs, others it regulates and restores to a healthy measure, nor does it ever approach our desire for their own sakes”, temperance keeps the bad desire in the right place and brings to store the good desires. Also showing a step in self-restraint proving to our mind that one can be more powerful and is able to achieve nothing but greatness, in result, opening the mind to always steer clear of the bad and continue to bring in the good. Seneca later stating “Temperance knows that the best measure of the appetites is not what you want to take, but what you ought to take”, saying temperance is your parent or the angel on your shoulder, parent by not allowing you to have everything you want being it isn’t well for you for example that food you really want but can’t have because you’re allergic yet you wonder why, not knowing you are being protected, and angel on your shoulder broking the devils voices and overpowering them with nothing but greatness. This displays a virtuous way of living because you find out that thing you were craving for yet gave up is exactly what someone else needed in terms helping them become