“Whatever is well said by another, is mine.”
- c. 4 BC – AD 65
- Roman
- Philosopher, Statesman, Dramatist, Stoic Thinker, Advisor to Emperor Nero
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Quote
“Whatever is well said by another, is mine.”
Explanation
Truth and wisdom belong to all, not just to the one who speaks them. Seneca the Younger expresses a Stoic ideal that valuable insights are universal and should be embraced regardless of their source. If a thought is noble or instructive, it becomes part of the shared human pursuit of virtue and understanding—it need not be diminished by concerns of authorship or ego.
This attitude reflects Seneca’s own intellectual generosity. As a Roman philosopher, he often quoted and admired Greek thinkers like Epicurus, even while disagreeing with their schools of thought. For Seneca, clinging to wisdom is more important than claiming originality. In doing so, he challenges the pride that can obstruct learning: the wise person is open to knowledge from any quarter.
Today, this idea resonates in education, collaboration, and discourse. Quoting others, building on past thought, and learning without prejudice are signs of intellectual maturity. In an age often obsessed with originality and credit, Seneca reminds us that truth is not private property—when we truly understand and live by it, it becomes ours.
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