Today Seneca gives us a detailed description of what virtue looks like, and of what pleasure looks like. He says, "Virtue is a lofty quality, sublime, royal, unconquerable, untiring: pleasure is low, slavish, weakly, perishable; its haunts and homes are the brothel and the tavern. You will meet virtue in the temple, the market-place, the senate house, manning the walls, covered with dust, sunburnt...you will find pleasure skulking out of sight, seeking for shady nooks at the public baths, hot chambers..."
He clearly has a very high view of what he calls "virtue" and a very low view of pleasure. This is not to say that he thinks we should avoid pleasure altogether. But he'll explain that more in coming weeks. For now, let's learn very clearly that Seneca does NOT see virtue and pleasure as being the same - in fact, he almost sees them as opposites.
See you tomorrow!
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