**COARSE NOTE** **202005300936: Live within natural limit, not too extreme.** #Stoicism #seneca . #Stoicism Source: Letters of Seneca. Chapter 39 XXXIX on Noble Aspirations Backward: Forward:  [[R20200620 Book Notes from Letters of a Stoic]] [[Stoicism]] Cross reference: Notes: _“Live within natural limit, not too extreme. Direct appetite to noble things. Watch how I consume, and seek pleasure. Not to be master of pleasures, and excess._”  - “No man of exalted gifts is pleased with that which is low and mean; the vision of great achievement summons him and uplifts him." - Personally, I have experienced it, hearing great men speaks inspires me. I admire their determination and aspirations.  - “Happy is the man who has given it this impulse (his soul in motion) towards better things!”.  - "Settle for ordinary rather than that which is too great” -  - Ordinary things are useful, and necessary, and life-giving. “Great, extravagance” is excessive.  - “Too rich a soul makes the grain fall flat, branches break down under too heavy a load, excessive productiveness does not bring fruit to ripeness” - too much is not good - Too much prosperity can ruin the soul. - This chapter talks about being mindful of how our desires are kept within bound, and like flame that grow.. direct it to noble things. He talks about how men live superfluously, their once excess, ill/vices, have taken over them, and become slaves to pleasures, and become habit.” No more room for cure.  Keywords: - Seneca,  - Stoic - Excess - Sin - Noble Aspiration - Limits - Middle Way