Our present consists only of single days, and those, too, taken one…

Our present consists only of single days, and those, too, taken one hour at a time: but all the days of past times appear before us when bidden, and allow themselves to be examined and lingered over, albeit busy men cannot find time for so doing.

Seneca4–65 BC · philosopher · Ancient RomeSeneca was a Roman philosopher, playwright, and statesman who served as tutor and later chief advisor to the young Emperor Nero, guiding Roman policy for years.424 quotes

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What turned up: Of the Shortness of Life, in Minor Dialogues (Aubrey Stewart translation, 1889); Exact wording and attribution checked. Stoic reflections on mortality, postponement, and the lived use of time.
Work: Of the Shortness of Life, in Minor Dialogues (Aubrey Stewart translation, 1889)
Sources checked: gutenberg.orgChecked using manual, 21 October 2026Of the Shortness of Life, in Minor Dialogues (Aubrey Stewart translation, 1889); Exact wording and attribution checked. Stoic reflections on mortality, postponement, and the lived use of time.