Sentence Explanation - Seneca's On the Shortness of Life
"I realized that your grief should not be intruded upon while it was fresh and agonizing, in case the consolations themselves should rouse and inflame it: for an illness too nothing is more harmful than premature treatment."
If I'm understanding correctly, Seneca refers to consolation of a fresh and agonizing wound as "premature treatment" and therefore, he should abstain from doing so to not make the situation worse. This indicates that premature consolation is less harmful than an "illness too nothing"? That doesn't make much sense to me.
If consolation is less harmful than a "too nothing" illness, than why isn't he consoling his mother?
What am I missing here? The sentence after the colon is contradicting the first.
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"I realized that your grief should not be intruded upon while it was fresh and agonizing, in case the consolations themselves should rouse and inflame it: for an illness too nothing is more harmful than premature treatment."
If I'm understanding correctly, Seneca refers to consolation of a fresh and agonizing wound as "premature treatment" and therefore, he should abstain from doing so to not make the situation worse. This indicates that premature consolation is less harmful than an "illness too nothing"? That doesn't make much sense to me.
If consolation is less harmful than a "too nothing" illness, than why isn't he consoling his mother?
What am I missing here? The sentence after the colon is contradicting the first.
terminology quotes
New contributor
Seems like a poor translation to me.
– Hot Licks
7 secs ago
add a comment |
"I realized that your grief should not be intruded upon while it was fresh and agonizing, in case the consolations themselves should rouse and inflame it: for an illness too nothing is more harmful than premature treatment."
If I'm understanding correctly, Seneca refers to consolation of a fresh and agonizing wound as "premature treatment" and therefore, he should abstain from doing so to not make the situation worse. This indicates that premature consolation is less harmful than an "illness too nothing"? That doesn't make much sense to me.
If consolation is less harmful than a "too nothing" illness, than why isn't he consoling his mother?
What am I missing here? The sentence after the colon is contradicting the first.
terminology quotes
New contributor
"I realized that your grief should not be intruded upon while it was fresh and agonizing, in case the consolations themselves should rouse and inflame it: for an illness too nothing is more harmful than premature treatment."
If I'm understanding correctly, Seneca refers to consolation of a fresh and agonizing wound as "premature treatment" and therefore, he should abstain from doing so to not make the situation worse. This indicates that premature consolation is less harmful than an "illness too nothing"? That doesn't make much sense to me.
If consolation is less harmful than a "too nothing" illness, than why isn't he consoling his mother?
What am I missing here? The sentence after the colon is contradicting the first.
terminology quotes
terminology quotes
New contributor
New contributor
New contributor
asked 3 mins ago
Nahuatl_C137
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Seems like a poor translation to me.
– Hot Licks
7 secs ago
add a comment |
Seems like a poor translation to me.
– Hot Licks
7 secs ago
Seems like a poor translation to me.
– Hot Licks
7 secs ago
Seems like a poor translation to me.
– Hot Licks
7 secs ago
add a comment |
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Seems like a poor translation to me.
– Hot Licks
7 secs ago