The diseases of the rational soul are long-standing and hardened vices, such as greed and ambition-they have put the soul in a straitjacket and have begun to be permanent evils inside it. To put it briefly, this sickness is an unrelenting distortion of judgment, so things that are only mildly desirable are vigorously sought after. -SENECA, MORAL LETTERS, 75.11
Seneca eloquently discusses how the rational soul can be afflicted by entrenched vices like greed and ambition. These ailments become so ingrained that they effectively trap the soul, leading to persistent negative influences. This metaphorical straitjacket restricts the soul’s ability to perceive things clearly and leads to misguided desires.
He emphasizes that this distortion of judgment compels individuals to chase after trivial matters with excessive fervor. Instead of recognizing what truly holds value, one becomes overly fixated on superficial pursuits, indicating a deeper malaise that obscures sound reasoning and ethical considerations.
