# XL explained — Dialogues

> Chapter companion for Dialogues by Seneca.

## What happens

Seneca advises on how to reprove an angry person without inflaming their anger, using the example of Emperor Augustus intervening to stop Vedius Pollio's cruel punishment of a slave who broke a crystal goblet.

## Themes in this chapter

### Anger and Self-Control

Seneca warns against reproving an angry person with anger, and illustrates Augustus's controlled response to Pollio's rage.

### Clemency and Justice

Augustus's clemency contrasts with Pollio's cruelty, showing the proper use of power.

## Character check-ins

### Augustus Caesar

Reproves Vedius Pollio by ordering the slave freed, all crystal broken, and the fish tank filled, demonstrating proper use of power.

### Asinius Pollio

Vedius Pollio, whose cruel order to throw a slave to muraenae is stopped by Augustus.

### Seneca

Authorial voice advising on handling anger and reproof.

## Key lines

> To reprove a man when he is angry is to add to his anger by being angry oneself.

Correcting someone while they are angry only makes them angrier, especially if you are angry too.

_Seneca's core advice on handling anger in others._

> Caesar was shocked at this novel form of cruelty, and ordered him to be let go, and, in his place, all the crystal ware which he saw before him to be broken, and the tank to be filled up.

Augustus, appalled by the unusual cruelty, freed the slave, had all the crystal goblets smashed, and ordered the fish tank destroyed.

_Augustus's decisive and symbolic rebuke of Pollio's cruelty._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/dialogues_2_se/chapters/xl
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/dialogues_2_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/dialogues_2_se/chapters