Tempus fugit. Seneca, Epistulae 1.1.1

The second reading comes from Lucius Annaeus Seneca (c. 4 BCE-65 CE), most famous in history for his role as tutor to the emperor Nero. Like his father, whose name he shared (†), he was born in Hispania (in Corduba), and made his way into public life at Rome on the strength of good business (they were very wealthy) and good oratory (they were skilled public speakers). When his influence with Nero faded, he retired to private life and composed the last two works of his prolific writing career: the Naturales Quaestiones, a thorough index to Nature as perceived by ancient Mediterraneans, and the Epistulae Morales, which he writes as though they were private letters to his friend Lucilius, procurator of Sicily. The letters offer a clear view of his philosophy of life, informed not just by study but also by long experience. You can listen to me read the beginning of the first letter <here>.

Ita fac, mi Lucili: vindica te tibi, et tempus quod adhuc aut auferebatur aut subripiebatur aut excidebat collige et serva. Persuade tibi hoc sic esse ut scribo: quaedam tempora eripiuntur nobis, quaedam subducuntur, quaedam effluunt. Turpissima tamen est iactura quae per neglegentiam fit. Et si volueris attendere, magna pars vitae elabitur male agentibus, maxima nihil agentibus, tota vita aliud agentibus. 

Do this for me, my dear Lucilius. Lay claim to yourself. Gather and keep the time that until now has been taken from you, stolen or wasted. Convince yourself that this writing of mine is true: Some moments are seized from us openly, some stolen in secret, and some just slip away. But the worst loss of all is that which happens by our negligence. Much of life escapes those who live badly. Most of it escapes those who do nothing. And all of it is lost to those busy doing something else. If you care to notice, you will see for yourself.

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(†) He is sometimes called Seneca Minor, the Younger, to distinguish him from his father, Seneca Maior, the Elder. If you are following my other reading, you will note that Romans from Spain like to pass names down from father to son.