--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Those things which make the infernal…" description: "\"Those things which make the infernal regions terrible, the darkness, the prison, the river of flaming fire, the judgment seat, are all a fable, with wh..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/432/seneca-the-younger-219_agitate_those-things-which-make-the-infernal-reg_1645465.jpg" --- # Those things which make the infernal regions terrible, the… ![“Those things which make the infernal regions terrible, the darkness, the prison, the river of flaming fire, the judgment seat, are all a fable, with which the poets amuse themselves, and by them agitate us with vain terrors.” quote by Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/432/seneca-the-younger-219_agitate_those-things-which-make-the-infernal-reg_1645465.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/432/seneca-the-younger-219_agitate_those-things-which-make-the-infernal-reg_1645465.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/432/seneca-the-younger-219_agitate_those-things-which-make-the-infernal-reg_1645465.jpg) > “Those things which make the infernal regions terrible, the darkness, the prison, the river of flaming fire, the judgment seat, are all a fable, with which the poets amuse themselves, and by them agitate us with vain terrors.” [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Poetic depictions of hell are fictional tools that stir fear, not factual truths. **In simple terms:** Hell stories are symbolic, not literal. Key Takeaway Question fear‑based narratives. Themes philosophy religion psychology Mood reflective skeptical Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - religious teaching - personal anxiety - cultural myths Key Concepts mythmaking fear manipulation critical thinking Questions to Reflect On - Why do we cling to frightening myths? - How can rational thought reduce fear? A Different Perspective Such images can still influence behavior despite being fictional. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Agitate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/agitate/) [Darkness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/darkness/) [Fable Poets](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fable-poets-605400/) [Fables](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fables/) [Fire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fire/) [Flaming Judgment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/flaming-judgment-605401/) [Infernal Regions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/infernal-regions-605402/) [Judgment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/judgment/) [Poet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poet/) [Poetry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poetry/) [Poets Amuse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poets-amuse-605399/) [Prison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prison/) [Regions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/regions/) [Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rivers/) [Seats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/seats/) [Terrible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/terrible/) [Terror](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/terror/) [Vain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vain/) [Vain Terrors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vain-terrors-605398/) ## Related quotes > [He had her in his arms, her face like a wet flower at his lips, and all their vain terrors shriveling up like ghosts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edith-wharton/he-had-her-in-his-arms-her-face-like-a-wet-flower-at-his-lips-and-all/) [Edith Wharton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edith-wharton/) > [Few tyrants go down to the infernal regions by a natural death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juvenal/few-tyrants-go-down-to-the-infernal-regions-by-a-natural-death/) [Juvenal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juvenal/) > [I fancy that the Hell of Too Many People would occupy a respectable place in the hierarchy of infernal regions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-b-priestley/i-fancy-that-the-hell-of-too-many-people-would-occupy-a-respectable/) [J. B. Priestley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-b-priestley/) > [Organize, agitate, educate, must be our war cry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-b-anthony/organize-agitate-educate-must-be-our-war-cry/) [Susan B. Anthony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-b-anthony/) > [The risk is enormous to Democrats. Even talking about censure or impeachment threatens to really agitate the Republican base.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-cook/the-risk-is-enormous-to-democrats-even-talking-about-censure-or/) [Charlie Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-cook/) > [But in his Farewell Address, George Washington made it clear that he perceived no greater threat to the American experiment than a partisan demagogue…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-avlon/but-in-his-farewell-address-george-washington-made-it-clear-that-he/) [John Avlon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-avlon/) > [Agitate him and ascertain the pattern of his movement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/agitate-him-and-ascertain-the-pattern-of-his-movement/) [Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/) > [In the beginning, when you are meditating, just ignore thought. Shine it on. Then after you are comfortable sitting there, try selectively eliminating negative…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/in-the-beginning-when-you-are-meditating-just-ignore-thought-shine-it/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [My final words of advice to you are educate, agitate and organize; have faith in yourself. With justice on our side I do not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-r-ambedkar/my-final-words-of-advice-to-you-are-educate-agitate-and-organize-have/) [B. R. Ambedkar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-r-ambedkar/) > [The most violent passions sometimes leave us at rest, but vanity agitates us constantly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/the-most-violent-passions-sometimes-leave-us-at-rest-but-vanity/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [There is no eloquence which does not agitate the soul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-savage-landor/there-is-no-eloquence-which-does-not-agitate-the-soul/) [Walter Savage Landor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-savage-landor/) > [Language is, in other words, not necessary, but voluntary. If it were necessary, it would have stayed simple; it would not agitate our hearts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-oliver/language-is-in-other-words-not-necessary-but-voluntary-if-it-were/) [Mary Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-oliver/) > [I don't know how you feel, but I feel like writing, clarity of thought, and truth have been validated because we see what happens…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/i-don-t-know-how-you-feel-but-i-feel-like-writing-clarity-of-thought/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [As has been reported, and is unmistakably evident to all but the most naïve, federal employees have been ordered to exploit this crisis, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-kengor/as-has-been-reported-and-is-unmistakably-evident-to-all-but-the-most/) [Paul Kengor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-kengor/) > [“If lies comfort, and truth disturbs - self is being agitated as a result of prideful living.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-f-hodge/if-lies-comfort-and-truth-disturbs-self-is-being-agitated-as-a-result/) [T.F. Hodge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-f-hodge/) ## More by Seneca the Younger > [There is nothing that we can properly call our own but our time, and yet everybody fools us out of it who has a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/there-is-nothing-that-we-can-properly-call-our-own-but-our-time-and/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [It is for the superfluous we sweat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/it-is-for-the-superfluous-we-sweat/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [Men trust rather to their eyes than to their ears; the effect of precepts is therefore slow and tedious, whilst that of examples is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/men-trust-rather-to-their-eyes-than-to-their-ears-the-effect-of/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [A great step towards independence is a good-humored stomach, one that is willing to endure rough treatment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/a-great-step-towards-independence-is-a-good-humored-stomach-one-that/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [Men can be divided into 2 groups: one that goes ahead and achieves something, and one that comes after and criticizes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/men-can-be-divided-into-2-groups-one-that-goes-ahead-and-achieves/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [Leisure without study is death, and the grave of a living man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/leisure-without-study-is-death-and-the-grave-of-a-living-man/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [Such as the chain of causes we call Fate, such is the chain of wishes: one links on to another; the whole man is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/such-as-the-chain-of-causes-we-call-fate-such-is-the-chain-of-wishes/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [To rule yourself is the ultimate power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/to-rule-yourself-is-the-ultimate-power/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [The road by precepts is tedious, by example, short and efficacious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/the-road-by-precepts-is-tedious-by-example-short-and-efficacious/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [Misfortune is the test of a person's merit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/misfortune-is-the-test-of-a-person-s-merit/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [He who does not want to die should not want to live. For life is tendered to us with the proviso of death. Life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/he-who-does-not-want-to-die-should-not-want-to-live-for-life-is/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [Let us not seek our disease out of ourselves; 'tis in us, and planted in our bowels; and the mere fact that we do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/let-us-not-seek-our-disease-out-of-ourselves-tis-in-us-and-planted-in/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [After death there is nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/after-death-there-is-nothing/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [Adversity finds at last the man whom she has often passed by.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/adversity-finds-at-last-the-man-whom-she-has-often-passed-by/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [Hesitation is the best cure for anger. The first blows of anger are heavy, but if it waits, it will think again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/hesitation-is-the-best-cure-for-anger-the-first-blows-of-anger-are/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) [Explore all 872 Seneca the Younger quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) ## More Agitate quotes > [“If lies comfort, and truth disturbs - self is being agitated as a result of prideful living.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-f-hodge/if-lies-comfort-and-truth-disturbs-self-is-being-agitated-as-a-result/) [T.F. Hodge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-f-hodge/) > [There is no eloquence which does not agitate the soul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-savage-landor/there-is-no-eloquence-which-does-not-agitate-the-soul/) [Walter Savage Landor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-savage-landor/) > [As has been reported, and is unmistakably evident to all but the most naïve, federal employees have been ordered to exploit this crisis, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-kengor/as-has-been-reported-and-is-unmistakably-evident-to-all-but-the-most/) [Paul Kengor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-kengor/) > [Organize, agitate, educate, must be our war cry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-b-anthony/organize-agitate-educate-must-be-our-war-cry/) [Susan B. Anthony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-b-anthony/) > [I don't know how you feel, but I feel like writing, clarity of thought, and truth have been validated because we see what happens…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/i-don-t-know-how-you-feel-but-i-feel-like-writing-clarity-of-thought/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [Language is, in other words, not necessary, but voluntary. If it were necessary, it would have stayed simple; it would not agitate our hearts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-oliver/language-is-in-other-words-not-necessary-but-voluntary-if-it-were/) [Mary Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-oliver/) > [The most violent passions sometimes leave us at rest, but vanity agitates us constantly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/the-most-violent-passions-sometimes-leave-us-at-rest-but-vanity/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [My final words of advice to you are educate, agitate and organize; have faith in yourself. With justice on our side I do not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-r-ambedkar/my-final-words-of-advice-to-you-are-educate-agitate-and-organize-have/) [B. R. Ambedkar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-r-ambedkar/) > [In the beginning, when you are meditating, just ignore thought. Shine it on. Then after you are comfortable sitting there, try selectively eliminating negative…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/in-the-beginning-when-you-are-meditating-just-ignore-thought-shine-it/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Agitate him and ascertain the pattern of his movement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/agitate-him-and-ascertain-the-pattern-of-his-movement/) [Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/) > [But in his Farewell Address, George Washington made it clear that he perceived no greater threat to the American experiment than a partisan demagogue…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-avlon/but-in-his-farewell-address-george-washington-made-it-clear-that-he/) [John Avlon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-avlon/) > [The risk is enormous to Democrats. Even talking about censure or impeachment threatens to really agitate the Republican base.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-cook/the-risk-is-enormous-to-democrats-even-talking-about-censure-or/) [Charlie Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-cook/) > [Pour some water into a tub and stir it up. Now try as hard as you can to calm the water with your hands;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/koichi-tohei/pour-some-water-into-a-tub-and-stir-it-up-now-try-as-hard-as-you-can/) [Koichi Tohei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/koichi-tohei/) > [Humility does not disturb or disquiet or agitate, however great it may be; it comes with peace, delight, and calm. . . . The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-of-vila/humility-does-not-disturb-or-disquiet-or-agitate-however-great-it-may/) [Teresa of Avila](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-of-vila/) > [Tolerance is really a better thing than understanding. Because it doesn't agitate against human nature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fran-lebowitz/tolerance-is-really-a-better-thing-than-understanding-because-it/) [Fran Lebowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fran-lebowitz/) [Browse all 54 Agitate quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/agitate/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Those things which make the infernal regions terrible, the darkness, the prison, the river of flaming fire, the judgment seat, are all a fable, with which the poets amuse themselves, and by them agitate us with vain terrors.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Seneca the Younger" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/those-things-which-make-the-infernal-regions-terrible-the-darkness/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Agitate" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/those-things-which-make-the-infernal-regions-terrible-the-darkness/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/432/seneca-the-younger-219_agitate_those-things-which-make-the-infernal-reg_1645465.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/432/seneca-the-younger-219_agitate_those-things-which-make-the-infernal-reg_1645465.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/432/seneca-the-younger-219_agitate_those-things-which-make-the-infernal-reg_1645465.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Those things which make the infernal regions terrible, the darkness, the prison, the river of flaming fire…” — Seneca the Younger", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Seneca the Younger", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Those things which make the infernal...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/those-things-which-make-the-infernal-regions-terrible-the-darkness/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/those-things-which-make-the-infernal-regions-terrible-the-darkness/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```