--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Virtue is that perfect good, which is the…" description: "\"Virtue is that perfect good, which is the complement of a happy life; the only immortal thing that belongs to mortality.\" — Seneca the Younger" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/731/seneca-the-younger-219_character_virtue-is-that-perfect-good-which-is-the_1962074.jpg" --- # Virtue is that perfect good, which is the complement of a… ![“Virtue is that perfect good, which is the complement of a happy life; the only immortal thing that belongs to mortality.” quote by Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/731/seneca-the-younger-219_character_virtue-is-that-perfect-good-which-is-the_1962074.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/731/seneca-the-younger-219_character_virtue-is-that-perfect-good-which-is-the_1962074.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/731/seneca-the-younger-219_character_virtue-is-that-perfect-good-which-is-the_1962074.jpg) > “Virtue is that perfect good, which is the complement of a happy life; the only immortal thing that belongs to mortality.” [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. Virtue is the highest good, complementing happiness; true immortality lies in moral excellence, not physical life. **In simple terms:** Moral excellence gives lasting value beyond life. Key Takeaway Cultivate virtue daily. Themes ethics happiness mortality Mood thoughtful serene Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - daily decision making - teaching ethics - personal growth - legacy building Key Concepts Stoicism philosophical virtue Questions to Reflect On - What virtues do you practice? - Can virtue exist without external success? A Different Perspective Virtue alone may not guarantee happiness without practical circumstances. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Complement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/complement/) [Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) [Happy life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happy-life/) [Immortal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/immortal/) [Immortal Thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/immortal-thing-2813297/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Life Immortal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-immortal-802821/) [Mortality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mortality/) [Perfect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perfect/) [Perfect Good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perfect-good-1373471/) [Virtue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/virtue/) [Virtue Perfect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/virtue-perfect-3245433/) ## Related quotes > [Truth is man's proper good, and the only immortal thing was given to our mortality to use.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-jonson/truth-is-man-s-proper-good-and-the-only-immortal-thing-was-given-to/) [Ben Jonson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-jonson/) > [Even virtue itself, all perfect as it is, requires to be inspirited by passion; for duties are but coldly performed which are but philosophically…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-brownell-jameson/even-virtue-itself-all-perfect-as-it-is-requires-to-be-inspirited-by/) [Anna Brownell Jameson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-brownell-jameson/) > [Only by perfect virtue can the perfect path, in all its courses, be made a fact.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/only-by-perfect-virtue-can-the-perfect-path-in-all-its-courses-be/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [Style, after all, rather than thought, is the immortal thing in literature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-smith/style-after-all-rather-than-thought-is-the-immortal-thing-in/) [Alexander Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-smith/) > [Nothing needs to be perfect to be good, and no one should need to feel perfect to feel right](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-louboutin/nothing-needs-to-be-perfect-to-be-good-and-no-one-should-need-to-feel/) [Christian Louboutin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-louboutin/) > [“if its perfect, its good enough for me”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-miles/if-its-perfect-its-good-enough-for-me/) [Mike Miles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-miles/) > [I may not be perfect but I am perfect enough to be a very good rendition of me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jan-hellriegel/i-may-not-be-perfect-but-i-am-perfect-enough-to-be-a-very-good/) [Jan Hellriegel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jan-hellriegel/) > [“Nothing is perfect. 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A lot more to experience and so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/happy-positivity/you-know-you-re-not-perfect-and-that-s-good-perfect-is-boring-you/) [Happy Positivity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/happy-positivity/) > [And now that you don't have to be perfect, you can be good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/and-now-that-you-don-t-have-to-be-perfect-you-can-be-good/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [What is your greatest ambition in life?' 'To become immortal... and then die.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-luc-godard/what-is-your-greatest-ambition-in-life-to-become-immortal-and-then-die/) [Jean-Luc Godard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-luc-godard/) > [“God is, in truth, the whole universe: what was, what is and what beyond shall ever be. He is the God of life immortal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/god-is-in-truth-the-whole-universe-what-was-what-is-and-what-beyond/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“The Japanese have a saying that for every new food we try, we gain seven days of life. I may be immortal by now.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/firoozeh-dumas/the-japanese-have-a-saying-that-for-every-new-food-we-try-we-gain/) [Firoozeh Dumas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/firoozeh-dumas/) ## 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 Character quotes > [This may sound strange, but although I feel like I know everything about my characters, the brand of shampoo they use, how many cavities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-honeyman/this-may-sound-strange-but-although-i-feel-like-i-know-everything/) [Gail Honeyman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-honeyman/) > [I always like a character who makes me laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachael-stirling/i-always-like-a-character-who-makes-me-laugh/) [Rachael Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachael-stirling/) > [Social responsibility above the level of family, or at most of tribe, requires imagination-- devotion, loyalty, all the higher virtues -- which a man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/social-responsibility-above-the-level-of-family-or-at-most-of-tribe/) [Robert A. 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