Lucius Annaeus Seneca. Moral letters to Lucilius (№ 432290)

An athlete who has not known bruises cannot go into battle with courage. Only the one who saw his own blood, whose teeth cracked under the fist, who, having received the bandwagon, withstood the weight of the enemy with his whole body, who, having fallen, did not lose heart and, overturned, stood up even more adamant every time - only he, entering the battle , does not part with hope.