Discourses, That We Ought not to Be Moved by a Desire of Those Things Which Are not in Our Power

Epictetus — The Slave

Say that even harvesting corn is bad luck because it destroys the ears of corn — but not the world itself. Say that leaves falling is bad luck. Say that fresh figs turning into dried figs is bad luck. Say that grapes becoming raisins is bad luck. All these things are just changes from one state to another. They're not destruction — they're part of a natural system and order. Leaving home is like this — a small change. Death is like this too — a bigger change. You're not going from existing to not existing. You're going from what you are now to something else. Will I stop existing then? You won't exist as you are now, but you'll become something else that the world needs. You didn't choose when to come into existence either — you came when the world needed you.

Epictetus — The Slave Original

say that even for the ears of corn to be reaped is of bad omen, for it signifies the destruction of the ears, but not of the world. Say that the falling of the leaves also is of bad omen, and for the dried fig to take the place of the green fig, and for raisins to be made from the grapes. For all these things are changes from a former state into other states; not a destruction, but a certain fixed economy and administration. Such is going away from home and a small change: such is death, a greater change, not from the state which now is to that which is not, but to that which is not now. Shall I then no longer exist? You will not exist, but you will be something else, of which the world now has need; for you also came into existence not when you chose, but when the world had need of you.