Plain
Marcus Aurelius — The Emperor

But you want a more popular remedy against the fear of death — not as direct or philosophical, but very powerful. Nothing will make you more willing to leave life than considering what things you'll leave behind and what kind of people you won't have to deal with anymore. True, you shouldn't be angry with them. You should care for them and bear with them patiently. But remember this: when you die, you won't be leaving people who share your beliefs. If you were surrounded by people who thought like you do, that might make you fear death and want to stay longer. But now you see what hard work it is to live with people who think so differently. So you have more reason to say: 'Come quickly, Death, before I lose myself too.'

Meditations, Book 9, Section 3 Book 9 · 7 of 60
Death & Mortality Human Nature
Marcus Aurelius — The Emperor Original

But thou desirest a more popular, and though not so direct and philosophical, yet a very powerful and penetrative recipe against the fear of death, nothing can make they more willing to part with thy life, than if thou shalt consider, both what the subjects themselves are that thou shalt part with, and what manner of disposition thou shalt no more have to do with. True it is, that, offended with them thou must not be by no means, but take care of them, and meekly bear with them However, this thou mayst remember, that whensoever it happens that thou depart, it shall not be from men that held the same opinions that thou dost. For that indeed, (if it were so) is the only thing that might make thee averse from death, and willing to continue here, if it were thy hap to live with men that had obtained the same belief that thou hast. But now, what a toil it is for thee to live with men of different opinions, thou seest: so that thou hast rather occasion to say, Hasten, I thee pray, O Death; lest I also in time forget myself.

Meditations, Book 9, Section 3 Book 9 · 7 of 60
Marcus Aurelius — The Emperor

You must not treat death with scorn, but welcome it as one of nature's gifts. Think of all the changes you accept without question — a boy becoming a young man, growing old, getting teeth or a beard or gray hair, having children, being born or giving birth. Death is just another natural change like these. A wise person doesn't face death with violence or pride, but waits for it patiently as a natural process. You wait eagerly for a child to emerge from the womb. In the same way, you can wait for your soul to drop away from this body that wraps it like skin around an unborn child.

Meditations, Book 9, Section 3 Book 9 · 6 of 60
Death & Mortality Calm Your Mind
Marcus Aurelius — The Emperor Original

Thou must not in matter of death carry thyself scornfully, but as one that is well pleased with it, as being one of those things that nature hath appointed. For what thou dost conceive of these, of a boy to become a young man, to wax old, to grow, to ripen, to get teeth, or a beard, or grey hairs to beget, to bear, or to be delivered; or what other action soever it be, that is natural unto man according to the several seasons of his life; such a thing is it also to be dissolved. It is therefore the part of a wise man, in matter of death, not in any wise to carry himself either violently, or proudly but patiently to wait for it, as one of nature's operations: that with the same mind as now thou dost expect when that which yet is but an embryo in thy wife's belly shall come forth, thou mayst expect also when thy soul shall fall off from that outward coat or skin: wherein as a child in the belly it lieth involved and shut up.

Meditations, Book 9, Section 3 Book 9 · 6 of 60
‹ Previous Next ›

Ancient philosophy, in plain English.

About · Support