Plain
Marcus Aurelius — The Emperor

This period of life depends on nature's timing. Sometimes it's our individual nature, like when someone dies of old age. But it's always nature in general that decides. The parts keep changing one after another, but the whole world stays fresh and new. What's best and most timely is always what's good for the whole. So death itself can't hurt anyone in particular. It's not shameful because it doesn't depend on our will, and it doesn't go against the common good. In general, death is both useful and timely for the whole world. In that way, it must be good.

Meditations, Book 12, Section 17 Book 12 · 25 of 41
Death & Mortality Freedom & Control
Marcus Aurelius — The Emperor Original

Now this time or certain period, depends of the determination of nature: sometimes of particular nature, as when a man dieth old; but of nature in general, however; the parts whereof thus changing one after another, the whole world still continues fresh and new. Now that is ever best and most seasonable, which is for the good of the whole. Thus it appears that death of itself can neither be hurtful to any in particular, because it is not a shameful thing (for neither is it a thing that depends of our own will, nor of itself contrary to the common good) and generally, as it is both expedient and seasonable to the whole, that in that respect it must needs be good.

Meditations, Book 12, Section 17 Book 12 · 25 of 41
Marcus Aurelius — The Emperor

When any activity stops for a while, we cannot say it suffers harm simply because it has ended. The person doing that activity also suffers no harm just because the activity is over. In the same way, our whole life - which is really just a series of actions - cannot be called bad simply because it comes to an end. And the person who brings this series of actions to a close has not been harmed.

Meditations, Book 12, Section 17 Book 12 · 24 of 41
Death & Mortality Calm Your Mind
Marcus Aurelius — The Emperor Original

No operation whatsoever it he, ceasing for a while, can be truly said to suffer any evil, because it is at an end. Neither can he that is the author of that operation; for this very respect, because his operation is at an end, be said to suffer any evil. Likewise then, neither can the whole body of all our actions (which is our life) if in time it cease, be said to suffer any evil for this very reason, because it is at an end; nor he truly be said to have been ill affected, that did put a period to this series of actions.

Meditations, Book 12, Section 17 Book 12 · 24 of 41
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Ancient philosophy, in plain English.

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