I will never weep for someone who dies bravely, nor for someone who dies crying. The brave person stops my tears. The crying person makes himself unworthy of any tears. Should I weep for Hercules because he burned alive? Should I weep for Regulus because he was pierced by so many nails? Should I weep for Cato because he tore open his wounds a second time? All these men learned how to trade a little bit of time for immortality. Through their deaths, they gained eternal life.
I will never weep for a man who dies cheerfully, nor for one who dies weeping: the former wipes away my tears, the latter by his tears makes himself unworthy that any should be shed for him. Shall I weep for Hercules because he was burned alive, or for Regulus because he was pierced by so many nails, or for Cato because he tore open his wounds a second time? All these men discovered how at the cost of a small portion of time they might obtain immortality, and by their deaths gained eternal life.