The followers of death are more terrifying than death itself. Cries and tremors, pale faces, weeping friends, mourning attire, funeral ceremonies, and the like, make death appear dreadful. It is worth noting that there is no passion in the human soul so weak that it cannot overcome and conquer the fear of death. Therefore, when a person has so many companions around them who can defeat death in battle, death is not such a formidable enemy. Revenge triumphs over death; love renders it insignificant; ambition aspires to it; sadness rushes towards it; fear anticipates it; moreover, we read that after the suicide of Emperor Otto, grief (the most tender of all feelings) was so great that many, as the most faithful followers, willingly went to their deaths out of sympathy for their ruler. Seneca further adds excessive selectivity and satiety: Consider how long you have done the same thing; one may want to die not only out of bravery or misery, but also out of boredom. I’m tired of doing the same thing over and over again. It is worth noting that the approach to death has little effect on noble spirits. Augustus Caesar died with the farewell words: “Livia, conjugii nostri memor, vive, et vale” (Goodbye, Livy, as long as you live, do not forget the days of our married life). Tiberius, in his deception, as Tacitus speaks of him: “Jam Tiberium vires, et corpus, non dissimulatio, deserebant” (Tiberius’ physical strength was leaving him, but his deceit remained). Vespasian, jokingly, sitting on a stool: “Ut puto Deus fio” (I feel like I’m becoming a god). Galba, with the words: “Feri, si ex re sit populi Romani” (Strike, if it is for the good of the Roman people), while exposing his neck. Septimius Severus, ordering: “Adeste, si quid mihi restat agendum” (Wait, in case I have something else to do) and so on. Indeed, the Stoics paid too much attention to death and through their serious preparations, made it seem more terrifying. It is better said by those who consider the end of life as the ultimate gift of nature. Darkness, and just as stories amplify that inherent fear in children, they also do the same in adults.
Indeed, thinking of death as a punishment for sins and a transition to another world is holy and pious; but fearing death as a natural inevitability is cowardly…
In pious thoughts, however, there are sometimes mixed vanities and superstitions. You will come across in some religious books on the torture of the body the idea that a person should only think of pain as soon as instruments press or squeeze the tips of his fingers, and from there it will be easy to imagine how painful death is when the whole body is decayed and decomposing. However, death often passes with less pain than the torture of one limb; because the most vital parts of the body are not the most sensitive.
That is why the one who spoke only as a philosopher and an ordinary person said it well. Pratioci smrti više plaše negoli sama smrt (The followers of death scare more than death itself).
Mourning and trembling, and a pale face, and weeping friends, and mourning, and funeral rites and the like, represent death as terrifying.
It is worth noting that there is no passion in the human soul that is so weak that it cannot overcome and conquer the fear of death; therefore, when a person has so many companions around him who can defeat him in battle, death is not such a formidable enemy.
Revenge rejoices over death; love makes it insignificant; ambition strives for it; sorrow rushes towards it; fear anticipates it; moreover, we read that after the suicide of Emperor Otto, grief (the gentlest of all feelings) was so great that many, as the most faithful followers, voluntarily went to their death out of sympathy for their ruler.
Seneca adds excessive selectivity and saturation: Cogita quamdiu eadem feceris; mori velle, non tantum fortis aut miser, sed etiam fastidiosus potest (A person is willing to die, not only because he is brave or unhappy, but also because he is tired of doing the same thing over and over again).
Equally worth noting is how much Licking death slightly affects noble spirits. Augustus Caesar died with the farewell message: Livia, remember our marriage, live and farewell. Tiberius, in pretense, as Tacitus describes him: Tiberius was losing his physical strength, but his pretense remained. Vespasian, jokingly, sitting on his throne: It seems I am becoming a God. Galba, with the words: Strike, if it is for the good of the Roman people, offering his neck. Septimius Severus, saying: Wait, if there is something else I need to do. And so on.
Indeed, the Stoics paid too much attention to death, and with their serious preparations, made it appear more frightening. It is better said by those who consider the end of life as one of nature’s gifts.
It is natural to die, just as it is to be born. You are born, and maybe for a newborn, the arrival into the world is just as painful as death is for adults.
A person who dies in dedicated work is similar to a warrior who gets wounded while their blood is boiling and who, for a while, doesn’t feel the wound; that is why a spirit that is focused and directed towards something good truly eliminates the pains of death. But above all, believe me, the most beautiful song is Nunc dimittis (Now you are dismissing your servant), when a person has achieved valid goals and expectations.
In death, there is also this: it opens the gates to glory and stifles envy. Extinctus amabitur idem (To whom they envied during their life, they will be loved when they die).