24. On Despising Death
The Epistles of Seneca
“What, have you only at this moment learned that death is hanging over your head, at this moment exile, at this moment grief? You were born to these perils. Let us think of everything that can happen as something which will happen.” Seneca
Seneca starts of this letter to Lucilius warning him about the inane matters that Lucilius worries about - a lawsuit, or some other event, that Seneca points out is the anticipation of worry. Seneca states that if Lucilius loses the lawsuit brought against him, what of it? “Can anything more severe happen to you that being sent into exile or led to prison?” Seneca is pointing out that if one loses something as insignificant as a lawsuit, then one should never be in anguish. He then lists out different men and the battles they faced externally: exile was the fate of Metellus and he showed courage; Socrates was sent to prison and then died by suicide with grace; even Mucius put his hand in the fire. And eventually, Seneca gets around to Cato, who on his last night on earth read Plato’s works - before dying by suicide like Socrates and later Seneca himself. Ultimately, what Seneca suggests to Lucilius is to “face that which is thought to be the most terrible” and look at death squarely in the eyes. Death happens to all of us, but what you do with the death that is coming and how you die is up to you.
Later in this letter, Seneca advises Lucilius to “listen unconcernedly” to death and be ready for it at any time. He then lays down all the worries that a person would have - that they are a poor man, that they suffer from bodily injury, that their anxieties are too great, etc. “What then?” Seneca says, “Am I free from my bonds now?” This is the first time in my readings of the epistles that Seneca discusses dying every day, for “everyday a little bit of our life is taken away from us; even when we are growing, our life is on the wane.” Seneca discusses this “dying every day” mantra in later letters and even in other works, and he certainly is not one who shirks from death and all of its layers. Later, Seneca says that “it is not the last drop that empties the water-clock, but all that which previously has flowed out.”
Seneca reminds Lucilius that Lucilius once wrote a letter to Seneca that stated the exact same idea: it is not the hour that we die, but it is the continuation of all the hours of our lives that are closing in on us. Finally, he quotes Epicurus once again in saying that “it is absurd to run towards death because you are tired of life, when it is your manner of life that has made you run towards death.” In doing a little reading on the side regarding Epicurus’ life, he had traveled to India, and it made a big impression on his outlook. That quote sounds like a Buddhist quote!
“The grave and wise man should not beat a hasty retreat from life; he should make a becoming exit.” Seneca
Reflection: I love the quote by Seneca that “it is not the last drop that that empties the water-clock, but all that which previously has flowed out.” How has my life, up to this point, been led? What priorities have I found matter most and, more importantly, what priorities have I let slip away? I know that my life matters, but to whom? Those are the kind of questions, among others, that I “face squarely,” and I believe my life has been better for it. Going forward, I hope that I can face my battles with honor and courage, whether they are a silly little thing or my actual death. I hope that I can grow and improve every day and not die a little bit inside.
The body that we inhabit, the reputation that we have with others, the job titles that we secure - all those are meaningless. What truly matters are the relationships we are growing in, the knowledge that we gain, the laughter that we share, and the belief that what we say and do on this planet we call earth is meaningful to another person.