16.
Therefore, although death is something indifferent, it is nevertheless not a thing which we can easily ignore.
The soul must be hardened by long practice, so that it may learn to endure the sight and the approach of death.
Death ought to be despised more than it is wont to be despised.
For we believe too many of the stories about death.
Many thinkers have striven hard to increase its ill repute; they have portrayed the prison in the world below and the land overwhelmed by everlasting night, where Within his blood-stained cave Hell’s warder huge Doth sprawl his ugly length on half-crunched bones, And terrifies the disembodied ghosts With never-ceasing bark.
Even if you can win your point and prove that these are mere stories and that nothing is left for the dead to fear, another fear steals upon you.
For the fear of going to the underworld is equalled by the fear of going nowhere.
Book: Moral Letters Vol II
Subtitle: Seneca's timeless letters of advice and wisdom.
Author: Seneca
Chapter: On the natural fear of death
Location: Chapter 82, Section 16
Content:
16.
Therefore, although death is something indifferent, it is nevertheless not a thing which we can easily ignore.
The soul must be hardened by long practice, so that it may learn to endure the sight and the approach of death.
Death ought to be despised more than it is wont to be despised.
For we believe too many of the stories about death.
Many thinkers have striven hard to increase its ill repute; they have portrayed the prison in the world below and the land overwhelmed by everlasting night, where Within his blood-stained cave Hell’s warder huge Doth sprawl his ugly length on half-crunched bones, And terrifies the disembodied ghosts With never-ceasing bark.
Even if you can win your point and prove that these are mere stories and that nothing is left for the dead to fear, another fear steals upon you.
For the fear of going to the underworld is equalled by the fear of going nowhere.