17.
In the face of these notions, which long-standing opinion has dinned in our ears, how can brave endurance of death be anything else than glorious, and fit to rank among the greatest accomplishments of the human mind?
For the mind will never rise to virtue if it believes that death is an evil; but it will so rise if it holds that death is a matter of indifference.
It is not in the order of nature that a man shall proceed with a great heart to a destiny which he believes to be evil; he will go sluggishly and with reluctance.
But nothing glorious can result from unwillingness and cowardice; virtue does nothing under compulsion.
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 17
Content:
17.
In the face of these notions, which long-standing opinion has dinned in our ears, how can brave endurance of death be anything else than glorious, and fit to rank among the greatest accomplishments of the human mind?
For the mind will never rise to virtue if it believes that death is an evil; but it will so rise if it holds that death is a matter of indifference.
It is not in the order of nature that a man shall proceed with a great heart to a destiny which he believes to be evil; he will go sluggishly and with reluctance.
But nothing glorious can result from unwillingness and cowardice; virtue does nothing under compulsion.