From Marcus Aurelius' "Meditations":
“Death is a cessation from the impression of the senses, the tyranny of the passions, the errors of the mind, and the servitude of the body.”
While this is a slightly morbid thought for the day, I find it fascinating how little the ancient Romans feared death. At least in their literature, they are constantly saying how so many other things are worse than death, and how death can be a freeing of the soul from the confines of the body. For a people who had no particular conception of the after-life, this was a remarkably calm perspective. I think in 21st century America we are very frightened, as a culture, of death. We do everything in our power to fight it. But the Romans seemed to meet it with equanimity and a certain measure of peace. Perhaps we can learn something from them.
“Death is a cessation from the impression of the senses, the tyranny of the passions, the errors of the mind, and the servitude of the body.”
While this is a slightly morbid thought for the day, I find it fascinating how little the ancient Romans feared death. At least in their literature, they are constantly saying how so many other things are worse than death, and how death can be a freeing of the soul from the confines of the body. For a people who had no particular conception of the after-life, this was a remarkably calm perspective. I think in 21st century America we are very frightened, as a culture, of death. We do everything in our power to fight it. But the Romans seemed to meet it with equanimity and a certain measure of peace. Perhaps we can learn something from them.
No comments:
Post a Comment