Book 1, Chapter 45

108 “But why examine individuals’ opinions when we can survey the varied errors of nations? The Egyptians embalm their dead and keep them at home; the Persians even preserve them coated in wax, so that their bodies may last as long as possible. It is the custom of the Magi not to bury the bodies of their people until wild beasts have torn them. In Hyrcania the common people keep dogs at public expense, the nobles their own dogs. We know theirs is a fine breed of dog; but each person provides, according to his means, the animals that will tear him apart, and they consider that the best burial. Chrysippus collects a great many other examples, being inquisitive about every sort of history; but some are so repulsive that speech recoils and shrinks from them. This whole subject, then, should be disregarded as it concerns ourselves, though not neglected where our families are concerned—always provided that we, the living, recognize that the bodies of the dead feel nothing.

109 “How much is owed to custom and reputation is a matter for the living to consider, but with the understanding that none of it concerns the dead.

“Yet certainly death is met with the greatest composure when a life drawing to its close can find consolation in its own achievements. No one has lived too short a time who has fully discharged the duty of perfect virtue. Many occasions in my own life have been timely for death. If only I could have died then! For there was nothing more to gain; life’s duties had been fulfilled in overflowing measure; only wars with fortune remained. So, if reason itself has too little power to make us disregard death, at least the life we have lived should make us feel that we have lived enough and more than enough. For although sensation has departed, the dead do not lack the blessings of praise and glory that are peculiarly their own, however unaware of them they may be. For though glory has nothing in itself to make it worth seeking, it nevertheless follows virtue like a shadow.”

108 “Why bother with one person’s notions when whole peoples offer us their varied errors? In Egypt they preserve corpses by embalming and keep them in their houses. The Persians even cover them in wax before putting them away, aiming to make the bodies last as long as they can. The Magi wait until animals have mangled their dead before they bury them. Among the Hyrcanians, the common people feed dogs kept by the community; the wealthy have their own at home. We know the dogs there are of excellent stock. Each person, though, arranges according to his means for dogs to tear him up: they think this the finest burial. Chrysippus supplies countless further instances, inquisitive as he is about every kind of historical detail. Some are so foul that our discussion recoils in horror and passes them by. As regards ourselves, we should set this whole subject aside. As regards our loved ones, we shouldn’t neglect it. But we living people must still realize that a corpse feels nothing;

109 “Let the living decide how much to give to custom and reputation, but let them understand that none of it concerns the dead.

“Yet surely we find death easiest to face when, at life’s close, our achievements console us. A person who has perfectly fulfilled the work of perfect virtue hasn’t had too little time to live. My own life has offered many suitable moments for dying. I wish I’d been able to die then! Nothing further was being gained; life’s duties stood fully accomplished. Only struggles with fortune lay ahead. If reasoning can’t quite teach us indifference to death, let our past life at least convince us we’ve lived long enough, indeed more than enough. Feeling may have left the dead, but the praise and glory that are their particular possessions are still theirs, even without their knowing it. Glory isn’t desirable for anything it has in itself; nevertheless it trails after virtue as a shadow does.”