The act of dying is one of the acts of life.
Marcus Aurelius, Meditations
From the ancient Stoics to the modern-day philosophers who have adopted Stoicism as their guidepost, death is a topic that is ever-present. Stoics accept death as the natural end-stage of life, and today, many Stoicism quotes on death from the philosophy’s most prominent thinkers are still repeated and shared.
Knowledge that they’ll one day die is the fuel that powers the life of a Stoic. No one can predict the length of their life, but the Stoic doesn’t concern themself with that. They focus on increasing life’s depth and meaning.
Let us prepare our minds as if we’d come to the very end of life. Let us postpone nothing. Let us balance life’s books each day. The one who puts the finishing touches on their life each day is never short of time.
Seneca, Moral Letters to Lucilius
Death is an uncomfortable concept for many people. Some view it as a great mystery to avoid thinking about. Others find the idea of death depressing. Those with religious faith have their own beliefs about death, some of which involve a beautiful afterlife. The Stoic view on life after death is essentially agnostic. Emphasis should be put on how virtuously one uses whatever time they have on Earth, rather than on how that time will end.
It is not death that a man should fear, but rather he should fear never beginning to live.
Marcus Aurelius, Meditations
“Memento mori,” a Latin phrase that translates to “remember you must die,” is at the core of Stoic philosophy. As grains of sand drop to the bottom of the hourglass, the Stoic knows there’s no time to waste when it comes to doing the things that bring meaning to their lives. Memento mori helps them focus on the present, because that’s all we really have.
I must die, must I? If at once, then I am dying: if soon, I dine now, as it is time for dinner, and afterwards when the time comes, I will die.
Epictetus, Discourses Book I
The inevitability and unpredictability of death is not only accepted, but appreciated. No amount of wishing or hoping can change the fact that everyone we know, including us, will one day die. The Stoic uses that knowledge to try to make the most of every day.
A culture that denies death inevitably becomes shallow and superficial, concerned only with the external form of things. When death is denied, life loses its depth.
Eckhart Tolle, Stillness Speaks
It’s a misconception that Stoics don’t grieve or feel deep emotional pain. Of course they do. They’re mere humans, after all. However, true Stoics sit with their grief and accept it, rather than pushing it away. And they remind themselves that pain is the price one pays for living and loving other people.
Urgency, gratitude and courage
No evil is honourable: but death is honourable; therefore, death is not evil.
Zeno of Citium
Procrastination isn’t in a Stoic’s vocabulary. The inevitability of death gives life a sense of urgency. What if you put something important off until tomorrow, but tomorrow doesn’t come? Another day is promised to no one.
If you don’t know how to die, don’t worry; Nature will tell you what to do on the spot, fully and adequately. She will do this job perfectly for you; don’t bother your head about it
Michel de Montaigne
Gratitude is also foremost in the mind of Stoics. A great love, a satisfying job, an experience you think back on fondly—those things don’t tend to last forever. They may never happen again. We’re thankful that this wonderful thing became part of our life.
Don’t behave as if you are destined to live forever. What’s fated hangs over you. As long you live and while you can, become good now.
Marcus Aurelius, Meditations
Courage is one of the four pillars of Stoicism. The others are wisdom, justice, and moderation or temperance.
Stoics are called upon to demonstrate courage in so many ways. When it comes to our own death, it’s courageous to accept that it’s unavoidable and live as if it’s imminent. This approach turns down the noise of life and helps us see through to the core of what is important.
Live fully and virtuously
You are in danger of living a life so comfortable and soft, that you will die without ever realizing your true potential.
David Goggins, Can’t Hurt Me
Remembering that death will come is also a stark reminder to live a life of virtue because the reality is that you could die after having just wronged someone. The Stoic aims to lay their head on a pillow every night knowing that they’ve done their best to demonstrate good character. A short life full of meaning is better than a long, empty life without morals or values. And since we have no control over the length of our lives, Stoics aim to regulate and manage their life’s breadth.
The day which we fear as our last is but the birthday of eternity.
Seneca
Depictions of the Grim Reaper, fear of the unknown, and other negative connotations associated with death are pervasive in our society. For the Stoic, death is just the next big thing. It’s natural, and it’s nothing to fear. Stoics accept it. In fact, acceptance of one’s life and circumstances is at the centre of being Stoic. Live fully while you’re alive, because whether you acknowledge it or not, sand continues to slide down through the hourglass of your life.
What is death? A scary mask. Take it off—see, it doesn’t bite. Eventually, body and soul will have to separate, just as they existed separately before we were born. So why be upset if it happens now? If it isn’t now, it’s later.
Epictetus
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