Epistula IV: de Mortis Metu letter|IV|about|death|fear Brief IV: Über die Angst vor dem Tod Épître IV : sur la peur de la mort Brief IV: over de angst voor de dood Mektup IV: Ölüm Korkusu Üzerine Letter IV: On the Fear of Death

IV. IV IV.

SENECA LUCILIO SUO SALUTEM Seneca|Lucilius|his|greetings SENECA TO HIS FRIEND LUCILIUS, GREETING [de mortis metu] about|death|fear [on the fear of death]

[1] Persevera ut coepisti et quantum potes propera, quo diutius frui emendato animo et composito possis. persevere|as|you began|and|as much as|you can|hurry|in order that|longer|to enjoy|corrected|mind|and|composed|you can [1] Persevere as you have begun and as much as you can, hurry, so that you may enjoy a corrected and composed mind for as long as possible.

Frueris quidem etiam dum emendas, etiam dum componis: alia tamen illa voluptas est quae percipitur ex contemplatione mentis ab omni labe purae et splendidae. you will enjoy|indeed|even|while|you are correcting|even|while|you are composing|another|however|that|pleasure|it is|which|is perceived|from|contemplation|mind|from|all|stain|pure|and|splendid Indeed, you will enjoy even while you are correcting, even while you are composing: however, that other pleasure is what is perceived from the contemplation of the mind free from all stain, pure and splendid. quo = ut in order that| where = as

emendato = correcto = aucto |correct|increased corrected = corrected = increased

quae percipitur = qua frueris which|is perceived|which|you enjoy that which is perceived = that which you enjoy

ab omni labe purae = immaculatae from|all|stain|pure|immaculate pure from all stain = immaculate

[2] Tenes utique memoria quantum senseris gaudium cum praetexta posita sumpsisti virilem togam et in forum deductus es: maius expecta cum puerilem animum deposueris et te in viros philosophia transscripserit. you hold|certainly|memory|how much|you felt|joy|when|toga praetexta|having been placed|you took|manly|toga|and|into|forum|having been led|you are|greater|wait|when|boyish|spirit|you have laid aside|and|yourself|into|men|philosophy|it has transferred [2] You certainly remember how much joy you felt when you took up the manly toga with the purple border and were led into the forum: expect something greater when you have laid aside your childish spirit and philosophy has transformed you into a man.

Adhuc enim non pueritia sed, quod est gravius, puerilitas remanet; et hoc quidem peior est, quod auctoritatem habemus senum, vitia puerorum, nec puerorum tantum sed infantum: illi levia, hi falsa formidant, nos utraque. still|for|not|childhood|but|which|is|more serious|childishness|remains|and|this|indeed|worse|is|which|authority|we have|of old men|vices|of boys|nor|of boys|only|but|of infants|those|light|these|false|they fear|we|both For still not childhood but, which is more serious, childishness remains; and this indeed is worse, because we have the authority of the elders, the vices of children, and not only of children but of infants: the former fear trivial things, the latter false ones, we fear both. utique = omnino <> neutiquam |at all|not at all certainly = not at all praetexta posita = togā praetextā depositā toga praetexta|having been placed|toga|with the praetexta|having been placed the pretext placed = the pretext toga having been laid down

te in viros philosophia transscripserit = te in numero virorum philosophia posuerit you|in|number of men|philosophy|she has transcribed|||number|of men||she has placed philosophy has transcribed you into men = philosophy has placed you among the number of men

*Ut pueritia puerilitati, eodem modo senectus sapientiae; illae sunt aetates, hae qualitates. as|childhood|to childhood|in the same|way|old age|to wisdom|those|are|ages|these|qualities Just as childhood is to childishness, so old age is to wisdom; those are the ages, these are the qualities.

habemus = censemus censemus|we think we have = we think

formidant = timent = metuunt = verentur |they fear|they fear|they fear they fear = they are afraid = they dread = they revere

[3] Profice modo: intelleges quaedam ideo minus timenda quia multum metus afferunt. proceed|just|you will understand|certain things|therefore|less|to be feared|because|much|fear|they bring Just make progress: you will understand certain things are less to be feared because they bring much fear.

Nullum malum magnum quod extremum est. no|evil|great|that|extreme|is There is no great evil that is extreme. Mors ad te venit: timenda erat si tecum esse posset: necesse est aut non perveniat aut transeat. death|to|you|comes|to be feared|it was|if|with you|to be|it could|necessary|it is|or|not|it arrives|or|it passes Death has come to you: it would have been to be feared if it could be with you: it is necessary either that it does not arrive or that it passes. profice = proficiscere proficiscere|to set out profice = set out

ideo = idcirco = igitur |therefore|therefore ideo = for this reason = therefore

extremum = ultimum vitae ultimum vitae|last| extremum = the last of life

esse = remanere remanere|to remain to be = to remain

[4] 'Difficile est' inquis 'animum perducere ad contemptionem animae. difficult|it is|you say|mind|to lead|to|contempt|of the soul [4] 'It is difficult,' you say, 'to lead the mind to contempt of the soul.

Non vides quam ex frivolis causis contemnatur? not|you see|how|from|trivial|causes|it is despised Do you not see how it is despised for trivial reasons? Alius ante amicae fores laqueo pependit, alius se praecipitavit e tecto ne dominum stomachantem diutius audiret, alius ne reduceretur e fuga ferrum adegit in viscera: non putas virtutem hoc effecturam quod efficit nimia formido? another|before|girlfriend's|door|with a noose|he hung|another|himself|he threw|from|roof|not|master|angry|longer|he heard|another|not|he was brought back|from|flight|iron|he drove|into|guts|not|you think|virtue|this|it will accomplish|that|it accomplishes|excessive|fear One hung by a noose before his girlfriend's door, another threw himself from the roof so as not to hear his master complaining any longer, another drove a weapon into his guts to avoid being brought back from flight: do you not think that virtue will achieve what excessive fear accomplishes? Nulli potest secura vita contingere qui de producenda nimis cogitat, qui inter magna bona multos consules numerat. to no one|it is able|secure|life|to happen|who|about|producing|too much|he thinks|who|among|great|goods|many|consuls|he counts No one can have a secure life who thinks too much about producing, who counts many consuls among great goods. animae = vitae vitae| soul = life

fores = ianua = ostium |door|door doors = entrance = opening

stomachantem = furentem furentem|furious stomach-churning = raging

ferrum = ensis, gladius [figura rhetorica = denominatio = metonymia] ensis|sword|iron|figure|rhetorical|denomination|metonymy] iron = sword, blade [rhetorical figure = denomination = metonymy]

non putas…formido = certe quanto efficit formido, tanto magisque virtus [= genus disputandi quod dicitur “a fortiori”] not|you think|fear|certainly|as much as|it produces|fear|so much|and even more|virtue|kind|of arguing|that|it is called|from|stronger] you do not think...fear = certainly as much as fear produces, so much more virtue [= a type of argument known as 'a fortiori']

contingere = tangere to touch|to touch to touch = to touch

de producenda: sc. about|producing|that is about producing: namely.

vita = de in longius vita ducenda |||longer||leading life = to be led in a longer life consules = consulatus multos |consulship| consuls = many consulships

[5] Hoc cotidie meditare, ut possis aequo animo vitam relinquere, quam multi sic complectuntur et tenent quomodo qui aqua torrente rapiuntur spinas et aspera. ||to meditate||||||to relinquish||many||embrace||hold||||torrent|are swept away|thorns||thorns [5] Meditate on this daily, so that you can leave life with a calm mind, as many embrace and hold it just as those who are swept away by rushing water hold onto thorns and roughness.

Plerique inter mortis metum et vitae tormenta miseri fluctuantur et vivere nolunt, mori nesciunt. most|||fear|||torments|unhappy|they fluctuate||to live|||they do not know Most people fluctuate between the fear of death and the torments of life, and they do not want to live, nor do they know how to die. meditare ut = meditare quomodo meditate|that|meditate|how meditate that = meditate how

aequo animo = quiete even|mind|quietly with a calm mind = quietly

complectuntur: sc. they embrace|that is they embrace: namely.

vitam life life quomodo = velut velut|as how = as

rapiuntur = rapiunt rapiunt|they seize they are seized = they seize

aspera: sc. rough| rough: namely.

saxa stones rocks [6] Fac itaque tibi iucundam vitam omnem pro illa sollicitudinem deponendo. make|therefore|for you|pleasant|life|all|for|that|anxiety|by putting aside Therefore, make for yourself a pleasant life by laying aside all that worry.

Nullum bonum adiuvat habentem nisi ad cuius amissionem praeparatus est animus; nullius autem rei facilior amissio est quam quae desiderari amissa non potest. no|good|helps|having|unless|to|whose|loss|prepared|is|mind|no|however|thing|easier|loss|is|than|which|to be desired|lost|not|can No good helps the one who has it unless the mind is prepared for its loss; however, there is no easier loss of anything than that which cannot be desired to be lost. Ergo adversus haec quae incidere possunt etiam potentissimis adhortare te et indura. therefore|against|these|which|to happen|can|even|most powerful|to encourage|you|and|to harden Therefore, against these things that can happen, even to the most powerful, encourage yourself and harden. [7] De Pompei capite pupillus et spado tulere sententiam, de Crasso crudelis et insolens Parthus; Gaius Caesar iussit Lepidum Dextro tribuno praebere cervicem, ipse Chaereae praestitit; neminem eo fortuna provexit ut non tantum illi minaretur quantum permiserat. about|Pompey's|head|ward|and|eunuch|they brought|opinion|about|Crassus|cruel|and|arrogant|Parthian|Gaius|Caesar|he ordered|Lepidus|Dextros|tribune|to offer|neck|he himself|Chaerea|he provided|no one|there|fortune|she led|that|not|only|to him|she threatened|as much as|she had allowed Regarding the head of Pompey, the boy and the eunuch expressed their opinion; the cruel and insolent Parthian spoke of Crassus; Gaius Caesar ordered Lepidus to present his neck to the tribune Dextro, and he himself offered it to Chaerea; fortune did not elevate anyone to the point that it threatened him with more than it had allowed.

Noli huic tranquillitati confidere: momento mare evertitur; eodem die ubi luserunt navigia sorbentur. do not|this|tranquility|trust|moment|sea|is overturned|same|day|where|they played|ships|they are swallowed Do not trust this tranquility: in a moment the sea is overturned; on the same day where they played, the ships are swallowed. capite = fato = exitu head|fate|outcome head = fate = outcome

pupillus = puer parvulus orphan|boy|small pupil = small boy

spado = eunuchus eunuch|eunuch spadone = eunuch

ipse…praestitit = Caligula ipse Chaereae se praebet himself|he showed|Caligula|himself|to Chaerea|himself|he offers he himself...provided = Caligula himself presents himself to Chaerea

provexit = auxit he led forth|he increased he brought forth = he increased

minaretur = periculum intenderet he threatened|danger|he aimed he would threaten = he would intend danger

[8] Cogita posse et latronem et hostem admovere iugulo tuo gladium; ut potestas maior absit, nemo non servus habet in te vitae necisque arbitrium. consider|to be able|and|robber|and|enemy|to bring close|to your throat|your|sword|so that|power|greater|may be absent|no one|not|slave|he has|in|you|life|and death|authority [8] Consider that both a robber and an enemy can bring a sword to your throat; as long as greater power is absent, no one, not even a slave, has control over your life and death.

Ita dico: quisquis vitam suam contempsit tuae dominus est. thus|I say|whoever|life|his own|he despised|your|master|is Thus I say: whoever despises his life is your master. Recognosce exempla eorum qui domesticis insidiis perierunt, aut aperta vi aut dolo: intelleges non pauciores servorum ira cecidisse quam regum. recognize|examples|of them|who|domestic|ambushes|they perished|or|open|force|or|deceit|you will understand|not|fewer|of slaves|anger|they have fallen|than|of kings Consider the examples of those who perished by domestic treachery, either by open force or deceit: you will understand that not fewer of the servants have fallen by anger than of the kings. Quid ad te itaque quam potens sit quem times, cum id propter quod times nemo non possit? what|to|you|therefore|how|powerful|he is|whom|you fear|when|that|because of|which|you fear|no one|not|he can What does it matter to you how powerful is the one you fear, when that for which you fear cannot be possessed by anyone? ut = quamquam although| as = although

Quid ad te? what|to|you What is it to you?

= Num tuā refert? not|your|it matters = Does it concern you? [9] At si forte in manus hostium incideris, victor te duci iubebit - eo nempe quo duceris. but|if|by chance|into|hands|of enemies|you will fall|victor|you|to be led|he will order|there|namely|where|you will be led [9] But if by chance you fall into the hands of the enemy, the victor will order you to be led - to the very place to which you are being led.

Quid te ipse decipis et hoc nunc primum quod olim patiebaris intellegis? what|you|yourself|you deceive|and|this|now|first|that|once|you were suffering|you understand Why do you deceive yourself and understand this now for the first time that you once endured? Ita dico: ex quo natus es, duceris. thus|I say|from|which|born|you are|you will be led Thus I say: from the moment you were born, you will be led. Haec et eiusmodi versanda in animo sunt si volumus ultimam illam horam placidi exspectare cuius metus omnes alias inquietas facit. these|and|such|to be turned|in|mind|they are|if|we want|last|that|hour|calm|to wait for|whose|fear|all|other|restless|it makes These and similar thoughts must be pondered in the mind if we wish to peacefully await that final hour, the fear of which makes all other hours restless. nempe = scilicet = videlicet = quippe = nimirum = certe namely|that is|namely|indeed|certainly|certainly namely = certainly = namely = indeed = surely = certainly

eo nempe quo duceris = ad eundem locum quo iam ducebaris to that|namely|where|you will be led|to|the same|place|where|already|I was being led to the same place to which you were already being led

olim hic = tam diu once|here|so|long once here = for so long

alias: sc. otherwise|that is otherwise: sc.

horas hours hours [10] Sed ut finem epistulae imponam, accipe quod mihi hodierno die placuit - et hoc quoque ex alienis hortulis sumptum est: 'magnae divitiae sunt lege naturae composita paupertas'. but|that|end|of the letter|I impose|receive|that|to me|today|day|it pleased|and|this|also|from|foreign|gardens|taken|it is|great|wealth|they are|law|of nature|composed|poverty [10] But to conclude the letter, receive what I have chosen for today - and this is also taken from someone else's garden: 'great wealth is composed of poverty according to the law of nature'.

Lex autem illa naturae scis quos nobis terminos statuat? law|however|that|of nature|you know|which|to us|boundaries|she establishes But do you know what limits nature sets for us? Non esurire, non sitire, non algere. not|to hunger|not|to thirst|not|to be cold Do not hunger, do not thirst, do not be cold. Ut famem sitimque depellas non est necesse superbis assidere liminibus nec supercilium grave et contumeliosam etiam humanitatem pati, non est necesse maria temptare nec sequi castra: parabile est quod natura desiderat et appositum. in order to|hunger|and thirst|you drive away|not|it is|necessary|arrogant|to sit by|thresholds|nor|eyebrow|heavy|and|insulting|even|humanity|to endure|not|it is|necessary|seas|to attempt|nor|to follow|camps|easy|it is|that|nature|desires|and|suitable To drive away hunger and thirst, it is not necessary to sit at the doors of the proud nor to endure a heavy brow and insulting humanity; it is not necessary to tempt the seas nor to follow the camps: what nature desires and is appropriate is readily available. magnae…paupertas = paupertas secundum legem naturae est abundantia great|poverty|poverty|according to|law|of nature|is|abundance great...poverty = poverty according to the law of nature is abundance.

esurire = famem sentire famem sentire||to feel to hunger = to feel hunger

sitire = sitem sentire sitem sentire|sitem| to thirst = to feel thirst

algere = frigore affici frigore affici|cold|to be affected to be cold = to be affected by cold

superbis…liminibus = visitare aedes potentium the proud|thresholds|to visit|the houses|of the powerful to visit the proud...houses = to visit the houses of the powerful

supercilium = linea capillorum super oculos |line|of hair|above|eyes eyebrow = a line of hair above the eyes

contumeliosam… = hum. |ground insulting... = hum.

ab eo qui de humanitate sua se iactat from|him|who|about|humanity|his|himself|boasts from one who boasts of his humanity appositum = ante oculos et facile sumptu placed|before|eyes|and|easily|taken apposite = before the eyes and easily taken

[11] Ad supervacua sudatur; illa sunt quae togam conterunt, quae nos senescere sub tentorio cogunt, quae in aliena litora impingunt: ad manum est quod sat est. to|superfluous|it is sweated|those|they are|which|toga|they wear out|which|us|to grow old|under|tent|they compel|which|into|foreign|shores|they crash|at|hand|it is|that|enough|it is [11] It is sweated over unnecessary things; those are the things that wear out the toga, that force us to grow old under the tent, that crash upon foreign shores: what is at hand is enough.

Cui cum paupertate bene convenit dives est. to whom|with|poverty|well|it suits|rich|he is He who is well matched with poverty is rich. Vale. farewell Farewell. sudatur = guttae aquae salsae ob laborem emittuntur it is sweated|drops|of water|salty|because of|work|they are emitted sudatur = drops of salty water are emitted due to labor.

supervacua = superflua superflua|superfluous superfluous = unnecessary

sub tentorio = in castris |tent||in the camp under the tent = in the camp

impingunt = incutiunt incutiunt|they strike they strike = they inflict