The Daily Stoic - Seneca on the Terrors of Death

Episode Date: October 16, 2022

Today’s episode is an excerpt from The Tao Of Seneca produced by Tim Ferriss’ Audio. Get the free PDF at tim.blog/seneca. In this letter Seneca talks about how to develop mental calm and reject the fear of death.📕 Ryan Holiday's new book "Discipline Is Destiny" is out now! We’ve extended the pre-order bonuses for the next week—among them is a signed and numbered page from the original manuscript of the book. You can learn more about those and how to receive them over at Dailystoic.com/preorder. ✉️  Sign up for the Daily Stoic email: https://dailystoic.com/dailyemail📱 Follow us: Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, TikTok, FacebookSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Hey, prime members, you can listen to the Daily Stoic Podcast early and add free on Amazon Music. Download the app today. Welcome to the weekend edition of the Daily Stoic Podcast. On Sundays, we take a deeper dive into these ancient topics with excerpts from the Stoic texts, from the Stoic texts, audio books that you like here recommend here at Daily Stoic, and other long form wisdom that you can chew on on this relaxing weekend. We hope this helps shape your understanding of this philosophy and most importantly that you're able to apply it to actual life. Thank you for listening. of life. Thank you for listening. wherever you get your podcasts. Hey, it's Ryan Holiday. Welcome to another episode of the Daily Stoke Podcast here on a Sunday bringing you another excerpt from the wonderful

audiobook, Dow Ozenica, which was produced by my dear friend, Tim Ferris. You can get the full PDF of the book, All of Senica's letters at tim.blogslashsenica. And in this episode, Sena is talking about the topic. He always seems to be talking about which is death. He talks about how to develop mental calm and reject the fear of death. And he says that we should focus on the quality of life and never trusting that very fickle

friend that is fortune. Another recommendation related to this, we carry How to Die by Senica, which is a collection of Senica's writings on death at the painted porch, which comes to us from Princeton University Press. So I recommend that as well. But here is Tim Ferris' audiobook version of Senica on the Terrors of Death, produced by Tim Ferriss' audio, and titled The Dow of Seneca. Let her Thor on the Terrorist of Death. Keep on as you have begun and make all possible haste, so that you may have longer enjoyment of an improved mind, one that is at peace with itself.

Doubtless you will derive enjoyment during the time when you are improving your mind, and setting it at peace with itself, but quite different is the pleasure which comes from the contemplation when one's mind is so cleansed from every stain that it shines. You remember, of course, what joy you felt when you laid aside the garments of Boyhood and dawned the man's toga and were escorted to the forum. Nevertheless, you may look for a still greater joy when you have laid aside the mind of Boyhood, and when wisdom has enrolled you among men. For it is not Boyhood that still stays with us, but something worse.

Boyishness. And this condition is all the more serious, because we possess the authority of old age together with the follies of boyhood ye, even the follies of infancy. Boy's fear trifles, children's fear shadows, we fear both. All you need to do is to advance. You will thus understand that some things are less to be dreaded precisely because they inspire us with great fear. No evil is great, which is the last evil of all.

Death arrives. It would be a thing to dread if it could remain with you, but death must either not come at all, or else must come, and pass away. It is difficult, however, you say, to bring the mind to a point where it can score in life. But do you not see what trifling reasons impel men to score in life? One hangs himself before the door of his mistress, another hurls himself from the house-top that he may no longer be compelled to bear the taunts of a bad tempered master. A third, to be saved from arrest after running away, drives a sword into his vitals. Do you not suppose

that virtue will be as efficacious as excessive fear? No man can have a peaceful life who thinks too much about lengthening it, or believes that living through many consulships is a great blessing. Rehearse this thought every day, that you may be able to depart from life contentedly. For many men clutch and cling to life, even as those who are carried down a rushing stream clutch and cling to briars and sharp rocks. Most men ebb and flow in wretchedness between the fear of death and the hardships of life. They are unwilling to live, and yet they do not know how to die. For this reason make life as a whole agreeable to yourself by banishing all worry about it. No good thing renders its possessor happy,

unless his mind is reconciled to the possibility of loss. Nothing, however, is lost with less discomfort than that which, when lost, cannot be missed. Therefore, encourage and toughen your spirit against the mishaps that afflict even the most powerful. For example, the fate of Pompey was settled by a boy and a eunuch, that of Krasus by a cruel and insolent Parthian. Guy Caesar ordered Lapidus to bear his neck for the acts of the Tribune Dexter, and he himself offered his own throat to Kyria. No man has ever been so far advanced by fortune that she did not threaten him as greatly as she had previously indulged him. previously indulged him. Do not trust her seeming calm. In a moment, the sea is moved to its depths. The very day the ships have made a brave show in the games they are engulfed.

Reflect that a high-women or an enemy may cut your throat, and, though he is not your master, every slave wields the power of life and death over you. Therefore, I declare to you, he is Lord of your life that scorns his own. Think of those who have perished through plots in their own home, slaying either openly or by guile. You will that, just as many have been killed by angry slaves as by angry kings. Is this thing all? Check one, two, one, two. Hey y'all, I'm Kiki Palmer. I'm an actress, a singer, an entrepreneur, and a Virgo, just the name of you. Now, I've held so many occupations over the years

that my fans lovingly nicknamed me Kiki Keepa Bag Palmer. And trust me, I keep a bag, love. But if you ask me, I'm just getting started. And there's so much I still want to do. So I decided I want to be a podcast host. I'm proud to introduce you to the Baby Mrs. Kiki Palmer podcast.

I'm putting my friends, family, and some of the dopest experts in the hot seat to ask them the questions that have been burning in my mind. What will former child stars be if they weren't actors? What happened to sitcoms? It's only fans, only bad. I want to know, so I asked my mom about it. These are the questions that keep me up at night, but I'm taking these questions out of

my head and I'm bringing them to you. Because on Baby This Is Kiki Palmer, no topic is off limits. Follow Baby This Is Kiki Palmer, no topic is off limits. Follow Baby This Is Kiki Palmer, whatever you get your podcast. Hey, Prime members, you can listen early and app-free on Amazon Music. Download the Amazon Music app today. What mattered, therefore, how powerful he be, whom you fear, when everyone possesses the power, which inspires your fear? But you will say, if you should chance to fall into the hands of the enemy, the conqueror

will command that you be led away. Yes, whether you are already being led. Why do you voluntarily deceive yourself and require to be told now for the first time what fate it is that you have long been laboring under? Take my word for it. Since the day you were born, you are being led dither. We must ponder this thought and thoughts of the like nature. If we desire to be calm as we await that last hour, the fear of which makes all previous

hours uneasy. But I must end my letter. Let me share with you the saying which pleased me today. It too is cold from another man's garden. Poverty brought into conformity with the law of nature, is great wealth. Do you know what limits that law of nature ordains for us? Merely to avert hunger, thirst, and cold. In order to banish hunger and thirst, it is not necessary for you to pay court at the

doors of the purse-proud, or to submit to the stern frown, or to the kindness that humiliates, nor is it necessary for you to scour the seas, or go campaigning. Nature's needs are easily provided and ready to hand. It is the superfluous things for which men sweat, the superfluous things that wear our toga's thread-bear, that force us to grow old and camp that dashes upon foreign shores. That which is enough is ready to our hands. He who has made a fair compact with poverty is rich. Farewell. Thanks so much for listening to the Daily Stoke Podcast.

If you don't know this, you can get these delivered to you via email every day, check it out at dailystoke.com slash email. Hey, Prime Members! You can listen to the Daily Stoic early and ad-free on Amazon Music, download the Amazon Music app today, or you can listen early and ad-free with Wondery Plus in Apple podcasts. music, download the Amazon Music App today, or you can listen early and add free with Wondery Plus in Apple podcasts.