Death and the Choice to Live Wisely (Meditations 3.3)

Jan 7, 2025

Delve into Marcus Aurelius' Meditations, where the inevitability of death serves as a potent reminder to live wisely. Reflect on how mortality motivates us to cherish relationships and time. Explore the idea that a fulfilling life isn't defined by years, but by virtuous choices. Discover how embracing the unpredictability of death can enhance our values and life's purpose. Ultimately, it's not about avoiding death, but about making the most of our existence and nurturing meaningful connections.

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ANECDOTE

Ironic Death of Heraclitus

Heraclitus, known for his theories on fire and flux, ironically died from dropsy, a fluid-retention illness.
He even used cow dung as a poultice, highlighting the unpredictability of death.

ADVICE

Remember Death, Value Life

Remember death to cherish time and prioritize important things, like relationships.
Forgetting mortality leads to procrastination and regret.

INSIGHT

Grounded in Nature

Remembering mortality grounds us in nature and reminds us of our place in the cosmos.
We are part of a larger, rational order, subject to the same laws.

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In this episode, I reflect on Meditation 3.3 from Marcus Aurelius’ Meditations, exploring its central themes: the inevitability of death, the futility of fearing it, and the Stoic imperative to live well while we can. Marcus reminds us that even the most accomplished and revered figures—be they healers, conquerors, or philosophers—ultimately succumb to mortality. Their stories serve as a humbling reminder of our shared fate and an encouragement to prioritize virtue over fame, power, or fear.

Key Takeaways:

Mortality as a Universal Truth: From Hippocrates, the renowned healer, to Alexander the Great, a world conqueror, and even pre-Socratic philosophers like Heraclitus and Democritus, death claims everyone regardless of their accomplishments, intellect, or virtue.
The Two Reasons to Remember Mortality: (1) It motivates us to cherish the time we have and use it wisely, both for personal growth and to nurture meaningful relationships. (2) It grounds us in the natural order, reminding us that we are part of Nature and subject to its laws.
Why Immortality Isn’t the Goal: The aim of life isn’t to avoid death but to live virtuously. A good life is defined by our choices and actions in the present, not by the number of years we accumulate.
Marcus’ Reassurance About Death: Marcus suggests that death leads to one of two outcomes: either we transition to another life governed by reason, or we enter a state of eternal rest free from pain and struggle. Both are nothing to fear.
Living in Accord with Nature: Death, like all aspects of life, is part of the rational order of the Cosmos. By accepting it as natural, we can focus on fulfilling our purpose—striving for virtue and contributing to the Cosmopolis.

“Hippocrates, after curing many sicknesses, himself fell sick and died. The Chaldean astrologers foretold the death of many persons, then the hour of fate overtook them also. Alexander, Pompeius, and Julius Caesar, after so often utterly destroying whole towns and slaying in the field many myriads of horse and foot, themselves also one day departed from life. Heraclitus, after many speculations about the fire which should consume the Universe, was waterlogged by dropsy, poulticed himself with cow-dung and died. Vermin killed Democritus; another kind of vermin Socrates. What is the moral? You went on board, you set sail, you have made the port. Step ashore: if to a second life, nothing is void of gods, not even in that other world; but if to unconsciousness, you will cease to suffer pains and pleasures and to be the servant of an earthly vessel as far inferior as that which does it service is superior; for the one is mind and deity, the other clay and gore.” - Meditations 3.3