ifyourhousesmokestoomuchforyou，saidtheStoics，walkforthbyallmeans。Butwalkforthwithout，repining，withoutmurmuringorcomplaining。Walkforthcalm，contented，rejoicing，returningthankstotheGods，who，fromtheirinfinitebounty，haveopenedthesafeandquietharbourofdeath，atalltimesreadytoreceiveusfromthestormyoceanofhumanlife；whohavepreparedthissacred，thisinviolable，thisgreatasylum，alwaysopen，alwaysaccessible；altogetherbeyondthereachofhumanrageandinjustice；andlargeenoughtocontainbothallthosewhowish，andallthosewhodonotwishtoretiretoit:anasylumwhichtakesawayfromeverymaneverypretenceofcomplaining，orevenoffancyingthattherecanbeanyevilinhumanlife，exceptsuchashemaysufferfromhisownfollyandweakness。
　　TheStoics，inthefewfragmentsoftheirphilosophywhichhavecomedowntous，sometimestalkofleavinglifewithagaiety，andevenwithalevity，which，werewetoconsiderthosepassagesbythemselves，mightinduceustobelievethattheyimaginedwecouldwithproprietyleaveitwheneverwehadamind，wantonlyandcapriciously，upontheslightestdisgustoruneasiness。’Whenyousupwithsuchaperson，’saysEpictetus，’youcomplainofthelongstorieswhichhetellsyouabouthisMysianwars。“Nowmyfriend，sayshe，havingtoldyouhowItookpossessionofaneminenceatsuchaplace，IwilltellyouhowI
　　wasbesiegedinsuchanotherplace。“Butifyouhaveamindnottobetroubledwithhislongstories，donotacceptofhissupper。Ifyouacceptofhissupper，youhavenottheleastpretencetocomplainofhislongstories。Itisthesamecasewithwhatyoucalltheevilsofhumanlife。Nevercomplainofthatofwhichitisatalltimesinyourpowertoridyourself。’
　　Notwithstandingthisgaietyandevenlevityofexpression，however，thealternativeofleavinglife，orofremaininginit，was，accordingtotheStoics，amatterofthemostseriousandimportantdeliberation。Weoughtnevertoleaveittillweweredistinctlycalledupontodosobythatsuperintendingpowerwhichhadoriginallyplacedusinit。Butweweretoconsiderourselvesascalledupontodoso，notmerelyattheappointedandunavoidabletermofhumanlife。WhenevertheprovidenceofthatsuperintendingPowerhadrenderedourconditioninlifeuponthewholetheproperobjectratherofrejectionthanofchoice；
　　thegreatrulewhichhehadgivenusforthedirectionofourconduct，thenrequiredustoleaveit。WemightthenbesaidtoheartheawfulandbenevolentvoiceofthatdivineBeingdistinctlycallinguponustodoso。
　　Itwasuponthisaccountthat，accordingtotheStoics，itmightbethedutyofawisemantoremoveoutoflifethoughhewasperfectlyhappy；while，onthecontrary，itmightbethedutyofaweakmantoremaininit，thoughhewasnecessarilymiserable。If，inthesituationofthewiseman，thereweremorecircumstanceswhichwerethenaturalobjectsofrejectionthanofchoice，thewholesituationbecametheobjectofrejection，andtherulewhichtheGodshadgivenhimforthedirectionofhisconduct，requiredthatheshouldremoveoutofitasspeedilyasparticularcircumstancesmightrenderconvenient。Hewas，however，perfectlyhappyevenduringthetimethathemightthinkpropertoremaininit。Hehadplacedhishappiness，notinobtainingtheobjectsofhischoice，orinavoidingthoseofhisrejection；butinalwayschoosingandrejectingwithexactpropriety；notinthesuccess，butinthefitnessofhisendeavoursandexertions。If，inthesituationoftheweakman，onthecontrary，thereweremorecircumstanceswhichwerethenaturalobjectsofchoicethanofrejection；hiswholesituationbecametheproperobjectofchoice，anditwashisdutytoremaininit。Hewasunhappy，however，fromnotknowinghowtousethosecircumstances。Lethiscardsbeeversogood，hedidnotknowhowtoplaythem，andcouldenjoynosortofrealsatisfaction，eitherintheprogress，orintheeventofthegame，inwhatevermanneritmighthappentoturnout。8*
　　Thepropriety，uponsomeoccasions，ofvoluntarydeath，thoughitwas，perhaps，moreinsisteduponbytheStoics，thanbyanyothersectofancientphilosophers，was，however，adoctrinecommontothemall，eventothepeaceableandindolentEpicureans。Duringtheageinwhichflourishedthefoundersofalltheprincipalsectsofancientphilosophy；duringthePeloponnesianwarandformanyyearsafteritsconclusion，allthedifferentrepublicsofGreecewere，athome，almostalwaysdistractedbythemostfuriousfactions；andabroad，involvedinthemostsanguinarywars，inwhicheachsought，notmerelysuperiorityordominion，buteithercompletelytoextirpateallitsenemies，or，whatwasnotlesscruel，toreducethemintothevilestofallstates，thatofdomesticslavery，andtosellthem，man，woman，andchild，likesomanyherdsofcattle，tothehighestbidderinthemarket。Thesmallnessofthegreaterpartofthosestates，too，renderedit，toeachofthem，noveryimprobableevent，thatitmightitselffallintothatverycalamitywhichithadsofrequently，either，perhaps，actuallyinflicted，oratleastattemptedtoinflictuponsomeofitsneighbours。Inthisdisorderlystateofthings，themostperfectinnocence，joinedtoboththehighestrankandthegreatestpublicservices，couldgivenosecuritytoanymanthat，evenathomeandamonghisownrelationsandfellow-citizens，hewasnot，atsometimeoranother，fromtheprevalenceofsomehostileandfuriousfaction，tobecondemnedtothemostcruelandignominiouspunishment。Ifhewastakenprisonerinwar，orifthecityofwhichhewasamemberwasconquered，hewasexposed，ifpossible，tostillgreaterinjuriesandinsults。Buteverymannaturally，orrathernecessarily，familiarizeshisimaginationwiththedistressestowhichheforeseesthathissituationmayfrequentlyexposehim。Itisimpossiblethatasailorshouldnotfrequentlythinkofstormsandshipwrecks，andfounderingatsea，andofhowhehimselfislikelybothtofeelandtoactuponsuchoccasions。Itwasimpossible，inthesamemanner，thataGrecianpatriotorheroshouldnotfamiliarizehisimaginationwithallthedifferentcalamitiestowhichhewassensiblehissituationmustfrequently，orratherconstantlyexposehim。AsanAmericansavageprepareshisdeath-song，andconsidershowheshouldactwhenhehasfallenintothehandsofhisenemies，andisbythemputtodeathinthemostlingeringtortures，andamidsttheinsultsandderisionofallthespectators；soaGrecianpatriotorherocouldnotavoidfrequentlyemployinghisthoughtsinconsideringwhatheoughtbothtosufferandtodoinbanishment，incaptivity，whenreducedtoslavery，whenputtothetorture，whenbroughttothescaffold。Butthephilosophersofallthedifferentsectsveryjustlyrepresentedvirtue；thatis，wise，just，firm，andtemperateconduct；notonlyasthemostprobable，butasthecertainandinfallibleroadtohappinesseveninthislife。Thisconduct，however，couldnotalwaysexempt，andmightevensometimesexposethepersonwhofollowedittoallthecalamitieswhichwereincidenttothatunsettledsituationofpublicaffairs。Theyendeavoured，therefore，toshowthathappinesswaseitheraltogether，oratleastinagreatmeasure，independentoffortune；theStoics，thatitwassoaltogether；
　　theAcademicandPeripateticphilosophers，thatitwassoinagreatmeasure。Wise，prudent，andgoodconductwas，inthefirstplace，theconductmostlikelytoensuresuccessineveryspeciesofundertaking；andsecondly，thoughitshouldfailofsuccess，yetthemindwasnotleftwithoutconsolation。Thevirtuousmanmightstillenjoythecompleteapprobationofhisownbreast；andmightstillfeelthat，howuntowardsoeverthingsmightbewithout，allwascalmandpeaceandconcordwithin。Hemightgenerallycomforthimself，too，withtheassurancethathepossessedtheloveandesteemofeveryintelligentandimpartialspectator，whocouldnotfailbothtoadmirehisconduct，andtoregrethismisfortune。
　　Thosephilosophersendeavoured，atthesametime，toshow，thatthegreatestmisfortunestowhichhumanlifewasliable，mightbesupportedmoreeasilythanwascommonlyimagined。Theyendeavouredtopointoutthecomfortswhichamanmightstillenjoywhenreducedtopoverty，whendrivenintobanishment，whenexposedtotheinjusticeofpopularclamour，whenlabouringunderblindness，underdeafness，intheextremityofoldage，upontheapproachofdeath。Theypointedout，too，theconsiderationswhichmightcontributetosupporthisconstancyundertheagoniesofpainandevenoftorture，insickness，insorrowforthelossofchildren，forthedeathoffriendsandrelations，etc。Thefewfragmentswhichhavecomedowntousofwhattheancientphilosophershadwrittenuponthesesubjects，form，perhaps，oneofthemostinstructive，aswellasoneofthemostinterestingremainsofantiquity。Thespiritandmanhoodoftheirdoctrinesmakeawonderfulcontrastwiththedesponding，plaintive，andwhiningtoneofsomemodernsystems。
　　Butwhilethoseancientphilosophersendeavouredinthismannertosuggesteveryconsiderationwhichcould，asMiltonsays，armtheobduredbreastwithstubbornpatience，aswithtriplesteel；they，atthesametime，labouredabovealltoconvincetheirfollowersthatthereneitherwasnorcouldbeanyevilindeath；andthat，iftheirsituationbecameatanytimetoohardfortheirconstancytosupport，theremedywasathand，thedoorwasopen，andtheymight，withoutfear，walkoutwhentheypleased。Iftherewasnoworldbeyondthepresent，death，theysaid，couldbenoevil；andiftherewasanotherworld，theGodsmustlikewisebeinthatother，andajustmancouldfearnoevilwhileundertheirprotection。Thosephilosophers，inshort，preparedadeath-song，ifImaysayso，whichtheGrecianpatriotsandheroesmightmakeuseofupontheproperoccasions；
　　and，ofallthedifferentsects，theStoics，Ithinkitmustbeacknowledged，hadpreparedbyfarthemostanimatedandspiritedsong。
　　Suicide，however，neverseemstohavebeenverycommonamongtheGreeks。ExceptingCleomenes，IcannotatpresentrecollectanyveryillustriouseitherpatriotorheroofGreece，whodiedbyhisownhand。ThedeathofAristomenesisasmuchbeyondtheperiodoftruehistoryasthatofAjax。ThecommonstoryofthedeathofThemistocles，thoughwithinthatperiod，bearsuponitsfaceallthemarksofamostromanticfable。OfalltheGreekheroeswhoseliveshavebeenwrittenbyPlutarch，Cleomenesappearstohavebeentheonlyonewhoperishedinthismanner。
　　Theramines，Socrates，andPhocion，whocertainlydidnotwantcourage，sufferedthemselvestobesenttoprison，andsubmittedpatientlytothatdeathtowhichtheinjusticeoftheirfellow-citizenshadcondemnedthem。ThebraveEumenesallowedhimselftobedeliveredup，byhisownmutinoussoldiers，tohisenemyAntigonus，andwasstarvedtodeath，withoutattemptinganyviolence。ThegallantPhilopoemensufferedhimselftobetakenprisonerbytheMessenians，wasthrownintoadungeon，andwassupposedtohavebeenprivatelypoisoned。Severalofthephilosophers，indeed，aresaidtohavediedinthismanner；buttheirliveshavebeensoveryfoolishlywritten，thatverylittlecreditisduetothegreaterpartofthetaleswhicharetoldofthem。ThreedifferentaccountshavebeengivenofthedeathofZenotheStoic。Oneis，thatafterenjoying，forninety-eightyears，themostperfectstateofhealth，hehappened，ingoingoutofhisschool，tofall；andthoughhesufferednootherdamagethanthatofbreakingordislocatingoneofhisfingers，hestruckthegroundwithhishand，and，inthewordsoftheNiobeofEuripides，said，Icome，whydoestthoucallme？andimmediatelywenthomeandhangedhimself。Atthatgreatage，oneshouldthink，hemighthavehadalittlemorepatience。Anotheraccountis，that，atthesameage，andinconsequenceofalikeaccident，hestarvedhimselftodeath。Thethirdaccountis，that，atseventy-twoyearsofage，hediedinthenaturalway；byfarthemostprobableaccountofthethree，andsupportedtoobytheauthorityofaco-temporary，whomusthavehadeveryopportunityofbeingwellinformed；ofPersaeus，originallytheslave，andafterwardsthefriendanddiscipleofZeno。ThefirstaccountisgivenbyApolloniusofTyre，whoflourishedaboutthetimeofAugustusCaesar，betweentwoandthreehundredyearsafterthedeathofZeno。Iknownotwhoistheauthorofthesecondaccount。Apollonius，whowashimselfaStoic，hadprobablythoughtitwoulddohonourtothefounderofasectwhichtalkedsomuchaboutvoluntarydeath，todieinthismannerbyhisownhand。Menofletters，though，aftertheirdeath，theyarefrequentlymoretalkedofthanthegreatestprincesorstatesmenoftheirtimes，aregenerally，duringtheirlife，soobscureandinsignificantthattheiradventuresareseldomrecordedbyco-temporaryhistorians。Thoseofafter-ages，inordertosatisfythepubliccuriosity，andhavingnoauthenticdocumentseithertosupportortocontradicttheirnarratives，seemfrequentlytohavefashionedthemaccordingtotheirownfancy；andalmostalwayswithagreatmixtureofthemarvellous。Inthisparticularcasethemarvellous，thoughsupportedbynoauthority，seemstohaveprevailedovertheprobable，thoughsupportedbythebest。