§15εἴ γε μὴν ὁ θάνατος τελεία τίς ἐστι φθορὰ καὶ διάλυσις τοῦ τε σώματος καὶ τῆς ψυχῆς τὸ τρίτον γὰρ ἦν τοῦτο τῆς Σωκρατικῆς εἰκασίας, οὐδʼ οὕτω κακόν ἐστιν· ἀναισθησία γάρ τις κατʼ αὐτὸν γίγνεται καὶ πάσης ἀπαλλαγὴ λύπης καὶ φροντίδος.
But if indeed death is some complete destruction and dissolution of both body and soul—for this was the third of the Socratic conjectures—not even so is it an evil; for some insensibility occurs through it, and release from all pain and anxiety.
ὥσπερ γὰρ οὔτʼ ἀγαθὸν ἡμῖν ἔπεστιν οὕτως οὐδὲ κακόν· περὶ γὰρ τὸ ὂν καὶ τὸ ὑφεστηκὸς καθάπερ τὸ ἀγαθὸν πέφυκε γίγνεσθαι, τὸν αὐτὸν τρόπον καὶ τὸ κακόν· περὶ δὲ τὸ μὴ ὂν ἀλλʼ ἠρμένον ἐκ τῶν ὄντων οὐδέτερον τούτων ὑπάρχει.
For just as no good is present to us, so neither is any evil; for just as good naturally arises in relation to that which exists and subsists, in the same way also does evil; but in relation to that which does not exist but has been removed from the things that exist, neither of these belongs.
εἰς τὴν αὐτὴν οὖν τάξιν οἱ τελευτήσαντες καθίστανται τῇ πρὸ τῆς γενέσεως.
Therefore, those who have died are placed in the same state as that before birth.
ὥσπερ οὖν οὐδὲν ἦν ἡμῖν πρὸ τῆς γενέσεως οὔτʼ ἀγαθὸν οὔτε κακόν, οὕτως οὐδὲ μετὰ τὴν τελευτήν.
Just as, therefore, nothing was to us before birth, either good or evil, so neither will there be after death.
καὶ καθάπερ τὰ πρὸ ἡμῶν οὐδὲν ἦν πρὸς ἡμᾶς, οὕτως οὐδὲ τὰ μεθʼ ἡμᾶς οὐδὲν ἔσται πρὸς ἡμᾶς
"
ἄλγος γὰρ ὄντως οὐδὲν ἅπτεται νεκροῦ.
And just as things before us were nothing to us, so neither will things after us be anything to us. "For indeed no pain touches a dead man.
τὸ γὰρ μὴ γενέσθαι τῷ θανεῖν ἴσον λέγω.
For I say that not to have been born is equal to being dead.
"
ἡ γὰρ αὐτὴ κατάστασίς ἐστι τῇ πρὸ τῆς γενέσεως ἡ μετὰ τὴν τελευτήν.
"For the state after death is the same as that before birth.
ἀλλʼ οἴει σὺ διαφορὰν εἶναι μὴ γενέσθαι ἢ γενόμενον ἀπογενέσθαι;
But do you think there is any difference between not having been born and having been born to cease to exist?
εἰ μὴ καὶ τῆς οἰκίας καὶ τῆς ἐσθῆτος ἡμῶν μετὰ τὴν φθορὰν ὑπολαμβάνεις τινὰ διαφορὰν εἶναι πρὸς τὸν ὃν οὐδέπω κατεσκευάσθη χρόνον.
Unless you also suppose that there is some difference for our house and our clothing after their destruction compared to the time when they were not yet constructed.
εἰ δʼ ἐπὶ τούτων οὐδὲν ἔστι, δῆλον ὡς οὐδʼ ἐπὶ τοῦ θανάτου πρὸς τὴν πρὸ τῆς γενέσεως; κατάστασιν ἔστι διαφορά.
And if in these cases there is none, it is clear that neither in the case of death compared to the state before birth is there any difference.
χάριεν γὰρ τὸ τοῦ Ἀρκεσιλάου.
For that saying of Arcesilaus is witty.
τοῦτο
φησὶ
τὸ λεγόμενον κακὸν ὁ θάνατος μόνον τῶν ἄλλων τῶν νενομισμένων κακῶν παρὸν μὲν οὐδένα πώποτʼ ἐλύπησεν, ἀπὸν δὲ καὶ προσδοκώμενον λυπεῖ. τῷ γὰρ ὄντι πολλοὶ διὰ τὴν οὐδένειαν καὶ τὴν πρὸς τὸν θάνατον διαβολὴν ἀποθνῄσκουσιν, ἵνα μὴ ἀποθάνωσι καλῶς οὖν ὁ Ἐπίχαρμος
συνεκρίθη
φησὶ
καὶ διεκρίθη καὶ ἀπῆνθεν ὅθεν ἦνθε πάλιν, γᾶ μὲν εἰς γᾶν, πνεῦμα δʼ ἄνω.
"Death," he says, "this so-called evil, is the only one among the other reputed evils which, when present, has never yet grieved anyone, but grieves when absent and expected." For in truth many, because of their folly and the slander against death, die in order that they may not die. Therefore, Epicharmus says beautifully: "It was put together," he says, "and pulled apart, and went back whence it came; earth to earth, breath upward.
τί τῶνδε χαλεπόν;
What of these is hard?
οὐδέ ἔν. ὁ Κρεσφόντης δέ που ὁ παρὰ τῷ Εὐριπίδῃ περὶ τοῦ Ἡρακλέους λέγων
"
εἰ μὲν γὰρ οἰκεῖ φησί νερτέρας ὑπὸ χθονός
ἐν τοῖσιν οὐκέτʼ οὖσιν, οὐδὲν ἂν σθένοι
"
τοῦτο μεταποιήσας εἴποις ἄν
"
εἰ μὲν γὰρ οἰκεῖ νερτέρας ὑπὸ χθονός
ἐν τοῖσιν οὐκέτʼ οὖσιν, οὐδὲν ἂν πάθοι
"
γενναῖον δὲ καὶ τὸ Λακωνικὸν
"
νῦν ἄμμες, πρόσθʼ ἄλλοι ἐθάλεον, αὐτίκα δʼ
ἄλλοι,
ὧν ἄμμες γενεὰν οὐκέτʼ ἐποψόμεθα
"
καὶ πάλιν
"
οἳ θάνον οὐ τὸ ζῆν θέμενοι καλὸν οὐδὲ τὸ
θνῄσκειν,
ἀλλὰ τὸ ταῦτα καλῶς ἀμφότερʼ ἐκτελέσαι
"
πάνυ δὲ καλῶς καὶ ὁ Εὐριπίδης ἐπὶ τῶν τὰς μακρὰς νοσηλείας ὑπομενόντων φησὶ
"
μισῶ δʼ ὅσοι χρῄζουσιν ἐκτείνειν βίον,
βρωτοῖσι καὶ ποτοῖσι καὶ μαγεύμασι
παρεκτρέποντες ὀχετὸν ὥστε μὴ θανεῖν. οὓς χρῆν, ἐπειδὰν μηδὲν ὠφελῶσι γῆν,
θανόντας ἔρρειν κἀκποδὼν εἶναι νέοις. "
ἡ δὲ Μερόπη λόγους ἀνδρώδεις προφερομένη κινεῖ τὰ θέατρα, λέγουσα τοιαῦτα
"
τεθνᾶσι παῖδες οὐκ ἐμοὶ μόνῃ βροτῶν,
οὐδʼ ἀνδρὸς ἐστερήμεθʼ ἀλλὰ μυρίαι
τὸν αὐτὸν ἐξήντλησαν ὡς ἐγὼ βίον
"
τούτοις γὰρ οἰκείως ἄν τις ταῦτα συνάψειε
"
ποῦ γὰρ τὰ σεμνὰ κεῖνα, ποῦ δὲ Λυδίας
μέγας δυνάστης Κροῖσος ἢ Ξέρξης βαρὺν
ζεύξας θαλάσσης αὐχένʼ Ἑλλησποντίας;
Not even one thing." And Cresphontes in Euripides, speaking about Heracles, says: "For if indeed he dwells beneath the underworld among those who no longer exist, he would have no strength." By altering this you might say: "For if indeed he dwells beneath the underworld among those who no longer exist, he would suffer nothing." Noble also is the Laconian epigram: "Now we, before others flourished, and straightway others will flourish, whose generation we shall no longer behold." And again: "Who died, holding not living to be noble, nor dying, but to accomplish both of these well." And very beautifully Euripides also says of those who endure long illnesses: "And I hate those who desire to prolong life, by foods and drinks and magic spells turning aside the channel so as not to die; whom it behooved, when they no longer benefit the earth, to die and go to ruin, and be out of the way of the young." And Merope, uttering manly words, moves the theatres, saying such things: "My children have died, not to me alone of mortals, nor have I been deprived of a husband alone, but ten thousand women have exhausted the same life as I." For to these one might appropriately join these verses: "For where are those grand things? And where is the great ruler of Lydia, Croesus, or Xerxes who yoked the heavy neck of the Hellespontine sea?
ἅπαντες ᾍδαν ἦλθον καὶ Λάθας δόμους,
"
τῶν χρημάτων ἅμα τοῖς σώμασι διαφθαρέντων.
All have gone to Hades and the houses of Lethe," their wealth being destroyed along with their bodies.