1I was just telling you that I was within sight of old age; 1now I fear that I have left old age behind me. 1Some other word now suits these years, certainly this body, since old age is the name for a weary time of life, not a broken one; 1count me among the decrepit and those who are touching the end. 2Yet I give myself thanks in your hearing; 2I do not feel the injury of age in my mind, though I feel it in my body. 2Only my vices and the servants of my vices have grown old; 2my mind is vigorous and rejoices that it has little to do with the body.
2It has laid down a great part of its burden. 2It exults and argues with me about old age. 2It says that this is its prime. 3Let us believe it; 3let it enjoy its own good. 3It bids me go into reflection and discern how much of this tranquillity and restraint of character I owe to wisdom, how much to age, and to examine carefully what I cannot do, what I do not wish to do, ready to count whatever I am glad I cannot do as though I did not wish to do it. 3For what complaint is there, what inconvenience, if whatever was bound to come to an end has failed?
4'It is the greatest inconvenience,' you say, 'to be diminished and to waste away and, to put it accurately, to melt away. 4For we are not suddenly struck and laid low; 4we are nibbled away. 4Each day takes something from our strength.' 4Is there any better end than to slip away to one's close as nature unbinds us? 4Not because there is anything bad in a blow and a sudden departure from life, but because this road, to be withdrawn gradually, is a gentle one. 4For my part, as if the test were drawing near and that day had come which is to pass sentence on all my years, I watch myself and address myself thus: 'Nothing that we have so far displayed,' I say, 'in deeds or in words amounts to anything.
5These are trivial and deceptive pledges of the mind, and wrapped in many enticements; 5what progress I have made I shall entrust to death to judge. 5So it is without fear that I am making myself ready for that day on which, with tricks and disguises set aside, I am to judge myself, whether I merely speak bravely or truly feel so, whether all the defiant words I have hurled against fortune were pretence and play-acting.' 6'Set aside men's opinion; 6it is always doubtful and divided both ways. 6Set aside the studies pursued all your life; 6death is going to pronounce on you. 6This is what I mean: debates and learned conversations and words gathered from the precepts of the wise and cultivated talk do not reveal the true strength of the mind.
6For speech is bold even in the most timid. 6What you have done will become clear when you are giving up your breath. 6I accept the terms; I do not shrink from the judgement.' 7This is what I say to myself, but consider that I have said it to you as well. 7You are younger; 7what does it matter? 7Years are not counted out. 7It is uncertain in what place death awaits you; 7so await it in every place. 8I was meaning to stop now, and my hand was looking towards the closing phrase; 8but the rites must be performed and this letter must be given its travelling money. 8Suppose I do not say from where I mean to borrow the loan: you know whose cash-box I use.
8Wait for me a little while, and payment will be made from my own house; 8meanwhile Epicurus will lend it, who says: 'Rehearse death', or, if it is more convenient so, 'Rehearse passing over to the gods.' 9The sense is plain: it is a splendid thing to learn death thoroughly. 9Perhaps you think it superfluous to learn what has to be used only once. 9That is the very reason why we ought to rehearse it; 9we must always be learning what we cannot test whether we know. 10'Rehearse death'; 10whoever says this is bidding us rehearse freedom. 10He who has learned to die has unlearned how to be a slave; 10he is above all power, or at any rate beyond all power.
10What are prison and guards and bars to him? 10He has an open door. 10There is one chain which holds us bound, the love of life, which, though it is not to be thrown off, must still be lessened, so that if ever circumstances demand it, nothing may hold us back or hinder us from being ready to do at once what must at some time be done. 10Farewell.