The Stoic Kiss of Death

Contemplating love, loss, and mortality

Apr 1, 2021

∙ Paid

If you are kissing your child or wife, say that it is a human being [a mortal] whom you are kissing, for thus when they die, you will not be disturbed. — Epictetus

This is of the most notorious passages in the ancient Stoic literature. It comes from the famous Encheiridion or Handbook (§…

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