The Stoic Kiss of Death

Contemplating love, loss, and mortality

Apr 01, 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 (§…

Keep reading with a 7-day free trial

Subscribe to Stoicism: Philosophy as a Way of Life to keep reading this post and get 7 days of free access to the full post archives.