It is too late to school the mind to endurance of peril after peril has come. “I did not think this would happen” and “Would you ever have believed that this would have happened?” say you. But why should it not?…Know then that every station of life is transitory, and that what has ever happened to anybody may happen to you also.1
The bulk of this week’s reading is devoted to the theme of always bearing in mind that one might be called upon to suffer. In the context of ancient Rome, this was referred to by the expression memento mori (literally, “remember (that you have) to die”).
Of course this basic orientation can take multiple forms. In our context, we might equate with, “imagining the worst case scenarios.” As one who’s temper naturally tilts toward this response, I can attest that memento mori has just as many critics today as it did in Seneca’s day.
This tricky because the critics do have a point. There is such a thing as being “too morbid”; There is also such a thing as “whistling past the graveyard.” There is no formulaic solution for threading this particular needle.
However, I believe modern American society needs a heavier dose of Senecan memento mori and less Pealean “power of positive thinking” (which, often enough, devolves from positive thinking into delusional thinking).
The point of memento mori was not to be perpetually negative or to waste away from the inside out. Actually, it was quite opposite! Seneca argued that keeping the potential for suffering and death before our minds constantly was the only way to avoid frittering our lives away in meaningless endeavors. As the following quote illustrates, it is that which deserves to be pitied and feared far more than “thinking too much about death.”
The next point to these will be to take care that we do not labour [sic] for what is vain, or labour [sic] in vain: that is to say, neither to desire what we are not able to obtain, nor yet, having obtained our desire too late, and after much toil to discover the folly of our wishes…every one of those who walk out to swell the crowd in the streets, is led round the city by worthless and empty reasons; the dawn drives him forth, although he has nothing to do, and after he has pushed his way into many men’s doors…and has been turned away from many others, he finds that the most difficult person of all to find at home is himself.2
By remaining conscious of our limited time and resources for action, Seneca believes we will more carefully steward our resources. When we do act, it will be for some genuinely meaningful purpose such that — regardless of what it may cost us — will will not regret having spent a portion of our lives upon it.
…in cases…where no solemn duty invites us to act, we had better keep ourselves quiet: for he who does many things often puts himself in Fortune’s power, and it is safest not to tempt her often…I will set sail unless anything happens to prevent me, I shall be praetor, if nothing hinders me, my financial operations will succeed, unless anything goes wrong with them.3
Yet again, this reminds me of a biblical passage — specifically, the instruction given by James (historically assumed to have been Jesus’ half-brother) :
Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow let’s go into this city and spend a year there, trade, and make a profit.” Yet you don’t know what your life will be like tomorrow. For what is your life? For you are a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. For you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will both live, and do this or that.” But now you glory in your boasting. All such boasting is evil. 4
Lucius Annaeus. 1912. L. Annaeus Seneca Minor Dialogues : Together with the Dialogue on Clemency. London : G. Bell and Sons, 275-276.
Seneca, Lucius Annaeus. L. Annaeus Seneca Minor Dialogues, 277-278.
Seneca, Lucius Annaeus. L. Annaeus Seneca Minor Dialogues, 278-279.
James 4:13-16 (WEB)