O mighty and once living instrument of formative nature. Incapable of availing thyself of thy vast strength thou hast to abandon a life of stillness and to obey the law which God and time gave to procreative nature.

Ups and downs in life are very important to keep us going, because a straight line even in an ECG means we are not alive.

O sleepers! what a thing is slumber! Sleep resembles death. Ah, why then dost thou not work in such wise as that after death thou mayst retain a resemblance to perfect life, when, during life, thou art in sleep so like to the hapless dead?

Every loss which we incur leaves behind it vexation in the memory, save the greatest loss of all, that is, death, which annihilates the memory, together with life.

Death is close enough at hand so we do not need to be afraid of life.

Just as a well-filled day brings blessed sleep, so a well-employed life brings a blessed death.