I have failed this truth many times, especially when the Senate turned against me and Caesar marched on Rome. I did not then see that my life was already at its end; I acted as though I had all time before me to rebuild my fortune. I let fear of exile and loss paralyze my spirit until I was forced into silence, living in a state of constant dread rather than quiet resolve. The cost was the loss of my dignity, which I thought could be bought back by gold or power, but it vanished when I fled to Greece.

I ask you to look at your own life and see where fear has taken root, perhaps over some small matter of money or reputation. Do not wait for a crisis to test your soul; practice disregarding death now while you still have the choice. If you can face the fact that every hour brings you closer to the end, you will find that your actions become clearer and your mind more at peace, free from the trembling that comes of living as if you were immortal.