Moral Letters to Lucilius Section 23

Turpissimum his diebus principium diserti mehercules viri legi: Ita. inquit, quamprimum moriar. Homo demens, optas rem tuam. Ita quamprimum moriar. Fortasse inter has voces senex factus es. Alioqui quid in mora est? Nemo te tenet; evade, qua visum est. Elige quamlibet rerum naturae partem, quam tibi praebere exitum iubeas. Haec nempe sunt elementa, quibus hic mundus administratur, aqua, terra, spiritus. Omnia ista tam causae vivendi sunt quam viae mortis.

Quel ignoble vœu j’ai lu ces jours-ci au début de l’œuvre d’un homme assurément fort disert : « Si je pouvais mourir au plus vite ! » Insensé ! tu désires ce qui t’appartient. Que tu meures au plus vite ! Est-ce que par hasard ces paroles auraient eu l’effet de te vieillir ? Sinon, que tardes-tu ? Nul ne te retient : fuis par où tu l’aimeras le mieux. Choisis dans la nature lequel des éléments tu chargeras de t’ouvrir une issue. Les trois grands principes où ce monde trouve ses moyens d’action, l’eau, la terre, l’air, sont à la fois sources de vie et agents de mort.

I read lately a most disgraceful doctrine, uttered (more shame to him!) by a learned gentleman: “So may I die as soon as possible!” Fool, thou art praying for something that is already thine own! “So may I die as soon as possible!” Perhaps thou didst grow old while uttering these very words! At any rate, what is there to hinder? No one detains thee; escape by whatsoever way thou wilt! Select any portion of Nature, and bid it provide thee with a means of departure! These, namely, are the elements, by which the world’s work is carried on - water, earth, air. All these are no more the causes of life than they are the ways of death.