Moral Letters to Lucilius Section 28

Eadem illa ratio monet, ut, si licet, moriaris quemadmodum placet; si minus, quemadmodum potes, et quicquid obvenerit ad vim adferendam tibi invadas. Iniuriosum est rapto vivere, at contra pulcherrimum mori rapto. Vale.

Par elle nous savons mourir, si le sort le permet, sans douleur, sinon, par tout moyen possible, et nous saisir du premier objet propre à trancher nos jours. Il est inique de vivre de vol ; mais voler sa mort est sublime.

Reason, too, advises us to die, if we may, according to our taste; if this cannot be, she advises us to die according to our ability, and to seize upon whatever means shall offer itself for doing violence to ourselves. It is criminal to “live by robbery"; but, on the other hand, it is most noble to “die by robbery.” Farewell.