Multas rerum natura mortis vias aperuit et multis itineribus fata decurrunt, et haec est condicio miserrima humani generis, quod nascimur uno modo, multis morimur: laqueus, gladius, praeceps locus, venenum, naufragium, mille aliae mortes insidiantur huic miserrimae animae. et hoc occidere vocatur, sed diutius.
(Seneca Maior, Contr. 7.1.9)
Nature has opened many routes to death, our fates hasten downwards along countless ways: and this is mankind’s wretched lot, that we have one way to be born – but many to die: the noose, the sword, a precipice, poison, ship-wreck and a thousand other deaths lie in wait for this wretched life. This too may be termed killing – but over a longer period. (tr. Michael Winterbottom)
