Plutarch's essays and miscellanies, Vol. 1 · Plutarch
CONSOLATION TO APOLLONIUS.
BY MATTHEW MORGAN, A.M., OF ST. JOHN’S COLLEGE IN OXFORD. The son of Apollonius had died, 299. Apathy and excessive grief are alike unnatural and improper, 300. Avoid both of these extremes, 300. Uninterrupted happiness is not to be expected, 302. Every thing is subject to change, 303. Evil is to be expected, 304, 305. Sorrow will not remove suffering, 306, 307, Others are in trouble besides ourselves, 308. Why should death be considered so great an evil? 308. Death is but the debt of nature, 309. Death is inevitable, and the termination of all human calamity, 310. Death is the brother of sleep, 311. Death divests us of the body, and thus frees us from great evil, 312. The gods have often sent death as a reward for distinguished piety; illustrated by the cases of Biton and Cleobis, of Agamedes and Trophonius, of Pindar and Euthynous, 313, 314. Even if death be the extinction of our being, it is no evil, and why, 315. Even untimely death may shield from evil, 317. Not long life, but virtuous is desirable, 317, 318. Sorrow for the dead may proceed from selfish considerations, 319. Does the mourner intend to cherish grief as long as he lives? 320. Excessive grief is unmanly, 321. An untimely death differs not much from that which is timely, 322. It may be desirable, 323, 324. Excessive grief is unreasonable, 325. The state of the dead is better than that of the living, 326. The evil in the world far exceeds the good, 327. Life is a loan, soon to be recalled, 327. Some people are querulous and can never be satisfied, 329. Death is fixed by fate, 331. Life is short, and should not be wasted in unavailing sorrow, 332. Derive comfort from the example of those who have borne the death of their sons bravely, 332, 333. Providence wisely disposes, 335. Your son died at the best time for him, 335. He is now numbered with the blest, 336. The conclusion; a touching appeal to Apollonius, 339.
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