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.