In Lucretius" De Rerum Natura, Lucretius teaches the way humanity should view death. He stresses that we should not fear death. Death is a normal occurrence and happens to everyone, including the great philosopher Epicurus. Intelligent people should not fear death because it is pointless. .
The fear of death troubles our existence. Anxiety over death leaves no pleasure for us in this world. This fear can cause men to violate their honor and friendship. But what is so bad with death that we fear it so much?.
Our fears are no more real than the fears that a baby possesses in darkness. Death should not be feared. There is nothing out there for us to be dreading. The wise should not fear death because everyone dies, and there is nothing we can do to prevent that. No one makes it out of here alive. Death has no meaning for us, and therefore we should not dwell on it. A life devoted to worrying about death is pointless, because you are living every waking moment in fear, and thus not enjoying life to the fullest. If one goes through life fearing death his years will become an obsession with that fear and thus his life is not even worth living. We only have one life here, don't spoil it worrying about the future. Sometimes people fear death so much that it causes them to hate their lives. People then will destroy their lives, because their lives are so bad, forgetting that what caused their pain in the first place was their fear of death. .
We do not own our life; it is just on loan to us, since matter is eternal. We should take advantage of our existence and not be worried about what might happen. Life should be viewed similar to that of a banquet. While we are at the banquet we should eat to our heart's content and leave full and satisfied. But if we dwell on the fact that the banquet will soon be over, we will not get over that detail, and will waste the banquet away fretting its end.
