--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Thus that which is the most awful of…" description: "\"“Thus that which is the most awful of evils, death, is nothing to us, since when we exist there is no death, and when there is death we do not exist.”\"..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ecd/epicurus-1642_death_thus-that-which-is-the-most-awful-of-evi_1039283.jpg" --- # Thus that which is the most awful of evils, death, is… ![“Thus that which is the most awful of evils, death, is nothing to us, since when we exist there is no death, and when there is death we do not exist.” quote by Epicurus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ecd/epicurus-1642_death_thus-that-which-is-the-most-awful-of-evi_1039283.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ecd/epicurus-1642_death_thus-that-which-is-the-most-awful-of-evi_1039283.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ecd/epicurus-1642_death_thus-that-which-is-the-most-awful-of-evi_1039283.jpg) > ““Thus that which is the most awful of evils, death, is nothing to us, since when we exist there is no death, and when there is death we do not exist.”” [Epicurus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epicurus/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Death is irrelevant because it occurs when we do not exist, and while we exist, death is not present. **In simple terms:** Death doesn’t affect us because we’re not alive then. Key Takeaway Focus on living fully, not fearing death. Themes mortality existence philosophy Mood calm philosophical Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - life planning - stress reduction - spiritual contemplation Key Concepts epicurean ethics ontological perspective Questions to Reflect On - How does this view change your daily choices? - Can you accept others’ fear of death? A Different Perspective May overlook grief of loss for others. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) ## Related quotes > [“Death is nothing to us. When we exist, death is not; and when death exists, we are not. All sensation and consciousness ends with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epicurus/death-is-nothing-to-us-when-we-exist-death-is-not-and-when-death/) [Epicurus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epicurus/) > [Society, that first of blessings, brings with it evils death only can cure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophia-lee/society-that-first-of-blessings-brings-with-it-evils-death-only-can/) [Sophia Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophia-lee/) > [“Death, therefore, the most awful of evils, is nothing to us, seeing that, when we are, death is not come, and, when death is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epicurus/death-therefore-the-most-awful-of-evils-is-nothing-to-us-seeing-that/) [Epicurus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epicurus/) > [... when death has been brought upon a saint, we ought not to think that an evil has happened to him but a thing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cassian/when-death-has-been-brought-upon-a-saint-we-ought-not-to-think-that/) [John Cassian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cassian/) > [When we exist, death is not yet present, and when death is present, then we do not exist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epicurus/when-we-exist-death-is-not-yet-present-and-when-death-is-present-then/) [Epicurus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epicurus/) > [Death, the most dreaded of evils, is therefore of no concern to us; for while we exist death is not present, and when death…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epicurus/death-the-most-dreaded-of-evils-is-therefore-of-no-concern-to-us-for/) [Epicurus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epicurus/) > [So death, the most terrifying of ills, is nothing to us, since so long as we exist, death is not with us; but when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epicurus/so-death-the-most-terrifying-of-ills-is-nothing-to-us-since-so-long/) [Epicurus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epicurus/) > [“When we exist, death is not present, and when death is present, we do not exist”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epicurus/when-we-exist-death-is-not-present-and-when-death-is-present-we-do/) [Epicurus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epicurus/) > [“Accustom yourself to the belief that death is of no concern to us, since all good and evil lie in sensation and sensation ends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epicurus/accustom-yourself-to-the-belief-that-death-is-of-no-concern-to-us/) [Epicurus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epicurus/) > [Death does not concern us, because as long as we exist, death is not here. And when it does come, we no longer exist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epicurus/death-does-not-concern-us-because-as-long-as-we-exist-death-is-not/) [Epicurus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epicurus/) > [We live to avoid death, we exist to avoid unexistence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-steele/we-live-to-avoid-death-we-exist-to-avoid-unexistence/) [Peter Steele](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-steele/) > [Should poverty , illness , and death not exist , man would not bow to anything](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/should-poverty-illness-and-death-not-exist-man-would-not-bow-to/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [“Death must exist for life to have meaning.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-shusterman/death-must-exist-for-life-to-have-meaning/) [Neal Shusterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-shusterman/) > [“Don’t try to change the world; just change yourself. Why? Because the whole world is only relative to the eyes that are looking at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-joybell-c/don-t-try-to-change-the-world-just-change-yourself-why-because-the/) [C. JoyBell C](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-joybell-c/) > [Death. I word used to say some one has passed away. perhaps your right. they are dead. but are they really? why does death…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/death-i-word-used-to-say-some-one-has-passed-away-perhaps-your-right/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Epicurus > [Most beautiful is the sight of those near and dear to us when our original kinship makes us of one mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epicurus/most-beautiful-is-the-sight-of-those-near-and-dear-to-us-when-our/) [Epicurus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epicurus/) > [Any man who does not think that what he has is more than ample, is an unhappy man, even if he is the master…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epicurus/any-man-who-does-not-think-that-what-he-has-is-more-than-ample-is-an/) [Epicurus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epicurus/) > [“The opinions held by most people about the gods are not true conceptions of them but fallacious notions, according to which awful penalties are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epicurus/the-opinions-held-by-most-people-about-the-gods-are-not-true/) [Epicurus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epicurus/) > [Death is nothing to us: for that which is dissolved is without sensation; and that which lacks sensation is nothing to us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epicurus/death-is-nothing-to-us-for-that-which-is-dissolved-is-without/) [Epicurus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epicurus/) > [Neither one should hesitate about dedicating oneself to philosophy when young, nor should get tired of doing it when one's old, because no one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epicurus/neither-one-should-hesitate-about-dedicating-oneself-to-philosophy/) [Epicurus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epicurus/) > [If thou wilt make a man happy, add not unto his riches but take away from his desires.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epicurus/if-thou-wilt-make-a-man-happy-add-not-unto-his-riches-but-take-away/) [Epicurus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epicurus/) > [Being happy is knowing how to be content with little](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epicurus/being-happy-is-knowing-how-to-be-content-with-little/) [Epicurus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epicurus/) > [Injustice is not evil in itself, but only in the fear and apprehension that one will not escape those who have been set up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epicurus/injustice-is-not-evil-in-itself-but-only-in-the-fear-and-apprehension/) [Epicurus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epicurus/) > [Riches do not exhilarate us so much with their possession as they torment us with their loss.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epicurus/riches-do-not-exhilarate-us-so-much-with-their-possession-as-they/) [Epicurus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epicurus/) > [I have never wished to cater to the crowd; for what I know they do not approve, and what they approve I do not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epicurus/i-have-never-wished-to-cater-to-the-crowd-for-what-i-know-they-do-not/) [Epicurus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epicurus/) > [The pleasant life is not produced by continual drinking and dancing, nor sexual intercourse, nor rare dishes of sea food and other delicacies of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epicurus/the-pleasant-life-is-not-produced-by-continual-drinking-and-dancing/) [Epicurus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epicurus/) > [Be moderate in order to taste the joys of life in abundance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epicurus/be-moderate-in-order-to-taste-the-joys-of-life-in-abundance/) [Epicurus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epicurus/) > [If the gods have the will to remove evil and cannot, then they are not all-powerful. If they are neither able nor willing, they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epicurus/if-the-gods-have-the-will-to-remove-evil-and-cannot-then-they-are-not/) [Epicurus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epicurus/) > [Of all things which wisdom provides to make life entirely happy, much the greatest is the possession of friendship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epicurus/of-all-things-which-wisdom-provides-to-make-life-entirely-happy-much/) [Epicurus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epicurus/) > [Death does not concern us, because as long as we exist, death is not here. And when it does come, we no longer exist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epicurus/death-does-not-concern-us-because-as-long-as-we-exist-death-is-not/) [Epicurus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epicurus/) [Explore all 209 Epicurus quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epicurus/) ## More Death quotes > [“He wondered how it was fair that your dying should depend so much on when you were born.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/he-wondered-how-it-was-fair-that-your-dying-should-depend-so-much-on/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [What sets worlds in motion is the interplay of differences, their attractions and repulsions. Life is plurality, death is uniformity. By suppressing differences and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavio-paz/what-sets-worlds-in-motion-is-the-interplay-of-differences-their/) [Octavio Paz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavio-paz/) > [Most of us are convinced that we are our egos, which is who we think we are. The ego is part of our incarnation.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ram-dass/most-of-us-are-convinced-that-we-are-our-egos-which-is-who-we-think/) [Ram Dass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ram-dass/) > [I do not want to live at the cost of the life even of a snake. I should let him bite me to death…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/i-do-not-want-to-live-at-the-cost-of-the-life-even-of-a-snake-i/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [“It was beautiful. He thought he had never seen anything so beautiful in all his life; that, having seen it, he could die content,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mira-grant/it-was-beautiful-he-thought-he-had-never-seen-anything-so-beautiful/) [Mira Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mira-grant/) > [Retirement? You're talking about death, right?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-altman/retirement-you-re-talking-about-death-right/) [Robert Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-altman/) > [With multiplayer, permanent death, and an ever-changing world to explore and conquer, 'A Valley Without Wind' might be the place you're looking for if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-manuel/with-multiplayer-permanent-death-and-an-ever-changing-world-to/) [Rob Manuel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-manuel/) > [“What did you see?” she asked gently. His brow furrowed, as if he could not understand the question. Then his eyes turned to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-anthony-torino/what-did-you-see-she-asked-gently-his-brow-furrowed-as-if-he-could/) J. Anthony Torino > [Those whose life is long still strive for gain, and for all mortals all things take second place to money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophocles/those-whose-life-is-long-still-strive-for-gain-and-for-all-mortals/) [Sophocles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophocles/) > [“I practice Dying--every night-- But have not learned to, still-- Though Talented--by Mortal bones-- For such a common Skill.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-w-powers/i-practice-dying-every-night-but-have-not-learned-to-still-though/) Alan W. Powers > [“You must understand the pain and grief of losing someone is nothing more than a function of survival.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-cooper/you-must-understand-the-pain-and-grief-of-losing-someone-is-nothing/) [Steven Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-cooper/) > [I am not a depressive person at all, but I reflect a lot on my life, and life in general, from the perspective of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/i-am-not-a-depressive-person-at-all-but-i-reflect-a-lot-on-my-life/) [Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/) > [“Death is a reality that calls the rest of life and all of our assorted strivings into sharp relief.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-d-lounsbrough/death-is-a-reality-that-calls-the-rest-of-life-and-all-of-our/) [Craig D. Lounsbrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-d-lounsbrough/) > [I love life. I love life to death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmanuelle-riva/i-love-life-i-love-life-to-death/) [Emmanuelle Riva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmanuelle-riva/) > [I think when you’re dying you start looking for important things in the corners. You can’t let anything that seems even semi-important pass, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-crutcher/i-think-when-you-re-dying-you-start-looking-for-important-things-in/) [Chris Crutcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-crutcher/) [Browse all 39,127 Death quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Thus that which is the most awful of evils, death, is nothing to us, since when we exist there is no death, and when there is death we do not exist.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Epicurus" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epicurus/thus-that-which-is-the-most-awful-of-evils-death-is-nothing-to-us/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Death" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epicurus/thus-that-which-is-the-most-awful-of-evils-death-is-nothing-to-us/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ecd/epicurus-1642_death_thus-that-which-is-the-most-awful-of-evi_1039283.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ecd/epicurus-1642_death_thus-that-which-is-the-most-awful-of-evi_1039283.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ecd/epicurus-1642_death_thus-that-which-is-the-most-awful-of-evi_1039283.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Thus that which is the most awful of evils, death, is nothing to us, since when we exist there is no death…” — Epicurus", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Epicurus", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epicurus/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Thus that which is the most...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epicurus/thus-that-which-is-the-most-awful-of-evils-death-is-nothing-to-us/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epicurus/thus-that-which-is-the-most-awful-of-evils-death-is-nothing-to-us/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```