--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Since I encountered death, met death on…" description: "\"“Since I encountered death, met death on every mountain path,conversed with death in my sleep, wrestled with death in the snow, gambled at dice with de..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1d4/louis-de-bernieres-5492_brother_since-i-encountered-death-met-death-on-e_565314.jpg" --- # Since I encountered death, met death on every mountain… ![“Since I encountered death, met death on every mountain path,conversed with death in my sleep, wrestled with death in the snow, gambled at dice with death, I have come to the conclusion that death is not an enemy but a brother. Death is a beautiful naked man who looks like Apollo, and he is…” quote by Louis de Bernières](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1d4/louis-de-bernieres-5492_brother_since-i-encountered-death-met-death-on-e_565314.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1d4/louis-de-bernieres-5492_brother_since-i-encountered-death-met-death-on-e_565314.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1d4/louis-de-bernieres-5492_brother_since-i-encountered-death-met-death-on-e_565314.jpg) > ““Since I encountered death, met death on every mountain path,conversed with death in my sleep, wrestled with death in the snow, gambled at dice with death, I have come to the conclusion that death is not an enemy but a brother. Death is a beautiful naked man who looks like Apollo, and he is notsatisfied with those who wither away in old age. Death is a perfectionist, he likes the young and beautiful, he wants to stroke our hair and caress the sinew that binds our muscle to the bone. He does all he can to meet us, our faces gladden his heart, and he stands in our path to challenge us because he likes a clean fair fight, and after the fight he likes to befriend us, clap us on the shoulder, and make us laugh at all the pettiness and folly of the living. At the conclusion of a battle he wanders amongst the dead, raising them up, placing laurels upon the brows of those most comely, and he gathers them together as his own children and takes them away to drink wine that tastes of honey and gives them the sense of proportion that they never had in life.”” [Louis de Bernières](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-de-bernieres/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The passage personifies death as a brother and a beautiful, demanding figure who values youth and fairness, urging acceptance of mortality as a catalyst for living fully. **In simple terms:** Death is portrayed as a beautiful, challenging brother who values youth and fairness. Key Takeaway Accept death as a catalyst for a full life. Themes mortality philosophy existentialism beauty of life acceptance Mood thought‑provoking poetic Type philosophical literary inspirational When to use this quote - personal reflection - creative writing - public speaking - therapy sessions - educational curricula Key Concepts personification spiritual insight life‑death duality Questions to Reflect On - How does viewing death as a brother change your daily choices? - What can we learn from the idea of death as a fair opponent? A Different Perspective May romanticize death, ignoring its inevitable pain and loss. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Brother](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brother/) [Conclusion Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conclusion-death-2555928/) [Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) [Death Met](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death-met-3901591/) [Encountered Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/encountered-death-4677830/) [Old age](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/old-age/) [Young and beautiful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/young-and-beautiful/) ## Related quotes > [I believe I encountered death, which was a bit too much for a seven-year-old.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-straub/i-believe-i-encountered-death-which-was-a-bit-too-much-for-a-seven/) [Peter Straub](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-straub/) > [“I have spent much of my life around death. I have sat with people as they died. I have listened to others relate near-death…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-goodier/i-have-spent-much-of-my-life-around-death-i-have-sat-with-people-as/) [Steve Goodier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-goodier/) > [The idea of death robs inquiry of its passionate vitality and empties our efforts of their purpose by coming to one predestined conclusion, death.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-hillman/the-idea-of-death-robs-inquiry-of-its-passionate-vitality-and-empties/) [James Hillman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-hillman/) > [Death Was always there for me when I first met her it was like I was dreaming all over again when life brought me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jordan-nightshade/death-was-always-there-for-me-when-i-first-met-her-it-was-like-i-was/) [Jordan Nightshade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jordan-nightshade/) > [“How could the death of someone you had never met affect you so?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-galbraith/how-could-the-death-of-someone-you-had-never-met-affect-you-so/) [Robert Galbraith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-galbraith/) > [In all the relations of life and death, we are met by the color line.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/in-all-the-relations-of-life-and-death-we-are-met-by-the-color-line/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [I don't want you to be young and beautiful. I only want one thing. I want you to be kind-hearted - and not just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vasily-grossman/i-don-t-want-you-to-be-young-and-beautiful-i-only-want-one-thing-i/) [Vasily Grossman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vasily-grossman/) > [“Young and beautiful crowds filled the myriad bars and clubs in El Poblado, in the heart of Medellín. Amid the hypnotic sound of Latin…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kayla-cunningham/young-and-beautiful-crowds-filled-the-myriad-bars-and-clubs-in-el/) [Kayla Cunningham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kayla-cunningham/) > [Light like this does not exist, but we wish it did. We wish the sun could make us young and beautiful, we wish our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susanna-kaysen/light-like-this-does-not-exist-but-we-wish-it-did-we-wish-the-sun/) [Susanna Kaysen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susanna-kaysen/) > [“He grinned a slow, lazy grin and nipped at my lips. I smiled softly; he looked so young and beautiful and carefree in that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adriane-leigh/he-grinned-a-slow-lazy-grin-and-nipped-at-my-lips-i-smiled-softly-he/) [Adriane Leigh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adriane-leigh/) > [“Because now you are young and beautiful and the whole world loves you. But, some day, you will be old and wrinkled and no-one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/because-now-you-are-young-and-beautiful-and-the-whole-world-loves-you/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Strange as it may seem, there is nothing in which a young and beautiful female appears to more advantage than in the art of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-melville/strange-as-it-may-seem-there-is-nothing-in-which-a-young-and/) [Herman Melville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-melville/) > [“Life is a great adventure, darling, and problems are nothing more than opportunities to show what you can do. Show them, darling. You are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerstin-gier/life-is-a-great-adventure-darling-and-problems-are-nothing-more-than/) [Kerstin Gier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerstin-gier/) > [ It's \[Los Angeles\] mostly full of nonsense and delusion and egomania. They think they'll be young and beautiful forever, even though most of them… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/it-s-los-angeles-mostly-full-of-nonsense-and-delusion-and-egomania/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [“Why in depression" "If we are human, why not have the right to smile, Why in depression, young, and beautiful as earth, Why in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yanilsa-pena/why-in-depression-if-we-are-human-why-not-have-the-right-to-smile-why/) [Yanilsa pena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yanilsa-pena/) ## More by Louis de Bernières > [Family law is institutionally anti-male. I've been lobbying MPs, and I'm not going to give up campaigning for equality until I get equality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-de-bernieres/family-law-is-institutionally-anti-male-i-ve-been-lobbying-mps-and-i/) [Louis de Bernieres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-de-bernieres/) > [“The dead can read tears.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-de-bernieres/the-dead-can-read-tears/) [Louis de Bernières](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-de-bernieres/) > [...but then the general trouble with ignorance is always that the ignorant person has no idea that that's what they are. You can be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-de-bernieres/but-then-the-general-trouble-with-ignorance-is-always-that-the/) [Louis de Bernieres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-de-bernieres/) > [Love delayed is lust augmented.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-de-bernieres/love-delayed-is-lust-augmented/) [Louis de Bernieres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-de-bernieres/) > [No man is a man until he has been a soldier.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-de-bernieres/no-man-is-a-man-until-he-has-been-a-soldier/) [Louis de Bernieres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-de-bernieres/) > [Did you know that childhood is the only time in our lives when insanity is not only permitted to us, but expected?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-de-bernieres/did-you-know-that-childhood-is-the-only-time-in-our-lives-when/) [Louis de Bernieres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-de-bernieres/) > [God is an oppressor, He is incapable of human sympathy; behind a smiling face He hides an evil heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-de-bernieres/god-is-an-oppressor-he-is-incapable-of-human-sympathy-behind-a/) [Louis de Bernieres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-de-bernieres/) > [Your lips are like sugar And your cheeks an apple Your breasts are paradise And your body a lily. O, to kiss the sugar…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-de-bernieres/your-lips-are-like-sugar-and-your-cheeks-an-apple-your-breasts-are/) [Louis de Bernieres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-de-bernieres/) > [When you fall in love, it is a temporary madness. It erupts like an earthquake, and then it subsides. And when it subsides, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-de-bernieres/when-you-fall-in-love-it-is-a-temporary-madness-it-erupts-like-an/) [Louis de Bernieres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-de-bernieres/) > [The De Bernieres were very military. I broke the military tradition but I was terribly proud of my father being a soldier.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-de-bernieres/the-de-bernieres-were-very-military-i-broke-the-military-tradition/) [Louis de Bernieres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-de-bernieres/) > [We should care for each other more than we care for ideas, or else we will end up killing each other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-de-bernieres/we-should-care-for-each-other-more-than-we-care-for-ideas-or-else-we/) [Louis de Bernieres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-de-bernieres/) > [“Pelagia put her hands on her hips, taking advantage of the superiority implicit in the fact that she was standing and he lying down.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-de-bernieres/pelagia-put-her-hands-on-her-hips-taking-advantage-of-the-superiority/) [Louis de Bernières](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-de-bernieres/) > [“There comes a point in life where each one of us who survives begins to feel like a ghost that has forgotten to die…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-de-bernieres/there-comes-a-point-in-life-where-each-one-of-us-who-survives-begins/) [Louis de Bernières](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-de-bernieres/) > [“Men are sometimes driven by things that to a women make no sense, but she did know that Corelli had to be with his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-de-bernieres/men-are-sometimes-driven-by-things-that-to-a-women-make-no-sense-but/) [Louis de Bernières](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-de-bernieres/) > [“All their lovers' talk began with the phrase "After the war". After the war, when we're married, shall we live in Italy? There are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-de-bernieres/all-their-lovers-talk-began-with-the-phrase-after-the-war-after-the/) [Louis de Bernières](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-de-bernieres/) [Explore all 99 Louis de Bernières quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-de-bernieres/) ## More Brother quotes > [I was 3-years-old - to this day it is a vivid memory. My family and I were on a boat, catching fish. As one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joaquin-phoenix/i-was-3-years-old-to-this-day-it-is-a-vivid-memory-my-family-and-i/) [Joaquin Phoenix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joaquin-phoenix/) > [Whatever meaning 'Annie's Song' had for me on a personal level, there was also a larger context. It could just as easily have been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-denver/whatever-meaning-annie-s-song-had-for-me-on-a-personal-level-there/) [John Denver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-denver/) > [Luckily, the bullet that hit my chest never got to me. It was stopped by a silver case I got for my brother's wedding.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-doohan/luckily-the-bullet-that-hit-my-chest-never-got-to-me-it-was-stopped/) [James Doohan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-doohan/) > [“Yeah. You treat him like a son or a soldier, instead of like a brother. He wants you to like him and admire him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/faith-hunter/yeah-you-treat-him-like-a-son-or-a-soldier-instead-of-like-a-brother/) [Faith Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/faith-hunter/) > [“Your relationship with your brother will be, in many ways, the most complex and bewildering of all the interpersonal connections you will form. An…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-currie-jr/your-relationship-with-your-brother-will-be-in-many-ways-the-most/) [Ron Currie Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-currie-jr/) > [If I had my brothers I think with just a little bit of the correct marketing, I'd like to be almost exclusively in small…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-bozzio/if-i-had-my-brothers-i-think-with-just-a-little-bit-of-the-correct/) [Terry Bozzio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-bozzio/) > [There's no publicist, no advertisements, and no one's pushing us. If people are buying our records, it's because big brothers and sisters or friends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spencer-moody/there-s-no-publicist-no-advertisements-and-no-one-s-pushing-us-if/) [Spencer Moody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spencer-moody/) > [The only way to make sure that the Hand didn't get to you would have been to kill your brother. I could've done it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilona-andrews/the-only-way-to-make-sure-that-the-hand-didn-t-get-to-you-would-have/) [Ilona Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilona-andrews/) > [“Your favorite son and brother, Shade. Like”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-aveyard/your-favorite-son-and-brother-shade-like/) [Victoria Aveyard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-aveyard/) > [Sister + brother = a lovely family](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/sister-brother-a-lovely-family/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [There ain't no such thing as black Muslims. That's how they tried to cut off all my brothers in the rest of the world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-ali/there-ain-t-no-such-thing-as-black-muslims-that-s-how-they-tried-to/) [Muhammad Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-ali/) > [Brothers and Sisters, I bid you beware Of giving your heart to a dog to tear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/brothers-and-sisters-i-bid-you-beware-of-giving-your-heart-to-a-dog/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [Like a child exploring the attic of an old house on a rainy day, discovering a trunk full of treasure and then calling all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-h-peterson/like-a-child-exploring-the-attic-of-an-old-house-on-a-rainy-day/) [Eugene H. Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-h-peterson/) > [Stephanie could see the greed seep into the watery eyes of her father’s other brother, a horrible little man called Fergus, as he nodded…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derek-landy/stephanie-could-see-the-greed-seep-into-the-watery-eyes-of-her-father/) [Derek Landy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derek-landy/) > [I worked in a barbershop. I used to make the waves in the brother's hair, you know? Like, Nat King Cole, Sugar Ray Robinson.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-clinton/i-worked-in-a-barbershop-i-used-to-make-the-waves-in-the-brother-s/) [George Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-clinton/) [Browse all 7,453 Brother quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brother/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Since I encountered death, met death on every mountain path,conversed with death in my sleep, wrestled with death in the snow, gambled at dice with death, I have come to the conclusion that death is not an enemy but a brother. Death is a beautiful naked man who looks like Apollo, and he is notsatisfied with those who wither away in old age. Death is a perfectionist, he likes the young and beautiful, he wants to stroke our hair and caress the sinew that binds our muscle to the bone. He does all he can to meet us, our faces gladden his heart, and he stands in our path to challenge us because he likes a clean fair fight, and after the fight he likes to befriend us, clap us on the shoulder, and make us laugh at all the pettiness and folly of the living. 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