Death Quote by Michel de Montaigne
““Things external to her may have their own weight and dimension: but within inside us she gives them such measures as she wills: death is terrifying to Cicero, desirable to Cato, indifferent to Socrates. Health, consciousness, authority, knowledge, beauty and their opposites doff their garments as they enter the soul and receive new vestments, coloured with qualities of her own choosing: brown or green; light or dark; bitter or sweet, deep or shallow, as it pleases each of the individual souls, who have not agreed together on the truth of their practices, rules or ideas. Each soul is Queen in her own state. So let us no longer seek excuses from the external qualities of anything, the responsibility lies within ourselves. Our good or our bad depends on us alone. So let us make our offertories and our vows to ourselves not to Fortune: she has no power over our behaviour, on the contrary our souls drag Fortune in their train and mould her to their own idea.””
About This Quote
Source Essay: Of the Education of Children, 1580
External qualities have no true power; inner perception shapes meaning, and each soul determines its own values and responsibilities.
In simple terms: Our inner choices give meaning to external things.
Key Takeaway
Take responsibility for your own judgments.
Themes
philosophy
self
responsibility
perception
truth
Mood
contemplative
inspirational
Type
philosophical
motivational
When to use this quote
- decision making
- self‑reflection
- moral education
- creative expression
- personal growth
Key Concepts
subjective reality
personal agency
ethical autonomy
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you differentiate internal values from external expectations?
- What practices help you own your decisions?
A Different Perspective
External pressures can still influence choices; balance is needed.
