Chapter 19
Learning to Die Well
THAT TO STUDY PHILOSOPY IS TO LEARN TO DIE Cicero says--[Tusc., i. 31.]--“that to study philosophy is nothing but to prepare one’s self to die.” The reason of which is, because study and contemplation do in some sort withdraw from us our soul, and employ it separately from the body, which is a kind of apprenticeship and a resemblance of death; or, else, because all the wisdom and reasoning in the world do in the end conclude in this point, to teach us not to fear to die. And to say the truth, either our reason mocks us, or it…
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Now let's explore the literary elements.
Key Quotes & Analysis
"to study philosophy is nothing but to prepare one’s self to die"
Context: Opening thesis
Philosophy trains for the final exit.
In Today's Words:
Cicero, quoted at the opening, says studying philosophy is nothing but preparing yourself to die. Montaigne treats that as living well, not being morbid or theatrical. Use reflection to loosen your grip on small fears so the one certain ending does not own you in secret while you still have time.
"brother of mine, Captain St. Martin, a young man, three-and-twenty years old, who had already given sufficient testimony of his valour, playing a match at tennis, received a blow of a ball a little above his right ear, which, as it gave no manner of sign of wound or contusion, he took no notice of it, nor so much as sat down to repose himself, but, nevertheless, died within five or six hours"
Context: Sudden death in the catalog
Ordinary moments carry fatal risk.
In Today's Words:
Montaigne tells how his brother St. Martin, a young captain, died within five or six hours from a tennis ball above the ear he thought nothing of. No grand battle, just sport after supper with friends. Let that shrink your faith in tomorrow's schedule and your need to postpone what matters.
"premeditation of death is the premeditation of liberty; he who has learned to die has unlearned to serve."
Context: Turn from denial to practice
Facing death unlearns servitude.
In Today's Words:
Montaigne says premeditation of death is premeditation of liberty; he who has learned to die has unlearned to serve. You stop bargaining with every lesser fear once the largest one loses its strangeness and its taboo. Practice that freedom before crisis makes you desperate and reactive.
"let death take me planting my cabbages, indifferent to him, and still less of my gardens not being finished."
Context: Closing image of a good enough end
Ordinary work beats unfinished vanity.
In Today's Words:
Montaigne says he would have death take him planting his cabbages, indifferent to unfinished gardens. He wants an ordinary exit mid honest work, not a grand project that needs more years than anyone is promised by fortune. Start the life you mean to be caught doing today.
Thematic Threads
Mortality
In This Chapter
Montaigne advocates regular meditation on death as liberation from smaller fears
Development
Introduced here as central philosophical practice
In Your Life:
You might avoid difficult conversations because thinking about limited time feels too scary.
Fear
In This Chapter
Fear of death underlies most other anxieties and poor decisions
Development
Introduced here as root cause of life avoidance
In Your Life:
You might stay in unfulfilling situations because change feels like a kind of death.
Nature
In This Chapter
Death is presented as natural process, not punishment or failure
Development
Introduced here as cosmic perspective
In Your Life:
You might fight aging instead of accepting it as natural preparation for life's next phase.
Wisdom
In This Chapter
True wisdom comes from accepting rather than fighting life's fundamental conditions
Development
Introduced here through death acceptance
In Your Life:
You might mistake denial for strength when acceptance would give you more power.
Freedom
In This Chapter
Liberation comes from facing rather than avoiding life's hardest truths
Development
Introduced here as result of mortality meditation
In Your Life:
You might find that acknowledging your limitations actually expands your choices.
You now have the context. Time to form your own thoughts.
Discussion Questions
This is not a test. Five prompts guide you through the chapter, from how it opens to how it closes, so you notice context and rhythm rather than facts to memorize. Sit with each question in your own words. When you see "One way to read it," treat it as a starting point, not the only answer.
- 1
Why does Montaigne say that avoiding thoughts of death creates more fear than facing it directly?
analysis • surfaceOne way to read it
He argues that death's inevitability means avoidance creates perpetual anxiety. Like condemned criminals who can't enjoy fine meals knowing their fate, we live in constant background terror when we refuse to acknowledge mortality.
- 2
How does Montaigne's catalog of unexpected deaths support his argument about meditation on mortality?
analysis • mediumOne way to read it
The random deaths show that no one is safe regardless of age or status. This unpredictability makes regular death meditation practical wisdom rather than morbid obsession, since we can't predict when our time comes.
- 3
Where do you see modern examples of the 'terrible ceremonies' Montaigne says make death more frightening than it needs to be?
application • mediumOne way to read it
Hospital death with machines and sterile procedures, elaborate funeral industries, or even how we avoid discussing death with elderly relatives. These rituals often increase fear rather than provide comfort.
- 4
How might you apply Montaigne's practice of keeping death 'continually in his mouth' to make better decisions in your own life?
application • deepOne way to read it
Regular mortality reminders could help prioritize what truly matters. For instance, before taking a job you hate for money, asking 'How would I feel about this choice on my deathbed?' might clarify values.
- 5
What does Nature's speech at the end reveal about how humans create unnecessary suffering through their relationship with mortality?
reflection • deepOne way to read it
Nature suggests we fear returning to a state we inhabited for eternity before birth without complaint. This reveals how we manufacture terror about natural processes, creating suffering through resistance to inevitable change.
Critical Thinking Exercise
Practice the Six-Month Question
Choose one area of your life where you feel stuck or anxious - a relationship, job situation, health habit, or major decision. Write down what you would prioritize if you knew you had exactly six months to live. Then compare this to how you're actually spending your time and energy right now. What gaps do you notice?
Consider:
- •Focus on what would genuinely matter most, not what you think you should say
- •Notice which current worries would disappear entirely with this perspective
- •Consider what you're avoiding because it feels uncomfortable or risky
Journaling Prompt
Write about a time when a brush with mortality - your own illness, losing someone close, or witnessing tragedy - changed your priorities. How long did that clarity last, and what pulled you back into old patterns?
Coming Up Next...
Chapter 20: The Power of Imagination
Montaigne turns from dying well to the mind's power while we live. He will trace how imagination gives fevers, grows horns, fools bridegrooms, and spreads symptoms from one body to another.
