Chapter 60
Death as the Ultimate Freedom
A CUSTOM OF THE ISLE OF CEA [Cos. Cea is the form of the name given by Pliny] If to philosophise be, as ‘tis defined, to doubt, much more to write at random and play the fool, as I do, ought to be reputed doubting, for it is for novices and freshmen to inquire and to dispute, and for the chairman to moderate and determine. My moderator is the authority of the divine will, that governs us without contradiction, and that is seated above these human and vain contestations. Philip having forcibly entered into Peloponnesus, and some one saying to…
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Now let's explore the literary elements.
Key Quotes & Analysis
"a hundred thousand ways out."
Context: Keys of life
Exit abundant.
In Today's Words:
Montaigne says nature delivered into our custody the keys of life, with one door into life but a hundred thousand ways out, and no one can deprive us of death. Leaving is always available. That fact should clarify why you stay, not automatically justify when you go.
"There needs no more to die but to will to die: “Ubique mors est; optime hoc cavit deus."
Context: Will suffices
Choice at hand.
In Today's Words:
Montaigne says there needs no more to die but to will to die, and our cowardice keeps us in pain when the world does not detain us. The barrier is often inward, not external. If you are staying, choose staying for a reason stronger than inertia.
"remedy that can never be wanting, but which a man is never to make use of, whilst there is an inch of hope remaining”: telling him, “that it was sometimes constancy and valour to live; that he would that even his death should be of use to his country, and would make of it an act of honour and virtue."
Context: Against rash suicide
Last resort only.
In Today's Words:
Cleomenes told Therykion that suicide is a remedy never wanting, but one a man should never use while an inch of hope remains. Reserve the exit. Do not spend your only certain escape on a bad afternoon if the larger fight is not yet finished.
"invited Pompeius to her death, to render it the more honourable, an invitation that he accepted; and having long tried in vain by the power of his eloquence, which was very great, and persuasion, to divert her from that design, he acquiesced in the end in her own will. She had passed the age of four score and ten in a very happy state, both of body and mind; being then laid upon her bed, better dressed than ordinary and leaning upon her elbow, “The gods,” said she, “O Sextus Pompeius, and rather those I leave than those I go to seek, reward thee, for that thou hast not disdained to be both the counsellor of my life and the witness of my death. For my part, having always experienced the smiles of fortune, for fear lest the desire of living too long may make me see a contrary face, I am going, by a happy end, to dismiss the remains of my soul, leaving behind two daughters of my body and a legion of nephews”; which having said, with some exhortations to her family to live in peace, she divided amongst them her goods, and recommending her domestic gods to her eldest daughter, she boldly took the bowl that contained the poison, and having made her vows and prayers to Mercury to conduct her to some happy abode in the other world, she roundly swallowed the mortal poison"
Context: Woman of Ceos
Calm chosen end.
In Today's Words:
On Ceos a woman of great quality invited Pompeius to her death to render it more honourable, then roundly swallowed the mortal poison and told her daughters how the cold seized her limbs. She chose timing and composure. Chosen endings, when they come, reveal whether a person governed life or only fled it.
Thematic Threads
Personal Agency
In This Chapter
Montaigne examines who truly owns the decision about our own life and death—ourselves, God, or society
Development
Introduced here as the ultimate question of individual control versus external obligation
In Your Life:
You might recognize this when deciding whether to stay in situations others expect you to endure but that are destroying you.
Social Expectations
In This Chapter
The essay shows how community approval or disapproval shapes what kinds of exits are seen as honorable versus shameful
Development
Builds on earlier themes about reputation by examining the ultimate social judgment
In Your Life:
You see this when weighing whether leaving a job, marriage, or situation will bring more judgment than staying and suffering.
Dignity
In This Chapter
Montaigne distinguishes between exits that preserve human dignity and those driven by cowardice or temporary despair
Development
Extends previous discussions of honor into life's most extreme circumstances
In Your Life:
This appears when you're trying to leave a situation in a way that maintains your self-respect and others' respect.
Hope
In This Chapter
The essay argues that hope should be exhausted before choosing permanent solutions to potentially temporary problems
Development
Introduced as the crucial factor that separates wisdom from desperation
In Your Life:
You might notice this when you're ready to give up on something but haven't actually tried every available option yet.
Judgment
In This Chapter
Montaigne shows how we judge others' exits as cowardly or noble based on limited understanding of their circumstances
Development
Continues exploration of how we evaluate others' choices without full knowledge
In Your Life:
This surfaces when you catch yourself judging someone for quitting or leaving without knowing the full weight of what they were carrying.
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
What two opposing views about choosing death does Montaigne present through his examples of Spartan warriors and religious arguments?
analysis • surfaceOne way to read it
One view says we own our lives completely and can end them when suffering becomes unbearable. The other argues life belongs to God or society, making suicide a desertion from duty.
- 2
Why does Montaigne contrast the Lacedaemonian boy who jumped rather than serve with those who kill themselves from fear of lesser evils?
analysis • mediumOne way to read it
The boy chose death to preserve honor and dignity, while fearful people destroy themselves trying to avoid temporary troubles. One acts from principle, the other from panic.
- 3
Where do you see modern versions of people 'running into death's mouth' while trying to avoid smaller risks, as Montaigne describes?
application • mediumOne way to read it
People might avoid medical checkups from fear of bad news, making treatable conditions fatal. Or refuse to fly but drive dangerously long distances instead.
- 4
How would you apply Montaigne's distinction between cowardly flight and principled choice when counseling someone facing serious hardship?
application • deepOne way to read it
I'd help them distinguish between temporary despair and truly hopeless situations. Focus on exhausting all reasonable options first, while respecting their ultimate autonomy over unbearable circumstances.
- 5
What does the elderly woman of Cea's careful ceremony reveal about how we should approach life's most irreversible decisions?
reflection • deepOne way to read it
Her deliberate process shows that momentous choices require community witness, clear reasoning, and peaceful reflection rather than isolated desperation or sudden impulse.
Critical Thinking Exercise
Map Your Exit Doors
Think of a current situation where you feel trapped or stuck. Write down every possible way out - including options that seem impossible, embarrassing, or extreme. Don't judge them yet, just list them. Then examine each option: What would it actually cost? What would it actually gain? Often we stare at one exit door while missing others that are actually open.
Consider:
- •Include options you've dismissed as 'too hard' or 'too embarrassing'
- •Consider partial exits - changing part of the situation rather than all of it
- •Ask what advice you'd give a friend in the same spot
Journaling Prompt
Write about a time when you felt completely trapped but later discovered you had more options than you realized. What helped you see those other doors?
Coming Up Next...
Chapter 61: When to Open the Letter
After chosen death on Ceos, Montaigne plays with timing and letters. Rusticus will keep an emperor's packet sealed through Plutarch's whole declamation, though Montaigne doubts that was prudence.
