Episode 279 - TD10 - On "Dying Before One's Time"

SUNDAY WEEKLY ZOOM - 12:30 PM EDT - Book Review: De Rerum Natura by Lucretius -- Read the post for our December 7, 2025 meeting -- or find out how to attend.

 

    Welcome to Episode 279 of Lucretius Today. This is a podcast dedicated to the poet Lucretius, who wrote "On The Nature of Things," the most complete presentation of Epicurean philosophy left to us from the ancient world.

    Each week we walk you through the Epicurean texts, and we discuss how Epicurean philosophy can apply to you today. If you find the Epicurean worldview attractive, we invite you to join us in the study of Epicurus at EpicureanFriends.com, where we discuss this and all of our podcast episodes.

    This week we continue our series covering Cicero's "Tusculan Disputations" from an Epicurean viewpoint. This series addresses five of the greatest questions in philosophy, with Cicero speaking for the majority and Epicurus the main opponent:

    1. Is Death An Evil? (Cicero says no and Epicurus says no, but for very different reasons)
    2. Is Pain An Evil? (Cicero says no, Epicurus says yes)
    3. Does the Wise Man Experience Grief and Fear? (Cicero says no, Epicurus says yes)
    4. Does the Wise Man Experience Joy and Desire? (Cicero says no, Epicurus says yes)
    5. Is Virtue Sufficient For A Happy Life? (Cicero says yes, Epicurus says no)

    As we found in Cicero's "On Ends" and "On The Nature of the Gods," Cicero treated Epicurean Philosophy as a major contender in the battle between the philosophies. In discussing this conflict and explaining Epicurus' answers to these questions, we will deepen our understanding of Epicurus and how he compares to the other major schools.

    Today we continue debating the nature of death in Section XXXIX.

    --------------------------

    Our general discussion guide for Tusculun Disputations is here: https://epicureanfriends.github.io/tusculundisput…lish/section:12

    And a side-by-side version with comments is here:

    EpicureanFriends SideBySide Commentary on TD


  • Cassius May 1, 2025 at 9:08 PM

    Changed the title of the thread from “Episode 279 - Not Yet Recorded” to “Episode 279 - On "Dying Before One's Time" - Not Yet Recorded”.

    If we are able to finish part one this week, then our title will be something like "Is Death The Greatest Gift The Gods Can Offer?" If we don't get to the end, then something like that will be the title as we wrap up Part 1.

  • Cassius May 8, 2025 at 11:08 AM

    Changed the title of the thread from “Episode 279 - On "Dying Before One's Time" - Not Yet Recorded” to “Episode 279 - On "Dying Before One's Time"”.

  • Cassius June 22, 2025 at 4:11 PM

    Changed the title of the thread from “Episode 279 - On "Dying Before One's Time"” to “Episode 279 - TD10 - On "Dying Before One's Time"”.

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