DiogenesLaertiusplainlygivesthepreferencetothestoryofApollonius。LucianandLactantiusappearbothtohavegivencredittothatofthegreatageandoftheviolentdeath。
ThisfashionofvoluntarydeathappearstohavebeenmuchmoreprevalentamongtheproudRomans，thaniteverwasamongthelively，ingenious，andaccommodatingGreeks。EvenamongtheRomans，thefashionseemsnottohavebeenestablishedintheearlyand，whatarecalled，thevirtuousagesoftherepublic。
ThecommonstoryofthedeathofRegulus，thoughprobablyafable，couldneverhavebeeninvented，haditbeensupposedthatanydishonourcouldfalluponthathero，frompatientlysubmittingtothetortureswhichtheCarthaginiansaresaidtohaveinflicteduponhim。InthelateragesoftherepublicsomedishonourIapprehend，wouldhaveattendedthissubmission。Inthedifferentcivilwarswhichprecededthefallofthecommonwealth，manyoftheeminentmenofallthecontendingpartieschoserathertoperishbytheirownhands，thantofallintothoseoftheirenemies。ThedeathofCato，celebratedbyCicero，andcensuredbyCaesar，andbecomethesubjectofaveryseriouscontroversybetween，perhaps，thetwomostillustriousadvocatesthattheworldhadeverbeheld，stampedacharacterofsplendouruponthismethodofdyingwhichitseemstohaveretainedforseveralagesafter。TheeloquenceofCicerowassuperiortothatofCaesar。Theadmiringprevailedgreatlyoverthecensuringparty，andtheloversofliberty，formanyagesafterwards，lookeduptoCatoastothemostvenerablemartyroftherepublicanparty。Theheadofaparty，theCardinaldeRetzobserves，maydowhathepleases；aslongasheretainstheconfidenceofhisownfriends，hecanneverdowrong；amaximofwhichhisEminencehadhimself，uponseveraloccasions，anopportunityofexperiencingthetruth。Cato，itseems，joinedtohisothervirtuesthatofanexcellentbottlecompanion。Hisenemiesaccusedhimofdrunkenness，but，saysSeneca，whoeverobjectedthisvicetoCato，willfinditmucheasiertoprovethatdrunkennessisavirtue，thanthatCatocouldbeaddictedtoanyvice。
UndertheEmperorsthismethodofdyingseemstohavebeen，foralongtime，perfectlyfashionable。IntheepistlesofPlinywefindanaccountofseveralpersonswhochosetodieinthismanner，ratherfromvanityandostentation，itwouldseem，thanfromwhatwouldappear，eventoasoberandjudiciousStoic，anyproperornecessaryreason。Eventheladies，whoareseldombehindinfollowingthefashion，seemfrequentlytohavechosen，mostunnecessarily，todieinthismanner；and，liketheladiesinBengal，toaccompany，uponsomeoccasions，theirhusbandstothetomb。Theprevalenceofthisfashioncertainlyoccasionedmanydeathswhichwouldnototherwisehavehappened。Allthehavock，however，whichthis，perhapsthehighestexertionofhumanvanityandimpertinence，couldoccasion，would，probably，atnotime，beverygreat。
Theprincipleofsuicide，theprinciplewhichwouldteachus，uponsomeoccasions，toconsiderthatviolentactionasanobjectofapplauseandapprobation，seemstobealtogetherarefinementofphilosophy。Nature，inhersoundandhealthfulstate，seemsnevertopromptustosuicide。Thereis，indeed，aspeciesofmelancholy(adiseasetowhichhumannature，amongitsothercalamities，isunhappilysubject)whichseemstobeaccompaniedwith，whatonemaycall，anirresistibleappetiteforself-destruction。Incircumstancesoftenofthehighestexternalprosperity，andsometimestoo，inspiteevenofthemostseriousanddeeplyimpressedsentimentsofreligion，thisdiseasehasfrequentlybeenknowntodriveitswretchedvictimstothisfatalextremity。Theunfortunatepersonswhoperishinthismiserablemanner，aretheproperobjects，notofcensure，butofcommiseration。Toattempttopunishthem，whentheyarebeyondthereachofallhumanpunishment，isnotmoreabsurdthanitisunjust。Thatpunishmentcanfallonlyontheirsurvivingfriendsandrelations，whoarealwaysperfectlyinnocent，andtowhomthelossoftheirfriend，inthisdisgracefulmanner，mustalwaysbealoneaveryheavycalamity。Nature，inhersoundandhealthfulstate，promptsustoavoiddistressuponalloccasions；uponmanyoccasionstodefendourselvesagainstit，thoughatthehazard，orevenwiththecertaintyofperishinginthatdefence。But，whenwehaveneitherbeenabletodefendourselvesfromit，norhaveperishedinthatdefence，nonaturalprinciple，noregardtotheapprobationofthesupposedimpartialspectator，tothejudgmentofthemanwithinthebreast，seemstocalluponustoescapefromitbydestroyingourselves。Itisonlytheconsciousnessofourownweakness，ofourownincapacitytosupportthecalamitywithpropermanhoodandfirmness，whichcandriveustothisresolution。IdonotremembertohaveeitherreadorheardofanyAmericansavage，who，uponbeingtakenprisonerbysomehostiletribe，puthimselftodeath，inordertoavoidbeingafterwardsputtodeathintorture，andamidsttheinsultsandmockeryofhisenemies。Heplaceshisgloryinsupportingthosetormentswithmanhood，andinretortingthoseinsultswithtenfoldcontemptandderision。
Thiscontemptoflifeanddeath，however，and，atthesametime，themostentiresubmissiontotheorderofProvidence；themostcompletecontentmentwitheveryeventwhichthecurrentofhumanaffairscouldpossiblycastup，maybeconsideredasthetwofundamentaldoctrinesuponwhichrestedthewholefabricofStoicalmorality。Theindependentandspirited，butoftenharshEpictetus，maybeconsideredasthegreatapostleofthefirstofthosedoctrines:themild，thehumane，thebenevolentAntoninus，ofthesecond。
TheemancipatedslaveofEpaphriditus，who，inhisyouth，hadbeensubjectedtotheinsolenceofabrutalmaster，who，inhisriperyears，was，bythejealousyandcapriceofDomitian，banishedfromRomeandAthens，andobligedtodwellatNicopolis，andwho，bythesametyrant，mightexpecteverymomenttobesenttoGyarae，or，perhaps，tobeputtodeath；couldpreservehistranquillityonlybyfosteringinhismindthemostsovereigncontemptofhumanlife。Heneverexultssomuch，accordinglyhiseloquenceisneversoanimatedaswhenherepresentsthefutilityandnothingnessofallitspleasuresandallitspains。
Thegood-naturedEmperor，theabsolutesovereignofthewholecivilizedpartoftheworld，whocertainlyhadnopeculiarreasontocomplainofhisownallotment，delightsinexpressinghiscontentmentwiththeordinarycourseofthings，andinpointingoutbeautieseveninthosepartsofitwherevulgarobserversarenotapttoseeany。Thereisaproprietyandevenanengaginggrace，heobserves，inoldageaswellasinyouth；andtheweaknessanddecrepitudeoftheonestateareassuitabletonatureasthebloomandvigouroftheother。Death，too，isjustasproperaterminationofoldage，asyouthisofchildhood，ormanhoodofyouth。Aswefrequentlysay，heremarksuponanotheroccasion，thatthephysicianhasorderedtosuchamantorideonhorseback，ortousethecoldbath，ortowalkbarefooted；sooughtwetosay，thatNature，thegreatconductorandphysicianoftheuniverse，hasorderedtosuchamanadisease，ortheamputationofalimb，orthelossofachild。Bytheprescriptionsofordinaryphysiciansthepatientswallowsmanyabitterpotion；undergoesmanyapainfuloperation。Fromtheveryuncertainhope，however，thathealthmaybetheconsequence，hegladlysubmitstoall。TheharshestprescriptionsofthegreatPhysicianofnature，thepatientmay，inthesamemanner，hopewillcontributetohisownhealth，tohisownfinalprosperityandhappiness:andhemaybeperfectlyassuredthattheynotonlycontribute，butareindispensablynecessarytothehealth，totheprosperityandhappinessoftheuniverse，tothefurtheranceandadvancementofthegreatplanofJupiter。Hadtheynotbeenso，theuniversewouldneverhaveproducedthem；itsall-wiseArchitectandConductorwouldneverhavesufferedthemtohappen。
Asall，eventhesmallestoftheco-existentpartsoftheuniverse，areexactlyfittedtooneanother，andallcontributetocomposeoneimmenseandconnectedsystem；soall，evenapparentlythemostinsignificantofthesuccessiveeventswhichfollowoneanother，makeparts，andnecessaryparts，ofthatgreatchainofcausesandeffectswhichhadnobeginning，andwhichwillhavenoend；andwhich，astheyallnecessarilyresultfromtheoriginalarrangementandcontrivanceofthewhole；sotheyareallessentiallynecessary，notonlytoitsprosperity，buttoitscontinuanceandpreservation。Whoeverdoesnotcordiallyembracewhateverbefalshim，whoeverissorrythatithasbefallenhim，whoeverwishesthatithadnotbefallenhim，wishes，sofarasinhimlies，tostopthemotionoftheuniverse，tobreakthatgreatchainofsuccession，bytheprogressofwhichthatsystemcanalonebecontinuedandpreserved，and，forsomelittleconveniencyofhisown，todisorderanddiscomposethewholemachineoftheworld。’O
world，’sayshe，inanotherplace，’allthingsaresuitabletomewhicharesuitabletothee。Nothingistooearlyortoolatetomewhichisseasonableforthee。Allisfruittomewhichthyseasonsbringforth。Fromtheeareallthings；intheeareallthings；fortheeareallthings。Onemansays，ObelovedcityofCecrops。Wiltnotthousay，ObelovedcityofGod？’
FromtheseverysublimedoctrinestheStoics，oratleastsomeoftheStoics，attemptedtodeducealltheirparadoxes。
TheStoicalwisemanendeavouredtoenterintotheviewsofthegreatSuperintendantoftheuniverse，andtoseethingsinthesamelightinwhichthatdivineBeingbeheldthem。But，tothegreatSuperintendantoftheuniverse，allthedifferenteventswhichthecourseofhisprovidencemaybringforth，whattousappearthesmallestandthegreatest，theburstingofabubble，asMrPopesays，andthatofaworld，forexample，wereperfectlyequal，wereequallypartsofthatgreatchainwhichhehadpredestinedfromalleternity，wereequallytheeffectsofthesameunerringwisdom，ofthesameuniversalandboundlessbenevolence。TotheStoicalwiseman，inthesamemanner，allthosedifferenteventswereperfectlyequal。Inthecourseofthoseevents，indeed，alittledepartment，inwhichhehadhimselfsomelittlemanagementanddirection，hadbeenassignedtohim。Inthisdepartmentheendeavouredtoactasproperlyashecould，andtoconducthimselfaccordingtothoseorderswhich，heunderstood，hadbeenprescribedtohim。Buthetooknoanxiousorpassionateconcerneitherinthesuccess，orinthedisappointmentofhisownmostfaithfulendeavours。Thehighestprosperityandthetotaldestructionofthatlittledepartment，ofthatlittlesystemwhichhadbeeninsomemeasurecommittedtohischarge，wereperfectlyindifferenttohim。Ifthoseeventshaddependeduponhim，hewouldhavechosentheone，andhewouldhaverejectedtheother。Butastheydidnotdependuponhim，hetrustedtoasuperiorwisdom，andwasperfectlysatisfiedthattheeventwhichhappened，whateveritmightbe，wastheveryeventwhichhehimself，hadheknownalltheconnectionsanddependenciesofthings，wouldmostearnestlyanddevoutlyhavewishedfor。Whateverhedidundertheinfluenceanddirectionofthoseprincipleswasequallyperfect；andwhenhestretchedouthisfinger，togivetheexamplewhichtheycommonlymadeuseof，heperformedanactionineveryrespectasmeritorious，asworthyofpraiseandadmiration，aswhenhelaiddownhislifefortheserviceofhiscountry。As，tothegreatSuperintendantoftheuniverse，thegreatestandthesmallestexertionsofhispower，theformationanddissolutionofaworld，theformationanddissolutionofabubble，wereequallyeasy，wereequallyadmirable，andequallytheeffectsofthesamedivinewisdomandbenevolence；so，totheStoicalwiseman，whatwewouldcallthegreatactionrequirednomoreexertionthanthelittleone，wasequallyeasy，proceededfromexactlythesameprinciples，wasinnorespectmoremeritorious，norworthyofanyhigherdegreeofpraiseandadmiration。
