Any relic of the dead is precious, if they were valued living.
—Emily Bronte (1818–48) English Novelist, Poet
Every man is born as many men and dies as a single one.
—Martin Heidegger (1889–1976) German Existential Philosopher
Death is nature’s way of saying, Your table’s ready.
—Robin Williams (b.1951) American Actor, Comedian
I submit to you that if a man has not discovered something that he will die for, he isn’t fit to live.
—Martin Luther King, Jr. (1929–68) American Civil Rights Leader, Clergyman
Madam, Life’s a piece in bloom death goes dogging everywhere: She’s the tenant of the room he’s the ruffian on the stair.
—William Ernest Henley (1849–1903) English Poet, Critic, Editor
The death of what’s dead is the birth of what’s living.
—Arlo Guthrie (b.1947) American Singer, Songwriter
It hath often been said that it is not death but dying that is terrible.
—Henry Fielding (1707–54) English Novelist, Dramatist
Life is not lost by dying; life is lost minute by minute, day by dragging day, in all the thousand small uncaring ways.
—Stephen Vincent Benet (1898–1943) American Poet
Death never takes the wise man by surprise; he is always ready to go.
—Jean de La Fontaine (1621–95) French Poet, Short Story Writer
Is death the last step? No, it is the final awakening.
—Walter Scott (1771–1832) Scottish Novelist, Poet, Playwright, Lawyer
If we really think that home is elsewhere and that this life is a “wandering to find home,” why should we not look forward to the arrival?
—C. S. Lewis (1898–1963) Irish-born British Novelist
Death teaches us to live; it gives us a boundary to map our living within. Death’s hammer breaks through the mirror separating us from light.
—David Seltzer (b.1940) American Screenwriter, Film Producer, Film Director
The grave’s a fine and private place, but none, I think, do there embrace.
—Andrew Marvell (1621–78) English Poet
He has gone over to the majority.
—Petronius Roman Courtier, Novelist
Death is a distant rumor to the young.
—Andy Rooney (b.1919) American Writer, Humorist, TV Personality
Death may be the King of terrors… but Jesus is the King of kings!
—Dwight L. Moody (1837–99) Christian Religious Leader, Publisher
I have a piece of great and sad news to tell you: I am dead.
—Jean Cocteau (1889–1963) French Poet, Novelist, Dramatist, Playwright, Artist
Only the young die good.
—Oliver Herford (1863–1935) American Writer, Artist, Illustrator
Let death be daily before your eyes, and you will never entertain any abject thought, nor too eagerly covet anything.
—Epictetus (55–135) Ancient Greek Philosopher
To die will be an awfully big adventure.
—J. M. Barrie (1860–1937) Scottish Novelist, Dramatist, Author
Once the game is over, the king and the pawn go back into the same box.
—Italian Proverb
Either he’s dead or my watch has stopped.
—Groucho Marx (1890–1977) American Actor, Comedian, Singer
I never wanted to see anybody die, but there are a few obituary notices I have read with pleasure.
—Clarence Darrow (1857–1938) American Lawyer
We say that the hour of death cannot be forecast, but when we say this we imagine that hour as placed in an obscure and distant future. It never occurs to us that it has any connection with the day already begun or that death could arrive this same afternoon, this afternoon which is so certain and which has every hour filled in advance.
—Marcel Proust (1871–1922) French Novelist
When I die, I want people to play my music, go wild and freak out and do anything they want to do.
—Jimi Hendrix (1942–70) American Musician, Songwriter, Singer
We begin to die as soon as we are born, and the end is linked to the beginning.
—Marcus Manilius Roman Poet, Astrologer
Let no man fear to die, we love to sleep all, and death is but the sounder sleep.
—Francis Beaumont (1584–1616) English Dramatist
Man is a noble animal, splendid in ashes, and pompous in the grave.
—Thomas Browne (1605–82) English Christian Author, Mystic
The pride of dying rich raises the loudest laugh in hell.
—John W. Foster
I’d rather die while I’m living than live while I’m dead.
—Jimmy Buffett (b.1946) American Children’s Books Writer, Musician, Author
This world is a dream within a dream; and as we grow older, each step is an awakening. The youth awakes, as he thinks, from childhood; the full-grown man despises the pursuits of youth as visionary; and the old man looks on manhood as a feverish dream. Death the last sleep? No! It is the last and final awakening!
—Walter Scott (1771–1832) Scottish Novelist, Poet, Playwright, Lawyer
Some dying men are the most tyrannical; and certainly, since they will shortly trouble us so little for evermore, the poor fellows ought to be indulged.
—Herman Melville (1819–91) American Novelist, Short Story Writer, Essayist, Poet
Just like those who are incurably ill, the aged know everything about their dying except exactly when.
—Philip Roth (1933–2018) American Novelist, Short Story Writer
Death is not the greatest loss in life. The greatest loss is what dies inside us while we live.
—Norman Cousins (1915–90) American Journalist, Author, Academic, Activist
I’m trying to die correctly, but it’s very difficult, you know.
—Lawrence Durrell (1912–90) British Biographer, Poet, Playwright, Novelist
Since the day of my birth, my death began its walk. It is walking toward me, without hurrying.
—Jean Cocteau (1889–1963) French Poet, Novelist, Dramatist, Playwright, Artist
Death destroys a man, the idea of Death saves him.
—E. M. Forster (1879–1970) English Novelist, Short Story Writer, Essayist
Only those are fit to live who are not afraid to die.
—Douglas MacArthur (1880–1964) American Military Leader
Death is as sure for that which is born, as birth is for that which is dead. Therefore grieve not for what is inevitable.
—The Bhagavad Gita Hindu Scripture
Despise not death, but welcome it, for nature wills it like all else.
—Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Augustus (121–80)
A man’s death makes everything certain about him. Of course, secrets may die with him. And of course, a hundred years later somebody looking through some papers may discover a fact which throws a totally different light on his life and of which all the people who attended his funeral were ignorant. Death changes the facts qualitatively but not quantitatively. One does not know more facts about a man because he is dead. But what one already knows hardens and becomes definite. We cannot hope for ambiguities to be clarified, we cannot hope for further change, we cannot hope for more. We are now the protagonists and we have to make up our minds.
—John Berger (1926–2017) English Art Critic, Novelist