What a noble thing is the soul ready for its release from the body, if now must be the time, and prepared for whatever follows - extinction, dispersal, or survival! But this readiness must come from a specific decision: not in mere revolt, like the Christians, but thoughtful, dignified, and - if others are to believe it - undramatic.
Chapter 2 is a perfect example of one way to apply the discipline of assent. We should not allow ourselves to be allured and fascinated by life and the things in life. To strip them of the appeal, we can deconstruct them into their parts. Once we have deconstructed things, we then give ourselves the space to make a proper judgement of the thing or the event. Once given that space or gap, we can then choose which moral virtue we should exercise.
Marcus provides a few examples in music, dance, and the sport of wrestling. If you break the whole of it into parts, the allure is greatly diminished. Once you do this, you may ask, "should I be overcome by this single note? This wrestling move? This dance move?" This exercise should break the allure. Do this with everything, except virtue. As you do this, you will soon discover you despise things that don't matter.
As for death, we must always be mentally prepared for it. How sad to see frenzy at death. How distinct and noble to meet death as an old friend.
(see also Citadel p. 133, 165, 272)
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