All Things To All Men: Philodemus’ Model of Therapy and the Audience of de Morte

Abstract

Philodemus’ De Morte is clearly addressed (unlike most of his more technical treatises) to a mixed audience, containing Epicureans and members of other philosophical sects and non-philosophers alike. It is epideictic at least in the sense that it shows what Epicureanism can do to combat the fear of death, and though it is undeviating and merciless in its insistence that death is the end, it is undogmatic about other points that Epicureanism taught just as firmly, and refers to other philosophers and even figures in ancient history who were not philosophers as heroic examples of fearlessness on a par with the standard heroes of the school like Metrodorus and Epicurus. As well, the treatise takes seriously and sympathetically the more natural fears of humanity confronted with death—probably at least partly because of the tactics necessary in addressing a mixed audience—and if studied seriously along with the more familiar sayings of Epicurus and Lucretius on death would necessitate a radical revision of the criticisms of their approach in modern secondary literature as unsympathetic and facilely eudaimonistic.