The theme of death in De Rerum Natura by Lucretius what fate, on land or sea, would strike him down” (Lucretius, “Death”, 150). This idea of death in the mind of a Stoic is predetermined. This is something that cannot be changed. You will achieve your goal because it is intrinsically yours and cannot be influenced. Whereas, in keeping with Epicurean thought, Lucretius urges us to realize that it does not matter what evils you face in life and by what fate you meet your end, as long as you pursue your highest good, happiness. Without life, you can never have the potential that existence brings. Life involves difficulties for man and “he must be there, / himself, to feel his evil, but since death / removes this chance, and by injunction stops / all riot of misfortunes against our state” (Lucretius , “Death”, 151). This promise of serenity in death is the Epicurean promise, and it reveals that death will be the point where you will come closest to your ultimate and highest happiness, which would be completely impossible without first living and experiencing evils due to death.

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