Cowards Die Many a Time before Their Death
This Famous Quotation :
“Cowards die many a time before their death The Valiant never taste of death but once”
This occurs in Shakespeare’s play, ‘Julius Caesar’. It is a part of a speech by Caesar in reply to his wife Calpurnia’s warning that he should not move out of doors because some evil omens suggest some danger to his life. Caesar refuses to be disturbed by superstitions and says that death is no terror for him. He is not afraid of death. He declares that the idea of death can disturb only cowards. He is brave and thinks that only cowards are moved by the fear of death. Death comes to all the kings and the beggars, the rich and the poor, the princes and the paupers, the virtuous and the wicked. It lays its icy hands on all creatures, without any distinction or discrimination. It is a folly to be afraid of death. People turn pale at the thought of death. Even religious people who know that death would definitely come and that it would come at the predetermined time, are afraid of death.
Cowards are unable to face dangerous situations. As they are not prepared for the difficult times, they are overcome by mortal fear and run away from all dangers. Hence it has rightly been said that cowards die several times before death. Death is an inevitable and integral part of man’s life. While a brave man lives life to the fullest and dies a contented man, a coward runs away from all dangers by killing his conscience, equating his disgraceful exit to death.
Human life is full of risks and dangers one is exposed to dangers when one is at home or at the workplace or even during commuting. The traffic on the road has become so unruly and chaotic that crossing the road itself sometimes poses a great threat to life. Moreover, bomb blasts in the public transport system also create panic among people. But a brave person does not let these dangers dampen his spirits and hamper his daily activities. He lives life to the hilt and is adventurous enough to risk his life to achieve his goals. A coward, on the other hand, sits and broods and, as a consequence, depresses himself and all those who are associated with him.
Death has undone so many but has death succeeded in killing the spirit or name of all, those who die in a great cause, never die. They continue to live forever. What has death done to Gandhi, Napoleon, Subhash, Bhagat Singh, and so many other brave persons? Death could kill their bodies alone. Their spirit still lives amongst us. Even a mention of their names inspires us to face death courageously when it comes.
A brave man confronts dangers badly without yielding. In doing so, he gains self-confidence and earns self-respect. Every year the nation gives bravery awards to children who display exemplary courage and save the lives of those in danger. The children earn fame, glory, and national acclaim because they do not ponder over the thought of risking their own lives for others. Bravely knows no age.
The brave do not waste their valuable time in brooding over matters but believe in action. They live in the present and know no fear of the future. Their display of bravery enables them to live life to the fullest. They enjoy life because they accept each day as it approaches rather than worrying about bright prospects or ill prospects in the future. The cowards, on the other hand, are unable to live in the present. They either brood over the past or remain pessimistic about the future. Fear of the future leads them to inaction and makes them depressed. This makes them lose their self-respect. They blame others for their inaction and their condition. In the process, neither they enjoy life nor do the people associated with them find solace in them. Every grave situation remains not a do-or-die situation for them, but only a die-situation because they don’t believe in action. A brave man lives an immortal life, but a coward dies not once, but several times.
Death is not a dreadful monster. It is something natural and necessary. Death is inevitable and no fear of death, no self-pity can alter the fact. Death rather increases the importance of life. It is, therefore, meaning to go about life in perpetual fear of death. A brave person never dies whereas a coward dies every day of his existence.
