The afterlife

Explore 26 quotes about The afterlife

To be or not to be—that is the question:
Whether ’tis nobler in the mind to suffer
The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,
Or to take arms against a sea of troubles
And, by opposing, end them. To die, to sleep—
No more—and by a sleep to say we end
The heartache and the thousand natural shocks
That flesh is heir to—’tis a consummation
Devoutly to be wished. To die, to sleep—
To sleep, perchance to dream. Ay, there’s the rub,
For in that sleep of death what dreams may come,
When we have shuffled off this mortal coil,
Must give us pause.

William Shakespeare

Hamlet

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Topic

Suicide The afterlife

Speaker

Hamlet

Author

William Shakespeare

Source

Hamlet

Medium

Play

Genre

Tragedy (play)

Language

English

Time

1616 1610s 17th century

Era

European Renaissance

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Shakespeare, William. "Hamlet." Mr. William Shakespeare's Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies. London: Edward Blount and William and Isaac Jaggard, 1623, act 3, sc. 1.

Current Citation

Shakespeare, William. "Hamlet." The Norton Shakespeare, edited by Stephen Greenblatt, et al., 3rd ed., W. W. Norton & Company, 2015, act 3, sc. 1.

We always imagine eternity as something beyond our conception, something vast. But why must it be vast? Instead of all that, what if it’s one little room, like a bath house in the country, black and grimy and spiders in every corner, and that’s all eternity is?

Fyodor Dostoevsky

Crime and Punishment

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Topic

Eternity The afterlife

Speaker

Svidrigaïlov

Author

Fyodor Dostoevsky

Source

Crime and Punishment

Medium

Novel

Language

Russian

Time

1866 1860s 19th century

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Dostoyevsky, Feodor. Преступленіе и наказаніе [Crime and Punishment]. The Russian Messenger, Jan. 1866 - Dec. 1866, monthly serial.

Current Citation

Dostoyevsky, Fyodor. Crime and Punishment, translated and edited by Michael R. Katz. W. W. Norton & Company, 2018.

We shall find peace. We shall hear the angels, we shall see the sky sparkling with diamonds.

Anton Chekhov

Uncle Vanya

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Topic

Heaven The afterlife

Speaker

Sonya

Author

Anton Chekhov

Source

Uncle Vanya

Medium

Play

Language

Russian

Time

1898 1890s 19th century

Authentication Score 3

Original Citation

Chekhov, Anton. Dyadya Vanya. 1897, act 4.

Current Citation

Chekhov, Anton. "Uncle Vanya." Plays: Ivanov; The Seagull' Uncle Vanya; Three Sisters; The Cherry Orchard, translated by Peter Carson. Penguin Classics, 2002, act 4.

We sometimes congratulate ourselves at the moment of waking from a troubled dream; it may be so the moment after death.

Nathaniel Hawthorne

The Scarlet Letter

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Topic

The afterlife

Author

Nathaniel Hawthorne

Source

The Scarlet Letter

Medium

Novel

Language

English

Time

1836 1830s 19th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Hawthorne, Nathaniel. Notebook entry. 25 Oct. 1836.

Do not stand at my grave and weep,
I am not there, I do not sleep.

Clare Harner

Immortality

More information about this quote

Topic

Immortality The afterlife

Author

Clare Harner

Source

Immortality

Medium

Poem

Language

English

Time

1934 1930s 20th century

Authentication Score 1

Citation

Harner, Clare. "Immortality." The Gypsy, Dec. 1934.

To fear death, my friends, is only to think ourselves wise, without being wise: for it is to think that we know what we do not know.

Socrates

Quoted in Apology, by Plato

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Topic

Fear of death The unknown Ignorance Death The afterlife

Speaker

Socrates

Author

Plato

Source

Apology

Medium

Courtroom speech Speech

Genre

Philosophical literature

Language

Greek

Time

399 BC 390s BC 4th century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Plato. Ἀπολογία Σωκράτους [Apology of Socrates]. Speech of legal self-defence which Socrates spoke at his trial for impiety and corruption. 399 BC, Athens, Greece.

Current Citation

Plato. "Apology." Plato: Euthyphro; Apology; Crito; Phaedo, translated by Christopher Emlyn-Jones and William Preddy. Harvard University Press, 2017.

Either death is a state of nothingness and utter unconsciousness, or, as men say, there is a change and migration of the soul from this world to another. Now if death be of such a nature, I say that to die is to gain; for eternity is then only a single night.

Socrates

Quoted in Apology, by Plato

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Topic

The unknown Death The afterlife

Speaker

Socrates

Author

Plato

Source

Apology

Genre

Philosophical literature

Language

Greek

Time

339 BC 330s BC 4th century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Plato. Ἀπολογία Σωκράτους [Apology of Socrates]. Speech of legal self-defence which Socrates spoke at his trial for impiety and corruption. 399 BC, Athens, Greece.

Current Citation

Plato. "Apology." Plato: Euthyphro; Apology; Crito; Phaedo, translated by Christopher Emlyn-Jones and William Preddy. Harvard University Press, 2017.

For I know that my Redeemer lives, And He shall stand at last on the earth; And after my skin is destroyed, this I know, That in my flesh I shall see God.

Job

Job 19:25-26 KJV

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Topic

The afterlife Victory over death Resurrection

Speaker

Job

Source

Book of Job The Bible

Medium

Scripture

Genre

Religious literature

Language

Hebrew

Time

500 BC 500s BC 6th century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 3

Citation

The Holy Bible, New King James Version. Thomas Nelson, 1982. (Job 19:25-26).

In this world, a man, himself, is nothing. And there ain't no world but this one.

The Thin Red Line

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Topic

The human condition Insignificance of the individual The afterlife

Speaker

1st Sgt. Welsh

Actor

Sean Penn

Source

The Thin Red Line

Medium

Film

Genre

Epic (film) War (film) Epic War

Language

English

Time

1998 1990s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

The Thin Red Line. Directed by Terrence Malick, Fox 2000 Pictures/Phoenix Pictures/Geisler-Roberdeau, 1998.

Tell me not, in mournful numbers,
Life is but an empty dream!
For the soul is dead that slumbers,
And things are not what they seem.
Life is real! Life is earnest!
And the grave is not its goal;
Dust thou art, to dust returnest,
Was not spoken of the soul.

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

The Knickerbocker

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Topic

The soul The afterlife Life Death

Author

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Source

A Psalm of Life The Knickerbocker

Medium

Poem Magazine

Language

English

Time

1838 1830s 19th century

Authentication Score 3

Original Citation

Longfellow, Henry Wadsworth, [published anonymously]. "A Psalm of Life." The Knickerbocker. New York: Lewis Gaylord Clark, Oct. 1838, I. 1.

Current Citation

Longfellow, Henry Wadsworth. "A Psalm of Life." Henry Wadsworth Longfellow: Poems and Other Writings, edited by J. D. McClatchy. Library of America, 2000, I. 1.

The dead praise not the Lord, neither any that go down into silence.

Psalm 115:17

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Topic

The afterlife Death Oblivion

Source

Psalms The Bible

Medium

Scripture

Genre

Religious literature

Language

Hebrew

Time

450 BC 450s BC 5th century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 3

Citation

The Holy Bible: The King James Version. 1611. (Psalm 115:17).

I that have not your faith, how shall I know
That in the blinding light beyond the grave
We’ll find so good a thing as that we have lost?

W.B. Yeats

More information about this quote

Topic

The afterlife Death Life

Author

W.B. Yeats

Source

King and No King

Medium

Poem

Language

English

Time

1910 1910s 20th century

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Yeats, William Butler. "King and No King." The Green Helmet and Other Poems. The Cuala Press, 1910.

Current Citation

Yeats, William Butler. "King and No King." Yeats's Poetry, Drama and Prose. W. W. Norton & Company, 2000.

There is no one who returns from beyond
that he may tell of their state
that he may tell of their lot
that he may set our hearts at ease
until we make our journey
to the place where they have gone.

Harper's Songs

More information about this quote

Topic

Mystery of death The afterlife Death

Source

Harper's Songs

Medium

Inscription Poem

Language

Egyptian

Time

1700 BC 1700s BC 18th century BC

Authentication Score 0

Citation

"Lay of the Harper" Tomb of King Intef. El-Tarif, Luxor, Egypt. c. 2613.

The undiscovered country from whose bourn
No traveler returns, puzzles the will
And makes us rather bear those ills we have
Than fly to others that we know not of?

William Shakespeare

Hamlet

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Topic

Mystery of death Death The afterlife

Speaker

Hamlet

Author

William Shakespeare

Source

Hamlet

Medium

Play

Genre

Tragedy (play)

Language

English

Time

1616 1610s 17th century

Era

European Renaissance

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Shakespeare, William. "Hamlet." Mr. William Shakespeare's Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies. London: Edward Blount and William and Isaac Jaggard, 1623, act 3, sc. 1.

Current Citation

Shakespeare, William. "Hamlet." The Norton Shakespeare, edited by Stephen Greenblatt, et al., 3rd ed., W. W. Norton & Company, 2015, act 3, sc. 1.

For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

Apostle Paul

Romans 8:18

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Topic

The afterlife

Author

Apostle Paul

Source

Romans The Bible

Medium

Scripture

Genre

Religious literature

Language

Greek

Time

56 50s 1st century

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 3

Citation

The Holy Bible: The King James Version. 1611. (Romans 8:18).

Ay, but to die, and go we know not where,
To lie in cold obstruction and to rot,
This sensible warm motion to become
A kneaded clod; and the delighted spirit
To bathe in fiery floods, or to reside
In thrilling region of thick-ribbed ice.

William Shakespeare

Measure for Measure

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Topic

The afterlife

Speaker

Claudio

Author

William Shakespeare

Source

Measure for Measure

Medium

Play

Genre

Comedy (play)

Language

English

Time

1616 1610s 17th century

Era

European Renaissance

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Shakespeare, William. "Measure for Measure." Mr. William Shakespeare's Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies. London: Edward Blount and William and Isaac Jaggard, 1623, act 3, sc. 1.

Current Citation

Shakespeare, William. "Measure for Measure." The Norton Shakespeare, edited by Stephen Greenblatt, et al., 3rd ed., W. W. Norton & Company, 2015, act 3, sc. 1.

But already it is time to depart, for me to die, for you to go on living; which of us takes the better course, is not known to anyone except God.

Socrates

Quoted in Apology, by Plato

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Topic

Mystery of death The afterlife

Speaker

Socrates

Author

Plato

Source

Apology

Medium

Courtroom speech Speech

Genre

Philosophical literature

Language

Greek

Time

399 BC 390s BC 4th century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Plato. Ἀπολογία Σωκράτους [Apology of Socrates]. Speech of legal self-defence which Socrates spoke at his trial for impiety and corruption. 399 BC, Athens, Greece.

Current Citation

Plato. "Apology." Plato: Euthyphro; Apology; Crito; Phaedo, translated by Christopher Emlyn-Jones and William Preddy. Harvard University Press, 2017.

The immortals will send you to the Elysian plain at the ends of the earth, where fair-haired Rhadamanthys is. There life is supremely easy for men. No snow is there, nor ever heavy winter storm, nor rain, and Ocean is ever sending gusts of the clear-blowing west wind to bring coolness to men.

Homer

The Odyssey

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Topic

Elysian Fields The afterlife

Author

Homer

Source

The Odyssey

Medium

Poem

Genre

Epic poem

Language

Greek

Time

700 BC 700s BC 8th century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Homer. Ὀδύσσεια [Odyssey]. c. 710 BC, bk. 4, l. 563-568.

Current Citation

Homer. The Odyssey, edited by Bernard Knox, translated by Robert Fagles. Penguin Classics, 2006, bk. 4, l. 563-568.

It is perfectly certain that the soul is immortal and imperishable, and our souls will actually exist in another world.

Socrates

Quoted in Phaedo, by Plato

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Topic

The soul The afterlife

Speaker

Socrates

Author

Plato

Source

Phaedo

Medium

Philosophical dialogue Dialogue

Genre

Philosophical literature

Language

Greek

Time

347 BC 340s BC 4th century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Socrates. Quoted in Φαίδων [Phaedo], written by Plato. c. 360 BC.

Current Citation

Socrates. Quoted in "Phaedo." Plato: Five Dialogues: Euthyphro, Apology, Crito, Meno, Phaedo, written by Plato, translated by G. M. A. Grube and John M. Cooper. Hackett Publishing, 2002.

The present life is naught but a diversion and a sport; surely the Last Abode is Life, did they but know.

Muhammad

The Quran

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Topic

The afterlife Temporal vs. eternal

Speaker

Muhammad

Source

The Quran

Medium

Scripture

Genre

Religious literature

Language

Arabic

Time

632 630s 7th century

Authentication Score 1

Original Citation

The Quran. c. 630, 29:61.

Current Citation

The Quran, translated by M. A. S. Abdel Haleem. Oxford University Press, 2005, ch. 29.