"She kept her poise, even facing the dread altar, and knew that the ceremony was her death, even as Neoptolemus held sword to strike, and as her eyes met his, she said distinctly, 'Now is the time to take my gentle blood. Your sword has choice of either throat or breast.' Then she offered her throat and breast to him, we may be sure that she'd be no man's servant."
- "The Sacrifice of Polyxena" Metamorphoses
Death.
What would we do if death was staring straight at us? A gun to our foreheads, impending torture, a disease we can't cure. What would we do?
I've always wondered how I would react in that situation if it ever arose. If I could keep calm, and hold my wits about me and not melt into a slobbering mess of tears and fear. I would hope that I could be strong enough to embrace what was coming with grace and poise. That passage above moved me so much because I think that is what we'd all like to be like, wouldn't it? Defiance in the face of something you really have no control over?
Sure, she could have jumped off of the pyre and tried to run - which would have been pointless because the Greeks would have dragged her kicking and screaming back. Her honor was her armor. It's not about the dying - it's about how you die.
This may seem like a morbid topic, but honestly, are there any of us who don't wonder about dying? It's easy for me to say right now that I'm not afraid of it. I'm not. At least, not for myself. But the idea of losing some of the people I hold dearest,as I nearly experienced last fall, is terrifying to me.
Would I be able to be like Polyxena? I truly hope so.
"Death is the Mother of Beauty, once you understand her for what She is."
- Dr. Sexson.
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