Summary
Montaigne explores the ancient wisdom that we can't call anyone truly happy until they've died—because fortune has a cruel habit of destroying everything in a single moment. He opens with the famous story of King Croesus, who learned this lesson the hard way when he went from wealthy ruler to condemned prisoner. The philosopher Solon had warned him that no one should be considered fortunate until they've safely crossed life's finish line. Montaigne then catalogs a parade of historical figures who seemed to have it all—kings, conquerors, queens—only to meet devastating ends. Alexander the Great's successors became common laborers, mighty Pompey died begging for mercy, and even the most beautiful queen in Europe faced the executioner's block. But Montaigne goes deeper than just warning about fortune's fickleness. He argues that death is the ultimate test of character—the moment when all pretense falls away and we discover what someone is really made of. Throughout life, people can fake wisdom, courage, and virtue when times are easy. But facing death strips away all masks and reveals the truth. He's seen both saints and sinners die, and their final moments often surprised everyone. The chapter serves as both a reality check about life's uncertainty and a call to focus on developing genuine character rather than chasing external success. Montaigne reminds us that how we handle life's final test matters more than all our earlier achievements combined.
Coming Up in Chapter 19
If death is life's ultimate teacher, then perhaps we should become students of mortality. Montaigne next explores how studying philosophy—which he calls learning to die—can transform how we live every single day.
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An excerpt from the original text.(~500 words)
THAT MEN ARE NOT TO JUDGE OF OUR HAPPINESS TILL AFTER DEATH. [Charron has borrowed with unusual liberality from this and the succeeding chapter. See Nodier, Questions, p. 206.] “Scilicet ultima semper Exspectanda dies homini est; dicique beatus Ante obitum nemo supremaque funera debet.” [“We should all look forward to our last day: no one can be called happy till he is dead and buried.”--Ovid, Met, iii. 135] The very children know the story of King Croesus to this purpose, who being taken prisoner by Cyrus, and by him condemned to die, as he was going to execution cried out, “O Solon, Solon!” which being presently reported to Cyrus, and he sending to inquire of him what it meant, Croesus gave him to understand that he now found the teaching Solon had formerly given him true to his cost; which was, “That men, however fortune may smile upon them, could never be said to be happy till they had been seen to pass over the last day of their lives,” by reason of the uncertainty and mutability of human things, which, upon very light and trivial occasions, are subject to be totally changed into a quite contrary condition. And so it was that Agesilaus made answer to one who was saying what a happy young man the King of Persia was, to come so young to so mighty a kingdom: “‘Tis true,” said he, “but neither was Priam unhappy at his years.”--[Plutarch, Apothegms of the Lacedaemonians.]--In a short time, kings of Macedon, successors to that mighty Alexander, became joiners and scriveners at Rome; a tyrant of Sicily, a pedant at Corinth; a conqueror of one-half of the world and general of so many armies, a miserable suppliant to the rascally officers of a king of Egypt: so much did the prolongation of five or six months of life cost the great Pompey; and, in our fathers’ days, Ludovico Sforza, the tenth Duke of Milan, whom all Italy had so long truckled under, was seen to die a wretched prisoner at Loches, but not till he had lived ten years in captivity,--[He was imprisoned by Louis XI. in an iron cage]-- which was the worst part of his fortune. The fairest of all queens, --[Mary, Queen of Scots.]--widow to the greatest king in Europe, did she not come to die by the hand of an executioner? Unworthy and barbarous cruelty! And a thousand more examples there are of the same kind; for it seems that as storms and tempests have a malice against the proud and overtowering heights of our lofty buildings, there are also spirits above that are envious of the greatnesses here below: “Usque adeo res humanas vis abdita quaedam Obterit, et pulchros fasces, saevasque secures Proculcare, ac ludibrio sibi habere videtur.” [“So true it is that some occult power upsets human affairs, the glittering fasces and the cruel axes spurns under foot, and seems to make sport of them.”--Lucretius, v. 1231.] And it should seem, also, that Fortune...
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Intelligence Amplifier™ Analysis
The Road of Final Judgment - Why Character Reveals Itself Under Pressure
People's true character only emerges under maximum stress, making comfortable-times behavior a poor predictor of crisis-times behavior.
Why This Matters
Connect literature to life
This chapter teaches how to evaluate people's true nature by observing their behavior when they face stress, loss, or difficult choices.
Practice This Today
This week, notice how colleagues handle small inconveniences or minor setbacks—their reactions reveal how they'll behave when facing real pressure.
Now let's explore the literary elements.
Terms to Know
Fortune's wheel
The ancient concept that luck and circumstances constantly turn like a wheel - those on top inevitably fall, while those at the bottom may rise. Montaigne uses this to explain why we can't judge happiness until death.
Modern Usage:
We see this in how quickly celebrities fall from grace, or how economic crashes can wipe out seemingly secure families overnight.
Stoic philosophy
A school of thought that emphasized controlling your reactions rather than your circumstances. Montaigne draws on Stoic ideas about accepting life's uncertainty and focusing on character over external success.
Modern Usage:
Modern therapy techniques like CBT use similar principles - you can't control what happens, but you can control how you respond.
Classical exempla
The Renaissance practice of using historical examples to prove moral points. Montaigne lists famous figures who fell from grace to show that no one is immune to life's reversals.
Modern Usage:
Business schools still use case studies of failed companies to teach lessons about overconfidence and poor planning.
Memento mori
Latin for 'remember you will die' - the practice of keeping mortality in mind to maintain perspective. Montaigne argues this awareness helps us focus on what truly matters.
Modern Usage:
People who survive near-death experiences often report similar shifts in priorities, focusing more on relationships than achievements.
Moral testing
Montaigne's belief that extreme situations, especially facing death, reveal someone's true character better than comfortable circumstances ever could.
Modern Usage:
We see this in how people respond to crises like natural disasters or pandemics - some rise to the occasion while others crumble.
Vanitas
The idea that worldly achievements and possessions are ultimately meaningless because death makes all earthly success temporary. This concept influenced much Renaissance art and literature.
Modern Usage:
Social media often reflects this - people curating perfect lives online while struggling with deeper questions of meaning and purpose.
Characters in This Chapter
King Croesus
Tragic example
The wealthy king who ignored Solon's wisdom about not counting anyone happy until death, only to lose everything when captured by Cyrus. His story opens Montaigne's argument about fortune's unpredictability.
Modern Equivalent:
The overconfident CEO who ignores warnings about market changes
Solon
Wise mentor
The Greek sage who warned Croesus that no one should be called happy until their final day, because fortune can destroy everything in an instant. His wisdom proves prophetic.
Modern Equivalent:
The experienced advisor who warns against counting your chickens before they hatch
Cyrus
Agent of fortune
The Persian king who conquers Croesus, demonstrating how quickly power can shift. He represents the external forces that can upend anyone's life regardless of their previous success.
Modern Equivalent:
The disruptive competitor who destroys established businesses
Pompey
Fallen hero
The great Roman general who ended up begging for his life, showing how even military genius and political power offer no protection against life's reversals.
Modern Equivalent:
The once-powerful politician reduced to scandal and disgrace
Alexander's successors
Cautionary tale
The generals who inherited pieces of Alexander's empire but ended up as common laborers, illustrating how inherited advantages can disappear within a generation.
Modern Equivalent:
The trust fund kids who lose everything through poor choices
Key Quotes & Analysis
"We should all look forward to our last day: no one can be called happy till he is dead and buried."
Context: Montaigne opens with this classical wisdom to establish his central argument
This quote captures the essay's core insight that life's uncertainty makes any declaration of happiness premature. Only death provides the final verdict on whether someone truly lived well.
In Today's Words:
Don't count your blessings too early - life can flip the script right up until the end.
"O Solon, Solon!"
Context: Croesus cries this out as he's about to be executed, finally understanding the sage's earlier warning
This desperate cry shows the moment when abstract wisdom becomes painful reality. Croesus finally grasps that his wealth and power were never guarantees of lasting happiness.
In Today's Words:
I should have listened to the warning signs.
"Death is the ultimate test of character - the moment when all pretense falls away."
Context: Montaigne explains why he believes we can't truly judge someone until they face their final moments
This reveals Montaigne's belief that extreme circumstances strip away social masks and reveal authentic character. Easy times allow people to fake virtues they don't really possess.
In Today's Words:
You don't know what someone's really made of until they're tested under pressure.
Thematic Threads
Class
In This Chapter
Kings and nobles face the same character tests as commoners when stripped of power and privilege
Development
Montaigne continues dismantling class hierarchies by showing that noble birth provides no protection against character flaws
In Your Life:
Your supervisor's fancy title means nothing if they crumble under pressure and throw you under the bus
Identity
In This Chapter
Death becomes the ultimate revealer of authentic self versus performed self
Development
Building on earlier chapters about self-knowledge, now focusing on how crisis strips away false identities
In Your Life:
The person you think you are might be very different from who you become when everything falls apart
Social Expectations
In This Chapter
Society's judgments about success and happiness prove meaningless when fortune changes
Development
Extends previous criticism of social status by showing how quickly public opinion shifts with circumstances
In Your Life:
The coworkers who praise you during good times might be the first to gossip when you face problems
Personal Growth
In This Chapter
True character development requires preparing for life's inevitable tests and reversals
Development
Montaigne shifts from describing human nature to prescribing how to build genuine resilience
In Your Life:
You can't build real strength by avoiding challenges—you need to practice integrity when the stakes are low
Human Relationships
In This Chapter
People reveal their true loyalty and character only when helping you costs them something
Development
Introduced here as a lens for evaluating the authenticity of relationships
In Your Life:
Your real friends are the ones who show up when you're struggling, not just when you're celebrating
You now have the context. Time to form your own thoughts.
Discussion Questions
- 1
Why does Montaigne say we can't judge if someone lived a good life until after they die?
analysis • surface - 2
What does the story of King Croesus teach us about the difference between seeming successful and actually being successful?
analysis • medium - 3
Think about someone in your life who seemed trustworthy until they faced real pressure. What changed about their behavior?
application • medium - 4
How could you use small stresses as 'character tests' before trusting someone with bigger responsibilities?
application • deep - 5
What does this chapter suggest about the difference between performing virtue and actually having virtue?
reflection • deep
Critical Thinking Exercise
The Pressure Test Audit
Think of three people in your life who hold some power over your well-being - a boss, family member, or friend. For each person, write down how they act during normal times versus how they behave when facing stress, deadlines, or conflict. Look for patterns in their behavior under pressure.
Consider:
- •Focus on actual behaviors you've witnessed, not assumptions
- •Consider both small pressures (busy day, minor conflict) and larger ones (job stress, family crisis)
- •Notice if their values stay consistent or shift when stakes get higher
Journaling Prompt
Write about a time when you discovered someone's true character under pressure. How did this change your relationship with them, and what did it teach you about evaluating people?
Coming Up Next...
Chapter 19: Learning to Die Well
Moving forward, we'll examine contemplating death regularly can reduce its terror and increase life satisfaction, and understand avoiding thoughts of mortality actually makes us more anxious and unprepared. These insights bridge the gap between classic literature and modern experience.