Hi, I'm trying to determine if there is a quote (by a recognised
authority)running along the lines of 'anticipation of death is worse
than death itself' (or some devivative such as 'fear of death is
worse...'. Does it have someting to do with 'The Art of War'? Can you
please provide information on who coined this phrase or is credited
with the quote?
thanks in advance, Cathal

Dear juniorbiano-ga,

I believe you may be seeking the following written by Publilius Syrus,
a writer of the 1st century BC .

The fear of death is more to be dreaded than death itself.
Maxim 511

http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Publilius_Syrus
http://www.bartleby.com/100/707.49.html

These are some other similar lines.

Death in itself is nothing; but we fear
To be we know not what, we know not where. 
John Dryden
http://www.bartleby.com/100/191.86.html

Men fear death as children fear to go in the dark; and as that natural
fear in children is increased with tales, so is the other.
Francis Bacon
http://www.bartleby.com/100/139.4.html

Other variations on the fear of death can be found on the links below.

I hope this answers your question. If it does not, or the answer is
unclear, then please ask for clarification of this research before
rating the answer. I shall respond to the clarification request as
soon as I receive it.
Thank you
answerfinder


Search strategy
?fear of death on Bartleby.com
http://www.bartleby.com/cgi-bin/texis/webinator/sitesearch?FILTER=col100&query=The+fear+of+death+&x=0&y=0
http://www.bartleby.com/cgi-bin/texis/webinator/sitesearch/+9wwFqGRrnahnwGadhamnwBrxzmAwwwmFqhqdc__nFqhqdc__
http://www.bartleby.com/cgi-bin/texis/webinator/sitesearch?FILTER=col63&query=The+fear+of+death&x=14&y=13

Once again, google answers comes up trumps! The delay in feeding back
is due to the fact that I didn't receive the automated email reply
when my question was answered. I'll be using Answers again (later on
today, in fact!)

Don't forget Hamlet! 

"...the dread of something after death, 
The undiscovered country, from whose [border] 
no traveller returns, puzzles the will, 
And makes us rather bear those ills we have 
Than fly to others that we know not of?"

Nor,

The sense of death is most in apprehension;
And the poor beetle, that we tread upon,
In corporal sufferance finds a pang as great
As when a giant dies.
          Measure for Measure. Act iii. Sc. 1.

Despite the fame and intelligence of the various sources cited for the
saying, it is pretty meaningless. If by "death" is meant the state we
are in after we die, then we have no idea whether it is better or
worse than the fear of death, because no-one has ever come back to
tell us. Indeed, it is that very uncertainty which makes many people
afraid of dying - if they were sure death simply meant oblivion they
would not be afraid of it. In fact, it sounds as though John Dryden
and Francis Bacon were pretty sure that death DID mean oblivion, and
they could therefore confidently say that the fear was worse than
death itself.

That said, what many people fear is not death as such, but the process
of dying; and that, unfortunately, for many people proves to be worse
than their previous fear.

geof,

The quote from "Hamlet" that was posted above by markvmd makes your
point rather well.

Dear juniorbiano-ga,
Thank you for your tip. Pleased I could help.
Yes, there is a problem with the email notification service at the
moment and the editors tell us they are working on it. At the moment
it is best to keep checking back on any questions you have.

answerfinder-ga