How we cite our quotes: (Book.Chapter)
Quote #7
No different from a single breath taken in and returned to the air, something which we do every moment, no different is the giving back of your whole power of breathing—acquired at your birth just yesterday or thereabouts—to that world from which you first drew it. (6.15)
Marcus illustrates the fragility and transience of life by using the image of breath—constant, numerous, easily drawn and given back. He highlights here also how very easy it is to die if you're willing enough to leave life behind.
Quote #8
Death is relief from reaction to the senses, from the puppet-strings of impulse, from the analytical mind, and from service to the flesh. (6.28)
Marcus makes death seem like a prescription for all that ails. But in this work, the ailments are problems of the soul and mind, not of the body. The body itself is a mere ball and chain, something that doesn't do much but torment the mind with desire for pleasure and fear of pain. Once it's gone, the mind will have perfect tranquility.
Quote #9
And there is the inscription you see on tombstones: 'The last of his line.' Just think of all the anxiety of previous generations to leave behind an heir, and then one has to be the last. Here again the death of a whole family. (8.31)
If you walk around an old graveyard, you'll very likely see an inscription just like this. And if you're not a Stoic, it will tug on your heartstrings. We all understand how important the idea of posterity is to most humans. But Marcus just sees the concern for futurity as yet another thing that encumbers the mind and causes distress. We have to imagine, however, that he knows a thing or two about this kind of distress, since he lost a lot of children, and he himself was adopted to ensure a smooth transition of imperial power.