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By Pietro da Cortona (1650-1652) in Palazzo Barberini, Rome

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In the middle of Pietro da Cortona’s mural “The School of Epicurus,” there is a remarkable portrayal of Epicurus, who played a significant part in Epicurean philosophy. The expression on his face indicates that he is deep in thought or giving out instructions as he is surrounded by others such as his pupils and some philosophers engaged either in discussions or simply contemplating. It is this kind of presentation which underlines the community and dialogue that have characterised Epicurean thinking.

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In the same image, there are also other allegorical figures mixed up with objects used to help symbolise pleasure and tranquillity which form part of this depiction. The exchanges between characters here emphasise how philosophy needs to be talked about among friends so as one can hope for a peaceful life according to these teachings as also stated by a recent article by Neil Durrant (The Conversation, 2023). For instance, part of what we see is that one must pursue a simple life full of pleasures instead of arguing with people so that they may attain peace; an idea that can be seen through various intellectual and artistic works during the Renaissance due to its central role. (Encyclopedia.com, 2024).

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In between 'things that matter' and 'things you can control' - life is what exists and it is what you should focus on

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Epicureanism focuses around the pursuit of happiness which can be achieved from a state of inner tranquillity and freedom of fear within an individual - which is often referred to as 'ataraxia'. (Doe, 2020)

According to Epicurus , an individual could easily attain a peaceful, contented and happy life through the understanding of the nature of their desires and having the ability to manage them appropriately.

Epicurus also challenges the idea of 'gods and death' being unnecessary sources of fear and distress. Therefore, through the idea of 'epicureanism' , Epicurus wanted to help people with their worries concerning life after death or punishment by gods, which is why he promoted the logical comprehension of the universe in order for them to have less fear and enjoy life more by seeking pleasurable things that are feasible instead. (Pursuit of Happiness, 2024)

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“He’s a real nowhere man, sitting in his nowhere land, making all his nowhere plans for nobody.”

'Nowhere Man' was written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney in 1965 - which was then released by The Beatles' 'Rubber Soul'.

This song explores an individual or even other people's disconnection with their existence and aimlessness in life. (Kirsten, 2023)

According to the lyrics 'He's a real nowhere man, sitting in his nowhere land, making all his nowhere plans for nobody' - the character portrayed within the song is an individual who has no purpose or aim in 'his' life and is lacking direction on where to go.

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The lyrics in the song 'Nowhere Man' reflects a detachment from an individual's life's purpose and vision which has been portrayed as an empty life to the audience.

The lyrics also rely on the theme of feeling lost, as they represent someone who feels like they are "nowhere" and does not connect with events/objects that matter or goals. Such behaviours contrast sharply with 'Epicurean' ideals. Along with this, the voicing in this song also discloses a completely unfulfilled person in life who is lacking a feeling of pleasure or desire.

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According to Epicureanism - it is through self-knowledge that one can attain fulfilment. However, in contrast to this “Nowhere Man” depicted obliviousness when it said, “He’s a loser”. This song can be used as an example for life with a purpose beyond this world to emphasise on its message in opposition to epicureanism.

Analysing them together creates a broader understanding of fulfilment. While the idea of Epicureanism provides proactive solutions, the song lyrics or even the song as a whole depicts an individual failing to follow such path in life. However, this contrast makes us realise that when one stays away from the culture and society they eventually suffer.

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This specific lyric has also been used to convey a much in depth sense of isolation and futility and the character's state of inertia has been used to highlight such emotions about the world around him. (Music in Notes, 2014)

Apart from this lyric, another lyric in the last verse of the song can also be used to support the idea of epicureanism. 'Nowhere man, please listen, you don’t know what you’re missing, nowhere man, the world is at your command,' - the nowhere man is asked to identify the possibilities within his life and take control over his life. (Music in Notes, 2014)

This lyric has been used as a 'plea' for becoming aware of ourselves and changing our ways from being disconnected into engaging with ourselves actively in different things in our lives that could bring us pleasure and fulfil our desires.

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To summarise, the connection between Epicureanism and the song lies in their exploration of contentment and meaning.

In my opinion, I find the idea of epicureanism to be extremely fascinating and contrasting these two texts has helped me gain a greater understanding of the theme - 'Fear of Death'. Through this juxtaposition of perspectives, I have gained a more comprehensive understanding of how and why addressing the fear of death can be found in Epicureanism’s focus on comprehension and peace. The way that Epicurus' lessons are presented through the first text (image) - show that self-reflection helps make fears about mortality less brutal and easier to handle.

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Youtube, 2024, The Beatles - 'Nowhere Man', viewed September 10, 2024, <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=skFAQ7WPvYY>

Easy Peasy AI, 2024, Confronting Fear of Death and Embracing Life in Art, viewed September 10 , 2024,

<https://easy-peasy.ai/ai-image-generator/images/confronting-fear-of-death-and-embracing-life-in-art>

Wanted in Rome, 2024, Pietro da Cortona: Rome’s Third Baroque Genius, viewed September 11, 2024, <https://www.wantedinrome.com/news/pietro-da-cortona-romes-third-baroque-genius.html>

Kirsten, R., 2023, Beatles Songs with Philosophical Themes, viewed September 11, 2024, <https://www.thoughtco.com/beatles-songs-with-philosophical-themes-2670407>

Music in Notes, 2014, Song Analysis 30: The Beatles - Nowhere Man, viewed September 11, 2024, <https://www.musicinnotes.com/2014/02/song-analysis-30-the-beatles-nowhere-man/>

Encyclopaedia Britannica, 2024, Epicureanism , viewed September 11, 2024,

<https://www.britannica.com/topic/Epicureanism>

1000-Word Philosophy, 2020, Is Death Bad?, viewed September 12, 2024,

<https://1000wordphilosophy.com/2020/10/02/is-death-bad/#:~:text=Epicurus'%20Argument-,Death%2C%20Epicurus%20argued%2C%20cannot%20touch%20us%20because%20%E2%80%9Cwhile%20we,that%20fearing%20death%20is%20pointless>

The Legends of Music, 2024, The Story Behind "Nowhere Man" by The Beatles, viewed September 12, 2024,

<https://medium.com/@thelegendsofmusic/the-story-behind-nowhere-man-by-the-beatles-1051f9c09f8f>

The Conversation, 2024, Friday Essay: How Philosophy Can Help Us Become Better Friends, viewed on September 14, 2024,

<https://theconversation.com/friday-essay-how-philosophy-can-help-us-become-better-friends-200063>

Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy, 2024. Epicurus , viewed September 14, 2024,

<https://iep.utm.edu/epicur/>

Encyclopedia.com, 2024, Epicureanism and the Epicurean School, viewed on September 15, 2024,

<https://www.encyclopedia.com/humanities/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/epicureanism-and-epicurean-school>

Striker G. , 1990 , ATARAXIA: HAPPINESS AS TRANQUILLITY. The Monist, 73(1), 97–110 , viewed September 16, 2024,<https://www.jstor.org/stable/27903171>

Pursuit of Happiness, 2024, History of Happiness: Epicurus , viewed September 16, 2024,

<https://www.pursuit-of-happiness.org/history-of-happiness/epicurus/>