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Which philosopher said the fear of anticipating an evil is worse than the evil itself?

Perhaps Aristotle (in Nichomachean Ethics?) said something along these lines?

Geremia
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  • I'm doubly unsure, whether my memory is correct or if my memory would serve you right, here, but I think Aquinas said that Hell might be a state where ghosts are afraid of being burned in Hell, but so he wondered about whether this fear would be enough for the image of Hell, or if it would have to be a realized fear. – Kristian Berry Sep 23 '22 at 04:01
  • It was Peregrin Took. – BillOnne Sep 23 '22 at 04:26
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    "*Fear is a greater evil than the evil itself. O daughter of little faith, what do you fear? No, fear not; you walk on the sea, amid the winds and the waves, but it is with Jesus*", [St. Francis de Sales, Letters to Persons in the World, n328](https://www.immaculatalibrary.com/book-snippets/2021-06-05-fear-nothing-when-god-is-with-you.html). – Conifold Sep 23 '22 at 04:44
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    *"Nothing is so much to be feared as fear.”* -Thoreau, in his journal entry for September 7, 1851. Paraphrased by Roosevelt in his inaugural address. – CriglCragl Sep 23 '22 at 10:29
  • @CriglCragl No, that's not it. It's more along the lines of \@Conifold's quote. – Geremia Sep 23 '22 at 23:55

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One kind of sentiment that fits the description in the question was characteristic to the Stoics. Because for the Stoics what we usually view as evil, like sickness and death, was deemed to be not evil but indifferent. Whereas good and evil lie only in our judgements. Here is Epictetus:

It isn’t the things themselves that disturb people, but the judgements that they form about them. Death, for instance, is nothing terrible, or else it would have seemed so to Socrates too; no, it is in the judgement that death is terrible that the terror lies.

(Epictetus, Enchiridion 5)

Ram Tobolski
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    Epicurus also is attributed as saying: "Death is nothing to fear, because when I am, death is not and when death is, I am not" (not exact quote) – Nikos M. Sep 25 '22 at 13:25
  • @NikosM. Yes I had Epicurus in mind when I started my answer with the words "one kind..". Epicurus is another kind. – Ram Tobolski Sep 25 '22 at 19:22
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    However, judgement seems universally categorical and hard to avoid. For example here for the OP questioner to accept this answer or not needs their judgement... – Double Knot Sep 25 '22 at 22:31