Often using any catch phrase, a person does not even think about its true meaning. The expression "About the dead is either good or nothing …" has become almost a Russian proverb. For some reason, it is believed that a deceased person immediately becomes not mocked. Death envelops him in a mysterious halo and can condemn the one who will slander the deceased on Earth, recalling his unseemly actions during his lifetime.
Where did this expression come from?
This expression, which has become almost a guide to action, is found in the treatise of Diogenes Laertius - "The Life, Teaching and Opinion of Orthodox Philosophers." De mortuis nihil nisi bonum, or De mortuis nil nisi bonum dicendum est. The basis for this was the expression of Hilton (VI century BC) - τὸν τεθνηkotα μὴ κακολογεῖν, which can be translated as "Do not speak evil of the dead."
There is also a completely different Latin proverb: De mortuis - veritas, which translates as "About the dead - the truth."
These two expressions have nothing to do with each other, so which one to follow, everyone decides for himself.
It turns out that there is no consensus on this matter, especially since, as you know, everyone has their own truth. For some, the deceased person was the best, but for others, on the contrary, he brought many sorrows in life.
If everyone gets together and begins to express their individual point of view on the earthly path of the deceased, then a grandiose scandal will certainly arise, and therefore it is considered indecent to talk badly about the dead.
Other versions
There is also an opinion that one cannot speak badly of the dead, not because there is such a proverb. It is believed that a deceased person will no longer be able to justify himself, and even the most terrible criminals still have the right to a lawyer. Speaking badly about the deceased, a person takes on the role of an accuser and judge, and who has the right to compete with God, to whom the soul of the deceased went straight.
The people also have another belief, when they talk badly about the deceased, his soul begins to worry, and for slander and lies, it can even return and take revenge on the offender.
Also, they do not speak badly about the dead, because they do not want to offend his family and friends. Just for ethical reasons.
Why is it sometimes possible to speak badly of the dead?
If you look closely, it turns out that not a single person on Earth adheres to this rule. Of course, everyone tries not to slander about deceased relatives, friends and acquaintances, however, this unspoken law does not apply to famous people. The more a person is famous, the more actively all the details of his life are revealed.
And then what to say about criminals, maniacs and murderers? How can you remember Andrei Chikatilo or Adolf Hitler with a kind word or just keep silent about their crimes?
