A Tragic Comedy
As this story shows, death from laughter, while exceedingly rare, is a genuine cause of mortality. This is one of the most curious historical instances of this phenomenon dating back to the third century BCE. The story goes that Chrysippus, a renowned Greek philosopher, met his peculiar end when he witnessed a donkey devouring his precious figs.
The absurdity of the situation, combined with the Stoic philosopher’s sense of humor, reportedly led to fits of uncontrollable laughter that spiraled into a fatal outcome. While the exact details of this tale may be shrouded in the mists of time, it serves as a poignant reminder of the unpredictability of the human body.