Marcus presents death not as a grim enemy but as a universal inevitability that treats all humans equally. The image of death 'smiling' suggests something almost playful or knowing about mortality - it's not malicious but simply natural. Our response to this reality reveals our character. We can cower in fear, rage against the inevitable, or meet death with the same calm dignity it shows us. Smiling back doesn't mean being cavalier about life but accepting mortality with courage and grace. This acceptance transforms death from a source of anxiety into a reminder to live fully and virtuously in whatever time we have.