Courage and Virtue

"Cowards die many times before their deaths;
The valiant never taste of death but once."
William Shakespeare - Julius Caesar

If through cowardice one evaded an ultimate death, it might be worthwhile. However, there is nothing more certain than that we are all going to die regardless of our virtue. Because of this, we ought to pursue virtue only for its own sake, and not because we think we may profit from it. In short, be virtuous if that is what pleases you, and let us define virtue as the thorough and consistent pursuit of said pleasure.