there was no real consensus, at least among surviving roman texts and epitaphs, of what happened to a person after death or the existence of an afterlife. pliny the elder in his naturalis historia claims that most people are of the opinion that after death one returns to the non-sensing state that occurred before birth but admits, however scornfully, that there are people who believe in the immortality of the soul. seneca the younger seems to be less consistent, arguing both sides, indicating that death brings about utter annihilation while also talking about some survival of the spirit after it escapes from the prison of the body. tacitus at the end of agricola takes the opposite opinion to pliny, and claims that the wise believe the spirit does not die with the body, although he may be specifically referring to the pious – which harkens to the mythological idea of elysium. it is important to keep in mind that these are the opinions of a select few well-educated elite males and may not be characteristic of all of roman views.