Context?

Image via Wikipedia

Nikos Kazantzakis  (February 18, 1883, Kandiye, Crete, Ottoman Empire - October 26, 1957, Freiburg,Germany) was arguably the most important and most translated Greek writer and philosopher of the 20th century. Yet he did not become well known globally until the 1964 release of the Michael Cacoyannis film Zorba the Greek, based on Kazantzakis' novel whose English translation has the same title.  Yet he did not become well known globally until the 1964 release of the Michael Cacoyannis film Zorba the Greek, based on Kazantzakis' novel whose English translation has the same title.

In 1946, The Society of Greek Writers recommended that Kazantzakis and Angelos Sikelianos be awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature. In 1957, he lost the Prize to Albert Camus by one vote. Camus later said that Kazantzakis deserved the honour "a hundred times more" than himself.

Late in 1957, even though suffering from leukemia, he set out on one last trip to China and Japan. Falling ill on his return flight,  he died. He is buried on the wall surrounding the city of Heraklion.  His epitaph reads "I hope for nothing. I fear nothing. I am free."

This quote taken out of context seems nihilistic until one realizes he was dead and this was written on his epitaph.  It becomes clear that his troubles are over and he needs no longer hope.

Epitaph on the tomb of Nikos Kazantzakis in Heraklion:

"I hope for nothing. I fear nothing. I am free."