Uly, why not "both the quick and the dead ..." ?
The quik = those who are living now.
The dead = those who lived before us.

the quick and the dead = the living and the not living

Uly, why not 'both dead and alive'? Thanks

We are one substance, both the living and not living/ the quick and the dead ... Я думаю, во втором предложении определённый артикль необходим - там речь о том, что "мы, живущие сейчас" и наши "усопшие" представляем собой единое целое (= одно существо - A SINGLE ENTITY, THE LIVE BEING, the living system, not substance!).

With the article it would sound like everyone in the world. It should be "both quick and dead"

Alexander, "aead and alive" is kind of clumsy in this context. "quick and dead" is a fixed expression that refers to both living and nonliving entities.

"Я думаю, во втором предложении определённый артикль необходим" - your English must be really advanced now if you can presume to teach me English. This actually means that as beings, we are composed of two elements – one part living (= the body) and one part dead (= the shadow).

Oh, I see, 'dead or alive' is from a quite different 'Opera': 'Get him dead or alive'. Thanks

Exactly! Wanted dead or alive.

Uly, thank you very much for your excelent translation and explanations.

Absolutely