Of Old Age

Though all the actions of your life are crown'dWith wisdom, nothing makes them more renown'd,Than that those years, which others think extreme,Nor to yourself nor us uneasy seem;Under which weight most, like th'old giants, groan.When Aetna on their backs by Jove was thrown.

CATO. What you urge, Scipio, from right reason flows:All parts of age seem burthensome to thoseWho virtue's and true wisdom's happinessCannot discern; but they who those possess,In what's impos'd by Nature find no grief,Of which our age is (next our death) the chief,Which though all equally desire t'obtain,Yet when they have obtain'd it, they complain;Such our inconstancies and follies are,We say it steals upon us unaware:Our want of reas'ning these false measures makes,Youth runs to age, as childhood youth o'ertakes.How much more grievous would our lives appear,To reach th'eighth hundred, than the eightieth year?Of what in that long space of time hath pass'd,To foolish age will no remembrance last.My age's conduct when you seem t'admire(Which that it may deserve, I much desire),'Tis my first rule, on Nature, as my guideAppointed by the gods, I have relied;And Nature (which all acts of life designs),Not, like ill poets, in the last declines:But some one part must be the last of all,Which like ripe fruits, must either rot or fall.And this from Nature must be gently borne,Else her (as giants did the gods) we scorn.

LÆLIUS. But, Sir, 'tis Scipio's and my desire,Since to long life we gladly would aspire,That from your grave instructions we might hear,How we, like you, may this great burthen bear.

CAT. This I resolved before, but now shall doWith great delight, since 'tis required by you.

LÆL. If to yourself it will not tedious prove,Nothing in us a greater joy can move,That as old travellers the young instruct,Your long, our short experience may conduct.

CAT. 'Tis true (as the old proverb doth relate),Equals with equals often congregate.Two consuls (who in years my equals were)When senators, lamenting I did hearThat age from them had all their pleasures torn,And them their former suppliants now scorn:They what is not to be accused accuse,Not others, but themselves their age abuse;Else this might me concern, and all my friends,Whose cheerful age with honour youth attends,Joy'd that from pleasure's slav'ry they are free,And all respects due to their age they see.In its true colours, this complaint appearsThe ill effect of manners, not of years;For on their life no grievous burthen lies,Who are well natured, temperate, and wise;But an inhuman and ill-temper'd mind,Not any easy part in life can find.

LÆL. This I believe; yet others may dispute,Their age (as yours) can never bear such fruitOf honour, wealth, and power to make them sweet;Not every one such happiness can meet.

CAT. Some weight your argument, my Lælius, bears,But not so much as at first sight appears.This answer by Themistocles was made,(When a Seriphian thus did him upbraid,'You those great honours to your country owe,Not to yourself')-'Had I at SeriphoBeen born, such honour I had never seen,Nor you, if an Athenian you had been;'So age, clothed in indecent poverty,To the most prudent cannot easy be;But to a fool, the greater his estate,The more uneasy is his age's weight.Age's chief arts and arms are to grow wise,Virtue to know, and known, to exercise;All just returns to age then virtue makes,Nor her in her extremity forsakes;The sweetest cordial we receive at last,Is conscience of our virtuous actions past.I (when a youth) with reverence did lookOn Quintus Fabius, who Tarentum took;Yet in his age such cheerfulness was seen,As if his years and mine had equal been;His gravity was mix'd with gentleness,Nor had his age made his good humour less;Then was he well in years (the same that heWas Consul that of my nativity),(A stripling then), in his fourth consulateOn him at Capua I in arms did wait.I five years after at Tarentum wanThe quæstorship, and then our love began;And four years after, when I prætor was,He pleaded, and the Cincian law did pass.With useful diligence he used t'engage,Yet with the temperate arts of patient ageHe breaks fierce Hannibal's insulting heats;Of which exploit thus our friend Ennius treats:He by delay restored the commonwealth,Nor preferr'd rumour before public health.

This piece is adapted from Cicero, 'De Seucctute.''Two consuls': Caius Salinator, Spurius Albinus.'Seripho': an isle to which condemned men were banished.'Cincian law': against bribes.

When I reflect on age, I find there areFour causes, which its misery declare.1. Because our body's strength it much impairs:2. That it takes off our minds from great affairs:3. Next, that our sense of pleasure it deprives:4. Last, that approaching death attends our lives.

Of all these sev'ral causes I'll discourse,And then of each, in order, weigh the force.