it so fit for nothing as for Homers bookes he lived a hundred and eight yeeres the place of his birth and Parents are unknown 10. Pythagoras called the Prince of Philosophers being indeed the first that called himselfe a Philosopher he was born at Samos and was the sonne of a Carver he had as it is reported 600 Disciples among whom was Architas the Tarentine He first taught that the soules of men departed went into other bodies which that he might the better perswade he affirmed that when he was first born he was Athalide the sonne of Mercurie and did obtaine of him this boone that he onely of all men might remember all the bodies that ever he should be changed out of Which he obtained and after affirmed that Athalide being dead he was changed into Euphorbus who being staine at Troy he was born again in the body of Hermotinus and after his death into the body of Delias a fisher man who was also called Pyrrhus and lastly he was made Pythagoras And that so all other mens soules did in like manner onely they alwayes forgat from whose body they last came he abstained from all flesh and fed only on roots and herbs he would be called Philosophus that is a lover of wisdome but not Sophius that is wise for he said that none but God was wise He dyed at Metapontum being 99 yeere old 11. Democritus born at Abderites his Father was a very rich man so that he feasted Xerxes great Army that drunke Rivers dry After his Fathers death he went to travaile and returned very poor where under the city wals he builded himselfe a silly cottage where he lived contemplating the works of nature He affirmed that all things were made of Atomes such as we see fleet in the sunne in a shiny day he was wont to laugh always what chance soever hapned as on the contrary Heraclitus alwaies wept He willingly abstaining from meat died when he was 104. yeers old 12. Xenocrates born in Calcedonia Plato's schollar he was somewhat blunt and very earnest and dry in his Communication he loved Plato very much he lived chastly and holily and wrote many good works and died being fourescore and twelve years old 13. Zeno the sonne of Pyrelus and the adopted sonne of Parmenides he learned his Philosophy of his adopted father wherein he was so excellent that Plato and Aristotle affirme he first invented logick he was the beginner of the Stoicks and is therefore called the prince of that sect he was a Governour in the Common-wealth he for the good of his Countrey conspired against Dionysius a Tyrant but was taken in the action and being examined of his confederats he accused all the Tyrants chief friends and told him that if he would hear him in private he would discover more whereupon the King bowing down his head to hear him he bit of his nose for this he was pounded in a stone mortar to make him confesse but he biting of his tongu and spitting it in his tormentors face died being 98. yeers old 14. Cleanthes a Stoick Philosopher and Schollar to Zeno he bore labour and griefe with such chearfulnesse that he was called an other Hercules He was very poor and when he wanted mony to buy paper he wrote the saying of Zeno on bones and shels 15. Rome built first by Romulus and Remus two brethren a City too well known of some sufficiently of all 16. Diogenes the Cynick Philosopher who when his father was imprisoned fled to Athens and became Antisthenes Scholar He lived ninety years and died as some say of the biting of a mad dog others say holding his breath he stiflled himselfe His Schollars made a Tombe for him and on the top thereof they set a dog His witty and satyricall learning are known of most men CHAP. VIII BUt that we may omit these divine studies I can name some of the I Sabine fields countrey 2 Romans my neighbours and familiars then whom none take more pains in the fields either in sowing gathering or sorting the fruits yet among them it is no marvell for there is none so old but that he thinkes to live one year more but they labour in things which they know do not at all belong unto them and as our friend Statius Caecilius saith in his Synephebis they plant trees which shall not give fruit till another age and after they are dead which makes the husband-man when any askes him for whom he sets those trees to answer for the immortall gods that would not that I only should receive the fruits of the earth from my predecessors but leave them also to my posterity That same 3 Caecilius wrote thus of age If old age brings no other faults this one enough will be By living long they oft behold the things they would not see And many times the things they would but youth it selfe is subject to that inconvenience But he wrote yet worse of age then that In age I take this thing to be the greatest misery To think the younger sort of men do hate their company Nay rather pleasant then hatefull is their company For as wise old men are delighted with young men indued with a vertuo us disposition and their age is made the easier that are worshipped and beloved of such so wise young men are rejoyced in the precepts of old men by which they are led to the studies of virtue neither do I perceive that I am lesse pleasant to you then you are to me Now you see that age is not faint and negligent but laborsome and alwayes doing something and indeavouring in such things as every mans study was in his former liâ—e but how if old men learne in their age also as we see 4 Solon boasting in his verses that he learned something every day grew an old man as I my self have done who now in my age have learned the Greek tongue which truly I took greedily as it were to satisfie a continuall thirst that those things might be known to me which you now see me use in examples And when I heard also whaâ— 5 Socrates had profited in musick I would have learned that â—oo for your ancients learned musick but truly I bestowed my pains in learning VIII TABLE of Annotations 1. SAbin fields a place where Cato had a countrey house not far of from Rome 2. Countrey Romans it is thought that he meant Fabritius 3. Caecilius Statius a comicall poet he wrote the comedy of Synephebis of two young men brought up together from their youth 4. Solon one of the seven wise men of Greece he was the sonne of Epistides and born at Salamina therefore called Salaminus he made many good lawes at Athens he builded a city in Sicilia and called it after his name Solos he died when he was ninety yeers old and was buried at Salamina 5. Socrates CHAP. IX NEither do I now desire the strength of youth no more then when I was young I did desire
the thunder-bolts of warre Publius was Affricanus his father and Cnaeus father to Scipio Nausica 2. Cyrus There were three of this name two Kings and one Poet who for his fingular wit was made a Bishop by Theodosius the Emperour 3. Xenophon a man of great wisdome and beauty the sonne of Grillus He was Scholler to Socrates 4. Lucius Metellus Consul with M. Fabius Aburb condit 506. He was High Priest twice Consul Dictator master of the Horse and Decemvir He first led Eléphants in Triumph in the first Carthaginian warre in his age he lost his sight when he would have spoyled the Temple of Vesta 5. Nestor King Pylion sonne of Nelius and Adonidis a man of great experience and wisdome he went with Agamemnon to Troy and lived three hundred yeeres 6. Captaine of Greece was Agamemnon the sonne of Atreus King of Argives he led the Army of the Grecians to Troy to be revenged for the Rape of Helen where when he had obtained the victory returning home Clytemnestra his wife presented him with a headlesse shirt which while he was putting on and searching where to put forth his head Aegisthus his wifes adulterer slew him 7. Ajax a strong and valiant Captaine under Agamemnon who striving with Ulysses for the Armor of Achilles and being overcome of him ranne mad and slew himselfe 8. Troy a famous City in the lesser Asia built by Tros King thereof it was three times sacked twice by Hercules and lâ—stly cleane overthrown by Agamemnon and the Greekes for the cause above said 9. Thermopylae a mountaine in Grecia so called of the hot matters that flow from thence there was fought a great battaile between Attilius Glabrio and Antiochus King of Macedon at which was Cato 10. Titus Pontius who when the Capitoll had be enlike to be taken swam over Tibur Pliny writes that he had the sinewes of his arms and hands double 11. Masinissa King of Numidia he was received into the Romane leaÌ„gue by Publius Scipio Africanus CHAP. XI STrength is not in old age neither indeed is strength required of age therefore both by the laws and statutes our age is free from those offices which cannot be exercised without strength therefore we are not compelled to do those things which we cannot no nor so much as we can but some men are so weak that they can scarcely execute any office or duty of life at all yet that is not the proper fault of age but most commonly of sicknesse how weak was Scipio the sonne of Publius Africanus he which adopted you Scipio of how small or rather of no health which had it not been so he had shined like another light in the city for to his fathers magnanimity of mind in him was added most plentifull learning what wonder is there then in old men if they be sometimes weak since youth it selfe cannot avoid it Age is to be resisted Laelius and Scipio and his faults are to be ruled with diligence we must strive against age as against a disease we must have a care of our health we must use moderate exercises so much meat and drinke must be taken that the strength may be refreshed not oppressed neither must we only feed the body but the minde and understanding much more for they also are extinguished with age unlesse you alwayes adde to them by study and instill as it were oyle into a lampe For though mens bodies grow heavy and weary with much exercise yet the minde is made more light and ready by exercising it selfe They whom Caecilius cals foolish old men are such as are credulous forgetfull and dissolute whith are not generally the faults of all age but of a sluggish drowsie and slothfull age For as wantonnesse and lust is more in young men then in old and yet not in all young men but in the dishonest so that folly of age which is wont to be called doating is in light-headed old men but not in all Appius being both an old man and a blind man governed foure valiant sonnes and five beautifull daughters a great houshold and many retayners for he had his mind ready bent as a bow neither fainting did he yeild to age He held not only authority but also command over his own his servants feared him his children reverenced him he was dear to all the ancient manners and discipline of the countrey flourished in that house For age is so excellent if it keep its authority if it be bound to no man that even to the last gaspe it beareth rule over its own And as I like a youth in whom there is some gravity so I like an old man in whom there is some youthfulnesse which who so observeth may be an old man in body but in minde he never shall be I am now writing my seventh book of 1 Originales and of excellent causes whatsoever I have heretofore defended now especially I compile oratioÌ„s I handle the sooth-sayers the Priests and the Civil law I also use the Greek tongue much And after the manner of the Pythagoreans for to exercise my memory I call to mind in the evening what I have spake heard or done all that day These are indeed the cases of the minde these the exercises of the wit in which studies while I busie my selfe I do not greatly desire the strength of body I am present with my friends I come into the senate often and of my own accord I bring discourses long and well thought upon which I there defend not by streÌ„gth of body but of mind which if I could not do yet lying on my bed the remembrance of the good I have done would much delight me But hitherto I have so lead my life that I am yet able to performe the like fore one which liveth in these labours and studies never perceives how age creepeth on him for it doth by little and little wax old without feeling neither is life suddainly dissolved but by long continuance exstinguished XI TABLE of Annotations 1. THe Book of Originals was in manner of a Chronicle which Cato wrote there are but a few fragments of them extant the rest are lost CHAP. XII THere followeth the third Objection to age they say that it wanteth pleasures Oh excellent gift of age if it take away that which makes our youth vitious therefore hear now O yee excellent young men the old oration of 1 Architas the Tarentine a singular and worthy man which was delivered me when I was a young man with Q. Maximus at Tarentum He said that there was no deadlier plague given by nature tomen then the pleasure of the body the greedy lusts whereof are rash and unbrideledly stirred up to get and gain From hence are derived treasons from hence arise the overthrowes of Common-wealths and the privy conspiracies and whisperings with the enemies That to conclude there was no wickednesse nor no evill deed to the undertaking of which the lust of pleasure did not incite a man and that
age that passed in a man till his old age was accounted of our Ancestors but as a race of that length which directed to honour so that the last age is more happy then the middle because it hath more authority and lesse labour The highest perfâ—ction in age is authority How great Majesty was in * L. Cecillius Metellus how great in Attillius * Collatinus whom the generall consent of all nations did allow to be the chiefe among the people the verses on his sepulchre are well known By right therefore he is to be held noble and of authority in whose praises the reports of all men do consent what men of wisedome have we seen of late Pub. Crossus the high Priest and after him Marcus * Lepidus that succeeded him in the office what should I speak of Paulus or of Affricanus or of Maximus whom I named before Not only iu whose speech but also in whose looks remained authority Age hath especially honoured age such reverence that it is more to be accounted of then all the pleasures of youth XVII TABLE of Annotations 1. CYrus Minor reigned in Persia 353. years after the building of Rome in the times of Aggaeus and Zacharias the Prophets in Judea 2. Marcus Valerius Corvinus fighting against a French souldur that challenged him in the lists a crow came and sat upon his head and smoâ—e her wings in his enemies face and so blinded him that Valerius obtained the victory and ever after was called Corvinus he was after both Consul and Dictator CHAP. XVIII BUt you must remember that in all this speech I have praised only that age which is built on the foundation of youth from whence it happened that that speech of mine wherein I affirmed that age to be miserable which only defended it selfe by speech was so generally applauded of all men for neither gray haires nor wrinckles get authority suddainly but the honest and vertuous deeds of the age before spent obtain the chiefest fruits of authority For these things are honourable which do seem but of small account v.z. to be saluted to be sought unto to have place given to them to be risen unto to be brought in to be conducted out and to give counsel which both among us and in other well mannerd cities is observed diligently T is said that Lisander of Lacedemon of whom I spake even now was wont to say that Lacedemon was a most fit and honest habitation for old age for nowhere was that age more reverenced or honoured then there It comes now to my mind that a certain old man at Athens at the plays comming in among the people no man would give him room but when he came among the Lacedemonians who when they come of an embassage sit all in one place they all rose up to him and received the old man to sit with them to whom when great praise was given for the courteous deed one of them said that the Athenians knew good manners but would not use them Many excellent Ceremonies are observed in our Colledge of Auguries whereof this which we speak of is one that every man in their consultations gives his opinion according to his age the oldest first and so downwards for Augurs are not only preferred before some that are honoured but also before many which besides their years and gravity are in office what are therefore the pleasures of the body to be compared to the rewards of authority which whosoever make th use of seemes to me to have gone well through the enterlude of his life and not like an unskilfull player to fayle in the last act CHAP. XIX BUt old men are froward unconstant peevish and crabbed and we complaine also that they are covetous but these be the faults of the manners not of the age but way wardnesse and those faults may have some excuse though not justly yet such may seem probable For sometimes they think they are mocked or despised and besides every small offence to a weak body is grievous all which not withstanding may be sweetned both by good manners arts and that may wel be seen both in the life and the play of those two Brothers in 1 Adelphus in 2 Terence how much crabbednesse in the one and how much courtesie in the other Even so the case stands for as all wines do not grow soure and tart in continuance so not all age I like severity in an old man but not bitternesse Bnt as for covetousnesse in age I know not what it meanes for there can be no greater absurdity then when the journey is almost done to take care to provide much more provision XIX TABLE of Annotations 1. ADelphus a comedy written by Terence wherein is shewed the difference of ages in two brothers the one Mitio a milde gentle man the other Demea a froward perverse man 2. Terence born at Carthage he wrote six Comedies which are now extant some report that he wrote more but they were drowned in a ship at sea he was well-beloved of Scipio and Laelius CHAP. XX THere remaineth the fourth cause which seemeth to vex and grieve our age very much the approching of death which surely followeth age at the heeles O miserable old man whatsoever thou be which canst not learne in all thy life forespent to despise death which is either plainly to be neglected if it kill the soule with the body or to be desired if it bring happinesse after life for no third way is found what should I then fear if after death I shall be either nothing or else happy but what fool though he be a young man is there that can tell whether he shall live till night for That age hath more causes of death then Age hath young men sooner fall into diseases their sicknesse is and more grievous and dangerous hey are healed with more pain and trouble so that few of them come to be old which if some of them happen to do they live more prudently and better then before for understanding counsell and reason is in age which if it were not there there could be no Cities But I return to death which as it were hangs over our heads thinke you that it is the particular fault of age when you see it common to youth I have well perceived not only by the death of my dear son but also of your 1 brothers Scipio who were expected to great dignity that death is common to all ages XX TABLE of Annotations 1. PAulus Aemylius had four sons two by adoption and two by another wife of which last two the one died five dayes before his triumph and the other three dayes after His sons by adoption were Scipio and Fabius CHAP. XXI BUt the young man hopes to live long which the old man cannot He hopes foolishly for what is greater folly then to account uncertain things for certain false for true the old man hath nothing to hope for more therefore he is in
the strength of a Bull or an Elephant for that which is naturally ingraffed in a man that it becommeth him to use and to desire to do nothing above his strength For what speech can be more contemptible then that of 1 Milo Crotoniata who when he was an old man and saw the wrestlers exercising themselves in the 2 Chase is reported to have beheld his Armes and weeping to say But these are now dead no not them so much as thou thy selfe thou trifler for never wast thou â—nobled by thy virtue or wisedome but by thy beast-like force and strong armes 3 Sexius Aemylius spake no such thing nor 4 Titus Coruncanus many years before nor Publius Crassus of late of whom lawes were prescribed to the Citizens whose wisedome continued till their last gaspe IX TABLE of Annotations MIlo Crotoniata a man of such strength that at the games at Olympus he came in with an ox on his shoulders which with his bare fist he slew and some say immediately eat him his death for all his strength was miserable for comming into a wood in his age and seeing a tree gape in the midst being by some meanes cleft he trusting to his former strength thought to rend it in pieees but putting his fingers into the rift the tree suddainly closed and he being caugbt by the hands was there devoured by wolves 2. The chase at mount Olympus where once in five yeares were runnings wrestlings and such like for games first instituted by Hercules who there first wrestled himselfe they were had in such estimations among the Grecians that they counted their yeares by them 3. Sextus Aemylius a man excellently skilled in the lawes and ordinances of Rome 4. Titus Coruncanus he first professed the laws none of his writings remain but many of his witty sayings are to be found in Authors 5. Publius Crassus a very rich man and skilfull in the lawes of Rome he was Consull with Africanus CHAP. X. BUt it may be thought that an Orator may be weakned with age For that office consisteth not onely of wit but also of strength of body strong sides and voyce yet that shrilnesse of voyce doth altogether shew it self I know not by what meanes in old age which I my selfe have not yet lost and yet you see my yeares notwithstanding the speech of an old man is comely quiet remisse and the gentle and decked Oration of an eloquent old man makes audience to it selfe which singularity if you cannot obtaine yet may you give precepts to youth for what can be more pleasant then old age garded with the studies of youth Shal we not then leave that strength at least to age that it may teach youth bring them up and instruct them in all good duties then which what can be more necessary or more excellent So that to my understanding 1 Cnaeus and Publius Scipio and your two grand fathers Lucius Aemylius and Paulus Affricanus seemed happy in the company of noble young men Neither are any masters of good Arts to be thought unhappy though through their paines in teaching their strength wax old and decay for that defection and failing of strength is oftener caused by the faults of youth then of age for an intemperate and lustfull youth delivereth a corrupt and decrepit body to age Yet 2 Cyrus in 3 Xâ—nphon on his death bed denieth that ever he felt himself much weaker by age then he was in his youth I remember 4 Lucius Metellus when I was a boy who foure yeers after his second Consulship was made High-Priest and served in that office 22 yeeres he was of so good strength and health in his last age that he required not youth I need not speak much of my selfe though it be a thing that belongs to old men and it is granted to our age for doe you not see how often 5 Nestor doth brag in Homer of his own virtues for he had then lived three ages of man So that he needed not feare least that speaking the truth of himselfe he should be counted in solent or talkative for as Homer saith out of his mouth flowed words more sweet then hony which made that 6 Captaine of Greece never wish that he had ten such as strong 7 Ajax but ten such as wise Nestor which if he might obtaine he doubted not but that 8 Troy should soon be overthrown But I returne to my self I am now in the fourescore and fourth yeere of mine age I cannot truly say as Cyrus did but I would I could yet this I can say that though I am not of so great strength as I was being a souldier in the Carthaginian warre or Questor in the same warre or Consul in Spaine or foure yeeres after when being Tribune of the souldiers I fought at 9 Thermopylae Marcus Aâ—tillius Glabrio being Consul yet as you see old age hath not altogether weakned me it hath not overthrown me The Courts want not my strength nor the pleading places nor my friends nor my Glyents nor my ghests Neither did I ever assent to that old and lauded proverb that warns a man to be old quickly if he will be an old man long but I had rather be an old man man lesse while then make my selfe an old man before I were So that as yet no man could come and find me idle at home yet have I lesse strength then either of you neither have you the strength of 10 Titus Pontius the Centurion is he therefore better then you But let him make much of it it will not endure long Milo is said to have entered the Listes of Olympus with a live Oxe on his shoulders whether had you rather now have this mans strength of body or Pythagoras his strength of wit to be given you To conclude use that strength which you have while you have it but when it is gone require it not unlesse you thinke it a seemly thing of young men to require their child-hood againe and ancient men their youth There is but one course of age and one way of nature and the same simple and to every part of age its own timelines is given for as infirmity belongs to child-hood fiercenesse to youth and gravity to age so the true ripenesse of age hath a certaine natural gravity in it which ought to be used in it own time I thinke you have heard Scipio of King 11 Massinissa what he doth at this day being a man of ninety yeeres old when he goes any whether on foot he will never ride in that journey how far soever it be likewise when he rides a journey he will never alight neither could any storm make him weare his hat surely there is great drynesse of body in him therfore he may well execute all the offices and duties of a King Thus you see exercise and temperance way preserve some of the former strength even in old age X. TABLE of Annotations 1. CNaeus and Publius Scipio were brethren and cald