no health at all！ If that had not been the case； we should have had
in him a second brilliant light in the political horizon； for he had
added a wider cultivation to his father's greatness of spirit。 What
wonder； then； that old men are eventually feeble； when even young
men cannot escape it？ My dear Laelius and Scipio； we must stand
up against old age and make up for its drawbacks by taking pains。
We must fight it as we should an illness。 We must look after our
health； use moderate exercise； take just enough food and drink to
recruit； but not to overload； our strength。 Nor is it the body alone
that must be supported； but the intellect and soul much more。 For
they are like lamps： unless you feed them with oil； they too go out
from old age。 Again； the body is apt to get gross from exercise； but
the intellect becomes nimbler by exercising itself。 For what
Caecilius means by 〃old dotards of the comic stage 〃 are the
credulous； the forgetful； and the slipshod。 These are faults that do
not attach to old age as such； but to a sluggish； spiritless； and
sleepy old age。 Young men are more frequently wanton and
dissolute than old men； but yet； as it is not all young men that are
so； but the bad set among them； even so senile folly…usually called
imbecility…applies to old men of unsound character； not to all。
Appius governed four sturdy sons； five daughters； that great
establishment； and all those clients； though he was both old and
blind。 For he kept his mind at full stretch like a how； and never
gave in to old age by growing slack。 He maintained not merely an
influence； but an absolute command over his family： his slaves
feared him； his sons were in awe of him； all loved him。 In that
family； indeed； ancestral custom and discipline were in full vigour。
The fact is that old age is respectable just as long as it asserts
itself； maintains its proper rights； and is not enslaved to any one。
For as I admire a young man who has something of the old man in
him； so do I an old one who has something of a young man。 The
man who aims at this may possibly become old in body…in mind he
never will。 I am now engaged in composing the seventh book of
my _Origins_。 I collect all the records of antiquity。 The speeches
delivered in all the celebrated cases which I have defended I am at
this particular time getting into shape for publication。 I am writing
treatises on augural； pontifical； and civil law。 I am； besides；
studying hard at Greek； and after the manner of the
Pythagoreans…to keep my memory in working order…I repeat in the
evening whatever I have said； heard； or done in the course of each
day。 These are the exercises of the intellect； these the training
grounds of the mind： while I sweat and labour on these I don't
much feel the loss of bodily strength。 I appear in court for my
friends； I frequently attend the Senate and bring motions before it
on my own responsibility； prepared after deep and long reflection。
And these I support by my intellectual； not my bodily forces。 And
if I were not strong enough to do these things； yet I should enjoy
my sofa…imagining the very operations which I was now unable to
perform。 But what makes me capable of doing this is my past life。
For a man who is always living in the midst of these studies and
labours does not perceive when old age creeps upon him。 Thus； by
slow and imperceptible degrees life draws to its end。 There is no
sudden breakage； it just slowly goes out。
12。 The third charge against old age is that it LACKS SENSUAL
PLEASURES。 What a splendid service does old age render； if it
takes from us the greatest blot of youth！ Listen； my dear young
friends； to a speech of Archytas of Tarentum； among the greatest
and most illustrious of men； which was put into my hands when as
a young man I was at Tarentum with Q。 Maximus。 〃No more
deadly curse than sensual pleasure has been inflicted on mankind
by nature； to gratify which our wanton appetites are roused beyond
all prudence or restraint。 It is a fruitful source of treasons；
revolutions； secret communications with the enemy。 In fact； there
is no crime； no evil deed； to which the appetite for sensual
pleasures does not impel us。 Fornications and adulteries； and
every abomination of that kind； are brought about by the
enticements of pleasure and by them alone。 Intellect is the best gift
of nature or God： to this divine gift and endowment there is
nothing so inimical as pleasure。 For when appetite is our master；
there is no place for self…control； nor where pleasure reigns
supreme can virtue hold its ground。 To see this more vividly；
imagine a man excited to the highest conceivable pitch of sensual
pleasure。 It can be doubtful to no one that such a person； so long as
he is under the influence of such excitation of the senses； will be
unable to use to any purpose either intellect； reason； or thought。
Therefore nothing can be so execrable and so fatal as pleasure；
since； when more than ordinarily violent and lasting； it darkens all
the light of the soul。〃
These were the words addressed by Archytas to the Samnite Caius
Pontius； father of the man by whom the consuls Spurius Postumius
and Titus Veturius were beaten in the battle of Caudium。 My
friend Nearchus of Tarentum； who had remained loyal to Rome；
told me that he had heard them repeated by some old men； and
that Plato the Athenian was present； who visited Tarentum； I find；
in the consulship of L。 Camillus and Appius Claudius。
What is the point of all this？ It is to show you that； if we were
unable to scorn pleasure by the aid of reason and philosophy； we
ought to have been very grateful to old age for depriving us of all
inclination for that which it was wrong to do。 For pleasure hinders
thought； is a foe to reason； and； so to speak； blinds the eyes of the
mind。 It is； moreover； entirely alien to virtue。 I was sorry to have
to expel Lucius； brother of the gallant Titus Flamininus； from the
Senate seven years after his consulship； but I thought it imperative
to affix a stigma on an act of gross sensuality。 For when he was in
Gaul as consul； he had yielded to the entreaties of his paramour at
a dinner…party to behead a man who happened to be in prison
condemned on a capital charge。 When his brother Titus was
Censor； who preceded me； he escaped； but I and Flaccus could not
countenance an act of such criminal and abandoned lust； especially
as； besides the personal dishonour； it brought disgrace on the
Government。
13。 I have often been told by men older than myself； who said that
they had heard it as boys from old men； that Gaius Fabricius was in
the habit of expressing astonishment at having heard； when envoy
at the headquarters of king Pyrrhus； from the Thessalian Cineas；
that there was a man of Athens who professed to be a
〃philosopher；〃 and affirmed that everything we did was to be
referred to pleasure。 When he told this to Manius Curius and
Publius Decius； they used to remark that they wished that the
Samnites and Pyrrhus himself would hold the same opinion。 It
would be much easier to conquer them； if they had once given
themselves over to sensual indulgences。 Manius Curius had been
intimate with P。 Decius； who four years before the former's
consulship had devoted himself to death for the Republic。 Both
Fabricius and Coruncanius knew him also； and from the
experience of their own lives； as well as from the action of P。
Decius； they were of opinion that there did exist something
intrinsically noble and great； which was sought for its own sake；
and at which all the best men aimed； to the contempt and neglect
of pleasure。 Why then do I spend so many words on the subject of
pleasure？ Why； because； far from being a charge against old age；
that it does not much feel the want of any pleasures； it is its highest
praise。
But； you will say； it is deprived of the pleasures of the table； the
heaped up board； the rapid passing of the wine…cup。 Well； then； it
is also free from headache； disordered digestion； broken sleep。 But
if we must grant pleasure something； since we do not find it easy
to resist its charms；…for Plato； with happy inspiration； calls
pleasure 〃vice's bait；〃 because of course men are caught by it as
fish by a hook；…yet； although old age has to abstain from
extravagant banquets； it is still capable of enjoying modest
festivities。 As a boy I often used to see Gaius Duilius the son of
Marcus； then an old mali； returning from a dinner…party。 He
thoroughly enjoyed the frequent use of torch and flute…player；
distinctions which he had assumed though unprecedented in the
case of a private person。 It was the privilege of his glory。 But why
mention others？ I will come back to my own case。 To begin with； I
have always remained a member of a 〃club 〃…clubs； you know；
were established in my quaestorship on the reception of the Magna
Mater from Ida。 So I used to dine at their feast with the members
of my club…on the whole with moderation； though there was a
certain warmth of temperament natural to my time of life； but as
that advances there is a daily decrease of all excitement。 Nor was
I； in fact； ever wont to measure my enjoyment even of these
banquets by the physical pleasures they gave more than by the
gathering and conversation of friends。 For it was a good idea of our
ancestors to style the presence of guests at a dinner…table…seeing
that it implied a community of enjoyment…a _convivium_； 〃a living
together。〃 It is a better term than the Greek words which mean 〃a
drinking together；〃 or； 〃an eating together。〃 For they would seem
to give the preference to what is really the least important part of
it。
14。 For myself； owing to the pleasure I take in conversation； I
enjoy even banquets that begin early in the afternoon； and not only
in company with my contemporaries…of whom very few
survive…but also with men of your age and with yourselves。 I am
thankful to old age； which has increased my avidity for
conversation； while it has removed that for eating and drinking。
But if anyone does enjoy these…not to seem to have proclaimed war
against all pleasure without exception； which is perhaps a feeling
inspired by nature…I fail to perceive even in these