abounds in pigs； goats； lambs； fowls； milk； cheese； and。 honey。
Then there is the garden； which the farmers themselves call their 〃
second flitch。〃 A zest and flavour is added to all these by hunting
and fowling in spare hours。 Need I mention the greenery of
meadows； the rows of trees； the beauty of vineyard and
olive…grove？ I 'will put it briefly： nothing can either furnish
necessaries more richly； or present a fairer spectacle； than
well…cultivated land。 And to the enjoyment of that； old age does
not merely present no hindrance…it actually invites and allures to it。
For where else can it better warm itself； either by basking in the
sun or by sitting by the fire； or at the proper time cool itself more
wholesomely by the help of shade or water？ Let the young keep
their arms then to themselves； their horses； spears； their foils and
ball； their swimming baths and running path。 To us old men let
them； out of the many forms of sport； leave dice and counters； but
even that as they choose； since old age can be quite happy without
them。
17。 Xenophon's books are very useful for many purposes。 Pray go
on reading them with attention； as you have ever done。 In what
ample terms is agriculture lauded by him in the book about
husbanding one's property； which is called _Oceonomicus_！ But to
show you that he thought nothing so worthy of a prince as the taste
for cultivating the soil； I will translate what Socrates says to
Critobulus in that book：
〃When that most gallant Lacedaemonian Lysander came to visit
the Persian prince Cyrus at Sardis； so eminent for his character and
the glory of his rule； bringing him presents from his allies； he
treated Lysander in all ways with courteous familiarity and
kindness； and； among other things； took him to see a certain park
carefully planted。 Lysander expressed admiration of the height of
the trees and the exact arrangement of their rows in the quincunx；
the careful cultivation of the soil； its freedom from weeds； and the
sweetness of the odours exhaled from the flowers； and went on to
say that what he admired was not the industry only； but also the
skill of the man by whom this had been planned and laid out。
Cyrus replied： 'Well； it was I who planned the whole thing these
rows are my doing； the laying out is all mine； many of the trees
were even planted by own hand。' Then Lysander； looking at his
purple robe； the brilliance of his person； and his adornment Persian
fashion with gold and many jewels； said： 'People are quite right；
Cyrus； to call you happy； since the advantages of high fortune have
been joined to an excellence like yours。'〃
This kind of good fortune； then； it is in the power of old men to
enjoy； nor is age any bar to our maintaining pursuits of every other
kind； and especially of agriculture； to the very extreme verge of
old age。 For instance； we have it on record that M。 Valerius
Corvus kept it up to his hundredth year； living on his land and
cultivating it after his active career was over； though between his
first and sixth consulships there was an interval of six and forty
years。 So that he had an official career lasting the number of years
which our ancestors defined as coming between birth and the
beginning of old age。 Moreover； that last period of his old age was
more blessed than that of his middle life； inasmuch as he had
greater influence and less labour。 For the crowning grace of old
age is influence。
How great was that of L。 Caecilius Metellus！ How great that of
Atilius Calatinus； over whom the famous epitaph was placed；
〃Very many classes agree in deeming this to have been the very
first man of the nation〃！ The line cut on his tomb is well known。 It
is natural； then； that a man should have had influence； in whose
praise the verdict of history is unanimous。 Again； in recent times；
what a great man was Publius Crassus； Pontifex Maximus； and his
successor in the same office； M。 Lepidus！ I need scarcely mention
Paulus or Africanus； or； as I did before； Maximus。 It was not only
their senatorial utterances that had weight： their least gesture had it
also。 In fact； old age； especially when it has enjoyed honours； has
an influence worth all the pleasures of youth put together。
18。 But throughout my discourse remember that my panegyric
applies to an old age that has been established on foundations laid
by youth。 From which may be deduced what I once said with
universal applause； that it was a wretched old age that had to
defend itself by speech。 Neither white hairs nor wrinkles can at
once claim influence in themselves： it is the honourable conduct of
earlier days that is rewarded by possessing influence at the last。
Even things generally regarded as trifling and matters of
course…being saluted； being courted； having way made for one；
people rising when one approaches； being escorted to and from the
forum； being referred to for advice…all these are marks of respect；
observed among us and in other States…always most sedulously
where the moral tone is highest。 They say that Lysander the
Spartan； whom I have mentioned before； used to remark that
Sparta was the most dignified home for old age； for that nowhere
was more respect paid to years； no…where was old age held in
higher honour。 Nay； the story is told of how when a man of
advanced years came into the theatre at Athens when the games
were going on； no place was given him anywhere in that large
assembly by his own countrymen； but when he came near the
Lacedaemonians； who as ambassadors had a fixed place assigned
to them； they rose as one man out of respect for him； and gave the
veteran a seat。 When they were greeted with rounds of applause
from the whole audience； one of them remarked：
〃The Athenians know what is right； but will not do it。〃 There are
many excellent rules in our augural college； but among the best is
one which affects our subject…that precedence in speech goes by
seniority； and augurs who are older are preferred only to those who
have held higher office； but even to those who are actually in
possession of imperium。 What then are the physical pleasures to be
compared with the reward of influence？ Those who have
employed it with distinction appear to me to have played the
drama of life to its end； and not to have broken down in the last act
like unpractised players。
But； it will be said； old men are fretful； fidgety； ill…tempered； and
disagreeable。 If you come to that； they are also avaricious。 But
these are faults of character； not of the time of life。 And； after all；
fretfulness and the other faults I mentioned admit of some
excuse…not； indeed； a complete one； but one that may possibly pass
muster： they think them…selves neglected； looked down upon；
mocked； Besides with bodily weakness every rub is a source of
pain。 Yet all these faults are softened both by good character and
good education。 Illustrations of this may be found in real life； as
also on the stage in the case of the brothers in the _Adeiphi_。 What
harshness in the one； what gracious manners in the other The fact
is that； just as it is not every wine； so it is not every life； that turns
sour from keeping； Serious gravity I approve of in old age； but； as
in other things； it must be within due limits： bitterness I can in no
case approve。 What the object of senile avarice may be I cannot
conceive。 For can there be anything more absurd than to seek more
journey money； the less there remains of the journey？
19。 There remains the fourth reason； which more than anything
else appears to torment men of my age and keep them in a
flutter…THE NEARNESS OF DEATH； which； it must be allowed；
cannot be far from an old man。 But what a poor dotard must he be
who has not learnt in the course of so long a life that death is not a
thing to be feared？ Death； that is either to be totally disregarded； if
it entirely extinguishes the soul； or is even to be desired； if it brings
him where he is to exist forever。 A third alternative； at any rate；
cannot possibly be discovered。 Why then should I be afraid if I am
destined either not to be miserable after death or even to be happy？
After all； who is such a fool as to feel certain…however young he
may be…that he will be alive in the evening？ Nay； that time of life
has many more chances of death than ours； Young men more
easily contract diseases； their illnesses are more serious； their
treatment has to be more severe。 Accordingly； only a few arrive at
old age。 If that were not so； life would be conducted better and
more wisely； for it is in old men that thought； reason； and prudence
are to be found； and if there had been no old men； States would
never have existed at all。 But I return to the subject of the
imminence of death。 What sort of charge is this against old age；
when you see that it is shared by youth？ I had reason in the case of
my excellent son…as you had； Scipio； in that of your brothers； who
were expected to attain the highest honours…to realise that death is
common to every time of life。 Yes； you will say； but a young man
expects to live long； an old man cannot expect to do so。 Well； he
is a fool to expect it。 For what can be more foolish than to regard
the uncertain as certain； the false as true？ 〃An old man has nothing
even to hope。〃 Ah； but it is just there that he is in a better position
than a young man； since what the latter only hopes he has
obtained。 The one wishes to live long； the other has lived long。
And yet； good heaven！ what is 〃long〃 in a man's life？ For grant the
utmost limit： let us expect an age like that of the King of the
Tartessi。 For there was； as I find recorded； a certain Agathonius at
Gades who reigned eighty years and lived a hundred and twenty。
But to my mind nothing seems even long in which there is any
〃last；〃 for when that arrives； then all the past has slipped away…only
that remains to which you have attained by virtue and righteous
actions。 Hours indeed； and days and months and years depart； nor
does past time ever return； nor can the future be known。 Whatever
time each is granted for life； with that he is bound to be content。
An actor； in order to earn approval； is not bound to perform the
play from begi