Chapter 10

31 “Do you see how often Homer’s Nestor proclaims his own achievements? He was living through a third generation of men, and had no reason to fear that a truthful account of himself would make him seem too boastful or too talkative. As Homer says, speech sweeter than honey flowed from his tongue; and for that sweetness he needed no bodily strength. Yet the commander of Greece nowhere wishes for ten men like Ajax, but for ten like Nestor. If he had them, he has no doubt that Troy would soon fall.”

32 “But I return to myself. I am in my eighty-fourth year. I wish I could make the same boast as Cyrus, but I can at least say this: though I do not have the strength I had as a soldier in the Punic War, as quaestor in that same war, as consul in Spain, or four years later when I fought at Thermopylae as military tribune under the consul Manius Glabrio, old age has not, as you see, utterly weakened or broken me. The Senate does not find my strength wanting, nor the rostra, nor my friends, clients, or guests. I have never agreed with that old and much-praised proverb which advises you to become old early if you wish to be old for long. I would rather be old for less time than be old before my time. So far, no one who wished to meet me has found me too busy.”

33 “But I have less strength than either of you. And neither of you has the strength of the centurion Titus Pontius. Is he therefore the better man? Let a man only husband his strength and exert himself to the extent he can, and he will feel no great longing for more. Milo is said to have walked the length of the stadium at Olympia carrying an ox on his shoulders. Which would you rather be given: his bodily strength or Pythagoras’s strength of mind? In short, enjoy that advantage while it is yours; when it is gone, do not yearn for it. Otherwise young men should yearn for childhood, and those a little further on for youth. Life has a fixed course, and nature one simple path; each part of life has been given its own season. The weakness of children, the impetuousness of youth, the gravity of settled years, and the ripeness of old age each have something natural that should be enjoyed in its own time.”

31 “Notice how often Nestor talks about his own brave deeds in Homer. He was seeing his third generation of people. When he told the truth about himself, he had no need to worry that he might sound too proud or talk too much. Homer says that words sweeter than honey flowed from his tongue. That sweetness needed no physical power. Yet the Greek commander never asks to have ten men like Ajax. He asks for ten like Nestor. If he gets them, he is sure Troy will soon be destroyed.”

32 “But let me speak about myself again. I am now in my eighty-fourth year. I wish I could claim what Cyrus did. I can at least say this, though. I am not as strong as when I served in the Punic War, first as a soldier and then as quaestor, or when I was consul in Spain. Nor am I as strong as four years after that, when I fought at Thermopylae as a military tribune during Manius Glabrio’s consulship. Even so, you can see that getting old has not drained all my energy or knocked me down. I have enough strength for the Senate and the speakers’ platform, for my friends, my clients, and my guests. I have never accepted that familiar, much-admired proverb: become old early if you want a long old age. I would prefer fewer years of old age to becoming old before my time. So far, nobody wanting to see me has found that I was too busy for them.”

33 “Still, either of you is stronger than I am. Well, neither of you is as strong as Titus Pontius the centurion. Does that make him a better man? We only need to manage our energy and exert ourselves within our abilities. Then we will not greatly miss having more strength. People say Milo took an ox onto his shoulders and walked the length of the stadium at Olympia. Would you rather have that bodily power or the mental power of Pythagoras? In short, make use of strength while you have it. Once it is gone, do not wish it back. Otherwise young people should wish to be children again, and people a little older should wish to be young. Life follows a definite course. Nature has a single, straightforward road, and each stage has its proper season. Children’s weakness, young people’s boldness, the seriousness of settled adulthood, and the maturity of old age all have a natural quality we should enjoy at the right time.”