Chapter 16

55 “I could pursue very many of the pleasures of country life, but I feel that even what I have said has been rather long. You will forgive me: my love of farming carried me away, and old age is naturally somewhat talkative, lest I seem to defend it against every fault. In this way of life Manius Curius passed his last years, after triumphing over the Samnites, the Sabines, and Pyrrhus. When I look upon his villa—it is not far from mine—I can never sufficiently admire either the man’s own restraint or the discipline of those times.”

56 “When the Samnites brought Curius a great weight of gold as he sat by his hearth, he rejected them. He said he thought it glorious not to possess gold but to rule those who possessed it. Could such greatness of soul fail to make old age delightful?

“But I return to farmers, so as not to stray from myself. Senators—that is, elders—lived on their farms in those days. Lucius Quinctius Cincinnatus was plowing when he was told he had been appointed dictator; at this dictator’s command, his master of horse, Gaius Servilius Ahala, forestalled and killed Spurius Maelius as he sought kingship. Curius and the other elders were summoned from their villas to the Senate; hence those who summoned them were called ‘travelers.’ Was the old age of these men, who delighted in tilling the soil, miserable? In my judgment perhaps none could be happier: not only for its service, since agriculture benefits the whole human race, but also for the pleasure I have described, and the fullness and abundance of everything needed to sustain human life and even to worship the gods. Since some people miss these things, let us now be reconciled with pleasure. A good and diligent master’s wine cellar, oil store, and larder are always full. The whole farm is rich, abounding in pork, kid, lamb, poultry, milk, cheese, and honey. Farmers themselves call the garden their second supply of bacon. Fowling and hunting, even in their spare time, add further relish to these things.”

57 “Why say more of green meadows, rows of trees, or the beauty of vineyards and olive groves? I shall cut it short. Nothing can surpass a well-tended farm in richness of use or beauty of appearance; and old age, far from hindering its enjoyment, invites and draws us toward it. Where else can people of those years warm themselves better in the sun or by the fire, or find more wholesome coolness in shade or water? Let the young, then, keep their weapons,”

58 “their horses, their spears, their club and ball, their swimming and running. Out of all their games let them leave us old men knucklebones and dice; or let them do as they please even about those, since old age can be happy without them.”

55 “I could describe many more pleasures of country life. But I realize that even what I have already said has gone on too long. You will forgive me. My enthusiasm for farming carried me away, and old age is naturally rather talkative. I would not want to seem to clear it of every fault. It was in this kind of life that Manius Curius spent his final years, after celebrating triumphs over the Samnites, the Sabines, and Pyrrhus. His farmhouse is not far from mine. Whenever I look at it, I cannot admire enough either the man’s own self-restraint or the standards of his time.”

56 “The Samnites once brought Curius a large amount of gold while he was sitting by his fireplace. He turned them away. He said that what he considered glorious was not owning gold, but ruling over people who owned it. Could a spirit as great as his have failed to make old age happy?

“But let me return to farmers, so that I do not stray from my own experience. In those days senators—that is, old men—lived on their farms. Lucius Quinctius Cincinnatus was plowing when he was told that he had been appointed dictator. It was on this dictator’s orders that Gaius Servilius Ahala, his cavalry commander, caught Spurius Maelius before he could act and killed him for trying to make himself king. Curius and the other old men were summoned from their farms to the Senate. That is why the messengers who summoned them were called ‘travelers.’ Was old age miserable, then, for these men who enjoyed farming? In my opinion, there may be no happier kind of old age. There is the duty it fulfills, since farming benefits the whole human race. There is also the pleasure I have described, and the plentiful supply of everything needed to feed people and for religious worship too. Some people miss such comforts, so let us make peace with pleasure now. A good, attentive landowner always has his wine cellar, oil store, and pantry full. His whole farm is well stocked. There are pigs, young goats, lambs, chickens, milk, cheese, and honey in abundance. Farmers even call their garden a second supply of meat. Bird-catching and hunting in their spare time add further flavor to all this.”

57 “Why keep describing the meadows’ green color, the lines of trees, and how fine the vineyards and olive plantations look? I will cut it short. Nothing can be more productive or more beautiful than a well-farmed estate. Far from keeping us from enjoying it, old age actually invites and draws us to it. Where else can people of that age warm themselves better, either in the sun or by a fire? Or where can they cool themselves more healthfully in the shade or beside water? So let others keep their weapons,”

58 “their horses, their spears, their clubs and balls, their swimming and running. Out of all the games, let them leave us old men the knucklebones and dice. Even that can be as they please, since old age can be happy without them.”