Old husbandmen I at Sabinum know,
Who for another year dig, plough, and sow;
For never any man was yet so old
But hop'd his life one winter more might hold.
Cæcilius vainly said, " Each day we spend
"Discovers something which must needs offend."
But sometimes Age may pleasant things behold,
And nothing that offends. He should have told 140
This not to Age, but youth, who oft'ner see
What not alone offends, but hurts, than we.
That I in him which he in Age condemn'd,
That us it renders odious and contemn'd.
He knew not virtue if he thought this truth; 145
For youth delights in Age, and Age in youth.
What to the old can greater pleasure be
Than hopeful and ingenuous youth to see,
When they with rev'rence follow where we lead,
And in straight paths by our directions tread! 50
And ev'n my conversation here I see
As well receiv'd by you as your's by me.
'Tis disingenuous to accuse our Age
Of idleness, who all our pow'rs engage
In the same studies, the same course to hold, 155
Nor think our reason for new arts too old.
Solon, the sage, his progress never ceas'd,
But still his learning with his days increas'd;
And I with the same greediness did seek,
As water when I thirst, to swallow Greek;
Which I did only learn that I might know
Those great examples which I follow now:
And I have heard that Socrates the wise
Learn'd on the lute for his last exercise.
Tho' many of the Ancients did the same,
To improve knowledge was my only aim.
Now into our second grievance I must break,
"That loss of strength makes understanding weak.”
I grieve no more my youthful strength to want,
Than, young, that of a bull or elephant ;
Then with that force content which Nature gave, 5
Nor am I now displeas'd with what I have.
When the young wrestlers, at their sport grew
Old Milo wept to see his naked arm, [warm,
And cry'd 'twas dead. Trifler! thine heart and
head,
And all that's in them, (not thy arm) are dead :
This folly ev'ry looker-on derides,
To glory only in thy arms and sides.
Our gallant ancestors let fall no tears,
Their strength decreasing by increasing years;
But they advanc'd in wisdom ev'ry hour,
And made the commonwealth advance in pow'r.
But orators may grieve, for in their sides,
Rather than heads, their faculty abides;
Yet I have heard old voices loud and clear,
And still my own sometimes the Senate hear.
When th' old with smooth and gentle voices plead,
They by the ear their well-pleas'd audience lead;
Which if I had not strength enough to do,
I could (my Lælius and my Scipio!)
What's to be done or not be done instruct,
And to the maxims of good life conduct.
Cneius and Publius Scipio, and (that man
Of men) your grandsire, the great African,
Were joyful when the flow'r of noble blood
Crowded their dwellings, and attending stood, 30
Like oracles their counsels to receive,
How in their progress they should act and live.
And they whose high examples youth obeys
Are not despised tho' their strength decays;
And those decays (to speak the naked truth,
Tho' the defects of Age) were crimes of youth.
Intemp'rate youth (by sad experience found)
Ends in an Age imperfect and unsound.
Cyrus, tho' ag'd, (if Xenophon say true)
Lucius Metellus, (whom when young I knew) 40
Who held (after his second consulate)
Twenty-two years the high pontificate;
Neither of these, in body or in mind,
Before their death the least decay did find.
I speak not of my self, tho' none deny
To Age to praise their youth the liberty;
Such an unwasted strength I cannot boast,
Yet now my years are eighty-four almost:
And tho' from what it was my strength is far,
Both in the first and second Punic war,
Nor at Thermopylæ, under Glabrio,
Nor when I Consul into Spain did go ;
But yet I feel no weakness, nor hath length
Of winters quite enervated my strength;
And I my guest, my client, or my friend,
Still in the courts of justice can defend :
Neither must I that proverb's truth allow,
"Who would be ancient must be early so."
I would be youthful still, and find no need
To appear old till I was so indeed.
And yet you see my hours not idle are,
Tho' with your strength I cannot mine compare:
Yet this Centurion's doth your's surmount;
Not therefore him the better man I count.
Milo, when ent'ring the Olympic game,
With a huge ox upon his shoulder came:
Would you the force of Milo's body find,
Rather than of Pythagoras's mind?
The force which Nature gives with care retain,
But when decay'd 'tis folly to complain.
In Age to wish for youth is full as vain
As for a youth to turn a child again.
Simple and certain Nature's ways appear,
As she sets forth the seasons of the year:
So in all parts of life we find her truth,
Weakness to childhood, rashness to our youth;
To elder years to be discreet and grave,
Then to old Age maturity she gave,
(Scipio) you know how Massinissa bears
His Kingly port at more than ninety years;
When marching with his foot he walks till. night,
When with this horse he never will alight;
Tho' cold or wet his head is always bare;
So hot, so dry, his aged members are.
You see how exercise and temperance
Ev'n to old years a youthful strength advance.
Our law (because from Age our strength retires)
No duty which belongs to strength requires.
But Age doth many men so feeble make,
That they no great design can undertake ;
Yet that to Age not singly is apply'd,
But to all man's infirmities beside.
That Scipio who adopted you did fall
Into such pains he had no health at all,
Who else had equall'd Africanus parts,
Exceeding him in all the liberal arts.
Why should those errors then imputed be
To Age alone, from which our youth's not free?
Ev'ry disease of Age we may prevent,
Like those of youth, by being diligent.
When sick, such moderate exercise we use,
And diet as our vital heat renews;
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