treatises on friendship and old age-第11节

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private　business；　in　it　too　a　means　of　spending　my　leisure　with
unalloyed　delight。　　Never；　to　the　best　of　my　knowledge；　did　I
offend　him　even　in　the　most　trivial　point；　never　did　I　hear　a　word
from　him　I　could　have　wished　unsaid。　We　had　one　house；　one
table；　one　style　of　living；　and　not　only　were　we　together　on　foreign
service；　but　in　our　tours　also　and　country　sojourns。　Why　speak　of
our　eagerness　to　be　ever　gaining　some　knowledge；　to　be　ever
learning　something；　on　which　we　spent　all　our　leisure　hours　far
from　the　gaze　of　the　world？　If　the　recollection　and　memory　of
these　things　had　　perished　with　the　man；　I　could　not　possibly　have
endured　the　regret　for　one　so　closely　united　with　me　in　life　and
affection。　　But　these　things　have　not　perished；　they　are　rather　fed
and　strengthened　by　reflexion　and　memory。　Even　supposing　me　to
have　been　entirely　bereft　of　them；　still　my　time　of　life　of　itself
brings　me　no　small　consolation：　for　I　cannot　have　much　longer
now　to　bear　this　regret；　and　everything　that　is　brief　ought　to　be
endurable；　however　severe。

This　is　all　I　had　to　say　on　friendship。　One　piece　of　advice　on
parting。　Make　up　your　minds　to　this。　Virtue　（without　which
friendship　is　impossible）　is　first；　but　next　to　it；　and　to　it　alone；　the
greatest　of　all　things　is　Friendship。

On　Old　Age
by　Marcus　Tullius　Cicero　translated　by　E。　S。　Shuckburgh

1。　And　should　my　service；　Titus；　ease　the　weight
Of　care　that　wrings　your　heart；　and　draw　the　sting　
Which　rankles　there；　what　guerdon　shall　there　he？

FOR　I　may　address　you；　Atticus；　in　the　lines　in　which　Flamininus
was　addressed　by　the　man；

who；　poor　in　wealth；　was　rich　in　honour's　gold；

though　I　am　well　assured　that　you　are　not；　as　Flamininus　was；

kept　on　the　rack　of　care　by　night　and　day。

For　I　know　how　well　ordered　and　equable　your　mind　is；　and　am
fully　aware　that　it　was　not　a　surname　alone　which　you　brought
home　with　you　from　Athens；　hut　its　culture　and　good　sense。　And
yet　I　have　an　idea　that　you　are　at　times　stirred　to　the　heart　by　the
same　circumstances　as　myself。　To　console　you　for　these　is　a　more
serious　matter；　and　must　be　put　off　to　another　time。　For　the　present
I　have　resolved　to　dedicate　to　you　an　essay　on　Old　Age。　　For　from
the　burden　of　impending　or　at　least　advancing　age；　common　to　us
both；　I　would　do　something　to　relieve　us　both　though　as　to　yourself
I　am　fully　aware　that　you　support　and　will　support　it；　as　you　do
everything　else；　with　calmness　and　philosophy。　　But　directly　I
resolved　to　write　on　old　age；　you　at　once　occurred　to　me　as
deserving　a　gift　of　which　both　of　us　might　take　advantage。　　To
myself；　indeed；　the　composition　of　this　book　has　been　so
delightful；　that　it　has　not　only　wiped　away　all　the　disagreeables　of
old　age；　but　has　even　made　it　luxurious　and　delightful　too。　　Never；
therefore；　can　philosophy　be　praised　as　highly　as　it　deserves
considering　that　its　faithful　disciple　is　able　to　spend　every　period
of　his　life　with　unruffled　feelings。　However；　on　other　subjects　I
have　spoken　at　large；　and　shall　often　speak　again：
this　hook　which　I　herewith　send　you　is　on　Old　Age。　　I　have　put　the
whole　discourse　not；　as　Alisto　of　Cos　did；　in　the　mouth　of
Tithonus…for　a　mere　fable　would　have　lacked　conviction…but　in　that
of　Marcus　Cato　when　he　was　an　old　man；　to　give　my　essay　greater
weight。　I　represent　Laelius　and　Scipio　at　his　house　expressing
surprise　at　his　carrying　his　years　so　lightly；　and　Cato　answering
them。　　If　he　shall　seem　to　shew　somewhat　more　learning　in　this
discourse　than　he　generally　did　in　his　own　books；　put　it　down　to
the　Greek　literature　of　which　it　is　known　that　he　became　an　eager
student　in　his　old　age。　　But　what　need　of　more？　Cato's　own　words
will　at　once　explain　all　I　feel　about　old　age。



M。　Cato。　　Publius　Cornelius　Scipio　Africanus　（the　younger）。　Gaius
Laelius。

2。　_Scipio_。　Many　a　time　have　I　in　conversation　with　my　friend
Gaius　Laelius　here　expressed　my　admiration；　Marcus　Cato；　of　the
eminent；　nay　perfect；　wisdom　displayed　by　you　indeed　at　all
points；　but　above　everything　because　I　have　noticed　that　old　age
never　seemed　a　burden　to　you；　while　to　most　old　men　it　is　so
hateful　that　they　declare　themselves　under　a　weight　heavier　than
Aetna。

_Cato_。　　Your　admiration　is　easily　excited；　it　seems；　my　dear
Scipio　and　Laelius。　　Men；　of　course；　who　have　no　resources　in
themselves　for　securing　a　good　and　happy　life　find　every　age
burdensome。　　But　those　who　look　for　all　happiness　from　within
can　never　think　anything　had　which　nature　makes　inevitable。　　In
that　category　before　anything　else　comes　old　age）　to　which　all
wish　to　attain；　and　at　which　all　grumble　when　attained。　　Such　is
Folly's　inconsistency　and　unreasonableness！　　They　say　that　it　is
stealing　upon　them　faster　than　they　expected。　In　the　first　place；
who　compelled　them　to　hug　an　illusion？　For　in　what　respect　did
old　age　steal　upon　manhood　faster　than　manhood　upon　childhood？
In　the　next　place；　in　what　way　would　old　age　have　been　less
disagreeable　to　them　if　they　were　in　their　eight…hundredth　year
than　in　their　eightieth？　　For　their　past；　however　long；　when　once　it
was　past；　would　have　no　consolation　for　a　stupid　old　age。
Wherefore；　if　it　is　your　wont　to　admire　my　wisdom…and　I　would
that　it　were　worthy　of　your　good　opinion　and　of　my　own　surname
of　Sapiens…it　really　consists　in　the　fact　that　I　follow　Nature；　the
best　of　guides；　as　I　would　a　god；　and　am　loyal　to　her　commands。　It
is　not　likely；　if　she　has　written　the　rest　of　the　play　well；　that　she
has　been　careless　about　the　last　act　like　some　idle　poet。　　But　after
all　some　〃last〃　was　inevitable；　just　as　to　the　berries　of　a　tree　and
the　fruits　of　the　earth　there　comes　in　the　fulness　of　time　a　period　of
decay　and　fall。　　A　wise　man　will　not　make　a　grievance　of　this。　　To
rebel　against　nature…is　not　that　to　fight　like　the　giants　with　the
gods？

_Laelius_。　And　yet；　Cato；　you　will　do　us　a　very　great　favour　（I
venture　to　speak　for　Scipio　as　for　myself）　if…since　we　all　hope；　or
at　least　wish；　to　become　old　men…you　would　allow　us　to　learn　from
you　in　good　time　before　it　arrives；　by　what　methods　we　may　most
easily　acquire　the　strength　to　support　the　burden　of　advancing　age。

_Cato_。　I　will　do　so　without　doubt；　Laelius；　especially　if；　as　you
say；　it　will　be　agreeable　to　you　both。


_Laelius_　We　do　wish　very　much；　Cato；　if　it　is　no　trouble　to　you；
to　be　allowed　to　see　the　nature　of　the　bourne　which　you　have
reached　after　completing　a　long　journey；　as　it　were；　upon　which　we
too　are　bound　to　embark。

3。　_Cato_。　　I　will　do　the　best　I　can；　Laelius。　　It　has　often　been　my
fortune　to　bear　the　complaints　of　my　contemporaries…like　will　to
like；　you　know；　according　to　the　old　proverb…complaints　to　which
men　like　C。　Salinator　and　Sp。　Albinus；　who　were　of　consular　rank
and　about　my　time；　used　to　give　vent。　They　were；　first；　that　they
had　lost　the　pleasures　of　the　senses；　without　which　they　did　not
regard　life　as　life　at　all；　and；　secondly；　that　they　were　neglected　by
those　from　whom　they　had　been　used　to　receive　attentions。　Such
men　appear　to　me　to　lay　the　blame　on　the　wrong　thing。　　For　if　it
had　been　the　fault　of　old　age；　then　these　same　misfortunes　would
have　befallen　me　and　all　other　men　of　advanced　years。　　But　I　have
known　many　of　them　who　never　said　a　word　of　complaint　against
old　age；　for　they　were　only　too　glad　to　be　freed　from　the　bondage
of　passion；　and　were　not　at　all　looked　down　upon　by　their　friends。
The　fact　is　that　the　blame　for　all　complaints　of　that　kind　is　to　be
charged　to　character；　not　to　a　particular　time　of　life。　For　old　men
who　are　reasonable　and　neither　cross…grained　nor　churlish　find　old
age　tolerable　enough：　whereas　unreason　and　churlishness　cause
uneasiness　at　every　time　of　life。

_Laelius_　　It　is　as　you　say；　Cato。　　But　perhaps　some　one　may
suggest　that　it　is　your　large　means；　wealth；　and　high　position　that
make　you　think　old　age　tolerable：　whereas　such　good　fortune　only
falls　to　few。

_Cato_。　　There　is　something　in　that；　Laelius；　but　by　no　means　all。　
For　instance；　the　story　is　told　of　the　answer　of　Themistocles　in　a
wrangle　with　a　certain　Seriphian；　who　asserted　that　he　owed　his
brilliant　position　to　the　reputation　of　his　country；　not　to　his　own。　
〃If　I　had　been　a　Seriphian；〃　said　he；　〃even　I　should　never　have　been
famous；　nor　would　you　if　you　had　been　an　Athenian。　　Something
like　this　may　be　said　of　old　age。　For　the　philosopher　himself　could
not　find　old　age　easy　to　bear　in　the　depths　of　poverty；　nor　the　fool
feel　it　anything　but　a　burden　though　he　were　a　millionaire。　　You
may　he　sure；　my　dear　Scipio　and　Laelius；　that　the　arms　best
adapted　to　old　age　are　culture　and　the　active　exercise　of　the
virtues。　　For　if　they　have　been　maintained　at　every　period…if　one
has　lived　much　as　well　as　long…the　harvest　they　produce　is
wonderful；　not　only　because　they　never　fail　us　even　in　our　last　days
（though　that　in　itself　is　supremely　important）；　but　also　because　the
consciousness　of　a　well…spent　life　and　the　recollection　of　many
virtuous　actions　are　exceedingly　delightful。

4。　Take　the　case　of　Q。　Fabius　Maximus；　the　man；　I　mean；　who
recovered　Tarentum。　　When　I　was　a　young　man　and　he　an　old　one；
I　was　as　muc