treatises on friendship and old age-第16节

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enclosed　in　sheaths；　as　being　still　immature。　　When　it　has　emerged
from　them　it　produces　an　ear　of　corn　arranged　in　order；　and　is
defended　against　the　pecking　of　the　smaller　birds　by　a　regular
palisade　of　spikes。

Need　I　mention　the　starting；　planting；　and　growth　of　vines？　I　can
never　have　too　much　of　this　pleasure…to　let　you　into　the　secret　of
what　gives　my　old　age　repose　and　amusement。　　For　I　say　nothing
here　of　the　natural　force　which　all　things　propagated　from　the
earth　possess…the　earth　which　from　that　tiny　grain　in　a　fig；　or　the
grape…stone　in　a　grape；　or　the　most　minute　seeds　of　the　other
cereals　and　plants；　produces　such　huge　trunks　and　boughs。
Mallet…shoots；　slips；　cuttings；　quicksets；　layers…are　they　not　enough
to　fill　anyone　with　delight　and　astonishment？　The　vine　by　nature　is
apt　to　fall；　and　unless　supported　drops　down　to　the　earth；　yet　in
order　to　keep　itself　upright　it　embraces　whatever　it　reaches　with　its
tendrils　as　though　they　were　hands。　　Then　as　it　creeps　on；
spreading　itself　in　intricate　and　wild　profusion；　the　dresser's　art
prunes　it　with　the　knife　and　prevents　it　growing　a　forest　of　shoots
and　expanding　to　excess　in　every　direction。　Accordingly　at　the
beginning　of　spring　in　the　shoots　which　have　been　left　there
protrudes　at　each　of　the　joints　what　is　termed　an
From　this　the　grape　emerges　and　shows　itself；　which；　swollen　by
the　juice　of　the　earth　and　the　heat　of　the　sun；　is　at　first　very　bitter
to　the　taste；　but　afterwards　grows　sweet　as　it　matures；　and　being
covered　with　tendrils　is　never　without　a　moderate　warmth；　and　yet
is　able　to　ward　off　the　fiery　heat　of　the　sun。　　Can　anything　be　richer
in　product　or　more　beautiful　to　contemplate？　It　is　not　its　utility
only；　as　I　said　before；　that　charms　me；　but　the　method　of　its
cultivation　and　the　natural　process　of　its　growth：　the　rows　of
uprights；　the　cross…pieces　for　the　tops　of　the　plants；　the　tying　up　of
the　vines　and　their　propagation　by　layers；　the　pruning；　to　which　I
have　already　referred；　of　some　shoots；　the　setting　of　others。　　I　need
hardly　mention　irrigation；　or　trenching　and　digging　the　soil；　which
much　increase　its　fertility。　As　to　the　advantages　of　manuring　I　have
spoken　in　my　book　on　agriculture。　The　learned　Hesiod　did　not　say
a　single　word　on　this　subject；　though　he　was　writing　on　the
cultivation　of　the　soil；　yet　Homer；　who　in　my　opinion　was　many
generations　earlier；　represents　Laertes　as　softening　his　regret　for
his　son　by　cultivating　and　manuring　his　farm。　Nor　is　it　only　in
cornfields　and　meadows　and　vineyards　and　plantations　that　a
farmer's　life　is　made　cheerful。　There　are　the　garden　and　the
orchard；　the　feeding　of　sheep；　the　swarms　of　bees；　endless　varieties
of　flowers。　Nor　is　it　only　planting　out　that　charms：　there　is　also
grafting…surely　the　most　ingenious　invention　ever　made　by
husbandmen。

i6。　　I　might　continue　my　list　of　the　delights　of　country　life；　but
even　what　I　have　said　I　think　is　somewhat　over　long。　However；　you
must　pardon　me；　for　farming　is　a　very　favourite　hobby　of　mine；
and　old　age　is　naturally　rather　garrulous…for　I　would　not　be　thought
to　acquit　it　of　all　faults。

Well；　it　was　in　a　life　of　this　sort　that　Manius　Curius；　after
celebrating　triumphs　over　the　Samnites；　the　Sabines；　and　Pyrrhus；
spent　his　last　days。　　When　I　look　at　his　villa…for　it　is　not　far　from
my　own…I　never　can　enough　admire　the　man's　own　frugality　or　the
spirit　of　the　age。　As　Curius　was　sitting　at　his　hearth　the　Samnites；
who　brought　him　　a　large　sum　of　gold；　were　repulsed　by　him；　for　it
was　not；　lie　said；　a　fine　thing　in　his　eyes　to　possess　gold；　but　to　rule
those　who　possessed　it。　　Could　such　a　high　spirit　fail　to　make　old
age　pleasant？

But　to　return　to　farmers…not　to　wander　from　my　own　metier。　Tn
those　days　there　were　senators；　_i。　e_。　old　men；　on　their　farms。　　For
L。　Quinctius　Cincinnatus　was　actually　at　the　plough　when　word
was　brought　him　that　he　had　been　named　Dictator。　　It　was　by　his
order　as　Dictator；　by　the　way；　that　C。　Servilius　Ahala；　the　Master
of　the　Horse；　seized　and　put　to　death　Spurius　Maelius　when
attempting　to　obtain　royal　power。　　Curius　as　well　as　other　old　men
used　to　receive　their　summonses　to　attend　the　Senate　in　their
farm…houses；　from　which　circumstance　the　summoners　were　called
_viatores_　or　〃travellers。〃　Was　these　men's　old　age　an　object　of
pity　who　found　their　pleasure　in　the　cultivation　of　the　land？　　In　my
opinion；　scarcely　any　life　can　be　more　blessed；　not　alone　from　its
utility　（for　agriculture　is　beneficial　to　the　whole　human　race）；　but
also　as　much　from　the　mere　pleasure　of　the　thing；　to　which　I　have
already　alluded；　and　from　the　rich　abundance　and　supply　of　all
things　necessary　for　the　food　of　man　and　for　the　worship　of　the
gods　above。　　So；　as　these　are　objects　of　desire　to　certain　people；　let
us　make　our　peace　with　pleasure。　　For　the　good　and　hard…working
farmer's　wine…cellar　and　oil…store；　as　well　as　his　larder；　are　always
well　filled；　and　his　whole　farm…house　is　richly　furnished。　It
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　plea