And you indeed know that I have these many Pythiads served the Pythian
Apollo; but yet you would not say to me: Thou hast sufficiently, O
Plutarch, sacrificed, gone in procession, and led dances in honor of
the Gods; it is now time that, being in years, thou shouldst in favor
of thy old age lay aside the garland and leave the oracle. Therefore
neither do you think that you, who are the chief priest and interpreter
of religious ceremonies in the state, may leave the service of Jupiter,
the protector of cities and governor of assemblies, for the performance
of which you were long since consecrated.
18. But leaving, if you please, this discourse about withdrawing old
men from performing their duties to the state, let us make it a little
the subject of our consideration and philosophy, how we may enjoin them
no exercise unfitting or grievous to their years, the administration
of a commonwealth having many parts beseeming and suitable for such
persons. For as, if we were obliged to persevere in the practice of
singing to the end of our days, it would behoove us, being now grown
old, of the many tones and tensions there are of the voice, which the
musicians call harmonies, not to aim at the highest and shrillest,
but to make choice of that in which there is an easiness joined with
a decent suitableness; so, since it is more natural for men to act
and speak even to the end of their lives, than for swans to sing, we
must not reject action, like a harp that is set too high, but rather
let it a little down, accommodating it to such employs in the state as
are easy, moderate, and fitting for men in years. For neither do we
suffer our bodies to be altogether motionless and unexercised because
we cannot any longer make use of spades and plummets, nor yet throw
quoits or skirmish in armor, as we have formerly done; but some of
us do by swinging and walking, others by playing gently at ball, and
some again by discoursing, stir up our spirits and revive our natural
heat. Therefore neither let us permit ourselves to be wholly chilled
and frozen by idleness, nor yet on the contrary let us, by burthening
ourselves with every office or intermeddling with every public
business, force on old age, convinced of its disability, to break forth
into these exclamations:
The spear to brandish, thou, right hand, art bent;
But weak old age opposes thy intent.
Since even that man is not commended who, in the vigor and strength
of his years, imposing all public affairs in general on himself,
and unwilling to leave any thing for another (as the Stoics say of
Jupiter), thrusts himself into all employs, and intermeddles in every
business, through an insatiable desire of glory, or through envy
against those who are in some measure partakers of honor and authority
in the state. But to an old man, though you should free him from the
infamy, yet painful and miserable would be an ambition always laying
wait at every election of magistrates, a curiosity attending for every
opportunity of judicature or assembling in counsel, and a humor of
vain-glory catching at every embassy and patronage. For the doing of
these things, even with the favor and good liking of every one, is too
heavy for that age. And yet the contrary to this happens; for they are
hated by the young men, as leaving them no occasions of action, nor
suffering them to put themselves forth; and their ambitious desire of
primacy and rule is no less odious to others than the covetousness and
voluptuousness of other old men.
19. Therefore, as Alexander, unwilling to tire his Bucephalus when he
now began to grow old, did before the fight ride on other horses, to
view his army and draw it up for battle, and then, after the signal
was given, mounting this, marched forth and charged the enemy; so
a statesman, if he is wise, moderating himself when he finds years
coming on, will abstain from intermeddling in unnecessary affairs, and
suffering the state to make use of younger persons in smaller matters,
will readily exercise himself in such as are of great importance.
For champions indeed keep their bodies untouched and unemployed in
necessary matters, that they may be in a readiness for unprofitable
engagements; but let us on the contrary, letting pass what is little
and frivolous, carefully preserve ourselves for worthy and gallant
actions. For all things perhaps, as Homer says, equally become a young
man;[43] all men now esteem and love him; so that for undertaking
frequently little and many businesses, they say he is laborious and
a good commonwealths-man; and for enterprising none but splendid and
noble actions, they style him generous and magnanimous; nay, there
are also some occurrences when even contention and rashness have a
certain seasonableness and grace, becoming such men. But an old man’s
undertaking in a state such servile employs as the farming out of the
customs, and the looking after the havens and market-place, or else
his running on embassies and journeys to princes and potentates when
there are no necessary or honorable affairs to be treated of, but only
compliments and a maintaining of correspondence,—such management, dear
friend, seems to me a thing miserable and not to be imitated, but to
others, perhaps, odious and intolerable.
20. For it is not even seasonable for such men to be employed in
magistracies, unless it be such as bear somewhat of grandeur and
dignity; such is the presidency in the council of Areopagus, which
you now exercise, and such also, by Jove, is the excellency of the
Amphictyonic office, which your country has conferred on you for your
life, having an easy labor and pleasant pains. And yet old men ought
not ambitiously to affect even these honors, but accept them with
refusal, not seeking but being sought; nor as taking government on
themselves, but bestowing themselves on government. For it is not,
as Tiberius Caesar said, a shame for those that are above threescore
years old to reach forth their hands to the physician; but it far more
misbeseems them to hold up their hands to the people, to beg their
votes or suffrages for the obtaining offices; for this is ungenerous
and mean, whereas the contrary has a certain majesty and comeliness,
when, his country choosing, inviting, and expecting him, he comes down
with honor and courtesy to welcome and receive the present, truly
befitting his old age and acceptance.
21. After the same manner also ought he that is grown old to use his
speech in assemblies, not ever and anon climbing up to the desk to
make harangues, nor always, like a cock, crowing against those that
speak, nor letting go the reins of the young men’s respect to him by
contending against them and provoking them, nor breeding in them a
desire and custom of disobedience and unwillingness to hear him; but he
should sometimes pass them by, and let them strut and brave it against
his opinion, neither being present nor concerning himself much at
it, as long as there is no great danger to the public safety nor any
offence against what is honest and decent. But in such cases, on the
contrary, he ought, though nobody call him, to run beyond his strength,
or to deliver himself to be led or carried in a chair, as historians
report of Appius Claudius in Rome. For he having understood that the
senate, after their army had been in a great fight worsted by Pyrrhus,
were debating about receiving proposals of peace and alliance, could
not bear it, but, although he had lost both his eyes, caused himself to
be carried through the common place straight to the senate house, where
entering among them and standing in the midst, he said, that he had
formerly indeed been troubled at his being deprived of his sight, but
that he now wished he had also lost his ears, rather than to have heard
that the Roman senators were consulting and acting things so ungenerous
and dishonorable. And then partly reprehending, and partly teaching
and exalting them, he persuaded them to betake themselves presently
to their arms, and fight with Pyrrhus for the dominion of Italy. And
Solon, when the popularity of Pisistratus was discovered to be only a
plot for the obtaining of a tyranny, none daring to oppose or impeach
it, did himself bring forth his arms, and setting them before the
doors of his house, called out to the people to assist him; and when
Pisistratus sent to ask him what gave him the confidence to act in that
manner, “My old age,” answered he.
22. For matters that are so necessary as these inflame and rouse up
old men who are in a manner extinct, so that they have but any breath
yet left them; but in other occurrences, an old man, as has been said,
should be careful to avoid mean and servile offices, and such in which
the trouble to those who manage them exceeds the advantage and profit
for which they are done. Sometimes by expecting also till the citizens
call and desire and fetch him out of house, he is thought more worthy
of credit by those who request him. And even when he is present, let
him for the most part silently permit the younger men to speak, as if
he were an arbitrator, judging to whom the reward and honor of this
their debate about public matters ought to be given; but if any thing
should exceed a due mediocrity, let him mildly reprehend it, and with
sweetness cut off all obstinate contentions, all injurious and choleric
expressions, directing and teaching without reproof him that errs in
his opinions, boldly praising him that is in the right, and often
willingly suffering himself to be overcome, persuaded, and brought to
their side, that he may hearten and encourage them; and sometimes with
commendations supplying what has been omitted, not unlike to Nestor,
whom Homer makes to speak in this manner:
There is no Greek can contradict or mend
What you have said; yet to no perfect end
Is your speech brought. No wonder, for’t appears.
You’re young, and may my son be for your years.[44]
23. And it were yet more civil and politic, not only in reprehending
them openly and in the face of the people, to forbear that sharpness
of speech which exceedingly dashes a young man and puts him out of
countenance, but rather, wholly abstaining from all such public
reproofs, privately to instruct such as have a good genius for
the managing of state affairs, drawing them on by setting gently
before them useful counsels and political precepts, inciting them to
commendable actions, enlightening their understanding, and showing
them, as those do who teach to ride, how at their beginning to render
the people tractable and mild, and if any young man chances to fall,
not to suffer him to lie gasping and panting on the ground, but to help
him up and comfort him, as Aristides dealt by Cimon, and Mnesiphilus by
Themistocles; whom they raised up and encouraged, though at first they
were harshly received and ill spoken of in the city, as audacious and
intemperate. It is said also, that Demosthenes being rejected by the
people and taking it to heart, there came to him a certain old man, who
had in former years been an hearer of Pericles, and told him, that he
naturally resembled that great man, and did unjustly cast down himself.
In like manner Euripides exhorted Timotheus, when he was hissed at for
introducing of novelty, and thought to transgress against the law of
music, to be of good courage, for that he should in a short time have
all the theatres subject to him.
24. In brief, as in Rome the Vestal virgins have their time divided
into three parts, in one of which they are to learn what belong to the
ceremonies of their religion, in the second to execute what they have
learned, and in the third to teach the younger; and as in like manner
they call every one of those who are consecrated to the service of
Diana in Ephesus, first Mell-hiere (one that is to be a priestess),
then Hiere (priestess), and thirdly Par-hiere (or one that has been
a priestess), so he that is a perfect statesman is at first a learner
in the management of public affairs, then a practitioner, and at last
a teacher and instructor in the mysteries of government. For indeed he
who is to oversee others that are performing their exercise or fighting
for prizes cannot judge at the same exercise and fight himself. Thus
he who instructs a young man in public affairs and negotiations of the
state, and prepares him