_Shakspearian Parallels._--Searching for Shakspearian parallels, I find
the following, which may leave suggested to our bard his _Seven Ages_.
The first is by Solon, extracted from Clemens Alexandrinus (_Stromat._
vi. p. 685., Paris, 1629), which differs from Philo Judæus (i. p. 25.),
the only two authorities to whom we owe the preservation of this ode, as
also from the text of the critic Brunck and the grammarian Dalzell. An
imitation of the Greek metres is attempted in the paraphrased translation
attached. The second is a sonnet from Tusser, who extends the period of
life beyond seventy, the age of Solon and David in hotter climes, to
eighty-four for hyperboreans, but assigns, with David, the imbecility
belonging to such advanced years.
7. Παῖς μὲν ἄνηβος ἐὼν ἔτι νήπιος ἕρκος ὀδόντων
Φύσας, ἐκβάλλει πρῶτον ἐν ἕπτ' ἔτεσιν.
14. Τοὺς δ' ἑτέρους ὅτε δὴ τελέσει Θεὸς ἕπτ' ἐνιαυτοὺς,
Ἥβης ἐκφαίνει σπέρματα γεινομένης.
21. Τῇ τριτατῃ δὲ γένειον ἀεξομένων ἐπὶ γυίων
Λαχνοῦται, χροιῆς ἄνθος ἀμειβομένης.
28. Τῇ δὲ τετάρτῃ πᾶς τις ἐν ἑβδομάδι μέγ' ἄριστος
Ἰσχὺν, ἥντ' ἄνδρες σήματ' ἔχουσ' ἀρετῆς.
35. Πέμπτῃ δ' ὥριον ἄνδρα γάμου μεμνημένον εἶναι.
Καὶ παίδων ζητεῖν εἰς ὀπίσω γενεήν.
42. Τῇ δ' ἕκτῃ περιπάντα καταρτύεται γόος ἀνδρὸς,
Οὐδ' ἐσιδεῖν ἔθ' ὁμῶς ἔργα μάταια θέλει.
49. Ἑπτὰ δὲ νοῦν καὶ[1] γλώσσαν ἐν ἑβδομάσι μέγ' ἄριστος·
56. Οκτὼ δ' ἀμφοτέρων τέσσαρα καὶ δέκ' ἔτη,
63. Τῇ δ' ἐνάτῃ ἔτι μὲν δύναται, μετριώτερα δ' αὐτοῦ,
Πρὸς μεγάλην ἀρετὴν σῶμά τε καὶ δύναμις.
70. Τῇ δεκάτῃ δ' ὅτε δὴ τελέσῃ Θεὸς ἕπτ' ἐνιαυτοὺς,
Οὐκ ἂν ἄωρος ἐὼν μοῖραν ἔχοι θανάτου.
7. Youth immature, not a tooth in his jaws, while an infant he
slumbers
Growing, shows teeth i' th' first seven years of his life.
14. God, in the next seven years, to him grants ev'ry pow'r of
production;
Thus soon commands man, sacred, to look on the sex.
21. Thirdly, his beard, while it roughens his chin; and his limbs,
freely playing,
Grow lust'rously-bright, changing their flowery hue.
28. Fourth, in this sev'n-fold older, the _man_ very speedily
shoots forth,
Mighty in muscular limbs, proud of his vigour and strength.
{241}
35. Fifth, in maturity, glowing in health, with his heart in the
right place,
Let him, wisdom-join'd, think upon children to come.
42. Sixth, let him carefully ponder on things of importance to
mankind;
Disdaining whate'er, formerly, foolish he sought.