Cato major, or, The book of old age first written by M.T. Cicero ; and now excellently Englished by William Austin of Lincolns Inne, Esquire ; with annotations upon the names of the men and places.

CHAP. X.

BUt it may be thought that an Orator may be weakned with age. For that office consisteth not onely of wit, but al∣so of strength of body, strong sides and voyce; yet that shrilnesse of voyce doth altogether shew it self, I know not by what meanes in old age, which I my selfe have not yet lost, and yet you see my yeares; notwithstanding the speech of an old man, is comely, quiet, & remisse; and the gentle and decked Oration of an eloquent old man, makes au∣dience to it selfe, which singularity if you cannot obtaine, yet may you give precepts to youth; for what can be more pleasant, then old age, gar∣ded with the studies of youth? Shal

we not then leave that strength at least to age, that it may teach youth, bring them up, and instruct them in all good duties? then which what can be more necessary, or more excellent? So that to my un∣derstanding [1] Cnaeus and Publius Scipio, and your two grand fathers, Lucius Aemylius, and Paulus Affrica∣nus, seemed happy in the company of noble young men. Neither are a∣ny masters of good Arts, to be thought unhappy though through their paines in teaching their strength wax old, and decay; for that defection and failing of strength, is oftener caused by the faults of youth, then of age; for an intemperate and lustfull youth, de∣livereth a corrupt and decrepit bo∣dy to age. Yet (2) Cyrus (in (3) X••nphon) on his death bed, denieth that ever he felt himself much wea∣ker by age, then he was in his youth.

I remember (4) Lucius Metellus, when I was a boy, who foure yeers after his second Consulship, was made High-Priest, and served in that office 22 yeeres, he was of so good strength and health in his last age, that he required not youth. I need not speak much of my selfe, though it be a thing that belongs to old men, and it is granted to our age for doe you not see how often (5) Nestor doth brag in Homer, of his own virtues? for he had then lived three ages of man. So that he nee∣ded not feare least that speak∣ing the truth of himselfe, he should be counted in solent or talkative; for as Homer saith, out of his mouth flowed words more sweet then ho∣ny, which made that [6] Captaine of Greece, never wish that he had ten such as strong [7] Ajax, but ten such as wise Nestor, which if he might obtaine, he doubted not but

that [8] Troy should soon be over∣thrown. But I returne to my self, I am now in the fourescore and fourth yeere of mine age, I cannot truly say as Cyrus did, but I would I could; yet this I can say, that though I am not of so great strength as I was being a souldier in the Car∣thaginian warre, or Questor in the same warre, or Consul in Spaine, or foure yeeres after, when being Tri∣bune of the soul diers, I fought at [9] Thermopylae, (Marcus A••tillius Glabrio being Consul) yet as you see old age hath not altogether weakned me, it hath not overthrown me. The Courts want not my strength, nor the pleading places, nor my friends, nor my Glyents, nor my ghests. Neither did I ever assent to that old and lauded proverb, that warns a man to be old quickly if he will be an old man long; but I had rather be an old man man lesse

while, then make my selfe an old man before I were. So that as yet no man could come and find me idle at home, yet have I lesse strength then either of you; nei∣ther have you the strength of [10] Titus Pontius the Centurion; is he therefore better then you? But let him make much of it, it will not en∣dure long. Milo is said to have en∣tered the Listes of Olympus with a live Oxe on his shoulders; whether had you rather now have this mans strength of body, or Pythago∣ras his strength of wit, to be given you? To conclude, use that strength which you have while you have it; but when it is gone, require it not, unlesse you thinke it a seem∣ly thing of young men, to require their child-hood againe, and anci∣ent men their youth; There is but one course of age, and one way of nature, and the same simple, and to

every part of age its own timelines is given; for as infirmity belongs to child-hood, fiercenesse to youth, and gravity to age, so the true ripe∣nesse of age hath a certaine natural gravity in it, which ought to be u∣sed in it own time. I thinke you have heard Scipio, of King [11] Massinissa, what he doth at this day being a man of ninety yeeres old, when he goes any whether on foot, he will never ride in that journey how far soever it be; likewise, when he rides a journey he will never a∣light, neither could any storm, make him weare his hat; surely there is great drynesse of body in him, ther∣fore he may well execute all the of∣fices and duties of a King. Thus you see exercise and temperance, way preserve some of the former strength even in old age.

X. TABLE of Annotations.

• 1. CNaeus and Publius Scipio were brethren, and cald the thunder-bolts of warre; Publius was Affricanus, his father, and Cnaeus father to Scipio Nausi∣ca.
• 2. Cyrus. There were three of this name; two Kings and one Poet, who for his fingular wit was made a Bishop by Theodosius the Empe∣rour.
• 3. Xenophon a man of great wis∣dome and beauty, the sonne of Grillus. He was Scholler to So∣crates.
• 4. Lucius Metellus, Consul with M. Fabius Aburb. condit. 506. He was High Priest, twice Consul, Dictator, master of the Horse, and

• ... Decemvir; He first led Eléphants in Triumph, in the first Carthagi∣nian warre, in his age he lost his sight when he would have spoyled the Temple of Vesta.
• 5. Nestor King Pylion, sonne of Nelius and Adonidis, a man of great experience and wisdome, he went with Agamemnon to Troy and lived three hundred yeeres.
• 6. Captaine of Greece was Aga∣memnon, the sonne of Atreus King of Argives, he led the Army of the Grecians to Troy, to be re∣venged for the Rape of Helen, where when he had obtained the victory, returning home, Clytem∣nestra his wife presented him with a headlesse shirt, which while he was putting on, and searching where to put forth his head, Aegisthus his wifes adulterer slew him.
• 7. Ajax a strong and valiant Cap∣taine under Agamemnon, who

• striving with Ulysses for the Ar∣mor of Achilles and being over∣come of him, ranne mad and slew himselfe.
• 8. Troy a famous City in the lesser Asia, built by Tros King thereof, it was three times sacked, twice by Hercules, and l••stly cleane over∣thrown by Agamemnon, and the Greekes, for the cause above said.
• 9. Thermopylae a mountaine in Grecia, so called of the hot matters that flow from thence; there was fought a great battaile between Attilius Glabrio, and Antio∣chus King of Macedon, at which was Cato.
• 10. Titus Pontius, who when the Capitoll had be enlike to be taken, swam over Tibur; Pliny writes that he had the sinewes of his arms and hands double.
• 11. Masinissa King of Numidia, he

• ... was received into the Romane leāgue by Publius Scipio Afri∣canus.