Summary of Cicero, “On Old Age”

[Tekward]

This seems worth a share.

“On Old Age” is an essay written on the subject of aging and death. It has remained popular because of its profound subject matter as well as its clear and beautiful language.

https://reasonandmeaning.com/2017/08/28/summary-of-cicero-on-aging/

My favorite passage: Life’s race-course is fixed; Nature has only a single path and that path is run but once, and to each stage of existence has been allotted its own appropriate quality; so that the weakness of childhood, the impetuosity of youth, the seriousness of middle life, the maturity of old age — each bears some of Nature’s fruit, which must be garnered in its own season.

 

[haha]

This seems worth a share.

“On Old Age” is an essay written on the subject of aging and death. It has remained popular because of its profound subject matter as well as its clear and beautiful language.

https://reasonandmeaning.com/2017/08/28/summary-of-cicero-on-aging/

My favorite passage: Life’s race-course is fixed; Nature has only a single path and that path is run but once, and to each stage of existence has been allotted its own appropriate quality; so that the weakness of childhood, the impetuosity of youth, the seriousness of middle life, the maturity of old age — each bears some of Nature’s fruit, which must be garnered in its own season.

Wow! I have a long way to go before I have this sort of wisdom and acceptance.

Thanks for posting this.

Ha

 

[GravitySucks]

Thanks.
Timely advice.

 

[Scuba]

Excellent post, thanks to the OP. Cicero’s words today are still very relevant.

 

[razztazz]

What makes me vaguely uncomfortable is Cicero died at the "ripe old age" of 63.

Fortunately I was able to swap middle aged seriousness for youthful seriousness, and youthful impetuosity for middle aged retirement.

 

[audreyh1]

What makes me vaguely uncomfortable is Cicero died at the "ripe old age" of 63.

Cicero was murdered/assasinated. So what bearing?

 

[razztazz]

Cicero was murdered/assasinated. So what bearing?

AH! Thanx. Good catch. His age was just a number

 

[frayne]

Easy for him to say, he's dead.

 

[Scuba]

Not to mention back at that time, 63 must be like 100+ is now.

 

[Blueskies123]

Cicero was murdered/assasinated. So what bearing?

and that he was one of the world's all time most wealthy people owning vast estates, farms, mansions, and slaves. I wonder what the farm workers and slaves thought of his wisdom.

 

[razztazz]

Not to mention back at that time, 63 must be like 100+ is now.

That was my pernt. He thought he was old / wise but 63+ today, on average still has a lot of territory unexplored Cicero never got the chance to dream of.

 

[Popeye]

Cicero was murdered/assasinated. So what bearing?

True. He was one of the most influential writers in the history of western civilization. Unfortunately he sided with the folks who killed Caesar. In the end they cut off his hands and head for display in the Roman Forum. Politics was a rough business back then!

 

[audreyh1]

True. He was one of the most influential writers in the history of western civilization. Unfortunately he sided with the folks who killed Caesar. In the end they cut off his hands and head for display in the Roman Forum. Politics was a rough business back then!

Yes - lots of political careers ended with suicide or murder. Wives too sometimes!

 

[imoldernu]

Thanks... a most interesting, thoughtful and enjoyable article. Am rethinkiing the Charge IV section.

…my old age sits light upon me…, and not only is not burdensome, but is even happy. For as Nature has marked the bounds of everything else, so she has marked the bounds of life. Moreover, old age is the final scene … in life’s drama, from which we ought to escape when it grows wearisome and, certainly, when we have had our fill.

Hmm... not yet wearisome, but have visited the "marked bounds", and am closer to understanding than, perhaps, five years ago.

 

[Floridatennisplayer]

Well it’s obvious. He should’ve taken Social Security early. Lol

 

[aja8888]

I wonder if he had a will?

 

[6miths]

Not to mention back at that time, 63 must be like 100+ is now.

This is a common misconception. Individuals who were well nourished and lived in peaceful societies had a decent chance to live into their 70s and 80s just as today. The major reason life expectancy was shorter is because it is an average. Until relatively recent times, and still in some places, infant/childhood and maternal mortality were very high and brought the average down.

 

[Skeptic]

This is a common misconception. Individuals who were well nourished and lived in peaceful societies had a decent chance to live into their 70s and 80s just as today. The major reason life expectancy was shorter is because it is an average. Until relatively recent times, and still in some places, infant/childhood and maternal mortality were very high and brought the average down.

Such folks had our modern health problems, too. Somewhere I ran across a snippet from one of Cicero's letters to the effect that Pompey was in a bad mood because he was on yet another diet. (Pompey was indeed a rather corpulent fellow.) Wish I could find that quote again.

 

[6miths]

Indeed they had some of them. Others not so much. And of course they had additional ones to deal with as well - many of them infectious in nature.

 

[misterantsypants]

A nice read. It sounds as if he experienced his own advice about exiting the stage. Of course, he had some help.

I concur with 9 of his 10 points, but #8 is just not true!!!