MARCUS TULLIUS CICERO'S CATO MAJOR, OR A DISCOURSE ON OLD AGE. Addressed to Titus Pomponius Atticus. With explanatory notes. BY BENJAMIN FRANKLIN, L. L. D. INTRODUCTION. THIS translation of Cicero's tract De Senectute, was made several years since, partly for the translator's own amusement, but principally for the entertainment of a neighbour then in his grand climacteric; and the notes were added solely on that gentleman's account, who was not well acquainted with the Roman history and language. Copies in мss. having been obtained by many, their recommendation and approbation of it, induced the original publication; as they thought it to be in itself at least equal to any translation of the same piece extant in the English language, besides the advantage it has received of so many notes, which at the same time clear up the text, and are highly instructive and entertaining. In the Philadelphia edition the introduction to the reader closes with," I shall add to these few lines my hearty wish, that this first translation of a Classic in this Western World, may be followed with many others, and be a happy omen, that Philadelphia shall become the seat of the American B. FRANKLIN. muses. Philadelphia. This Essay was first translated and published in Philadelphia, when Dr Franklin carried on the printing business in this city; and exhibits strong marks of that character which distinguished his own subsequent life-that strict public virtue, that economy and frugality united with temperance,-that love of utility and wisdom, that thirst for knowlege and invincible integrity, which is drawn with so many charms by Cicero, were realized by the American sage.-An edition of this essay was published in London, in 1778, with some alterations; this edition is published from the London edition, and from the copy preserved in Dr. Franklin's library. The notes are subjoined as an appendix, with which the numerical references correspond. TO TITUS POMPONIUS ATTICUS,1 SAY, Titus, if some sovereign balm I find To sooth your cares, and calm your troubled mind, For I may address you, Atticus, in the same lines, in which the 2 poet, In heart as great, as in misfortunes poor, applied to 3 Flaminius: though I am fully assured, you are far from being in his condition, disturb'd with thoughts, That wrung his soul the live-long nights and days. For I well know the evenness and just composure of yours, and that you took not only your name from Athens, but also brought home with you those nobler improvements, the most consummate prudence and humanity. And yet, to be free with you, I cannot but think you are sometimes touched with the same pains at heart, that, I assure you, deeply affect me. * But these are matters of a more important weight, that require arguments from a deeper fund to support us under them; which may hereafter be applied to them. The subject I have now chose to write on, is OLD AGE; which, as it is advancing on us both, and in a little time must unavoidably seize us, I would look out, and endeavor to find the best and surest means, to make the burthen of it sit as easy on us as possible. Though, for your part, I am well assured, that as you bear all accidents and events with the greatest firinness and moderation; so you will equally dispense with all the inconveniences that can attend this state. But as I resolved to write on the subject, you (Atticus) of all men appeared to me the most worthy and proper to direct it to; for being made yours, we may in common apply it to our use together. s And as to my own part in it, I must own, the thoughts that flowed on me from the subject, in composing it, proved so entertaining and delightful to me, while about it, that they have not only divested the prospect of old age, now before us, of every thing shocking or frightful, but they have rendered my expectations of it even agreeable and comfortable. Which leads me to say, we can never sufficiently admire the ex 8 cellency of philosophy; to whose dictates whoever submits, he will never find himself at a loss in any stage or condition of life, to render it not only supportable, but easy. But on other philosophical subjects I have already wrote several tracts, and shall still continue to write. This on old age (as I have said) comes to you. I choose for my speaker in it (not Tithonus, as Aristo of Chio laid his; for a fabulous person would take off from the weight of it; but) old 7 Marcus Cato; that the respect paid to his name and cha- . racter, may give the greater force and authority to what is said. At this house I suppose Scipio and Lælius to be met, expressing their wonder to the old man, how with such ease and chearfulness he could support the weight of his years to which he fully answers them. And if his language appear somewhat refined here, above what we meet with in his own writings, I desire it may be attributed to his learning Greek, and reading their authors; on which, 'tis well known, he spent much time and pains in his latter days. In this discourse, however, you have my own sentiments on the subject, which I give you as follows; and thus they begin : SCIPIO, LELIUS, AND CATO. SCIPIO. Our friend Lælius, and myself, Cato, greatly admiring your wisdom and vast compass of knowlege in general, have been particularly wondering to see how very easily and chearfully you bear your age; for we can't perceive it gives you any manner of trouble; while we have observed others complaining of theirs, as if the burthen were insupportable, CATO. Indeed, my friends, you place your wonder on a matter far below deserving it, a business in which there is little or no difficulty at all; provided proper measures be taken in it. For know this, that those who have no aid or support within themselves, to render their lives easy, will find every state irksome: while such as are convinced, they must owe their happiness to themselves, and that if they cannot find it in their own breast, they will never meet with it from abroad; will never consider any thing as an evil, that is but a necessary effect of the established order of nature; which old age most undoubtedly is. 'Tis certainly strange, that while all men hope they may live to attain it, any should find fault with it, when it comes to their share. Yet such is the levity, folly, and perverseness of mankind, that we see there is nothing more common. But, oh, they say, it has crept on us too fast, and overtaken us sooner than we thought or expected. In the first place, pray, who 'put them on thinking wrong? How can they say, old age creeps faster on manhood, than manhood succeedeth youth and childhood? Or how would it sit lighter at the age of eight hundred years, if that were the term of it, than at eighty? For the long duration of the preceding age, when once 'tis past, abates nothing from the effects of old age, when come; nor affords any relief against the follies and weakness of such as sink under it. Wherefore, if you have, as you say, admired my wisdom, (which I wish were equal to your opinion of it, and that I truly merited the name I bear) I know nothing it consists in more effectually than this, that I follow nature, my most excellent guide, as my God, and submit to his power in all things; who, if through his conduct, all the preceding parts of life have been well performed, it is not probable, that he will suffer the last act, as 'tis common with bad poets, to wind up ill. But it was absolutely necessary, that some term, some period, should be set; and that, as it is with the fruits of trees, and of the earth, seasons should be allowed for their springing, growing, ripening, and at last to drop. This wise men will submit to, and chearfully bear: nor could any thing else be meant by the stories told of the giants waring against the gods, than men's rebellion against nature and its laws. LAELIUS. But, Cato, you would highly oblige us both (for I may venture to speak for Scipio as well as myself, since we both hope, or doubtless wish at least, to live to be old in our turn) if you would be pleased to instruct us before-hand, how, and by what methods, we may avoid the inconveniences that generally attend old age, so as to render it the more easy to us, when we reach it. CATO. With all my heart, Lælius, in case you both desire it. SCIPIO. We both earnestly desire it, Cato, if not too troublesome ; for as you are now well advanced towards the end of a long journey, which we probably are to travel after you, we would gladly know of you, how you find it, in the stage you are arrived at. CATO. Well, I shall do my best to satisfy you. I have indeed been divers times in company with other old men, my equals, as you know the proverb, Birds of a feather will flock together; when they have been loud in their complaints of the inconveniences of old age; particularly 9 Caius Salinator and Spurius Albinus, men of consular dignity; who used heavily to lament, that they had outlived all the enjoyments in life, for which it was worth the living; and that they found themselves slighted and forsaken by those who had formerly followed them, and had treated them with the highest respect. But to me such men appear to lay their charge entirely wrong; for if what they complained of, were owing only to their years, the case must be the same with me, and all others of the like age: yet I have known several who have lived to be very old, without complaining at all; for they appeared not only easy, but pleased at their being delivered from the tyranny of their former youthful passions; and far from finding themselves slighted, were still honored and revered by those about them. But the true ground of such complaints lies wholly in the manners of the men: for such as take care to be neither peevish, humorsome, nor passionate in old age, will find it tolerable enough; but a perverse temper, a fretful, or an |