Crassus—allofthemlearnedjuris—consultsinactivepractice，whoseknowledgeoftheirprofessionwasmaintainedtotheirlastbreath。I
amafraidanoratordoeslosevigourbyoldage，forhisartisnotamatteroftheintellectalone，butoflungsandbodilystrength。
Thoughasarulethatmusicalringinthevoiceevengainsinbrillianceinacertainwayasonegrowsold—certainlyIhavenotyetlostit，andyouseemyyears。Yetafterallthestyleofspeechsuitabletoanoldmanisthequietandunemotional，anditoftenhappensthatthechastenedandcalmdeliveryofanoldmaneloquentsecuresahearing。Ifyoucannotattaintothatyourself，youmightstillinstructaScipioandaLaelius。Forwhatismorecharmingthanoldagesurroundedbytheenthusiasmofyouth？
Shallwenotallowoldageeventhestrengthtoteachtheyoung，totrainandequipthemforallthedutiesoflife？Andwhatcanbeanobleremployment？Formypart，IusedtothinkPubliusandGnaeusScipioandyourtwograndfathers，L。AemiliusandP。
Africanus，fortunatemenwhenIsawthemwithacompanyofyoungnoblesaboutthem。Norshouldwethinkanyteachersofthefineartsotherwisethanhappy，howevermuchtheirbodilyforcesmayhavedecayedandfailed。Andyetthatsamefailureofthebodilyforcesismoreoftenbroughtaboutbythevicesofyouththanofoldage；foradissoluteandintemperateyouthhandsdownthebodytooldageinaworn—outstate。Xenophon’sCyrus，forinstance，inhisdiscoursedeliveredonhisdeath—bedandataveryadvancedage，saysthatheneverperceivedhisoldagetohavebecomeweakerthanhisyouthhadbeen。IrememberasaboyLuciusMetellus，whohavingbeencreatedPontifexMaximusfouryearsafterhissecondconsul—ship，heldthatofficetwenty—twoyears，enjoyingsuchexcellentstrengthofbodyintheverylasthoursofhislifeasnottomisshisyouth。Ineednotspeakofmyself；thoughthatindeedisanoldman’swayandisgenerallyallowedtomytimeoflife。Don’tyouseeinHomerhowfrequentlyNestortalksofhisowngoodqualities？Forhewaslivingthroughathirdgeneration；norhadheanyreasontofearthatuponsayingwhatwastrueabouthimselfheshouldappeareitherovervainortalkative。For，asHomersays，\"fromhislipsfloweddiscoursesweeterthanhoney，\"forwhichsweetbreathhewantednobodilystrength。Andyet，afterall，thefamousleaderoftheGreeksnowherewishestohavetenmenlikeAjax，butlikeNestor：ifhecouldgetthem，hefeelsnodoubtofTroyshortlyfalling。