Part of: Ethical Writings (On Moral Duties, On Old Age, On Friendship, Scipio’s Dream) On Old Age (De Senectute)
- Marcus Tullius Cicero (author)
- Andrew P. Peabody (translator)
In On Old Age, Cicero offers a thoughtful and dignified defense of aging, arguing that old age, far from being a burden, brings wisdom, peace, and opportunity for continued contribution to society. Written as a dialogue, the work reflects on how to live virtuously and gracefully in life’s later years, celebrating the enduring value of experience, friendship, and intellectual activity.
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Part of a collection of Cicero’s writings which includes On Old Age, On Friendship, Officius, and Scipio’s Dream.
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Critical Responses
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Plutarch’s Morals“On the Control of Anger” and “Whether an Old Man Should Engage in Public Affairs”
While respectful of Cicero’s broader tradition, Plutarch often challenges overly optimistic portrayals of aging, offering a more psychologically complex and sometimes tragic view.
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Aging Thoughtfully: Conversations about Retirement, Romance, Wrinkles, and RegretMartha Nussbaum and Saul Levmore
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The Coming of AgeSimone de Beauvoir
A major modern critique. Beauvoir argues that society marginalizes the old in ways that ancient philosophers, including Cicero, ignore or romanticize. She views old age not just as a personal triumph of virtue, but as a socially fraught condition.
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Montaigne’s EssaysMichel de Montaigne
Especially “Of the Affection of Fathers to Their Children”
Montaigne often praises Cicero but is also skeptical of overly idealized portraits of old age. He questions whether old age naturally brings wisdom and peace, highlighting the frailties and indignities Cicero tends to gloss over.
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