On Old Age

Marcus Tullius CiceroProject Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

4.2

Word count: 92K words
Chapters: 10

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.Vanhuudesta by Marcus Tullius CiceroAuthor: Cicero, Marcus Tullius, 106 BCE-43 BCE,Language: Finnish, Class: PA: Language and Literatures: Classical Languages and Literature, Release Date: Jan 4, 2017

Editor's review

This is the Finnish translation of Cicero's On Old Age (Cato Maior de Senectute), an important text in classical Latin literature and ethical philosophy. Written as a dialogue, it debates whether old age means loss, and how the elderly can face physical decline and the fear of death. Cicero argues that cultivation of the mind and accumulation of virtue can offset bodily aging, and that later life can still possess dignity and public value. His argument draws on Stoic and Academic thought, with elegant prose and examples mostly taken from Roman political and historical figures; it combines philosophical rigor with an orator's persuasiveness. As a free Project Gutenberg e-text, it is convenient for searching and comparative reading, and suitable as an introduction to classical philosophy or as material for discussions of aging. Note that the main text of this edition is in Finnish, so readers need the relevant language ability; for academic citation, check a print or critical edition. Overall, this is a short but intellectually dense work, suited to slow and repeated reading.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers with Finnish reading ability interested in classical philosophy
Thinkers concerned with aging, the meaning of life, and ethical questions
Language or humanities students studying Latin literature and Cicero's thought
Book club members who want a short classic for deep reading and discussion

Not a good fit for

Readers with no Finnish who want only Chinese or English translations
Readers expecting plot-driven narrative or light entertainment
Beginners who need a systematic history of philosophy textbook rather than a single primary text

Reading tips

First read through once to grasp the dialogue structure and main arguments, then read key arguments closely section by section.
While reading, note the Roman figures and historical examples Cicero cites to understand the context.
Pair it with a philosophy encyclopedia entry on On Old Age to help situate its intellectual lineage.
For discussion, list arguments for and against "whether old age is worth pursuing" and take notes.

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

What language edition is this book?

This is the Finnish translation of Cicero's On Old Age, published by Project Gutenberg. The main text is in Finnish; the title Vanhuudesta means "On Old Age" in Finnish. If you have difficulty reading Finnish, you can find a Chinese or English translation for comparison.

Can I read this book without a philosophy background?

Yes, but it takes some patience. The work is a dialogue, and its arguments do not rely on complex terminology; they mainly concern old age, virtue, and death. It is best to first learn about the late Roman Republic background in which Cicero lived and use an introduction or encyclopedia entry to clarify basic concepts; reading will then be much smoother.

Is the electronic edition suitable for academic citation?

The Project Gutenberg edition is convenient for searching and reading, but academic citation should usually rely on a critical edition or authoritative translation. If you need to quote the original text or page numbers, check a print edition or a critical text in a professional database, and note the edition information you used.

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About the author

Marcus Tullius Cicero Author · Roman Republic

Marcus Tullius Cicero (106 BCE–43 BCE) was a Roman statesman, orator, philosopher, and jurist. He served as consul and foiled the Catilinarian conspiracy in the late Republic, and was killed in 43 BCE for opposing Antony. A prolific author, he wrote on philosophy, rhetoric, and letters; this collection holds 22 of his works, including De Officiis, the Tusculan Disputations, the Academic Questions, and De Finibus, as well as numerous speeches and letters to Atticus. His orations are tightly argued and forceful, his philosophical writings render Greek thought in Latin, and his letters are natural and intimate, preserving valuable historical and intellectual records. Cicero is regarded as a model of Latin prose, and his style and vocabulary have profoundly shaped the European prose tradition.