The stages or ages of man have been variously divided. In the Arundel MS., and in a Dutch work printed at Antwerp in 1820, there are ten of these divisions of Man’s Life.[[170]] The celebrated physician Hippocrates (B.C. 460–357), and Proclus, the Platonist (A.D. 412–485), are said to have divided human life, as Shakespeare has done, into seven ages. And a mosaic on the pavement of the cathedral at Siena gives exactly the same division. This mosaic is very curious, and is supposed to have been executed by Antonio Federighi in the year 1476. Martin’s “Shakspere’s Seven Ages,” published in 1848, contains a little narrative about it, furnished by Lady Calcott, who shortly before that time had been travelling in Italy,—

“We found,” she says, “in the cathedral of Sienna a curious proof that the division of human life into seven periods, from infancy to extreme old age with a view to draw a moral inference, was common before Shakspeare’s time: the person who was showing us that fine church directed our attention to the large and bold designs of Beccafumi, which are inlaid in black and white in the pavement, entirely neglecting some works of a much older date which appeared to us to be still more interesting on account of the simplicity and elegance with which they are designed. Several of these represent Sibyls and other figures of a mixed moral and religious character; but in one of the side chapels we were both suprised and pleased to find seven figures, each in a separate compartment, inlaid in the pavement, representing the Seven Ages of Man.”

Lord Lindsay notices the same work, and in his “Christian Art,” vol. iii. p. 112, speaking of the Pavement of the Duomo at Siena, says,—“Seven ages of life in the Southern Nave, near the Capella del Voto.”

Of as old a date, even if not more ancient, is the Representation of the Seven Ages from a Block-Print belonging to the British Museum, and of which we present a diminished facsimile (Plate XV.), the original measuring 15½ in. by 10½ in.

The inscription on the centre of the wheel, Rota vite que septima notatur,—“The wheel of life which seven times is noted:” on the outer rim,—Est velut aqua labuntur deficiens ita. Sic ornati nascuntur in hac mortali vita,—“It is as water so failing, they pass away. So furished are they born in this mortal life.” The figures for the seven ages are inscribed, Infans ad vii. annos,—“An infant for vii. years.” Pueritia[[171]] ad xv. años,—“Childhood up to xv. years.” Adolescẽtia ad xxv. años,—“Youthhood to xxv. years.” Iuvẽtus ad xxxv. annos,—“Young manhood to xxxv. years.” Virilitas ad l. annos,—“Mature manhood to 50 years.” Senatus ad lxx. annos,—“Age to 70 years.” Decrepitus usque ad mortem,—“Decrepitude up to death.” The angel with the scrolls holds in her right hand that on which is written Beuerano, in her left, Corruptio,—“Corruption;” below her left, clav, for clavis, “a key.”

Some parts of the Latin stanzas are difficult to decipher; they appear, however, to be the following, read downward,—

“Est hominis status in flore significatus

Situ sentires quis esses et unde venisses

Sunt triaque vere quæ faciunt me sæpe dicere,

Secundum timeo quia hoc nescio quando