Nay, they are fond of making jests of the kind at their own |B| expense:
I’m marrying old, and for the neighbours’ good:
I know it.
But when a man has been long married, and has lived with his wife for years without a fault to find, to tell him that he should divorce her because he is old, and that he should live by himself or get a wretched concubine in place of his lawful spouse, is the very extreme of absurdity. In the same way when an aged man seeks to enter politics—Chlidon the farmer, Lampon the ship’s captain, or some philosopher from the Garden[[35]]—there is some reason in admonishing him, and keeping him to the state of inactivity to which he has been used. But it is urging a public man to act |C| with injustice and ingratitude, when we take hold of a Phocion, a Cato, or a Pericles, and say, ‘Sir Athenian—or Sir Roman—
Thine age is wither’d and thy head o’erfrosted;
therefore sue for a divorce from statesmanship, have done with the worrying business of the platform and the Board of War, and make haste into the country, to live with farming “for a waiting-maid” or to occupy the rest of your days with thrift and the keeping of accounts.’
Well, but (it may be asked) what of the soldier in the comedy with his
Discharged! No pay! because of my white hair?
Quite true, my friend. The War-God’s servants must be in the prime of manly vigour. Their business is with
War and war’s baleful work,