Off. 1.34.1Et quoniam officia nōn eadem disparibus aetātibus tribuuntur aliaque sunt iuvenum, alia seniōrum, aliquid etiam dē hāc distīnctiōne dīcendum est.And since the same duties are not assigned to different ages, and some belong to the young, others to the old, something must also be said about this distinction. Off. 1.34.1Est igitur adulēscentis maiōrēs nātū verērī exque iīs dēligere optimōs et probātissimōs, quōrum cōnsiliō atque auctōritāte nītātur;It is the part of a young man, then, to respect his elders and to choose from among them the best and most approved, on whose advice and authority he may rely; Off. 1.34.1ineuntis enim aetātis īnscītia senum cōnstituenda et regenda prūdentiā est.for the inexperience of early years must be set in order and guided by the wisdom of the old. Off. 1.34.1Maximē autem haec aetās ā libīdinibus arcenda est exercendaque in labōre patientiāque et animī et corporis, ut eōrum et in bellicīs et in cīvīlibus officiīs vigeat industria.This age, above all, must be kept away from lusts and trained in toil and endurance of both mind and body, so that their energy may flourish in both military and civil duties.
Off. 1.34.1Atque etiam cum relaxāre animōs et dare sē iūcunditātī volent, caveant intemperantiam, meminerint verēcundiae, quod erit facilius, sī nē in eius modī quidem rēbus maiōrēs nātū nōlent interesse.And even when they wish to relax their minds and give themselves to enjoyment, let them beware of excess and remember modesty, which will be easier if they are not unwilling for their elders to be present even at things of this kind. Off. 1.34.123Senibus autem labōrēs corporis minuendī, exercitātiōnēs animī etiam augendae videntur;For old men, on the other hand, bodily labours seem to need reducing and exercises of the mind even increasing; Off. 1.34.123danda vērō opera, ut et amīcōs et iuventūtem et maximē rem pūblicam cōnsiliō et prūdentiā quam plūrimum adiuvent.and they should take pains to help their friends, the young, and above all the state as much as possible with their counsel and wisdom. Off. 1.34.123Nihil autem magis cavendum est senectūtī, quam nē languōrī sē dēsidiaeque dēdat;Nothing, moreover, must old age guard against more than giving itself up to languor and idleness; Off. 1.34.123luxuria vērō cum omnī aetātī turpis, tum senectūtī foedissima est;luxury, indeed, while shameful at every age, is most disgusting in old age; Off. 1.34.123sīn autem etiam libīdinum intemperantia accessit, duplex malum est, quod et ipsa senectūs dēdecus concipit et facit adulēscentium impudentiōrem intemperantiam.but if unrestrained lust is added as well, the evil is twofold, because old age itself incurs disgrace and makes the excesses of the young more shameless.
Off. 1.34.124Ac nē illud quidem aliēnum est, dē magistrātuum, dē prīvātōrum, dē peregrīnōrum officiīs dīcere.Nor is it out of place to speak of the duties of magistrates, of private citizens, and of foreigners. Off. 1.34.124Est igitur proprium mūnus magistrātūs intellegere sē gerere persōnam cīvitātis dēbēreque eius dignitātem et decus sustinēre, servāre lēgēs, iūra discrībere, ea fideī suae commissa meminisse.It is, then, the particular function of a magistrate to understand that he bears the character of the state and ought to uphold its dignity and honour, preserve the laws, define rights, and remember that these things have been entrusted to his good faith. Off. 1.34.124Prīvātum autem oportet aequō et parī cum cīvibus iūre vīvere neque summissum et abiectum neque sē efferentem, tum in rē pūblicā ea velle, quae tranquilla et honesta sint;A private citizen, on the other hand, ought to live on fair and equal terms with his fellow citizens, neither submissive and abject nor exalting himself, and also to want in public affairs what is peaceful and honourable; Off. 1.34.124tālem enim solēmus et sentīre bonum cīvem et dīcere.for such a man we are accustomed both to regard and to call a good citizen.
Off. 1.34.125Peregrīnī autem atque incolae officium est nihil praeter suum negōtium agere, nihil dē aliō anquīrere minimēque esse in aliēnā rē pūblicā cūriōsum.The duty of a foreigner and a resident alien is to do nothing but his own business, to inquire into nothing about another's, and least of all to meddle in a state not his own. Off. 1.34.125Ita ferē officia reperientur, cum quaerētur, quid deceat, et quid aptum sit persōnīs, temporibus, aetātibus.Thus duties will generally be discovered when it is asked what is fitting and what is suited to persons, circumstances and ages. Off. 1.34.125Nihil est autem, quod tam deceat, quam in omnī rē gerendā cōnsiliōque capiendō servāre cōnstantiam.But nothing is so fitting as to maintain consistency in conducting every affair and in forming every plan.