1'O Titus, if I give you some help or lighten the care that now scorches you and turns you about, lodged in your breast, will there be any reward?' 1For I may address you, Atticus, in the same verses in which 'that man of no great wealth, but full of loyalty' addresses Flamininus, although I know for certain that you are not, like Flamininus, 'troubled so, Titus, by night and day'; for I know the moderation and evenness of your mind, and I understand that you brought home from Athens not only a surname but culture and good sense. 1And yet I suspect that you are sometimes rather gravely disturbed by the same things that disturb me, the consolation for which is both a larger matter and must be put off to another time.
1But now it has seemed good to me to write something for you on old age, for I wish both you and myself to be relieved of this burden, which I share with you, of an old age that is either already pressing upon us or at any rate approaching; 2although I know for certain that you, at least, both bear it and will bear it with moderation and wisdom, as you bear everything. 2But when I wished to write something on old age, you kept coming to my mind as worthy of a gift which each of us might enjoy in common. 2For my part, the composing of this book has been so pleasant that it has not only wiped away all the annoyances of old age, but has even made old age gentle and pleasant.
2Philosophy, then, can never be praised as worthily as she deserves, since whoever obeys her can pass every season of life without annoyance. 3But on other subjects we have said much and shall often say more: this book on old age we have sent to you. 3The whole discourse, however, we have assigned not to Tithonus, as Aristo of Ceos did, for there would be too little authority in a myth, but to Marcus Cato in his old age, so that the discussion might carry greater authority; 3at his house we represent Laelius and Scipio wondering that he bears old age so easily, and him replying to them; 3and if he seems to argue more learnedly than he was accustomed to do in his own books, put it down to Greek literature, of which it is well known that he was very fond in his old age.
3But what need is there of more? 3For now Cato's own discourse will set out all my views on old age.