But as I thought the
matter over by myself, I hit upon the idea that very
likely in giving such an order to a literary man, the
gods were commanding him to present you something from his profession. Therefore, on this your
birthday, which I thought the most auspicious
occasion, I give you the men who are related to have
attained great age with a sound mind and a perfect
body. Some profit may accrue to you from the
treatise in two ways: on the one hand, encouragement
and good hopes of being able to live long yourself,
and on the other hand, instruction by examples, if
you observe that it is the men who have paid most


 

attention to body and mind that have reached an
advanced age in full health.