---
title: "Octogenarians · Μακρόβιοι"
author: "Lucian"
translator: "Austin Morris Harmon"
languages: [grc, en]
shelf: "Classical Greek"
url: https://scriptura.si/works/lucian-octogenarians/
cite: "Lucian, tr. Austin Morris Harmon, Octogenarians · Μακρόβιοι. Scriptura (scriptura.si), https://scriptura.si/works/lucian-octogenarians/"
---

# Octogenarians · Μακρόβιοι

*Lucian, tr. Austin Morris Harmon*

A list of men who lived to a great age: kings, philosophers and poets.

> Greek: ed. Austin Morris Harmon, from the Perseus Digital Library (canonical-greekLit, tlg0062.tlg011, CC BY-SA 4.0).

> English: Austin Morris Harmon, from the Perseus Digital Library (tlg0062.tlg011.perseus-eng2). Notes are not included.

> Rows follow the references the two texts share (chapters and sections), cut where both reach the end of a sentence.

## Contents

1. [Sections 1–29](https://scriptura.si/works/lucian-octogenarians/1.md)

## 1. Sections 1–29

Source: https://scriptura.si/works/lucian-octogenarians/1/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/lucian-octogenarians/1/#p-N

[¶0] 1. At the behest of a dream, illustrious Quintillus, I make you a present of the “Octogenarians.” I had the dream and told my friends of it long since, when you were christening your second child. At the time, however, not being able to understand what the god meant by commanding me to “present you the octogenarians,” I merely offered a prayer that you and your children might live very long, thinking that this would benefit not only the whole human race but, more than anyone else, me in person and all my kin; for I too, it seemed, had a blessing predicted for me by the god.

> Greek: 1. ὄναρ τι τοῦτο, λαμπρότατε Κυίντιλλε, κελευσθεὶς προσφέρω σοι δῶρον τοὺς μακροβίους, πάλαι μὲν τὸ ὄναρ ἰδὼν καὶ ἱστορήσας τοῖς φίλοις, ὅτε ἐτίθεσο τῷ δευτέρῳ σου παιδὶ τοὔνομα· συμβαλεῖν δὲ οὐκ ἔχων τίνας ὁ θεὸς κελεύει μοι προσφέρειν σοι τοὺς μακροβίους, τότε μὲν εὐξάμην τοῖς θεοῖς ἐπὶ μήκιστον ὑμᾶς βιῶναι σέ τε αὐτὸν καὶ παῖδας τοὺς σούς, τοῦτο συμφέρειν νομίζων καὶ σύμπαντι μὲν τῷ τῶν ἀνθρώπων γένει, πρὸ δὲ τῶν ἁπάντων αὐτῷ τε ἐμοὶ καὶ πᾶσι τοῖς ἐμοῖς· καὶ γὰρ κἀμοί τι ἀγαθὸν ἐδόκει προσημαίνειν ὁ θεός.

[¶1] 2. 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.

> Greek: 2. σκεπτόμενος δὲ κατʼ ἐμαυτὸν εἰς ἔννοιαν ἦλθον, εἰκὸς εἶναι τοὺς θεοὺς ἀνδρὶ περὶ παιδείαν ἔχοντι ταῦτα προστάσσοντας κελεύειν προσφέρειν σοι τῶν ἀπὸ τῆς τέχνης. ταύτην οὖν αἰσιωτάτην νομίζων τὴν τῶν σῶν γενεθλίων ἡμέραν δίδωμί σοι τοὺς ἱστορημένους εἰς μακρὸν γῆρας ἀφικέσθαι ἐν ὑγιαινούσῃ τῇ ψυχῇ καὶ ὁλοκλήρῳ τῷ σώματι. καὶ γὰρ ἂν καὶ ὄφελος γένοιτό τί σοι ἐκ τοῦ συγγράμματος διπλοῦν· τὸ μὲν εὐθυμία τις καὶ ἐλπὶς ἀγαθὴ καὶ αὐτὸν ἐπὶ μήκιστον δύνασθαι βιῶναι, τὸ δὲ διδασκαλία τις ἐκ παραδειγμάτων, εἰ ἐπιγνοίης ὅτι οἱ μάλιστα ἑαυτῶν ἐπιμέλειαν ποιησάμενοι κατά τε σῶμα καὶ κατὰ ψυχήν, οὗτοι δὴ εἰς μακρότατον γῆρας ἦλθον σὺν ὑγιείᾳ παντελεῖ.

[¶2] 3. Nestor, you know, the wisest of the Achaeans, outlasted three genera- tions, Homer says: and he tells us that he was splendidly trained. in mind and in body. ‘Likewise Teiresias the seer outlasted six generations, tragedy says: and one may well believe that a man consecrated to the gods, following a simpler diet, lives very long.

> Greek: 3. Νέστορα μὲν οὖν τὸν σοφώτατον τῶν Ἀχαιῶν ἐπὶ τρεῖς παρατεῖναι γενεὰς Ὅμηρος λέγει, ὃν συνίστησιν ἡμῖν γεγυμνασμένον ἄριστα καὶ ψυχῇ καὶ σώματι. καὶ Τειρεσίαν δὲ τὸν μάντιν ἡ τραγῳδία μέχρις ἓξ γενεῶν παρατεῖναι λέγει. πιθανὸν δʼ ἂν εἴη ἄνδρα θεοῖς ἀνακείμενον καθαρωτέρᾳ διαίτῃ χρώμενον ἐπὶ μήκιστον βιῶναι.

[¶3] 4. Moreover, it is related that, owing to their diet, whole castes of men live long like the so-called scribes in Egypt, the story-tellers in Syria and Arabia, and the so-called Brahmins in India, men scrupulously attentive to philosophy. Also the so-called Magi, a prophetic caste consecrated to the gods, dwelling among the Persians, the Parthians, the Bactrians, the Chorasmians, the Arians, the Sacae, the Medes and many other barbarian peoples, are strong and long-lived, on account of practising magic, for they diet very scrupulously.

> Greek: 4. καὶ γένη δὲ ὅλα μακρόβια ἱστορεῖται διὰ τὴν δίαιταν, ὥσπερ Αἰγυπτίων οἱ καλούμενοι ἱερογραμματεῖς, Ἀσσυρίων δὲ καὶ Ἀράβων οἱ ἐξηγηταὶ τῶν μύθων, Ἰνδῶν δὲ οἱ καλούμενοι Βραχμᾶνες, ἄνδρες ἀκριβῶς φιλοσοφίᾳ σχολάζοντες, καὶ οἱ καλούμενοι δὲ μάγοι, γένος τοῦτο μαντικὸν καὶ θεοῖς ἀνακείμενον παρά τε Πέρσαις καὶ Πάρθοις καὶ Βάκτροις καὶ Χωρασμίοις καὶ Ἀρείοις καὶ Σάκαις καὶ Μήδοις καὶ παρὰ πολλοῖς ἄλλοις βαρβάροις, ἐρρωμένοι τέ εἰσι καὶ πολυχρόνιοι διὰ τὸ μαγεύειν διαιτώμενοι καὶ αὐτοὶ ἀκριβέστερον.

[¶4] 5. Indeed, there are even whole nations that are very long-lived, like the Seres, who are said to live three hundred years: some attribute their old age to the climate, others to the soil and still others to their diet, for they say that this entire nation drinks nothing but water. The people of Athos are also said to live a hundred and thirty years, and it is reported that the Chaldeans live more than a hundred, using barley bread to preserve the sharpness of their eyesight. They say, too, that on account of this diet their other faculties are more vigorous than those of the rest of mankind.

> Greek: 5. ἤδη δὲ καὶ ἔθνη ὅλα μακροβιώτατα, ὥσπερ Σῆρας μὲν ἱστοροῦσι μέχρι τριακοσίων ζῆν ἐτῶν, οἱ μὲν τῷ ἀέρι, οἱ δὲ τῇ γῇ τὴν αἰτίαν τοῦ μακροῦ γήρως προστιθέντες, οἱ δὲ καὶ τῇ διαίτῃ· ὑδροποτεῖν γάρ φασι τὸ ἔθνος τοῦτο σύμπαν. καὶ Ἀθῴτας δὲ μέχρι τριάκοντα καὶ ἑκατὸν ἐτῶν βιοῦν ἱστορεῖται, καὶ τοὺς Χαλδαίους ὑπὲρ τὰ ἑκατὸν ἔτη βιοῦν λόγος, τούτους μὲν καὶ κριθίνῳ ἄρτῳ χρωμένους, ὡς ὀξυδορκίας τοῦτο φάρμακον· οἷς γέ φασι διὰ τὴν τοιαύτην δίαιταν καὶ τὰς ἄλλας αἰσθήσεις ὑπὲρ τοὺς ἄλλους ἀνθρώπους ἐρρωμένας εἶναι.

[¶5] 6. But this must suffice in regard to the long-lived castes and nations who are said to exist for a very long period either on account of their soil and climate, or of their diet, or of both. I can fittingly show you that your good hopes are of easy attainment by recounting that on every soil and in every clime men who observe the proper exercise and the diet most suitable for health have been long-lived.

> Greek: 6. ἀλλὰ ταῦτα μὲν περί τε τῶν μακροβίων γενῶν καὶ τῶν ἐθνῶν, ἅτινά φασιν ὡς ἐπὶ πλεῖστον διαγίγνεσθαι χρόνον, οἱ μὲν διὰ τὴν γῆν καὶ τὸν ἀέρα, οἱ δὲ διὰ τὴν δίαιταν, οἱ δὲ καὶ διʼ ἄμφω. ἐγὼ δʼ ἄν σοι δικαίως τὴν ἐλπίδα ῥᾳδίαν παράσχοιμι ἱστορήσας ὅτι καὶ κατὰ πᾶσαν γῆν καὶ κατὰ πάντα ἀέρα μακρόβιοι γεγόνασιν ἄνδρες οἱ γυμνασίοις τοῖς προσήκουσιν καὶ διαίτῃ τῇ ἐπιτηδειοτάτῃ πρὸς ὑγίειαν χρώμενοι.

[¶6] 7. I shall base the principal division of my treatise on their pursuits, and shall first tell you of the kings and the generals, one of whom the gracious dispensation of a great and godlike emperor has brought to the highest rank, thereby conferring a mighty boon upon the emperor’s world. In this way it will be possible for you, observing your similarity to these octogenarians in condition and fortune, to have better expectations of a healthy and protracted old age, and by imitating them in your way of living to make your life at once long and healthy in a high degree.

> Greek: 7. διαίρεσιν δὲ τοῦ λόγου ποιήσομαι τὴν πρώτην κατὰ τἀπιτηδεύματα τῶν ἀνδρῶν, καὶ πρώτους γέ σοι τοὺς βασιλικοὺς καὶ τοὺς στρατηγικοὺς ἄνδρας ἱστορήσω, ὧν ἕνα ἡ εὐσεβεστάτη μεγάλου θειοτάτου αὐτοκράτορος τύχη εἰς τὴν τελεωτάτην ἀγαγοῦσα τάξιν εὐεργέτηκε τὰ μέγιστα τὴν οἰκουμένην τὴν ἑαυτοῦ· οὕτω γὰρ ἂν ἀπιδὼν καὶ σὺ τῶν μακροβίων ἀνδρῶν πρὸς τὸ ὅμοιον τῆς ἕξεως καὶ τῆς τύχης ἑτοιμότερον ἐλπίσειας γῆρας ὑγιεινὸν καὶ μακρὸν καὶ ἅμα ζηλώσας ἐργάσαιο σαυτῷ τῇ διαίτῃ μέγιστόν τε ἅμα καὶ ὑγιεινότατον βίον.

[¶7] 8. Numa Pompilius, most fortunate of the kings of Rome and most devoted to the worship of the gods, is said to have lived more than eighty years. Servius Tullius, also a king of Rome, is likewise related to have lived more than eighty years. Tarquinius, the last king of Rome, who was driven into exile and dwelt at Cumae, is said to have lived more than ninety years in the most sturdy health.

> Greek: 8. Πομπίλιος Νουμᾶς ὁ εὐδαιμονέστατος τῶν Ῥωμαίων βασιλέων καὶ μάλιστα περὶ τὴν θεραπείαν τῶν θεῶν ἀσχοληθεὶς ὑπὲρ τὰ ὀγδοήκοντα ἔτη βεβιωκέναι ἱστορεῖται. Σέρβιος δὲ Τούλλιος Ῥωμαίων καὶ οὗτος βασιλεὺς ὑπὲρ τὰ ὀγδοήκοντα ἔτη καὶ αὐτὸς βιῶσαι ἱστορεῖται. Ταρκυίνιος δὲ ὁ τελευταῖος Ῥωμαίων βασιλεὺς φυγαδευθεὶς καὶ ἐπὶ Κύμης διατρίβων ὑπὲρ τὰ ἐνενήκοντα ἔτη λέγεται στερρότατα βιῶσαι.

[¶8] 9. These are the kings of Rome, to whom I shall join such other kings as have attained great age, and after them others arranged according to their various walks of life. In conclusion I shall record for you the other Romans. who have attained the greatest age, adding also those who have lived longest in the rest of Italy. The list will be a competent refutation of those who attempt to malign our climate here; and so we may have better hopes for the fulfilment of our prayers that the lord of every land and sea may reach a great and peaceful age, sufficing unto the demands of his world even in advanced years.

> Greek: 9. οὗτοι μὲν οὖν Ῥωμαίων βασιλεῖς, οἷς συνάψω καὶ τοὺς λοιποὺς βασιλέας τοὺς εἰς μακρὸν γῆρας ἀφικομένους καὶ μετʼ αὐτοὺς κατὰ τὰ ἐπιτηδεύματα ἑκάστους. ἐπὶ τέλει δέ σοι καὶ τοὺς λοιποὺς Ῥωμαίων τοὺς εἰς μήκιστον γῆρας ἀφικομένους προσαναγράψω, προσθεὶς ἅμα καὶ τοὺς κατὰ τὴν λοιπὴν Ἰταλίαν ἐπὶ πλεῖστον βιώσαντας· ἀξιόλογος γὰρ ἔλεγχος ἡ ἱστορία τῶν διαβάλλειν πειρωμένων τὸν ἐνταῦθα ἀέρα, ὥστε καὶ ἡμᾶς χρηστοτέρας ἔχειν τὰς ἐλπίδας, τελείους ἡμῖν τὰς εὐχὰς ἔσεσθαι πρὸς τὸ εἰς μήκιστόν τε καὶ λιπαρὸν τὸν πάσης γῆς καὶ θαλάττης δεσπότην γῆρας ἀφικέσθαι, τῇ ἑαυτοῦ οἰκουμένῃ διαρκέσοντα ἤδη καὶ γέροντα.

[¶9] 10. Arganthonius, king of the Tartessians, lived a hundred and fifty years according to Herodotus the historian and Anacreon the song-writer, but some consider this a fable. Agathocles, tyrant of Sicily, died at ninety, as Demochares and Timaeus tell us. Hiero, tyrant of Syracuse, died of an illness at the age of ninety-two, after having been ruler for seventy years, as Demetrius of Callatia and others say. Ateas, king of the Scythians, fell in battle against Philip near the river Danube at an age of more than ninety years. Bardylis, king of the Illyrians, is said to have fought on horseback in the war against Philip in his ninetieth year. Teres, king of the Odrysians, from what Theopompus says, died at ninety-two.

> Greek: 10. Ἀργανθώνιος μὲν οὖν Ταρτησσίων βασιλεὺς πεντήκοντα καὶ ἑκατὸν ἔτη βιῶναι λέγεται, ὡς Ἡρόδοτος ὁ λογοποιὸς καὶ ὁ μελοποιὸς Ἀνακρέων· ἀλλὰ τοῦτο μὲν μῦθός τισι δοκεῖ. Ἀγαθοκλῆς δὲ ὁ Σικελίας τύραννος ἐτῶν ἐνενήκοντα ἐτελεύτα, καθάπερ Δημοχάρης καὶ Τίμαιος ἱστοροῦσιν. Ἱέρων τε ὁ Συρακουσίων τύραννος δύο καὶ ἐνενήκοντα ἐτῶν γενόμενος ἐτελεύτα νόσῳ, βασιλεύσας ἑβδομήκοντα ἔτη, ὥσπερ Δημήτριός τε ὁ Καλλατιανὸς καὶ ἄλλοι λέγουσιν. Ἀτέας δὲ Σκυθῶν βασιλεὺς μαχόμενος πρὸς Φίλιππον περὶ τὸν Ἴστρον ποταμὸν ἔπεσεν ὑπὲρ τὰ ἐνενήκοντα ἔτη γεγονώς. Βάρδυλις δὲ ὁ Ἰλλυριῶν βασιλεὺς ἀφʼ ἵππου λέγεται μάχεσθαι ἐν τῷ πρὸς Φίλιππον πολέμῳ εἰς ἐνενήκοντα τελῶν ἔτη. Τήρης δὲ Ὀδρυσῶν βασιλεύς, καθά φησι Θεόπομπος, δύο καὶ ἐνενήκοντα ἐτῶν ἐτελεύτησεν.

[¶10] 11. Antigonus One-eye, son of Philip, and king of Macedonia, died in Phrygia in battle against Seleucus and Lysimachus, with many wounds, at eighty-one: so we are told by Hieronymus, who made the campaign with him. Lysimachus, king of Macedonia, also lost his life in the battle with Seleucus in his eightieth year, as the same Hieronymus says. There was also an Antigonus who was son of Demetrius and grandson of Antigonus One-eye: he was king of Macedonia for forty-four years and lived eighty, as Medeius and other writers say. So too Antipater, son of Iolaus, who had great power and was regent for many kings of Macedonia, was over eighty when he died.

> Greek: 11. Ἀντίγονος δὲ ὁ Φιλίππου ὁ μονόφθαλμος βασιλεύων Μακεδόνων περὶ Φρυγίαν μαχόμενος Σελεύκῳ καὶ Λυσιμάχῳ τραύμασι πολλοῖς περιπεσὼν ἐτελεύτησεν ἐτῶν ἑνὸς καὶ ὀγδοήκοντα, ὥσπερ ὁ συστρατευόμενος αὐτῷ Ἱερώνυμος ἱστορεῖ. καὶ Λυσίμαχος δὲ Μακεδόνων βασιλεὺς ἐν τῇ πρὸς Σέλευκον ἀπώλετο μάχῃ ἔτος ὀγδοηκοστὸν τελῶν, ὡς ὁ αὐτός φησιν Ἱερώνυμος. Ἀντίγονος δέ, ὃς υἱὸς μὲν ἦν Δημητρίου, υἱωνὸς δὲ Ἀντιγόνου τοῦ μονοφθάλμου, οὗτος τέσσαρα καὶ τεσσαράκοντα Μακεδόνων ἐβασίλευσεν ἔτη, ἐβίωσε δὲ ὀγδοήκοντα, ὡς Μήδειός τε ἱστορεῖ καὶ ἄλλοι συγγραφεῖς. ὁμοίως δὲ καὶ Ἀντίπατρος ὁ Ἰολάου μέγιστον δυνηθεὶς καὶ ἐπιτροπεύσας πολλοὺς Μακεδόνων βασιλέας ὑπὲρ τὰ ὀγδοήκοντα οὗτος ἔτη ζήσας ἐτελεύτα τὸν βίον.

[¶11] 12. Ptolemy, son of Lagus, the most fortunate of the kings of his day, ruled over Egypt, and at the age of eighty-four, two years before his death, abdicated in favour of his son Ptolemy, called Philadelphus, who succeeded to his father’s throne in lieu of his elder brothers.1 Philetaerus, an eunuch, secured and kept the throne of Pergamus, and closed his life at eighty. Attalus, called Philadelphus, also king of Pergamus, to whom the Roman general Scipio paid a visit, ended his life at the age of eighty-two.

> Greek: 12. Πτολεμαῖος δὲ ὁ Λάγου ὁ τῶν καθʼ αὑτὸν εὐδαιμονέστατος βασιλέων Αἰγύπτου μὲν ἐβασίλευσεν, τέσσαρα δὲ καὶ ὀγδοήκοντα βιώσας ἔτη ζῶν παρέδωκεν τὴν ἀρχὴν πρὸ δύο ἐτοῖν τῆς τελευτῆς Πτολεμαίῳ τῷ υἱῷ, Φιλαδέλφῳ δὲ ἐπίκλησιν, ὅστις διεδέξατο τὴν πατρῴαν βασιλείαν ἀδελφῶν... φιλέταιρος δὲ πρῶτος μὲν ἐκτήσατο τὴν περὶ Πέργαμον ἀρχὴν καὶ κατέσχεν εὐνοῦχος ὤν, κατέστρεψε δὲ τὸν βίον ὀγδοήκοντα ἐτῶν γενόμενος. Ἄτταλος δὲ ὁ ἐπικληθεὶς Φιλάδελφος, τῶν Περγαμηνῶν καὶ οὗτος βασιλεύων, πρὸς ὃν καὶ Σκιπίων Ῥωμαίων στρατηγὸς ἀφίκετο, δύο καὶ ὀγδοήκοντα ἐτῶν ἐξέλιπε τὸν βίον.

[¶12] 13. Mithridates, king of Pontus, called the Founder, exiled by Antigonus One-eye, died in Pontus at eighty-four, as Hieronymus and other writers say. Ariarathes, king of Cappadocia, lived eighty-two years, as Hieronymus says: perhaps he would have lived longer if he had not been captured in the battle with Perdiccas and crucified.

> Greek: 13. Μιθριδάτης δὲ ὁ Πόντου βασιλεὺς ὁ προσαγορευθεὶς Κτίστης Ἀντίγονον τὸν μονόφθαλμον φεύγων ἐπὶ Πόντου ἐτελεύτησεν βιώσας ἔτη τέσσαρα καὶ ὀγδοήκοντα, ὥσπερ Ἱερώνυμος ἱστορεῖ καὶ ἄλλοι συγγραφεῖς. Ἀριαράθης δὲ ὁ Καππαδοκῶν βασιλεὺς δύο μὲν καὶ ὀγδοήκοντα ἔζησεν ἔτη, ὡς Ἱερώνυμος ἱστορεῖ· ἐδυνήθη δὲ ἴσως καὶ ἐπὶ πλέον διαγενέσθαι, ἀλλʼ ἐν τῇ πρὸς Περδίκκαν μάχῃ ζωγρηθεὶς ἀνεσκολοπίσθη.

[¶13] 14. Cyrus, king ot the Persians in olden times, according to the Persian and Assyrian annals (with which Onesicritus, who wrote a history of Alexander, seems to agree) at the age of a hundred asked for all his friends by name and learned that most of them had been put to death by his son Cambyses. When Cambyses asserted that he had done this by order of Cyrus, he died of a broken heart, partly because he had been slandered for his son’s cruelty, partly because he accused himself of being feeble-minded.

> Greek: 14. Κῦρος δὲ ὁ Περσῶν βασιλεὺς ὁ παλαιός, ὡς δηλοῦσιν οἱ Περσῶν καὶ Ἀσσυρίων ὧροι, οἷς καὶ Ὀνησίκριτος ὁ τὰ περὶ Ἀλέξανδρον συγγράψας συμφωνεῖν δοκεῖ, ἑκατοντούτης γενόμενος ἐζήτει μὲν ἕνα ἕκαστον τῶν φίλων, μαθὼν δὲ τοὺς πλείστους διεφθαρμένους ὑπὸ Καμβύσου τοῦ υἱέος, καὶ φάσκοντος Καμβύσου κατὰ πρόσταγμα τὸ ἐκείνου ταῦτα πεποιηκέναι, τὸ μέν τι πρὸς τὴν ὠμότητα τοῦ υἱοῦ διαβληθείς, τὸ δέ τι ὡς παρανοοῦντα αὑτὸν αἰτιασάμενος ἀθυμήσας ἐτελεύτα τὸν βίον.

[¶14] 15. Artaxerxes, called the Unforgetting, against whom Cyrus, his brother, made the expedition, was king of Persia when he died of illness at the age of eighty-six (according to Dinon ninetyfour). Another Artaxerxes, king of Persia, who, Isidore the Characene historian says, occupied the throne in the time of Isidore’s fathers, was assassinated at the age of ninety-three through the machinations of his brother Gosithras. Sinatroces, king of Parthia, was restored to his country in his eightieth year by the Sacauracian Scyths, assumed the throne and held it seven years. Tigranes, king of Armenia, with whom Lucullus warred, died of illness at the age of eighty-five. Hyspausines, king of Charax and the country on the Red Sea, fell ill and died at eighty-five.

> Greek: 15. Ἀρταξέρξης ὁ Μνήμων ἐπικληθείς, ἐφʼ ὃν Κῦρος ὁ ἀδελφὸς ἐστρατεύσατο, βασιλεύων ἐν Πέρσαις ἐτελεύτησεν νόσῳ ἓξ καὶ ὀγδοήκοντα ἐτῶν γενόμενος, ὡς δὲ Δίνων ἱστορεῖ, τεσσάρων καὶ ἐνενήκοντα. Ἀρταξέρξης ἕτερος Περσῶν βασιλεύς, ὅν φησιν ἐπὶ τῶν πατέρων τῶν ἑαυτοῦ Ἰσίδωρος ὁ Χαρακηνὸς συγγραφεὺς βασιλεύειν, ἔτη τρία καὶ ἐνενήκοντα βιοὺς ἐπιβουλῇ τἀδελφοῦ Γωσίθρου ἐδολοφονήθη. Σινατρόκης δὲ ὁ Παρθυαίων βασιλεὺς ἔτος ὀγδοηκοστὸν ἤδη γεγονὼς ὑπὸ Σακαυράκων Σκυθῶν καταχθεὶς βασιλεύειν ἤρξατο καὶ ἐβασίλευσεν ἔτη ἑπτά. Τιγράνης δὲ ὁ Ἀρμενίων βασιλεύς, πρὸς ὃν Λούκουλλος ἐπολέμησεν, πέντε καὶ ὀγδοήκοντα ἐτῶν ἐτελεύτα νόσῳ.

[¶15] 16. Tiraeus, the second: successor of Hyspausines on the throne, died of * illness at the age of ninety-two. Artabazus, the sixth successor of Tiraeus on the throne of Charax, was reinstated by the Parthians and became king at the age of eighty-six. Cammascires, king of the Parthians, lived ninety-six years.

> Greek: 16. Ὑσπαυσίνης δὲ ὁ Χάρηκος καὶ τῶν κατʼ Ἐρυθρὰν θάλασσαν τόπων βασιλεὺς πέντε καὶ ὀγδοήκοντα ἐτῶν νοσήσας ἐτελεύτησεν. Τίραιος δὲ ὁ μεθʼ Ὑσπαυσίνην τρίτος βασιλεύσας δύο καὶ ἐνενήκοντα βιοὺς ἔτη ἐτελεύτα νόσῳ. Ἀρτάβαζος δὲ ὁ μετὰ Τίραιον ἕβδομος βασιλεύσας Χάρακος ἓξ καὶ ὀγδοήκοντα ἐτῶν καταχθεὶς ὑπὸ Πάρθων ἐβασίλευσε. Καμνασκίρης δὲ βασιλεὺς Παρθυαίων ἓξ καὶ ἐνενήκοντα ἔζησεν ἔτη.

[¶16] 17. Massinissa, king of the Moors, lived ninety years. Asandrus, who, after being ethnarch, was proclaimed king of Bosporus by the divine Augustus, at about ninety years proved himself a match for anyone in fighting from horseback or on foot; but when he saw his subjects going over to Scribonius on the eve of battle, he* starved himself to death at the age of ninety-three. According to Isidore the Characene, Goaesus, who was king of spice-bearing Omania in Isidore’s time, died of illness at one hundred and fifteen years.

> Greek: 17. Μασσινίσσας δὲ Μαυρουσίων βασιλεὺς ἐνενήκοντα ἐβίωσεν ἔτη. Ἄσανδρος δὲ ὁ ὑπὸ τοῦ θεοῦ Σεβαστοῦ ἀντὶ ἐθνάρχου βασιλεὺς ἀναγορευθεὶς Βοσπόρου περὶ ἔτη ὢν ἐνενήκοντα ἱππομαχῶν καὶ πεζομαχῶν οὐδενὸς ἥττων ἐφάνη· ὡς δὲ ἑώρα τοὺς ἑαυτοῦ ὑπὸ τὴν μάχην Σκριβωνίῳ προστιθεμένους ἀποσχόμενος σιτίων ἐτελεύτησεν βιοὺς ἔτη τρία καὶ ἐνενήκοντα· Γοαισὸς δέ, ὥς φησιν Ἰσίδωρος ὁ Χαρακηνός, ἐπὶ τῆς ἑαυτοῦ ἡλικίας Ὀμάνων τῆς ἀρωματοφόρου βασιλεύσας πεντεκαίδεκα καὶ ἑκατὸν γεγονὼς ἐτῶν ἐτελεύτησεν νόσῳ. βασιλέας μὲν οὖν τοσούτους ἱστορήκασι μακροβίους οἱ πρὸ ἡμῶν.

[¶17] 18. These are the kings who have been recorded as long-lived by our predecessors. Since philosophers and literary men in general, doubtless because they too take good care of themselves, have attained old age, I shall put down those whom there is record of, beginning with the philosophers. Democritus ot Abdera starved himself to death at the age of one hundred and four. ' -Xenophilus the musician, we are told by Aristoxenus, adopted the philosophical system of Pythagoras, and lived in Athens. more than one hundred and five years. Solon, Thales, and Pittacus, who were of the so-called seven wise men, each lived a hundred years, and Zeno, the head of the Stoic school, ninety-eight.

> Greek: 18. ἐπεὶ δὲ καὶ φιλόσοφοι καὶ πάντες οἱ περὶ παιδείαν ἔχοντες, ἐπιμέλειάν πως καὶ οὗτοι ποιούμενοι ἑαυτῶν, εἰς μακρὸν γῆρας ἦλθον, ἀναγράψομεν καὶ τούτων τοὺς ἱστορημένους, καὶ πρώτους γε φιλοσόφους. Δημόκριτος μὲν Ἀβδηρίτης ἐτῶν γεγονὼς τεσσάρων καὶ ἑκατὸν ἀποσχόμενος τροφῆς ἐτελεύτα. Ξενόφιλος δὲ ὁ μουσικός, ὥς φησιν Ἀριστόξενος, προσσχὼν τῇ Πυθαγόρου φιλοσοφίᾳ ὑπὲρ τὰ πέντε καὶ ἑκατὸν ἔτη Ἀθήνησιν ἐβίωσεν. Σόλων δὲ καὶ Θαλῆς καὶ Πιττακός, οἵτινες τῶν κληθέντων ἑπτὰ σοφῶν ἐγένοντο, ἑκατὸν ἕκαστος ἔζησεν ἔτη, Ζήνων δὲ ὁ τῆς Στωϊκῆς φιλοσοφίας ἀρχηγὸς ὀκτὼ καὶ ἐνενήκοντα·

[¶18] 19. They say that when Zeno stumbled in entering the assembly, he cried out: “Why do you call me?” and then, returning home, starved himself to death. Cleanthes, the pupil and successor of Zeno, was ninety-nine’ when he got a tumour on his lip. He was fasting when letters from certain of his friends arrived, but he had food brought him, did what his friends had requested, and then fasted anew until he passed away.

> Greek: 19. ὅν φασιν εἰσερχόμενον εἰς τὴν ἐκκλησίαν καὶ προσπταίσαντα ἀναφθέγξασθαι, Τί με βοᾷς; καὶ ὑποστρέψαντα οἴκαδε καὶ ἀποσχόμενον τροφῆς τελευτῆσαι τὸν βίον. Κλεάνθης δὲ ὁ Ζήνωνος μαθητὴς καὶ διάδοχος ἐννέα καὶ ἐνενήκοντα οὗτος γεγονὼς ἔτη φῦμα ἔσχεν ἐπὶ τοῦ χείλους καὶ ἀποκαρτερῶν ἐπελθόντων αὐτῷ παρʼ ἑταίρων τινῶν γραμμάτων προσενεγκάμενος τροφὴν καὶ πράξας περὶ ὧν ἠξίουν οἱ φίλοι, ἀποσχόμενος αὖθις τροφῆς ἐξέλιπε τὸν βίον.

[¶19] 20. Xenophanes, son of Dexinus and disciple of Archelaus the physicist, lived ninety-one years; Xenocrates, the disciple of Plato, eighty-four; Carneades, the head of the New Academy, eightyfive; Chrysippus, eighty-one; Diogenes of Seleucia on the Tigris, a Stoic philosopher, eighty-eight; Posidonius of Apameia in Syria, naturalised in Rhodes, who was at once a philosopher and a historian, eighty-four; Critolaus, the Peripatetic, more than eighty-two: Plato the divine, eighty-one.

> Greek: 20. Ξενοφάνης δὲ ὁ Δεξίνου μὲν υἱός, Ἀρχελάου δὲ τοῦ φυσικοῦ μαθητὴς ἐβίωσεν ἔτη ἓν καὶ ἐνενήκοντα· Ξενοκράτης δὲ Πλάτωνος μαθητὴς γενόμενος τέσσαρα καὶ ὀγδοήκοντα·· Καρνεάδης δὲ ὁ τῆς νεωτέρας Ἀκαδημίας ἀρχηγὸς ἔτη πέντε καὶ ὀγδοήκοντα·· Χρύσιππος ἓν καὶ ὀγδοήκοντα· Διογένης δὲ ὁ Σελευκεὺς ἀπὸ Τίγριος Στωϊκὸς φιλόσοφος ὀκτὼ καὶ ὀγδοήκοντα·· Ποσειδώνιος Ἀπαμεὺς τῆς Συρίας, νόμῳ δὲ Ῥόδιος, φιλόσοφός τε ἅμα καὶ ἱστορίας συγγραφεὺς τέσσαρα καὶ ὀγδοήκοντα·· Κριτόλαος ὁ Περιπατητικὸς ὑπὲρ δύο καὶ ὀγδοήκοντα·.

[¶20] 21. Athenodorus, son of Sando, of Tarsus, a Stoic, tutor of Caesar Augustus the divine, through whose influence the city of Tarsus was relieved of taxation, died in his native land at the age of eighty-two, and the people of Tarsus pay him honour each year as a hero. Nestor, the Stoic from Tarsus, the tutor of Tiberius Caesar, lived ninety-two years, and Xenophon, son of Gryllus, more than ninety.1 These are the noteworthy philosophers.

> Greek: 21. Πλάτων δὲ ὁ ἱερώτατος ἓν καὶ ὀγδοήκοντα. Ἀθηνόδωρος Σάνδωνος Ταρσεὺς Στωϊκός, ὃς καὶ διδάσκαλος ἐγένετο Καίσαρος Σεβαστοῦ θεοῦ, ὑφʼ οὗ ἡ Ταρσέων πόλις καὶ φόρων ἐκουφίσθη, δύο καὶ ὀγδοήκοντα ἔτη βιοὺς ἐτελεύτησεν ἐν τῇ πατρίδι, καὶ τιμὰς ὁ Ταρσέων δῆμος αὐτῷ κατʼ ἔτος ἕκαστον ἀπονέμει ὡς ἥρωϊ. Νέστωρ δὲ Στωϊκὸς ἀπὸ Ταρσοῦ διδάσκαλος Καίσαρος Τιβερίου ἔτη δύο καὶ ἐνενήκοντα· Ξενοφῶν δὲ ὁ Γρύλλου ὑπὲρ τὰ ἐνενήκοντα ἐβίωσεν ἔτη.

[¶21] 22. Of the historians, Ctesibius died at the age of one hundred and four while taking a walk, according to Apollodorus in his Chronology. Hieronymus, who went to war and stood much toil and many wounds, lived one hundred and four years, as Agatharchides says in the ninth book of his History of Asia; and he expresses his amazement at the man, because up to his last day he was still vigorous in his marital relations and in all his faculties, lacking none of the symptoms of health. Hellanicus of Lesbos was eighty-five, Pherecydes the Syrian eighty-five also, Timaeus of Tauromenium ninety-six. Aristobulus of Cassandria is said to have lived more than ninety years. He began to write his history in his eightyfourth year, for he says so himself in the beginning of the work. Polybius, son of Lycortas, of Megalopolis, while coming in from his farm to the city, was thrown from his horse, fell ill as a result of it, and died at eighty-two. Hypsicrates of Amisenum, the historian, who mastered many sciences, lived to be ninety-two.

> Greek: 22. οὗτοι μὲν φιλοσόφων οἱ ἔνδοξοι. συγγραφέων δὲ Κτησίβιος μὲν ἐτῶν ἑκατὸν καὶ τεσσάρων ἐν περιπάτῳ ἐτελεύτησεν, ὡς Ἀπολλόδωρος ἐν τοῖς χρονικοῖς ἱστορεῖ. Ἱερώνυμος δ’ ἐν πολέμοις γενόμενος καὶ πολλοὺς καμάτους ὑπομείνας καὶ τραύματα ἔζησεν ἔτη τέσσαρα καὶ ἑκατόν, ὡς Ἀγαθαρχίδης ἐν τῇ ἐνάτῃ τῶν περὶ τῆς Ἀσίας ἱστοριῶν λέγει, καὶ θαυμάζει γε τὸν ἄνδρα ὡς μέχρι τῆς τελευταίας ἡμέρας ἄρτιον ὄντα ἐν ταῖς συνουσίαις καὶ πᾶσι τοῖς αἰσθητηρίοις, μηδενὸς γενόμενον τῶν πρὸς ὑγίειαν ἐλλιπῆ. Ἑλλάνικος ὁ Λέσβιος ὀγδοήκοντα καὶ πέντε, καὶ Φερεκύδης ὁ Σύριος ὁμοίως ὀγδοήκοντα καὶ πέντε. Τίμαιος ὁ Ταυρομενίτης ἓξ καὶ ἐνενήκοντα· Ἀριστόβουλος δὲ ὁ Κασανδρεὺς ὑπὲρ τὰ ἐνενήκοντα ἔτη λέγεται βεβιωκέναι, τὴν ἱστορίαν δὲ τέταρτον καὶ ὀγδοηκοστὸν ἔτος γεγονὼς ἤρξατο συγγράφειν, ὡς αὐτὸς ἐν ἀρχῇ τῆς πραγματείας λέγει. Πολύβιος δὲ ὁ Λυκόρτα Μεγαλοπολίτης ἀγρόθεν ἀνελθὼν ἀφʼ ἵππου κατέπεσεν καὶ ἐκ τούτου νοσήσας ἀπέθανεν ἐτῶν δύο καὶ ὀγδοήκοντα, Ὑψικράτης δὲ ὁ Ἀμισηνὸς συγγραφεὺς διὰ πολλῶν μαθημάτων γενόμενος ἔτη δύο καὶ ἐνενήκοντα.

[¶22] 23. Of the orators, Gorgias, whom some call a sophist, lived to be one hundred and eight, and starved himself to death. They say that when he was asked the reason for his great age, sound in all his faculties, he replied that he had never accepted other people’s invitations to dinner! Isocrates wrote his Panegyric at ninety-six; and at the age of ninety-nine, when he learned that the Athenians had been beaten by Philip in the battle of Chaeronea, he groaned and uttered the Euripidean line
When Cadmus, long agone, quit Sidon town,
alluding to himself; then, adding, “Greece will lose her liberty,” he quitted life. Apollodorus, the Pergamene rhetorician who was tutor to Caesar Augustus the divine and helped Athenodorus, the philosopher of Tarsus, to educate him, lived eighty-two years, like Athenodorus. Potamo, a rhetorician of considerable repute, lived ninety years.

> Greek: 23. ῥητόρων δὲ Γοργίας, ὅν τινες σοφιστὴν καλοῦσιν, ἔτη ἑκατὸν ὀκτώ· τροφῆς δὲ ἀποσχόμενος ἐτελεύτησεν· ὅν φασιν ἐρωτηθέντα τὴν αἰτίαν τοῦ μακροῦ γήρως καὶ ὑγιεινοῦ ἐν πάσαις ταῖς αἰσθήσεσιν εἰπεῖν, διὰ τὸ μηδέποτε συμπεριενεχθῆναι ταῖς ἄλλων εὐωχίαις. Ἰσοκράτης ἓξ καὶ ἐνενήκοντα ἔτη γεγονὼς τὸν πανηγυρικὸν ἔγραφε λόγον, περὶ ἔτη δὲ ἑνὸς ἀποδέοντα ἑκατὸν γεγονὼς ὡς ᾔσθετο Ἀθηναίους ὑπὸ Φιλίππου ἐν τῇ περὶ Χαιρώνειαν μάχῃ νενικημένους, ποτνιώμενος τὸν Εὐριπίδειον στίχον προηνέγκατο εἰς ἑαυτὸν ἀναφέρων, Σιδώνιόν ποτʼ ἄστυ Κάδμος ἐκλιπών· καὶ ἐπειπὼν ὡς δουλεύσει ἡ Ἑλλάς, ἐξέλιπε τὸν βίον. Ἀπολλόδωρος δὲ ὁ Περγαμηνὸς ῥήτωρ, θεοῦ Καίσαρος Σεβαστοῦ διδάσκαλος γενόμενος καὶ σὺν Ἀθηνοδώρῳ τῷ Ταρσεῖ φιλοσόφῳ παιδεύσας αὐτόν, ἔζησεν ταὐτὰ τῷ Ἀθηνοδώρῳ ἔτη ὀγδοήκοντα δύο. Ποτάμων δὲ οὐκ ἄδοξος ῥήτωρ ἔτη ἐνενήκοντα.

[¶23] 24. Sophocles the tragedian swallowed a grape and choked to death at ninety-five. Brought to trial by his son Iophon toward the close of his life on a charge of feeble-mindedness, he read the jurors his Oedipus at Colonus, proving by the play that he was sound of mind, so that the jury applauded him to the echo and convicted the son himself of insanity.

> Greek: 24. Σοφοκλῆς ὁ τραγῳδοποιὸς ῥᾶγα σταφυλῆς καταπιὼν ἀπεπνίγη πέντε καὶ ἐνενήκοντα ζήσας ἔτη. οὗτος ὑπὸ Ἰοφῶντος τοῦ υἱέος ἐπὶ τέλει τοῦ βίου παρανοίας κρινόμενος ἀνέγνω τοῖς δικασταῖς Οἰδίπουν τὸν ἐπὶ Κολωνῷ, ἐπιδεικνύμενος διὰ τοῦ δράματος ὅπως τὸν νοῦν ὑγιαίνει, ὡς τοὺς δικαστὰς τὸν μὲν ὑπερθαυμάσαι, καταψηφίσασθαι δὲ τοῦ υἱοῦ αὐτοῦ μανίαν.

[¶24] 25. Cratinus, the comic poet, lived ninety-seven years, and toward the end of his life he produced “The Flask” and won the prize, dying not long thereafter. Philemon, the comic poet, was ninety-seven like Cratinus, and was lying on a couch resting. When he saw a donkey eating the figs that had been prepared for his own consumption, he burst into a fit of laughter; calling his servant and telling him, along with a great and hearty laugh, to give the donkey also a sup of wine, he choked with his laughter and died.1 Epicharmus, the comic poet, is also said to have lived ninety-seven years.

> Greek: 25. Κρατῖνος δὲ ὁ τῆς κωμῳδίας ποιητὴς ἑπτὰ πρὸς τοῖς ἐνενήκοντα ἔτεσιν ἐβίωσε, καὶ πρὸς τῷ τέλει τοῦ βίου διδάξας τὴν Πυτίνην καὶ νικήσας μετʼ οὐ πολὺ ἐτελεύτα. καὶ Φιλήμων δὲ ὁ κωμικός, ὁμοίως τῷ Κρατίνῳ ἑπτὰ καὶ ἐνενήκοντα ἔτη βιούς, κατέκειτο μὲν ἐπὶ κλίνης ἠρεμῶν, θεασάμενος δὲ ὄνον τὰ παρεσκευασμένα αὐτῷ σῦκα κατεσθίοντα ὥρμησε μὲν εἰς γέλωτα, καλέσας δὲ τὸν οἰκέτην καὶ σὺν πολλῷ καὶ ἀθρόῳ γέλωτι εἰπὼν προσδοῦναι τῷ ὄνῳ ἀκράτου ῥοφεῖν ἀποπνιγεὶς ὑπὸ τοῦ γέλωτος ἀπέθανεν. καὶ Ἐπίχαρμος δὲ ὁ τῆς κωμῳδίας ποιητὴς καὶ αὐτὸς ἐνενήκοντα καὶ ἑπτὰ ἔτη λέγεται βιῶναι.

[¶25] 26. Anacreon, the lyric poet, lived eighty-five years; Stesichorus, the lyric poet, the same, and Simonides of Ceos more than ninety.

> Greek: 26. Ἀνακρέων δὲ ὁ τῶν μελῶν ποιητὴς ἔζησεν ἔτη πέντε καὶ ὀγδοήκοντα, καὶ Στησίχορος δὲ ὁ μελοποιὸς ταὐτά, Σιμωνίδης δὲ ὁ Κεῖος ὑπὲρ τὰ ἐνενήκοντα.

[¶26] 27. Of the grammarians, Eratosthenes, son of Aglaus, of Cyrene, who was not only a grammarian but might also be called a poet, a philosopher and a geometrician, lived eighty-two years.

> Greek: 27. γραμματικῶν δὲ Ἐρατοσθένης μὲν ὁ Ἀγλαοῦ Κυρηναῖος, ὃν οὐ μόνον γραμματικόν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ποιητὴν ἄν τις ὀνομάσειεν καὶ φιλόσοφον καὶ γεωμέτρην, δύο καὶ ὀγδοήκοντα οὗτος ἔζησεν ἔτη.

[¶27] 28. Lycurgus, the Spartan lawgiver, is said to have lived eighty-five years.

> Greek: 28. καὶ Λυκοῦργος δὲ ὁ νομοθέτης τῶν Λακεδαιμονίων πέντε καὶ ὀγδοήκοντα ἔτη ζῆσαι ἱστορεῖται.

[¶28] 29. These are the kings and the literary men whose names I have been able to collect. As I have promised to record some of the Romans and the Italians who were octogenarians, I will set them forth for you, saintly Quintillus, in another treatise, if it be the will of the gods,

> Greek: 29. τοσούτους ἐδυνήθημεν βασιλέας καὶ πεπαιδευμένους ἀθροῖσαι· ἐπεὶ δὲ ὑπεσχόμην καὶ Ῥωμαίων τινὰς καὶ τῶν τὴν Ἰταλίαν οἰκησάντων μακροβίων ἀναγράψαι, τούτους σοι, θεῶν βουλομένων, ἱερώτατε Κυίντιλλε, ἐν ἄλλῳ δηλώσομεν λόγῳ.