Contents 
'My age is as a lusty winter': 
1 The Age of Old Age 9 
'Old age has always been revered': 
2 The Ancient Greek and Roman Worlds 31 
'All want to reach old age but nobody wants to be old': 
3 The Middle Ages and Renaissance 71
'An idle youth makes a needy old age: 
4 The 17th Century 113
'Long live the republic where old men preside ':
5 The 18th Century 175 
'Don't complain about old age': 
6 The 19th Centurv 211 
'Ido not think of myself as old': 
7 The 20th Century 263 
Notes 303 
Further Reading 313 
Sources of Illustrations 315 
Index 318