Liber I, Pars IV — Qui mores senum sunt vituperabiles, et quomodo reges et principes ad huiusmodi mores se debeant habere.

Liber I, Pars IV — Qui mores senum sunt vituperabiles, et quomodo reges et principes ad huiusmodi mores se debeant habere.

Having listed the behaviors of youth, it's shown how kings and princes should conduct themselves according to those behaviors. It remains to see what the behaviors of the elderly are and how kings and princes should adapt to those behaviors. Some behaviors of the elderly are commendable, while others are blameworthy. The philosopher, in the Rhetoric, among other behaviors he discusses regarding the elderly, lists six blameworthy behaviors. First, the elderly are excessively incredulous; second, they are very suspicious. Third, they are timid and cowardly. Fourth, they are illiberal. Fifth, they are difficult to trust, or they have poor hope. Sixth, they don't feel shame, but are unembarrassed. For first, old men are often incredulous. This happens from experience. For in many experiences, people learn that many lie. So it’s not easy for them to have faith, but they believe that everyone else is a deceiver. Therefore, it is said. In Rhetoric, it is stated that old men have lived many years and have been deceived more often. Therefore, because of this experience, it happens that they are incredulous. Secondly, the elderly are suspicious. For whatever they see, they mostly suspect evil and report it in a negative light. The elderly seem to be disposed contrary to the young. Children, however, because they have not committed many wrongs and are innocent, measure others by their own innocence, and they tend to view everything in a positive light: for they believe that all people are good. In contrast, the elderly, because they have lived many years and have sinned in many ways, judge the actions of others based on what they themselves have done: therefore, they mostly believe that others are bad and interpret their actions in a negative way. Hence it is said... In rhetoric, it is said that because the elderly have lived many years, it cannot be denied that they have sinned in many ways. Therefore, they are often overly suspicious and evaluate everything negatively. Third, the elderly are timid and puffed up. They are timid because they are humbled by life. They are timid because they have lived much and have grown weak. Just as they lose moisture and vitality, so their heart fails them, and they become timid. They are also timid because, as it is said, they are naturally disposed to fear. As Aristotle states, this is a natural disposition. Timidity prepares the way for fear. For according to the Philosopher, whoever is naturally disposed in this way, as they are, existing in some passion, naturally experiences that passion. When the timid become cold, anyone who is naturally cold will also be timid, because they lack natural warmth and have bodies that are naturally cold. Fourth, they are stingy, which happens for three reasons. First, it is due to a lack of vitality. Second, it comes from the experience of time, as they have lived many years and likely endured many hardships. Third, they do not live in hope, but in memory. For the soul often follows the conditions of the body. Just as the elderly decline in their bodily humors and in life, so it seems to them that everything is failing them. Fearing to suffer loss, they become stingy and do not dare to spend. Rather, seeing that they are failing, they don't trust in their own strength, but only in what they have. Therefore, those who place their hope and confidence in them do not dare to spend. Again, they are illiberal due to their experience over time; for since they have lived many years, it is credible that they have suffered many hardships. Those who fear suffering from want become illiberal. It also happens that they are illiberal because they live more in memory than in hope. For they think they have lived a lot in the past and will live little in the future. Thus, because memory pertains to the past and hope to the future, they do not live in hope, nor do they trust in what they should acquire in the future, but they live in memory and trust in what they have acquired in the past. Therefore, since they are not confident about acquiring, they become illiberal, and they do not easily share what they have. Fifth, they are of poor hope. For they hope for nothing good, but believe they will fail in everything. The cause of this has been assigned in the previous sections. For if hope is for the future and memory is for the past, and the elderly have lived much in the past but believe they will live little in the future, they fail in hoping and think they will do little. For they do not live, nor do they take pleasure in hoping, but in remembering. This, however, is a sign. For everyone gladly talks about the things in which they take delight. However, we see that when the elderly gather together, they always recount the deeds they have done. But they don't take pleasure in reciting the deeds they plan to do, because they see that they've accomplished many things and think they will do only a few. Therefore, they are difficult to hope for, because they fail in hoping and expect to do only a few things. Older people are shameless and unembarrassed. For older people are illiberal, caring more about what is useful than what is honorable. Indeed, they strive more for utility than for what honor requires, as the philosopher says. Of Rhetoric. Shame, therefore, since it is the fear of dishonor, does not suit older people; because they care more about what is useful than about honor. The whole reason someone is ashamed (as the philosopher says) is that they want to be held in honor and want to be regarded. Older people, just as they decline in life, in their emotions, and in their natural warmth, also decline in spirit and don't care about their reputation. This is why they tend to be shameless. One reason for this could be that it is a common trait among all older people. It has been said that older people are cold. Coldness constricts everything and binds it; and by binding it, it makes things heavier and causes them to seek a lower place. For we see that cold and heavy elements are placed in a lower position, while warm and light elements are placed higher. Therefore, older people, because they are cold, become constricted by their coldness and withdraw into themselves; they become immobile, so that they dare not believe or hope for anything, and they do not care to excel or to be esteemed, for the cold do not seek a higher place but a lower one. Seeing that the behaviors of older people are blameworthy, one can easily understand how kings and princes should conduct themselves in relation to such matters. For it is clear that although kings and princes should not be easily gullible like children in everything, they should not be incredulous either; rather, considering the circumstances of the people, they ought to exercise faith in what is said to them according to reason and judgment. Secondly, they should not be suspicious, interpreting everything in the worst possible light; for this would lead them to be harsh and unkind, and they would incur the malice of their subjects. Thirdly, they should not be timid or cowardly, but rather strong and magnanimous; because when dealing with matters that concern the whole kingdom, which kings and princes must labor over, they are significant and challenging, and thus they must be strong and noble. Fourthly, it is detestable for them to be stingy. For as mentioned above, when discussing virtues, it has been sufficiently shown that not only is it fitting for kings and princes to be generous by making moderate expenditures, but it is also appropriate for them to be magnificent by making grand gestures. Fifthly, they must be hopeful: for if they believed they would fail in everything, they would attempt nothing, and the kingdom would be in jeopardy. Sixthly, they should not be shameless in the way that old men often are. Lastly, they should not be overly concerned about their status or honor, but rather focus more on what is useful than on actions worthy of honor. They shouldn't be ashamed, because it's inappropriate for them to engage in shameful acts, from which shame arises.