A history of old age

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

Notes . . 303
Further Reading . . 313
Sources of Illustrations . . 315
Index . . 318