AGING AND THE AGED IN AESOPIC FABLES

Little attempt has been made to re-assess the attitudes to aging and o ld age of the ancient-medieval Greek-speaking world on the basis of th e literary remains (which are common to both) since Richardson (1933). There are however some collections (proverbs, sayings, ''purple passa ges'' from literature and so forth) which include material revealing a ttitudes which are in fact quite different from those of today and whi ch can even be surprising. One such collection, the large number of fa bles which more or less conform to the genre associated with Aesop, is here analyzed to isolate the texts which have to do with aging and th e attitudes they reveal. Of the surprisingly few fables which touch up on the matter, most are distinctly complimentary. In most instances th e elderly are seen to increase, rather diminish, in certain powers oth er than physical strength. Fables are found which characterize them as being astute, intelligent, crafty, loyal and, above all, capable of g iving sound advice and good leadership when the situation requires it of them. The celebrated Fable of the Tortoise and the Hare, although i t was not specifically interpreted in this way in ancient times, best sums up the general attitude: that dogged persistence (the characteris tic of the elderly) will ultimately prove superior to all the erratic bursts of youthful speed anytime. Hence Cicero: ''Old age is more spir ited than youth, and stronger!''.