vetus

Puer (from parere, πάϊς,) in a wider sense, is the man in his dependent years, so long as he neither can be, nor is, the father of a family, as a young person, in three periods, as infans, νήπιος, παιδίον, from his first years till he is seven; as puer, in a narrower sense, παῖς, from his seventh year till he is sixteen; as commencing adolescens (from ἄλθειν) a youngster, μειράκιον, νεανίας, from his sixteenth year. Juvenis, in a wider sense, is as long as he remains in his years of greatest strength, from about the time of his being of age to the first appearances of advanced age, as the young man νέος, which also may be divided into three periods;—as ceasing to be adolescens, from his eighteenth year; as juvenis (from ζέω) in a narrower sense, νεανίας, from his four-and-twentieth year; as beginning to be vir, ἀνήρ, from his thirtieth year. Maturus is the man in his ripest years, when the wild fire of youth has evaporated, and may be divided into three periods;—as ceasing to be vir, ἀνήρ, from his fortieth year; as vetus, γέρων, from his fiftieth year; as senex, (ἄναξ) πρεσβύτης, from his sixtieth year. (v. 45.)

1. Antiquum and priscum denote the age that formerly existed, and is now no more, in opp. to novum, like παλαιός; vetus and vetustum (from ἔτος), what has existed for a long time, and has no longer any share in the disadvantages or advantages of youth, in opp. to recens, like γέρων, γεραιός, γερούσιος. Hence antiquus homo is a man who existed in ancient times; vetus, an old man. Antiqui scriptores means the classics, inasmuch as the age in which they flourished has long been past; veteres, inasmuch as they have lived and influenced manhood for 2000 years. Cic. Verr. i. 21. Vereor ne hæc nimis antiqua et jam obsoleta videantur: compare with Orat. i. 37. Ut illi vetus atque usitata exceptio daretur. 2. Vetus refers only to length of time, and denotes age, sometimes as a subject of praise, sometimes as a reproach; vetustus refers to the superiority of age, inasmuch as that which is of long standing is at the same time stronger, more worthy of honor, more approved of, than that which is new, in opp. to novicius; lastly, veternus refers to the disadvantages of age, inasmuch as, after many years’ use, a thing becomes worn out, or, through long existence, weak and spiritless. Moreover, veternus, in the writers of the golden age, is only admitted as a substantive, veternum, as lethargy; vetus regularly supplies its place, and denotes more frequently the weakness than the strength of age. Tac. Ann. xi. 14 and 15. Veterrimis Græcorum, and vetustissima Italiæ disciplina. 3. Antiquus denotes age only in relation to time, as a former age in opp. to the present; priscus (from πάρος), as a solemn word, with the qualifying accessory notion of a former age worthy of honor, and a sacred primitive age, like ἀρχαῖος, in opp. to the fashion of the day. 4. Antiquus and priscus denote a time long past; pristinus, generally, denotes only a time that is past, like πρότερος. (iv. 83.)

1. Vetus homo (ἔτος) denotes an old man, from the fiftieth year of his life, in opp. to juvenis, a young man, like γέρων; whereas senex (ἄναξ? or ἕνους ἔχων?), an old man from his sixtieth year, with the accessory notion of his being worthy of respect, like πρεσβύτης; lastly, grandævus and longævus denote a very aged man, who has already exceeded the usual duration of life, and who is, consequently, somewhere about eighty or upwards. 2. Senecta denotes old age indifferently, merely as a period of life; senectus, as a venerable and experienced age, that commands respect and indulgence; senium, the infirm and burdensome age, which is to be looked upon as a disease. (iv. 89.)