When I was young I was amazed at Plutarch's statement that the elder Cato began at the age of eighty to learn Greek. I am amazed no longer. Old age is ready to undertake tasks that youth shirked because they would take too long.

Summary

This quote suggests that the speaker initially found it impressive that an elderly person, like Cato, would embark on learning something new at such a late stage in life. However, as the speaker has grown older themselves, they no longer find it astonishing. The quote implies that in old age, individuals are more willing to take on tasks that they may have avoided when they were younger due to the perception of these tasks being time-consuming. It highlights the shift in perspective towards embracing new challenges and opportunities in old age.

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