THE "AGES OF MAN" IN TWO MEDIEVAL HEBREW POEMS Norman Roth University of Wisconsin-Madison The topos, "Ages of Man," (best known to modern readers from Shake speare) was a common one in literature of the classical period, in Jewish rabbinical sources, and in medieval Muslim, Jewish and Christian literature.1 The Jewish source which most naturally comes to mind in this respect is the "Ethics of the Fathers" (PirqeAvot) 5.25 (5.24 in some editions): At five years old one is ready for the scripture, at ten years for the Mishnah, at thirteen for the commandments, at fifteen for Talmud, at eighteen for marriage, at twenty for pursuit of righteousness, at thirty for full strength, at forty for discernment, at fifty for counsel, at sixty for old age, at seventy for grey hairs, at eighty for 'labour and sorrow' [Ps. 90.10], at ninety for decrepitude, at one hundred he is as though he were dead and had passed away and faded from the world.2 However famous this text is for us today, it could not have been used as a source by our poet, for it was lacking in the texts known in Spain (cf., e.g., Joseph Ibn Aqnin [not the student of Maimonides, as still erroneously claimed by some writers], Perush Mishnat Avot3 and Moses b. Maimon's commentary4). Hippocrates is said to have divided life into seven stages, according to some Arabic sources: from birth to about age 7, from age 7 to 14, from 14 to 21, from 21 to 49, from 49 to 67 (perhaps 56), and from then to death.5 This may perhaps be the source for the seven stages of man's life found in another rabbinic source, Ecclesiastes Rabbah 1.2 (Soncino English transla tion, p. 5). In Spanish sources, Isidore of Seville (Etymologies XI.ii, 1-8) enumerated six stages: Infancy (0-7), Childhood (7-14), Adolescence (14-28), Youth (28-50), Maturity (50-70), and Old Age (over 70). The Jewish philosopher Shem Ibn Falquerah listed only four: Childhood (0-20), Youth (20-40), Middle Age (40-60), and Old Age (over 60).6 Finally, it should be noted that at least one Muslim writer, Thabit b. Abi Thabit (9th century), devised a cycle of life stages numbering ten, as does our poem, and one which corresponds roughly to it.7 Medieval Hebrew poems on the theme of old age versus youth, or the tribulations of aging and of Fate, are common. However, this particular theme of the stages of man's life is found, as far as I know, in only two Hebrew poems: the first by Sam uel Ibn Naghrillah (993-1056), Jewish prime minister and commander-in chief of the Muslim kingdom of Granada; and the second by Judah ha-Levy (ca. 1075-ca. 1141). Neither poem has hitherto been translated nor discussed. I. Samuel Ibn Naghrillah: At a year or two a child has movement like the offspring of snakes,1 And at ten he leaps among his parents on the land like a kid among the goats.2 At twenty he is beloved of hearts, and loves to exalt and glorify himself to women; And to enjoy3 and exult in his strength and his youth and manhood at thirty. 41