Fragments, Solon: On the Human Lifespan
At seven, an immature boy loses the row
of teeth he grew in his infancy.
When god contemplates another seven years,
there are signs of coming adulthood.
His limbs still grow in the third seven, and a beard
blossoms on his changing skin.
In the fourth seven, his strength is greatest, which men
consider proof of virtue.
The time to think of marriage and having children
comes in the fifth seven.
In the sixth, the mind is fit in every way;
his wishes are no longer lawless.
He reaches his best in thought and speech in the seventh
and eighth, for fourteen years.
In the ninth, he is able but less inclined to strive
for greatness in speech and wisdom.
And if someone completes a tenth seven, death
will not befall him prematurely.
Commentary on On the Human Lifespan
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The division of the stages in a human life are patterned after the role of seven in Renaissance number symbolism. This symbolism carries inflections of the Alchemical tradition — in its Astrological / Planetary implications and the metallurgical implications thereof — and reflects the Judaeo-Christian tradition’s seven days of creation.
Longevity is not a modern phenomenon.