Duskinētoi

Ἐζητεῖτο περὶ τῶν γερόντων, διὰ τί μᾶλλον ἀκρατοτέρῳ τῷ ποτῷ χαίρουσιν. οἱ μὲν οὖν κατεψυγμένην τὴν ἕξιν αὐτῶν καὶ δυσεκθέρμαντον οὖσαν οἰόμενοι διὰ τοῦτο τῇ σφοδρότητι τῆς κράσεως ἐναρμόττειν ἐφαίνοντο κοινόν τι καὶ πρόχειρον οὐχ ἱκανὸν δὲ πρὸς τὴν αἰτίαν οὐδ’ ἀληθὲς λέγοντες· καὶ γὰρ ἐπὶ τῶν ἄλλων αἰσθήσεων τὸ αὐτὸ συμβέβηκεν· δυσκίνητοι γάρ εἰσι καὶ δυσμετάβλητοι πρὸς τὰς ἀντιλήψεις τῶν ποιοτήτων, ἂν μὴ κατάκοροι καὶ σφοδραὶ προσπέσωσιν.
(Plutarch, Sumposiaka 625a)

Under discussion was the question why old men are very fond of drink that is rather strong. Some thought the constitution of old men, being chill and hard to warm, was on this account compatible with a strong mixture of wine and water; obviously their argument was platitudinous and facile, and neither an adequate nor an accurate analysis of the causation. For the same thing occurs in regard to an old man’s perception of other stimuli; in apprehending sensations he is hard to stir and hard to rouse, unless they strike him with excessive strength. (tr. Paul A. Clement & Herbert H. Hoffleit)