Were the Istari already old men...?

[Alfirin]

Originally Posted by Zigûr

Saruman's hair and beard were black when he came to Middle-earth and slowly turned white over the millennia: "His hair and beard were white, but strands of black still showed about his lips and ears." ("The Voice of Saruman")

That actually brings up an interesting question (if I may veer off topic for a bit) why did the Istari have beards AT ALL. They were sent to rally the people the people of Middle Earth to resist Sauron, so one would assume they would choose a form that would in someway facilitate conveying their message. Given that a fairly large proportion of the major powers in ME (the one's whose support would be ESSENTIAL to any resistance) did not as a rule wear facial hair it would seem a bit of an odd choice. To the elves (who don't usually grow facial hair until they are quite old) it would make them look even older than they were. This is fine for the wise (who would respect age and wisdom) but I imagine some younger elves would see them and think "doddering old fool". In Gondor it would mark them out as pretty perpetual strangers since the Gondorians also do not grow facial hair (I've never been sure based on the text if it is a matter or choice (to look more like the elves) or if the generation have actually bred hairiness out of the Numenorian bloodline). In Rohan the same would probably be the case (Again I can't remember and specifc mentions as to whether the Rohirrim wear beards, but if it is genetic then what applies to Gondor applies to them.) Moreover since I seem to recall a lot of the people who Oppose Rohan (like the Dunlendings) DO grow beards, it might make them look not merely like "strangers" but like "the enemy". A lot of the other Men of Middle earth of course do have facial hair (The fact that Stoor hobbits can grow beards is regarded as a Mannish thing, so it's safe to say than the Breelanders grow beards) but power wise, they are a lot more diffuse and making oneself more attractive to them at the cost of alienating other, larger powers does not seem to me to make much logistical sense. Saruman I can sort of see since, as Aule's choice, he might share Aule's love of the Dwarves and want to make himself as attractive to them as possible.

[Inziladun]

Originally Posted by Alfirin

That actually brings up an interesting question (if I may veer off topic for a bit) why did the Istari have beards AT ALL. They were sent to rally the people the people of Middle Earth to resist Sauron, so one would assume they would choose a form that would in someway facilitate conveying their message.

In the quote cited by Belegorn above, it is said that the Istari were "in the shape of Men". That particular form might have been chosen as the most accessible to all the Free Peoples. If they'd come as Elves, the Dwarves would have been much less likely to deal with them, and vice-versa. Men commonly had dealings with both the other races (not to mention Hobbits).

As for the beards, we know we least that King Théoden wore one, and beards seem to be fairly common among the Men of Middle-earth, since the Stoors, the nearest hobbits to Men, are distinguished by some growing a bit of down on their chins.
Beards would have been a source of affinity to Dwarves, with little doubt, and surely the wise Eldar would have been able to see beyond the beards (as they did with the general elderly appearance) of the Istari and pay more attention to their words and deeds.

[Morthoron]

Perhaps beards were a metaphor for the cloaked nature of the Istari.

[Eönwë]

Originally Posted by Alfirin

I imagine some younger elves would see them and think "doddering old fool".

This is actually an interesting point. Would Elves even think like that? It imagine they (at least at first) would not know how to deal with the (comparatively) rapid degeneration of Men over time (both physically and mentally). It doesn't really look like Elves age in the same way. To them beards on an immortal would mean wisdom.

[Alfirin]

Originally Posted by Eönwë

This is actually an interesting point. Would Elves even think like that? It imagine they (at least at first) would not know how to deal with the (comparatively) rapid degeneration of Men over time (both physically and mentally). It doesn't really look like Elves age in the same way. To them beards on an immortal would mean wisdom.

Valid enough, though I might question how many bearded individuals the average Middle Earth elf would have seen in their lifetimes. It sounds like it takes a LOONG time for an elf to reach that "third stage" when he gets his chin fuzz. By that time, it seems like most elven men have either been slain (in more warish times) or wearied and set sail for the west. We know Cirdan has a beard, but he is old even by ME elven standards. Elrond (cartoon not withstanding) doesn't have one yet, even though I suppose it is possible that having mannish blood in him to he may get his a bit earlier than would be normal for an elf, life choice or no). I think it is entirely possible that, for the average elf, Cirdan would be the first and only bearded member of their race they ever saw, barring scenes from the seventh stone (since the elves can and do use the seventh Palantir to sneak glances at the west, they may occasionally get to see those elves who stray into the line of sight. Since at least some of these would be elves who made the journey ages ago and so are pretty old I imagine chin hair is a bit more common there.). To most what's his name who grew a beard when he was in his second age (which I suppose means that, in your context, he was "wise before his years") would be a distant memory to them if indeed any had been born long enough ago to remember him.
Oh and thanks Inziladun for reminding me about Théoden having one. I knew he had one in the movies (both live and cartoon) but they are so unreliable on this matter (the cartoon one has Elrond, Aragorn and Denethor with facial hair) that I have gotten into the habit of not trusting any of them in this matter. I suppose that settles the "choice or nature" argument, assuming that the House of Eor has more or less as strong a strain of Numernorian blood as most of the Gondor families, at least SOME Numernorians can grow facial hair if they choose.

[Eönwë]

Originally Posted by Alfirin

I think it is entirely possible that, for the average elf, Cirdan would be the first and only bearded member of their race they ever saw, barring scenes from the seventh stone (since the elves can and do use the seventh Palantir to sneak glances at the west, they may occasionally get to see those elves who stray into the line of sight.

That's why I'm suggesting it might have brought them additional respect among the Elves, or at least not diminished it.