Chapter 29 Volume Three, Chapter Twelve

Socrates points out that physical exercise is good for body and mind, verses 1-4.The virtues of health and vigor, pp. 5-8. Seeing Epigenes with him, who was young and in poor health, Socrates said: "Epigenes, how lacking is your body!" "I'm not an athlete," Epigennes replied.Socrates retorted, "Those who take part in the Olympian Championships are not necessarily more athletes than you! Do you think it is a trivial matter that the Athenians may at any time decide to fight the enemy for life and death? To tell the truth, not a few died of infirmity in the perils of war, or lived ignominiously, and many were captured for the same reason, and, once captured, spent the rest of their lives in the worst possible way. unbearable slavery (if that was their lot), or forced into the worst pains, it would not be enough to give all for a ransom, and the rest of life had to be spent in want and poverty ;and there are many who, by virtue of their infirmity, bring disgrace upon themselves, and are considered cowards. Do you consider these defects which come from infirmity to be insignificant, or do you think they are easy to bear? It seems to me Come, those who take care of their health have to suffer much more easily and lightly than these pains, do you think that ill health is healthier and more beneficial than good health? What about the advantages of those benefits? The achievements of the able-bodied are in every respect contrary to those of the unhealthy; the able-bodied are healthy and strong, and for this reason many have honorably fought in war saved themselves, avoided all kinds of danger; many rescued their friends, made a contribution to their country, and thus received people's due gratitude, great honor and incomparable respect. Therefore, they can live in the rest of the world Live happily and honorably throughout your life, and leave a good inheritance to your children and grandchildren.

"Don't let yourself be negligent because the city-state does not formally prescribe military training, but you should pay more attention to exercise. You should know that no matter in any other competition or in any business, you will never suffer if you exercise your body well; because people Everything you do requires your body, and since everything requires your body, it is imperative to keep your body in the best shape possible. Even in the mental activities that you think require the least amount of physical effort , who does not know how many men fail greatly through ill health? Forgetfulness, melancholy, irritability, and madness often and violently attack the minds of many, so that they lose all the knowledge they have acquired. But those who are in good health are sufficiently assured that they will not be exposed to the dangers of ill health, which, on the contrary, are likely to yield beneficial effects diametrically opposed to those of infirmity. Indeed, a healthy What can a sane person not suffer in order to obtain the exact opposite of what I have just said above for a person in poor health?"

"Besides, it would be shameful to let a body, which would have been made extremely beautiful and vigorous by exercise, become weak and old through one's own negligence. But a negligent and lazy person will not see this, because health The body usually does not spontaneously produce."