; for men in that condition
enjoy a perfect health, they are robust and active, they come off from
combats with honour, they escape from dangers, they succour their
friends, they render great services to their country. For these reasons
they are well received wherever they come, they are in good reputation
with all men, they attain to the highest offices, they live the more
honourably and the more at ease, and they leave their posterity the most
noble examples. If, therefore, you do not practise the military
exercises in public, you ought not to neglect the doing so in private,
but to apply yourself to them with all possible diligence.

"To have the body active and healthy can be hurtful to you in no
occasions: and since we cannot do anything without the body, it is
certain that a good constitution will be of great advantage to us in all
our undertakings. Even in study, where there seems to be least need of
it, we know many persons who could never make any great progress for want
of health. Forgetfulness, melancholy, loss of appetite, and folly, are
the diseases that generally proceed from the indisposition of the body;
and these diseases sometimes seize the mind with so great violence, that
they wipe out even the least remembrance of what we knew before. But in
health we have nothing like this to fear, and consequently there is no
toil which a judicious man would not willingly undergo to avoid all these
misfortunes. And, indeed, it is shameful for a man to grow old before he
has tried his own strength, and seen to what degree of dexterity and
perfection he can attain, which he can never know if he give himself over
for useless; because dexterity and strength come not of themselves, but
by practice and exercise."

CHAPTER XIII. SEVERAL APOPHTHEGMS OF SOCRATES.

A certain man being vexed that he had saluted one who did not return his
civility, Socrates said to him, "It is ridiculous in you to be
unconcerned when you meet a sick man in the way, and to be vexed for
having met a rude fellow."

2. Another was saying that he had lost his appetite and could eat
nothing. Socrates, having heard it, told him he could teach him a remedy
for that. The man asking what it was, "Fast," said he, "for some time,
and I will warrant you will be in better health, spend less money, and
eat with more satisfaction afterwards."

3. Another complained that the water which came into the cistern was
warm, and nevertheless he