les, to be used even at funerals. Nor does a
wise or brave man ever groan, unless when he exerts himself to give his
resolution greater force, as they who run in the stadium make as much
noise as they can. The wrestlers, too, do the same when they are training;
and the boxers, when they aim a blow with the cestus at their adversary,
give a groan, not because they are in pain, or from a sinking of their
spirits, but because their whole body is put upon the stretch by the
throwing out of these groans, and the blow comes the stronger.

XXIV. What! they who would speak louder than ordinary, are they satisfied
with working their jaws, sides, or tongue, or stretching the common organs
of speech and utterance? the whole body and every muscle is at full
stretch, if I may be allowed the expression, every nerve is exerted to
assist their voice. I have actually seen the knees of Marcus Antonius
touch the ground when he was speaking with vehemence for himself, with
relation to the Varian law. For as the engines you throw stones or darts
with, throw them out with the greater force the more they are strained and
drawn back; so it is in speaking, running, or boxing, the more people
strain themselves, the greater their force. Since, therefore, this
exertion has so much influence--if in a moment of pain groans help to
strengthen the mind, let us use them; but if they be groans of
lamentation, if they be the expression of weakness or abjectness, or
unmanly weeping, then I should scarcely call him a man who yielded to
them. For even supposing that such groaning could give any ease, it still
should be considered, whether it were consistent with a brave and resolute
man. But, if it does not ease our pain, why should we debase ourselves to
no purpose? for what is more unbecoming in a man than to cry like a woman?
But this precept which is laid down with respect to pain is not confined
to it; we should apply this exertion of the soul to everything else. Is
anger inflamed? is lust excited? we must have recourse to the same
citadel, and apply to the same arms; but since it is pain which we are at
present discussing, we will let the other subjects alone. To bear pain,
then, sedately and calmly, it is of great use to consider with all our
soul, as the saying is, how noble it is to do so, for we are naturally
desirous (as I said before, but it cannot be too often repeated) and very
much inclined to what is honourable, of which, if we discover but th