Chapter X.—The Exercises Suited to a Good Life.

The gymnasium is sufficient for boys, even if a bath is within reach. And even for men to prefer gymnastic exercises by far to the baths, is perchance not bad, since they are in some respects conducive to the health of young men, and produce exertion—emulation to aim at not only a healthy habit of body, but courageousness of soul. When this is done without dragging a man away from better employments, it is pleasant, and not unprofitable. Nor are women to be deprived of bodily exercise. But they are not to be encouraged to engage in wrestling or running, but are to exercise themselves in spinning, and weaving, and superintending the cooking if necessary. And they are, with their own hand, to fetch from the store what we require. And it is no disgrace for them to apply themselves to the mill. Nor is it a reproach to a wife—housekeeper and helpmeet—to occupy herself in cooking, so that it may be palatable to her husband. And if she shake up the couch, reach drink to her husband when thirsty, set food on the table as neatly as possible, and so give herself exercise tending to sound health, the Instructor will approve of a woman like this, who “stretches forth her arms to useful tasks, rests her hands on the distaff, opens her hand to the poor, and extends her wrist to the beggar.”626    [Family prayers, apparently.]    Prov. xxxi. 19, 20, Septuagint.

She who emulates Sarah is not ashamed of that highest of ministries, helping wayfarers. For Abraham said to her, “Haste, and knead three measures of meal, and make cakes.”627   See p. 258, infra. Sleep, he supposes, frees the soul as really, not so absolutely, as death:— “Th’ immortal mind that hath forsook Her mansion in this fleshly nook.”    Penseroso, line 91.]    Gen. xviii. 6. “And Rachel, the daughter of Laban, came,” it is said, “with her father’s sheep.”628    Iliad, x. 155. [Note the Scriptural moderation with which he censures, recognising what is allowable, and rejecting the “pride that apes humility.”]    Gen. xxix. 9. Nor was this enough; but to teach humility it is added, “for she fed her father’s sheep.”629    Luke xii. 35–37. [Concerning “sleep,” see p. 259, infra.]    Ibid. And innumerable such examples of frugality and self-help, and also of exercises, are furnished by the Scriptures. In the case of men, let some strip and engage in wrestling; let some play at the small ball, especially the game they call Pheninda,630    [Holy men, on waking in the night, have always used ejaculations, even when unable to rise. Ps. cxix. 62; Acts xvi. 25.]    φενίνδα or φεννίς. in the sun. To others who walk into the country, or go down into the town, the walk is sufficient exercise. And were they to handle the hoe, this stroke of economy in agricultural labour would not be ungentleman like.

I had almost forgot to say that the well-known Pittacus, king of Miletus, practiced the laborious exercise of turning the mill.631    John i. 5.    The text has ἦλθεν. The true reading, doubtless, is ᾖληθεν. That Pittacus exercised himself thus, is stated by Isidore of Pelusium, Diogenes, Laertius, Plutarch. It is respectable for a man to draw water for himself, and to cut billets of wood which he is to use himself. Jacob fed the sheep of Laban that were left in his charge, having as a royal badge “a rod of storax,”632    John i. 3, 4.    Gen. xxx. 37. Not “poplar,” as in A.V. [See Abp. Leighton on “Laban’s lambs,” Comm. on St. Peter, part i. p. 360, and questionable note of an admirable editor, same page.] which aimed by its wood to change and improve nature. And reading aloud is often an exercise to many. But let not such athletic contests, as we have allowed, be undertaken for the sake of vainglory, but for the exuding of manly sweat. Nor are we to straggle with cunning and showiness, but in a stand-up wrestling bout, by disentangling of neck, hands, and sides. For such a struggle with graceful strength is more becoming and manly, being undertaken for the sake of serviceable and profitable health. But let those others, who profess the practice of illiberal postures in gymnastics, be dismissed. We must always aim at moderation. For as it is best that labour should precede food, so to labour above measure is both very bad, very exhausting, and apt to make us ill. Neither, then, should we be idle altogether, nor completely fatigued. For similarly to what we have laid down with respect to food, are we to do everywhere and with everything. Our mode of life is not to accustom us to voluptuousness and licentiousness, nor to the opposite extreme, but to the medium between these, that which is harmonious and temperate, and free of either evil, luxury and parsimony. And now, as we have also previously remarked, attending to one’s own wants is an exercise free of pride,—as, for example, putting on one’s own shoes, washing one’s own feet, and also rubbing one’s self when anointed with oil. To render one who has rubbed you the same service in return, is an exercise of reciprocal justice; and to sleep beside a sick friend, help the infirm, and supply him who is in want, are proper exercises. “And Abraham,” it is said, “served up for three, dinner under a tree, and waited on them as they ate.”633    Prov. viii. 34.    Gen. xviii. 8. The same with fishing,634    1 Thess. v. 5–8.    [The old canons allowed to clergymen the recreation of fishing, but not the chase, or fowling. Of this, the godly Izaak Walton fails not to remind us. Complete Angler, p. 38, learned note, and preface by the late Dr. Bethune. New York, 1847.] as in the case of Peter, if we have leisure from necessary instructions in the Word. But that is the better enjoyment which the Lord assigned to the disciple, when He taught him to “catch men” as fishes in the water.

Ὅτι καὶ γυμνάσια ἐγκριτέον τοῖς κατὰ λόγον βιοῦσιν. Μειρακίοις δὲ γυμνάσιον ἀπόχρη, κἂν βαλανεῖον παρῇ· καὶ γὰρ καὶ ταῦτα τοῖς ἀνδράσι παντὸς μᾶλλον πρὸ τῶν λουτρῶν ἐγκρῖναι οὐ φαῦλον ἴσως, ἔχοντά τι χρήσιμον τοῖς νέοις πρὸς ὑγίειαν, σπουδήν τε καὶ φιλοτιμίαν ἐντιθέντα οὐχὶ εὐεξίας μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ εὐψυχίας ἐπιμελεῖσθαι· ὃ δὴ γινόμενον ἄνευ τοῦ τῶν κρειττόνων ἔργων ἀποσπᾶσθαι χαρίεν καὶ οὐκ ἀλυσιτελές. Οὐδὲ ἐνταῦθα ὑπεξαιρετέον τῆς κατὰ τὸ σῶμα διαπονήσεως τὰς γυναῖκας, ἀλλ' οὐκ ἐπὶ πάλην καὶ δρόμους παρακλητέον αὐτάς, ταλασιουργίᾳ δὲ γυμναστέον καὶ ἱστουργίᾳ καὶ τῷ παραστῆναι τῇ πεττούσῃ, εἰ δέοι. Ἔτι δὲ αὐτουργικῶς προκομίζειν χρὴ ἐκ τοῦ ταμιείου τὰς γυναῖκας ὧν δεοίμεθα, καὶ τῷ μύλῳ προσελθεῖν οὐκ αἰσχρὸν αὐταῖς· οὐδὲ μὴν περὶ τοὔψον ἀσχολεῖσθαι, ὅπως θυμῆρες ᾖ τἀνδρί, ὄνειδος οἰκουρῷ γαμετῇ καὶ βοηθῷ. Εἰ δὲ καὶ στρωμνὴν ἀνατινάξαι δι' αὑτῆς καὶ ποτὸν ὀρέξαι διψῶντι τῷ γεγαμηκότι καὶ ὄψον παραθείη, εὐσχημονέστατα μεντἂν καὶ εἰς σώφρονα ὑγίειαν γυμνασθείη· τὴν τοιαύτην γυναῖκα ὁ παιδαγωγὸς ἀποδέχεται, ἣ τοὺς πήχεις ἐκτενεῖ εἰς τὰ χρήσιμα, τὰς χεῖρας δὲ αὐτῆς ἐρείδεται εἰς ἄτρακτον· χεῖρας δὲ αὐτῆς διήνοιξεν πένητι, καρπὸν δὲ ἐξέτεινεν πτωχῷ, τὴν καλλίστην διακονίαν οὐκ ἐπῃσχύνθη ζηλώσασα Σάρραν, ὑπουργῆσαι τοῖς ὁδοιπόροις. Εἶπεν γὰρ αὐτῇ Ἀβραάμ· Σπεῦσον καὶ φύρασον τρία μέτρα σεμιδάλεως καὶ ποίησον ἐγκρυφίας. Ῥαχὴλ δὲ ἡ θυγάτηρ Λάβαν ἤρχετο, φησί, μετὰ τῶν προβάτων τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτῆς. Καὶ οὐκ ἤρκει ταῦτα, ἀλλὰ τὴν ἀτυφίαν ἐκδιδάσκων προσεπήγαγεν· Αὕτη γὰρ ἔβοσκεν τὰ πρόβατα τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτῆς. Καὶ μυρία ὅσα αἱ γραφαὶ ὀρέγουσιν εὐτελείας ἅμα καὶ αὐτουργίας, πρὸς δὲ καὶ γυμνασίων ὑποδείγματα. Ἀνδρῶν δὲ οἳ μὲν γυμνοὶ καὶ πάλης μετεχόντων, οἳ δὲ καὶ σφαίρῃ τῇ μικρᾷ παιζόντων τὴν φαινίνδα παιδιὰν ἐν ἡλίῳ μάλιστα· ἄλλοις ὁ περίπατος αὐτάρκης ἀγρόνδε βαδίζουσιν ἢ εἰς ἄστυ κατιοῦσιν. Εἰ δὲ καὶ σκαπάνης ἅψαιντο, οὐκ ἀγεννὲς τοῦτο παρεμπόρευμα οἰκονομικὸν γυμνασίου γεωργικοῦ. Ἀλλὰ γὰρ μικροῦ δεῖν ἔλαθέν με εἰπεῖν ὁ Πιττακὸς ἐκεῖνος, ὅτι ἤληθεν ὁ Μιτυληναίων βασιλεὺς ἐνεργῷ γυμνασίῳ χρώμενος. Καλὸν δὲ καὶ ὕδωρ ἀνιμῆσαι δι' αὑτοῦ καὶ ξύλα διατεμεῖν, οἷς αὐτὸς χρήσεται. Ἰακὼβ δὲ ἐποίμαινεν τὰ πρόβατα Λάβαν τὰ ὑπολειφθέντα, σημεῖον ἔχων βασιλικὸν ῥάβδον στυρακίνην, ἐναλλάττειν μελετῶν διὰ τοῦ ξύλου ἐπὶ τὸ βέλτιον τὴν φύσιν. Πολλοῖς δὲ ἔσθ' ὅτε καὶ τὸ γεγωνὸς τῆς ἀναγνώσεως γυμνάσιόν ἐστιν. Καὶ δὴ τά γε καὶ κατὰ πάλην, ἣν ἐνεκρίναμεν, μὴ φιλονικίας ἀχρήστου παραλαμβανέσθω χάριν, εἰς δὲ ἱδρώτων ἀνδρωδῶν ἐκκρίσεις· καὶ οὔτι γε τὸ ἔντεχνον διαπονητέον, τὸ ἐπιδεικτικὸν αὐτῆς, τὰ δὲ ἀπὸ ὀρθῆς πάλης, ἀπ' αὐχένων καὶ χειρῶν καὶ πλευρῶν ἐξειλήσεως· κοσμιωδεστέρα γὰρ καὶ ἀνδρωδεστέρα μετ' εὐσχήμονος ῥώμης ἡ τοιαύτη διαπόνησις ὑγείας ἕνεκεν εὐχρήστου καὶ ὀνησιφόρου παραλαμβανομένη, οἱ δὲ ἄλλοι πόνοι γυμναστικῆς οὐκ ἐλευθέρων στάσεων μελέτην καταγ γέλλοντες. Πανταχοῦ δὲ τοῦ μέτρου στοχαστέον. Ὡς γὰρ πόνους σιτίων ἡγεῖσθαι ἄριστον, οὕτως τὸ ὑπὲρ τὸ μέτρον πονεῖν καὶ κάκιστον καὶ κοπῶδες καὶ νοσοποιόν. Οὔτ' οὖν παντάπασιν ἀργὸν εἶναι χρὴ οὐδὲ μὴν παντελῶς ἐπίπονον. Καθάπερ γὰρ ἐπὶ τῆς τροφῆς διεξεληλύθαμεν, παραπλησίως ἐν πᾶσι καὶ πανταχοῦ οὐ πρὸς ἡδυπάθειαν τετράφθαι καὶ ἀκόλαστον χρὴ δίαιταν οὐδ' αὖ πρὸς τὴν ἐναντίαν τὴν ἄκρατον, ἀλλὰ τὴν μεταξὺ τούτων τὴν ἐμμελῆ τε καὶ σώφρονα καὶ καθαρὰν ἑκατέρας κακίας, τρυφῆς τε καὶ φειδωλίας. Ἤδη δέ, ὡς καὶ πρόσθεν εἰρήκαμεν, ἄτυφον ἡ αὐτουργία γυμνάσιον καὶ τὸ ὑποδήσασθαί τινα αὐτὸν αὑτῷ καὶ τὸ ἀπονίψασθαι τὼ πόδε, πρὸς δὲ καὶ τὸ ἀληλιμμένον λίπα ἀνατρῖψαι αὑτόν· τὸ δὲ καὶ τὴν ἀμοιβὴν τὴν ἴσην ἀνταποδοῦναι τῷ τρίψαντι ἐναλλὰξ καὶ τοῦτο δικαιοσύνης ἐστὶ κοινωνικῆς τὸ γυμνάσιον καὶ παραδαρθεῖν φίλῳ νοσοῦντι καὶ ὑπουργῆσαι μὴ δυναμένῳ καὶ παρα θεῖναι δεομένῳ. Καὶ παρέθηκεν αὐτοῖς, φησίν, Ἀβραὰμ τοῖς τρισὶν ἄριστον ὑπὸ τὸ δένδρον καὶ παρέστη ἐσθίουσιν αὐτοῖς. Καλὴ καὶ ἡ ἁλεία, ὡς τῷ Πέτρῳ, εἰ σχολὴν ἀπὸ τῶν ἀναγκαίων τῶν ἐν λόγῳ μαθημάτων ἄγοιμεν. Αὕτη δὲ βελτίων ἡ ἄγρα, ἣν ἐχαρίσατο ὁ κύριος τῷ μαθητῇ, καθάπερ ἰχθῦς δι' ὕδατος ἀνθρώπους ἁλιεύειν διδάξας. 92