Plutarch, De tuenda sanitate praecepta, ed. Grēgorios N. Vernardakēs, 4

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

← Previous Next →

[4]

ΖΕΥΞΙΠΠΟΣ.

ἔτι τοίνυν ἐλέχθη τοιοῦτον, ὡς ἀεὶ μὲν 20 ὑγιεινότερα σώματι τὰ εὐτελέστερα, μάλιστα δὲ φυλακτέον 123e πλησμονὰς καὶ μέθας καὶ ἡδυπαθείας ἑορτήν τινα μέλλουσαν ἢ φίλων, ὑποδοχὴν ἐν χερσὶν ἔχοντας ἢ προσδοκῶντας ἑστίασιν βασιλικὴν καὶ ἡγεμονικὴν καὶ¹ συμπεριφορὰν ἀπαραίτητον, οἷον 25 ἐπιόντος ἀνέμου καὶ κύματος εὐσταλὲς τὸ σῶμα καὶ κοῦφον ἐν εὐδίᾳ παρασκευάζοντας. ἔργον γάρ ἐστιν ἐν συνουσίαις καὶ φιλοφροσύναις αὑτὸν ἐπὶ τῶν μετρίων καὶ τῶν συνήθων φυλάξαι μὴ πᾶσι μετʼ ἀηδίας 123f δεινῆς ἐπαχθῆ φανέντα καὶ φορτικόν. ἵνʼ οὖν μὴ πῦρ ἐπὶ πυρί, ὥς φασι, πλησμονή τις ἐπὶ πλησμονῇ καὶ ἄκρατος ἐπʼ ἀκράτῳ γένηται, τὸ παιχθὲν ἀστείως 5 ὑπὸ Φιλίππου μετὰ σπουδῆς μιμητέον· ἦν δὲ τοιοῦτον. ἄνθρωπος αὐτὸν ἐπὶ χώρας ὡς σὺν ὀλίγοις ὄντα δειπνῆσαι παρεκάλεσεν, εἶθʼ ὁρῶν πολλοὺς; ἄγοντα παρεσκευασμένων οὐ πολλῶν ἐταράττετο. συναισθόμενος οὖν ὁ Φίλιππος ὑπέπεμπε τῶν φίλων 10 124a ἑκάστῳ κελεύων πλακοῦντι καταλιπεῖν χώραν, οἱ δὲ πειθόμενοι καὶ προσδοκῶντες ἐφείδοντο τῶν παρακειμένων. ἤρκεσεν οὖν ἅπασι, τὸ δεῖπνον. οὕτω δὴ προπαρασκευαστέον αὑτοὺς τῶν ἀναγκαίων συμπεριφορῶν, καὶ ὄψῳ καὶ πέμματι καὶ νὴ Δία μέθῃ χώραν 15 φυλάττοντας ἐν τῷ σώματι, καὶ πρόσφατον ἐπὶ ταῦτα καὶ² βουλομένην τὴν ὄρεξιν ἄγοντας.

De tuenda sanitate praecepta. Plutarch. ed. Grēgorios N. Vernardakēs. Leipzig. 1888.

Sponsored by Perseus Project, Tufts University.

Funding provided by The National Endowment for the Humanities.

Current edition Perseus

Ὑγιεινὰ παραγγέλματα (Greek) (Plutarch. Plutarchi Chaeronensis Moralia, Vol I. Bernardakis, Gregorius N., editor; Leipzig: Teubner, 1888.)

Translations (2)

Advice About Keeping Well Perseus (Plutarch. Moralia, Vol. II. Babbitt, Frank Cole, translator. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press; London: William Heinemann Ltd., 1928 (printing).) — 4 focus

[4]

ZEUXIPPUS.

Something, moreover, was said to this effect, that, while the less expensive things are always more healthful for the body, we ought especially to guard against excess in eating and drinking, and against all self-indulgence when we have immediately on hand some festival or a visit from friends, or when we are expecting an entertainment of some king or high official with its unavoidable social engagements; and thus we should, as it were, in fair weather make our body trim and buoyant against the oncoming wind and wave. It is indeed a hard task, in the midst of company and good cheer, to keep to moderation and one’s habits and at the same time to avoid the extreme disagreeableness which makes one appear offensive and tiresome to the whole company. Therefore, to avoid adding fire to fire (as the proverb has it),¹ and gorging to gorging, and strong drink to strong drink, we ought with all seriousness to imitate the polite joke of Philip. It was in this wise ²: A man had invited Philip to dinner in the country, assuming that he had but a few with him, but when later the host saw Philip bringing a great company, no great preparations having been made, he was much perturbed. Philip, becoming aware of the situation, sent word privately to each of his friends to leave room for cake. They, following the advice, and looking for more to come, ate sparingly of what was before them, and so the dinner was ample for all. In this manner, then, we ought to prepare ourselves in anticipation of our imperative round of social engagements by keeping room in the body for elaborate dishes and pastry, and, I dare to say it, for indulgence in strong drink also, by bringing to these things an appetite fresh and willing.

Plutarch's Rules for the Preservation of Health Perseus (Plutarch. Plutarch's Morals, Vol. I. Goodwin, William W., editor; Poole, Matthew, translator. Boston: Little, Brown, and Company; Cambridge: Press of John Wilson and Son, 1874.) — 4 focus

[4]

ZEUXIPPUS.

This also was said, that a thin diet is the healthfulest to the body. But we ought chiefly to avoid all excess in meat or drink or pleasure, when there is any feast or entertainment at hand, or when we expect any royal or princely banquet, or solemnity which we cannot possibly avoid; then ought the body to be light and in readiness to receive the winds and waves it is to meet with. It is a hard matter for a man at a feast or collation to keep that mediocrity or bounds he has been used to, so as not to seem rude, precise, or troublesome to the rest of the company. Lest we should add fire to fire, as the proverb is, or one debauch or excess to another, we should take care to imitate that ingenious droll of Philip, which was this. He was invited to supper by a countryman, who supposed he would bring but few friends with him; but when he saw him bring a great many, there not being much provided, he was much concerned at it: which when Philip perceived, he sent privately to every one of his friends, that they should leave a corner for cake; they believing this and still expecting, ate so sparingly that there was supper enough for them all. So we ought beforehand to prepare ourselves against all unavoidable invitations, that there may be room left in our body, not only for the meal and the dessert, but for drunkenness itself, by bringing in a fresh and a willing appetite along with us.

Notes on the current edition

Ὑγιεινὰ παραγγέλματα

1. καὶ del. Madvigius

2. ταῦτα καὶ R: ταῦτα

Plutarch De tuenda sanitate praecepta 4

ed. Grēgorios N. Vernardakēs

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

ΖΕΥΞΙΠΠΟΣ.

Current edition Perseus

ZEUXIPPUS.

ZEUXIPPUS.

Notes on the current edition

Stable identifiers