Plutarch, De tuenda sanitate praecepta, ed. Grēgorios N. Vernardakēs, 6

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[6]

ΖΕΥΞΙΠΠΟΣ.

πρῶτος¹ μὲν ὁ Σωκράτης παρακελευόμενος φυλάττεσθαι τῶν βρωμάτων ὅσα μὴ πεινῶντας ἐσθίειν ἀναπείθει , καὶ τῶν πωμάτων ὅσα πίνειν μὴ διψῶντας, οὐχ ἁπλῶς τὸ χρῆσθαι τούτοις ἀπηγόρευσεν, 25 124e ἀλλὰ χρῆσθαι δεομένους ἐδίδασκε καὶ τὸ ἡδὺ κατατάττοντας αὐτῶν εἰς τὸ ἀναγκαῖον, ὥσπερ οἱ τὰ θεωρικὰ ποιοῦντες ἐν ταῖς πόλεσι στρατιωτικά. τὸ γὰρ ἡδὺ τῇ φύσει μέχρι ἂν ᾖ μέρος τοῦ τρέφοντος οἰκεῖόν ἐστι, καὶ δεῖ πεινῶντας ἔτι τῶν ἀναγκαίων ἀπολαύειν² τῶν ἡδέων, ἰδίᾳ δὲ μὴ κινεῖν 5 ἑτέρας ὀρέξεις τῶν κοινῶν ἀπηλλαγμένους. ὥσπερ γὰρ αὖ τῷ³ Σωκράτει⁴ γυμνάσιον ἦν οὐκ ἀηδὲς ἡ ὄρχησις, οὕτως ᾧτινι τὸ πέμμα καὶ τὸ τράγημα δεῖπνόν ἐστι καὶ σιτίον, ἧττον βλάπτεται· τὸ δʼ ἀπέχοντα τῇ φύσει τὸ μέτριον καὶ πεπληρωμένον 10 ἐπιδράττεσθαι τῶν τοιούτων φυλακτέον ἐν τοῖς μάλιστα. 124f φυλακτέον δὲ τῆς περὶ ταῦτα φιληδονίας καὶ γαστριμαργίας οὐδὲν ἧττον ἀπειροκαλίαν καὶ φιλοτιμίαν καὶ γὰρ αὗται πολλάκις συναναπείθουσι μὴ πεινῶντας ἐσθίειν, ἔνια καὶ πίνειν μὴ διψῶντας, 15 ἀνελευθέρους κομιδῇ καὶ φορτικὰς ὑποβάλλουσαι φαντασίας, ὡς· ἄτοπόν ἐστι πράγματος σπανίου καὶ πολυτελοῦς μὴ ἀπολαῦσαι παρόντος, οἷον οὔθατος ἢ μυκήτων Ἰταλικῶν ἢ Σαμίου πλακοῦντος ἢ χιόνος ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ. ταῦτα γὰρ δήπου προάγεται πολλάκις 20 125a χρῆσθαι τοῖς περιβοήτοις καὶ σπανίοις, ὥσπερ ὑπὸ κνίσης τῆς κενῆς δόξης ἀγομένους καὶ τὸ σῶμα κοινωνεῖν μηδὲν δεόμενον ἀναγκάζοντας, ὅπως ἔχωσιν ἑτέροις διηγεῖσθαι, ζηλούμενοι τῆς ἀπολαύσεως τῶν οὕτω δυσπορίστων καὶ περιττῶν. ὅμοια δὲ καὶ πρὸς· 25 γυναῖκας ἐνδόξους· πάσχουσιν. ἰδίαις μὲν γὰρ ἔστιν ὅτε καὶ καλαῖς· καὶ ἀγαπώσαις συναναπαυόμενοι τὴν ἡσυχίαν ἄγουσι, Φρύνῃ δὲ τελέσαντες ἀργύριον ἢ Λαΐδι καὶ τὸ σῶμα φαύλως καὶ πρὸς συνουσίαν ἀργῶς ἔχοντες διακείμενον ἐγείρουσιν ἅμα καὶ παρακαλοῦσι τὸ ἀκόλαστον ἐπὶ τὴν ἡδονὴν ὑπὸ τῆς κενῆς δόξης. αὐτὴ γοῦν ἔλεγεν ἡ Φρύνη πρεσβυτέρα 5 125b γεγενημένη τὴν τρύγα πλείονος πωλεῖν διὰ τὴν δόξαν.

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

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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).) — 6 focus

[6]

ZEUXIPPUS.

First there is Socrates,¹ who, in urging us to be on our guard against such things to eat as persuade us to eat when we are not hungry, and such things to drink as persuade us to drink when we are not thirsty, did not absolutely forbid the use of these things; but he was instructing us to use them only if we needed them, and to make the pleasure in them serve our necessity, just as our statesmen do who turn to military uses their funds for amusements.² For that which is pleasant, in so far as it is a nutritive element, is congenial to our nature, and it is by remaining still hungry that we ought to get enjoyment from the necessary or the pleasant foods; but we should not stir up in ourselves a second and separate set of appetites after we have appeased the usual ones. And here is another consideration. Just as Socrates ³ found dancing a not unpleasant exercise, so the man for whom pastry and sweets serve as a meal and as food suffers less injury. But when a man has satisfied the moderate demands of his nature, and has had his fill, he ought to exercise the very greatest vigilance against helping himself to such things. And in such matters, while we should be on guard against love of pleasure and gluttony, yet we should be no less on guard against vulgarity and love of notoriety. For these latter often help to persuade people to eat something when they are not hungry, and to drink when they are not thirsty,⁴ by suggesting utterly sordid and cheap conceits — that it is absurd not to take advantage of the presence of some rare and expensive thing, as, for example, sow’s udder,⁵ Italian mushrooms, Samian cake, or snow in Egypt. For things of this sort do indeed often induce people to use what is renowned and rare, since they are led on by empty repute as by an attractive savour, and compel their body to do its share, although it feels no need, so that they may have a tale to tell to others, and may be envied for their enjoyment of things so hard to obtain and so uncommon. Quite similar is their behaviour toward notorious women. There are times when they repose in quiet with their own wives who are both lovely and loving, but when they have paid money to a Phryne or a Laïs, although their body is in sorry state and is inclined to shirk its task, they rouse it forthwith to action, and call in licentiousness to minister to pleasure, all because of empty repute. In fact, Phryne herself, in her advancing years, said that she got a better price for her remnants because of her repute.

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.) — 6 focus

[6]

ZEUXIPPUS.

First, Socrates advises us to beware of such meats as persuade a man to eat them though he be not hungry, and of those drinks that would prevail with a man to drink them when he is not thirsty. Not that he absolutely forbade us the use of them; but he taught that we might use them where there was occasion for it, suiting the pleasure of them to our necessity, as cities converted the money which was designed for the festivals into a supply for war. For that which is agreeable by nature, so long as it is a part of our nourishment, is proper for us. He that is hungry should eat necessary food and find it pleasant; but when he is freed from his common appetite, he ought not to raise up a fresh one. For, as dancing was no unpleasant exercise to Socrates himself, so he that can make his meal of sweetmeats or a second course receives the less damage. But he that has taken already what may sufficiently satisfy his nature ought by all means to avoid them. And concerning these things, indecorum and ambition are no less to be avoided than the love of pleasure or gluttony. For these often persuade men to eat without hunger or drink without thirst, possessing them with base and troublesome fancies, as if it were indecent not to taste of every thing which is either a rarity or of great price, as udder, Italian mushrooms, Samian cakes, or snow in Egypt. Again, these often incite men to eat things rare and much talked of, they being led to it, as it were, by the scent of vain-glory, and making their bodies to partake of them without any necessity of it, that they may have something to tell others, who shall admire their having eaten such rare and superfluous things. And thus it is with them in relation to fine women; when they are in bed with their own wives, however beautiful and loving they may be, they are no way concerned; but on Phryne or Lais they bestow their money, inciting an infirm and unfit body, and provoking it to intemperate pleasures, and all this out of a vain-glorious humor. Phryne herself said in her old age, that she sold her lees and dregs the dearer because she had been in such repute when she was young.

Notes on the current edition

Ὑγιεινὰ παραγγέλματα

1. προῶτον W: πρῶτος

2. ἀπολαύειν W: ἀπολαύειν ἢ

3. αὖ τῷ W: αὐτῷ

4. Σωκράτει] Xenoph. Conv. II 17

Plutarch De tuenda sanitate praecepta 6

ed. Grēgorios N. Vernardakēs

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ZEUXIPPUS.

ZEUXIPPUS.

Notes on the current edition

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