kinds of disproportion:—that we should not move the body without
the soul or the soul without the body, and thus they will be on
their guard against each other, and be healthy and well balanced.
And therefore the mathematician or any one else whose thoughts
are much absorbed in some intellectual pursuit, must allow his
body also to have due exercise, and practise gymnastic; and he
who is careful to fashion the body, should in turn impart to the
soul its proper motions, and should cultivate music and all
philosophy, if he would deserve to be called truly fair and truly
good. And the separate parts should be treated in the same
manner, in imitation of the pattern of the universe; for as the
body is heated and also cooled within by the elements which enter
into it, and is again dried up and moistened by external things,
and experiences these and the like affections from both kinds of
motions, the result is that the body if given up to motion when
in a state of quiescence is overmastered and perishes; but if any
one, in imitation of that which we call the foster-mother and
nurse of the universe, will not allow the body ever to be
inactive, but is always producing motions and agitations through
its whole extent, which form the natural defence against other
motions both internal and external, and by moderate exercise
reduces to order according to their affinities the particles and
affections which are wandering about the body, as we have already
said when speaking of the universe, he will not allow enemy
placed by the side of enemy to stir up wars and disorders in the
body, but he will place friend by the side of friend, so as to
create health. Now of all motions that is the best which is
produced in a thing by itself, for it is most akin to the motion
of thought and of the universe; but that motion which is caused
by others is not so good, and worst of all is that which moves
the body, when at rest, in parts only and by some external
agency. Wherefore of all modes of purifying and re-uniting the
body the best is gymnastic; the next best is a surging motion, as
in sailing or any other mode of conveyance which is not
fatiguing; the third sort of motion may be of use in a case of
extreme necessity, but in any other will be adopted by no man of
sense: I mean the purgative treatment of physicians; for diseases
unless they are very dangerous should not be irritated by
medicines, since every form of disease is in a manner akin to the
living being, whose complex frame has an appointed term of life.
For not the whole race only, but each individual—barring
inevitable accidents—comes into the world having a fixed span,
and the triangles in us are originally framed with power to last