In a healthy body healthy mind


“In a healthy body healthy mind”. The meaning of this proverb is often understood today so that, since the body is healthy, then the spirit in it, of course, is healthy. Or vice versa: a healthy spirit can not be in an unhealthy body. It turns out that physically healthy people should always have a healthy spirit, and healthy spiritually – do not suffer from physical diseases. But life now and again refutes this verbal formula: the big guys are not so strong in the spiritual plan, and the seriously ill and physically disabled demonstrate an amazing strength of mind in the fight against their ailment.

Where did this controversial statement come from? Really there were times when it corresponded to the truth one hundred percent?

In search of a source, historians send us to the Roman era, when this phrase-proverb appeared. True, then she looked different: “Mens sana in the corroe sano – avis rаrа”. which means “A healthy spirit in

a healthy body is a rare fortune.” The meaning of the Roman proverb was completely different, and the exact opposite! And in this form it fully corresponded to the truth. It is believed that the phrase “went to the people” from the work of the Roman poet-satirist Juvenal. who wrote: “We must pray to the gods that the spirit is healthy in the body healthy.” (7th satire).

Thus, the historical truth is more consistent not with the proverb “A healthy body in a healthy mind,” but a parody of her comic couplet:

In a healthy body healthy mind. Actually – one of two.

But then what’s the point of pulling the phrase out of context, distorting its original meaning?

The meaning is, and very big! And the meaning is pedagogical. The formula “In a healthy body, a healthy mind” expresses the ideal of harmonious development of the soul and body – a goal that we should strive for, working on ourselves, and not just “praying to the gods,” as advised Juvenal.


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In a healthy body healthy mind