Mens sana in corpore sano (a healthy mind in a healthy body) is a famous
Latin quotation, often translated as "A sound mind in a sound body." It is derived from
Satire X of the
Roman poet
Juvenal (10.356). In context, the phrase is part of the author’s answer to the question of what people should desire in life
The satirical connotation of the phrase, that it would be nice to also have a sound mind in a sound body, is a more recent interpretation of what Juvenal may have intended to express. More traditional commentators believe that Juvenal's intention was to remind those of his fellow Roman citizen who uttered foolish prayers that all that should be prayed for were physical and spiritual health. Over time and separated from its context, the phrase has come to have a range of meanings. It can be construed to mean that only a healthy body can produce or sustain a healthy mind. Its most general usage is to express the concept of a healthy balance in one’s mode of life.
The phrase is foreshadowed by (if not an actual paraphrase from) a saying of Thales.
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