Did you know that the expression "A sound mind in a sound body" was incomplete?

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   kallini2010posted 12 years ago

   Did you know that the expression "A sound mind in a sound body" was incomplete?
   
   It was one of my mother's favourite expressions and it was delivered to me on a daily basis when I was a child. In Latin.  Maybe because she was a doctor and I was a sickly weakling.  Now, my son brought it from school "How do you understand the expression "A sound mind in a sound body".  Thanks to Google and the Age of Technology - I am looking it up - only to find out - it means the opposite - the Original Roman saying meant "It's hard to find a sound mind in a sound body".  Now, how do you understand the expression?
   
   

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   livhappyposted 12 years ago

   I understand the expression as being at peace with your mind and body. If you are at peace with your body, then it helps with being at peace with your mind and vise versa. They need each other to be at peace in order to be in harmony with one another.

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   Mr. Happyposted 12 years ago

   "A sound mind in a sound body" - is missing a verb, no? Or maybe I just woke up and I should be drinking my coffee faster. So, what about the sound mind in a sound body?
   
   The saying in Romanian is closer to your second quote: "Este greu sa gasesti o mine sanatoasa intr-un corp sanatos." - "It is hard to find a healthy mind in a healthy body." Haha!! I just remembered one of my grandma's saying: "Nici prea bine nu e bine", which means: "Even being too good is not good."
   
   So, the interpretation I get is that to have a fully healthy body and mind is an exaggeration. Would that not be perfection, to be completely healthy: mind and body? Aren't there some hurdles in the road, usually? Either in the mind or in the body?
   
   Good question ... I never thought about this saying until today.

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      kallini2010posted 12 years agoin reply to this

      You see? The point is so few people stop to read even...  The idea is  - when we are healthy, we take it for GRANTED and there is not even a chance to develop our thinking mind - when we get sick - our brain picks up - we develop empathy and...

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      Mr. Happyposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Yes, I agree. That is why I encourage people to have a Sunrise Ceremony each morning: a time when we give thanks to the day, to Life, to our health, our loved ones, etc. Taking things for granted is not advisable.

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   shivanchirakkal10posted 12 years ago

   Dear Kallini.
   There are many such myth and words. As used from ancient years, I think many of this have some useful meaning  "sound mind in a sound body' means that a person lives with good  character ( i.e in moral, in emotional, in feeling, in love, in kindness, and such good quality) have a good thinking.
   But some of us mistaken the meaning of the word and use to say our children that if he/she have healthy body then only he/she have a healthy mind.

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      kallini2010posted 12 years agoin reply to this

      I am NOT going to turn a question into a DEBATE - this comment is for everyone - I AM NOT looking for the conventional meaning. I am asking to pay attention that the original expression had an OPPOSITE meaning.

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   Garifaliaposted 12 years ago

   "Mens sana in corpore sano" or the saying of the pre-Socratic Greek philosopher Thales, "Νοῦς ὑγιὴς ἐν σώματι ὑγιεῖ".
   
   The Latin saying originally came from the ancient Greeks (above) which meant a sound (healthy) mind in a healthy body. And it means that when the body is kept in  good condition, the mind works well and vise versa when the brain functions well, the body is also healthy.
   
   And for me that's correct. When I used to go to the gym and eat properly, everything functioned perfectly. I was all around healthier and sounder.

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      kallini2010posted 12 years agoin reply to this

      The Latin quote says "Pray to to Gods that you have a sound mind in a sound body..."  Both sayings are correct - what I am trying to say - you have to get sick to start thinking about your health...  Being healthy is like breathing - you don't notice

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      Garifaliaposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      You have a very good point. We do often take our good health for granted. As a Greek, the only good thing left to us nowadays is our ancient history. Forgive me if I got carried away.

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   edhanposted 12 years ago

   In life, we tend to take for granted in almost everything when it is there.
   
   Only when you are cut off then you will realize the importance. But it will be too late. So, we should take a pause and have a hard look in life. Things can never be what it is if we do not maintain what we have. Health for anyone is the most important. It is what that keeps us doing what we have been doing in lives.

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   Specialkittyposted 10 years ago

   Not trying to be rude, and I'm not sure what site you got your information from, but the original saying is from Greece. ‘A sound mind in a sound body’ is the English translation of a famous quotation by the pre-Socratic Greek philosopher Thales (Miletus, 624 – 546 BC), demonstrating the close links between physical exercise, mental equilibrium and the ability to enjoy life.
   
   You can find the facts here on this web site:
   http://blogs.fco.gov.uk/greekblogyssey/ … ound-body/
   
   Thank you for listening. Have a great day.

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      kallini2010posted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Thank you for your answer. I did not keep the source because I did not find it necessary. It struck me as a curiosity. I gave a few explanations in the comments, if you read them, you will understand that it really does not matter what it means.

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