§12ἀλλ’ ἐπειδὴ καὶ περὶ τοῦ μεγίστου τῶν σωματικῶν ἀγαθῶν τῆς ὑγιείας ἐσκέμμεθα, μεταβῶμεν ἐπὶ τὰ λοιπά.
But since we have also examined health, the greatest of bodily goods, let us pass on to the remaining ones.
τὰ μὲν δὴ περὶ κάλλους οὕτως αὐτοῖς ἔχει, ὡς μὴ μόνον ὠφελεῖσθαί τι πρὸς τῆς ἀθλήσεως τὴν φύσιν, ἀλλὰ καὶ πολλοὺς αὐτῶν πάνυ συμμέτρως ἔχοντας τῶν μελῶν οἱ γυμνασταὶ παραλαβόντες, ὑπερπιάναντές τε καὶ διασάξαντες αἵματί τε καὶ σαρξίν, εἰς τοὐναντίον ἤγαγον.
Now, the matters concerning beauty are in such a state for them that not only does their nature receive no benefit from athletic training, but also the trainers, taking over many of them who have very well-proportioned limbs, overfatten them and stuff them with blood and flesh, and lead them to the opposite state.
ἐνίων δὲ καὶ τὰ πρόσωπα παντάπασιν ἄμορφα καὶ δυσειδῆ κατέστησαν καὶ μάλιστα τῶν παγκράτιον ἢ πυγμὴν ἀσκησάντων.
And of some they make even the faces entirely shapeless and ugly, especially of those who have practiced the pankration or boxing.
ὅταν δὲ καὶ τῶν μελῶν 〈τι〉 τελέως ἀποκλάσωσιν ἢ διαστρέψωσιν ἢ τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς ἐκκόψωσι, τότ’ οἶμαι τότε καὶ μάλιστα τὸ 〈διὰ〉 τῆς ἐπιτηδεύσεως αὐτῶν ἀποτελούμενον κάλλος ἐναργῶς ὁρᾶσθαι.
And when they completely break or distort some of their limbs, or knock out their eyes, then, I think, then especially is the beauty produced through their pursuit clearly seen.
ταῦτα μὲν οὖν αὐτοῖς ὑγιαίνουσιν εἰς κάλλος εὐτύχηται, καταλύσασι δὲ καὶ τὰ λοιπὰ 〈τῶν〉 τοῦ σώματος αἰσθητηρίων προσαπόλλυται καὶ πάνθ’ ὡς εἰπεῖν τὰ μέλη διαστρεφόμενα παντοίας ἀμορφίας αἴτια γίγνεται.
These things, then, are successfully achieved in respect to beauty for them while they are healthy, but when they retire, the rest of the bodily senses are also lost besides, and almost all their limbs, being distorted, become the cause of all kinds of shapelessness.