“You should pray for a sound mind in a sound body. Ask for a heart that is courageous, with no fear of death, that reckons long life among the least of nature’s gifts” (Loeb Classical Library, Harvard University Press, 2004).

 This is a short passage from Satire 10, written by the Roman poet Juvenal (66-127 CE), who was from Aquinum, Italy. Juvenal was the most powerful satirical poet. He was born into a wealthy family, became an army officer, and wanted to join Emperor Domitian’s administrative service. However, he wasn’t promoted, so he wrote a satire denouncing the authorities for promoting people favored by them to officer positions faster. 

 Satire 10 was part of Book 4, out of the total of 5 books published by Juvenal. His poems explored either the corruption of Roman society or human follies. Out of all his sixteen poems, the grandest was the tenth, which examines the destined disappointment humans will discover in the process of seeking ambitions like fortune, power, honor, appearance, and immortality. He argues the importance of “a sound mind in a sound body.” This passage concerns the modern period, in which people constantly experience high levels of stress as they pursue various desires. It serves as a reminder that mental state and physicality should not be ignored. Juvenal’s advocacy critiques influencer culture from ancient times to the present. He emphasizes that inner peace and self-satisfaction weigh more than external desires or labels that are often promoted by consumer culture. We have to constantly reflect on the costs of pursuing external pleasures: are they degrading our health? If so, is that worthy?

Works Cited:

https://www.britannica.com/biography/Juvenal – background on the poet & picture origin

https://www.loebclassics.com/view/juvenal-satires/2004/pb_LCL091.397.xml – original passage and its category 

https://www.latin-is-simple.com/en/vocabulary/search/ – vocab help (English to Latin search)

Editor’s Note: For the original version of this article, click on this link.