Oribasius, Collatio Medicinae, libri incerti, 20.1-15: exercise as part of the health regimen for girls and women
Title
Oribasius, Collatio Medicinae, libri incerti, 20.1-15: exercise as part of the health regimen for girls and women
Date
325-404 CE
Type
Medicine, health advice
Source Type
Literary source
Commentary
In this work, Oribasius offered a selection of excerpts from older medical writers; it is uncertain whether the part of the work containing this passage was actually compiled by Oribasius himself. The excerpt comes from a work of Rufus of Ephesus (1st/2nd cent. CE). It is unclear whether Oribasius, or whoever produced this part of the collection, agreed with Rufus: the next excerpt (libri incerti 21), which is taken from Athenaeus of Attalia, prescribes that exercise for women is to be limited to household work.
Translation
From Rufus. Regimen of women
Everyone would agree that women’s bodies are wetter and colder than those of men. Therefore, they must follow a warmer regimen with which to balance out the excesses of their disposition. For this reason, exercise is no less necessary for women than it is for men. Thus, running is suitable for young girls because of their lightness; but numerous walks and chariot rides are more suitable for women of advanced age. Walks on the roads are better than walks in porticoes, because they are more invigorating and exercise the whole body. Excessive exercise should be avoided above all, because it is dangerous for two reasons, one common to men and women, the other specific to the latter, namely that they are not properly purged. Car rides are very useful, both because they shake up the body and in other respects.
Dry rubbings have a useful side in that they cause warming up and consume superfluous moisture, but they are suspected of hardening the flesh too much: it is therefore necessary to rub the skin beforehand with hands coated with oil and with very soft cloths until the skin becomes slightly reddened. This rubbing, as well as the rubbing with oil, should be done most often from top to bottom, so that the liquids slope downwards, because this is where they must come out in their natural state. Fatty rubbings should be performed after the others, because they remove, more than anything else, the fatigue produced by the exercises. It is also appropriate for women to take hold of themselves, for this exercises the body, lengthening the breathing not beyond its capacity. It is also very good to make frequent use of rubbings and to wrestle a little, coming to close quarters with each other.
Ordinary baths are less suitable for women, because they moisten; those that have a drying effect, however, i.e., those of mineral water, are better for women than for men. If women take a bath with drinking water, it is important to adjust this bath with the help of sodium carbonate and other ingredients that are used for washing and have a drying effect. It seems to me a woman is most healthy when she also exercises her voice: this can be done by rehearsing odes and songs as well as by reciting.
Everyone would agree that women’s bodies are wetter and colder than those of men. Therefore, they must follow a warmer regimen with which to balance out the excesses of their disposition. For this reason, exercise is no less necessary for women than it is for men. Thus, running is suitable for young girls because of their lightness; but numerous walks and chariot rides are more suitable for women of advanced age. Walks on the roads are better than walks in porticoes, because they are more invigorating and exercise the whole body. Excessive exercise should be avoided above all, because it is dangerous for two reasons, one common to men and women, the other specific to the latter, namely that they are not properly purged. Car rides are very useful, both because they shake up the body and in other respects.
Dry rubbings have a useful side in that they cause warming up and consume superfluous moisture, but they are suspected of hardening the flesh too much: it is therefore necessary to rub the skin beforehand with hands coated with oil and with very soft cloths until the skin becomes slightly reddened. This rubbing, as well as the rubbing with oil, should be done most often from top to bottom, so that the liquids slope downwards, because this is where they must come out in their natural state. Fatty rubbings should be performed after the others, because they remove, more than anything else, the fatigue produced by the exercises. It is also appropriate for women to take hold of themselves, for this exercises the body, lengthening the breathing not beyond its capacity. It is also very good to make frequent use of rubbings and to wrestle a little, coming to close quarters with each other.
Ordinary baths are less suitable for women, because they moisten; those that have a drying effect, however, i.e., those of mineral water, are better for women than for men. If women take a bath with drinking water, it is important to adjust this bath with the help of sodium carbonate and other ingredients that are used for washing and have a drying effect. It seems to me a woman is most healthy when she also exercises her voice: this can be done by rehearsing odes and songs as well as by reciting.
Translation used
translation by Alexander Meeus for the Cynisca project
Text
Ἐκ τῶν Ῥούφου. Δίαιτα γυναικῶν.
Τὰ σώματα τῶν γυναικῶν ὑγρότερα καὶ ψυχρότερα εἶναι πᾶς ἂν ὁμολογήσειεν. θερμότερον οὖν διαιτᾶσθαι αὐτὰς προσῆκεν, ὅπως τὰς τῆς κράσεως πλεονεξίας ἐπανισῶσιν αἱ δίαιται. πονεῖν τοίνυν χρὴ τὴν γυναῖκα οὐκ ἔλασσον ἀνδρός. ταῖς μὲν δὴ κόραις δρόμοι ἁρμόζουσι διὰ κουφότητα· ταῖς δὲ προβεβηκυίαις περίπατοι πλείους καὶ ἐπ’ ὀχημάτων ἐλάσεις. περίπατοι δὲ κρείσσους οἱ κατὰ τὰς ὁδοὺς τῶν ἐν τοῖς δρόμοις· καὶ γὰρ ἀκοπώτεροι καὶ πᾶν τὸ σῶμα γυμνάζουσιν. τὰς δ’ ὑπερβολὰς [γυμνάζεσθαι μᾶλλον δὲ] φυλάσσεσθαι· κίνδυνος γὰρ ὁ μέν τις κοινὸς καὶ ἀνδράσιν, ὁ δ’ ἐξαίρετος γυναιξίν· οὐ γὰρ ἀποκαθαίρονται χρηστῶς. αἱ δ’ ἐπὶ τῶν ὀχημάτων κινήσεις καὶ ἄλλως λυσιτελέσταται, κατασείουσαι τὸ σῶμα.
αἱ δὲ ξηραὶ τρίψεις ἔχουσι μέν τι λυσιτελές (καὶ γὰρ θερμαίνουσι καὶ τὴν περισσὴν ὑγρότητα ἀναλίσκουσιν), ὕποπτοι δ’ εἰσί, μὴ ἄρα τὴν σάρκα πλέον τοῦ καιροῦ σκληρώσωσιν· ἀλλὰ χερσὶ μετ’ ἐλαίου προανατρίβεσθαι καὶ τοῖς ὀθονίοις ὡς μαλακωτάτοις, μέχρι τὸ δέρμα ὑπέρυθρον γένηται. πλείους γὰρ καὶ αἵδε αἱ τρίψεις καὶ μετ’ ἐλαίου τῶν κάτω γινέσθωσαν, ὅπως κάτω ῥέπῃ τὸ ὑγρόν· ταύτῃ γὰρ κατὰ φύσιν αὐτοῖς ἡ ἔξοδος. τὰς δὲ λιπαρωτέρας τρίψεις ὑστέρας προσάγειν· λύουσι γὰρ παντὸς μᾶλλον τοὺς τῶν γυμνασίων κόπους. ἁρμόζει δὲ γυναιξὶ καὶ αὐταῖς λαμβάνεσθαι·διαπονεῖται γὰρ τὸ σῶμα, τεινομένου τοῦ πνεύματος οὐχ ὑπὲρ τὴν δύναμιν. κράτιστον δὲ καὶ τρίψεσι πλεονάζειν καὶ μικρὰ διαπαλαίειν εἰς χεῖρας ἰοῦσαν.
λουτρὰ δ’ ἧσσον γυναιξὶν ἐπιτήδεια ὑγραίνοντα· ὅσα δὲ ξηραίνει, τὰ ἀπὸ τῶν αὐτοφυῶν ὑδάτων, ἐπιτηδειότερα γυναιξὶν ἢ ἀνδρί. προστιμωρητέον δέ, καὶ ὅταν ἐν ποτίμῳ λουτρῷ λούωνται, τῷ νίτρῳ καὶ τοῖς ἄλλοις ῥύμμασι ξηραντικόν τι ἔχουσιν. δοκεῖ δέ μοι γυνὴ μάλιστα ὑγιαίνειν καὶ τὴν φωνὴν γυμνάζουσα· τοῦτο δὲ δύναται καὶ ᾠδὴ καὶ μέλος παρέχειν καὶ ἀναφώνησις.
Τὰ σώματα τῶν γυναικῶν ὑγρότερα καὶ ψυχρότερα εἶναι πᾶς ἂν ὁμολογήσειεν. θερμότερον οὖν διαιτᾶσθαι αὐτὰς προσῆκεν, ὅπως τὰς τῆς κράσεως πλεονεξίας ἐπανισῶσιν αἱ δίαιται. πονεῖν τοίνυν χρὴ τὴν γυναῖκα οὐκ ἔλασσον ἀνδρός. ταῖς μὲν δὴ κόραις δρόμοι ἁρμόζουσι διὰ κουφότητα· ταῖς δὲ προβεβηκυίαις περίπατοι πλείους καὶ ἐπ’ ὀχημάτων ἐλάσεις. περίπατοι δὲ κρείσσους οἱ κατὰ τὰς ὁδοὺς τῶν ἐν τοῖς δρόμοις· καὶ γὰρ ἀκοπώτεροι καὶ πᾶν τὸ σῶμα γυμνάζουσιν. τὰς δ’ ὑπερβολὰς [γυμνάζεσθαι μᾶλλον δὲ] φυλάσσεσθαι· κίνδυνος γὰρ ὁ μέν τις κοινὸς καὶ ἀνδράσιν, ὁ δ’ ἐξαίρετος γυναιξίν· οὐ γὰρ ἀποκαθαίρονται χρηστῶς. αἱ δ’ ἐπὶ τῶν ὀχημάτων κινήσεις καὶ ἄλλως λυσιτελέσταται, κατασείουσαι τὸ σῶμα.
αἱ δὲ ξηραὶ τρίψεις ἔχουσι μέν τι λυσιτελές (καὶ γὰρ θερμαίνουσι καὶ τὴν περισσὴν ὑγρότητα ἀναλίσκουσιν), ὕποπτοι δ’ εἰσί, μὴ ἄρα τὴν σάρκα πλέον τοῦ καιροῦ σκληρώσωσιν· ἀλλὰ χερσὶ μετ’ ἐλαίου προανατρίβεσθαι καὶ τοῖς ὀθονίοις ὡς μαλακωτάτοις, μέχρι τὸ δέρμα ὑπέρυθρον γένηται. πλείους γὰρ καὶ αἵδε αἱ τρίψεις καὶ μετ’ ἐλαίου τῶν κάτω γινέσθωσαν, ὅπως κάτω ῥέπῃ τὸ ὑγρόν· ταύτῃ γὰρ κατὰ φύσιν αὐτοῖς ἡ ἔξοδος. τὰς δὲ λιπαρωτέρας τρίψεις ὑστέρας προσάγειν· λύουσι γὰρ παντὸς μᾶλλον τοὺς τῶν γυμνασίων κόπους. ἁρμόζει δὲ γυναιξὶ καὶ αὐταῖς λαμβάνεσθαι·διαπονεῖται γὰρ τὸ σῶμα, τεινομένου τοῦ πνεύματος οὐχ ὑπὲρ τὴν δύναμιν. κράτιστον δὲ καὶ τρίψεσι πλεονάζειν καὶ μικρὰ διαπαλαίειν εἰς χεῖρας ἰοῦσαν.
λουτρὰ δ’ ἧσσον γυναιξὶν ἐπιτήδεια ὑγραίνοντα· ὅσα δὲ ξηραίνει, τὰ ἀπὸ τῶν αὐτοφυῶν ὑδάτων, ἐπιτηδειότερα γυναιξὶν ἢ ἀνδρί. προστιμωρητέον δέ, καὶ ὅταν ἐν ποτίμῳ λουτρῷ λούωνται, τῷ νίτρῳ καὶ τοῖς ἄλλοις ῥύμμασι ξηραντικόν τι ἔχουσιν. δοκεῖ δέ μοι γυνὴ μάλιστα ὑγιαίνειν καὶ τὴν φωνὴν γυμνάζουσα· τοῦτο δὲ δύναται καὶ ᾠδὴ καὶ μέλος παρέχειν καὶ ἀναφώνησις.
Edition used
J. Raeder, Oribasii collectionum medicarum reliquiae, vol. 4, Leipzig 1933.
Collection
Citation
Oribasius, “Oribasius, Collatio Medicinae, libri incerti, 20.1-15: exercise as part of the health regimen for girls and women,” Cynisca: Documenting Women and Girls in Ancient Greek Sports, accessed December 22, 2024, https://fdz.bib.uni-mannheim.de/cynisca/items/show/31.