Mens sana in corpore sano
Encyclopedia
Mens sana in corpore sano (a sound mind in a healthy body) is a famous Latin quotation, often translated as "A sound mind in a sound body." There is also a sports equipment company with a name based on a twist of this quotation. [Asics] is an acronym of the Latin phrase "anima sana in corpore sano," which translates to "Healthy Soul in a Healthy Body", which derives from the aphorism mens sana in corpore sano or Thales' saying Νοῦς ὑγιὴς ἐν σώματι ὑγιεῖ.
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 answer consisting of a long list of things:
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
citizens who uttered foolish prayers that all that should be prayed for were physical and mental 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.
It is derived from Satire X of the Roman
Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
poet Juvenal
Juvenal
The Satires are a collection of satirical poems by the Latin author Juvenal written in the late 1st and early 2nd centuries AD.Juvenal is credited with sixteen known poems divided among five books; all are in the Roman genre of satire, which, at its most basic in the time of the author, comprised a...
(10.356). In context, the phrase is part of the author’s answer to the question of what people should desire in life, the answer consisting of a long list of things:
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
Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
citizens who uttered foolish prayers that all that should be prayed for were physical and mental health
Health
Health is the level of functional or metabolic efficiency of a living being. In humans, it is the general condition of a person's mind, body and spirit, usually meaning to be free from illness, injury or pain...
.
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.
Usages
- Usage in film, television, plays, and fiction
- Anton ChekhovAnton ChekhovAnton Pavlovich Chekhov was a Russian physician, dramatist and author who is considered to be among the greatest writers of short stories in history. His career as a dramatist produced four classics and his best short stories are held in high esteem by writers and critics...
quotes the phrase in his short story, The Black MonkThe Black Monk (short story)"The Black Monk" is a short story by Anton Chekhov, written in 1894 while Chekhov was living in the village of Melikhove. The story tells of two tragic years in the life of scholar and artist Andrey Vasil'ich Kovrin.-Plot:...
, as well as in his play Three SistersThree Sisters (play)Three Sisters is a play by Russian author and playwright Anton Chekhov, perhaps partially inspired by the situation of the three Brontë sisters, but most probably by the three Zimmermann sisters in Perm...
. - Used in the film AgantukAgantukAgantuk is a 1991 Bengali film directed by Satyajit Ray. It was Ray's last film, and is based on one of his short stories, Atithi .-Plot summary:...
by Satyajit RaySatyajit RaySatyajit Ray was an Indian Bengali filmmaker. He is regarded as one of the greatest auteurs of 20th century cinema. Ray was born in the city of Kolkata into a Bengali family prominent in the world of arts and literature...
. - Used in short story Zack by Nigel Puerasch.
- In Max FrischMax FrischMax Rudolf Frisch was a Swiss playwright and novelist, regarded as highly representative of German-language literature after World War II. In his creative works Frisch paid particular attention to issues relating to problems of human identity, individuality, responsibility, morality and political...
's play Andorra (play)Andorra (play)Andorra is a play written by the Swiss dramatist Max Frisch in 1961. The original text came from a prose sketch Frisch had written in his diary titled Der andorranische Jude . The Andorra in Frisch's play is fictional and not intended to be a representation of the real Andorra located between...
the character of the Doctor quotes the phrase to Andri - "Mens Sana" used as an episode title for British television series Dalziel and PascoeDalziel and Pascoe (BBC TV series)Dalziel and Pascoe is a popular British television crime drama based on the Dalziel and Pascoe books by Reginald Hill, which was first broadcast in March 1996. It is set in Yorkshire, and is about two detectives...
(ep. 7.2). The full line was quoted by one of the characters. - Aldous HuxleyAldous HuxleyAldous Leonard Huxley was an English writer and one of the most prominent members of the famous Huxley family. Best known for his novels including Brave New World and a wide-ranging output of essays, Huxley also edited the magazine Oxford Poetry, and published short stories, poetry, travel...
refers to the phrase in his novel Island (novel)Island (novel)Island is the final book by English writer Aldous Huxley, published in 1962. It is the account of Will Farnaby, a cynical journalist who is shipwrecked on the fictional island of Pala. Island is Huxley's utopian counterpart to his most famous work, the 1932 novel Brave New World, itself often... - Frank HerbertFrank HerbertFranklin Patrick Herbert, Jr. was a critically acclaimed and commercially successful American science fiction author. Although a short story author, he is best known for his novels, most notably Dune and its five sequels...
used the phrase in his novel Chapterhouse: Dune
- Anton Chekhov
- Usage in other writings
- John Locke (1632–1704) uses the phrase in his book 'Some thoughts concerning education'.
- Heinrich von Treitschke used this phrase in his work titled, "The Army." He uses the phrase to highlight a sound principle of his German nationalistic doctrine. His work echoes the principles of late nineteenth century Prussian society.
- Usage as the mottoMottoA motto is a phrase meant to formally summarize the general motivation or intention of a social group or organization. A motto may be in any language, but Latin is the most used. The local language is usual in the mottoes of governments...
of athletic clubs:- Club de Gimnasia y Esgrima La PlataClub de Gimnasia y Esgrima La PlataClub de Gimnasia y Esgrima La Plata Gimnasia y Esgrima was promoted to the first division after becoming champions of the División Intermedia of Argentine football in 1915. Later, in 1929, the club would become champions of the Primera División...
- Georgetown HoyasGeorgetown HoyasGeorgetown's nickname is The Hoyas, but its mascot is "Jack the Bulldog." Various breeds of dogs have been used by the sports teams as mascots since the early 1900s. Several notable bull terriers like Sergeant Stubby and "Hoya" were used at football games in the 1920s, as was a Great Dane in the...
- R.S.C. AnderlechtR.S.C. AnderlechtRoyal Sporting Club Anderlecht, usually known as Anderlecht or RSCA , is a Belgian professional football club based in Anderlecht in the Brussels Capital Region. Anderlecht plays in the Belgian Pro League and is the most successful Belgian football team in European competitions as well as in the...
- The TurnersTurnersTurners are members of German-American gymnastic clubs. A German gymnastic movement was started by Turnvater Friedrich Ludwig Jahn in the early 19th century when Germany was occupied by Napoleon...
Organization American Turners and their local organizations like the Los Angeles Turners - Carlton Football ClubCarlton Football ClubThe Carlton Football Club is a professional Australian rules football club based in Melbourne, Victoria. The club competes in the Australian Football League, and was one of the eight founding members of that competition in 1897...
- Asociacion Atletica Argentinos Juniors
- The Israeli Institute of Technology athletics teams
- Mens Sana BasketMens Sana BasketMens Sana Basket, more frequently referred to as Montepaschi Siena, is an Italian League professional basketball club from Siena. More precisely, it is the now-autonomous basketball section of the comprehensive sports club Polisportiva Mens Sana...
- Beale Gaelic FootballGaelic footballGaelic football , commonly referred to as "football" or "Gaelic", or "Gah" is a form of football played mainly in Ireland...
Club from County KerryCounty KerryKerry means the "people of Ciar" which was the name of the pre-Gaelic tribe who lived in part of the present county. The legendary founder of the tribe was Ciar, son of Fergus mac Róich. In Old Irish "Ciar" meant black or dark brown, and the word continues in use in modern Irish as an adjective... - Torrens Rowing Club
- Club de Gimnasia y Esgrima La Plata
- Usage as the motto of military institutions:
- Royal MarinesRoyal MarinesThe Corps of Her Majesty's Royal Marines, commonly just referred to as the Royal Marines , are the marine corps and amphibious infantry of the United Kingdom and, along with the Royal Navy and Royal Fleet Auxiliary, form the Naval Service...
physical training instructors (PTI). - Riverside Military AcademyRiverside Military AcademyRiverside Military Academy is a private, college preparatory, boarding and day school for boys in grades 7 though 12. Riverside's campus is located on Lake Sydney Lanier at the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Gainesville, Georgia, USA. Riverside's academic year runs August through May...
in Gainesville, GeorgiaGainesville, Georgia-Severe Weather:Gainesville sits on the very fringe of Tornado Alley, a region of the United States where severe weather is common. Supercell thunderstorms can sweep through any time between March and November, but are concentrated most in the spring... - Hargrave Military AcademyHargrave Military AcademyHargrave Military Academy is a private American boarding school located in the town of Chatham, Virginia.Hargrave is a school affiliated with the Baptist General Association of Virginia emphasizing Christian values that focuses on a college and military preparatory program...
in Chatham, VirginiaChatham, VirginiaChatham is a town in Pittsylvania County, Virginia, United States. Chatham's population was 1,338 at the 2000 census. It is included in the Danville, Virginia Metropolitan Statistical Area. Chatham is home to Chatham High School and Hargrave Military Academy. It is also home to Chatham Hall , an... - Army Physical Training CorpsArmy Physical Training CorpsThe Royal Army Physical Training Corps is the British Army corps responsible for physical fitness and physical education. Its members are all Royal Army Physical Training Corps Instructors ....
(APTC) - PERI (Physical Education & Recreation Instructors), which is part of the Canadian Military
- Royal Marines
- Usage as the motto of educational institutions:
- Hiranandani Foundation School, MumbaiMumbaiMumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
, IndiaIndiaIndia , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world... - Rosario High School, MangaloreMangaloreMangalore is the chief port city of the Indian state of Karnataka. It is located about west of the state capital, Bangalore. Mangalore lies between the Arabian Sea and the Western Ghat mountain ranges, and is the administrative headquarters of the Dakshina Kannada district in south western...
, IndiaIndiaIndia , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world... - Teacher's College of Columbia UniversityColumbia UniversityColumbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
has this phrase engraved on its Horace MannHorace MannHorace Mann was an American education reformer, and a member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives from 1827 to 1833. He served in the Massachusetts Senate from 1834 to 1837. In 1848, after serving as Secretary of the Massachusetts State Board of Education since its creation, he was...
hall, on 120th StreetStreetA street is a paved public thoroughfare in a built environment. It is a public parcel of land adjoining buildings in an urban context, on which people may freely assemble, interact, and move about. A street can be as simple as a level patch of dirt, but is more often paved with a hard, durable...
in New York CityNew York CityNew York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and... - The University College LondonUniversity College LondonUniversity College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and the oldest and largest constituent college of the federal University of London...
Mens Rugby Football Club, Based out of the Bloomsbury in LondonLondonLondon is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its... - Grant Medical College and Sir J.J. Hospital, MumbaiMumbaiMumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
- Widener UniversityWidener UniversityWidener University is a private, coeducational university located in Chester, Pennsylvania.Its main campus sits on 108 acres , just southwest of Philadelphia...
and the State University of New York at BuffaloUniversity at Buffalo, The State University of New YorkUniversity at Buffalo, The State University of New York, also commonly known as the University at Buffalo or UB, is a public research university and a "University Center" in the State University of New York system. The university was founded by Millard Fillmore in 1846. UB has multiple campuses... - The phrase appears in stone on the western facadeFacadeA facade or façade is generally one exterior side of a building, usually, but not always, the front. The word comes from the French language, literally meaning "frontage" or "face"....
of the HPER (School of Health, Physical Education and Recreation) at Indiana UniversityIndiana UniversityIndiana University is a multi-campus public university system in the state of Indiana, United States. Indiana University has a combined student body of more than 100,000 students, including approximately 42,000 students enrolled at the Indiana University Bloomington campus and approximately 37,000...
in Bloomington, IndianaBloomington, IndianaBloomington is a city in and the county seat of Monroe County in the southern region of the U.S. state of Indiana. The population was 80,405 at the 2010 census.... - The phrase appears in stone on above the entranceway to the Athletic Center at Mount Allison University in Sackville, New Brunswick
- Dhaka Physical Education College in DhakaDhakaDhaka is the capital of Bangladesh and the principal city of Dhaka Division. Dhaka is a megacity and one of the major cities of South Asia. Located on the banks of the Buriganga River, Dhaka, along with its metropolitan area, had a population of over 15 million in 2010, making it the largest city...
, BangladeshBangladeshBangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south... - Sparta High SchoolSparta High School (New Jersey)Sparta High School is a four-year public high school serving grades nine through twelve in Sparta Township, in Sussex County, New Jersey, as part of the Sparta Township Public School District...
in Sparta, New Jersey - Detroit Country Day SchoolDetroit Country Day SchoolDetroit Country Day School is a private, secular school located in four campuses in Oakland County, Michigan, north of Detroit. The administrative offices, facility services, safety and security services, and the upper school are located in a campus in Beverly Hills, along with the middle school...
in Beverly Hills, MichiganBeverly Hills, MichiganBeverly Hills is a village in Southfield Township, Oakland County of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is a suburb of Detroit. As of the 2010 census, the population was 10,267.-Geography:... - Erskine AcademyErskine AcademyErskine Academy is a private high school located in South China, Maine.The high school has a current enrollment of 748 students and serves eight surrounding towns. The campus occupies about of land and includes several academic buildings as well as various athletic fields.The school's motto is...
in South China, MaineSouth China, MaineSouth China is a village in the town of China in Kennebec County, Maine, United States. It is one of four villages in China.-Communities:South China Lake is home to Friends Camp, a Quaker summer camp currently run by Nat Shed, which has been active for over 50 years. As well, it is the home of a... - Roger Bacon High SchoolRoger Bacon High SchoolRoger Bacon High School is a high school in St. Bernard, Ohio, USA based in the Franciscan Tradition.This high school was dedicated in 1928, and was under the administration of and staffed by the Brothers and Priests of the Order of Friars Minor, and lay men and women...
, St. Bernard, OhioSt. Bernard, OhioSt. Bernard is a small city in Hamilton County, Ohio, United States. The population was 4,924 at the 2000 census.-Geography:St. Bernard is located at , and along with Norwood and Elmwood Place, is an enclave surrounded by the city of Cincinnati.According to the United States Census Bureau, the... - Bjelke-PetersenBjelke-PetersenBjelke-Petersen is the name of an Australian family of both Danish and Swedish descent. The common ancestors of the Australian family is Georg Peter Bjelke-Petersen, a Danish farmer and master-builder, and his wife Caroline Vilhelmine . They came to Australia with their children in 1891. Born plain...
School of Physical CulturePhysical culturePhysical culture is a term applied to health and strength training regimens, particularly those that originated during the 19th century. During the mid-late 20th century, the term "physical culture" became largely outmoded in most English-speaking countries, being replaced by terms such as...
, AustraliaAustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area... - Bridgewater Junior Senior High SchoolBridgewater Junior Senior High SchoolBridgewater Junior Senior High School is a secondary school located in Bridgewater, Nova Scotia. It is part of the South Shore Regional School Board.-External links:**...
in Bridgewater, Nova ScotiaBridgewater, Nova ScotiaBridgewater is a town in Lunenburg County, Nova Scotia, Canada, at the navigable limit of the LaHave River. It is the largest town in the South Shore region. While the majority of the South Shore's economy is based upon the tourist trade, Bridgewater is more a commercial and industrial centre and... - Kongsbakken videregående skoleKongsbakken videregående skoleKongsbakken Upper Secondary School is an upper secondary school in Tromsø, Norway. In the year 2000, Kongsbakken videregående skole had approximately 650 pupils, with about as many boys as girls. The school administration consists of a headmaster, a deputy headmaster, six section leaders and an...
in TromsøTromsøTromsø is a city and municipality in Troms county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the city of Tromsø.Tromsø city is the ninth largest urban area in Norway by population, and the seventh largest city in Norway by population...
, NorwayNorwayNorway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million... - Lakefield College SchoolLakefield College SchoolLakefield College School is a coeducational boarding school located north of the village of Lakefield, Ontario, Canada.The school's motto is Mens Sana In Corpore Sano...
in Lakefield, CanadaCanadaCanada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean... - Polish Assotiation of Sport named SOKÓŁ before I World War Poland, Galicja in that time Austria
- Albert Einstein School in Cotabato (philippines)
- Hiranandani Foundation School, Mumbai
- Usage in other cases
- The phrase was a favorite of Harry S. TrumanHarry S. TrumanHarry S. Truman was the 33rd President of the United States . As President Franklin D. Roosevelt's third vice president and the 34th Vice President of the United States , he succeeded to the presidency on April 12, 1945, when President Roosevelt died less than three months after beginning his...
former PresidentPresident of the United StatesThe President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
of the United States of America. - ASICS company name derived from the phrase.
- MensaMensa InternationalMensa is the largest and oldest high-IQ society in the world. It is a non-profit organization open to people who score at the 98th percentile or higher on a standardised, supervised IQ or other approved intelligence test...
, the High IQ Society, derives its name both from the Latin word for table, mensa as well as a pun on the phrase mens sana.
- The phrase was a favorite of Harry S. Truman