Six Books on the Art of Gymnastics

...of laws, and the origin and growth of the other praiseworthy arts, without which this life of ours would hardly be worth living, should someone wish to recall them to mind. But, lest I become troublesome to a most wise Emperor by recounting things known everywhere to everyone, I shall propose one example: the medical art, the most useful of all. This art would undoubtedly either not exist at all, or certainly would not possess the splendor and elegance it shows today, had the kindness of Princes—without which all hard work usually fades away—not shone upon the great men who were its creators. Indeed, the writings of many learned men testify to how much help was brought to medicine in its infancy by Cadmus, Solomon, and Alexander, and in later times by Attalus, Ptolemy, Nero, Hadrian, Constantine, Justin, and many others. Mercuriale lists a mix of legendary and historical figures. In the Renaissance, it was common to attribute medical or scientific discoveries to ancient kings like Solomon or Alexander the Great to emphasize the dignity of the profession. Nevertheless, to set aside other matters for now, we must consider it a matter of no small importance that they built most magnificent and grand Gymnasia. The word "Gymnasium" here refers to the ancient Greek institution where citizens engaged in both physical training and intellectual discussion. By establishing the Gymnastic art within these places, they supported teachers and overseers who prepared men for a good and blessed life through exercises that benefit both the health of the body and the mind. For this is the very art that once allowed the Persian kings, the Spartans, the Athenians, and the Romans to excel so greatly in waging war that often, with a modest force, they [overcame] incredible [numbers] of the enemy... The text ends mid-sentence; the catchword "res" indicates the next page begins with "vires," referring to the "forces" of the enemy.