Of these, reading and writing
and drawing are regarded as useful for the purposes of life in a
variety of ways, and gymnastic exercises are thought to infuse
courage. concerning music a doubt may be raised- in our own day most
men cultivate it for the sake of pleasure, but originally it was
included in education, because nature herself, as has been often said,
requires that we should be able, not only to work well, but to use
leisure well; for, as I must repeat once again, the first principle of
all action is leisure. Both are required, but leisure is better than
occupation and is its end; and therefore the question must be asked,
what ought we to do when at leisure? Clearly we ought not to be
amusing ourselves, for then amusement would be the end of life. But if
this is inconceivable, and amusement is needed more amid serious
occupations than at other times (for he who is hard at work has need
of relaxation, and amusement gives relaxation, whereas occupation is
always accompanied with exertion and effort), we should introduce
amusements only at suitable times, and they should be our medicines,
for the emotion which they create in the soul is a relaxation, and
from the pleasure we obtain rest. But leisure of itself gives pleasure
and happiness and enjoyment of life, which are experienced, not by the
busy man, but by those who have leisure.
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