What should you say when something painful happens? "This is what I trained for. This is why I practiced." God says to you: "Show me proof that you trained properly. Show me you ate right, exercised, and followed your trainer's orders." Will you fall apart when it's time to perform? Now you have a fever. Bear it well. Now you're thirsty. Bear it well. Now you're hungry. Bear it well. Can't you do this? Who's going to stop you? The doctor will stop you from drinking, but he can't stop you from handling thirst well. He'll stop you from eating, but he can't stop you from handling hunger well.
What then should a man say on the occasion of each painful thing? It was for this that I exercised myself, for this I disciplined myself. God says to you: Give me a proof that you have duly practised athletics, that you have eaten what you ought, that you have been exercised, that you have obeyed the aliptes (the oiler and rubber). Then do you show yourself weak when the time for action comes? Now is the time for the fever. Let it be borne well. Now is the time for thirst, bear it well. Now is the time for hunger, bear it well. Is it not in your power? Who shall hinder you? The physician will hinder you from drinking; but he cannot prevent you from bearing thirst well: and he will hinder you from eating; but he cannot prevent you from bearing hunger well.