In diet he abstained from flesh and abhorred wine.

His habitual weaknesses were those of one who subdues the body to mental government.

As costive as Scaliger,[127] Sarpi suffered from hepatic hemorrhage, retention of urine, prolapsus recti, and hemorrhoids.

Intermittent fevers reduced his strength, but rarely interfered with his activity.

He refused to treat himself as an invalid, never altered his course of life for any illness, and went about his daily avocations when men of laxer tissue would have taken to their bed.