Final answer:
The practice of 'boiling down the body and sweating it thin' reflects ancient Rome's societal standards and pressures to conform to ideal beauty norms, which often represented futile vanity and conflicted with gender roles. Writers like Martial critiqued these practices through satire, revealing the cultural attitudes toward physical appearance, hygiene, and gender roles of the period.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement about "boiling down the body and sweating it thin" touches on historical perspectives regarding personal care and societal standards in ancient cultures, particularly in ancient Rome. This practice and the effort to cultivate physical beauty could have been seen as both frivolous and not befitting the genders as dictated by the social norms of the time. Martial's verses provide insight into the social satire and commentary of the era, offering a glimpse of the strong gender roles and the criticism of those who tried to alter their natural state to meet certain beauty standards. Additionally, the description of vigorous and strenuous activities for women hints at the aversion to women partaking in traditionally masculine roles or activities.
Comments on sweating, as suggested in the question, are directly related to how the ancient Romans perceived personal hygiene and beauty practices, which often extended into judgments on morality and character. Therefore, the practice is deemed both pointless due to its fleeting nature; that no matter how much effort was made, one's natural tendencies were believed to prevail, and effeminate as it was associated with vanity, a trait considered unmasculine.