For a man to attain to an eminent degree in learning costs him time, watching, hunger, nakedness, dizziness in the head, weakness in the stomach, and other inconveniences.

The remark underscores learning as a costly, bodily discipline rather than a purely intellectual pastime. “Time” and “watching” point to long study and sleeplessness; “hunger,” “nakedness,” and physical ailments evoke poverty and privation, suggesting that scholarship often demands sacrifice of comfort and health. In Cervantes’s world—where social advancement could hinge on education but resources were scarce—this functions as both a sober warning and a critique of romanticized notions of erudition. The line also carries an ironic edge typical of Cervantes: the pursuit of “eminent” learning may be admirable, but it is purchased through very unglamorous hardships.