Chapter X.

What is seemly is often found in the sacred writings long before it appears in the books of the philosophers. Pythagoras borrowed the law of his silence from David. David’s rule, however, is the best, for our first duty is to have due measure in speaking.

30. We are instructed and taught that “what is seemly”38    Cic. de Off. I. 27. is put in our Scriptures in the first place. (In Greek it is called πρέπον.) For we read: “A Hymn beseems Thee, O God, in Sion.” In Greek this is: Σοί πρέπει ὕμνος ὁ θεὸς ἐν Σιών.39    Ps. lxv. [lxiv.] 1. And the Apostle says: “Speak the things which become sound doctrine.”40    Tit. ii. 1. And elsewhere: “For it beseemed Him through Whom are all things and for Whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the Captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.”41    Heb. ii. 10.

31. Was Panætius or Aristotle, who also wrote on duty, earlier than David? Why, Pythagoras himself, who lived before the time of Socrates, followed the prophet David’s steps and gave his disciples a law of silence. He went so far as to restrain his disciples from the use of speech for five years. David, on the other hand, gave his law, not with a view to impair the gift of nature, but to teach us to take heed to the words we utter. Pythagoras again made his rule, that he might teach men to speak by not speaking. But David made his, so that by speaking we might learn the more how to speak. How can there be instruction without exercise, or advance without practice?

32. A man wishing to undergo a warlike training daily exercises himself with his weapons. As though ready for action he rehearses his part in the fight and stands forth just as if the enemy were in position before him. Or, with a view to acquiring skill and strength in throwing the javelin, he either puts his own arms to the proof, or avoids the blows of his foes, and escapes them by his watchful attention. The man that desires to navigate a ship on the sea, or to row, tries first on a river. They who wish to acquire an agreeable style of singing and a beautiful voice begin by bringing out their voice gradually by singing. And they who seek to win the crown of victory by strength of body and in a regular wrestling match, harden their limbs by daily practice in the wrestling school, foster their endurance, and accustom themselves to hard work.

33. Nature herself teaches us this in the case of infants. For they first exercise themselves in the sounds of speech and so learn to speak. Thus these sounds of speech are a kind of practice, and a school for the voice. Let those then who want to learn to take heed in speaking not refuse what is according to nature, but let them use all watchful care; just as those who are on a watch-tower keep on the alert by watching, and not by going to sleep. For everything is made more perfect and strong by exercises proper and suitable to itself.

34. David, therefore, was not always silent, but only for a time; not perpetually nor to all did he refuse to speak; but he used not to answer the enemy that provoked him, the sinner that exasperated him. As he says elsewhere: “As though he were deaf he heard not them that speak vanity and imagine deceit: and as though he were dumb he opened not his mouth to them.”42    Ps. xxxviii. [xxxvii.] 13. Again, in another place, it is said: “Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like to him.”43    Prov. xxvi. 4.

35. The first duty then is to have due measure in our speech. In this way a sacrifice of praise is offered up to God; thus a godly fear is shown when the sacred Scriptures are read; thus parents are honoured. I know well that many speak because they know not how to keep silence. But it is not often any one is silent when speaking does not profit him. A wise man, intending to speak, first carefully considers what he is to say, and to whom he is to say it; also where and at what time. There is therefore such a thing as due measure in keeping silence and also in speaking; there is also such a thing as a due measure in what we do. It is a glorious thing to maintain the right standard of duty.

CAPUT X.

Prius sacris litteris decorum quam in philosophorum libris frequentatum esse: Pythagoram silentii sui legem mutuatum a Davide: sed hujus tamen praestare disciplinam; cum primum officium sit loquendi modus.

30. Decorum autem in nostris Scripturis primo 0032C constitui loco (quod Graece πρέπον 10 dicitur) instruimur et docemur, legentes: Te decet hymnus, Deus, in Sion (Psal. LXIV, 2): vel Graece, Σοὶ πρέπει ὑμνὸς ὦ Θεὸς, ἐν Σίων. Et Apostolus ait: Loquere quae decent sanam doctrinam (Tit. II, 1). Et alibi: Decebat autem eum per quem omnia, et propter quem omnia, multis filiis in gloriam adductis, ducem salutis eorum per passionem consummari (Hebr. II, 10).

31. Numquid prior Panaetius, numquid Aristoteles, 0033A qui et ipse disputavit de Officio, quam David; cum et ipse Pythagoras, qui legitur Socrate antiquior, prophetam secutus David (Psal. XXXVIII, 2 et seq.), legem silentii dederit suis? Sed ille ut per quinquennium discipulis usum inhiberet loquendi: David autem non ut naturae munus imminueret; sed ut custodiam proferendi sermonis doceret. Et Pythagoras quidem ut non loquendo loqui doceret, David ut loquendo magis disceremus loqui. Quomodo enim sine exercitio doctrina, aut sine usu profectus?

32. Qui disciplinam bellicam vult assequi, quotidie exercetur armis, et tamquam in procinctu positus praeludit praelium, et velut coram posito praetendit hoste: atque ad peritiam viresque jaculandi, vel suos explorat lacertos, vel adversariorum declinat 0033B ictus, et vigilanti exit obtutu. Qui navim in mari regere gubernaculis studet, vel remis ducere, prius in fluvio praeludit. Qui canendi suavitatem et vocis affectant praestantiam, prius sensim canendo vocem excitant. Et qui viribus corporis, legitimoque luctandi certamine coronam petunt, quotidiano usu palaestrae durantes membra, nutrientes patientiam, laborem assuescunt.

33. Haec ipsa natura nos in parvulis docet, quod prius sonos meditantur loquendi, ut loqui discant. Itaque sonus exercitatio quaedam et palaestra vocis est. Ita ergo et qui volunt discere cautionem loquendi, quod naturae est, non negent: quod custodiae est, exerceant; ut qui in specula sunt, speculando intendant, non dormiendo. Omnis enim res propriis 0033C ac domesticis exercitiis augetur.

34. Ergo David tacebat non semper, sed pro tempore: non jugiter, neque omnibus; sed irritanti adversario, provocanti peccatori non respondebat. Et, sicut alibi ait (Psal. XXXVII, 13, 14), loquentes vanitatem, et cogitantes dolum, non audiebat quasi surdus, et quasi mutus non aperiebat illis os suum; quia et alibi habes: Noli respondere imprudenti ad imprudentiam ejus, ne similis illi fias (Prov. XXVI, 4).

35. Primum igitur officium est loquendi modus. Hoc sacrificium laudis Deo dependitur, 11 hoc reverentia exhibetur, cum Scripturae divinae leguntur, hoc honorantur parentes. Scio loqui plerosque, cum tacere nesciant. Rarum est tacere quemquam, 0033D cum sibi non prosit loqui. Sapiens ut loquatur, multa prius considerat, quid dicat, aut cui dicat, quo in loco, et tempore. Est ergo et tacendi et loquendi 0034A modus: est etiam facti modus. Pulchrum igitur tenere mensuram officii.