Chapter II.—On Drinking.

“Use a little wine,” says the apostle to Timothy, who drank water, “for thy stomach’s sake;”323    Bishop Kaye (Some Account of the Writings and Opinions of Clement of Alexandria, p. 48) translates, “receiving from man that which made man (that on account of which man was made).” But it seems more likely that Clement refers to the ideal man in the divine mind, whom he indentifies elsewhere with the Logos, the ἄνθρωπος ἀπαθής, of whom man was the image. The reader will notice that Clement speaks of man as existing in the divine mind before his creation, and creation is represented by God’s seeing what He had previously within Him merely as a hidden power.    1 Tim. v. 23.    [On this book, Kaye’s comments extend from p. 91 to p. 111 of his analysis.] most properly applying its aid as a strengthening tonic suitable to a sickly body enfeebled with watery humours; and specifying “a little,” lest the remedy should, on account of its quantity, unobserved, create the necessity of other treatment.

The natural, temperate, and necessary beverage, therefore, for the thirsty is water.324    John xvi. 27.    [This remarkable chapter seems to begin with the author’s recollections of Pindar (ἄριστον μὲν ϋδωρ), but to lay down very justly the Scriptural ideas of temperance and abstinence.]    [Note this psychological dissection. Compare Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics, book vi. cap. 2, ἄισθησις, νοῦς, ὂρεξις, sense, intellect, appetition. Also, book i. cap. 11, or 13 in some editions.] This was the simple drink of sobriety, which, flowing from the smitten rock, was supplied by the Lord to the ancient Hebrews.325    John xvii. 23.    Ex. xvii.; Num. xx.    Odyss., iv. 456–458. It was most requisite that in their wanderings they should be temperate.326    Matt. xv. 14.    [Clement reckons only two classes as living faithfully with respect to drink, the abstinent and the totally abstinent.]    Phil. ii. 7.

Afterwards the sacred vine produced the prophetic cluster. This was a sign to them, when trained from wandering to their rest; representing the great cluster the Word, bruised for us. For the blood of the grape—that is, the Word—desired to be mixed with water, as His blood is mingled with salvation.

And the blood of the Lord is twofold. For there is the blood of His flesh, by which we are redeemed from corruption; and the spiritual, that by which we are anointed. And to drink the blood of Jesus, is to become partaker of the Lord’s immortality; the Spirit being the energetic principle of the Word, as blood is of flesh.327    John i. 14.    [This seems Clement’s exposition of St. John (vi. 63), and a clear statement as to the Eucharist, which he pronounces spiritual food.]    1 Cor. xiii. 4.

Accordingly, as wine is blended with water,328    [A plain reference to the use of the mixed cup in the Lord’s supper.]    Isa. liii. 2, 3. [But see also Ps. xlv. 2, which was often cited by the ancients to prove the reverse. Both may be reconciled; he was a fair and comely child like his father David; but, as “the man of sorrows,” he became old in looks, and his countence was marred. For David’s beauty, see 1 Sam. xvi. 12. For our Lord’s at twelve years of age, when the virgin was seeking her child, Canticles, v. 7–16. For his appearance at three and thirty, when the Jews only ventured to credit him with less than fifty years, John viii. 57. See also Irenæus, Against Heresies, cap. xxii. note 12, p. 391, this series.] so is the Spirit with man. And the one, the mixture of wine and water, nourishes to faith; while the other, the Spirit, conducts to immortality.

And the mixture of both—of the water and of the Word—is called Eucharist, renowned and glorious grace; and they who by faith partake of it are sanctified both in body and soul. For the divine mixture, man, the Father’s will has mystically compounded by the Spirit and the Word. For, in truth, the spirit is joined to the soul, which is inspired by it; and the flesh, by reason of which the Word became flesh, to the Word.

I therefore admire those who have adopted an austere life, and who are fond of water, the medicine of temperance, and flee as far as possible from wine, shunning it as they would the danger of fire.329    [If the temperate do well, he thinks, the abstinent do better; but nobody is temperate who does not often and habitually abstain.] It is proper, therefore, that boys and girls should keep as much as possible away from this medicine. For it is not right to pour into the burning season of life the hottest of all liquids—wine—adding, as it were, fire to fire.330    [A very important principle; for, if wine be “the milk of age,” the use of it in youth deprives age of any benefit from its sober use]. For hence wild impulses and burning lusts and fiery habits are kindled; and young men inflamed from within become prone to the indulgence of vicious propensities; so that signs of injury appear in their body, the members of lust coming to maturity sooner than they ought. The breasts and organs of generation, inflamed with wine, expand and swell in a shameful way, already exhibiting beforehand the image of fornication; and the body compels the wound of the soul to inflame, and shameless pulsations follow abundance, inciting the man of correct behaviour to transgression; and hence the voluptuousness of youth overpasses the bounds of modesty. And we must, as far as possible, try to quench the impulses of youth by removing the Bacchic fuel of the threatened danger; and by pouring the antidote to the inflammation, so keep down the burning soul, and keep in the swelling members, and allay the agitation of lust when it is already in commotion. And in the case of grown-up people, let those with whom it agrees sometimes partake of dinner, tasting bread only, and let them abstain wholly from drink; in order that their superfluous moisture may be absorbed and drunk up by the eating of dry food. For constant spitting and wiping off perspiration, and hastening to evacuations, is the sign of excess, from the immoderate use of liquids supplied in excessive quantity to the body. And if thirst come on, let the appetite be satisfied with a little water. For it is not proper that water should be supplied in too great profusion; in order that the food may not be drowned, but ground down in order to digestion; and this takes place when the victuals are collected into a mass, and only a small portion is evacuated.

And, besides, it suits divine studies not to be heavy with wine. “For unmixed wine is far from compelling a man to be wise, much less temperate,” according to the comic poet. But towards evening, about supper-time, wine may be used, when we are no longer engaged in more serious readings. Then also the air becomes colder than it is during the day; so that the failing natural warmth requires to be nourished by the introduction of heat. But even then it must only be a little wine that is to be used; for we must not go on to intemperate potations. Those who are already advanced in life may partake more cheerfully of the draught, to warm by the harmless medicine of the vine the chill of age, which the decay of time has produced. For old men’s passions are not, for the most part, stirred to such agitation as to drive them to the shipwreck of drunkenness. For being moored by reason and time, as by anchors, they stand with greater ease the storm of passions which rushes down from intemperance. They also may be permitted to indulge in pleasantry at feasts. But to them also let the limit of their potations be the point up to which they keep their reason unwavering, their memory active, and their body unmoved and unshaken by wine. People in such a state are called by those who are skilful in these matters, acrothorakes.331    The exact derivation of acrothorakes is matter of doubt. But we have the authority of Aristotle and Erotian for believing that is was applied to those who were slightly drunk. Some regard the clause here as an interpolation. It is well, therefore, to leave off betimes, for fear of tripping.

One Artorius, in his book On Long Life (for so I remember), thinks that drink should be taken only till the food be moistened, that we may attain to a longer life. It is fitting, then, that some apply wine by way of physic, for the sake of health alone, and others for purposes of relaxation and enjoyment. For first wine makes the man who has drunk it more benignant than before, more agreeable to his boon companions, kinder to his domestics, and more pleasant to his friends. But when intoxicated, he becomes violent instead. For wine being warm, and having sweet juices when duly mixed, dissolves the foul excrementitious matters by its warmth, and mixes the acrid and base humours with the agreeable scents.

It has therefore been well said, “A joy of the soul and heart was wine created from the beginning, when drunk in moderate sufficiency.”332    Ecclus. xxxi. 27. And it is best to mix the wine with as much water as possible, and not to have recourse to it as to water, and so get enervated to drunkenness, and not pour it in as water from love of wine. For both are works of God; and so the mixture of both, of water and of wine, conduces together to health, because life consists of what is necessary and of what is useful. With water, then, which is the necessary of life, and to be used in abundance, there is also to be mixed the useful.

By an immoderate quantity of wine the tongue is impeded; the lips are relaxed; the eyes roll wildly, the sight, as it were, swimming through the quantity of moisture; and compelled to deceive, they think that everything is revolving round them, and cannot count distant objects as single. “And, in truth, methinks I see two suns,”333    Pentheus in Euripides, Bacch., 918. said the Theban old man in his cups. For the sight, being disturbed by the heat of the wine, frequently fancies the substance of one object to be manifold. And there is no difference between moving the eye or the object seen. For both have the same effect on the sight, which, on account of the fluctuation, cannot accurately obtain a perception of the object. And the feet are carried from beneath the man as by a flood, and hiccuping and vomiting and maudlin nonsense follow; “for every intoxicated man,” according to the tragedy,334    Attributed to Sophocles.—

And before tragedy, Wisdom cried, “Much wine drunk abounds in irritation and all manner of mistakes.”335    Ecclus. xxxi. 29. Wherefore most people say that you ought to relax over your cups, and postpone serious business till morning. I however think that then especially ought reason to be introduced to mix in the feast, to act the part of director (pædagogue) to wine-drinking, lest conviviality imperceptibly degenerate to drunkenness. For as no sensible man ever thinks it requisite to shut his eyes before going to sleep, so neither can any one rightly wish reason to be absent from the festive board, or can well study to lull it asleep till business is begun. But the Word can never quit those who belong to Him, not even if we are asleep; for He ought to be invited even to our sleep.336    [A beautiful maxim, and proving the habit of early Christians to use completory prayers. This the drunkard is in no state to do.] For perfect wisdom, which is knowledge of things divine and human, which comprehends all that relates to the oversight of the flock of men, becomes, in reference to life, art; and so, while we live, is constantly, with us, always accomplishing its own proper work, the product of which is a good life.

But the miserable wretches who expel temperance from conviviality, think excess in drinking to be the happiest life; and their life is nothing but revel, debauchery, baths, excess, urinals, idleness, drink. You may see some of them, half-drunk, staggering, with crowns round their necks like wine jars, vomiting drink on one another in the name of good fellowship; and others, full of the effects of their debauch, dirty, pale in the face, livid, and still above yesterday’s bout pouring another bout to last till next morning. It is well, my friends, it is well to make our acquaintance with this picture at the greatest possible distance from it, and to frame ourselves to what is better, dreading lest we also become a like spectacle and laughing-stock to others.

It has been appropriately said, “As the furnace proveth the steel blade in the process of dipping, so wine proveth the heart of the haughty.”337    Ecclus. xxxi. 26. A debauch is the immoderate use of wine, intoxication the disorder that results from such use; crapulousness (κραιπάλη) is the discomfort and nausea that follow a debauch; so called from the head shaking (κάρα πάλλειν).

Such a life as this (if life it must be called, which is spent in idleness, in agitation about voluptuous indulgences, and in the hallucinations of debauchery) the divine Wisdom looks on with contempt, and commands her children, “Be not a wine-bibber, nor spend your money in the purchase of flesh; for every drunkard and fornicator shall come to beggary, and every sluggard shall be clothed in tatters and rags.”338    Prov. xxiii. 20. For every one that is not awake to wisdom, but is steeped in wine, is a sluggard. “And the drunkard,” he says, “shall be clothed in rags, and be ashamed of his drunkenness in the presence of onlookers.”339    Prov. xxiii. 21. For the wounds of the sinner are the rents of the garment of the flesh, the holes made by lusts, through which the shame of the soul within is seen—namely sin, by reason of which it will not be easy to save the garment, that has been torn away all round, that has rotted away in many lusts, and has been rent asunder from salvation.

So he adds these most monitory words. “Who has woes, who has clamour, who has contentions, who has disgusting babblings, who has unavailing remorse?”340    Prov. xxiii. 29, 30. You see, in all his raggedness, the lover of wine, who despises the Word Himself, and has abandoned and given himself to drunkenness. You see what threatening Scripture has pronounced against him. And to its threatening it adds again: “Whose are red eyes? Those, is it not, who tarry long at their wine, and hunt out the places where drinking goes on?” Here he shows the lover of drink to be already dead to the Word, by the mention of the bloodshot eyes,—a mark which appears on corpses, announcing to him death in the Lord. For forgetfulness of the things which tend to true life turns the scale towards destruction. With reason therefore, the Instructor, in His solicitude for our salvation, forbids us, “Drink not wine to drunkenness.” Wherefore? you will ask. Because, says He, “thy mouth will then speak perverse things, and thou liest down as in the heart of the sea, and as the steersman of a ship in the midst of huge billows.” Hence, too, poetry comes to our help, and says:—

And further:—

And so on.

You see the danger of shipwreck. The heart is drowned in much drink. The excess of drunkenness is compared to the danger of the sea, in which when the body has once been sunken like a ship, it descends to the depths of turpitude, overwhelmed in the mighty billows of wine; and the helmsman, the human mind, is tossed about on the surge of drunkenness, which swells aloft; and buried in the trough of the sea, is blinded by the darkness of the tempest, having drifted away from the haven of truth, till, dashing on the rocks beneath the sea, it perishes, driven by itself into voluptuous indulgences.

With reason, therefore, the apostle enjoins, “Be not drunk with wine, in which there is much excess;” by the term excess (ἀσωτία) intimating the inconsistence of drunkenness with salvation (τὸ ἄσωστον). For if He made water wine at the marriage, He did not give permission to get drunk. He gave life to the watery element of the meaning of the law, filling with His blood the doer of it who is of Adam, that is, the whole world; supplying piety with drink from the vine of truth, the mixture of the old law and of the new word, in order to the fulfilment of the predestined time. The Scripture, accordingly, has named wine the symbol of the sacred blood;341    [A passage not to be overlooked. Greek, μυστικὸν σύμβολον.] but reproving the base tippling with the dregs of wine, it says: “Intemperate is wine, and insolent is drunkenness.”342    Prov. xx. 1. It is agreeable, therefore, to right reason, to drink on account of the cold of winter, till the numbness is dispelled from those who are subject to feel it; and on other occasions as a medicine for the intestines. For, as we are to use food to satisfy hunger, so also are we to use drink to satisfy thirst, taking the most careful precautions against a slip: “for the introduction of wine is perilous.” And thus shall our soul be pure, and dry, and luminous; and the soul itself is wisest and best when dry. And thus, too, is it fit for contemplation, and is not humid with the exhalations, that rise from wine, forming a mass like a cloud. We must not therefore trouble ourselves to procure Chian wine if it is absent, or Ariousian when it is not at hand. For thirst is a sensation of want, and craves means suitable for supplying the want, and not sumptuous liquor. Importations of wines from beyond seas are for an appetite enfeebled by excess, where the soul even before drunkenness is insane in its desires. For there are the fragrant Thasian wine, and the pleasant-breathing Lesbian, and a sweet Cretan wine, and sweet Syracusan wine, and Mendusian, an Egyptian wine, and the insular Naxian, the “highly perfumed and flavoured,”343    ἀνθοσμίας. Some suppose the word to be derived from the name of a town: “The Anthosmian.” another wine of the land of Italy. These are many names. For the temperate drinker, one wine suffices, the product of the cultivation of the one God. For why should not the wine of their own country satisfy men’s desires, unless they were to import water also, like the foolish Persian kings? The Choaspes, a river of India so called, was that from which the best water for drinking—the Choaspian—was got. As wine, when taken, makes people lovers of it, so does water too. The Holy Spirit, uttering His voice by Amos, pronounces the rich to be wretched on account of their luxury:344    Amos vi. 4, 6. “Those that drink strained wine, and recline on an ivory couch,” he says; and what else similar he adds by way of reproach.

Especial regard is to be paid to decency345    [Here Clement satirizes heathen manners, and quote Athene, to shame Christians who imitate them.] (as the myth represents Athene, whoever she was, out of regard to it, giving up the pleasure of the flute because of the unseemliness of the sight): so that we are to drink without contortions of the face, not greedily grasping the cup, nor before drinking making the eyes roll with unseemly motion; nor from intemperance are we to drain the cup at a draught; nor besprinkle the chin, nor splash the garments while gulping down all the liquor at once,—our face all but filling the bowl, and drowned in it. For the gurgling occasioned by the drink rushing with violence, and by its being drawn in with a great deal of breath, as if it were being poured into an earthenware vessel, while the throat makes a noise through the rapidity of ingurgitation, is a shameful and unseemly spectacle of intemperance. In addition to this, eagerness in drinking is a practice injurious to the partaker. Do not haste to mischief, my friend. Your drink is not being taken from you. It is given you, and waits you. Be not eager to burst, by draining it down with gaping throat. Your thirst is satiated, even if you drink slower, observing decorum, by taking the beverage in small portions, in an orderly way. For that which intemperance greedily seizes, is not taken away by taking time.

“Be not mighty,” he says, “at wine; for wine has overcome many.”346    Ecclus. xxxi. 25. The Scythians, the Celts, the Iberians, and the Thracians, all of them warlike races, are greatly addicted to intoxication, and think that it is an honourable, happy pursuit to engage in. But we, the people of peace, feasting for lawful enjoyment, not to wantonness, drink sober cups of friendship, that our friendships may be shown in a way truly appropriate to the name.

In what manner do you think the Lord drank when He became man for our sakes? As shamelessly as we? Was it not with decorum and propriety? Was it not deliberately? For rest assured, He Himself also partook of wine; for He, too, was man. And He blessed the wine, saying, “Take, drink: this is my blood”—the blood of the vine.347    [The blood of the vine is Christ’s blood. According to Clement, then, it remains in the Eucharist unchanged.] He figuratively calls the Word “shed for many, for the remission of sins”—the holy stream of gladness. And that he who drinks ought to observe moderation, He clearly showed by what He taught at feasts. For He did not teach affected by wine. And that it was wine which was the thing blessed, He showed again, when He said to His disciples, “I will not drink of the fruit of this vine, till I drink it with you in the kingdom of my Father.”348    Mark xvi. 25; Matt. xxvi. 29. [This also is a noteworthy use of the text.] But that it was wine which was drunk by the Lord, He tells us again, when He spake concerning Himself, reproaching the Jews for their hardness of heart: “For the Son of man,” He says, “came, and they say, Behold a glutton and a wine-bibber, a friend of publicans.”349    Matt. xi. 19. Let this be held fast by us against those that are called Encratites.

But women, making a profession, forsooth, of aiming at the graceful, that their lips may not be rent apart by stretching them on broad drinking cups, and so widening the mouth, drinking in an unseemly way out of alabastra quite too narrow: in the mouth, throw back their heads and bare their necks indecently, as I think; and distending the throat in swallowing, gulp down the liquor as if to make bare all they can to their boon companions; and drawing hiccups like men, or rather like slaves, revel in luxurious riot. For nothing disgraceful is proper for man, who is endowed with reason; much less for woman to whom it brings modesty even to reflect of what nature she is.

“An intoxicated woman is great wrath,” it is said, as if a drunken woman were the wrath of God. Why? “Because she will not conceal her shame.”350    Ecclus. xxvi. 8. For a woman is quickly drawn down to licentiousness, if she only set her choice on pleasures. And we have not prohibited drinking from alabastra; but we forbid studying to drink from them alone, as arrogant; counselling women to use with indifference what comes in the way, and cutting up by the roots the dangerous appetites that are in them. Let the rush of air, then, which regurgitates so as to produce hiccup, be emitted silently.

But by no manner of means are women to be allotted to uncover and exhibit any part of their person, lest both fall,—the men by being excited to look, they by drawing on themselves the eyes of the men.

But always must we conduct ourselves as in the Lord’s presence, lest He say to us, as the apostle in indignation said to the Corinthians, “When ye come together, this is not to eat the Lord’s supper.”351    1 Cor. xi. 20. [Clement has already hinted his opinion, that this referred to a shameful custom of the Corinthians to let an agape precede the Eucharist; an abuse growing out of our Lord’s eating of the Passover before he instituted the Eucharist.]

To me, the star called by the mathematicians Acephalus (headless), which is numbered before the wandering star, his head resting on his breast, seems to be a type of the gluttonous, the voluptuous, and those that are prone to drunkenness. For in such352    τουτοις, an emendation for τούτῳ. the faculty of reasoning is not situated in the head, but among the intestinal appetites, enslaved to lust and anger. For just as Elpenor broke his neck through intoxication,353    Odyss., xi. 65. so the brain, dizzied by drunkenness, falls down from above, with a great fall to the liver and the heart, that is, to voluptuousness and anger: as the sons of the poets say Hephæstus was hurled by Zeus from heaven to earth.354    Iliad, i. 591. “The trouble of sleeplessness, and bile, and cholic, are with an insatiable man,” it is said.355    Ecclus. xxxi. 20.

Wherefore also Noah’s intoxication was recorded in writing, that, with the clear and written description of his transgression before us, we might guard with all our might against drunkenness. For which cause they who covered the shame356    Shem and Japheth. of his drunkenness are blessed by the Lord. The Scripture accordingly, giving a most comprehensive compend, has expressed all in one word: “To an instructed man sufficiency is wine, and he will rest in his bed.”357    see Ecclus. xxxi. 19, where, however, we have a different reading.

Πῶς τῷ ποτῷ προσενεκτέον. Οἴνῳ δὲ ὀλίγῳ χρῶ, τῷ Τιμοθέῳ ὑδροποτοῦντι, διὰ τὸν στόμαχόν σου, φησὶν ὁ ἀπόστολος, παγκάλως νοσηλευομένῳ καὶ πλαδῶντι σώματι κατάλληλον τὸ ἐπιστῦφον βοήθημα προσφέρων, ὀλίγον δὲ ἐγκρίνων τοῦτο, μὴ λάθῃ τὸ βοήθημα διὰ πλῆθος ἄλλης θεραπείας δεόμενον. Φυσικὸν μὲν οὖν καὶ νηφάλιον ποτὸν ἀναγκαῖον διψῶσίν ἐστιν ὕδωρ. Τοῦτο ἐκ τῆς ἀκροτόμου πέτρας κατειβόμενον τοῖς παλαιοῖς τῶν Ἑβραίων μονότροπον σωφροσύνης ὁ κύριος ἐχορήγει ποτόν, νήφειν δὲ μάλιστα ἐχρῆν τοὺς ἔτι πλανωμένους. Ἔπειτα ἡ ἄμπελος ἡ ἁγία τὸν βότρυν ἐβλάστησεν τὸν προφητικόν. Τοῦτο σημεῖον τοῖς εἰς ἀνάπαυσιν ἐκ τῆς πλάνης πεπαιδαγωγημένοις, ὁ μέγας βότρυς, ὁ λόγος ὁ ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν θλιβείς, τὸ αἷμα τῆς σταφυλῆς ὕδατι κίρνασθαι ἐθελήσαντος τοῦ λόγου, ὡς καὶ τὸ αἷμα αὐτοῦ σωτηρίᾳ κίρναται. ∆ιττὸν δὲ τὸ αἷμα τοῦ κυρίου· τὸ μέν ἐστιν αὐτοῦ σαρκικόν, ᾧ τῆς φθορᾶς λελυτρώμεθα, τὸ δὲ πνευματικόν, τοῦτ' ἔστιν ᾧ κεχρίσμεθα. Καὶ τοῦτ' ἔστι πιεῖν τὸ αἷμα τοῦ Ἰησοῦ, τῆς κυριακῆς μεταλαβεῖν ἀφθαρσίας· ἰσχὺς δὲ τοῦ λόγου τὸ πνεῦμα, ὡς αἷμα σαρκός. Ἀναλόγως τοίνυν κίρναται ὁ μὲν οἶνος τῷ ὕδατι, τῷ δὲ ἀνθρώπῳ τὸ πνεῦμα, καὶ τὸ μὲν εἰς πίστιν εὐωχεῖ, τὸ κρᾶμα, τὸ δὲ εἰς ἀφθαρσίαν ὁδηγεῖ, τὸ πνεῦμα, ἡ δὲ ἀμφοῖν αὖθις κρᾶσις ποτοῦ τε καὶ λόγου εὐχαριστία κέκληται, χάρις ἐπαινουμένη καὶ καλή, ἧς οἱ κατὰ πίστιν μεταλαμβάνοντες ἁγιάζονται καὶ σῶμα καὶ ψυχήν, τὸ θεῖον κρᾶμα τὸν ἄνθρωπον τοῦ πατρικοῦ βουλήματος πνεύματι καὶ λόγῳ συγκιρνάντος μυστικῶς· καὶ γὰρ ὡς ἀληθῶς μὲν τὸ πνεῦμα ᾠκείωται τῇ ὑπ' αὐτοῦ φερομένῃ ψυχῇ, ἡ δὲ σὰρξ τῷ λόγῳ, δι' ἣν ὁ λόγος γέγονεν σάρξ. Ἄγαμαι τοίνυν τοὺς αὐστηρὸν ἐπανῃρημένους βίον καὶ τῆς σωφροσύνης τὸ φάρμακον ἐπιποθοῦντας τὸ ὕδωρ, φεύγοντας δὲ ὅτι μάλιστα πορρωτάτω τὸν οἶνον οἷον πυρὸς ἀπειλήν. Ἀρέσκει οὖν τοὺς παῖδας καὶ τὰς κόρας ὡς ἐπὶ τὸ πλεῖστον ἀπέχεσθαι τοῦ φαρμάκου τούτου· οὐ γὰρ κατάλληλον ζεούσῃ ἡλικίᾳ τῶν ὑγρῶν τὸ θερμότατον ἐπεγχεῖν, τὸν οἶνον, οἱονεὶ πῦρ ἐποχετεύοντας πυρί, ἐξ οὗ ὁρμαί τε ἄγριαι καὶ φλεγμαίνουσαι ἐπιθυ μίαι καὶ διάπυρον ἦθος ἐκκαίεται, προπετεῖς τε οἱ νέοι ἔνδοθεν χλιαινόμενοι ἐπὶ τὰς ὀρέξεις γίνονται, ὡς δὴ προὖπτον αὐτῶν τὴν βλάβην ἐλέγχεσθαι διὰ τοῦ σώματος, πεπαινομένων θᾶττον ἢ προσῆκεν τῶν τῆς ἐπιθυμίας μελῶν. Ὀργῶσι γοῦν ἀναιδέστερον ἀναζέοντος οἴνου καὶ οἰδοῦσι μαστοί τε καὶ μόρια προκηρύσσοντες ἤδη πορνείας εἰκόνα καὶ τῆς ψυχῆς τὸ τραῦμα φλεγμαίνειν ἀναγκάζει τὸ σῶμα σφυγμοί τε ἀναιδεῖς περιεργίαν διώκουσιν εἰς παρα νομίας ἐκκαλούμενοι τὸν κόσμιον. Ἐνθένδε ἤδη τῆς ἡλικίας τὸ γλεῦκος ὑπερβάλλει τῆς αἰδοῦς τοὺς ὅρους. Χρὴ δέ, ὡς ἔνι μάλιστα, κατασβεννύναι πειρᾶσθαι τὰς ὁρμὰς τῶν νέων, ἀφαιροῦντας μὲν τὸ ὑπέκκαυμα, τὸ τῆς ἀπειλῆς βακχικόν, ἐπεισχέοντας δὲ τὸ ἀντιφάρμακον τῆς ἐκζέσεως, ὃ καὶ τὴν ψυχὴν τυφομένην ἤδη καθέξει καὶ τὰ μόρια ἐφέξει διοιδοῦντα καὶ κατακοιμίσει τὸν ἐρεθισμὸν τῆς ἤδη σαλευομένης ἐπιθυμίας. Οἱ δὲ ἀκμάζοντες μεθ' ἡμέραν μὲν ἀρίστου μεταλαβόντες, οἷς κατάλληλον τὸ ἄριστον, ἄρτου μόνον ἀπογευσάμενοι ἀπεχέσθων πάμπαν τοῦ ποτοῦ πρὸς τὸ ἀναπίνεσθαι τὴν περιττὴν ὑγρότητα αὐτῶν ἀνασφογγιζομένην ξηροφαγίᾳ. Καὶ γὰρ τὸ συνεχὲς πτύειν καὶ ἀπομύσσεσθαι καὶ περὶ τὰς ἐκκρίσεις σπεύδειν ἀκρασίας τεκμήριον ἐκ τῆς ἀμέτρου προσφορᾶς ὑπερχεομένων τῶν ὑγρῶν τῷ σώματι. Εἰ δὲ καὶ ἐπιγίνοιτο δίψα, ἀκείσθων ὕδατι τὸ πάθος οὐ πολλῷ· οὐδὲ γὰρ ὕδατος ἀνέδην ἐμφορεῖσθαι καθήκει, ὡς μὴ ἐκκλύζοιτο ἡ τροφή, καταλεαίνοιτο δὲ εἰς πέψιν καταταττομένων μὲν εἰς τὸν ὄγκον τῶν σιτίων, ὀλίγων δὲ παντάπασιν εἰς τὰς ἐκκρίσεις χωρούν των. Πρέπει δὲ καὶ ἄλλως ταῖς θεϊκαῖς φροντίσιν μὴ οἰνοβαρεῖν· ὁ γὰρ ἄκρατος κατὰ τὸν κωμικὸν ὀλίγα ἀναγκάζει φρονεῖν, μή τι δὲ οὐδὲ σωφρονεῖν. Εἰς δὲ ἑσπέραν τοῦ δείπνου περὶ τὴν ὥραν οἴνῳ χρηστέον, ἐπειδὰν μηκέτι τοῖς ἀναγνώσμασιν σχολάζωμεν τοῖς νηφαλιωτέροις. Τὸ τηνίκα δὲ ψυχρότερον καὶ τὸ περιέχον παρὰ τὸ μεθ' ἡμέραν γίγνεται, ὡς δεῖν ὑποτρέφειν τὴν ἐκλείπουσαν ἔμφυτον ἀλέαν ἐπεισάκτῳ θερμότητι, ὀλίγῳ δὲ τῷ οἴνῳ κἀνταῦθα· οὐ γὰρ μέχρι τῶν ὕβρεως προϊτέον κρατήρων. Τοῖς δὲ ἤδη παρηβηκόσιν ἱλαρώτερον ἐπιτρεπτέον μεταλαμβάνειν τοῦ ποτοῦ, τὸ καταψυχόμενον τῆς ἡλικίας, οἷον μαραινόμενον ὑπὸ χρόνου, ἀναζωπυροῦντας ἀβλαβῶς τῷ τῆς ἀμπέλου φαρμάκῳ· οὐδὲ γὰρ ὡς ἐπὶ πλεῖστον ἐγκυμαίνονται ἔτι τῶν πρεσβυτέρων αἱ ὀρέξεις περὶ τὰ τῆς μέθης ναυάγια· καθωρμισμένοι μὲν οἷον ἀγκύραις τῷ λόγῳ καὶ τῷ χρόνῳ τὴν ζάλην τῶν ἐπιθυμιῶν τὴν καταιγίζουσαν ἐκ μέθης ῥᾷον φέρουσιν, οἷς ἴσως καὶ χαριεντίσασθαί τι ἔξεστι παρὰ τὰς εὐωχίας. Ἀλλὰ καὶ τούτοις ὅρος ἔστω τοῦ ποτοῦ μέχρις οὗ τὸν λογισμὸν ἄσειστον διατηρήσωσιν καὶ τὴν μνήμην ἐνεργὸν καὶ τὸ σῶμα ἀσάλευτον οἴνῳ καὶ ἀκράδαντον· ἀκροθώρακα τοῦτον καλοῦσιν οἱ περὶ ταῦτα δεινοί. Καλὸν οὖν τὸ προκαταλήγειν διὰ τὸν ὄλισθον. Ἀρτώριος δέ τις ἐν τῷ Περὶ μακροβιοτίας, μέμνημαι γάρ, ἐφ' ὅσον βρέξαι τὰ σιτία μόνον οἴεται δεῖν προσάγειν, ἵνα μακροτέραν κτησώμεθα τὴν ζωήν. Ἁρμόδιον τοίνυν τὸν οἶνον τοὺς μὲν ἐν θεραπείας μέρει προσφέρεσθαι διὰ τὴν ὑγείαν μόνην, τοὺς δὲ ἐπ' ἀνέσει καὶ διαχύσει. Οἶνος γὰρ πρῶτον μὲν αὐτὸν αὑτῷ ἵλεω ποιεῖ τὸν πιόντα μᾶλλον ἢ πρότερον καὶ τοῖς συμπόταις μειλίχιον καὶ τοῖς οἰκέταις πραΰτερον καὶ προσηνέστερον τοῖς φίλοις, παροινηθεὶς δὲ ἀμείβεται τὴν ὕβριν· θερμὸς γὰρ ὢν καὶ χυμοὺς ἔχων ἡδεῖς, κεκραμένος ἐμμελῶς τὰ μὲν γλίσχρα τῶν περιττωμάτων διατήκει θερμότητι, τοὺς δὲ δριμεῖς καὶ φαύλους ταῖς εὐωδίαις κεράννυσι χυμούς. Εὖ γοῦν ἐκεῖνο εἴρηται· Ἀγαλλίαμα ψυχῆς καὶ καρδίας οἶνος ἔκτισται ἀπ' ἀρχῆς πινόμενος αὐτάρκης. Κίρνασθαι δὲ ἄριστον ὕδατι ὡς πλείστῳ τὸν οἶνον καὶ μὴ ὡς ὕδωρ ἐπιζητεῖσθαι καὶ ἀπαμβλύνεσθαι πρὸς τὴν μέθην καὶ μὴ ὡς ὕδωρ ἐπεγχεῖσθαι διὰ τὴν φιλοινίαν· ἄμφω μὲν γὰρ τοῦ θεοῦ ποιήματα, καὶ ταύτῃ πρὸς ὑγείαν συνεργεῖ ἡ κρᾶσις ἡ ἀμφοῖν, ὕδατός τε καὶ οἴνου, ὅτι ἐκ τοῦ ἀναγκαίου καὶ τοῦ χρησίμου ὁ βίος συνέστηκεν. Τῷ μὲν οὖν ἀναγκαίῳ τῷ ὕδατι ὡς ὅτι πλείστῳ ἐγκαταμικτέον καὶ τοῦ χρησίμου· οἴνῳ δὲ ἀμέτρῳ ἡ μὲν γλῶττα παραποδίζεται, παρίεται δὲ τὰ χείλη, ὀφθαλμοὶ δὲ παρατρέπονται, οἷον κολυμβώσης τῆς ὄψεως ὑπὸ τοῦ πλήθους τῆς ὑγρότητος, καὶ ψεύδεσθαι βεβιασμένοι κύκλῳ μὲν ἡγοῦνται περιφέρεσθαι τὰ πάντα, ἀριθμεῖν δὲ οὐ δύνανται τὰ πόρρω ὡς ἔστι μόνα· καὶ μὴν ὁρᾶν μοι δύο μὲν ἡλίους δοκῶ, μεθύων ὁ Θηβαῖος ἔλεγεν γέρων· κινουμένη μὲν γὰρ ὑπὸ τῆς τοῦ οἴνου θερμότητος ἡ ὄψις πυκνότερον πολλαπλασίονα τοῦ ἑνὸς φαντάζεται τὴν οὐσίαν· διαφέρει δ' οὐθὲν ἢ τὴν ὄψιν κινεῖν ἢ τὸ ὁρώμενον· ταὐτὸν γὰρ ἐξ ἀμφοῖν ἡ ὄψις πέπονθεν τῆς τοῦ ὑποκειμένου καταλήψεως διὰ τὸν σάλον ἀκριβῶς ἐφικέσθαι μὴ δυναμένη. Καὶ αἱ βάσεις καθάπερ ῥεύματι ὑποφέρονται λυγμοί τε καὶ ἔμετοι καὶ παραφροσύναι ἐπεισεκώμασαν. Πᾶς γὰρ οἰνωθεὶς ἀνὴρ κατὰ τὴν τραγῳδίαν ἥσσων μὲν ὀργῆς ἐστιν, τοῦ δὲ νοῦ κενός, φιλεῖ τε πολλὴν γλῶτταν ἐκχέας μάτην ἄκων ἀκούειν ἅπερ ἑκὼν εἶπεν κακῶς. Καὶ πρό γε τῆς τραγῳδίας ἡ σοφία κέκραγεν· Οἶνος πινόμενος πολὺς ἐν ἐρεθισμῷ καὶ παντὶ πτώματι πληθύνει. ∆ιὸ οἱ μὲν πλεῖστοι ἀνίεσθαί φασιν δεῖν παρὰ τοὺς πότους καὶ τὰ σπουδαῖα εἰς ἕω ὑπερτίθεσθαι. Ἐγὼ δὲ τότε μάλιστα τὸν λόγον συνευωχησόμενον ἀξιῶ παρεισάγειν παιδαγωγήσοντα τὴν οἰνο φλυγίαν, μὴ λάθῃ παραπεσοῦσα εἰς μέθην ἡ εὐωχία· ὡς γὰρ ὀφθαλμοὺς οὐκ ἄν τις εὖ φρονῶν πρὶν ἢ ἐπὶ τὸν ὕπνον ἰέναι ἀξιώσειε μύειν, οὕτως οὐδὲ τὸν λόγον ἀπεῖναι τοῦ συμποσίου ὀρθῶς ἄν τις βουληθείη οὐδὲ προκατακοιμίζειν αὐτὸν τῶν πράξεων ἐπιτηδεύσαι ἂν καλῶς. Ἀλλ' οὐδὲ ἀφίστασθαί ποτε δυνήσεται τῶν οἰκείων ὁ λόγος αὐτῷ, οὐδ' ἂν καθεύδωμεν· καὶ γὰρ ἐπὶ τὸν ὕπνον παρακλητέον. Τελεία γὰρ ἡ σοφία θείων οὖσα καὶ ἀνθρωπίνων πραγμάτων ἐπιστήμη ἐμπεριλαβοῦσα τὰ ὅλα, κατ' ἐκεῖνο, καθ' ὃ ἂν ἐπισκοπῇ τὴν ἀνθρώπων ἀγέλην, τέχνη γίνεται περὶ βίον, καὶ ταύτῃ πάντῃ συμπάρεστιν ἐφ' ὅσον βιοῦμεν, ἀεὶ τὸ ἴδιον ἔργον ἐκτελοῦσα, τὴν εὐζωΐαν. Οἱ δὲ κακοδαίμονες οἱ ἀπελαύνοντες σωφροσύνην εὐωχίας μακαριστὸν ἡγοῦνται βίον τὴν ἀκοσμίαν τὴν περὶ τὰ συμπόσια, ὧν ἐστι τὸ ζῆν οὐδὲν ἀλλ' ἢ κῶμος, κραιπάλη, βαλανεῖα, ἄκρατος, ἀμίδες, ἀργία, πότος. Ὁρᾶν γοῦν ἔστιν αὐτῶν τινας ἡμιμεθεῖς, σφαλλομένους, περὶ τοῖς τραχήλοις ἔχοντας στεφάνους ὥσπερ τοὺς ἀμφορεῖς, διαπυτίζοντας ἀλλήλοις τὸν ἄκρατον φιλοτησίας ὀνόματι, ἄλλους δὲ πλήρεις κραιπάλης, αὐχμῶντας, ὠχριῶντας, τὰ πρόσωπα πελιδνοὺς καὶ ἔτι ἐπὶ τῇ χθιζῇ μέθῃ ἄλλην ἕωθεν αὖθις ἀναντλοῦντας μέθην. Καλόν, ὦ φίλοι, καλὸν καταμαθόντας ὅτι μάλιστα πόρρωθεν τὴν εἰκόνα ταύτην τὴν γελοίαν ἅμα καὶ ἐλεεινὴν σφᾶς αὐτοὺς πρὸς τὸ ἄμεινον σχηματίζειν, ὀρρωδοῦντας μὴ ἄρα πῃ καὶ ἡμεῖς παρα πλήσιον θέαμα ἄλλοις καὶ γέλως γενώμηθα. Ἀστείως ἄρα εἴρηται· Ὡς ἄρα κάμινος μὲν δοκιμάζει στόμωμα ἐν βαφῇ, οἶνος δὲ καρδίαν ὑπερηφάνων ἐν μέθῃ. Μέθη μὲν οὖν ἐστιν ἀκράτου χρῆσις σφοδροτέρα, παροινία δὲ ἡ ἐκ τῆς χρήσεως ἀκοσμία, κραιπάλη δὲ ἡ ἐπὶ τῇ μέθῃ δυσαρέστησις καὶ ἀηδία ἀπὸ τοῦ τὸ κάρα πάλλειν ὠνομασμένη. Τοῦτον τὸν βίον, εἰ βίον καλεῖν χρή, ῥᾴθυμον ὄντα καὶ περὶ τὰς ἡδυπαθείας κεκινημένον καὶ περὶ τὴν οἰνοφλυγίαν ἐπτοημένον ἡ θεία σοφία ὑφορωμένη παραγγέλλει τοῖς αὑτῆς τέκνοις· Μὴ ἴσθι οἰνοπότης μηδὲ ἐκτείνου συμβολαῖς, κρεῶν ἀγορασμοῖς, πᾶς γὰρ μέθυσος καὶ πορνοκόπος πτωχεύσει καὶ ἐνδύσεται διερρηγμένα πᾶς ὑπνώδης. Ὑπνώδης γὰρ πᾶς ὁ μὴ εἰς σοφίαν ἐγρηγορῶν, ἀλλὰ ὑπὸ μέθης βαπτιζόμενος εἰς ὕπνον. Καὶ διερρωγότα, φησίν, ἐνδύσεται ὁ πάροινος, ἐπαισχυνθήσεται τῇ μέθῃ διὰ τοὺς κατοπτεύοντας. Ὀπαὶ γὰρ ἁμαρτωλοῦ τὰ διερρωγότα τοῦ ὕφους τοῦ σαρκικοῦ φιληδονίαις κατατετρημένα, δι' ὧν ἡ αἰσχύνη ἔνδοθεν τῆς ψυχῆς ἐπιθεωρεῖται, ἡ ἁμαρτία, δι' ἣν οὐδὲ σωθήσεται ῥᾳδίως τὸ ὕφος τὸ ἀπεσπασμένον πάντοθεν εἰς πολλὰς κατασηπόμενον ἐπιθυμίας, τὸ ἀπεσχισμένον τῆς σωτηρίας. Ταύτῃ νουθετικώτατα ἐπιφέρει· Τίνι οὐαί; Τίνι θόρυβος; Τίνι κρίσις; Τίνι ἀηδεῖς λέσχαι; Τίνι συντρίμματα διακενῆς; Ὁρᾶτε ὅλον διερρωγότα τὸν φίλοινον, ὃς παρορᾷ μὲν τὸν λόγον αὐτόν, ἔκδοτον δὲ αὑτὸν συνεχώρησεν τῇ μέθῃ, ὅσα τούτῳ ἠπείλησεν ἡ γραφή· καὶ πάλιν ἐπιφέρει τῇ ἀπειλῇ· Τίνος πελιδνοὶ οἱ ὀφθαλμοί; Οὐ τῶν ἐγχρονιζόντων ἐν οἴνοις; Οὐ τῶν ἰχνευόντων ποῦ πότοι γίνονται; Ἐνταῦθα μὲν καὶ νεκρὸν ἤδη τῷ λόγῳ τὸν φιλοπότην ἀποφαίνεται, διὰ τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν τῶν πελιδνῶν, ὃ τοῖς νεκροῖς σημεῖον ἐπιφαίνεται, τὸν ἐν κυρίῳ θάνατον αὐτῷ καταγγείλασα· ἡ γὰρ ἀμνηστία τῶν εἰς τὴν ἀληθῆ συντεινόντων ζωὴν ἐπὶ τὴν φθορὰν ῥέπει. Εἰκότως οὖν στερρότατα ὁ παιδαγωγὸς ἀπαγορεύει τῆς ἡμετέρας κηδόμενος σωτηρίας· Μὴ πίνετε οἶνον ἐπὶ μέθῃ. ∆ιὰ τί, πεύσῃ; Ὅτι, φησί, τὸ στόμα σου τότε λαλήσει σκολιά, κατακείσῃ δὲ ὥσπερ ἐν καρδίᾳ θαλάσσης καὶ ὥσπερ κυβερνήτης ἐν πολλῷ κλύδωνι. Ἐντεῦθεν καὶ ἡ ποιητικὴ ὠφελημένη λέγει· οἶνός τε, ὃς πυρὶ ἶσον ἔχει μένος, εὖτ' ἂν ἐς ἄνδρας ἔλθῃ, κυμαίνει δ' οἷα Λίβυσσαν ἅλα βορέης ἠὲ νότος, τὰ δὲ κεκρυμμένα πάντα φαίνει, ἁμαρτοεπής· οἶνος μεθύουσιν ὄλισθος, οἶνος ψυχαπάτης καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς. Ὁρᾶτε τοῦ ναυαγίου τὸν κίνδυνον; Περικλύζεται μὲν ἡ καρδία πολυποσίᾳ, τὸ δὲ πλῆθος τῆς οἰνοφλυγίας θαλάττης εἴκασεν ἀπειλῇ, ἐν ᾗ βεβυθισμένον τὸ σῶμα ὥσπερ ναῦς δέδυκεν εἰς βυθὸν ἀκοσμίας ταῖς τοῦ οἴνου τρικυμίαις ἐπικεχωσμένον, ὁ δὲ κυβερνήτης, ὁ νοῦς ὁ ἀνθρώπινος, περιφέρεται τῷ κλύδωνι ὑπερεχούσης τῆς μέθης, ἐνθαλαττεύων τε ἰλιγγιᾷ τῷ ζόφῳ τῆς καταιγίδος, τοῦ τῆς ἀληθείας ἀστοχήσας λιμένος, ἕως ἂν περιπεσὼν ὑφάλοις πέτραις αὐτὸς αὑτὸν ἐξοκείλας εἰς ἡδονὰς διαφθείρῃ. Εἰκότως οὖν καὶ ὁ ἀπόστολος παραγγέλλει· Μὴ μεθύσκεσθε ἐν οἴνῳ, ᾧ ἐστιν ἀσωτία πολλή, τὸ ἄσωστον τῆς μέθης διὰ τῆς ἀσωτίας αἰνιξάμενος. Εἰ γὰρ καὶ τὸ ὕδωρ οἶνον ἐν τοῖς γάμοις πεποίηκεν, οὐκ ἐπέτρεψεν μεθύειν, τὸ δὲ ὑδαρὲς τοῦ φρονήματος ἐζωοποίησεν, τοῦ νόμου τὸν ἐργάτην ἐξ Ἀδάμ, τὸν κόσμον ὅλον αἵματι πληρώσας ἀμπέλου, ποτὸν ἀληθείας, τὸ κρᾶμα τοῦ νόμου τοῦ παλαιοῦ καὶ τοῦ λόγου τοῦ νέου, εἰς συμπλήρωσιν τοῦ χρόνου τοῦ προκατηγγελμένου θεοσεβείᾳ παρασχών. Μυστικὸν ἄρα σύμβολον ἡ γραφὴ αἵματος ἁγίου οἶνον ὠνόμασεν, τὴν δὲ ἐκ τοῦ οἴνου ἑωλοκρασίαν διελέγχουσα ἀκόλαστον οἶνος φησὶν καὶ ὑβριστικὸν μέθη. Ἀρέσκει τοίνυν τῷ λόγῳ τῷ ὀρθῷ χειμῶνος μὲν διὰ τὸ κρύος πίνειν μέχρι τοῦ μὴ ῥιγοῦν, οἷς εὐχερὲς τὸ ῥιγοῦν, τοῦ δὲ ἄλλου καιροῦ διὰ τὴν τῶν ἐντοσθιδίων θεραπείαν. Ὡς γὰρ τροφαῖς ἐπὶ τὸ μὴ πεινῆν, οὕτως καὶ ποτῷ ἐπὶ τὸ μὴ διψῆν χρηστέον, παραφυλάττοντας τὸν ὄλισθον ἀκριβῶς· ἀκροσφαλὴς γὰρ ἡ τοῦ οἴνου παρείσδυσις. Οὕτω δ' ἂν καὶ ἡ ψυχὴ ἡμῶν ὑπάρξαι καθαρὰ καὶ ξηρὰ καὶ φωτοειδής, αὐγὴ δὲ ψυχὴ ξηρὰ σοφωτάτη καὶ ἀρίστη. Ταύτῃ δὲ καὶ ἐποπτική, οὐδέ ἐστιν κάθυγρος ταῖς ἐκ τοῦ οἴνου ἀναθυμιάσεσιν νεφέλης δίκην σωματοποιουμένη. Οὐ πολυπραγμονητέον τοίνυν τὸν οἶνον τὸν Χῖον, ἂν ἀπῇ, οὐδὲ τὸν Ἀριούσιον, ὅταν μὴ παρῇ. ∆ίψα γὰρ ἐνδείας τινός ἐστι πάθος καὶ τὸ κατάλληλον ἐπιζητεῖ βοήθημα πρὸς ἀναπλήρωσιν, οὐ τετυφωμένον ποτόν. Πλαδώσης δὲ ὀρέξεως δι' ἀκρασίαν αἱ διαπόντιοι οἰνηγίαι, παραφρονούσης καὶ πρὸ τῆς μέθης περὶ τὰς ἐπιθυμίας τῆς ψυχῆς. Θάσιός τε γὰρ ὁ εὐώδης καὶ ὁ εὔπνους Λέσβιος καὶ Κρής τις γλυκὺς καὶ Συρακούσσιος ἡδὺς καὶ Μενδήσιός τις Αἰγύπτιος καὶ ὁ νησιώτης Νάξιος καὶ ἀνθοσμίας τις ἄλλος τῆς Ἰταλῶν γῆς, πολλὰ ταῦτα ὀνόματα· σώφρονι συμπότῃ οἶνος εἷς, ἑνὸς γεώργιον θεοῦ. Τί γὰρ οὐκ ἀπόχρη ὁ ἐπιχώριος ἀποπληρῶσαι τὴν ἐπιθυμίαν; Εἰ μή τι καὶ τὸ ὕδωρ ἐποίσονται, ὡς οἱ βασιλεῖς οἱ ἀνόητοι Χόασπις ποταμὸς οὕτω λεγόμενος τῆς Ἰνδικῆς, οὗ κάλλιστον ὕδωρ εἰς πόσιν τὸ Χοάσπειον, καθάπερ καὶ τοὺς φίλους, οὕτω δὲ καὶ τὸ ὕδωρ ἐπαγόμενοι. Ταλανίζει τοὺς πλουσίους εἰς τρυφὴν κἀνταῦθα τὸ ἅγιον πνεῦμα διὰ τοῦ Ἀμὼς ἐκφωνῆσαν· Οἱ πίνοντες τὸν διυλισμένον οἶνον καὶ ἐπὶ κλίνης ἐλεφαντίνης, φησί, κατακείμενοι, καὶ ὅσα τούτοις ἀκόλουθα ἐν ὀνείδους ἐπήγαγεν μέρει. Προνοητέον δὲ μάλιστα τῆς εὐσχημοσύνης–καὶ τὴν Ἀθηνᾶν φησιν ὁ μῦθος, ἥτις ποτὲ ἦν, προμηθουμένην αὑτῆς τῶν αὐλῶν ἀπορρῖψαι τὸ ἐπιτερπὲς διὰ τὸ ἀπρεπὲς τῆς ὄψεως–, ὡς ἀδιαστρόφῳ τῷ προσώπῳ πιεῖν, μὴ ἄδην σπάσαντας μηδὲ πρὸ πόσεως τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς ἀσχημονεῖν ἀναγκάζοντας, ἀμυστὶ ἕλκοντας ὑπὸ ἀκρασίας, μηδὲ περιχεῖν τὸ γένειον ἢ τὴν ἐσθῆτα καταβρέχειν, ἀθρόου τοῦ ποτοῦ ἐπεισχεομένου, μονονουχὶ ἐμπλύνοντας ἐναποκλυζόμενον ταῖς φιάλαις τὸ πρόσωπον τὸ αὑτῶν. Καὶ γὰρ ὁ κελαρυσμὸς ῥαγδαίου τοῦ ποτοῦ φερομένου σὺν πολλῷ τῷ πνεύματι ἐπισπωμένῳ, ὥσπερ εἰς κεραμεοῦν ἄγγος ἐγχεομένου, ἠχοῦντος τοῦ λαιμοῦ διὰ τὸν ῥοώδη καταβροχθισμόν, αἰσχρόν, καὶ ἀπρεπὲς τὸ θέαμα τῆς ἀκρασίας, πρὸς δὲ καὶ ἐπιβλαβὲς τὸ ἐπιτήδευμα τῷ μεταλαμβάνοντι, ἡ φιλοποσία. Μὴ σπεύσῃς εἰς βλάβην, ὦ οὗτος. Οὐχ ἁρπάζεταί σου τὸ ποτόν· σοὶ δέδοται καὶ ἀναμένει σε. Μὴ διαρραγῆναι σπουδάσῃς, χανδὸν ἑλκύσας· πίμπλαταί σου ἡ δίψα, κἂν βράδιον πίῃς, τὸ κόσμιον προσλαβοῦσα, κοσμίως καταμεριζομένου τοῦ ποτοῦ· οὐ γὰρ ἀφαιρεῖται τῷ χρόνῳ ὃ προαρπάζει ἡ ἀκρασία. Ἐν οἴνῳ δέ, φησί, μὴ ἀνδρίζου, πολλοὺς γὰρ ἠχρείωσεν ὁ οἶνος. Μέθῃ δὲ μάλιστα οἱ Σκύθαι χρῶνται Κελτοί τε καὶ Ἴβηρες καὶ Θρᾷκες, πολεμικὰ ξύμπαντα ὄντα ταῦτα γένη, καὶ καλὸν καὶ εὔδαιμον ἐπιτήδευμα ἐπιτηδεύειν νενομίκασιν· ἡμεῖς δὲ τὸ εἰρηνικὸν γένος εἰς ἀπόλαυσιν, οὐκ εἰς ὕβριν ἑστιώμενοι νηφαλίους πίνομεν φιλοτησίας, ἵνα δὴ τῷ ὄντι οἰκείως τῷ ὀνόματι δειχθῶσιν φιλότητες. Πῶς οἵεσθε πεπωκέναι τὸν κύριον, ὁπηνίκα δι' ἡμᾶς ἄνθρωπος ἐγένετο; οὕτως ἀναισχύντως ὡς ἡμεῖς; οὐχὶ ἀστείως; οὐχὶ κοσμίως; οὐκ ἐπιλελογισμένως; Εὖ γὰρ ἴστε, μετέλαβεν οἴνου καὶ αὐτός· καὶ γὰρ ἄνθρωπος καὶ αὐτός· καὶ εὐλόγησέν γε τὸν οἶνον, εἰπών· Λάβετε, πίετε· τοῦτό μού ἐστιν τὸ αἷμα· αἷμα τῆς ἀμπέλου τὸν λόγον τὸν περὶ πολλῶν ἐκχεόμενον εἰς ἄφεσιν ἁμαρτιῶν, εὐφροσύνης ἅγιον ἀλλη γορεῖ νᾶμα. Καὶ ὅτι μὲν σωφρονεῖν τὸν πίνοντα δεῖ, δι' ὧν ἐδίδασκεν παρὰ τὰς εὐωχίας ἔδειξεν σαφῶς· οὐ γὰρ μεθύων ἐδίδασκεν. Ὅτι δὲ οἶνος ἦν τὸ εὐλογηθέν, ἀπέδειξε πάλιν πρὸς τοὺς μαθητὰς λέγων· Οὐ μὴ πίω ἐκ τοῦ γενήματος τῆς ἀμπέλου ταύτης, μέχρις ἂν πίω αὐτὸ μεθ' ὑμῶν ἐν τῇ βασιλείᾳ τοῦ πατρός μου. Ἀλλ' ὅτι γε οἶνος ἦν τὸ πινόμενον πρὸς τοῦ κυρίου, πάλιν αὐτὸς περὶ ἑαυτοῦ λέγει τὴν Ἰουδαίων ἐπονειδίζων σκληροκαρδίαν· Ἦλθεν γάρ, φησίν, ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου, καὶ λέγουσιν· ἰδοὺ ἄνθρωπος φάγος καὶ οἰνοπό της, τελωνῶν φίλος. Τουτὶ μὲν ἡμῖν καὶ πρὸς τοὺς Ἐγκρατητὰς καλουμένους παραπεπήχθω. Αἱ δὲ γυναῖκες, τὸ εὔσχημον ἐπαναιρούμεναι δῆθεν, ὡς μὴ ταῖς πλατείαις κύλιξιν διαχέουσαι τὰ χείλη περιρραγεῖς γένωνται πλατυνομένου τοῦ στόματος, στεναῖς κομιδῇ κατὰ τὸ στόμιον ἀλαβάστροις ἀσχημόνως πίνουσαι ἀνακλῶσι μὲν τὰς κεφαλάς, γυμνοῦσι δὲ τοὺς τραχήλους, οὐ κοσμίως, ἐμοὶ δοκεῖν, καὶ τὸν λάρυγγα διατείνουσαι περὶ τὴν κατάποσιν βροχθίζουσιν, οἷον ἀπογυμνούμεναι τοῖς συμπόταις ἃ δύνανται, ἐρυγάς τε ἀνδρώδεις ἐπισπώμεναι, μᾶλλον δὲ ἀνδραποδώδεις, προσεπιθρύπτονται σπαταλῶσαι· οὐδεὶς γὰρ ψόφος οἰκεῖος ἀνδρὶ λογικῷ, ἔτι δὲ μᾶλλον γυναικί, ᾗ καὶ τὸ συνειδέναι αὐτὴν ἑαυτῇ, ἥτις εἴη, μόνον αἰσχύνην φέρει. Ὀργὴ δέ, φησίν, μεγάλη γυνὴ μέθυσος, οἱονεὶ χόλος θεοῦ οἰνομάχλη γυνή. ∆ιὰ τί; Ὅτι ἀσχημοσύνην αὐτῆς οὐ συγκαλύπτει. Ταχὺ γὰρ εἰς ἀταξίαν ὑποσύρεται γυνή, κἂν μόνον ἐπιδῷ τὴν προαίρεσιν εἰς ἡδονάς. Καὶ οὐχὶ ἀλαβάστροις πίνειν κεκωλύκαμεν· ἀλλὰ τὸ ἐπιτηδεύειν ἐν τούτοις μόνον πίνειν ὡς ἀλαζονικὸν περικόπτομεν, τοῖς παρατυχοῦσιν ἀπροσπαθῶς χρῆσθαι συμβουλεύοντες, πόρρωθεν ἄνωθεν ὀλισθανούσας ἀνακόπτοντες αὐταῖς τὰς ὀρέξεις. Ἡ δ' οὖν πρὸς ἐρυγὴν ἀναπλωτάζουσα τοῦ ἀέρος ἔφελξις ἡσυχῇ παραπεμπτέα. Κατ' οὐδένα δὲ τρόπον ταῖς γυναιξὶν ἐπιτρεπτέον παραγυμνούσας τι τοῦ σώματος καταφαίνεσθαι, μὴ σφαλεῖεν ἄμφω, οἳ μὲν ἐρεθιζόμενοι κατασκοπεῖν, αἳ δὲ τῶν ἀνδρῶν ἐφ' ἑαυτὰς ἐπισπώμεναι τὰς ὄψεις. Ἀεὶ δὲ ὡς παρόντος τοῦ κυρίου κοσμίως ἀναστρεπτέον ἡμῖν, μή πῃ ἄρα καὶ ἡμῖν ὡς Κορινθίοις ὁ ἀπόστολος χαλεπήνας εἴπῃ· Συνερχομένων ὑμῶν οὐκ ἔστι κυριακὸν δεῖπνον φαγεῖν. Ἐμοὶ δοκεῖ ὁ ἀκέφαλος πρὸς τῶν μαθηματικῶν καλούμενος ὁ πρὸ τοῦ ἀστέρος τοῦ † πλανωμένου καταριθμούμενος συνιζηκυίας τῆς κεφαλῆς εἰς τὸ στῆθος τοὺς ὀψοφάγους καὶ ἡδονικοὺς καὶ τοὺς ἑτοίμους εἰς μέθην αἰνίττεσθαι. Καὶ γὰρ οὖν κἀν τούτοις τὸ λογιστικὸν ἵδρυται οὐκ ἐν τῇ κεφαλῇ, ἀλλ' ἐν τοῖς ἐντοσθιδίοις, πάθεσιν ἐπιθυμίᾳ τε καὶ θυμῷ δεδουλωμένον. Ὥστε ὅτῳ τρόπῳ Ἐλπήνωρ ἀστραγάλων ἐάγη καταπεσὼν ὑπὸ μέθης, οὕτω τούτων ὁ ἐγκέφαλος ἄνωθεν ἰλιγγιάσας ὑπὸ μέθης ἐπὶ τὸ ἧπαρ καὶ τὴν καρδίαν, τουτέστιν ἐπὶ τὴν φιληδονίαν καὶ τὸν θυμόν, καταπίπτει πτῶμα μεῖζον ἤ φασι ποιητῶν παῖδες πρὸς τοῦ ∆ιὸς τὸν Ἥφαιστον οὐρανόθεν ἐρρίφθαι χαμαί. Πόνος δὲ ἀγρυπνίας, φησί, καὶ χολέρα καὶ στρόφος μετὰ ἀνδρὸς ἀπλήστου. ∆ιὰ τοῦτό τοι καὶ ἡ τοῦ Νῶε παροινία ἀνάγραπτος γεγένηται, ἵνα ὡς ὅτι μάλιστα τὴν μέθην φυλαττώμεθα, ἐμφανῆ καὶ ἔγγραπτον τὴν εἰκόνα τοῦ παραπτώματος ἔχοντες, δι' ἣν οἱ σκεπάσαντες τὴν ἀσχημοσύνην τῆς μέθης εὐλο γοῦνται παρὰ κυρίῳ. Συντομώτατα τοίνυν ἐμπεριλαβοῦσα ἡ γραφὴ ἅπαντα ἐν ἑνὶ λόγῳ εἴρηκεν· Τὸ ἱκανὸν ἀνθρώπῳ πεπαιδευμένῳ οἶνος, καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς κοίτης αὐτοῦ ἀναπαύσεται.