Chapter VII.—Directions for Those Who Live Together.

Let us keep away from us jibing, the originator of insult, from which strifes and contentions and enmities burst forth. Insult, we have said, is the servant of drunkenness. A man is judged, not from his deeds alone, but from his words. “In a banquet,” it is said, “reprove not thy neighbour, nor say to him a word of reproach.”402    Ecclus. xxxi. 31. For if we are enjoined especially to associate with saints, it is a sin to jibe at a saint: “For from the mouth of the foolish,” says the Scripture, “is a staff of insult,”403    Prov. xiv. 3.—meaning by staff the prop of insult, on which insult leans and rests. Whence I admire the apostle, who, in reference to this, exhorts us not to utter “scurrilous nor unsuitable words.”404    Eph. v. 4. For if the assemblies at festivals take place on account of affection, and the end of a banquet is friendliness towards those who meet, and meat and drink accompany affection, how should not conversation be conducted in a rational manner, and puzzling people with questions be avoided from affection? For if we meet together for the purpose of increasing our good-will to each other, why should we stir up enmity by jibing? It is better to be silent than to contradict, and thereby add sin to ignorance. “Blessed,” in truth, “is the man who has not made a slip with his mouth, and has not been pierced by the pain of sin;”405    Ecclus. xiv. 1. or has repented of what he has said amiss, or has spoken so as to wound no one. On the whole, let young men and young women altogether keep away from such festivals, that they may not make a slip in respect to what is unsuitable. For things to which their ears are unaccustomed, and unseemly sights, inflame the mind, while faith within them is still wavering; and the instability of their age conspires to make them easily carried away by lust. Sometimes also they are the cause of others stumbling, by displaying the dangerous charms of their time of life. For Wisdom appears to enjoin well: “Sit not at all with a married woman, and recline not on the elbow with her;”406    Ecclus. ix. 9. [i.e., reclining at the table.] that is, do not sup nor eat with her frequently. Wherefore he adds, “And do not join company with her in wine, lest thy heart incline to her, and by thy blood slide to ruin.”407    Ecclus. ix. 9. For the licence of intoxication is dangerous, and prone to deflower. And he names “a married woman,” because the danger is greater to him who attempts to break the connubial bond.

But if any necessity arises, commanding the presence of married women, let them be well clothed—without by raiment, within by modesty. But as for such as are unmarried, it is the extremest scandal for them to be present at a banquet of men, especially men under the influence of wine. And let the men, fixing their eyes on the couch, and leaning without moving on their elbows, be present with their ears alone; and if they sit, let them not have their feet crossed, nor place one thigh on another, nor apply the hand to the chin. For it is vulgar not to bear one’s self without support, and consequently a fault in a young man. And perpetually moving and changing one’s position is a sign of frivolousness. It is the part of a temperate man also, in eating and drinking, to take a small portion, and deliberately, not eagerly, both at the beginning and during the courses, and to leave off betimes, and so show his indifference. “Eat,” it is said, “like a man what is set before you. Be the first to stop for the sake of regimen; and, if seated in the midst of several people, do not stretch out your hand before them.”408    Ecclus. xxxi. 16–18. You must never rush forward under the influence of gluttony; nor must you, though desirous, reach out your hand till some time, inasmuch as by greed one shows an uncontrolled appetite. Nor are you, in the midst of the repast, to exhibit yourselves hugging your food like wild beasts; nor helping yourselves to too much sauce, for man is not by nature a sauce-consumer, but a bread-eater. A temperate man, too, must rise before the general company, and retire quietly from the banquet. “For at the time for rising,” it is said, “be not the last; haste home.”409    Ecclus. xxxii. 11. The twelve, having called together the multitude of the disciples, said, “It is not meet for us to leave the word of God and serve tables.”410    Acts. vi. 2. If they avoided this, much more did they shun gluttony. And the apostles themselves, writing to the brethren at Antioch, and in Syria and Cilicia, said: “It seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no other burden than these necessary things, to abstain from things offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication, from which, if you keep yourselves, ye shall do well.”411    Acts xv. 23, 28, 29. But we must guard against drunkenness as against hemlock; for both drag down to death. We must also check excessive laughter and immoderate tears. For often people under the influence of wine, after laughing immoderately, then are, I know not how, by some impulse of intoxication moved to tears; for both effiminacy and violence are discordant with the word. And elderly people, looking on the young as children, may, though but very rarely, be playful with them, joking with them to train them in good behaviour. For example, before a bashful and silent youth, one might by way of pleasantry speak thus: “This son of mine (I mean one who is silent) is perpetually talking.” For a joke such as this enhances the youth’s modesty, by showing the good qualities that belong to him playfully, by censure of the bad quantities, which do not. For this device is instructive, confirming as it does what is present by what is not present. Such, certainly, is the intention of him who says that a water-drinker and a sober man gets intoxicated and drunk. But if there are those who like to jest at people, we must be silent, and dispense with superfluous words like full cups. For such sport is dangerous. “The mouth of the impetuous approaches to contrition.”412    Prov. x. 14. “Thou shalt not receive a foolish report, nor shalt thou agree with an unjust person to be an unjust witness,”413    Prov. xxiv. 28; Ex. xxiii. 1. neither in calumnies nor in injurious speeches, much less evil practices. I also should think it right to impose a limit on the speech of rightly regulated persons, who are impelled to speak to one who maintains a conversation with them. “For silence is the excellence of women, and the safe prize of the young; but good speech is characteristic of experienced, mature age. Speak, old man, at a banquet, for it is becoming to you. But speak without embarrassment, and with accuracy of knowledge. Youth, Wisdom also commands thee. Speak, if you must, with hesitation, on being twice asked; sum up your discourse in a few words.”414    Ecclus. xxxii. 3, 4, 8. But let both speakers regulate their discourse according to just proportion. For loudness of utterance is most insane; while an inaudible utterance is characteristic of a senseless man, for people will not hear: the one is the mark of pusillanimity, the other of arrogance. Let contentiousness in words, for the sake of a useless triumph, be banished; for our aim is to be free from perturbation. Such is the meaning of the phrase,415    [A primitive form of Christian salutation, borrowed from the great Example. John xx. 19.] “Peace to thee.” Answer not a word before you hear. An enervated voice is the sign of effeminacy. But modulation in the voice is characteristic of a wise man, who keeps his utterance from loudness, from drawling, from rapidity, from prolixity. For we ought not to speak long or much, nor ought we to speak frivolously. Nor must we converse rapidly and rashly. For the voice itself, so to speak, ought to receive its just dues; and those who are vociferous and clamorous ought to be silenced. For this reason, the wise Ulysses chastised Thersites with stripes:—

“For dreadful in his destruction is a loquacious man.”417    Ecclus. ix. 18. And it is with triflers as with old shoes: all the rest is worn away by evil; the tongue only is left for destruction. Wherefore Wisdom gives these most useful exhortations: “Do not talk trifles in the multitude of the elders.” Further, eradicating frivolousness, beginning with God, it lays down the law for our regulation somewhat thus: “Do not repeat your words in your prayer.”418    Ecclus. ix. 15. Chirruping and whistling, and sounds made through the fingers, by which domestics are called, being irrational signs, are to be given up by rational men. Frequent spitting, too, and violent clearing of the throat, and wiping one’s nose at an entertainment, are to be shunned. For respect is assuredly to be had to the guests, lest they turn in disgust from such filthiness, which argues want of restraint. For we are not to copy oxen and asses, whose manger and dunghill are together. For many wipe their noses and spit even whilst supping.

If any one is attacked with sneezing, just as in the case of hiccup, he must not startle those near him with the explosion, and so give proof of his bad breeding; but the hiccup is to be quietly transmitted with the expiration of the breath, the mouth being composed becomingly, and not gaping and yawning like the tragic masks. So the disturbance of hiccup may be avoided by making the respirations gently; for thus the threatening symptoms of the ball of wind will be dissipated in the most seemly way, by managing its egress so as also to conceal anything which the air forcibly expelled may bring up with it. To wish to add to the noises, instead of diminishing them, is the sign of arrogance and disorderliness. Those, too, who scrape their teeth, bleeding the wounds, are disagreeable to themselves and detestable to their neighbours. Scratching the ears and the irritation of sneezing are swinish itchings, and attend unbridled fornication. Both shameful sights and shameful conversation about them are to be shunned. Let the look be steady, and the turning and movement of the neck, and the motions of the hands in conversation, be decorous. In a word, the Christian is characterized by composure, tranquillity, calmness, and peace.419    [“Against such there is no law.” Emollit Mores, etc.]

Τίνα χρὴ παραφυλάττεσθαι τοὺς ἀστείως συμβιοῦντας. Ἀπέστω δέ, ἀπέστω ἡμῶν καὶ τὸ σκώπτειν ὕβρεως προκατάρχον, ἐξ ὧν ἔριδες καὶ μάχαι καὶ ἔχθραι διοιδαίνουσιν. Ὕβριν δὲ ἔφαμεν μέθης εἶναι διάκονον. Οὐκ ἐκ μόνων δὲ τῶν ἔργων, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐκ λόγων ἄνθρωπος κρίνεται. Ἐν συμποσίῳ δέ, φησί, μὴ ἐλέγξῃς τὸν πλησίον καὶ λόγον ὀνειδισμοῦ μὴ εἴπῃς αὐτῷ. Εἰ γὰρ καὶ τὰ μάλιστα παραγγέλλεται ἁγίοις συνεῖναι, σκώπτειν τὸν ἅγιον ἁμαρτία· ἐκ στόματος γὰρ ἀφρόνων, φησὶν ἡ γραφή, βακτηρία ὕβρεως, ἐπιβάθραν ὕβρεως βακτηρίαν λέγουσα, ᾗ ἐπερείδεται καὶ ἐπαναπαύεται ἡ ὕβρις. Ὅθεν ἄγαμαι τὸν ἀπόστολον κἀνταῦθα παραινοῦντα μηδὲ τὰ εὐτράπελα μηδὲ τὰ μὴ ἀνήκοντα προΐεσθαι ἡμᾶς ῥήματα. Εἰ γὰρ δι' ἀγάπην αἱ ἐπὶ τὰς ἑστιάσεις συνελεύσεις, συμποσίου δὲ τὸ τέλος ἡ πρὸς τοὺς συνόντας φιλοφροσύνη, παρεπόμενα δὲ τῇ ἀγάπῃ ἡ βρῶσις καὶ ἡ πόσις, πῶς οὐ λογικῶς ἀνα στρεπτέον; οὐδὲ διὰ τὴν ἀγάπην ἀπορητέον. Εἰ γὰρ ὡς ἐπιτείνοντες τὴν πρὸς ἀλλήλους εὔνοιαν σύνιμεν, πῶς ἔχθρας διὰ τοῦ σκώπτειν σκαλεύομεν; Σιωπᾶν δὲ κρεῖττον ἢ ἀντιλέγειν ἁμαρτίαν ἀμαθίᾳ προσφερομένους. Μακάριος ὡς ἀληθῶς ἀνήρ, ὃς οὐκ ὠλίσθησεν ἐν στόματι αὐτοῦ καὶ οὐ κατενύγη ἐν λύπῃ ἁμαρτίας, ἤτοι μετανοήσας ἐφ' οἷς λαλήσας ἥμαρτεν ἢ ἐν τῷ μηδένα λυπῆσαι λαλήσας. Καθόλου μὲν οὖν νέοι μὲν καὶ νεάνιδες ὡς ἐπίπαν τῶν τοιῶνδε ἀπεχέσθων εὐωχιῶν, ὡς μὴ σφάλλοιντο περὶ ἃ μὴ προσῆκεν· καὶ γὰρ ἀκούσματα ἀήθη καὶ θεάματα ἀπρεπῆ κυμαινομένης ἔτι ἐν αὐτοῖς τῆς πίστεως ἐκριπίζει τὴν διάνοιαν, συνεργεῖ δὲ αὐτοῖς τὸ ἄστατον τῆς ἡλικίας πρὸς τὸ εὐκατάφορον τῆς ἐπιθυμίας· ἔσθ' ὅτε δὲ καὶ ἄλλοις παραίτιοι γίνονται σφαλμάτων, τὸ ἐπικίνδυνον τῆς ὥρας ἐπιδεικνύμενοι. Εὖ γάρ τοι παραγγέλλειν ἡ σοφία φαίνεται· Μετὰ ὑπάνδρου γυναικὸς μὴ κάθου τὸ σύνολον καὶ μὴ συμμετακλιθῇς ἐπ' ἀγκῶνα μετ' αὐτῆς. Τοῦτ' ἔστι μὴ συνδείπνει πυκνότερον, μηδὲ ἔσθιε μετ' αὐτῆς. ∆ιὸ καὶ ἐπιφέρει· Μηδὲ συμβολὰς ποίει μετ' αὐτῆς ἐν οἴνῳ, μή ποτε ἐκκλίνῃ ἡ καρδία σου ἐπ' αὐτήν, καὶ τῷ αἵματί σου ὀλισθήσῃ εἰς ἀπώλειαν· σφαλερὰ γὰρ ἡ πάροινος ἐλευθερία παρανοεῖν δυναμένη· ὕπανδρον δὲ ὠνόμασεν, ἐπεὶ μείζων ὁ κίνδυνος τῷ λῦσαι τὴν δέσιν τῆς συμβιώσεως πειρωμένῳ. Εἰ δὲ καὶ ἀνάγκη τις περιτύχοι παριέναι κελεύουσα, αἳ μὲν κεκαλύφθων ἅπαν ἀμπεχόνῃ ἔκτοσθεν, ἔνδοθεν δὲ αἰδοῖ· ὅσαι δὲ μὴ ὕπανδροι, ἐσχάτη ταύταις διαβολὴ εἰς ἀνδρῶν παρεῖναι συμπόσιον καὶ ταῦτα οἰνωμένων. Οἳ δὲ νέοι ἐπὶ τὴν κλισίαν τὰς ὄψεις πήξαντες ἀμετασάλευτοι τοῖς ἀγκῶσιν ἐρηρεισμένοι μόνοις παρέστων τοῖς ὠσίν· εἰ δὲ καὶ καθέζοιντο, μὴ ἐναλλὰξ τὼ πόδε ἐχόντων μηδὲ μὴν θάτερον τοῖν μηροῖν θατέρῳ ἐπιφερόντων ἢ τὴν χεῖρα τῷ γενείῳ ὑπερειδόντων· ἀγεννὲς γὰρ μὴ φέρειν αὑτόν, καὶ τοῦτο κατηγόρημα τοῦ νέου. Συνεχὲς δὲ καὶ τὸ μετακινούμενον ἐναλλάττειν τὸ σχῆμα, κουφότητος σύμβολον. Σώφρονος δὲ εὐθέως ἐν πόσει καὶ ἐν βρώσει τὸ ἔλαττον αἱρεῖσθαι καὶ τὸ σχολαίτερον, οὐ τὸ προπετέστερον, κἀν τῷ κατάρχεσθαι κἀν τοῖς διαλείμμασι, καὶ τὸ προκαταλήγειν δὲ καὶ τὸ ἀπροσπαθές. Φάγε, φησίν, ὡς ἄνθρωπος τὰ παρακείμενα, παῦσαι πρῶτος χάριν παιδείας, καὶ εἰ ἀνὰ μέσον πλειόνων ἐκάθισας, πρότερος αὐτῶν μὴ ἐκτείνῃς χεῖρα. Οὔκουν προεκπηδητέον ὑπὸ λαιμαργίας ἀναπειθομένους ποτὲ οὐδὲ μὴν ἐπιγλιχομένους παρεκτείνειν μέχρι πολλοῦ χρή, τῇ ἐφυστερήσει τὴν ἀκρασίαν ὁμολογοῦντας, ἀλλ' οὐδὲ ἐν τῷ μεταξὺ προσκειμένους φαίνεσθαι καθάπερ τὰ θηρία τῇ βορᾷ οὐδὲ μὴν πλείονος ὄψου προσφέρεσθαι· οὐ γὰρ ὀψοφάγος φύσει, ἀλλὰ σιτοφάγος ἄνθρωπος. Προανίστασθαι δὲ τῶν πολλῶν καὶ τοῦ συμποσίου ὑπεξιέναι ἐπιεικῶς ἀνδρὸς σώφρονος· Ἐν ὥρᾳ γάρ, φησίν, ἀναστάσεως μὴ οὐράγει καὶ ἀπότρεχε εἰς οἶκόν σου. Ἔλεγον δὲ οἱ δώδεκα προσκαλεσάμενοι τὸ πλῆθος τῶν μαθητῶν· Οὐκ ἀρεστόν ἐστιν ἡμᾶς καταλείψαντας τὸν λόγον τοῦ θεοῦ διακονεῖν τραπέζαις. Εἰ δὴ τοῦτο ἐφυλάξαντο, πολλῷ μᾶλλον γαστριμαργίαν ἔφευγον. Οἱ δὲ αὐτοὶ οὗτοι ἀπόστολοι τοῖς κατὰ τὴν Ἀντιόχειαν καὶ Συρίαν καὶ Κιλικίαν ἀδελφοῖς ἐπιστέλλοντες ἔδοξεν ἔφασαν τῷ πνεύματι τῷ ἁγίῳ καὶ ἡμῖν μηδὲν πλέον ἐπιθέσθαι ὑμῖν βάρος πλὴν τῶν ἐπάναγκες, ἀπέχεσθαι εἰδωλοθύτων καὶ αἵματος καὶ πνικτῶν καὶ τῆς πορνείας, ἐξ ὧν διατηροῦντες ἑαυτοὺς εὖ πράξετε. Φυλάττεσθαι δὲ τὰς παροινίας ὥσπερ καὶ τὸ κώνειον δεῖ· ἄμφω γὰρ ὑποσύρουσιν εἰς θάνατον. Χρὴ δὲ καὶ γελώτων εἴργεσθαι ἐξαισίων καὶ δακρύων ὑπερμέτρων· πολλάκις γὰρ οἱ οἰνωμένοι καγχάσαντες ἐπὶ πλεῖστον, εἶτα μέντοι ὑπήχθησαν οὐκ οἶδ' ὅπως παροινίᾳ τινὶ παραπειθόμενοι εἰς δάκρυα· ἀπᾴδει γὰρ τοῦ λόγου καὶ τὸ ἐχθηλύνεσθαι καὶ τὸ ἐξυβρίζειν. Πρεσβῦται δὲ ὡς τέκνα ἀφορῶντες τοὺς νέους σπανιαίτατα μέν, ἴσως δ' ἄν που καὶ παίξαιεν πρὸς αὐτούς, εἰς τοῦτο ἐπισκώπτοντες, ὃ παιδαγωγήσει τὸ εὔσχημον αὐτῶν. Ἀμέλει πρὸς τὸν αἰσχυντηλὸν καὶ σιωπηλὸν ἔστι χαριεντίσασθαι ὧδέ πως· ὁ δὲ ἐμὸς υἱός, ἐκεῖνον λέγω τὸν σιωπῶντα, οὐ παύεται λαλῶν. Ἐπιτείνει γὰρ τοῦ νέου τὴν αἰδῶ ἡ τοιαύτη ἐπίσκωψις ἐμφαίνουσα χαριέντως τὰ προσόντα αὐτῷ χρηστὰ διὰ τῆς τῶν φαύλων, ἃ μὴ πρόσεστιν αὐτῷ, διαβολῆς· ἐπίνοια γὰρ καὶ αὐτὴ διδασκαλικὴ διὰ τοῦ μὴ προσόντος κυροῦσα τὸ προσόν. Ἀμέλει τοιοῦτόν τι ἐπικρίνει ὁ τὸν ὑδροπότην καὶ σώφρονα παροινεῖν καὶ μεθύειν λέγων. Εἰ δὲ καὶ εἶέν τινες οἱ φιλοσκώμμονες, σιωπητέον ἡμῖν καὶ παραπεμπτέον τοὺς λόγους τοὺς περιττούς, ὥσπερ τὰς κύλικας τὰς πεπληρωμένας· ἐπισφαλὴς γὰρ ἡ τοιαύτη παιδιά· στόμα δὲ προπετοῦς ἐγγίζει συντριβῇ· οὐ παραδέξῃ δὲ ἀκοὴν ματαίαν οὐδὲ συγκαταθήσῃ μετὰ τοῦ ἀδίκου γενέσθαι μάρτυς ἄδικος οὔτε εἰς διαβολὰς οὔτε εἰς βλασφημίας, ἀλλ' οὐδ' εἰς κακοηθείας. Ἐγὼ δ' ἄν μοι δοκῶ καὶ μέτρον ἐπιθεῖναι φωνῆς τοῖς σώφροσιν, οἷς γε ἐφεῖται λαλεῖν, τὸν ἀντιδιαλεγόμενον. Σιγὴ μὲν γὰρ ἀρετὴ γυναικῶν ἐστιν, ἀκίνδυνον δὲ τῶν νέων γέρας, λόγος δὲ ἀγαθὸν ἡλικίας δεδοκιμασμένης. Λάλησον, πρεσβύτερε, ἐν συμποσίῳ· πρέπει γάρ σοι· ἀλλ' ἀπαραποδίστως λάλησον καὶ ἐν ἀκριβείᾳ ἐπιστήμης. Νεανίσκε, καὶ σοὶ ἐπιτρέπει ἡ σοφία, λάλησον, εἰ χρεία σου, μόλις δὶς ἐπερωτηθεὶς κεφαλαίωσον λόγον ἐν ὀλίγοις. Ἄμφω δὲ οἱ διαλεγόμενοι τὸ φθέγμα τὸ σφῶν τῇ συμμετρίᾳ παραμετρούντων· τό τε γὰρ γεγωνὸς τῆς προφορᾶς μανιωδέστατον, τό τε ἀνήκουστον πρὸς τοὺς πέλας φθέγγεσθαι ἀναισθήτου· οὐ γὰρ ἀκούσονται. Καὶ τὸ μὲν ἀγεννείας, τὸ δὲ αὐθαδείας τεκμήριον. Ἀπέστω δὲ καὶ ἡ φιλονεικία κενῆς νίκης ἕνεκεν λόγων, ἐπεὶ τέλος ἡμῖν ἡ ἀταραξία, καὶ τοῦτο ἄρα ἐστὶν τὸ εἰρήνη σοι· πρίν τε ἀκοῦσαί σε μὴ ἀποκρίνου ῥῆμα. Ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸ τεθρυμμένον τῆς φωνῆς θηλυδρίου, σώφρονος δὲ καὶ τὸ ἐν τῇ φωνῇ μεμετρημένον, μεγέθους τε ἅμα καὶ μήκους καὶ τάχους καὶ πλήθους εἴργοντος τὸ φθέγμα τὸ αὐτοῦ. Οὔτε γὰρ μακρολογητέον ποτὲ οὔτε πολυλογητέον οὔτε ἀδολεσχητέον, ἀλλ' οὐδὲ τροχαλῶς καὶ συνδιωκομένως ὁμιλητέον. Καὶ γὰρ αὐτῇ τῇ φωνῇ, ὡς ἔπος εἰπεῖν, δικαιοσύνης μεταδοτέον τούς τε ἀκαιροβόας καὶ τοὺς κεκράκτας ἐπιστομιστέον. Ταύτῃ γὰρ αὖ τὸν Θερσίτην πληγαῖς ᾐκίσατο ὁ σώφρων Ὀδυσσεύς, ὅτι μόνος ἀμετροεπὴς ἐκολῴα, ὅς ῥ' ἔπεα φρεσὶν ᾗσιν ἄκοσμά τε πολλά τε ᾔδει, μάψ, ἀτὰρ οὐ κατὰ κόσμον. Φοβερὸς ἐν πόλει αὐτοῦ ἀνὴρ γλωσσώδης. Τῶν γοῦν φλυάρων καθάπερ τῶν παλαιῶν ὑποδημάτων, τὰ μὲν ἄλλα ὑπὸ τῆς κακίας κατατέτριπται, μόνη δὲ ἡ γλῶττα περιλείπεται εἰς βλάβην. Ταύτῃ τοι βιωφελέστατα ἡ σοφία παραινεῖ μὴ ἀδολεσχεῖν ἐν πλήθει πρεσβυτέρων, ἄνωθεν δὲ ἡμῶν τὴν φλυαρίαν ἐκκόπτουσα, θεόθεν ἄρχουσα, μετριάζειν νομοθετοῦσα ὧδέ πως· Μὴ δευτερώσῃς λόγον, ἐν προσευχῇ σου. Ποππυσμοὶ δὲ καὶ συριγμοὶ καὶ οἱ διὰ τῶν δακτύλων ψόφοι τῶν οἰκετῶν οἱ προκλητικοί, ἄλογοι σημασίαι οὖσαι, λογικοῖς ἀνθρώποις ἐκκλιτέοι· παραιτητέον δὲ καὶ τὸ συνεχὲς ἀποπτύειν καὶ τὸ χρέμπτεσθαι βιαιότερον. Μηδὲ ἀπομύττεσθαι παρὰ πότον· στοχαστέον γὰρ ἁμῇ γέ πῃ τῶν συνευωχουμένων, μὴ ἀποστέρξωσιν ἀπὸ ναυτίας τὴν τοιάνδε ἀκοσμίαν, ἣ κατήγορός ἐστιν ἀκρασίας· οὐ γὰρ κατὰ τὰ αὐτὰ τοῖς βουσὶν καὶ τοῖς ὄνοις ἡ φάτνη ἅμα καὶ ὁ κοπρών· καὶ γὰρ οἱ πολλοὶ ἀπομύττονται καὶ πτύουσιν ἅμα ἐν τῷ αὐτῷ καὶ δειπνοῦσι. Πταρμὸς δὲ εἴ τῳ ἐπιγένοιτο, ὥσπερ ἀμέλει καὶ ἡ ἐρυγή, οὐκ ἐξηχεῖν δεήσει τοὺς πλησίον τῷ ψόφῳ τῆς αὑτῶν καταμαρτυροῦντας ἀπαιδευσίας, ἀλλ' ἣ μὲν παραπεμπτέα, ἡ ἐρυγή, ἡσυχῇ σὺν τῷ ἐκπνεομένῳ ἀέρι σχηματιζομένῳ κοσμίως τῷ στόματι, οὐχὶ δὲ τραγικῶν δίκην προσωπείων διελκομένῳ καὶ κεχηνότι. Πταρμοῦ δὲ τὸ ταρακτικὸν ἀφαιρετέον ἀπολαβομένοις πράως τὰς ἀναπνοάς· ταύτῃ γὰρ εὐσχημονέστατα τὴν ἀθρόαν τοῦ πνεύματος ἀπειλὴν ἐναποσβεστέον οἰκονομοῦντα τὴν διέξοδον, ὡς καὶ λαθεῖν πειρᾶσθαι, ἤν τι καὶ συνεξάξῃ ἐκβιαζόμενος ὁ ἀὴρ περίττωμα. Ἀγερωχίας δὲ καὶ ἀταξίας σύμβολον τὸ προσθεῖναι τοῖς ἤχοις ἐθέλειν, μὴ οὐχὶ ἀφαιρεῖν. Οἱ δὲ διαγλύφοντες τοὺς ὀδόντας αἱμάσσοντες τὰ οὖλα σφίσι τε αὐτοῖς εἰσὶν ἀηδεῖς καὶ τοῖς πλησίον ἀπεχθεῖς. Ναὶ μὴν καὶ τῶν ὤτων οἱ γαργαλισμοὶ καὶ τῶν πταρμῶν οἱ ἐρεθισμοὶ ὑώδεις εἰσὶ κνησμοί, πορνείας ἀκολάστου μελετητικοί. Καὶ τὰς ὑπ' ὄψιν δὲ ἀσχημοσύνας παραιτητέον καὶ τὰς αἰσχρολογίας αὐτῶν. Καθεστὼς δὲ καὶ τὸ βλέμμα ἔστω, καὶ ἡ τοῦ τραχήλου ἐπιστροφὴ καὶ ἡ κίνησις εὐσταθὴς καὶ ἡ τῶν χειρῶν κατὰ τὰς ὁμιλίας προφορά. Καθόλου γὰρ ὁ Χριστιανὸς ἡρεμίας καὶ ἡσυχίας καὶ γαλήνης καὶ εἰρήνης οἰκεῖός ἐστιν.