Chapter IV.—With Whom We are to Associate.

But really I have unwittingly deviated in spirit from the order, to which I must now revert, and must find fault with having large numbers of domestics. For, avoiding working with their own hands and serving themselves, men have recourse to servants, purchasing a great crowd of fine cooks, and of people to lay out the table, and of others to divide the meat skilfully into pieces. And the staff of servants is separated into many divisions; some labour for their gluttony, carvers and seasoners, and the compounders and makers of sweetmeats, and honey-cakes, and custards; others are occupied with their too numerous clothes; others guard the gold, like griffins; others keep the silver, and wipe the cups, and make ready what is needed to furnish the festive table; others rub down the horses; and a crowd of cup-bearers exert themselves in their service, and herds of beautiful boys, like cattle, from whom they milk away their beauty. And male and female assistants at the toilet are employed about the ladies—some for the mirrors, some for the head-dresses, others for the combs. Many are eunuchs; and these panders serve without suspicion those that wish to be free to enjoy their pleasures, because of the belief that they are unable to indulge in lust. But a true eunuch is not one who is unable, but one who is unwilling, to indulge in pleasure. The Word, testifying by the prophet Samuel to the Jews, who had transgressed when the people asked for a king, promised not a loving lord, but threatened to give them a self-willed and voluptuous tyrant, “who shall,” He says, “take your daughters to be perfumers, and cooks, and bakers,”583    1 Sam. viii. 13. ruling by the law of war, not desiring a peaceful administration. And there are many Celts, who bear aloft on their shoulders women’s litters. But workers in wool, and spinners, and weavers, and female work and housekeeping, are nowhere.

But those who impose on the women, spend the day with them, telling them silly amatory stories, and wearing out body and soul with their false acts and words. “Thou shalt not be with many,” it is said, “for evil, nor give thyself to a multitude;”584    Ex. xxiii. 2. for wisdom shows itself among few, but disorder in a multitude. But it is not for grounds of propriety, on account of not wishing to be seen, that they purchase bearers, for it were commendable if out of such feelings they put themselves under a covering; but it is out of luxuriousness that they are carried on their domestics’ shoulders, and desire to make a show.

So, opening the curtain, and looking keenly round on all that direct their eyes towards them, they show their manners; and often bending forth from within, disgrace this superficial propriety by their dangerous restlessness. “Look not round,” it is said, “in the streets of the city, and wander not in its lonely places.”585    Ecclus. ix. 7. For that is, in truth, a lonely place, though there be a crowd of the licentious in it, where no wise man is present.

And these women are carried about over the temples, sacrificing and practising divination day by day, spending their time with fortune-tellers, and begging priests, and disreputable old women; and they keep up old wives’ whisperings over their cups, learning charms and incantations from soothsayers, to the ruin of the nuptial bonds. And some men they keep; by others they are kept; and others are promised them by the diviners. They know not that they are cheating themselves, and giving up themselves as a vessel of pleasure to those that wish to indulge in wantonness; and exchanging their purity for the foulest outrage, they think what is the most shameful ruin a great stroke of business. And there are many ministers to this meretricious licentiousness, insinuating themselves, one from one quarter, another from another. For the licentious rush readily into uncleanness, like swine rushing to that part of the hold of the ship which is depressed. Whence the Scripture most strenuously exhorts, “Introduce not every one into thy house, for the snares of the crafty are many.”586    Ecclus. xi. 29. And in another place, “Let just men be thy guests, and in the fear of the Lord let thy boast remain.”587    Ecclus. ix. 16. Away with fornication. “For know this well,” says the apostle, “that no fornicator, or unclean person, or covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.”588    Eph. v. 5.

But these women delight in intercourse with the effeminate. And crowds of abominable creatures (κιναίδες) flow in, of unbridled tongue, filthy in body, filthy in language; men enough for lewd offices, ministers of adultery, giggling and whispering, and shamelessly making through their noses sounds of lewdness and fornication to provoke lust, endeavouring to please by lewd words and attitudes, inciting to laughter, the precursor of fornication. And sometimes, when inflamed by any provocation, either these fornicators, or those that follow the rabble of abominable creatures to destruction, make a sound in their nose like a frog, as if they had got anger dwelling in their nostrils. But those who are more refined than these keep Indian birds and Median pea-fowls, and recline with peak-headed589    φοξός, in allusion to Thersites, to which Homer applies this epithet. creatures; playing with satyrs, delighting in monsters. They laugh when they hear Thersites; and these women, purchasing Thersiteses highly valued, pride themselves not in their husbands, but in those wretches which are a burden on the earth, and overlook the chaste widow, who is of far higher value than a Melitæan pup, and look askance at a just old man, who is lovelier in my estimation than a monster purchased for money. And though maintaining parrots and curlews, they do not receive the orphan child;590    [The wasting on pet dogs, pups, and other animals, expense and pains which might help an orphan child, is a sin not yet uprooted. Here Clement’s plea for widows, orphans, and aged men, prepares the way for Christian institutions in behalf of these classes. The same arguments should prevail with Christians in America.] but they expose children that are born at home, and take up the young of birds, and prefer irrational to rational creatures; although they ought to undertake the maintenance of old people with a character for sobriety, who are fairer in my mind than apes, and capable of uttering something better than nightingales; and to set before them that saying, “He that pitieth the poor lendeth to the Lord;”591    Prov. xix. 17. and this, “Inasmuch as ye have done it unto the least of these My brethren, ye have done it to Me.”592    Matt. xxv. 40. But these, on the other hand, prefer ignorance to wisdom, turning their wealth into stone, that is, into pearls and Indian emeralds. And they squander and throw away their wealth on fading dyes, and bought slaves; like crammed fowls scraping the dung of life. “Poverty,” it is said, “humbles a man.”593    Prov. x. 4. By poverty is meant that niggardliness by which the rich are poor, having nothing to give away.

Τίσι συνδιατριπτέον. Ἀλλὰ γὰρ ἐλελήθειν παραπλεύσας τῷ πνεύματι τὴν ἀκολουθίαν, ἐφ' ἣν αὖθις παλινδρομητέον καὶ τῶν οἰκετῶν τὴν πολυκτημοσύνην ὀνειδιστέον. Φεύγοντες γὰρ αὐτουργίαν καὶ αὐτοδιακονίαν ἐπὶ τοὺς θεράποντας καταφεύγουσιν, ὀψοποιῶν καὶ τραπεζοποιῶν καὶ τῶν ἐντέχνως εἰς μοίρας κατατεμνόντων τὰ κρέα τὸν πολὺν συνωνούμενοι ὄχλον. Μεμέρισται δὲ αὐτοῖς ἡ θητεία πολυσχιδῶς· καὶ οἳ μὲν περὶ τὴν γαστριμαργίαν αὐτῶν πονοῦσι δαιτροί τε καὶ καρυκευταὶ καὶ οἱ τῶν πεμμάτων καὶ οἱ τῶν μελιπήκτων καὶ οἱ τῶν ῥοφημάτων συσκευασταί τε καὶ δημιουργοί, οἳ δὲ περὶ τὰς ἐσθῆτας ἀσχολοῦνται τὰς περιττάς, οἳ δὲ χρυσοφυλακοῦσιν ὡς γρῦπες, οἳ δὲ τὸν ἄργυρον φυλάττουσι καὶ σμήχουσιν τὰ ἐκπώματα καὶ τὰς περὶ τὰς ἑστιάσεις παρασκευὰς εὐτρεπίζουσιν, ἄλλοι καταψήχουσι τὰ ὑποζύγια, οἰνοχόων τε ὅμιλος ἀσκεῖται παρ' αὐτοῖς καὶ μειρακίων ὡραίων ἀγέλαι καθάπερ θρεμμάτων, παρ' ὧν ἀμέλγονται τὸ κάλλος. Κομμωταὶ δὲ καὶ κομμώτριαι περὶ τὰς γυναῖκας ἀμφιπολεύουσιν αἳ μὲν τὰ κάτοπτρα, αἳ δὲ τοὺς κεκρυφάλους, ἄλλαι τοὺς κτένας **, εὐνοῦχοι πολλοὶ καὶ οὗτοι μαστρο ποί, τῷ ἀξιοπίστῳ τοῦ μὴ δύνασθαι φιληδεῖν τοῖς εἰς ἡδονὰς ἐθέλουσιν ῥᾳθυμεῖν ἀνυπόπτως διακονούμενοι. Εὐνοῦχος δὲ ἀληθὴς οὐχ ὁ μὴ δυνάμενος, ἀλλ' ὁ μὴ βουλόμενος φιληδεῖν. ∆ιαμαρτυρόμενος γοῦν ὁ λόγος διὰ τοῦ προφήτου Σαμουὴλ πρὸς τοὺς παραβεβηκότας τῶν Ἰουδαίων αἰτοῦντι τῷ λαῷ βασιλέα οὐ τὸν φιλάνθρωπον ὑπισχνεῖται κύριον, ἀλλά τινα αὐτοῖς αὐθάδη τύραννον ἀπειλεῖ τρυφητικόν, ὃς λήψεται, φησί, τὰς θυγατέρας ὑμῶν εἰς μυρεψοὺς καὶ εἰς μαγειρίσσας καὶ εἰς πεσσούσας, νόμῳ πολέμου κρατήσας, οὐκ εἰρηνικὴν οἰκονομίαν ζηλώσας. Οἳ δὲ τὰ φορεῖα εἰς ὕψος αἴροντες τῶν γυναικῶν καὶ φοράδην βαστάζοντες Κελτοὶ πολλοί· ἔριθοι δὲ καὶ ταλασίαι καὶ ἱστοπονίαι καὶ ἡ γυναικωνῖτις ἐργάνη καὶ ἡ οἰκουρία οὐδαμοῦ, ἀλλ' οἱ ψευδοποιοῦντες τὰς γυναῖκας διημερεύουσι μετ' αὐτῶν μύθους ἐρωτικοὺς ἀδολεσχοῦντες καὶ τὸ σῶμα καὶ τὰς ψυχὰς αὐτῶν διακναίοντες ψευδεργίᾳ καὶ ψευδολογίᾳ. Οὐκ ἔσῃ δὲ μετὰ πολλῶν, φησίν, ἐπὶ κακίᾳ, οὐδὲ προσθήσῃ μετὰ πλήθους, ὅτι ἡ σοφία ἐν ὀλίγοις, ἀταξία δὲ ἐν πλήθει καταφαίνεται. Αἳ δὲ οὐ διὰ σεμνότητα τοῦ κατασκοπεῖσθαι μὴ βούλεσθαι συνωνοῦνται τοὺς φορεῖς–ἀγαπητὸν γὰρ ἦν ἄν, εἰ τῇ διαθέσει ταύτῃ προσεβάλλοντο τὴν σκέπην–, ἀλλὰ θρυπτόμεναι ἐπο χοῦνται τοῖς οἰκέταις ἐμπομπεύειν γλιχόμεναι. Ἀναπεπταμένης γοῦν τῆς αὐλαίας περιβλέπουσαι δριμύτερον τοὺς εἰς αὐτὰς ἀφορῶντας διελέγχονται τὸν τρόπον, πολλάκις δὲ καὶ προκύπτουσιν ἔνδοθεν τὴν ἐπιπόλαιον σεμνότητα καταισχύνουσαι τῇ ὀλισθαινούσῃ περιεργίᾳ. Μὴ περιβλέπου δέ, φησί, ἐν ῥύμαις πόλεως, μηδὲ πλανῶ ἐν ταῖς ἐρημίαις αὐτῆς, ἐρημία γὰρ ὡς ἀληθῶς, κἂν ὄχλος ἀκολάστων ᾖ, ἔνθα μὴ πάρεστιν ἄνθρωπος σωφρονῶν. Περιφέρονται δὲ αὗται ἀνὰ τὰ ἱερὰ ἐκθυόμεναι καὶ μαντευόμεναι, ἀγύρταις καὶ μητραγύρταις καὶ γραίαις βωμολόχοις οἰκοφθορούσαις ὁσημέραι συμπομπεύουσαι καὶ τοὺς παρὰ ταῖς κύλιξι ψιθυρισμοὺς γραϊκοὺς ἀνεχόμεναι, φίλτρα ἄττα καὶ ἐπῳδὰς παρὰ τῶν γοήτων ἐπ' ὀλέθρῳ γάμων ἐκμανθάνουσαι. Καὶ τοὺς μὲν ἔχουσι τῶν ἀνδρῶν, τοὺς δὲ εὔχονται, ἄλλους δὲ αὐταῖς οἱ μάντεις ὑπισχνοῦνται. Οὐκ ἴσασι δὲ ἀπατώμεναι καὶ αὑτὰς μὲν ὡς σκεῦος ἐκδιδοῦσαι ἡδονῆς τοῖς λαγνεύειν ἐθέλουσι, τὴν δὲ ἁγνείαν τὴν σφῶν τῆς αἰσχίστης ἀντικαταλλαττόμεναι ὕβρεως ἔργον ἡγοῦνται χρηματισμοῦ τὴν ἐπονείδιστον φθοράν. Πολλοὶ δὲ οἱ τῆς ἑταιρικῆς διάκονοι ἀκολασίας ἄλλος ἄλλοθεν παρεισδύοντες· εὐεπίφοροι γὰρ οἱ ἀκόλαστοι πρὸς τὴν ἀσέλγειαν καθάπερ οἱ χοῖροι πρὸς τὸ καταδυόμενον τοῦ σκάφους ἐπιφερόμενοι. Ὅθεν ἐρρωμενέστατα ἡ γραφὴ παραινεῖ· Μὴ πάντα ἄνθρωπον εἴσαγε εἰς τὸν οἶκόν σου, πολλὰ γὰρ τὰ ἔνεδρα τοῦ δολίου· ἀλλαχοῦ δὲ ἄνδρες δίκαιοι φησὶν ἔστωσαν σύνδειπνοί σου, καὶ ἐν φόβῳ κυρίου τὸ καύχημά σου διαμενεῖ. Ἐς κόρακας ἡ πορνεία· εὖ γὰρ τοῦτο ἴστε, φησὶν ὁ ἀπόστολος, ὅτι πᾶς πόρνος ἢ ἀκάθαρτος ἢ πλεονέκτης, ὅς ἐστιν εἰδωλολάτρης, οὐκ ἔχει κληρονομίαν ἐν τῇ βασιλείᾳ τοῦ Χριστοῦ καὶ θεοῦ. Αἳ δὲ ἀνδρογύνων συνουσίαις ἥδονται, παρεισρέουσι δὲ ἔνδον κιναίδων ὄχλοι ἀθυρόγλωσσοι, μιαροὶ μὲν τὰ σώματα, μιαροὶ δὲ τὰ φθέγματα, εἰς ὑπουργίας ἀκολάστους ἠνδρωμένοι, μοιχείας διάκονοι, κιχλίζοντες καὶ ψιθυρίζοντες καὶ τὸ πορνικὸν ἀνέδην εἰς ἀσέλγειαν διὰ ῥινῶν ἐπιψοφοῦντες ἐπικιναίδισμα, ἀκολάστοις ῥήμασι καὶ σχήμασι τέρπειν πειρώμενοι καὶ εἰς γέλωτα ἐκκαλούμενοι πορνείας πρόδρομον· ἔστι δ' ὅτε καὶ ὑπεκκαιόμενοι διὰ τὴν τυχοῦσαν ὀργήν, ἤτοι πόρνοι αὐτοὶ ἢ καὶ κιναίδων ὄχλον εἰς ὄλεθρον ἐζηλωκότες, ἐπικροτοῦσι τῇ ῥινὶ βατράχων δίκην, καθάπερ ἔνοικον τοῖς μυκτῆρσι τὴν χολὴν κεκτημένοι. Ἀλλ' αἵ γε ἀστειότεραι τούτων ὄρνεις Ἰνδικοὺς καὶ ταῶνας Μηδικοὺς ἐκτρέφουσιν καὶ συνανακλίνονται τοῖς φοξοῖς παίζουσαι, σικίννοις τέρασι γανύμεναι· καὶ τὸν μὲν Θερσίτην ἀκούουσαι γελῶσιν, αὐταὶ δὲ πολυτιμήτους ὠνούμεναι Θερσίτας οὐκ ἐπ' ἀνδράσιν ὁμοζύγοις, ἀλλ' ἐπ' ἐκείνοις αὐχοῦσιν, ἃ δὴ ἄχθος ἐστὶ γῆς· καὶ χήραν μὲν παρορῶσι σωφρονοῦσαν Μελιταίου πολλῷ διαφέρουσαν κυνιδίου, καὶ πρεσβύτην παραβλέπουσι δίκαιον, εὐπρεπέστερον, οἶμαι, τέρατος ἀργυρωνήτου· παιδίον δὲ οὐδὲ προσίενται ὀρφανὸν αἱ τοὺς ψιττακοὺς καὶ τοὺς χαραδριοὺς ἐκτρέφουσαι, ἀλλὰ τὰ μὲν οἴκοι κυϊσκόμενα ἐκτιθέασι παιδία, τοὺς δὲ τῶν ὀρνίθων ὑπολαμβάνουσι νεοττούς· καὶ τὰ ἄλογα τῶν λογικῶν προκεκρίκασιν, δέον ὑποτρέφειν τοὺς σωφροσύνην ἐπαγγελλομένους γέροντας, καὶ πιθήκων, οἶμαι, εὐπροσωποτέρους καὶ ἀηδόνων φθέγξασθαί τι βέλτιον δυναμένους. Ἐφ' ὅσον δέ, φησίν, ἑνὶ τούτων ἐποιήσατε τῶν ἐλαχίστων, ἐμοὶ ἐποιήσατε. Αἳ δὲ ἔμπαλιν ἀπαιδευσίαν προτετιμήκασι σωφροσύνης, τὰς ἑαυτῶν οὐσίας ἀπολιθοῦσαι εἰς τοὺς μαργαρίτας καὶ τὰς σμαράγδους τὰς Ἰνδικάς· ναὶ μὴν καὶ εἰς τὰς ἐξιτήλους βαφὰς καὶ εἰς τὰ ἀργυρώνητα ἀνδράποδα σπαθῶσι καὶ διαρρίπτουσι τὰ χρήματα, δίκην ὀρνίθων κεκορεσμένων τὰ τοῦ βίου σκαλεύουσαι κόπρια. Πενία δέ, φησίν, ἄνδρα ταπεινοῖ· τὴν φειδωλίαν πενίαν λέγει, καθ' ἣν οἱ πλούσιοι πένονται μεταδόσεως, ὡς οὐκ ἔχοντες.