a mover of bile, a laxative; narcissus oil, from the narcissus, is equally beneficial as lily oil; myrtle oil, from myrtles and myrrh, is an astringent, checking the discharges from the body; and that from 2.8.76.3 roses is cooling. For, in general, these things have also been created for our use. Hearken to me, he says, and as a rose planted by streams of water, bud forth; as frankincense, give a sweet smell, and bless the Lord for his works. 2.8.76.4 And the discussion on these things would be long, we saying that flowers and perfumes were made for necessary benefits, not for the insolence of 2.8.76.5 luxury. But if anything is to be conceded, it is enough for them to enjoy the scent of flowers, but let them not crown themselves; for the Father cares greatly for man, and provides His own art for him alone. For so Scripture says: Water and fire and iron and milk, fine wheat flour and honey, the blood of the grape and oil and clothing, all these things are for good to the godly. 2.9.t.1 How to approach sleep. How, then, we should go from here to sleep, mindful of the precepts of moderation, this must now be said. For after the feast, having blessed God for the sharing of enjoyments and for the course of the day, we must go to sleep, having called upon the Word, sending away the luxury of under-spread coverings, the gold-spangled tapestries and gold-embroidered rugs, the purple robes and costly fleecy cloaks, and the poetic purple blankets, and the soft beds that make one sleepier 2.9.77.2. For in addition to being blameworthy for its voluptuousness, sleeping in downy feathers is harmful, as the bodies sink into a chasm, as it were, on account of the softness of the bedding; For it does not even † support those who are turning in them, because of the mound-like rising of the bed on either side of the body; nor does it allow food to be digested, but rather causes it to be overheated, which indeed 2.9.77.3 corrupts the nourishment. But rolling on smooth beds, being a kind of natural exercise in sleep, helps with the digestion of food; and those who can roll on smooth beds, having this as a natural exercise of sleep, more easily digest their food and prepare themselves to be fitter for emergencies. Furthermore, silver-footed couches are accusers of great ostentation, and the ivory in bedsteads, the body of a creature that has left its soul, is not a pure device of repose for holy people, but a lazy one. 2.9.78.1 Therefore one must not be zealous about them. For their use is not forbidden to those who possess them, but devotion to them is prohibited; for happiness is not in these things. Then again, it is a matter of cynical vainglory, like Diomedes, to make it a practice to sleep, "and under him was spread the hide of an ox of the field," 2.9.78.2 unless, of course, circumstances compel it. But Odysseus repaired the limping part of his bridal bed with a stone. Such simplicity and handiwork was practiced not only by private individuals, but also by the 2.9.78.3 leaders of the ancient Greeks. And why do I speak of these things? Jacob slept on the ground, and a stone was his pillow; it was then that he was counted worthy to see the vision that is above man. But we must, in accordance with the Word, use a simple and plain bed, having a moderate amount of what is comforting if it be summer, of what covers if it be cold, of what 2.9.78.4 warms. Let the bed be plain and have smooth feet; for the elaborate turnings of the lathe sometimes become tracks for creeping creatures, which wind around the indentations of the art 2.9.78.5 and do not slip off. And especially the softness of the bed must be moderated in a manly way. For there ought not to be a complete enervation of the body the

χολῆς κινητικόν, μαλακτικόν· ναρκίσσινον δὲ τὸ ἐκ ναρκίσσου ἐπ' ἴσης ὀνίνησι τῷ σουσίνῳ· μύρσινον δὲ τὸ ἐκ μύρτων καὶ μυρρίνης στυπτικόν, παρακατέχον τὰς ἀπὸ τοῦ σώματος ἀποφοράς· τὸ δὲ ἐκ 2.8.76.3 ῥόδων ἐμψυκτικόν. Καθόλου γὰρ καὶ ταῦτα εἰς τὴν ἡμετέραν εὐχρηστίαν δεδημιούργηται. Εἰσακούσατέ μου, φησί, καὶ ὡς ῥόδον πεφυτευμένον ἐπὶ ῥευμάτων ὑδάτων βλαστήσατε, ὡς λίβανος εὐωδιάσατε ὀσμήν, καὶ εὐλογήσατε κύριον ἐπὶ τὰ ἔργα αὐτοῦ. 2.8.76.4 Καὶ πολὺς ἂν εἴη ὁ περὶ τούτων λόγος, εἰς τὰς ἀναγκαίας ὠφελείας λεγόντων ἡμῶν τὰ ἄνθη καὶ τὰ ἀρώματα, οὐκ εἰς τὰς ὕβρεις τῆς 2.8.76.5 τρυφῆς γεγονέναι. Εἰ δὲ καὶ ἄρα τι συγχωρητέον, ἀπόχρη τῆς ὀδμῆς ἀπολαύειν αὐτοῖς τῶν ἀνθῶν, μὴ καταστεφέτωσαν δέ· πολυωρεῖ γὰρ τὸν ἄνθρωπον ὁ πατὴρ καὶ τὴν ἰδίαν αὐτοῦ τέχνην τούτῳ παρέχει μόνῳ. Λέγει γοῦν ἡ γραφή· Ὕδωρ καὶ πῦρ καὶ σίδηρος καὶ γάλα, σεμίδαλις πυροῦ καὶ μέλι, αἷμα σταφυλῆς καὶ ἔλαιον καὶ ἱμάτιον, ταῦτα πάντα τοῖς εὐσεβέσιν εἰς ἀγαθά. 2.9.t.1 Πῶς τῷ ὕπνῳ προσενεκτέον. Ὅπως δὲ ἐντεῦθεν ἐπὶ τὸν ὕπνον ἴωμεν τῶν σωφροσύνης μεμνημένοι παραγγελμάτων, τοῦτο ἤδη λεκτέον. Μετὰ γὰρ τὴν εὐωχίαν εὐλογήσαντας τὸν θεὸν ἐπὶ τῇ μεταδόσει τῶν ἀπολαύσεων καὶ τῇ διεκδρομῇ τῆς ἡμέρας ἐπὶ τὸν ὕπνον παρακλητέον τὸν λόγον, τὴν πολυτέλειαν τῶν ὑποστορνυμένων, τὰς χρυσοπάστους τάπιδας καὶ χρυσοποικίλτους ψιλοτάπιδας ξυστίδας τε ἁλουργὰς καὶ τοὺς γαυνάκας τοὺς πολυτιμήτους τά τε ποιητικὰ ῥήγεα τὰ πορφυρᾶ χλαίνας τε ἐφύπερθεν οὔλας καὶ τὰς ὕπνου μαλακωτέρας εὐνὰς 2.9.77.2 παραπεμπομένους. Πρὸς γὰρ τῷ ἐπιψόγῳ τῆς ἡδυπαθείας ἐπιβλαβὴς ἡ ἐν τοῖς χνοώδεσι τῶν πτίλων ἐγκοίμησις, καθάπερ εἰς ἀχανὲς καταπιπτόντων τῶν σωμάτων διὰ τὴν μαλακίαν τῶν στρωμάτων· Οὐδὲ γὰρ † συνέχει ἐπιστρεφομένοις τοῖς εὐναζομένοις ἐν αὐτοῖς διὰ τὴν παρ' ἑκάτερα τοῦ σώματος ὀχθώδη τῆς εὐνῆς ἐπανάστασιν· οὐδὲ ἐπιτρέπει δὲ πέττεσθαι σιτία καὶ συγκαίει μᾶλλον, ὃ δὴ δια2.9.77.3 φθείρειν τὴν τροφήν. Αἱ δὲ ἐπικυλίσεις ταῖς ὁμαλαῖς εὐναῖς, οἷον ὕπνου γυμνάσιον ὑπάρχουσαι φυσικόν, συνεργοῦσι πρὸς τὴν κατάταξιν τῆς τροφῆς· οἱ δὲ ἐπικυλίεσθαι δυνάμενοι ὁμαλαῖς εὐναῖς, οἷον ὕπνου γυμνάσιον τοῦτο ἔχοντες φυσικόν, ῥᾷον κατατάττουσι τὰς τροφὰς καὶ σφᾶς ἐπιτηδειοτέρους πρὸς τὰς περιστάσεις παρασκευάζουσιν. Ἔτι γε μὴν οἱ ἀργυρόποδες σκίμποδες πολλῆς ἀλαζονείας εἰσὶν κατήγοροι, καὶ ὁ ἐν τοῖς κλινιδίοις ἐλέφας ἀπολελοιπότος ψυχὴν σώματος οὐκ εὐαγὲς ἁγίοις ἀνθρώποις ἀναπαύσεως τέχνασμα βλακικόν. 2.9.78.1 Οὐ σπουδαστέον ἄρα περὶ αὐτά. Οὐ γὰρ ἀπείρηται τοῖς κεκτημένοις ἡ χρῆσις, ἀλλ' ἡ περὶ αὐτὰ ἐπιτήδευσις κεκώλυται· οὐ γὰρ ἐν τούτοις τὸ εὔδαιμον. Πάλιν τε αὖ κενοδοξίας ἐστὶ κυνικῆς καθάπερ τὸν ∆ιομήδη ἐπιτηδεύειν εὕδειν, ὑπὸ δ' ἔστρωται ῥινὸν βοὸς ἀγραύλοιο, 2.9.78.2 πλὴν εἰ μὴ ἄρα ἡ περίστασις ἀναγκάζοι. Ὁ δὲ Ὀδυσσεὺς τῆς νυμφιδίου κλίνης τὸ σκάζον λίθῳ ἐπανωρθοῦτο. Τοσαύτη τις εὐτέλεια καὶ αὐτουργία οὐ παρὰ τοῖς ἰδιώταις μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ παρὰ τοῖς 2.9.78.3 ἡγουμένοις τῶν παλαιῶν Ἑλλήνων ἠσκεῖτο. Καὶ τί μοι τούτων λόγος; Ὁ Ἰακὼβ ἐκάθευδεν χαμαὶ καὶ λίθος αὐτῷ προσκεφάλαιον ἦν· τότε καὶ τὴν ὄψιν τὴν ὑπὲρ ἄνθρωπον ἰδεῖν κατηξίωται. Ἡμῖν δὲ χρηστέον ἀκολούθως τῷ λόγῳ ἀφελεῖ τῇ εὐνῇ καὶ λιτῇ σύμμετρον ἐχούσῃ τὸ παρηγοροῦν, εἰ θέρος εἴη, τὸ σκέπον, εἰ κρύος εἴη, τὸ 2.9.78.4 θάλπον. Ἡ κλίνη δὲ ἀπερίεργος ἔστω καὶ λείους ἐχέτω τοὺς πόδας· αἱ γὰρ περίεργοι τορνεύσεις τῶν ἑρπηστικῶν ἔσθ' ὅτε γίγνονται τρίβοι ζῴων, περὶ τὰς ἐντομὰς τῆς τέχνης περιελισσομένων αὐτῶν 2.9.78.5 καὶ μὴ ἀπολισθανόντων. Μάλιστα δὲ τῆς κοίτης τὸ μαλθακὸν συμμέτρως ἀρρενιστέον. Οὐ γὰρ ἔκλυσιν χρὴ τοῦ σώματος εἶναι παντελῆ τὸν