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Chrysostom. Therefore, vainglory was fittingly so-called by the ancients. For it is utterly empty, having nothing useful within; but just like masks, they seem to be splendid and lovely, but are empty within; For which reason, though they are more comely than physical faces, they have never persuaded anyone who saw them to love them; so, or rather even more wretchedly, is the glory from the many.
Gregory of Nyssa. To boast in wealth, or to pride oneself on one's birth, or to look to glory, or to seem to be above one's neighbor, by which human honors are fulfilled, all these things become a destruction of human honor and a reproach.
Philo. If you take away the substance from political affairs, you will find an empty arrogance that has no sense.
Evagrius. It is difficult to escape the demon of vainglory; for whatever you do to destroy it, this will become for you a beginning of vainglory.
John Climacus. A thief detests the sun; but a proud man will despise the meek. Socrates. The wind inflates empty wineskins; and conceit, foolish
men. Diogenes. Arrogance, like a shepherd, leads the many where it wishes. Alexander. Alexander, having been sick with a long illness, when he recovered, said, nothing,
disposes one worse; for the illness reminded us, being mortals, not to be proud. Philistion. If you see a wicked man raised on high, Exulting in splendid wealth and fortune, (15E_282> And putting on an air greater than his fortune, Expect a swift reversal for this man. For he is lifted up higher, so that he may also fall harder. From Menander. O thrice-wretched are all who are puffed up with great things about themselves; for they
do not know human nature. Aristotle. Aristotle, seeing a frowning youth, Young man,
he said, may I become such as you seem to be; but such as you are in truth, may my enemies become.
The same, observing a boy priding himself on the costliness of his cloak, "Will you not cease," he said, "boy, priding yourself on the virtue of a sheep?"
897 Heraclitus. Heraclitus the physicist said that conceit is an obstacle to progress. DISCOURSE 35. Concerning truth and falsehood. (15E_284> John 3. He who does the truth comes to the light, so that
his works may be made manifest, that they have been wrought in God. Ephesians 4. Putting away falsehood, speak truth each one with his neighbor
, for we are members of one another. Proverbs 10. He who relies on falsehoods, this one will shepherd winds; and this same one
will pursue winged birds. Sirach 27. Birds lodge with their own kind. And truth to those who
practice it will return. Sirach 27. Birds lodge with their own kind. And truth to those who
working winged birds. Of Basil. Neither in courts, nor in other dealings, is it suitable to
lie, for those who have chosen the right and true path of life.
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Χρυσόστ. Εἰκότως ἄρα εἴρηται παρά τῶν παλαιῶν κενοδοξία. ∆ιάκενος γάρ ἐστιν, ἔνδον οὐδέν ἔχουσά τι χρήσιμον· ἀλλ᾿ ὥσπερ τά προσωπεῖα, δοκεῖ μέν εἶναι λαμπρά καί ἐπέραστα, κενά δέ ἔνδοθέν ἐστι· ∆ιό καί τῶν σωματικῶν ὄψεων εὐπρεπέστερα ὄντα, οὐδένα οὐδέποτε πρός τόν ἔρωτα ἰδεῖν ἔπεισε τόν ἑαυτῶν· οὕτω, μᾶλλον δέ ἀθλιώτερον, καί ἡ παρά τῶν πολλῶν δόξα.
Γρηγ. Νύσ. τό ἐπί πλούτῳ κομπάζειν, ἤ γενέσει σεμνύνεσθαι, ἤ πρός δόξαν ὁρᾷν, ἤ δοκεῖν ὑπέρ τόν πέλας εἶναι, δι᾿ ὧν αἱ ἀνθρώπιναι πληροῦνται τιμαί, ταῦτα πάντα καθαίρεσις τῆς ἀνθρωπίνης τιμῆς καί ὄνειδος γίνεται.
Φίλων. Τῶν πολιτικῶν ἐάν τάς ὕλας ἀφέλῃς, κενόν τύφον εὑρήσεις νοῦν οὐκ ἔχοντα.
Εὐαγρ. Χαλεπόν διαφυγεῖν τόν τῆς κενοδοξίας δαίμονα· ὅ γάρ ποιήσῃς καθαιρήσων αὐτήν, τοῦτο ἀρχή σοι κενοδοξίας γενήσεται.
Ἰωάν. Κλίμ. Βδελύττεται ἥλιον κλέπτης· ὑπερήφανος δέ, πρᾳεῖς ἐξουδενώσει. Σωκράτ. Τούς μέν κενούς ἀσκούς, τό πνεῦμα διΐστησι· τούς δέ ἀνοήτους
ἀνθρώπους τό οἴημα. ∆ιογένης. Ὁ τύφος ὥσπερ ποιμήν, οὖ θέλει τούς πολλούς ἄγει. Ἀλεξάνδρ. Ἀλέξανδρος νοσήσας μακράν νόσον, ὡς ἀνέῤῥωσεν, οὐδέν, ἔφη,
διατιθέναι χεῖρον· ὑπέμνησε γάρ ἡμᾶς ἡ νόσος, μή μέγα φρονεῖν θνητούς ὄντας. Φιλιστίων. Ἐάν ἴδῃς πονηρόν εἰς ὕψος αἱρόμενον, Λαμπρῷ τε πλούτῳ καί τύχῃ γαυρούμενον, (15Ε_282> Ὀφρῦν τε μείζω τῆς τύχης καθηρκότα, Τούτου τάχιον μεταβολήν προσδόκα. Ἐπαίρεται γάρ μεῖζον, ἵνα καί μεῖζον πέσῃ. Μενάνδρου. Ὤ τρισάθλιοι ἅπαντες οἱ φυσῶντες ἐφ᾿ ἑαυτούς μεγάλα· αὐτοί
γάρ οὐκ ἴσασιν ἀνθρώπου φύσιν. Ἀριστοτ. Ἀριστοτέλης θεασάμενος νεανίσκον κατωφρυωμένον, Νεανίσκε,
ἔφη, οἷος μέν δοκεῖς αὐτός εἶναι, ἐγώ γενοίμην· οἷος δέ τῇ ἀληθείᾳ ὑπάρχεις, τοιοῦτοί μου οἱ ἐχθροί γένοιντο.
Ὁ αὐτός κατανοήσας μειράκιον ἐπί πολυτελείᾳ τῆς χλαμύδος σεμνυνόμενον, Οὐ παύσῃ , ἔφη μειράκιον ἐπί προβάτου σεμνυνόμενος ἀρετῇ.
897 Ἡρακλ. Ἡράκλειτος ὁ φυσικός, οἴησιν ἔλεγεν ἐγκοπήν προκοπῆς. ΛΟΓΟΣ ΛΕ´. Περί ἀληθείας καί ψεύδους. (15Ε_284> Ἰωαν. γ´. Ὁ ποιῶν τήν ἀλήθειαν, ἔρχεται πρός τό φῶς, ἵνα
φανερωθῆ τά ἔργα αὐτοῦ, ὅτι ἐν Θεῷ εἰσιν εἰργασμένα. Ἐφ. δ´. Ἀποθέμενοι ψεῦδος, λαλεῖτε ἀλήθειαν ἕκαστος μετά τοῦ πλησίον
αὐτοῦ, ὅτι ἐσμέν ἀλλήλων μέλη. Παροιμ. ι´. Ὅς ἐρείδεται ἐπί ψεύδεσιν, οὗτος ποιμανεῖ ἀνέμους· ὁ δ᾿ αὐτός
διώξεται ὄρνεα πτερωτά. Σιράχ κζ´. Πετεινά πρός τά ὅμοια αὐτοῖς καταλύει. Καί ἀλήθεια εἰς τούς
ἐργαζομένους αὐτήν ἐπανήξει. Σιράχ κζ΄ . Πετεινά πρός τά ὅμοια αὐτοῖς καταλύει. Καί ἀλήθεια εἰς τούς
ἐργαζομένους ὄρνεα πτερωτά. Βασιλείου. Οὔτε ἐν δικαστηρίοις, οὔτε ἐν ταῖς ἄλλαις πράξεσιν, ἐπιτήδειον τό
ψεῦδος, τοῖς τήν ὀρθήν ὁδόν καί ἀληθῆ προελομένοις τοῦ βίου.