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Sirach 27. The discourse of fools is an offense, and their laughter is in the wantonness of sin.

Of Basil. For it is not unseemly to reveal the disposition of the soul up to a cheerful smile, so as only to show what is written, When the heart is glad, the face blossoms. But to guffaw with the voice and for the body to convulse, is not of a composed soul nor of one who has self-control. For the most wise Solomon confirms the saying, that A fool raises his voice in laughter, but a wise man barely smiles quietly.

997 Theologian. Laughter is worthy of laughter to the prudent, Especially all laughter, but even more so the lewd. Unruly laughter also gathers tears. (15Ε_450> Sensible anger is preferable to laughter; for by a stern disposition of the face, the soul is set right.

Therefore, the souls of the wise are sullen and contract; but those of the foolish, being lifted up, are poured out. Chrysostom. If you wish to show us clearly that you do not rejoice in speaking shameful things, do not endure to hear them either. But now when will you be able to bear the toils for temperance, being gradually undermined by laughter and these shameful words? and it is a desirable thing that a soul purified of all these things should be able to become solemn and temperate.

One must not be fond of laughter. For almost when one is pleased with much laughter, a strong and great change for such a one.

From the works of Epictetus. Let much laughing be absent and the provoking of laughter. For the ground is slippery towards vulgarity.

Let your laughter not be much, nor on many occasions. For the most part, refuse banquets that are external and with common people; but if an occasion should arise, be on your guard. For know that if one's companion is defiled, the other must also be filled with it.

Isocrates. Do not be serious amidst jests, nor rejoice in jests amidst serious matters. For what is out of season is everywhere grievous.

Of Moschion. He who wishes to jest with a youth will gain shameful insults and blame.

Of Cato. Those who are serious in jests become ridiculous in serious matters.

Stratonicus. Stratonicus the cithara player, seeing someone shooting arrows unskillfully, went and stood beside the target. And when someone asked the reason, he said, "So that I might not be hit."

DISCOURSE 65. Concerning dreams. (15Ε_452> Matthew 27. Have nothing to do with that righteous man; for I have suffered many things today in a dream because of him. Acts 9. Now there was a certain disciple at Damascus named Ananias, and to him the Lord said in a vision, "Ananias." And he said, "Behold, I am here, Lord." And the Lord said to him, "Arise and go to the street which is called Straight, and inquire in the house of Judas for one called Saul, of Tarsus. For behold, he is praying, and has seen in a vision a man named Ananias coming in and putting his hands on him, so that he might receive his sight."

Solomon 34. A dream comes in a multitude of temptation.

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Σιράχ κζ´. ∆ιήγησις μωρῶν προσόχθισμα, καί ὁ γέλως αὐτῶν ἐν σπατάλῃ ἁμαρτίας.

Βασιλείου. Ἄχρι μέν γάρ μειδιάματος φαιδροῦ τήν διάθεσιν τῆς ψυχῆς ὑποφαίνειν, οὐκ ἀπρεπές, ὅσον δεῖξαι μόνον τό γεγραμμένον, Καρδίας εὐφραινομένης, πρόσωπον θάλλει. Ἐκκαχλάζειν δέ τῇ φωνῇ, καί ἀναβράσσεσθαι τό σῶμα, οὐ τοῦ κατεσταλμένου τήν ψυχήν οὐδέ τοῦ περικρατῶς ἔχοντος ἑαυτοῦ. Βεβαιοῖ γάρ τόν λόγον ὁ σοφώτατος Σολομών, ὅτι Ὁ μωρός ἐν γέλωτι, ἀνυψοῖ φωνήν αὐτοῦ· ἀνήρ δέ σοφός μόλις ἡσυχῆ μειδιάζει.

997 Θεολ. Γέλως γέλωτος εὖ φρονοῦσιν ἄξιος, Μάλιστα μέν πᾶς, τό πλέον δ᾿ ὁ πορνικός. Γέλως ἄτακτος, συλλέγει καί δάκρυον. (15Ε_450> Γέλωτος θυμός ἔμφρων προτιμώτερος· αὐστηρᾷ γάρ διαθέσει

προσώπου, κατορθοῦται ψυχή. Αἱ μέν τοίνυν τῶν σοφῶν ψυχαί σκυθρωπάζουσι καί συστέλλονται· αἱ δέ τῶν

ἀφρόνων ἐπαιρόμεναι διαχέονται. Χρυσοστ. Εἰ βούλει δεῖξαι σαφῶς ἠμῖν, ὅτι οὐ χαίρεις αἰσχρά φθεγγόμενος,

μηδέ ἀκούειν ἀνέχου. Νῦν δέ πότε δυνήσῃ τούς ὑπέρ τῆς σωφροσύνης ἰδρῶτας ἐνεγκεῖν, κατά μικρόν ὑποῤῥέων ὑπό τοῦ γέλωτος, καί τῶν αἰσχρῶν τούτων ῥημάτων; καί ἀγαπητόν, ἁπάντων τούτων καθαρεύουσαν ψυχήν δυνηθῆναι γενέσθαι σεμνήν καί σώφρονα.

Οὐ δεῖ φιλογέλωτα εἶναι. Σχεδόν γάρ ὅταν τις ἐφηδυνθείη τῷ πολλῷ γέλωτι, ἰσχυράν καί μεταβολήν τόν τοιοῦτον.

Ἐκ τῶν Ἐπικτήτου. Τά πολλά δέ τό γελᾷν ἀπέστω καί τό γέλωτα κινεῖν. Ὀλισθηρός γάρ ὁ τόπος εἰς ἰδιωτισμόν.

Ὁ γέλως μή πολύς ἔστω, μηδέ ἐπί πολλοῖς. ∆είπνοις τοῖς ἔξω καί ἰδιωτικοῖς τό πολύ ἀπόταξαι· ἄν δέ γένηται καιρός, φυλάσσου. Ἴσθι γάρ ὅτι ἄν ἕτερος ᾖ μεμολυσμένος, καί τόν ἕτερον ἐμπλησθῆναι ἀνάγκη.

Ἰσοκράτ. Μή παρά γέλοια σπούδαζε, μηδέ παρά τά σπουδαῖα τοῖς γελοίοις χαῖρε. Τό γάρ ἄκαιρον, πανταχοῦ λυπηρόν.

Μοσχίωνος. Γελᾷν ὁ θέλων μετά μειρακίου, αἰσχράς ὕβρεις κερδήσει καί μέμψιν.

Κάτωνος. Οἱ σπουδάζοντες ἐν τοῖς γελοίοις, ἐν τοῖς σπουδαίοις γίνονται καταγέλαστοι.

Στρατόνικ. Στρατόνικος ό κιθαριστής θεασάμενός τινα ἀφυῶς τοξεύοντα, ἀπελθών ἔστη παρά τόν σκοπόν. Πυνθανομένου δέ τινος τήν αἰτίαν, Ὅπως, ἔφη, μή πληγῶ.

ΛΟΓΟΣ ΞΕ´. Περί ἐνυπνίων. (15Ε_452> Ματθ. κζ´. Μηδέν σοί καί τῷ δικαίῳ ἐκείνῳ· πολλά γάρ ἔπαθον

σήμερον κατ᾿ ὄναρ δι᾿ αὐτόν. Πράξ. θ´. Ἦν δέ τις μαθητής ἐν ∆αμασκῷ, ὀνόματι Ἀνανίας, καί εἶπε πρός

αὐτόν ὁ Κύριος ἐν ὁράματι· Ἀνανία. Ὁ δέ εἶπεν· Ἰδού ἐγώ, Κύριε. Ὁ δέ Κύριος πρός αὐτόν· Ἀναστάς πορεύθητι ἐπί τήν ῥύμην τήν καλουμένην Εὐθεῖαν, καί ζήτησον ἐν οἰκίᾳ Ἰούδα, Σαῦλον ὀνόματι Ταρσέα. Ἰδού γάρ προσεύχεται, καί εἶδεν ἐν ὁράματι ἄνδρα ὀνόματι Ἀνανίαν εἰσελθόντα, καί ἐπιθέντα αὐτῷ τάς χεῖρας ὄπως ἀναβλέψῃ.

Σολομ. λδ΄. Παραγίνεται ἐνύπνιον ἐν πλήθει πειρασμοῦ.