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Diogenes. Conceit, like a shepherd, leads the many wherever it wishes.
Alexander. Alexander, having suffered a long illness, when he recovered, said that nothing disposes one worse. For the illness reminded us not to think great things of ourselves, being mortal.
Philistion. If you see a wicked man raised to a height, Exulting in both splendid wealth and fortune, And having lowered an eyebrow greater than his fortune, Expect a swift change for him. For he is raised higher, so that he might also fall harder. Of Menander. O thrice wretched are all who puff themselves up with great things; for they themselves do not
know the nature of man.
Aristotle. Aristotle, seeing a youth with a scowling brow, said, "Young man, I would that I were such as you seem to yourself to be; but such as you are in truth, may my enemies become."
The same, observing a young man taking pride in the costliness of his cloak, "Will you not cease," he said, "young man, from priding yourself on the virtue of a sheep?"
(897) Heraclitus. Heraclitus the physicist said that conceit is an impediment to progress.
DISCOURSE 35.
Concerning truth and falsehood. John 3. He who does the truth comes to the light, that his works may be revealed
that they are wrought in God.
Ephesians 4. Having put 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 the winds; and this same one will chase winged birds.
Sirach 27. Birds lodge with their own kind. And truth will return to those who practice it.
Sirach 27. Birds lodge with their own kind. And truth to those who work winged birds.
Of Basil. Neither in courts of law, nor in other dealings, is falsehood suitable for those who have chosen the right and true way of life.
Of the Theologian. The truth is one, but falsehood is many-branched.
Chrysostom. The strength of the truth needs no assistance; but even if it has ten thousand who would extinguish it, not only is it not destroyed, but also (900) through those very ones who attempt to insult it, it would be brighter and more exalted, laughing at those who idly beat themselves.
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∆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, 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. 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.
Τοῦ Θεολόγου. Τό μέν ἀληθές ἕν, τό δέ ψεῦδος, πολυσχιδές.
Χρυσόστ. Οὐδεμιᾶς δεῖται βοηθείας ἡ τῆς ἀληθείας ἰσχύς· ἀλλά κἄν μυρίους ἔχῃ τούς σβεννύντας αὐτήν, οὐ μόνον ἀφανίζεται, ἀλλά καί (900) δι᾿ αὐτῶν τῶν ἐπηρεάζειν ἐπιχειρούντων, φαιδροτέρα καί ὑψηλοτέρα ἄν εἴη, τῶν εἰκῆ κοπτόντων ἑαυτούς καγελῶσα.