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Chrysostom. Do not resist those who advise silence, saying, I will not tolerate so-and-so to laugh at me and depart. For he does not laugh at you then, but when you retaliate. And if he laughs then, he will suffer this as a foolish man. But do not you, when victorious, seek the testimony of the foolish, but consider that from the wise to be sufficient (916). Rather, look up to God, and He will praise you; for the one who is admired by Him should not seek at all the honor that comes from men.
Gregory of Nyssa. For the rest of sins require time and circumstances and external cooperation to come into being; but the nature of speech has the power to transgress.
Of Philo. Shamelessness is the mark of a base person; shame, of a virtuous one; but to be neither ashamed nor shameless belongs to one who is incomprehensible and unassenting.
A shameless look and a haughty neck, and a constant movement of the eyebrows, and a strutting gait, and blushing at no base thing, are signs of a most shameful soul, which inscribes the unseen marks of its own reproaches upon the visible body.
Philistion. For whoever is not ashamed of himself, knowing that he has committed base deeds, how will he be ashamed before one who knows nothing? Aristotle. Not to be ashamed when one is evil, is the height of evil. Socrates. Do not use a bold tongue; for boldness often has destroyed even the very
head.
Euripides. No one has ever acquired virtue through boldness, but through toil and nobility and fairness.
Of Menander. There is nothing, as it seems to me, more audacious than folly.
Of Musonius. You will be worthy of respect from all, if you first begin to respect yourself.
Theophrastus. You will be worthy of respect from all, if you first begin to respect yourself.
Of Cato. The same, seeing a youth who blushed, said. "Take heart; for such is the color of virtue."
Believe above all that each person ought to respect himself; for no one is ever apart from himself.
DISCOURSE 41.
Concerning old age and youth. John 21. When you were younger, you girded yourself and walked where you wanted; but when you
grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will gird you, and carry you where you do not want to go.
Hebrews 12. Therefore, lift up your drooping hands and your weak knees, and make straight paths for your feet.
Sirach 6. Length of life, paths of righteousness.
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Χρυσοστ. Μή πρός τούς παραινοῦντας σιγᾷν ἀντίτεινε λέγων, Οὐκ ἀνέξομαι ἵνα μου καταγελάσας ὁ δεῖνα ἀπέλθῃ. Οὐ γάρ δή τότε σου καταγελᾷ, ἀλλ᾿ ὅταν ἐπεξέλθῃς. Εἰ δέ καί τότε γελάσεται, ὡς ἀνόητος καί τοῦτο πείσεται. Σύ δέ μή ζήτει νικῶν τήν παρά τῶν ἀνοήτων μαρτυρίαν, ἀλλ᾿ ἀποχρώσας (916) νόμιζε τήν παρά τῶν συνετῶν. Μᾶλλον δέ πρός τόν Θεόν ἀνάβλεψον, κἀκεῖνός σε ἐπαινέσει· τόν δέ παρ᾿ ἐκείνου θαυμαζόμενον, οὐ δεῖ τήν παρά τῶν ἀνθρώπων τιμήν ὅλως ἐπιζητεῖν.
Γρηγ. Νύσσ. Τά μέν γάρ λοιπά τῶν ἁμαρτημάτων, καί χρόνου καί πραγμάτων καί τῶν ἔξωθεν συνεργίας πρός τό γενέσθαι δέονται· ἡ δέ τοῦ λόγου φύσις, κατ᾿ ἐξουσίαν ἔχει τό πλημμελεῖν.
Φίλωνος. Ἀναισχυντία μέν ἴδιον φαύλου· αἰδώς δέ, σπουδαίου· τό δέ μήτε αἰσχύνεσθαι μήτε ἀναισχυντεῖν, τοῦ ἀκαταλήπτως ἔχοντος καί ἀσυνκαθέτως.
Ἀναιδές βλέμμα καί μετέωρος αὐχήν, καί συνεχής κίνησις ὀφρύων, καί βάδισμα σεσοβημένον, καί τό ἐπί μηδενί τῶν φαύλων ἐρυθριᾷν, σημεῖα ψυχῆς ἐστιν αἰσχίστης, τούς ἀφανεῖς τῶν οἰκείων ὀνειδῶν τύπους ἐγγραφούσης τῷ φανερῷ σώματι.
Φιλιστίων. Ὅστις γάρ αὐτός αὐτόν οὐκ αἰσχύνεται, Συνειδώς αὐτῷ φαῦλα διαπεπραγμένῳ, Πῶς τόν δε μηδέν εἰδότ᾿ αἰσχυνθήσεται; Ἀριστοτέλ. Τό μή αἰσχύνεσθαι κακόν ὄντα, κακίας ὑπερβολή. Σωκράτης. Γλώσσῃ θρασείᾳ μή χρῆσθαι· πολλάκις γάρ τό θράσος, καί αὐτήν διώλεσε
τήν κεφαλήν.
Εὐριπίδ. Θράσει μέν οὐδείς οὐδέπω, πόνῳ δέ καί γενναιότητι καί ἐπιεικείᾳ ἀρετήν ἐπεκτήσατο.
Μενάνδρου. Οὐκ ἔστιν ἀνοίας οὐδέν ὡς ἐμοί δοκεῖ, τολμηρότερον.
Μουσωνίου. Αἰδοῦς παρά πᾶσιν ἄξιος ἔσῃ, ἐάν πρῶτον ἄρξῃ σαυτόν αἰδεῖσθαι.
Θεόφραστ. Αἰδοῦς παρά πᾶσιν ἄξιος ἔσῃ, ἐάν πρῶτον ἄρξῃ σαυτόν αἰδεῖσθαι.
Κάτωνος. Ὁ αὐτός ἰδών μειράκιον ἐρυθριάσαν, ἔφη. Θάῤῥει· τοιοῦτον γάρ ἔχει ἡ ἀρετή τό χρῶμα.
Μάλιστα νόμιζε δεῖν ἕκαστον αἰδεῖσθαι ἑαυτόν· μηδένα γάρ ἑαυτοῦ μηδέποτε χωρίς εἶναι.
ΛΟΓΟΣ ΜΑ´.
Περί γήρως καί νεότητος. Ἰωάν. κα´. Ὅτε ἦς νεώτερος, ἐζώννυες ἑαυτόν καί περιεπάτεις ὅπου ἤθελες· ὅταν δέ
γηράσῃς, ἐκτενεῖς τάς χεῖράς σου, καί ἄλλος δε ζώσει, καί οἴσει ὅπου οὐ θέλεις.
Ἑβραί. ιβ´. ∆ιό τάς παρειμένας χεῖρας καί παραλελυμένα γόνατα ἀνορθώσατε· καί τροχιάς ὀρθάς ποιήσατε τοῖς ποσίν ὑμῶν.
Σιράχ στ΄ . Μῆκος βίου, ὁδοί δικαιοσύνης.