387

Demosth. We do not judge grain best from the most beautiful field, but that which is suitable for food; nor a good man or a well-disposed friend, the one from a famous family, but the one who is better in character.

For the well-born and beautiful it is most urgent, to have beauty in appearance, moderation in the soul, and courage in both of these; and grace in their words.

Diogenes. When someone asked, Who among men are the most noble? Those who look down, he said, on wealth, glory, pleasure, life; and are above their opposites, poverty, dishonor, toil, death.

Zeno. The same said, that we should not inquire of (996) men, if they are from great cities, but if they are worthy of great cities.

Of Epicharmus. I am choked whenever someone who is nothing speaks ill of nobility, being himself ignoble in character. For what fellowship is there between a mirror and a blind man?

Of Charicles. For an appearance of nobility and beauty and a fair countenance, a thievish character; is nothing. It is able to subdue and rule nothing, not even the most squalid.

Socrat. Socrates the philosopher, seeing one of his students, caring for his field, but neglecting his practice, "Take care, you," he said, "lest, while wishing to cultivate the field, you make your soul wild."

Plutarch. For what else do we consider nobility to be, if not ancient wealth, or ancient glory? neither of which is in our power, but the one is of uncertain fortune, and the other on account of human incontinence. So from two foreign things hangs that puffed-up name, nobility. And wealth, indeed, does not make those born to it similar to it; but he who is born of virtue, he is pictured as noble.

DISCOURSE 64.

Concerning laughter. Luke 6. Woe to you who laugh now, for you will mourn and weep.

Eph. 5. Filthiness and foolish talking and coarse jesting, and things which are not fitting, let it not even be named among you; but rather giving of thanks.

Solomon 7. As the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the foolish.

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

Of Basil. For to reveal the disposition of the soul up to a cheerful smile is not unseemly, only enough to show what is written, A joyful heart makes a cheerful countenance. But to break into loud laughter with the voice, and to shake the body, is not characteristic of a composed soul nor of one who has self-control. For the most wise Solomon confirms the saying, that A fool lifts up his voice with laughter; but a wise man will scarce smile a little.

387

∆ημοσθ. Οὔτε σῖτον ἄριστον ἐκ τοῦ καλλίστου πεδίου κρίνομεν, ἀλλά τόν εὔθετον πρός τροφήν· οὔτε ἄνδρα σπουδαῖον ἤ φίλον εὔνουν, τόν ἐξ ἐπιφανοῦς ὄντα γένους, ἀλλά τόν ὑπάρχοντα τῷ τρόπῳ κρείττονα.

Τοῖς εὐγενέσι καί καλοῖς μάλιστα κατεπείγει, κάλλος μέν ἐπί τῆς ὄψεως, σωφροσύνην δέ ἐπί τῆς ψυχῆς, ἀνδρείαν δέ ἐπ᾿ ἀμφοτέρων τούτων· χάριν δέ ἐπί τῶν λόγων διατελεῖν ἔχουσι.

∆ιογένης. Πυνθανομένου τινός, Τίνες τῶν ἀνθρώπων εὐγενέστατοι; Οἱ καταφρονοῦντες, εἶπε, πλούτου, δόξης, ἡδονῆς, ζωῆς· τῶν δέ ἐναντίων ὑπεράνων ὄντες, πενίας, ἀδοξίας, πόνου, θανάτου.

Ζήνων. Ὁ αὐτός ἔφη, μή δεῖν ζητεῖν τούς (996) ἀνθρώπους, εἴ τινες ἐκ μεγάλων πόλεών εἰσιν, ἀλλ᾿ εἰ μεγάλων πόλεων ἄξιοι.

Ἐπιχάρμου. Πνίγομ᾿ ὅταν εὐγένειαν οὐδέν ὤν κακῶς λέγει τις, αὐτός δυσγενής ὤν τῷ τρόπῳ. Τίς γάρ κατόπτρῳ καί τυφλῷ κοινωνία;

Χαρικλείου. Εὐγενείας γάρ ἔμφασις καί κάλλους καί ὄψις, ληστρικόν ἦθος· οὐδέν· οὐδέν ὑποτάττειν καί κρατεῖν, καί τῶν αὐχμηροτάτων, δύναται.

Σωκράτ. Σωκράτης ὁ φιλόσοφος, θεασάμενός τινα τῶν μαθητῶν, τοῦ μέν ἀγροῦ ἐπιμελούμενον, τῆς δέ πράξεως ἀμελοῦντα, Ὅρα, ὦ οὗτος, ἔφη, μή τόν ἀγρόν ἐξημερῶσαι βουλόμενος, τήν ψυχήν ἀγριώσῃ.

Πλουτάρχ. Τί γάρ ἄλλο νομίζομεν εἶναι τήν εὐγένειαν, εἰ μή παλαιόν πλοῦτον, ἤ παλαιάν δόξαν; οὐδέτερον ἐφ᾿ ἡμῖν ὄν, ἀλλά τά μέν τύχης ἀδήλου, τά δέ ἀκρασίας χάριν ἀνθρωπίνης. Ὥστε ἐκ δυοῖν ἀλλοτρίων κρέμαται τό πεφυσωμένον ὄνομα, ἡ εὐγένεια. Καί ὁ πλοῦτος μέν, οὐχ ὁμοίους αὐτῷ τούς γεννηθέντας ποιεῖ· ἀλλ' ὁ ἐξ ἀρετῆς γεννηθείς, ἐκεῖνος εὐγενής εἰκονίζεται.

ΛΟΓΟΣ Ξ∆´.

Περί γέλωτος. Λουκ. στ´. Οὐαί ὑμῖν, οἱ γελῶντες, ὅτι πενθήσετε καί κλαύσετε.

Ἐφ. ε´. Αἰσχρότης καί μωρολογία καί εὐτραπελία, καί τά οὐκ ἀνήκοντα, μηδέ ὀναμαζέσθω ἐν ὑμῖν· ἀλλά μᾶλλον εὐχαριστία.

Σολομ. ζ΄. Ὥσπερ φωνή ἀκανθῶν ὑπό τόν λέβητα, οὕτως ὁ γέλως τῶν ἀφρόνων.

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.