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(997) Theol. Laughter is worthy of laughter to those who are wise, Especially all laughter, but most of all the lewd kind. Uncontrolled laughter also gathers tears. A prudent temper is preferable to laughter; for with an austere disposition of the face,

the soul is set right.

Therefore, the souls of the wise are somber and composed; but those of the foolish, being puffed up, are dissipated.

Chrysost. If you want to show us clearly that you do not delight in speaking shameful things, do not tolerate hearing them either. But now when will you be able to bear the toils for the sake of temperance, being little by little undermined by laughter, and by these shameful words? and it is a desirable thing for a soul that is pure of all these things to be able to become venerable and temperate.

One must not be fond of laughter. For almost whenever someone takes pleasure in much laughter, such a person undergoes a strong and sudden change.

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

Let laughter not be much, nor on many occasions. For the most part, renounce outside and private banquets; but if an occasion arises, be on your guard. For know that if one person is defiled, the other must necessarily be filled with it.

Isocrates. Do not be serious amidst jests, nor delight in jests amidst serious things. For what is untimely is everywhere grievous.

Of Moschion. He who wishes to laugh 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 an arrow 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. 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 into 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 with a multitude of trouble.

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(997) Θεολ. Γέλως γέλωτος εὖ φρονοῦσιν ἄξιος, Μάλιστα μέν πᾶς, τό πλέον δ᾿ ὁ πορνικός. Γέλως ἄτακτος, συλλέγει καί δάκρυον. 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. 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.