was conquered. And chastity,[1] assuming to itself bonds, appears superior to dissolute licence. Most excellent is what has been said:
"In fine, I know not how
To whisper, nor effeminately,
To walk about with my neck awry,
As I see others—lechers there
In numbers in the city, with hair plucked out."[2]
But feminine motions, dissoluteness, and luxury, are to be entirely prohibited. For voluptuousness of motion in walking, "and a mincing gait," as Anacreon says, are altogether meretricious.
"As seems to me," says the comedy, "it is time[3] to abandon meretricious steps and luxury." And the steps of harlotry lean not to the truth; for they approach not the paths of life. Her tracks are dangerous, and not easily known.[4] The eyes especially are to be sparingly used, since it is better to slip with the feet than with the eyes.[5] Accordingly, the Lord very summarily cures this malady: "If thine eye offend thee, cut it out,"[6] He says, dragging lust up from the foundation. But languishing looks, and ogling, which is to wink with the eyes, is nothing else than to commit adultery with the eyes, lust skirmishing through them. For of the whole body, the eyes are first destroyed. "The eye contemplating beautiful objects (καλὰ), gladdens the heart;" that is, the eye which has learned rightly (καλῶς) to see, gladdens. "Winking with the eye, with guile, heaps woes on men."[7] Such they introduce the effeminate Sardanapalus, king of the Assyrians, sitting on a couch with his
- ↑ We have read from Nov. σωφροσύνη, for σωφροσύνης.
- ↑ From some comic poet.
- ↑ Nov. reads ὥραν ἀπολείπει. In the translation the conjecture ὥρα ἀπολείπειν is adopted.
- ↑ An adaptation of Prov. v. 5, 6.
- ↑ An imitation of Zeno's saying, "It is better to slip with the feet than the tongue."
- ↑ Quoting from memory, he has substituted ἔκκοψον for ἔξελε (Matt. v. 29).
- ↑ Prov. x. 10.
