Homilies and Sermons 14.0–14.8

Basil of Caesarea · Homilies and Sermons · ca. 363-378 · Caesarea · 6 passages

Authorship disputed: Most of these homilies are accepted as Basil's; a few (On Faith, On Humility, parts of the Ps. homilies) have been questioned. Judge each homily separately.

Greek text: PG 31.English: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), public domain (CC0).

Chapter 14

14.0PG 31:420

Κατὰ μεθυόντων.

Kata methyontōn.

Against drunkards.

Notes and citation

Summary: Title of Basil's homily against drunkenness.

This staged section is the title of the next homily (Homily 14), not part of Homily 13; Migne's Latin before it is removed.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (Latin translation at the end of the preceding homily): Μονβϑηὶ αυϊάοπι πιὸ δὰ ἀϊοθηάιπι γ δΡΟΥἿ ηἃ → .

Cite (SBL): Basil, Hom. 14.0 (PG 31:420; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-variae/14-0/#p-14-0). (abbreviation not yet checked)

BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-basil-homiliae-variae-14-0) · Report an error

Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Migne PG 31 (archive.org OCR; slips, Migne's Latin and notes removed as logged corrections; sections renumbered to the Benedictine divisions) and checked privately against FOTC 9 where it has the homily; otherwise re-read against the Greek (no public-domain English).

14.1PG 31:446

Κινεῖ μέν με πρὸς τὸν λόγον τὰ ἑσπερινὰ θεάματα. χατέχει δέ μου πάλιν τὴν ὁρμὴν, καὶ ἀπαμὀλύνει τὴν προθυμίαν τῶν προλαδόντων πόνων τὸ ἄχαρπον. Ἐπεὶ καὶ γεωργὸς, τῶν πρώτων αὐτῷ σπερμάτων μὴ ἐχφυέντων, ὀχνηρότερός ἐστι πρὸς τὸ δεύτερον ταῖς αὐταῖς ἀρούραις πάλιν ἐγχαταδάλλειν. Εἰ γὰρ ἐπὶ τοσαύταις παραινέσεσιν, ἃς ἕν τὸ τῷ προλαδόντι χρόνῳ παρακαλοῦντες ὑμᾶς οὐ διελέπομεν, καὶ ἐφεξῆς τῶν ἑπτὰ τούτων τῆς νηστείας ἑδδομάδων νυχτὸς καὶ ἡμέρας διαμαρτυρόμενοι ὑμῖν τὸ Εὐαγγέλιον τῆς χάριτος τοῦ Θεοῦ οὐχ ἐπαυσάμεθα, οὐδὲν γέγονεν ὄφελος " ἐπὶ ποίαις ἐλπίσι διαλεχθῶμεν σήμερον; Ὧ πόσας νύχτας εἰχῇ εξ γε καὶ εἰχῆ. Ὁ γὰρ ἐν προχοπῇ γενόμενος ἀγαθῶν ἔργων, εἶτα παλινδρομήσας πρὸς τὴν ἀρκαίαν συνἤθειαν, οὐ μόνον τὸν ἐπὶ τοῖς πεπονημένοις μισθὸν ἐζημιώθη, ἀλλὰ καὶ βαρυτέρας ἀξιοῦται τῆς χαταχρίσεως " ὅτι, γευσάμενος καλὸν Θεοῦ ῥῆμα, καὶ γνώσεως μυστηρίων ἀξιωθεὶς, πάντα προέδωχεν, ἡδονῇ βραχείᾳ δελεασθείς. Ὃ μὲν γὰρ ἐλάχιστος συγγγωστός ἐστιν ἐλέους " δυνατοὶ δὲ, φησὶ, δυνατῶς ἑτασθήσονται. Μία ἑσπέρα, καὶ μία προσδολὴ τοῦ ἐχθροῦ πάντα τὸν πόνον ἐχεῖνον διέλυσε καὶ ἠφάνισε. Ποία οὖν προθυμία τοῦ. νῦν λόγου; Ὥστε χἂν ἐσιώπησα, εὖ ἴστε, εἰ μὴ ἐφοδούμην τὸ ὑπόδειγμα τοῦ Ἱερεμίου, ὅς, πρὸς ἀπειθῆ λαὸν φθέγγεσθαι μὴ βουλόμενος, ἔπαθεν ἐχεῖνα ἅπερ αὐτὸς διηγήσατο ὅτι ἐγένετο αὐτῷ πῦρ ἐν τοῖς ἐγχάτοις, καὶ παρεῖτο πάντοθεν, καὶ οὐχ ἐδύνατο φέρειν. Γυναῖχες ἀχόλαστοι, ἐπιλαθόμεναι τοῦ φόδου τοῦ Θεοῦ, τοῦ πυρὸς τοῦ αἰωνίου χαταφρονήσασα:, ἐν ἡμέρᾳ τοιαύτῃ, ὅτε αὐτὰς ἐχρῆν διὰ τὴν ἀνάμνησιν τῆς ἀναστάσεως χαθῆσθαι ἐν τοῖς οἵχοῖς, καὶ ἔννοιαν λαμδάνειν τῆς ἡμέρας ἐκείνης, καθ᾽ ἦν ἀνοιγήσονται μὲν οἱ οὐρανοὶ, ἐπιφανήσεται δὲ ἡμῖν ὁ χριτὴς ἐξ οὐρανῶν, καὶ σάλπιγγες Θεοῦ, καὶ ἀνάστασις νεχρῶν, καὶ χρίσις δικαία, καὶ ἀντίδοσις ἑχάστῳ κατὰ τὸ ἔργον αὑτοῦ - ἀντὶ τοῦ ταῦτα ἔχειν ἐν τοῖς διαλογισμοῖς, καὶ καθαίρειν μὲν ἑαυτῶν τὰς καρδίας ἀπὸ πονηρῶν ἐνθυμήσεων, ἐξαλείφειν δὲ τοῖς δάχρυσι τὰ προημαρτημένα, ἑτοιμάζεσθαι δὲ πρὸς τὴν ἀπάντησιν τοῦ Χριστοῦ κατὰ τὴν μεγάλην ἡμέραν τῆς ἐπιφανείας αὐτοῦ, ἀποσεισάμεναι τὸν ζυγὸν τῆς δουλείας τοῦ Χριστοῦ, ῥίψα σαι ἀπὸ τῶν χεφαλῷν τὰ τῆς εὐσχημοσύνης χαλύμμᾶτα, χαταφρονήσασαι τοῦ, Θεοῦ, χαταφρονήσασαι τῶν ἀγγέλων αὐτοῦ, χαταναισχυντήσασαι πάσης ἄῤἑενος ὄψεως, σοθοῦσαι τὰς χόμας, σύρουσαι τοὺς χιτῶνας, καὶ τοῖς ποσὶν ἅμα παίζουσαι, ὀφθαλμῷ ἐχμανεῖσαι, πᾶσαν νέων ἀχολασίαν ἐφ᾽ ἑαυτὰς προσκαλούμεναι, ἐν τοῖς πρὸ τῆς πόλεως μαρτυρίοις χοροὺς συστησάμεναι, ἐργαστήριον τῆς οἱχείας αὐτῶν ἀτχημοσύνης τοὺς ἡγιασμένους τόπους πεποίηνται. Ἐμίαναν μὲν τὸν ἀέρα τοῖς ἄσμασι τοῖς πορνιχοῖς, ἐμίαναν δὲ τὴν γῆν τοῖς ἀκαθάρτοις … ἑαυταῖς νεανίσχων ὄχλον περιστησάμεναι, ὄντως καὶ παράφοροι παντελῶς, μανίας οὐδεμίαν ὑπερδολὴν ἀπολείπονσαι. Ταῦτα πῶς μὲν σιωπήσω; πῶς δὲ χατ᾽ ἀξίαν ὀδύρωμαι; Οἶνος ἡμῖν τῶν φυχῶν τούτων τὴν ζημίαν ἐποίησεν " οἶνος, τὸ παρὰ Θεοῦ δῶρον εἰς παραμυθίαν τῆς ἀσθενείας δεδομένον τοῖς σωφρονοῦσιν" ὅπλον δὲ νῦν γενόμενον ἀκολασίας τοῖς ἀσελγαίνουσιν. Μέθη, ὁ αὐθαίρετος δαίμων, ἐξ ἡδονῆς ταῖς ψυχαῖς ἐμδαλλόμενος, μέθη, χαχίας μήτηρ, ἀρετῆς ἐναντίωσις, τὸν ἀνδρεῖον δειλὸν ἀποδείχνυσι οἡτὸν σώφρονα ἀσελγῇ ᾿ διχαιοσύνην οὐχ οἷδε, φρόνησιν ἀναιρεῖ, "Ὥσπερ γὰρ ὕδωρ πολέμιόν ἔστι πυρὶ, οὔτως ἀμετρία οἴνου λογισμὸν κατασδέννυσι. Διάπερ ὥχνουν τι λέγειν χατὰ μέθης, οὐχ ὡς περὶ μιχροῦ τινος χαχοῦ ἣ παροφθῆναι ἀξίου, ἀλλ᾽ ὡς οὐδὲν ὄφελος παρεχομένου τοῦ λόγου. Εἰ γὰρ ὁ μεθύων τῶν τῷ μὴ ἀκούοντι. Τίσιν οὖν διαλεχθῶμεν; εἴπερ ὁ μὲν χρήζων τῆς παραινέσεως οὐχ ἀχούει τῶν λεγομένων " ὁ δὲ σωφρονῶν καὶ νήφων οὐ δεῖται τῆς ἐχ τοῦ λόγου βοηθείας, χαθαρεύων τοῦ πάθους. Τί οὖν χρήσομαι τοῖς παροῦσιν, εἰ καὶ ὁ λόγος ἄχρηστος, καὶ ἡ σιωπὴ ἄπορος; Παρίδωμεν τὴν ἐπιμέλειαν; ᾿Αλλ' ἐπικίνδυνος ἢ ἀμέλεια. ᾿Αλλὰ φθέγξομαί τι κατὰ τῶν μεθυόντων; ᾿Αλλ᾽ εἰς νεχρὰς ἀχοὰς ἐνηχοῦμεν. Μήποτε οὖν, ὡς ἐπὶ τῶν λοιμιχῶν νοσημάτων οἱ τῶν σωμάτων θεραπευταὶ τοὺς μὲν ὑγιαίται, τοῖς δὲ χεχρατημένοις ὑπὸ τοῦ πάθους οὐχ ἐγχειροῦσιν - οὕτω καὶ ὑμῖν ἐξ ἡμισείας ἔχει ὁ θέσιν, οὐχ ἀπαλλαγὴν καὶ ἴασιν τοῖς ὑπὸ τοῦ πάθους χεχρατημένοις. Τίνι διενήνοχας τῶν ἀλόγων, ὦ ἄνθρωπε; Οὐ τῇ δωρεᾷ τοῦ λόγου, ἣν λαθὼν παρὰ τοῦ χτίσαντός σε, ἄρχων καὶ κύριος ἐγένου πάσης τῆς χτίσεως; Ὁ τοίνυν ἀφελόμενος ἑαυτοῦ τὴν φρόνησιν διὰ τῆς μέθης, Παρασυγεθιλήθη τοῖς κτήνεσι τοῖς ἀνοήτοις, καὶ ὡμοιώθη αὐτοῖς. Μᾶλλον δὲ καὶ τῶν βοσχημάτῶν φαίην ἂν ἔγωγε ἀλογωτέρους εἶναι τοὺς ἐν τῇ μέθῃ εἴπερ τὰ μὲν τετράποδα πάντα καὶ τὰ θηρία τεταγμένας ἔχει τὰς πρὸς τὴν μίξιν ὁρμὰς, οἱ δὲ ὑπὸ τῆς μέθης τὴν ψυχὴν κατεχόμενοι, χαὺ τὸ σῶμα τῆς παρὰ φύσιν θερμότητος ἀναπλήσαντες, … καὶ ἀσχήμονας συμπλοχὰς καὶ ἡδονὰς συνελαύνον.ται. Καὶ οὐ τοῦτο μόνον τὴν ἀλογίαν αὐτοῖς ἐμποιεξ, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἡ τῶν αἰσθήσεων παρατροπὴ χείρονα πᾶντὸς χτήνους ἀποδείχνυσι τὸν μεθύοντα, Ποῖον γὰρ βόσχτημα οὕτω παραδλέπει καὶ οὕτω παραχούει ὡς ὁ μεθύων; Οὐχ ἀγνοοῦσι μὲν τοὺς οἰχειοτάτους, προετρέχουσι δὲ πολλάχις τοῖς ἀλλοτρίοις ὡς τοῖς συνήθεσιν; Οὐ τὰς σχιὰς διαπηδῶσι πολλάχις ὡς ὀχετοὺς ἣ φάραγγας; "ἤχων δὲ αὐτοῖς καὶ ψόφων, οἱονεὶ θαλάσσης χυμαινούσης, τὰ ὦτα πεπλήρωται" ἡ δὲ γῆ πρὸς τὸ ὄρθιον διανίστασθαι δοχεῖ, καὶ τὰ ὄρη περιτρέχειν ἐν χύχλῳ. Οὗτοι ποτὲ μὲν γελῶσιν ἅπανοτα, ποτὲ ὃὲ ὀδυνῶνται καὶ χλαίουσιν ἀἁπαρτγόρητα. Καὶ νῦν μὲν θρασεῖς εἰσι καὶ ἀπτόητοι, γῦν δὲ χατάφοδοι καὶ δειλοί. Τούτοις ὕπνοι μὲν βαρεῖς καὶ δυσανάφοροι καὶ πνιγώδεις, καὶ τῷ ὄντι θανάτου γείτονες, αἱ δὲ γρηγορήσεις τῶν ὕπνων ἀναισθητότεραι. Ἑνύπνιον γὰρ αὐτοῖς ἐστιν ὁ βίος, οἵ γε, ἑμάτιον οὐχ ἔχοντες, οὐδὲ τέ φάγωσιν εἰς τὴν αὔριον, βασιλεύουσι καὶ στρατοπέδων ἄρχουσιν ἐν τῇ μέθῃ, καὶ πόλεις οἰχοδομοῦσι, καὶ χρήματα διανέμουσι. Τοιούτων φαντασιῶν καὶ ἀπάτης τοπαύτης περιζέων ὁ οἶνος τὰς χαρδίας αὐτῶν πληροῖ. Ἕτεροι δὲ εἰς τὰ ἐναντία περιάγονται πάθη. Δυσέλπιδές εἰσι, καὶ χατηφεῖς, καὶ ὀδυνηροὶ, καὶ δαχρυώδεις, καὶ ψοφοδεεῖς, καὶ εὐπτόητοι. Ὁ αὐτὸς οἶνος ἐν διαφόροις σωμάτων ἕξεσι διάφορα τὰ πάθη ταῖς ψυχαῖς ἐργαζόμενος. Οἷς μὲν γὰρ ἂν διάχυσιν τοῦ αἵματος ἐμποιήσας πρὸς τὴν ἐπιφάνειαν ἐξανἀποδείχνυσιν " ὧν δ' ἂν ὑπὸ τοῦ βάρους χαταπιλήσῃ τὴν ἕξιν, συστέλλων αὐτῶν καὶ χαταπιέξζων τὸ αἷμα, «ρὸς τὴν ἐναντίαν αὐτοὺς περιάγει διάθεσιν. Καὶ τί δεῖ λέγειν τῶν λοιπῶν παθῶν τὸν ὄχλον; τὰς δυσχοχίας τοῦ ἤθους; τὸ εὐπαρόξυντον; τὸ μεμψίμοιρον; πὸ ὀξύῤῥυπον τῆς ψυχῆς; τὴν χραυγήν; τὸν θόρυδον; πὸ πρὸς πᾶσαν ἀπάτην εὐπαράγωγον; τὸ πρὸς τὰς

Kinei men me pros ton logon ta hesperina theamata. chatechei de mou palin tēn hormēn, kai apamolynei tēn prothymian tōn proladontōn ponōn to acharpon. Epei kai geōrgos, tōn prōtōn autǭ spermatōn mē echphyentōn, ochnēroteros esti pros to deuteron tais autais arourais palin enchatadallein. Ei gar epi tosautais parainesesin, has hen to tǭ proladonti chronǭ parakalountes hymas ou dielepomen, kai ephexēs tōn hepta toutōn tēs nēsteias heddomadōn nychtos kai hēmeras diamartyromenoi hymin to Euangelion tēs charitos tou Theou ouch epausametha, ouden gegonen ophelos " epi poiais elpisi dialechthōmen sēmeron? Hō posas nychtas eichę̄ ex ge kai eichē. Ho gar en prochopę̄ genomenos agathōn ergōn, eita palindromēsas pros tēn arkaian synētheian, ou monon ton epi tois peponēmenois misthon ezēmiōthē, alla kai baryteras axioutai tēs chatachriseōs " hoti, geusamenos kalon Theou rhēma, kai gnōseōs mystēriōn axiōtheis, panta proedōchen, hēdonę̄ bracheią deleastheis. Ho men gar elachistos synngōstos estin eleous " dynatoi de, phēsi, dynatōs hetasthēsontai. Mia hespera, kai mia prosdolē tou echthrou panta ton ponon echeinon dielyse kai ēphanise. Poia oun prothymia tou. nyn logou? Hōste chan esiōpēsa, eu iste, ei mē ephodoumēn to hypodeigma tou Hieremiou, hos, pros apeithē laon phthengesthai mē boulomenos, epathen echeina haper autos diēgēsato hoti egeneto autǭ pyr en tois enchatois, kai pareito pantothen, kai ouch edynato pherein. Gynaiches acholastoi, epilathomenai tou phodou tou Theou, tou pyros tou aiōniou chataphronēsasa:, en hēmerą toiautę̄, hote autas echrēn dia tēn anamnēsin tēs anastaseōs chathēsthai en tois hoichois, kai ennoian lamdanein tēs hēmeras ekeinēs, kath᾽ ēn anoigēsontai men hoi ouranoi, epiphanēsetai de hēmin ho chritēs ex ouranōn, kai salpinges Theou, kai anastasis nechrōn, kai chrisis dikaia, kai antidosis hechastǭ kata to ergon hautou - anti tou tauta echein en tois dialogismois, kai kathairein men heautōn tas kardias apo ponērōn enthymēseōn, exaleiphein de tois dachrysi ta proēmartēmena, hetoimazesthai de pros tēn apantēsin tou Christou kata tēn megalēn hēmeran tēs epiphaneias autou, aposeisamenai ton zygon tēs douleias tou Christou, rhipsa sai apo tōn chephalǭn ta tēs euschēmosynēs chalymmata, chataphronēsasai tou, Theou, chataphronēsasai tōn angelōn autou, chatanaischyntēsasai pasēs areenos opseōs, sothousai tas chomas, syrousai tous chitōnas, kai tois posin hama paizousai, ophthalmǭ echmaneisai, pasan neōn acholasian eph᾽ heautas proskaloumenai, en tois pro tēs poleōs martyriois chorous systēsamenai, ergastērion tēs hoicheias autōn atchēmosynēs tous hēgiasmenous topous pepoiēntai. Emianan men ton aera tois asmasi tois pornichois, emianan de tēn gēn tois akathartois … heautais neanischōn ochlon peristēsamenai, ontōs kai paraphoroi pantelōs, manias oudemian hyperdolēn apoleiponsai. Tauta pōs men siōpēsō? pōs de chat᾽ axian odyrōmai? Oinos hēmin tōn phychōn toutōn tēn zēmian epoiēsen " oinos, to para Theou dōron eis paramythian tēs astheneias dedomenon tois sōphronousin" hoplon de nyn genomenon akolasias tois aselgainousin. Methē, ho authairetos daimōn, ex hēdonēs tais psychais emdallomenos, methē, chachias mētēr, aretēs enantiōsis, ton andreion deilon apodeichnysi hoēton sōphrona aselgę̄ ᾿ dichaiosynēn ouch hoide, phronēsin anairei, "Hōsper gar hydōr polemion esti pyri, outōs ametria oinou logismon katasdennysi. Diaper hōchnoun ti legein chata methēs, ouch hōs peri michrou tinos chachou hē parophthēnai axiou, all᾽ hōs ouden ophelos parechomenou tou logou. Ei gar ho methyōn tōn tǭ mē akouonti. Tisin oun dialechthōmen? eiper ho men chrēzōn tēs paraineseōs ouch achouei tōn legomenōn " ho de sōphronōn kai nēphōn ou deitai tēs ech tou logou boētheias, chathareuōn tou pathous. Ti oun chrēsomai tois parousin, ei kai ho logos achrēstos, kai hē siōpē aporos? Paridōmen tēn epimeleian? ᾿All' epikindynos ē ameleia. ᾿Alla phthenxomai ti kata tōn methyontōn? ᾿All᾽ eis nechras achoas enēchoumen. Mēpote oun, hōs epi tōn loimichōn nosēmatōn hoi tōn sōmatōn therapeutai tous men hygiaitai, tois de chechratēmenois hypo tou pathous ouch encheirousin - houtō kai hymin ex hēmiseias echei ho thesin, ouch apallagēn kai iasin tois hypo tou pathous chechratēmenois. Tini dienēnochas tōn alogōn, ō anthrōpe? Ou tę̄ dōreą tou logou, hēn lathōn para tou chtisantos se, archōn kai kyrios egenou pasēs tēs chtiseōs? Ho toinyn aphelomenos heautou tēn phronēsin dia tēs methēs, Parasygethilēthē tois ktēnesi tois anoētois, kai hōmoiōthē autois. Mallon de kai tōn boschēmatōn phaiēn an egōge alogōterous einai tous en tę̄ methę̄ eiper ta men tetrapoda panta kai ta thēria tetagmenas echei tas pros tēn mixin hormas, hoi de hypo tēs methēs tēn psychēn katechomenoi, chau to sōma tēs para physin thermotētos anaplēsantes, … kai aschēmonas symplochas kai hēdonas synelaunon.tai. Kai ou touto monon tēn alogian autois empoiex, alla kai hē tōn aisthēseōn paratropē cheirona pantos chtēnous apodeichnysi ton methyonta, Poion gar boschtēma houtō paradlepei kai houtō parachouei hōs ho methyōn? Ouch agnoousi men tous oicheiotatous, proetrechousi de pollachis tois allotriois hōs tois synēthesin? Ou tas schias diapēdōsi pollachis hōs ochetous hē pharangas? "ēchōn de autois kai psophōn, hoionei thalassēs chymainousēs, ta ōta peplērōtai" hē de gē pros to orthion dianistasthai dochei, kai ta orē peritrechein en chychlǭ. Houtoi pote men gelōsin hapanota, pote hoe odynōntai kai chlaiousin haapartgorēta. Kai nyn men thraseis eisi kai aptoētoi, gyn de chataphodoi kai deiloi. Toutois hypnoi men bareis kai dysanaphoroi kai pnigōdeis, kai tǭ onti thanatou geitones, hai de grēgorēseis tōn hypnōn anaisthētoterai. Henypnion gar autois estin ho bios, hoi ge, hemation ouch echontes, oude te phagōsin eis tēn aurion, basileuousi kai stratopedōn archousin en tę̄ methę̄, kai poleis oichodomousi, kai chrēmata dianemousi. Toioutōn phantasiōn kai apatēs topautēs perizeōn ho oinos tas chardias autōn plēroi. Heteroi de eis ta enantia periagontai pathē. Dyselpides eisi, kai chatēpheis, kai odynēroi, kai dachryōdeis, kai psophodeeis, kai euptoētoi. Ho autos oinos en diaphorois sōmatōn hexesi diaphora ta pathē tais psychais ergazomenos. Hois men gar an diachysin tou haimatos empoiēsas pros tēn epiphaneian exanapodeichnysin " hōn d' an hypo tou barous chatapilēsę̄ tēn hexin, systellōn autōn kai chatapiexzōn to haima, «ros tēn enantian autous periagei diathesin. Kai ti dei legein tōn loipōn pathōn ton ochlon? tas dyschochias tou ēthous? to euparoxynton? to mempsimoiron? po oxyrrhypon tēs psychēs? tēn chraugēn? ton thorydon? po pros pasan apatēn euparagōgon? to pros tas

[1] The spectacles of the evening move me to speak; but again the fruitlessness of my earlier labors holds back my impulse and blunts my eagerness. For a farmer too, when his first seeds have not come up, is more reluctant to cast seed into the same fields a second time. For if, after so many exhortations with which we did not cease to appeal to you in the time before, and through these seven weeks of the fast, testifying to you night and day the Gospel of the grace of God, there has been no profit, on what hopes shall we speak today? O how many nights in vain … and in vain! For one who has made progress in good works and then runs back to his old habit not only forfeits the reward for his labors, but is counted worthy of a heavier condemnation, because, having tasted the good word of God and been counted worthy of the knowledge of the mysteries, he betrayed everything, enticed by a brief pleasure. “For the least is pardonable in mercy, but the mighty will be mightily tested.” One evening, one assault of the enemy, undid and destroyed all that labor. What eagerness, then, can there be for the present address? I would have kept silent, be assured, had I not feared the example of Jeremiah, who, unwilling to speak to a disobedient people, suffered what he himself has related: that there was fire in his bowels, and he was faint on every side and could not bear it. Licentious women, forgetting the fear of God and despising the eternal fire, on such a day, when they ought, for the remembrance of the resurrection, to sit at home and think of that day on which the heavens will be opened and the Judge will appear to us from heaven, with God's trumpets, the resurrection of the dead, just judgment, and requital to each according to his work; instead of having these things in their thoughts, cleansing their hearts of wicked imaginations, wiping out their former sins with tears, and preparing to meet Christ on the great day of his appearing, they have shaken off the yoke of service to Christ, thrown from their heads the coverings of decency, despising God, despising his angels, shameless before every male eye, tossing their hair, trailing their tunics, sporting with their feet, with wanton eyes, inviting all the licentiousness of young men upon themselves; they have set up dances in the martyrs' shrines before the city and made the hallowed places a workshop of their own indecency. They polluted the air with harlots' songs, they polluted the ground with their unclean … gathering a crowd of young men about themselves, truly deranged altogether, leaving no excess of madness untried. How shall I keep silent about these things? How shall I lament them worthily? Wine has caused us the loss of these souls: wine, the gift from God given to the temperate for comfort in weakness, now become a weapon of licentiousness for the wanton.

[2] Drunkenness, the self-chosen demon, thrust into souls through pleasure; drunkenness, mother of vice, adversary of virtue, makes the brave man a coward and the temperate man wanton; it does not know justice; it destroys prudence. For as water is hostile to fire, so excess of wine quenches reason. That is why I hesitated to say anything against drunkenness: not as if it were some small evil, worth overlooking, but because speech brings no benefit. For if the drunkard … to one who does not hear. To whom then shall we speak? For the one who needs the exhortation does not hear what is said, and the temperate and sober man does not need the help of the word, being clean of the passion. What then shall I do with those present, if speech is useless and silence impossible? Shall we neglect the care? But neglect is dangerous. Shall I say something against the drunkards? But we sound into dead ears. Perhaps, then, as in pestilential diseases the physicians of bodies [protect] the healthy, but do not take in hand those already gripped by the disease, so for you too the address is half useful: … protection [for the healthy], not deliverance and cure for those gripped by the passion.

[3] In what do you differ from the irrational animals, O man? Is it not in the gift of reason, which you received from your Creator and so became ruler and lord of all creation? So whoever takes away his own understanding through drunkenness “is compared to the senseless cattle and has become like them.” Rather, I would say that those in drunkenness are even more irrational than cattle, since all the quadrupeds and the wild beasts have ordered impulses toward mating, while those whose souls are held fast by drunkenness, having filled the body with heat contrary to nature, … are driven to untimely and shameless embraces and pleasures. And not only does it produce irrationality in them; the derangement of the senses too shows the drunkard worse than any beast. For what animal looks so askew and hears so wrongly as the drunkard? Do they not fail to know their closest kin, and often run up to strangers as to acquaintances? Do they not often leap over shadows as if they were ditches or ravines? Their ears are filled with ringing and din, as of a surging sea; the ground seems to rise upright, and the mountains to run round in a circle. Now they laugh without stopping, now they grieve and weep inconsolably. Now they are bold and undaunted, now fearful and cowardly. Their sleep is heavy, hard to rouse from, suffocating, truly a neighbor of death, and their wakings are more senseless than their sleep. For their life is a dream: men who have no cloak, nor anything to eat tomorrow, reign as kings in their drunkenness, command armies, build cities, and distribute money. With such fancies and so much deceit the wine, boiling up, fills their hearts. Others are driven to the opposite passions: they are despondent, dejected, distressed, tearful, startled at every noise, easily frightened. The same wine produces different passions in souls according to the different conditions of bodies. Those in whom it causes the blood to spread out toward the surface it shows [cheerful]; those whose condition it presses down by its weight, contracting and compressing their blood, it drives to the opposite disposition. And why speak of the crowd of other passions? The ill temper of character? The irritability? The querulousness? The volatility of soul? The shouting? The uproar? The readiness to be led into every deceit? The [proneness] to …

Acts 20:24 (allusion, high confidence) · Heb 6:4 (allusion, high confidence) · Heb 6:5 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Pet 2:21 (echo, medium confidence) · Jer 20:9 (allusion, high confidence) · 1 Thess 4:16 (allusion, high confidence) · Matt 16:27 (allusion, high confidence) · 1 Cor 11:10 (echo, low confidence) · 1 Tim 5:23 (echo, medium confidence) · Ps 49:12 (48:13 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Gen 1:28 (echo, medium confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: On Easter evening women danced drunk at the martyrs' shrines; Basil, though discouraged, denounces drunkenness, which makes people more irrational than beasts and deranges body and mind.

This staged section holds sections 1 (no numeral printed), 2 and 3 (marked [2], [3]). The homily was preached on the evening of Easter, after the seven weeks of Lent. Words are lost where Migne's Latin and notes displaced the Greek (after “nights in vain,” after “their unclean,” after “if the drunkard,” in the comparison with physicians, in section 3 before “untimely”) and at the end, where the section breaks off at a page break; marked “…”. Words in brackets are supplied by sense. ὀξύρρυπον (“volatility”) is read as ὀξύρροπον. Quotations and allusions: Acts 20:24; Heb 6:4–6; 2 Pet 2:20–21; Wis 6:6; Jer 20:9; 1 Thess 4:16; Matt 16:27; 1 Cor 11:5–10 (head coverings); 1 Tim 5:23; Ps 49:12, 20 (48:13, 21 LXX); Gen 1:28.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (Latin translation; Latin translation and section numeral; Latin words; Migne's note and Latin translation; Greek words lost here; Migne's notes on variants and Latin translation; Greek words lost here; column letter and Latin translation inside the word παντός; column letter and Latin word; hyphenated word; hyphenated word broken by OCR; hyphenated word broken by a column letter; section numeral; stray bracket): Ἑάϊεῖο Ῥαγὶβ. διαμαρτυρόμενοι ἡμῖν. 0 τὶ αἱ ἴῃ ὁγὰ ἢ γὶ βογίρίιη 51 γρ. καὶ ἀντίδοσις. Τοοῖο τπιογί ποῦ, οἱ ἡ ἀ]οἰ την [πϑΐππ|, οἱ τρϑ δ → … ; ΒΘΡΠΙΟΙἶ8. Δυχὶ !ἶο, οὐ πὶ Δ πος Υἱτο ρυγυ8 511 οἵ ᾧ. → ; (ο]». ῥτίπιυαβ ργοὸ παντελῶς πᾶρεῖ ἀληθῶς, ρώσαντες. Εἰ πᾷ φιοαυθ Ἀπ θΓΟβἰι15 δα πηρϑὶῖ → … ; ὑπιῦτας δα ρὲ [ταν δὶ ιιπί → ; - Α 608 ὑγιΐίοκ τεάϊι οἱ βίυρίἀο8 : δεὰ ϑδηβιυπι → ; θεά- Ὁ ματα → θεάματα; ὀχνηρότερός [ἐστι → ὀχνηρότερός ἐστι; Θεοῦ αὶ νοβὶβ οὐχ → Θεοῦ οὐχ; εἰ μὴ Β οἰϊὰπ) ἐφοδούμην → εἰ μὴ ἐφοδούμην; ἐξ- Οὶ αλείφειν → ἐξαλείφειν; μαρτυ- Ρίοις → μαρτυρίοις; δ. Τίνι διενήνοχας → Τίνι διενήνοχας.

Extrabiblical texts: Wis 6:6 (Wisdom of Solomon [in RC, EO, ETH canons]; quotation)

Topics: Ethics, Martyrdom

Cite (SBL): Basil, Hom. 14.1 (PG 31:446; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-variae/14-0/#p-14-1). (abbreviation not yet checked)

BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-basil-homiliae-variae-14-1) · Report an error

14.4PG 31:450

Ἢ δὲ πρὸς τὰς ἡδονὰς ἀκρασία ἄντιχρυς ὥσπερ ἐχ πηγῆς τοῦ οἴνου φέρεται, καὶ συνεισπίπτει τῷ ἀχράτῳ τῆς ἀσελγείας ἡ νόσος, πᾶσαν βοσχημάτων μανίαν ἐπὶ τὸ θῆλυ δευτέραν τῆς τῶν μεθυόντων ὕδρεως ἀποφαίνουσα " εἴπερ τὰ μὲν ἄλογα γνωρίζει «οὺς ὄρους τῆς φύσεως, οἱ δὲ μεθύόντες ἐν ἄῤῥενι μὲν τὸ θῆλυ, ἐν δὲ τῷ θήλει τὸ ἄῤῥεν ἐπιζητοῦσιν. (ὐδὲ ἐπεξελθεῖν τῷ λόγῳ ῥάδιον πᾶσι τοῖς ἐχ τῆς μέθης δεινοῖς, Αἱ μὲν οὖν ἐχ τοῦ λοιμοῦ βλάδαι ἢ χρόνῳ ἐγγίνονται τοῖς ἀνθρώποις, χατὰ μιχρὸν ποῦ ἀέρος τὴν παρ᾽ ἑαυτοῦ φθορὰν ἐντιθέντος τοῖς σώμασιν" αἱ δὲ παρὰ τοῦ οἴνου εὐθὺς συνεισπίπτουσιν. Οὕτω γὰρ τὴν ψυχὴν ἀπολωλότες, ὡς ὑπὸ πάσης χηλῖδος εἶναι χατεστιγμένοι, ἔτι καὶ αὑτὴν τοῦ σώματος τὴν ἕξιν προσδιαφθείρονται" οὐ μόνον τῇ … ἐχτετηχότες καὶ διαῤῥέοντες, ἀλλὰ καὶ αὑτῷ τῷ ὄγχῳ πεπλαδηχὸς καὶ βρυῶδες καὶ τοῦ ζωτιχοῦ τόνου λελυμένον τὸ σῶμα φέροντες. Τούτων πελιδνοὶ οἱ ὀφθαλμοί" ὕπωχρος δὲ ἣ ἐπιφάνεια " πνεῦμα προσεστηχός: γλῶσσα παρειμένη, καὶ χραυγὴ ἄσημος " ἀκροσφαλεῖς οἱ πόδες χαθάπερ οἱ τῶν παίδων " ἐχχρίσεις δὲ τῶν περιττωμάτων αὐτόματοι ὥσπερ ἀπὸ ἀψύχων ῥέουσαι. Ἐλεεινοὶ τῆς τρυφῆς, ἐλεεινότεροι τῶν ἐν πελάγει χειμαζομένων, οὗς ἄλλα ἐξ ἄλλων διαδεχόμενα καὶ ἐπιδαπτίζοντα χύματα ἀναφέρειν οὐκ ἐπιτρέπει τοῦ χλύδωνος. Οὕτω δὴ καὶ τούτῶν αἱ ψυκαὶ ὑποθρύχιοι φέρονται βεδαπτισμέναι τῷ οἴνῳ. Διόπερ ὡς τὰ χειμαζόμενα πλοῖα, ἐπειδὰν τοῦ χουφίζεται" οὕτω καὶ τούτοις ἀναγχαῖαι τῶν ζοντες, μόλις ἐλευθεροῦνται τοῦ βάρους" τοσοῦτον τῶν δυσπλοούντων ἐλεεινότεροι, ὅσον οἱ μὲν ἀνέμους καὶ θάλασσαν καὶ τὰς ἔξωθεν ἀνάγχας ἐπαιτιῶνται " οἱ δὲ αὐθαίρετον ἐπισπῶνται τὸν ἐκ τῆς μέθης χειμῶνα. Ὁ δαιμονῶν ἐλεεινός" ὁ ὃ μεθύων, τὰ αὐτὰ πάσχων, οὐδὲ τοῦ ἐλεεῖσθαι ἄξιος, αὐθαιρέτῳ δαΐμονι προσπαλαίων. Οἱ καὶ μέθης συντιθέασι φάρμαχα, οὐχὶ τὸ μὴ παθεῖν τι δεινὸν ἀπὸ τοῦ οἴνου, ἀλλὰ τὸ μὴ γὰρ αὐτοῖς ἡ ἡμέρα" μιχρὰ δὲ ἡ νὺξ καὶ ἡ χειμέριος, πρός γε τὸν τοῦ πότου χρόνον. Τέλος δὲ οὐκ ἔστι τοῦ χαχοῦ. Αὐτὸς γὰρ ἑαυτὸν ὁ οἶνος ἐπὶ τὸ ς πλεῖον προάγει. Οὐ γὰρ τὴν χρείαν παραμυθεῖται, ἀλλ᾽ ἑτέρου πότου χρείαν ἀπαραίτητον ἐμποιεῖν ἐχκαίων τοὺς μεθύοντας, καὶ ἀεὶ πρὸς τὴν τοῦ πλείονος ἔφεσιν προχαλούμενος. ᾿Απλήρωτον δὲ τοῦ πίγειν τὴν ὄρεξιν ἔχειν ἐπινοοῦντες, τὸ ἐναντίον πάσχουσιν ἣ προήρηνται. Τῷ γὰρ συνεχεῖ τῆς τρυφῆς τὰς αἰσθήσεις ἀπομαραίνουσιν. Ὡς γὰρ τὸ ἄγαν λαμπρὸν ἀμαυροῖ τὰς ὄψεις, καὶ ὥσπερ οἱ τοῖς μεγάλοις ψόφοις καταχρουόμενοι τῇ ἀμετρίᾳ τῆς πληγῆς εἰς τὸ μηδὲ ἀχούειν παντελῶς περιάγονται " οὕτω καὶ οὗτοι λελήθασιν ἑαυτοὺς ὑπὸ τῆς ἄγαν φιληδονίας τὴν ἡδονὴν ἀπολέσαντες. ἽΛποιος μὲν γὰρ αὐτοῖς καὶ ὑδατώδης ὁ οἶνος, χἂν ἄκρατος ἧ᾽ χλιαρὰ δὲ τοῦ νεαροῦ ἡ ἀντίληψις, χἂν τὸ ἀχραιφνέστατον ἧ, χἂν αὑτὴ χιὼν, χατασθέσαι τὴν ἔνδον ἐν αὐτοῖς ἐχ τῆς ἀμετρίας τοῦ οἴνου καιομένην φλόγα μὴ δυναμένη. Τίνι οὐαΐ; τίγι θόρυδος; τίνι κρίσεις; τίνι ἀηδίαε καὶ λέσχαι; τίνι συντρίμματα διαχενῆς; τίγος πελιδνοὶ οἱ ὀφθαλμοί; Οὐ τῶν ἐγχρονιζόντων ἐν οἴνῳ, καὶ κατωσχοπούγτων ποῦ πότοι γίνονται; Τὸ οὐαὶ θρηνῶδές ἐστι ἐπίφθεγμα, Θρήνου δὲ ἄξιοι οἱ μεθύοντες, διότι Μέθυσοι βασιλείαν Θεοῦ οὐ κληρονομήσουσι. Θόρυδος δὲ διὰ τὴν ἐχ τοῦ οἴνου ταραχὴν ἐγγινομένην τοῖς λογισμοῖς, Καὶ … τὴν ἔνδοθεν αὐτοῖς. Μοχ ἀηδίαι διὰ τὰς πικρὰς ἐχ τῆς τοῦ πίνειν ἡδονῆς ἀναδόσεις. Τούτων γὰρ δεσμοῦνται μὲν οἱ πόδες, δεσμοῦνται δὲ χεῖρες ἐχ τῶν ἐπιπεμπομένων αὐτοῖς παρὰ τῆς μέθης ῥευμάτων. Καίτοι καὶ πρὸ τούτῶν τῶν παθῶν, παρ᾽ αὐτὸν τὸν καιρὸν τοῦ πίνειν, «ὰ τῶν φρενιτιχῶν αὐτοῖς συμπίπτει πάθη. “Ὅταν γὰρ πλήρεις αἱ μήνιγγες γένωνται τῆς αἰθάλης, ἣν ὁ οἶνος ἐξατμιζόμενος ἀναφέρει, βάλλεται μὲν ὀδύναις ἀφορήτοις ἡ χεφαλή" μένειν δὲ ὀρθὴ ἐπὶ τῶν ὥμων μὴ δυναμένη, ἄλλοτε ἐπ’ ἄλλα καταπίπτει, τοῖς σπονδύλοις ἐνολισθαίνουσα. Λέσχην δὲ λέγει τὴν ἄμετρον ἐν τοῖς συμποσίοις καὶ ἐμφιλόνειχον ὁμιλίαν. Καὶ συντρίμματα διαχενῇ: γίνετα: τοῖς οἰνόφλυξιν, οὐ δυναμένοις ὀρθοῦσθαι ὑπὸ τῆς μέθης. ᾿Ανατρέπονται γὰρ εἰς παντοῖα πτωμάτων σχήματα, ὥστε ἀναγκαῖον αὐτοὺς ἐπὶ τοῦ σώματος συντρίμματα ἔχειν διαχενῆς.

Ē de pros tas hēdonas akrasia antichrys hōsper ech pēgēs tou oinou pheretai, kai syneispiptei tǭ achratǭ tēs aselgeias hē nosos, pasan boschēmatōn manian epi to thēly deuteran tēs tōn methyontōn hydreōs apophainousa " eiper ta men aloga gnōrizei «ous orous tēs physeōs, hoi de methyontes en arrheni men to thēly, en de tǭ thēlei to arrhen epizētousin. (yde epexelthein tǭ logǭ rhadion pasi tois ech tēs methēs deinois, Hai men oun ech tou loimou bladai ē chronǭ enginontai tois anthrōpois, chata michron pou aeros tēn par᾽ heautou phthoran entithentos tois sōmasin" hai de para tou oinou euthys syneispiptousin. Houtō gar tēn psychēn apolōlotes, hōs hypo pasēs chēlidos einai chatestigmenoi, eti kai hautēn tou sōmatos tēn hexin prosdiaphtheirontai" ou monon tę̄ … echtetēchotes kai diarrheontes, alla kai hautǭ tǭ onchǭ pepladēchos kai bryōdes kai tou zōtichou tonou lelymenon to sōma pherontes. Toutōn pelidnoi hoi ophthalmoi" hypōchros de hē epiphaneia " pneuma prosestēchos: glōssa pareimenē, kai chraugē asēmos " akrosphaleis hoi podes chathaper hoi tōn paidōn " echchriseis de tōn perittōmatōn automatoi hōsper apo apsychōn rheousai. Eleeinoi tēs tryphēs, eleeinoteroi tōn en pelagei cheimazomenōn, hous alla ex allōn diadechomena kai epidaptizonta chymata anapherein ouk epitrepei tou chlydōnos. Houtō dē kai toutōn hai psykai hypothrychioi pherontai bedaptismenai tǭ oinǭ. Dioper hōs ta cheimazomena ploia, epeidan tou chouphizetai" houtō kai toutois ananchaiai tōn zontes, molis eleutherountai tou barous" tosouton tōn dysploountōn eleeinoteroi, hoson hoi men anemous kai thalassan kai tas exōthen ananchas epaitiōntai " hoi de authaireton epispōntai ton ek tēs methēs cheimōna. Ho daimonōn eleeinos" ho ho methyōn, ta auta paschōn, oude tou eleeisthai axios, authairetǭ daïmoni prospalaiōn. Hoi kai methēs syntitheasi pharmacha, ouchi to mē pathein ti deinon apo tou oinou, alla to mē gar autois hē hēmera" michra de hē nyx kai hē cheimerios, pros ge ton tou potou chronon. Telos de ouk esti tou chachou. Autos gar heauton ho oinos epi to s pleion proagei. Ou gar tēn chreian paramytheitai, all᾽ heterou potou chreian aparaitēton empoiein echkaiōn tous methyontas, kai aei pros tēn tou pleionos ephesin prochaloumenos. ᾿Aplērōton de tou pigein tēn orexin echein epinoountes, to enantion paschousin hē proērēntai. Tǭ gar synechei tēs tryphēs tas aisthēseis apomarainousin. Hōs gar to agan lampron amauroi tas opseis, kai hōsper hoi tois megalois psophois katachrouomenoi tę̄ ametrią tēs plēgēs eis to mēde achouein pantelōs periagontai " houtō kai houtoi lelēthasin heautous hypo tēs agan philēdonias tēn hēdonēn apolesantes. HiLpoios men gar autois kai hydatōdēs ho oinos, chan akratos hē᾽ chliara de tou nearou hē antilēpsis, chan to achraiphnestaton hē, chan hautē chiōn, chatasthesai tēn endon en autois ech tēs ametrias tou oinou kaiomenēn phloga mē dynamenē. Tini ouaï? tigi thorydos? tini kriseis? tini aēdiae kai leschai? tini syntrimmata diachenēs? tigos pelidnoi hoi ophthalmoi? Ou tōn enchronizontōn en oinǭ, kai katōschopougtōn pou potoi ginontai? To ouai thrēnōdes esti epiphthegma, Thrēnou de axioi hoi methyontes, dioti Methysoi basileian Theou ou klēronomēsousi. Thorydos de dia tēn ech tou oinou tarachēn enginomenēn tois logismois, Kai … tēn endothen autois. Moch aēdiai dia tas pikras ech tēs tou pinein hēdonēs anadoseis. Toutōn gar desmountai men hoi podes, desmountai de cheires ech tōn epipempomenōn autois para tēs methēs rheumatōn. Kaitoi kai pro toutōn tōn pathōn, par᾽ auton ton kairon tou pinein, «a tōn phrenitichōn autois sympiptei pathē. “Hotan gar plēreis hai mēninges genōntai tēs aithalēs, hēn ho oinos exatmizomenos anapherei, balletai men odynais aphorētois hē chephalē" menein de orthē epi tōn hōmōn mē dynamenē, allote ep’ alla katapiptei, tois spondylois enolisthainousa. Leschēn de legei tēn ametron en tois symposiois kai emphiloneichon homilian. Kai syntrimmata diachenę̄: gineta: tois oinophlyxin, ou dynamenois orthousthai hypo tēs methēs. ᾿Anatrepontai gar eis pantoia ptōmatōn schēmata, hōste anankaion autous epi tou sōmatos syntrimmata echein diachenēs.

[4] Incontinence toward pleasures flows straight from wine as from a spring, and with the unmixed wine the disease of wantonness rushes in, making all the madness of cattle for the female second to the outrage of drunkards; for the irrational animals know the boundaries of nature, but drunkards seek the female in the male and the male in the female. Nor is it easy to go through in words all the terrible things that come from drunkenness. The harms of a plague come upon people over time, as the air gradually introduces its own corruption into bodies; but those from wine rush in at once. For when they have so ruined the soul that it is branded with every stain, they go on to corrupt the very condition of the body as well; not only … wasted away and flowing away, but they also carry about a body swollen in its very bulk, bloated, loosed from its vital tension. Their eyes are livid, their skin sallow, their breathing labored, their tongue slack, their shouting inarticulate; their feet stumble like children's; the discharges of their excrements come of themselves, as if flowing from lifeless things. Pitiable for their luxury, more pitiable than those storm-tossed at sea, whom the waves, following one upon another and swamping them, do not allow to rise out of the surge: so too their souls are carried under, drowned in wine. Therefore, as storm-tossed ships, when … are lightened, so these too need … and are barely freed from the weight; so much more pitiable than those who have a bad voyage, in that the latter blame winds and sea and external necessities, while the former bring on themselves the self-chosen storm of drunkenness. The demon-possessed man is pitiable; the drunkard, suffering the same things, is not even worthy of pity, since he wrestles with a self-chosen demon. They even compound drugs for drunkenness, not so as to suffer no harm from the wine, but so as not … for the day is [short] for them, and the night, even the winter night, is short compared with the time of drinking. There is no end to the evil. For wine leads itself on to more. It does not relieve the need, but produces an inexorable need for more drinking, inflaming the drunkards and always calling them on to desire more. Contriving to have an insatiable appetite for drinking, they suffer the opposite of what they intended. For by the continuity of their luxury they wither their senses. As excessive brightness dims the sight, and as those struck by loud noises are reduced by the excess of the blow to not hearing at all, so these too, through excessive love of pleasure, have unawares lost the pleasure. Wine seems to them tasteless and watery, even if it is unmixed; the taste of a cool drink is lukewarm, even if it is the purest, even snow itself, unable to quench the flame burning within them from the excess of wine. “Who has woe? Who has uproar? Who has judgments? Who has nausea and idle talk? Who has wounds without cause? Whose eyes are livid? Is it not those who linger over wine and watch where drinking parties are held?” “Woe” is a cry of lament; and drunkards are worthy of lament, because “drunkards will not inherit the kingdom of God.” “Uproar,” because of the confusion produced in their reasonings by wine. And … within them. Then “nausea,” because of the bitter returns of the pleasure of drinking. For their feet are bound, and their hands are bound, by the fluxes that drunkenness sends upon them. Yet even before these sufferings, at the very time of drinking, the sufferings of the frenzied befall them. For when the membranes of the brain are full of the soot that the wine, evaporating, carries up, the head is struck with unbearable pains; and being unable to stay upright on the shoulders, it falls now this way, now that, slipping on the vertebrae. By “idle talk” he means the immoderate and quarrelsome conversation at drinking parties. And “wounds without cause” befall wine-bibbers, who cannot keep upright because of drunkenness. For they are thrown into every kind of fall, so that they necessarily have wounds on the body without cause.

Rom 1:26 (echo, low confidence) · Rom 1:27 (echo, low confidence) · Prov 23:29 (quotation, high confidence) · Prov 23:30 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Cor 6:10 (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Drunkenness breeds unnatural lust and ruins the body; Basil expounds Prov 23:29–30 (“who has woe?”) phrase by phrase.

Staged as section 2; the scan reads Migne's numeral 4, and it is section 4 (sections 2 and 3 are in staged 14.1; the end of 3 is lost at the page break). Words lost under Migne's Latin and notes are marked “…”; words in brackets are supplied by sense. Basil's remark that drunkards “seek the female in the male and the male in the female” is translated as written. Quotations: Prov 23:29–30 (LXX); 1 Cor 6:10.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (Latin translation; Latin translation at the end of the page; Migne's note (“two ancient books”); Greek words lost here; Migne's notes and Latin translation; Greek words lost here; footnote marker; hyphenated word broken by a column letter): θεπι εἰτουπινογίί. Ηἰ δἰ χυᾶπὰο ᾳυϊάοπι τἱἀδηὶ ἰηποπι, οἰδπιόγοπι, ἐν] τυπὶ, ργοο ν᾽ (Δί ο δὰ οἴμοι Οὐ}. (ογιῖο ὑγὸ τοιούτων Ἰορί(π τοσούτων. αἰθοῖο ποοθβ86 δϑί Δ) Ἔνασί : ἰἰἃ οἱ ῃἱ δὰ 485 ἐπί! ἰοῦ πανὶ απ δυ8, αυδηίαπι ἱ φυΐάεπι νρηϑδεϊβοιηϊ. ()υἱ ἃ ἀφιιοια οὐδ οἴ}, τ δογα 006 Υἱβ ἰ(Ἰάθ πὶ ποχ Ὑοὶ Ὠἰθαγπα. θη αα ἢ 115 πια]} ἢ} διηρίϊιι5. Νὰπι επὶπὶ ἰοναὶ προοοβϑίἰδίοπι : βοὰ δι θαπαϊ ργονγοσϑηβ. ϑεὰ ἀπ ἱποχρίθυ! 6 Ὀἱ θα παϊ → … ; ουπὶ Ρεγοιβϑαμι 60 ἀδυθηίιηί, αὐ Π1}}}} οπιπίπο Ὦ → ; να οὐ τμπιἱ5 ομΐ ἡμιαϊοὶα 2 ουὶ ηιοίεφίϊα εἰ → ; Απιϊψυϊ ἀπο ΠΙθγὶ → … ; δυηΐ ὑδγαγΪ το ΓΆΡ, οἂρυΐ οἱ ἱπιο] γα θυ → ; ἀνα- Α δόσεις → ἀναδόσεις; τῆς (4!) μέθης → τῆς μέθης.

Topics: Ethics

Cite (SBL): Basil, Hom. 14.4 (PG 31:450; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-variae/14-0/#p-14-4). (abbreviation not yet checked)

BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-basil-homiliae-variae-14-4) · Report an error

14.5PG 31:450

᾿Αλλὰ τίς εἴπῃ ταῦτα τοῖς οἰνοπλήχτοις; Καρηδαροῦσι γὰρ ἐχ τῆς χραιπάλης, νυστάζουσι, χασμῶνται, ἀχλὺν βλέπουσι, ναυτιῶσι. Διὰ τοῦτο οὐχ ἀχοΐουσι τῶν διδασχάλων πολλαχόθεν αὐτοῖς ἐμδοὠντων’ Μὴ μεθύσκεσθε οἴνῳ, ἐν ᾧ ἐστιν ἀσωτία" καὶ πάλιν" Ἀχόμλαστον οἶνος, καὶ ὑδριστικὸν μέθη. Ὧν παρακχούοντες, αὐτόθεν ἔχουσι τὰς ἐπικαρπίας τῆς μέθη. Οἰδαίνει μὲν γὰρ ὁ ὄγχος, ὀφθαλμοὶ δίυγροι, στόμα ξηρὸν καὶ διαχαές. “Ὥσπερ γὰρ αἱ χαράδραι, ἕως μὲν ἂν αὐταῖς ἐπιῤῥέωσιν οἱ χείοι, πλήρεις εἶναι δοχοῦσι, παρελθούσης δὲ τῆς πλημμύρας, ξηραὶ χαταλιμπάνονται " οὕτω καὶ τοῖς οἰνόφλυξ: τὸ στόμα, ἐλλιμνάζοντος μὲν τοῦ οἵνου, πληρές ἐστί πως καὶ δίυγρον, μιχρὸν ὃὲ παραδραμόντος, ξηρὸν καὶ ἄνιχμον ἀπελέγχεται. Παρασυφόμενον δὲ ἀεὶ καὶ χαταχλυζόμενον τῇ ἀμετρίᾳ τοῦ οἴνου, καὶ τὴν ζωτικὴν ἰχμάδα προσαποθάλλει. Ποία γὰρ χατασχευὴ ἀνθρώπου οὕτως ἰσχυρὰ, ὥστε τοῖς ἐχτῆς μέθης κχαχοῖς ἀντισχεῖν; Τίς γὰρ μηζανὴ τὸ ἀεὶ θερμαινόμενον καὶ ἀεὶ διάόροχον τῷ οἴνῳ γινόμένον σῶμα μὴ οὐχὶ ἔκπλυτον καὶ ἐξίτηλον καὶ ἀσθένειαι" χοπτομένου γὰρ αὐτοῖς τοῦ πνεύματος ὑπὸ «ἧς ἀμετρίας τοῦ οἴνου, καὶ τῶν νεύρων λυομένων «ἴς συντονίας, ὁ χλόνος τῷ σύμπαντι ὄγχῳ τοῦ σώματος ἐπιγίνεται. Τί τὴν χατάραν τοῦ Κἀϊν ἐφ᾽ ἑαυ… παντὸς τοῦ βίου; Οὐ γὰρ ἔχον τὸ σῶμα τὸν ἐχ τῆς φύσεω; στηριγμὸν, ἀναγκαίως πεοιδονεῖται καὶ χα-

᾿Alla tis eipę̄ tauta tois oinoplēchtois? Karēdarousi gar ech tēs chraipalēs, nystazousi, chasmōntai, achlyn blepousi, nautiōsi. Dia touto ouch achoïousi tōn didaschalōn pollachothen autois emdoōntōn’ Mē methyskesthe oinǭ, en hǭ estin asōtia" kai palin" Achomlaston oinos, kai hydristikon methē. Hōn parakchouontes, autothen echousi tas epikarpias tēs methē. Oidainei men gar ho onchos, ophthalmoi diygroi, stoma xēron kai diachaes. “Hōsper gar hai charadrai, heōs men an autais epirrheōsin hoi cheioi, plēreis einai dochousi, parelthousēs de tēs plēmmyras, xērai chatalimpanontai " houtō kai tois oinophlyx: to stoma, ellimnazontos men tou hoinou, plēres esti pōs kai diygron, michron hoe paradramontos, xēron kai anichmon apelenchetai. Parasyphomenon de aei kai chatachlyzomenon tę̄ ametrią tou oinou, kai tēn zōtikēn ichmada prosapothallei. Poia gar chatascheuē anthrōpou houtōs ischyra, hōste tois echtēs methēs kchachois antischein? Tis gar mēzanē to aei thermainomenon kai aei diaorochon tǭ oinǭ ginomenon sōma mē ouchi ekplyton kai exitēlon kai astheneiai" choptomenou gar autois tou pneumatos hypo «hēs ametrias tou oinou, kai tōn neurōn lyomenōn «is syntonias, ho chlonos tǭ sympanti onchǭ tou sōmatos epiginetai. Ti tēn chataran tou Kaïn eph᾽ heau… pantos tou biou? Ou gar echon to sōma ton ech tēs physeō? stērigmon, anankaiōs peoidoneitai kai cha-

[5] But who will tell these things to the wine-stricken? For they are heavy-headed from the hangover; they nod, they yawn, they see a mist, they are nauseated. That is why they do not hear the teachers crying out to them from many sides, “Do not get drunk with wine, in which is dissipation”; and again, “Wine is licentious, and drunkenness insolent.” Disregarding these, they reap at once the fruits of drunkenness. Their bulk swells, their eyes are moist, their mouth dry and burning. For just as ravines seem full as long as torrents flow into them, but are left dry when the flood has passed, so too the mouth of wine-bibbers, while the wine stands in it, is somehow full and moist, but when it has run through a little, it is found dry and parched. Always swept and flooded by the excess of wine, it loses its vital moisture as well. For what constitution of a man is so strong as to hold out against the evils of drunkenness? What contrivance [can prevent] the body that is always heated and always soaked in wine from becoming washed out, faded, and … weaknesses; for as their breath is cut short by the excess of wine, and the nerves are loosed from their tension, a trembling comes over the whole bulk of the body. Why do you draw down on yourself the curse of Cain, … all your life? For the body, not having its natural support, is necessarily shaken and …

Eph 5:18 (quotation, high confidence) · Prov 20:1 (quotation, high confidence) · Gen 4:12 (allusion, medium confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Hungover drinkers cannot hear the Scriptures' warnings; wine dries and weakens the body and brings on the trembling of Cain's curse.

Staged as section 3; the scan reads Migne's numeral 5, and it is section 5. Words lost under Migne's Latin are marked “…” (after “faded, and”, and after “the curse of Cain”, where Basil evidently cites the “groaning and trembling” of Gen 4:12 LXX); the section breaks off at a page break. Quotations: Eph 5:18; Prov 20:1; Gen 4:12 (allusion).

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (Latin translation; Latin translation inside the word σώματος; column letter and Latin translation; Greek words lost here): ( 6556 Υἱάδηϊυγ; 564 0] δχυπιίίδιϊο ργαίθνὶ!, βίο ῥο ρ ρ σῃη η → ; ταπὶ νἱίδ απ δι}. Οὐ δΐπ) ΒΟ ἶ π18 σοηϑβιυἷο 1Δη} ν] 8, αἱ του] οη εἰ π|4}}8 ομϑβίϑβιαι ἢ → ; - Ὁ ποιὰ Εἰ ἐδῦ δηίπι οου δ ϑογαπὶ νδοδὶ δυβρίοθγα ἰῃ σοι η), → … .

Topics: Ethics

Cite (SBL): Basil, Hom. 14.5 (PG 31:450; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-variae/14-0/#p-14-5). (abbreviation not yet checked)

BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-basil-homiliae-variae-14-5) · Report an error

14.6PG 31:450

Μέχρι πότε οἶνος; μέχρι τίνος μέθη; Κινδυνεύεις λοιπὸν βόρῦορος εἶναι ἀντὶ ἀνθρώπον, οὕτως ὅλος ἀνεμίχθης τῷ οἴνῳ, καὶ συγχατεσάπης αὐτῷ, ἐχ τῆς καθημερινῆς χραιπάλης οἴνου ἀπόζων, καὶ τούτου διεφθαρμένου, ὥσπερ τῶν ἀγγείων τὰ ἀχρηστότατα. Τούτους ᾿Ησαῖας ὀδύρεται" Οὐαὶ οἱ ἐγειοόμενοι τὸ πρωΐ, καὶ τὸ σίκερα διώκοντες, οἱ μέγοντες τὸ ὀψέ" ὁ γὰρ οἷνος αὐτοὺς συγχαύσει" μετὰ γὰρ κιθάρας καὶ αὐ.ἰῶν τὸν οἶνον πίγουσι, τὰ δὲ ἔργα Κυρίου οὐχ ἐμθιέπουσι, καὶ τὰ ἔργα τῶν χειρῶν ἡ αὐτοῦ οὐ καταγοοῦσι. Σίχερα πᾶν τὸ δυνάμενον μέἢ θὴν ἐμποιῆσαι πόμα τοῖς; Ἑδραίοις ὀνομάζειν σύνηθες. Οἱ οὖν ἀρχομένης ἡμέρας περισχοποῦντες, ποῦ πότοι καὶ ἀλλήλους ἐπὶ τὸ πίνειν παραλαμθάνοντες, καὶ πᾶσαν τῆς ψυχῆς τὴν μέριμναν περὶ τὴν τῶν τοιούπων φροντίδα χαταναλίσχοντες, οὗτοι ὑπὸ τοῦ προφήτου χαταθρηνοῦνται, ὡς χαιρὸν΄ οὐδένα ἑαυτοῖς πρὸς τὴν τῶν θαυμασίων τοῦ Θεοῦ χατανόησιν ἀπολεΐποντες. Οὐ γὰρ ἄγουσι σχολὴν οἱ ὀφθαλμοὶ αὐτῶν ἀνανεῦσαι πρὸς οὐρανὸν, καὶ τὰ ἐν αὐτῷ χάλλη καταμαθεῖν, καὶ πᾶσαν τὴν ἐν τοῖς οὖσι διακόσμησιν ἐπισχέψασθαι, ὥστε ἐχ τῆς τούτων εὐταξίας τὸν δημιουργὸν ἐννοῆσαι" ἀλλ᾽ εὐθὺς ἀρχομένης ἡμέρας χοσμοῦσιν ἑαυτῶν τὰ συμπόσια τάπησι ποιχίλοις καὶ ἀνθίνοις παραπετάσμασι, σπουδὴν τε καὶ ἐπιμέλειαν εἰς τὴν τῶν ἐκπωμάτων παρασχευὴν ἐπιδείχνυνται, ψυχτῆρας καὶ χρατῆρας καὶ φιάλας, ὥσπερ ἐν πομπῇ τινι καὶ πανηγύρει, διατιθέντες, ὡς ἂν τὸ τῶν ἀγγείων διάφορον τὸν κόρον αὐτοῖς ὑποχλέπτῃ, καὶ ἡ τῶν ἐκπωμάτων ὑπαλλαγὴ καὶ μετάδασις ἰχανὴν αὐτοῖς εἰς τὸ πίνειν διατριδὴν ἐμποιῇ. σίαρχοι δέ τινες ἐπὶ τούτοις καὶ ἀρχιοινοχόοι, καὶ ἀρχιτρίχλινοι" καὶ τάξις ἐν ἀταξίᾳ, καὶ διάθεσις ἐν ἀκόσμῳ πράγματι ἐπινενόηται, ἵν᾽, ὥσπερ ταῖς ἀρχαῖς ταῖς ἔξωθεν ἐχ τῶν δορυφορούντων ἡ σεμνότης συναύξεται, ούτω καὶ τῇ μέθῃ οἷον βασιλίδι τινὶ θεραπείαν περιστήσαντες, τὸ ἐπονείδιστον αὐτῆς τῷ ἑαυτόν. … ἐπὶ τούτοις καὶ ἄνθη καὶ μύρα καὶ θυμιάματα, καὶ μυρίαι τινὲς ἔξωθεν θυμηδίαι, πλείονα τὴν ἀσχολίαν τοῖς ἀπολλυμένοις παρασχευάζουσιν. Εἶτα πόῤῥω προϊόντος τοῦ πότον, ἄμιλλαι περὶ τοῦ πλείονος, φιφιλοτιμουμένων χατὰ τὴν μέθην’ καὶ ὁ ἀγωνοθετῶν αὐτοῖς ὁ διάδολος, καὶ ἄθλον τῆς νίχης ἡ ἁμαρτία. Ὃ γὰρ πλείονα τὸν ἄκρατον ἐχχεόμενος, οὗτος φέρεται χατὰ τῶν ἄλλων τὰ νιχητήρια, "Ὄντως Ἡ δόξα ἐν τῇ αἰσχύνῃ αὐτῶν. Φιλονειχοῦσι μὲν γὰρ ἀλλήλοις, ἀμύνονται δὲ ἑαυτούς. Ποῖος; λόγος ἐφιχέσθαε τῆς αἰσχρότητος τῶν γινομένων δύναται; Πάντα ἀλογίας γέμει, πάντα συγχύσεως οἱ ἡττηθέντες μεθύουσιν, οἱ νικῶντες μεθύουσιν, οἱ ὑπηρέται καταγελῶσιν. Ἡ χεὶρ ἀπείρηχε, τὸ στόμα οὐχ ὑποδέχεται, ἡ γαστὴρ διαῤῥήγννται, καὶ τὸ καχὸν οὐχ ὑφίησι. Τὸ ἄθλιον σῶμα, τοῦ φυσιχοῦ τόνου παοαλυθὲν, ἀπόδῥυτόν ἐστι πανταχόθεν, τὴν ἐχ τῆς ἀυερίας βίαν μὴ ὑπομένον. Ἴ. Ἐλεεινὸν θέαμα Χριστιανῶν ὀφθαλμοῖς ἀνὴρ ἀχμάζων χαθ᾽ ἡλιχίαν, σφριγῶν τῷ σώματι, στρατιωτιχοῖς χαταλόγοις ἐμπρέπων, φοράδην οἴχαδε χομιζόμενος, μὴ δυνάμενος ὀρθοῦσθαι, μηδὲ τοῖς ἰδίοις ποσὶν ἀπιέναι. ᾿Ανὴρ φοδερὸς εἶναι ὀφείλων τοῖς πολεμίοις, γέλωτός ἔστιν ἀφορμὴ τοῖς χατ᾽ ἀγορὰν παιδίοις “ ἄνευ σιδήρου χαταδέδληται, ἄνευ πολεμίων περόνευται. ᾿Ανὴρ ὁπλίτης, αὐτὸ τῆς ἡλιχίας ἄγων τὸ ἄνθος, οἴνου γέγονε παρανάλωμα, ἕτοιμος παθεῖν τοῖς ἐχθροῖς ὅσα βούλονται. Μέθη, λογισμῶν ὄλεθρος, ἐσχύος διαφθορὰ, γῆρας ἄωρον, ὀλιγοχρόνιος θάνατος. Τί γὰρ ἄλλο εἰσὶν οἱ μεθύοντες ἣ τὰ εἴδωλα πὧν ἐθνῶν : Ὀφθαλμοὺς ἔχουσι, καὶ οὐ βλέπουσιν" ὦτα ἔχουσι, καὶ οὐκ ἀκούουσι; χεῖρες παραλέλυνται, οὗ πόδες ἀπενεχρώθησαν. Τίς ὁ ταῦτα ἐπιδουλεύσας; τίς ὃ τῶν χαχῶν τούτων αἴτιος; τίς ὁ τὸ τῆς μανίας ν ἡμῖν φάρμαχον ἐγχεράσας; Ανθρωπε, παρά… σχους χειραγωγουμένους, ὡς τραυματίας ἀπὸ πολέμου " ἐνέχρωσας τὴν ἀχμὴν τῆς νεότητος ἀπὸ οἴνου " καὶ χαλεῖς μὲν ὡς φίλον ἐπὶ τὸ δεῖπνον, ἐχδάλλεις δὲ νεχρὸν, οἴνῳ τὴν ζωὴν αὐτοῦ χατασδέσας. Ὅταν δὲ νομισθῶσι διαχορεῖς εἶναι τοῦ οἴνου, τότε τοῦ πίνειν ἄρχονται, καὶ πίνουσι τὸν τῶν χτηνῶν τρόπον, ὡς ἀπὸ χρήνης αὐτοσχεδίου, ἰσαρίθμους τοῖς ἀναχειμένοις τοὺς χρουνοὺς ἀφιείσης. Προϊόντος γὰρ ἤδη τοῦ πότου, ἐπεισέρχεταί τις αὐτοῖς νεανίας. γενναῖος τοὺς ὥμους, οὔπω μεθύων, φιάλην φέρων παρωσάμενος, χαταστὰς εἰς τὸ μέσον, διὰ σχολιῶν σωλήνων ἴσην τοῖς συμπόταις διανέμει τὴν μέθην. Καινὸν τοῦτο τῆς ἀμετρίας τὸ μέτρον, ἵνα κατ᾽ ἰσομοιρίαν ἀλλήλοις συνασελγαίνωσι, μηδένα ὑπερδάλλειν ἐν τῷ πίνειν τὸν ἕτερον. Διελόμενοι γὰρ τὰς ὑδροῤῥόύας, καὶ τὴν πρὸς ἑαυτὸν ἕχαστος τετραμμένην ὑποδεξάμενοι, ὥσπερ ἀπό τινος δεξαμενῆς ἀπνευστὶ πίνουσιν ὡς οἱ βόες, τοσοῦτον ὑφέλχειν ἐπειγόμενοι τοῖς λαιμοῖς, ὅσον αὐτοῖς ἄνωθεν ὁ χυψόν σου πρὸς τὴν ἀθλίαν γαστέρα " κατάμαθε τοῦ ὑποδεχομένου ἀγγείου τὸ μέγεθος" ὅτι μιᾶς χοτύλης ἔχει κοιλότητα. Μὴ πρὸς τὴν οἰνοχόην ἀφόρα, πότε χενώσῃ:, ἀλλχλ πρὸς τὴν σεαυτοῦ χοιλίαν, ὅτι πάλαι πεπλήρωται. Διὰ τοῦτο, Οὐαὶ οἱ ἐγειρόμεγοε τὸ πρωῖ καὶ τὸ σίκερα διώκοντες, οἱ μένοντες τὸ ὀψὲ, καὶ διημερεύοντες ἐν τῇ μέθῃ ὡς μηδένα χαις ρὸν ἑαυτοῖς παρέχειν εἰς τὸ τὰ ἔργα Κυρίου ἐμδλέπειν. καὶ τὰ ἔργα τῶν χειρῶν αὐτοῦ χατανοεῖν. Ὁ γὰρ οἶνος αὐτοὺς συγκαύσει" διότι τὸ ἐχ τοῦ οἴνου θερμὸν, ἐγγινόμενον τῇ σαρχὶ, ἔξαμμα γίνεται τῶν πεπυρωμένων βελῶν τοῦ ἐχθροῦ. Τὸν μὲν γὰρ λογισμὸν καὶ τὸν νοῦν ὁ οἶνος χαταδαπτίζει " τὰ δὲ πάθη καὶ τὰς ἡδονὰς ὥσπερ τι σμῆνος μελισσῶν ἐπεγείρει. Ποῖον γὰρ ἅρμα πώλων οὕτως ἀτάχτως φέρεται, ἀποθαλὸν τὸν ἡνίοχον; Ποῖον δὲ πλοῖον ἀχυθέρνητον, ὑπὸ τῶν χυμάτων, ὡς ἂν τύχῃ, φερόμενον, οὐχ ἀσφαλέστερόν ἐστι τοῦ μεθύοντος;

Mechri pote oinos? mechri tinos methē? Kindyneueis loipon boryoros einai anti anthrōpon, houtōs holos anemichthēs tǭ oinǭ, kai synchatesapēs autǭ, ech tēs kathēmerinēs chraipalēs oinou apozōn, kai toutou diephtharmenou, hōsper tōn angeiōn ta achrēstotata. Toutous ᾿Ēsaias odyretai" Ouai hoi egeioomenoi to prōï, kai to sikera diōkontes, hoi megontes to opse" ho gar hoinos autous synchausei" meta gar kitharas kai au.iōn ton oinon pigousi, ta de erga Kyriou ouch emthiepousi, kai ta erga tōn cheirōn hē autou ou katagoousi. Sichera pan to dynamenon meē thēn empoiēsai poma tois? Hedraiois onomazein synēthes. Hoi oun archomenēs hēmeras perischopountes, pou potoi kai allēlous epi to pinein paralamthanontes, kai pasan tēs psychēs tēn merimnan peri tēn tōn toioupōn phrontida chatanalischontes, houtoi hypo tou prophētou chatathrēnountai, hōs chairon΄ oudena heautois pros tēn tōn thaumasiōn tou Theou chatanoēsin apoleïpontes. Ou gar agousi scholēn hoi ophthalmoi autōn ananeusai pros ouranon, kai ta en autǭ challē katamathein, kai pasan tēn en tois ousi diakosmēsin epischepsasthai, hōste ech tēs toutōn eutaxias ton dēmiourgon ennoēsai" all᾽ euthys archomenēs hēmeras chosmousin heautōn ta symposia tapēsi poichilois kai anthinois parapetasmasi, spoudēn te kai epimeleian eis tēn tōn ekpōmatōn parascheuēn epideichnyntai, psychtēras kai chratēras kai phialas, hōsper en pompę̄ tini kai panēgyrei, diatithentes, hōs an to tōn angeiōn diaphoron ton koron autois hypochleptę̄, kai hē tōn ekpōmatōn hypallagē kai metadasis ichanēn autois eis to pinein diatridēn empoię̄. siarchoi de tines epi toutois kai archioinochooi, kai architrichlinoi" kai taxis en ataxią, kai diathesis en akosmǭ pragmati epinenoētai, hin᾽, hōsper tais archais tais exōthen ech tōn doryphorountōn hē semnotēs synauxetai, outō kai tę̄ methę̄ hoion basilidi tini therapeian peristēsantes, to eponeidiston autēs tǭ heauton. … epi toutois kai anthē kai myra kai thymiamata, kai myriai tines exōthen thymēdiai, pleiona tēn ascholian tois apollymenois parascheuazousin. Eita porrhō proïontos tou poton, amillai peri tou pleionos, phiphilotimoumenōn chata tēn methēn’ kai ho agōnothetōn autois ho diadolos, kai athlon tēs nichēs hē hamartia. Ho gar pleiona ton akraton echcheomenos, houtos pheretai chata tōn allōn ta nichētēria, "Ontōs Hē doxa en tę̄ aischynę̄ autōn. Philoneichousi men gar allēlois, amynontai de heautous. Poios? logos ephichesthae tēs aischrotētos tōn ginomenōn dynatai? Panta alogias gemei, panta synchyseōs hoi hēttēthentes methyousin, hoi nikōntes methyousin, hoi hypēretai katagelōsin. Hē cheir apeirēche, to stoma ouch hypodechetai, hē gastēr diarrhēgnntai, kai to kachon ouch hyphiēsi. To athlion sōma, tou physichou tonou paoalythen, apodrhyton esti pantachothen, tēn ech tēs auerias bian mē hypomenon. I. Eleeinon theama Christianōn ophthalmois anēr achmazōn chath᾽ hēlichian, sphrigōn tǭ sōmati, stratiōtichois chatalogois emprepōn, phoradēn oichade chomizomenos, mē dynamenos orthousthai, mēde tois idiois posin apienai. ᾿Anēr phoderos einai opheilōn tois polemiois, gelōtos estin aphormē tois chat᾽ agoran paidiois “ aneu sidērou chatadedlētai, aneu polemiōn peroneutai. ᾿Anēr hoplitēs, auto tēs hēlichias agōn to anthos, oinou gegone paranalōma, hetoimos pathein tois echthrois hosa boulontai. Methē, logismōn olethros, eschyos diaphthora, gēras aōron, oligochronios thanatos. Ti gar allo eisin hoi methyontes hē ta eidōla pōn ethnōn : Ophthalmous echousi, kai ou blepousin" ōta echousi, kai ouk akouousi? cheires paralelyntai, hou podes apenechrōthēsan. Tis ho tauta epidouleusas? tis ho tōn chachōn toutōn aitios? tis ho to tēs manias n hēmin pharmachon encherasas? Anthrōpe, para… schous cheiragōgoumenous, hōs traumatias apo polemou " enechrōsas tēn achmēn tēs neotētos apo oinou " kai chaleis men hōs philon epi to deipnon, echdalleis de nechron, oinǭ tēn zōēn autou chatasdesas. Hotan de nomisthōsi diachoreis einai tou oinou, tote tou pinein archontai, kai pinousi ton tōn chtēnōn tropon, hōs apo chrēnēs autoschediou, isarithmous tois anacheimenois tous chrounous aphieisēs. Proïontos gar ēdē tou potou, epeiserchetai tis autois neanias. gennaios tous hōmous, oupō methyōn, phialēn pherōn parōsamenos, chatastas eis to meson, dia scholiōn sōlēnōn isēn tois sympotais dianemei tēn methēn. Kainon touto tēs ametrias to metron, hina kat᾽ isomoirian allēlois synaselgainōsi, mēdena hyperdallein en tǭ pinein ton heteron. Dielomenoi gar tas hydrorrhouas, kai tēn pros heauton hechastos tetrammenēn hypodexamenoi, hōsper apo tinos dexamenēs apneusti pinousin hōs hoi boes, tosouton hyphelchein epeigomenoi tois laimois, hoson autois anōthen ho chypson sou pros tēn athlian gastera " katamathe tou hypodechomenou angeiou to megethos" hoti mias chotylēs echei koilotēta. Mē pros tēn oinochoēn aphora, pote chenōsę̄:, allchl pros tēn seautou choilian, hoti palai peplērōtai. Dia touto, Ouai hoi egeiromegoe to prōi kai to sikera diōkontes, hoi menontes to opse, kai diēmereuontes en tę̄ methę̄ hōs mēdena chais ron heautois parechein eis to ta erga Kyriou emdlepein. kai ta erga tōn cheirōn autou chatanoein. Ho gar oinos autous synkausei" dioti to ech tou oinou thermon, enginomenon tę̄ sarchi, examma ginetai tōn pepyrōmenōn belōn tou echthrou. Ton men gar logismon kai ton noun ho oinos chatadaptizei " ta de pathē kai tas hēdonas hōsper ti smēnos melissōn epegeirei. Poion gar harma pōlōn houtōs atachtōs pheretai, apothalon ton hēniochon? Poion de ploion achythernēton, hypo tōn chymatōn, hōs an tychę̄, pheromenon, ouch asphalesteron esti tou methyontos?

[6] How long, wine? How long, drunkenness? You are in danger of becoming mud instead of a man, so wholly have you been mixed with wine and rotted along with it, reeking of wine from your daily hangover, and of wine gone bad, like the most useless of vessels. Isaiah laments over such men: “Woe to those who rise early and pursue strong drink, who stay till evening; for the wine will burn them up. For with harp and pipes they drink their wine, but they do not regard the works of the Lord, and they do not consider the works of his hands.” The Hebrews customarily call “strong drink” (sikera) every beverage that can produce drunkenness. Those, then, who at the beginning of the day look about for where the drinking is, and invite one another to drink, and spend all the care of the soul on thought of such things, are lamented by the prophet as leaving themselves no time for contemplating the wonders of God. For their eyes have no leisure to look up to heaven, learn the beauties in it, and examine the whole ordering of the things that exist, so as to perceive the Creator from their good order. Instead, right at the beginning of the day they adorn their banquet rooms with embroidered carpets and flowered hangings, and show zeal and care in preparing the cups, setting out wine-coolers, mixing bowls and bowls as if for a procession or a festival, so that the variety of the vessels may steal away their satiety, and the exchange and passing round of the cups may give them ample occupation in drinking. There are [masters of the feast] besides, chief cupbearers and chief stewards; order in disorder and arrangement in an affair without order have been devised, so that, as the dignity of outside magistracies is increased by their bodyguards, so too, surrounding drunkenness with attendants like a queen, they may … its shame. … Besides these, flowers and perfumes and incense, and countless other outside delights, provide still more occupation for those who are perishing. Then, as the drinking goes far on, there are contests over who drinks more, rivalries and contests among those striving to outdo one another in drunkenness; and the devil presides over their games, and the prize of victory is sin. For whoever pours down the most unmixed wine carries off the victory over the others. Truly “their glory is in their shame.” They compete with one another, but they punish themselves. What word can reach the shamefulness of what goes on? All is full of irrationality, all of confusion: the vanquished are drunk, the victors are drunk, the servants laugh at them. The hand has given up, the mouth does not take it in, the belly is bursting, and the evil does not let up. The wretched body, loosed from its natural tension, flows out on every side, unable to bear the violence of the excess.

[7] A pitiable sight to Christian eyes: a man in the prime of life, vigorous in body, conspicuous in the army lists, carried home on a litter, unable to stand upright or walk away on his own feet. A man who ought to be fearful to the enemy is a source of laughter to the children in the marketplace; he has been laid low without iron, slain without enemies. A man-at-arms, in the very flower of his age, has become a waste product of wine, ready to suffer whatever his enemies wish. Drunkenness: ruin of reasoning, corruption of strength, untimely old age, short-lived death. For what else are drunkards than the idols of the nations? “They have eyes and do not see; they have ears and do not hear”; their hands are paralyzed, their feet are deadened. Who plotted these things? Who is the cause of these evils? Who mixed this drug of madness for us? Man, … young men led by the hand like the wounded from war; you have deadened the prime of youth with wine; you invite him to dinner as a friend, and throw him out dead, having quenched his life with wine. And when they are thought to have had their fill of wine, then they begin to drink, and they drink in the manner of cattle, as from an improvised fountain that lets out as many spouts as there are guests reclining. For as the drinking goes on, a young man comes in among them, broad in the shoulders, not yet drunk, carrying a bowl; pushing [the cupbearer] aside and taking his stand in the middle, he distributes drunkenness equally to the drinkers through curved pipes. This is a new measure of immoderation: that they may be wanton together in equal shares, and no one outdo another in drinking. For dividing the streams among them, and each receiving the one turned toward him, they drink without drawing breath, like oxen from a cistern, hurrying to draw down their throats as much as … your [eyes] to your wretched belly; learn the size of the vessel that receives it: that it has the capacity of one kotyle. Do not look to the jug to see when it will be emptied, but to your own belly, which was filled long ago. That is why: “Woe to those who rise early and pursue strong drink, who stay till evening,” and spend the day in drunkenness, so as to leave themselves no time to regard the works of the Lord and consider the works of his hands. “For the wine will burn them up”; because the heat from the wine, entering the flesh, becomes kindling for the fiery darts of the enemy. For wine drowns reason and mind, but rouses the passions and pleasures like a swarm of bees. What chariot of colts runs so disorderly, having thrown its driver? What ship without a helmsman, carried by the waves wherever chance takes it, is not safer than the drunkard?

Isa 5:11 (quotation, high confidence) · Isa 5:12 (quotation, high confidence) · Phil 3:19 (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 115:5 (113:13 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 115:6 (113:14 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 135:16 (134:16 LXX) (allusion, medium confidence) · Eph 6:16 (allusion, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Basil describes the luxurious drinking parties, with their contests and machines for equal drunkenness, and the soldier carried home dead drunk, applying Isaiah's woe on those who drink from morning to evening.

Staged as section 4; the scan's numeral (read as “0”) is Migne's 6, and the section contains 6 and 7 (marked [7]). The scan repeats a passage (“Then, as the drinking goes far on … the prize of victory is sin”) in a garbled form before its proper place; the first, garbled copy is removed and the phrase “rivalries and contests … striving to outdo one another” is translated from it, since the second copy lost those words. Other words lost under Migne's notes and Latin are marked “…”; words in brackets are supplied by sense. A kotyle is about a quarter of a liter. Quotations: Isa 5:11–12; Phil 3:19; Ps 115:5–6 (113:13–14 LXX); Ps 135:16–17; Eph 6:16.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (Latin word; Migne's marginal references, notes (repeating phrases of the text) and Latin; Greek words lost here; column letter; column letter and marginal number; garbled duplicate of the following passage (the OCR repeated lines out of place); hyphenated word; stray letters): Εἶτα πόῤῥω προϊόντος τοῦ πότου, ἄμιλλαι περὶ τοῦ πλείονος, φιλονειχίαι καὶ ἀγωνίσματα, ἀλλήλους ὑπερδάλλεσθαι φιλοτιμουμένων χατὰ τ μέθην " καὶ ὁ ἀγωνοθετῶν αὐτοῖς διάδολος, καὶ ἄθλον τῆς νίχης ἡ ἁμαρτία... οἱ ἡττηθέντες μεθύουσιν᾽ οἱ νιχῶντις → … ; - “ ῬμΠρρ. ν, 19. "5 ῥϑδ), οχι!, ὅ, θ. ᾿ἰρβῳ ἮΝ Ανϑὴ ὀφείλων τοῖς πολεμίοις, γέλωτός ἐστιν φορμὴ τοῖς κατ᾽ ἀγορὰν παιδίοις" ἄνευ σιδήρου κα- Ῥγοϑϑίι, "14 {Πππ|ὰ, ᾿Ανὴρ ὁπλίτης. αὐτὸ τῆς ἡλιχίας ἄγων τὸ ἄνθος, οἴνου γέγονε παρανάλωμα, ο]}. ρτίπιιι5. καὶ ἕτοιμος. Νες ἰἴα τη]10 ἐπγα ἰάδπι οούοχ Τί γὰρ ἂν ἄλλο. Ἂ ) δῖ. πι85. τὰ]. αὶ οἱ (ο1}ν. ργίπιυϑ καὶ στὰς. Μοχ (00. ρτίπιυβ διανέμει τὸν οἶνον, ἀἰείγί δε → … ; καὶ αὶ ἀὰ μυρίαι → καὶ μυρίαι; οἱ ὑπηρέται ἱπηιηοάϊοὶ καταγελῶσιν → οἱ ὑπηρέται καταγελῶσιν; ἀνὴρ Β 7. ἀχμάζων → ἀνὴρ ἀχμάζων; ἵνα Β κατ᾽ → ἵνα κατ᾽; λο- Ὑισμὸν → λογισμὸν.

Topics: Ethics

Cite (SBL): Basil, Hom. 14.6 (PG 31:450; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-variae/14-0/#p-14-6). (abbreviation not yet checked)

BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-basil-homiliae-variae-14-6) · Report an error

14.8PG 31:460

᾿Απὸ τοιούτων χαχῶν, ἄνδρες ὁμοῦ καὶ γυναιχες, χοινοὺς συστησάμενοι χοροὺς, δαίμονι οἰνηρῷ τὰς ψυχὰς παραδόντες, ἀλλήλους ταῖς ἀχίσι τῶν παθῶν ἀντετίτρωσχον. Γέλωτες παρ᾽ ἀμφοτέρων, ἄσματα αἰσχρὰ, σχήματα πορνιχὰ, ἐρεθίζοντα πρὸς ἀσέλγειαν. Γελᾷς, εἰπέ μοι, καὶ τέρπῃ τέρψιν ἀκόλαστον, δαχρύειν δέον καὶ στένειν ἐπὶ τοῖς φθάσασιν; ἤλσματα πόρνης φθέγγῃ, ἐχδαλὼν τοὺς ψαλμοὺς καὶ τοὺς ὕμνους, οὺς ἐδιδάχθης. Κινεῖς πόδας, καὶ ἐξάλλῃ χάμπτειν εἰς τὴν προσχύνησιν; Τίνας ὀδύρωμαι; «ὰ: χόρας τὰς ἀπειρογάμους; ἢ τὰς ἐν τῷ ζυγῷ «οὔ γάμου κατεχομένας; Αἱ μὲν γὰρ ἐπανῆλθον, τὴν παρθενίαν οὐχ ἔχουσαι" αἱ δὲ τὴν σωφροσύνην τοῖς ἀνδράσιν οὐχ ἐπανήγαγον. Εἰ γάρ πού τινες καὶ τῷ σώματί τὴν ἁμαρτίαν διέφυγον, ἀλλὰ πάντως γε ταῖς Ψυχαῖς τὴν φθορὰν ὑπεδέξαντο. Ταῦτά μοι καὶ περὶ τῶν ἀῤῥένων εἰρήσθω. Εἶδε χαχῶς, ἐθεάθη χαπῶς. Ὁ ἐμδλέψας γυναικὶ πρὸς τὸ ἐπιθυμῆσωι ἤδη ὁμοίχευσεν. Ἐΐ αἱ ἀπὸ ταυτομάτου συντυχίαι τοῖς αἱ χατ' ἐπιτήδευσιν ἀπαντήσεις, ὥστε ἰδεῖν γυναῖχας ἀσχημονούσας ὑπὸ τῆς μέθης, καὶ χατασχηματιζομένας πρὸς ἔχλυσιν, καὶ μέλη τεθρυμμένα ἀδούσας, δυνάμενα καὶ μόνον ἀχουσθέντα πάντα οἵστρον ἦδονῆς ἐμποιῆσαι τοῖς ἀχολάστοις, τί ἐροῦσιν, ἢ τί ἀπολογήσονται, ἐχ τοιούτων θεαμάτων μυρίων ἑσμὸν τῶν καχῶν συλλεξάμενοι; Οὐχ, ὡς διὰ τοῦτο ἐμθλέψαντες, ἵνα τὰς ἐπιθυμίας ἐγείρωσιν; Οὐχοῦν ὑπόδιχοί εἶσι, χατὰ τὴν ἀπαραίτητον ἀπόφασιν τοῦ Κυρίου, τῷ χρίματι τῆς μοιχείας. Πῶς ὑμᾶς ἡ Πεντηχοστὴ ὑποδέξεται, οὕτω τοῦ Πάσχα χαθυδρισθέντος; Ἢ Πεντηχοστὴ τοῦ Πνεύματος ἔσχε τοῦ ἁγίου τὴν ἐναργῆ καὶ πᾶσι γνωρίμην ἐπιδημίαν " σὺ δὲ, προλαδὼν, σεαυτὸν οἰχητήριον τοῦ ἀντιχειμένου ἐποίησας «νεύματος, καὶ ἐγένου ναὸς εἰδώλων, ἀντὶ τοῦ γενέσθαι ναὸς Θεοῦ διὰ τῆς ἐνοιχήσεως τοῦ Πνεύματος τοῦ ἁγίου. Ἐπεσπάσω τὴν ἀρὰν τοῦ προφήτου εἰπόντος ἐχ προσώπου τοῦ Θεοῦ, ὅτι Στρέψρωω τὰς ἑορτὰς αὐτῶν εἰς πένθος. Πῶς τῶν οἰχετῶν ἄρξετε, αὑτοὶ δουλεύοντες ἐπιθυμίαις ἀνοήτοις καὶ βλαδεραῖς ὡς ἀνδράποδα; Πῶς τοὺς παῖδας νουθετήσετε, τητὸν ζωὴν κκαὶ ἀδιάταχτον ζῶντες; Τί οὖν; Ἐν τούτοις ὑμᾶς καταλείπω; ᾿Αλλὰ φοδοῦμαι, μὴ πως ὁ μὲν ἀνυπκόταχτος στραγότερος γένηται, ὁ κατανεγυγμένος τῇ περισσοτέρᾳ λύπῃ καταποθῇ. Ἴαμα γὰρ, φησὶ, καταπαύσει ἁμαρτίας μεγάλας. Ἡ νηστεία τὴν μέθην θεραπευσάτω ψαλμὸς τὴν αἰσχρὰν μελῳδίαν’ δάχρυον γενέσθω τοῦ γέλωτος ἴαμα" ἀντὶ τῆς ὀρχήσεως τὸ γόνυ χλινέσθω" ἀντὶ τοῦ χρότου τῶν χειρῶν τὸ στῆθος τυπτέσθω " ἀντὶ τοῦ χόσμου τῆς ἐσθῆτος ἡ ταπείνωσις, Ἐπὶ πᾶσιν ἡ ἐλεημοσύνη ἐξαγοραξέτω σε ἀπὸ τῆς ἁμαρτίας. λοὺς ἐργάτευσον τῶν θλιδομένων εἰς τὴν χοινωνίαν τῆς προσευχῆς, εἰ ἄρα σοι ἀφεθήσεται ἡ ἐπίνοια τῆς χαχίας. Ὅτε ἐχάθισεν ὁ λαὸς φαγεῖν καὶ πιεῖν, καὶ ἀνέστησαν παίζειν" (ἡ δὲ παιδιὰ αὐτῶν εἰδωλολατρεία ἦν") τότε οἱ Λευῖται, χατὰ τῶν ἀδελφῶν ἑαυ- «οὺς ἐξοπλίσαντες, εἰς ἱερωσύνην τὰς χεῖρας ἑαυτῶν … Κύρϊόν, ὅσοι νῦν ἐπεστυγνάσατε ἐπὶ τῇ ἀσχημοσύνῃ μὲν ἴδητε μετανοοῦντας ἐπὶ τῇ ἀτοπίᾳ τῶν πεπραγμένων, συμπαθήσατε ὡς οἰχείοις μέλεσι νενοσητας τῆς ὑμετέρας ἐπ᾽ αὐτοῖς λύπης, Ἐξέλθετε ἐκ μέσου αὐτῶν, καὶ ἀφορίσθητε, καὶ ἀκαθάρτου μὴ ἅπτεσθε" ἵνα οὕτως οἱ μὲν ἐντραπέντες εἰς ἐπίγνωσιν ἔλθωσι τῆς οἰχείας χαχίας ὑμεῖς δὲ τοῦ ζήλου τοῦ Φινεὲς τὸν μισθὸν ὑποδέξησθε, διὰ ττς δικαιοχρισίας τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ Σωτῆρος ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, ᾧ ἡ δόξα καὶ τὸ χράτος εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. ᾿Αμήν.

᾿Apo toioutōn chachōn, andres homou kai gynaiches, choinous systēsamenoi chorous, daimoni oinērǭ tas psychas paradontes, allēlous tais achisi tōn pathōn antetitrōschon. Gelōtes par᾽ amphoterōn, asmata aischra, schēmata pornicha, erethizonta pros aselgeian. Geląs, eipe moi, kai terpę̄ terpsin akolaston, dachryein deon kai stenein epi tois phthasasin? ēlsmata pornēs phthengę̄, echdalōn tous psalmous kai tous hymnous, ous edidachthēs. Kineis podas, kai exallę̄ champtein eis tēn proschynēsin? Tinas odyrōmai? «a: choras tas apeirogamous? ē tas en tǭ zygǭ «ou gamou katechomenas? Hai men gar epanēlthon, tēn parthenian ouch echousai" hai de tēn sōphrosynēn tois andrasin ouch epanēgagon. Ei gar pou tines kai tǭ sōmati tēn hamartian diephygon, alla pantōs ge tais Psychais tēn phthoran hypedexanto. Tauta moi kai peri tōn arrhenōn eirēsthō. Eide chachōs, etheathē chapōs. Ho emdlepsas gynaiki pros to epithymēsōi ēdē homoicheusen. Eï hai apo tautomatou syntychiai tois hai chat' epitēdeusin apantēseis, hōste idein gynaichas aschēmonousas hypo tēs methēs, kai chataschēmatizomenas pros echlysin, kai melē tethrymmena adousas, dynamena kai monon achousthenta panta hoistron ēdonēs empoiēsai tois acholastois, ti erousin, ē ti apologēsontai, ech toioutōn theamatōn myriōn hesmon tōn kachōn syllexamenoi? Ouch, hōs dia touto emthlepsantes, hina tas epithymias egeirōsin? Ouchoun hypodichoi eisi, chata tēn aparaitēton apophasin tou Kyriou, tǭ chrimati tēs moicheias. Pōs hymas hē Pentēchostē hypodexetai, houtō tou Pascha chathydristhentos? Ē Pentēchostē tou Pneumatos esche tou hagiou tēn enargē kai pasi gnōrimēn epidēmian " sy de, proladōn, seauton oichētērion tou anticheimenou epoiēsas «neumatos, kai egenou naos eidōlōn, anti tou genesthai naos Theou dia tēs enoichēseōs tou Pneumatos tou hagiou. Epespasō tēn aran tou prophētou eipontos ech prosōpou tou Theou, hoti Strepsrōō tas heortas autōn eis penthos. Pōs tōn oichetōn arxete, hautoi douleuontes epithymiais anoētois kai bladerais hōs andrapoda? Pōs tous paidas nouthetēsete, tēton zōēn kkai adiatachton zōntes? Ti oun? En toutois hymas kataleipō? ᾿Alla phodoumai, mē pōs ho men anypkotachtos stragoteros genētai, ho katanegygmenos tę̄ perissoterą lypę̄ katapothę̄. Iama gar, phēsi, katapausei hamartias megalas. Hē nēsteia tēn methēn therapeusatō psalmos tēn aischran melǭdian’ dachryon genesthō tou gelōtos iama" anti tēs orchēseōs to gony chlinesthō" anti tou chrotou tōn cheirōn to stēthos typtesthō " anti tou chosmou tēs esthētos hē tapeinōsis, Epi pasin hē eleēmosynē exagoraxetō se apo tēs hamartias. lous ergateuson tōn thlidomenōn eis tēn choinōnian tēs proseuchēs, ei ara soi aphethēsetai hē epinoia tēs chachias. Hote echathisen ho laos phagein kai piein, kai anestēsan paizein" (hē de paidia autōn eidōlolatreia ēn") tote hoi Leuitai, chata tōn adelphōn heau- «ous exoplisantes, eis hierōsynēn tas cheiras heautōn … Kyrïon, hosoi nyn epestygnasate epi tę̄ aschēmosynę̄ men idēte metanoountas epi tę̄ atopią tōn pepragmenōn, sympathēsate hōs oicheiois melesi nenosētas tēs hymeteras ep᾽ autois lypēs, Exelthete ek mesou autōn, kai aphoristhēte, kai akathartou mē haptesthe" hina houtōs hoi men entrapentes eis epignōsin elthōsi tēs oicheias chachias hymeis de tou zēlou tou Phinees ton misthon hypodexēsthe, dia tts dikaiochrisias tou Theou kai Sōtēros hēmōn Iēsou Christou, hǭ hē doxa kai to chratos eis tous aiōnas tōn aiōnōn. ᾿Amēn.

[8] From such evils, men and women together, forming dances in common and handing over their souls to the demon of wine, wounded one another with the darts of the passions. Laughter on both sides, shameful songs, harlots' postures inciting to wantonness. Do you laugh, tell me, and delight in licentious delight, when you ought to weep and groan over what has gone before? Do you sing harlots' songs, casting out the psalms and hymns you were taught? Do you move your feet and leap about, when you ought to bend [the knee] in worship? Whom shall I lament? The unmarried girls, or those held in the yoke of marriage? For the former came back without their virginity, and the latter did not bring back their chastity to their husbands. For even if some escaped sin in the body, they certainly received corruption in their souls. Let the same be said to me of the men too. He looked wickedly; he was looked at wickedly. “Whoever looks at a woman to desire her has already committed adultery.” If chance encounters … deliberate meetings, so as to see women behaving indecently through drunkenness, posturing toward dissoluteness and singing effeminate airs that, even merely heard, can produce every frenzy of pleasure in the licentious, what will they say, or what defense will they make, having gathered a swarm of countless evils from such spectacles? Will they not [be found] to have looked for this very purpose, to rouse their desires? Then they are liable, by the Lord's inexorable sentence, to the judgment of adultery. How will Pentecost receive you, when Pascha has been so outraged? Pentecost had the manifest coming of the Holy Spirit, known to all; but you, anticipating it, have made yourself a dwelling of the opposing spirit, and have become a temple of idols instead of becoming a temple of God through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. You have drawn on yourself the curse of the prophet who said in the person of God, “I will turn their feasts into mourning.” How will you rule your servants, when you yourselves are slaves like captives to senseless and harmful desires? How will you admonish your children, when you live an … and disorderly life? What then? Shall I leave you in this state? But I fear lest the insubordinate become harder, and the one who is pierced be swallowed up by excessive grief. “For healing,” it says, “will put a stop to great sins.” Let fasting heal drunkenness; the psalm, the shameful song; let tears become the healing of laughter; instead of dancing let the knee be bent; instead of clapping of hands let the breast be beaten; instead of finery of dress, humility. Above all, let almsgiving redeem you from sin. Hire many of the afflicted as workers in the fellowship of prayer, if perhaps the intent of your wickedness may be forgiven you. When “the people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play” (and their play was idolatry), then the Levites, arming themselves against their own brothers, consecrated their hands to the priesthood … the Lord, all of you who have now been grieved at the indecency: if you see them repenting of the absurdity of what they did, sympathize with them as with your own members that are sick; but if you see them … your grief over them, “Come out from their midst, and be separate, and touch nothing unclean”; so that they, put to shame, may come to recognize their own wickedness, and you may receive the reward of the zeal of Phinehas, through the just judgment of our God and Savior Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory and the power to the ages of ages. Amen.

Matt 5:28 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Cor 3:16 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Cor 6:16 (allusion, medium confidence) · Amos 8:10 (quotation, high confidence) · Eccl 10:4 (quotation, high confidence) · Dan 4:27 (allusion, medium confidence) · Exod 32:6 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Cor 10:7 (quotation, high confidence) · Exod 32:29 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Cor 6:17 (quotation, high confidence) · Num 25:11 (allusion, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Men and women danced together drunk, so that girls lost their virginity and men committed adultery by looking; Basil prescribes fasting, psalms, tears and almsgiving, and tells the sober to separate from the unrepentant.

Staged as section 5; the scan reads Migne's numeral 8, and it is section 8, the end of the homily. Words lost under Migne's notes and Latin are marked “…” (after “If chance encounters”; in “an … and disorderly life”; after “to the priesthood”, where Basil evidently applies Exod 32:29 to his hearers; after “if you see them”). Words in brackets are supplied by sense. The scan adds at the end the opening words of the next homily (“and speech is less even than the mind itself”), removed here. Quotations: Matt 5:28; 1 Cor 3:16; 2 Cor 6:16; Amos 8:10; Eccl 10:4 (LXX); Dan 4:27 (4:24 LXX/Theodotion, almsgiving redeems sins); Exod 32:6; 1 Cor 10:7; Exod 32:26–29; 2 Cor 6:17; Num 25:7–13.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (Migne's marginal references and Latin translation; Greek words lost here; column letter; column letter and Latin translation inside the word ἀπολογήσονται; column letter and Latin word; hyphenated word; hyphenated word broken by OCR; opening words of the next homily, repeated by the OCR): - Β ἀἰϑίγυπι ἸΔβοἰ ναι θυ 8 ἰφογογα ροββυηί 3 Ουἱά ἀϊ → ; τιν, 44. “' Ῥίον, χη, 8, "5 Εχοά. χχχιι, ὅ λιὸς οὐχοῦν. 564 ἰοἴιπ) {Ππ:4, ναὶ διὰ τοῦτο προτηδηϊ(εβϑιυ5 8300 [υἱϊ οἱ ποίιι8 Ομηπίθυδ : ἰὰ τότο ἰῃ θυ ῖ58658 ἰδπιρίυπι Πεἷ Πετὶ μὲν ϑρὶ γιὰ δδμοιὶ ἰπῃ-οβίθηδίαν μι} }Π{85. [ἢ ρυί τη 5 γθα παῖ ἴδ ἃ Ῥεεοδιο φάιῖα δ : αἱ οἷς ΠῚ] αυϊάοπι ρυάογα ἴδοι, → … ; {11} Πυὰ ὁ δὲ λόγος ἐλάττων ἐστὶ καὶ αὐτῆς τῆς → ; ἄσματα Ὁ αἰσχρὰ → ἄσματα αἰσχρὰ; Α οὐπὶ «ὰ: χόρας → «ὰ: χόρας; γενέ- 6ϑαι → γενέσθαι; πεπρα- Ὑμένων → πεπραγμένων.

Topics: Ethics, Fasting, Prayer

Cite (SBL): Basil, Hom. 14.8 (PG 31:460; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-variae/14-0/#p-14-8). (abbreviation not yet checked)

BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-basil-homiliae-variae-14-8) · Report an error