than all pleasure is the shame, and the discomfort which arises from the shame, to make
one’s house a brothel, like hogs in wallowing in the mire? But if so far only be allowed as to
see them, lo! again the pain is greater. For to see is no pleasure, where to use is not allowed,
but the lust becomes only the greater, and the flame the fiercer.
But wouldest thou learn the end? Those, indeed, when they rise up from the table, are
like the madmen and those that have lost their wits; foolhardy, quarrelsome, laughing-stocks
for the very slaves; and the servants indeed retire sober, but these, drunk. O the shame! But
with the other is nothing of this sort; but closing the table with thanksgiving, they so retire
to their homes, with pleasure sleeping, with pleasure waking, free from all shame and accus-
ation.
If thou wilt consider also the guests themselves, thou wilt see that the one are within
just what the others are without; blind, maimed, lame; and as are the bodies of these, such
are the souls of those, laboring under dropsy and inflammation. For of such sort is pride;
for after the luxurious gratification a maiming takes place; of such sort is surfeiting and
drunkenness, making men lame and maimed. And thou wilt see too that these have souls
like the bodies of the others, brilliant, ornamented. For they who live in giving of thanks,
who seek nothing beyond a sufficiency, they whose philosophy is of this sort are in all
brightness.
But let us see the end both here and there. There, indeed, is unchaste pleasure, loose
laughter, drunkenness, buffoonery, filthy language; (for since they in their own persons are
ashamed to talk filthily, this is brought about by means of the harlots;) but here is love of
mankind, gentleness. Near to him who invites those stands vainglory arming him, but near
the other, love of man, and gentleness. For the one table, love of man prepareth, but the
other, vainglory, and cruelty, out of injustice and grasping. And that one ends in what I
have said, in loss of wits, in delirium, in madness; (for such are the offshoots of vainglory;)
but this one in thanksgiving and the glory of God. And the praise too, which cometh of
men, attendeth more abundantly upon this; for that man is even regarded with an envious
eye, but this all men regard as their common father, even they who have received no benefit
at his hands. And as with the injured even they who have not been injured sympathize, and
all become in common enemies (to the injurer): so too, when some receive kindness, they
also who have not received any, not less than they who have, praise and admire him that
conferred it. And there indeed is much envy, but here much tender solicitude, many prayers
from all.
And so much indeed here; but There, when Christ is come, this one indeed shall stand
with much boldness, and shall hear before the whole world, “Thou sawest Me an hungered,
and didst feed Me; naked, and didst clothe Me; a stranger, and didst take Me in” (Matt. xxv.
35.); and all the like words: but the other shall hear the contrary; “Wicked and slothful ser-
vant” (Matt. xxv. 26.); and again, “Woe unto them that luxuriate upon their couches, and
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Colossians 1:1,2