Homily XIV., against Drunkards, has the special interest of being originated by a painful incident which it narrates.  The circumstances may well be compared with those of the scandal caused by the deacon Glycerius. cf. Letterclxix. and observations in Prolegomena, p. xxix.  Easter day, remarks St. Basil, is a day when decent women ought to have been sitting in their homes, piously reflecting on future judgment.  Instead of this, certain wanton women, forgetful of the fear of God, flung their coverings from their heads, despising God, and in contempt of His angels, lost to all shame before the gaze of men, shaking their hair, trailing their tunics, sporting with their feet, with immodest glances and unrestrained laughter, went off into a wild dance.  They invited all the riotous youth to follow them, and kept up their dances in the Basilica of the Martyrs’ before the walls of Cæsarea, turning hallowed places into the workshop of their unseemliness.  They sang indecent songs, and befouled the ground with their unhallowed tread.  They got a crowd of lads to stare at them, and left no madness undone.  On this St. Basil builds a stirring temperance sermon.  Section 6 contains a vivid picture of a drinking bout, and Section 7 describes the sequel.  The details are evidently not imaginary.