Letter 859

To the Same Person. If anyone of those who are sick with the evil passion of vainglory wishes to escape the hands of the utterly base and most wicked phalanx of the demons, he will put a bridle upon his own mouth. For indeed the tongue has led many of the vainglorious to ruin.

τις τῶν νοσούντων τὸ τῆς κενοδοξίας κακὸν πάθος βούλοιτο διαφυγεῖν τὰς χεῖρας τῆς παμφαύλου καὶ χειρίστης τῶν δαιμόνων φάλαγγος, χαλινὸν περιθήσει τῷ ἰδίῳ στόματι. Ἡ γὰρ δὴ γλῶττα πολλοὺς τῶν κενοδόξων εἰς ὄλεθρον ἤγαγεν.