Appendix.

competing with the melodic voice of a man, modulates the flute's holes by his own breath, which he had drawn in, straining from his upper organs: now pouring it out, now holding it inside and repressing it, now releasing it through certain holes and pouring it into the air, likewise breaking the sound into beats, he works to speak with his fingers, ungrateful to the Artist God who gave him a tongue. Why should I speak of the useless cares of comedies, why those great insanities of the tragic voice, why the strings combined with shouting? Even if these things were not dedicated to idols, they would still not be things for faithful Christians to attend or watch: since, even if they had no crime, they hold within themselves the greatest and a vanity little suited to the faithful.

8 For that other madness of the remainder is a clear business for idle men: the body fattens in its own injury so that it may be more robust to either strike or be beaten, and the primary victory is to have been able to hunger beyond the measure of the human belly; it is a shameful market over the title of a gluttonous crown: the unfortunate face is rented out for blows so that the more unfortunate belly may be fed. Furthermore, how foul are the wrestling matches themselves, with one man lying beneath another, entangled in dishonest embraces and knots. In such a contest, stand and see who wins; shame has been defeated. Behold, one man leaps naked; another throws a bronze discus into the air with tensed strength. This is the glory