Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers: Series II/Volume XI/John Cassian/The Twelve Books/Book XI/Chapter 5

Chapter V.

A comparison which shows the nature of vainglory.

elders admirably describe the nature of this malady as like that of an onion, and of those bulbs which when stripped of one covering you find to be sheathed in another; and as often as you strip them, you find them still protected.