Page:Plutarch - Moralia, translator Holland, 1911.djvu/134

112 But anger contrariwise, as it doth puff up and stretch out the visage after an unseemly manner, so much more it sendeth out undecent and unpleasant voice:

 And stirs the strings at secret root of heart. Which touched should not be, but lie apart.

The sea verily, when being troubled and disquieted with blustering winds, it casteth up moss, reits, and such-like weeds (they say), it is cleansed and purged thereby: but the dissolute, bitter, scurril, and foolish speeches, which anger sendeth out of the mind when it is turned upside down, first pollute and defile the speakers themselves, and fill them full of infamy, for that they be thought to have their hearts full of such ordure and filthiness at all times; but the same lurketh there, until that choler discovereth it: And therefore, they pay most dearly for their speech, the lightest matter of all others (as Plato saith), in that they suffer this heavy and grievous punishment to be held and reputed for malicious enemies, cursed speakers, and ill-conditioned persons. Which I seeing and observing well enough, it falleth out that I reason with myself, and always call to mind what a good thing it is in a fever, but much better in a fit of choler, to have a tongue fair, even and smooth: For in them that be sick of an ague, if the tongue be not such as naturally it ought to be, an ill sign it is, but not a cause of any harm or indisposition within. Howbeit, if their tongues who are angry be once rough, foul, and running dissolutely at random to absurd speeches, it casteth forth outrageous and contumelious language, the very mother and work-mistress of irreconcilable enmity, and bewrayeth an hidden and secret maliciousness. As for wine, if a man drink it of itself undelayed with water, it putteth forth no such wantonness, no disordinate and lewd speeches, like to those that proceed of ire. For drunken talk serveth to make mirth, and to procure laughter rather than anything else: but words of choler are tempered with bitter gall and rancour. Moreover, he that sitteth silent at the table when others drink merrily, is odious unto the company and a trouble: whereas in choler there is nothing more decent and beseeming gravity, than to be quiet and say nothing: according as Sappho doth admonish:

 When furious choler once is up, Disperst and spread in breast, To keep the tongue then apt to bark, And let it lie at rest.

The consideration of these things collected thus together.