Purity (Cleanliness)

Some persons raise a question whether the social feeling⁷⁸¹ is contained in the nature of man; and yet I think that these same persons would have no doubt that love of purity is certainly contained in it, and that if man is distinguished from other animals by any thing, he is distinguished by this. When then we see any other animal cleaning itself, we are accustomed to speak of the act with surprise, and to add that the animal is acting like a man: and on the other hand, if a man blames an animal for being dirty, straightway as if we were making an excuse for it, we say that of course the animal is not a human creature. So we suppose that there is something superior in man, and that we first receive it from the Gods. For since the Gods by their nature are pure and free from corruption, so far as men approach them by reason, so far do they cling to purity and to a love (habit) of purity. But since it is impossible that man's nature (οὐσία) can be altogether pure being mixed (composed) of such materials, reason is applied, as far as it is possible, and reason endeavours to make human nature love purity.⁷⁸²

Some people question whether social feeling⁷⁸¹ is part of human nature. Yet I think these same people would be certain that a love of purity is part of human nature. If anything distinguishes humans from other animals, it is this. When we see another animal cleaning itself, we usually express surprise and say that it is acting like a human. On the other hand, if someone criticizes an animal for being dirty, we immediately make an excuse for it. We say that, of course, the animal is not human. So we assume that humans have something superior, which we receive first from the Gods. The Gods are pure and free from corruption by nature. As far as humans come close to them through reason, they hold to purity and a love (or habit) of purity. But human nature (οὐσία) cannot be entirely pure, because it is made from such materials. So reason is applied as far as possible. It tries to make human nature love purity.⁷⁸²

The first then and highest purity is that which is in the soul; and we say the same of impurity. Now you could not discover the impurity of the soul as you could discover that of the body: but as to the soul, what else could you find in it than that which makes it filthy in respect to the acts which are her own? Now the acts of the soul are movement towards an object or movement from it, desire, aversion, preparation, design (purpose), assent. What then is it which in these acts makes the soul filthy and impure? Nothing else than her own bad judgments (κρίματα). Consequently the impurity of the soul is the soul's bad opinions; and the purification of the soul is the planting in it of proper opinions; and the soul is pure which has proper opinions, for the soul alone in her own acts is free from perturbation and pollution.

The highest form of purity is purity of the soul. The same is true of impurity. You cannot discover impurity in the soul as you can in the body. What could make the soul impure except something that corrupts its own actions? The soul’s actions are moving toward or away from an object, desire, aversion, preparation, purpose, and assent. What makes the soul dirty and impure in these actions? Nothing but its own bad judgments (κρίματα). So the soul’s impurity consists of its bad opinions. Purifying the soul means planting proper opinions in it. A soul with proper opinions is pure, for only such a soul is free from disturbance and pollution in its own actions.

Now we ought to work at something like this in the body also, as far as we can. It was impossible for the defluxions of the nose not to run when man has such a mixture in his body. For this reason nature has made hands and the nostrils themselves as channels for carrying off the humours. If then a man sucks up the defluxions, I say that he is not doing the act of a man. It was impossible for a man's feet not to be made muddy and not be soiled at all when he passes through dirty places. For this reason nature (God) has made water and hands. It was impossible that some impurity should not remain in the teeth from eating: for this reason, she says, wash the teeth. Why? In order that you may be a man and not a wild beast or a hog. It was impossible that from the sweat and the pressing of the clothes there should not remain some impurity about the body which requires to be cleaned away. For this reason water, oil, hands, towels, scrapers (strigils),⁷⁸³ nitre, sometimes all other kinds of means are necessary for cleaning the body. You do not act so: but the smith will take off the rust from the iron (instruments), and he will have tools prepared for this purpose, and you yourself wash the platter when you are going to eat, if you are not completely impure and dirty: but will you not wash the body nor make it clean? Why? he replies. I will tell you again; in the first place, that you may do the acts of a man; then, that you may not be disagreeable to those with whom you associate. You do something of this kind even⁷⁸⁴ in this matter, and you do not perceive it: you think that you deserve to stink. Let it be so: deserve to stink. Do you think that also those who sit by you, those who recline at table with you, that those who kiss you deserve the same?⁷⁸⁵ Either go into a desert, where you deserve to go, or live by yourself, and smell yourself. For it is just that you alone should enjoy your own impurity. But when you are in a city, to behave so inconsiderately and foolishly, to what character do you think that it belongs? If nature had entrusted to you a horse, would you have overlooked and neglected him? And now think that you have been entrusted with your own body as with a horse; wash it, wipe it, take care that no man turns away from it, that no one gets out of the way for it. But who does not get out of the way of a dirty man, of a stinking man, of a man whose skin is foul, more than he does out of the way of a man who is daubed with muck? That smell is from without, it is put upon him; but the other smell is from want of care, from within, and in a manner from a body in putrefaction.

We should also work at something like this with our bodies, as far as we can. Given the mixture of substances in the human body, it is impossible to prevent the nose from running. That is why nature has given us hands and made the nostrils channels for carrying away mucus. So if a man sniffs the mucus back up, I say he is not acting like a man. A man cannot walk through dirty places without getting his feet muddy and soiled. That is why nature (God) has given us water and hands. It is impossible to eat without leaving some dirt on the teeth. That is why nature says to wash your teeth. Why? So that you may be a man, not a wild beast or a hog. Sweat and the rubbing of clothes inevitably leave dirt on the body that needs to be cleaned away. That is why water, oil, hands, towels, scrapers (strigils),⁷⁸³ nitre, and sometimes all other kinds of means are needed to clean the body. Yet you do not clean yourself. A smith will remove rust from his iron tools and have tools ready for that purpose. And you yourself wash your plate before eating, unless you are completely filthy and dirty. But will you not wash your body and make it clean? “Why?” he replies. I will tell you again. First, so that you may act like a man. Then, so that you may not be unpleasant to the people you spend time with. Even⁷⁸⁴ in this matter, you do something of this kind without noticing it. You think you deserve to stink. Very well, deserve to stink. But do you think that those who sit beside you, recline at table with you, and kiss you deserve the same?⁷⁸⁵ Either go into a desert, where you deserve to go, or live by yourself and smell yourself. For it is only fair that you alone should enjoy your own filth. But what sort of person behaves so thoughtlessly and foolishly in a city? If nature had entrusted you with a horse, would you have overlooked and neglected it? Now think of your own body as a horse entrusted to you. Wash it and wipe it. Take care that no one turns away from it or moves out of its way. For who does not move out of the way of a dirty, stinking man with filthy skin? Who would not avoid him more than a man covered in mud? The smell of mud comes from outside and has been put on him. But the other smell comes from neglect, from within, and in a way from a rotting body.

But Socrates washed himself seldom—Yes, but his body was clean and fair: and it was so agreeable and sweet that the most beautiful and the most noble loved him, and desired to sit by him rather than by the side of those who had the handsomest forms. It was in his power neither to use the bath nor to wash himself, if he chose; and yet the rare use of water had an effect. [If you do not choose to wash with warm water, wash with cold.⁷⁸⁶] But Aristophanes says

But Socrates rarely washed himself. Yes, but his body was clean and beautiful. He was so pleasant and attractive that the most beautiful and noble people loved him. They preferred to sit beside him rather than beside those with the most handsome bodies. He could choose not to bathe or wash himself. Yet even his rare use of water had an effect. [If you do not want to wash with warm water, wash with cold water.⁷⁸⁶] But Aristophanes says

For Aristophanes says of Socrates that he also walked the air and stole clothes from the palaestra.⁷⁸⁷ But all who have written about Socrates bear exactly the contrary evidence in his favour; they say that he was pleasant not only to hear, but also to see.⁷⁸⁸ On the other hand they write the same about Diogenes.⁷⁸⁹ For we ought not even by the appearance of the body to deter the multitude from philosophy; but as in other things, a philosopher should show himself cheerful and tranquil, so also he should in the things that relate to the body: See, ye men, that I have nothing, that I want nothing: see how I am without a house, and without a city, and an exile, if it happens to be so,⁷⁹⁰ and without a hearth I live more free from trouble and more happily than all of noble birth and than the rich. But look at my poor body also and observe that it is not injured by my hard way of living—But if a man says this to me, who has the appearance (dress) and face of a condemned man, what God shall persuade me to approach philosophy, if⁷⁹¹ it makes men such persons? Far from it; I would not choose to do so, even if I were going to become a wise man. I indeed would rather that a young man, who is making his first movements towards philosophy, should come to me with his hair carefully trimmed than with it dirty and rough, for there is seen in him a certain notion (appearance) of beauty and a desire of (attempt at) that which is becoming; and where he supposes it to be, there also he strives that it shall be. It is only necessary to show him (what it is), and to say: Young man, you seek beauty, and you do well: you must know then that it (is produced) grows in that part of you where you have the rational faculty: seek it there where you have the movements towards and the movements from things, where you have the desires towards, and the aversion from things: for this is what you have in yourself of a superior kind; but the poor body is naturally only earth: why do you labour about it to no purpose? if you shall learn nothing else, you will learn from time that the body is nothing. But if a man comes to me daubed with filth, dirty, with a moustache down to his knees, what can I say to him, by what kind of resemblance can I lead him on? For about what has he busied himself which resembles beauty, that I may be able to change him and say, Beauty is not in this, but in that? Would you have me to tell him, that beauty consists not in being daubed with muck, but that it lies in the rational part? Has he any desire of beauty? has he any form of it in his mind? Go and talk to a hog, and tell him not to roll in the mud.

Aristophanes says that Socrates walked on air and stole clothes from the palaestra.⁷⁸⁷ But everyone who has written about Socrates offers evidence of exactly the opposite. They say he was pleasant not only to listen to, but also to look at.⁷⁸⁸ They also write the same about Diogenes.⁷⁸⁹ We should not discourage people from philosophy, even by our physical appearance. Just as a philosopher should show himself cheerful and calm in other things, he should do so in his appearance. He should be able to say: Look, friends, I have nothing and want nothing. See how I live without a house or a city, and, if it happens, as an exile.⁷⁹⁰ I have no hearth, yet I live more happily and with less trouble than all nobles and rich people. Look at my poor body too, and see that my hard way of life has not harmed it. But suppose a man who looks and dresses like a condemned man says this to me. What god could persuade me to take up philosophy if⁷⁹¹ it makes people look like that? Far from it. I would not choose philosophy even if I were going to become a wise man. I would rather have a young man taking his first steps toward philosophy come to me with carefully trimmed hair. That is better than coming with dirty, rough hair. His neat hair shows some sense of beauty and a desire to look proper. He tries to achieve beauty where he thinks it can be found. We only need to show him what beauty is and say: Young man, you seek beauty, and you are right to do so. But you must know that beauty grows in the part of you that can reason. Look for it where you are drawn toward things and turn away from them, where you desire things and feel aversion to them. That is the superior part of you. But your poor body is naturally nothing more than earth. Why waste your effort on it? If you learn nothing else, time will teach you that the body is nothing. But suppose a man comes to me covered in filth, dirty, with a moustache down to his knees. What can I say to him? What comparison could I use to guide him? What has he devoted himself to that resembles beauty? What could I use to change him and say, Beauty is not in this, but in that? Would you have me tell him that beauty lies in the rational part, not in being covered in muck? Does he have any desire for beauty? Does he have any idea of it in his mind? Go and talk to a hog, and tell him not to roll in the mud.

For this reason the words of Xenocrates touched Polemon also, since he was a lover of beauty, for he entered (the room) having in him certain incitements (ἐναύσματα) to love of beauty, but he looked for it in the wrong place.⁷⁹² For nature has not made even the animals dirty which live with man. Does a horse ever wallow in the mud, or a well bred dog? But the hog, and the dirty geese, and worms and spiders do, which are banished furthest from human intercourse. Do you then being a man choose to be not as one of the animals which live with man, but rather a worm, or a spider? Will you not wash yourself somewhere some time in such manner as you choose?⁷⁹³ Will you not wash off the dirt from your body? Will you not come clean that those with whom you keep company may have pleasure in being with you? But do you go with us even into the temples in such a state, where it is not permitted to spit or blow the nose, being a heap of spittle and of snot?

For this reason, Xenocrates’ words also moved Polemon, because he loved beauty. When Polemon entered the room, he already had the beginnings (ἐναύσματα) of a love of beauty, but he looked for beauty in the wrong place.⁷⁹² Nature has not made even the animals that live with people dirty. Does a horse ever wallow in mud, or a well-bred dog? But pigs, dirty geese, worms, and spiders do. These creatures are kept furthest from human company. So, as a human being, do you choose to be a worm or a spider, rather than an animal that lives with people? Won’t you wash yourself somewhere, sometime, however you choose?⁷⁹³ Won’t you wash the dirt off your body? Won’t you come clean so that your companions can enjoy being with you? Instead, do you come with us into the temples in that state? Spitting and blowing your nose are forbidden there, yet you are a heap of spit and snot.

What then? does any man (that is, do I) require you to ornament yourself? Far from it; except to ornament that which we really are by nature, the rational faculty, the opinions, the actions; but as to the body only so far as purity, only so far as not to give offence. But if you are told that you ought not to wear garments dyed with purple, go and daub your cloak with muck or tear it.⁷⁹⁴ But how shall I have a neat cloak? Man, you have water; wash it. Here is a youth worthy of being loved,⁷⁹⁵ here is an old man worthy of loving and being loved in return, a fit person for a man to intrust to him a son's instruction, to whom daughters and young men shall come, if opportunity shall so happen, that the teacher shall deliver his lessons to them on a dunghill.⁷⁹⁶ Let this not be so: every deviation comes from something which is in man's nature; but this (deviation) is near being something not in man's nature.

What then? Does anyone, by which I mean myself, ask you to adorn yourself? Far from it. Adorn only what we truly are by nature: our power to reason, our opinions, and our actions. As for the body, keep it clean and avoid offending others. But if you are told not to wear purple-dyed clothes, go and smear your cloak with muck or tear it.⁷⁹⁴ But how will I have a neat cloak? Man, you have water. Wash it. Here is a young man worthy of love.⁷⁹⁵ Here is an old man worthy of loving and being loved in return. He is fit to be entrusted with a son’s education. Daughters and young men will come to him, if the opportunity arises, so that he can teach them on a dunghill.⁷⁹⁶ Let it not be so. Every deviation comes from something in human nature. But this deviation comes close to being something outside human nature.