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Animal Rights History Timeline » [BCE-CE] Antiquity » Saint John Chrysostom

Saint John Chrysostom

Homilies on the Gospel of Saint Matthew

Homily LXIX. on Matt. XXII 1-14

No Blood-Nor Cutting Up of Flesh

[4th-5th c.] Saint John Chrysostom, "Homily LXIX. on Matt. XXII 1-14," in Homilies on the Gospel of Saint Matthew, Volume 10 of A Select Library of the Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers of the Christian Church edited by Philip Schaff (New York, Christian Literature Publishing Co., 1888; Online at Christian Classics Ethereal Library).

Hear what was the life of the Scythians…No streams of blood are amongst them, nor cutting up of flesh, nor heaviness of head, nor dainty cooking, neither are there unpleasing smells of meat amongst them, nor disagreeable smoke, neither runnings and tumults, and disturbances, and wearisome clamors; but bread and water, the latter from a pure fountain, the former from honest labor. But if any time they should be minded to feast more sumptuously, their sumptuousness consists of fruits, and greater is the pleasure there than at royal tables. There is no fear there, or trembling; no ruler accuses, no wife provokes, no child casts into sadness, no disorderly mirth dissipates, no multitude of flatterers puffs up; but the table is an angel's table free from all such turmoil.(406-7)