Slander and the Fall

Εἶπε πάλιν· Ψιθυρίσας ὁ ὅφις τὴν Εὔαν τοῦ παραδείσου ἐξεβαλε. Τούτου οὖν ὅμοιος ἔσται καὶ ὁ καταλαλῶν τοῦ πλησίον· τὴν γὰρ ψυχὴν τοῦ ἀκούοντος ἀπολλύει, καὶ τὴν ἑαυτοῦ οὐ διασώζει.  ᾽Αποφθεγματα των ἀγιων γεροντων, Παλλαδιος

Again Father Hyperechios said, ' The hissing of the serpent cast Eve out of paradise and so it is with the one who speaks ill of his neighbour; for he who does such a thing ruins the soul of the one who hears and he does not save his own.' Sayings of the Desert Fathers, Palladius of Galatia