Advice On Speaking

Λόγος πρὸς ὠφέλειαν τῶν ἀκουόντων γινόμενος, λόγος ἐστὶν ἐνδύναμος, ἐνδίκως λόγος καλούμενος, καὶ πρὸς Θεὸν ἔχων τὴν μίμησιν. Ὁ δὲ πρὸς τέρψιν καὶ κρότον τελευτῶν, ἦχος ἐπὶ χαλκοῦ τοῖς μεγάλοις ψόφοις τὴν ἀκοὴν ἐνηχῶν. Ἥ τοίνυν σεμνότητι τὸν λόγον σου ῥύθμιζε, προτιμῶν τοῦ κόμπου τὸ μέτριον, ἤ γίνωσκε κύμβαλον ὤν, τῇ σκηνῇ τῶν θεάτρων ἁρμόδιον. Ἅγιος Ἰσίδωρος Του Πηλουσιώτου, Βιβλίον Πρῶτον, ΞΒ' Θεοπομπῳ Μονακῳ Migne PG 78. 224

A word that is beneficial to listeners is a word of power, and rightly called a Word, having a likeness unto God. But he who seeks only pleasure and applause is as clanging bronze echoing loudly in the ear. So arrange your speech with a care which surpasses the measure of big and boastful words, or else know yourself as a cymbal being bashed on the stage of a theatre. Saint Isidore of Pelusium, Book 1, Letter 62, To the Monk Theopompos