Letter 186

To the Same Person. Just as those who are feverish think honey to be bitter, since the powers of taste in them have been impaired, so too the faculty of taste of someone's soul is impaired. And the prophet says: "Woe to those who call the sweet bitter." [Isaiah 5:20]

Ὥσπερ οἱ πυρέττοντες νομίζουσι πικρὸν εἶναι τὸ μέλι, τῶν παρ’ αὐτοῖς βεβλαμμένων γευστικῶν δυνάμεων, οὕτως καὶ τῆς ψυχῆς τὶς τὸ γευστικὸν βλάπτεται. Καὶ φησὶν ὁ προφήτης· Οὐαὶ τοῖς λέγουσι τὸ γλυκὺ πικρόν.