[59] A. Puech, St. Jean Chrysostome et les Mœurs de son Temps (1891), 266, has an interesting chapter on the spectacula. He refers to Hom. in Matt. 6, 7, 37, 48; Hom. in Ioann. 18; Hom. in Ep. 1 ad Thess. 5; Hom. de Dav. et Saul, 3; Hom. in Prisc. et Aquil. 1, &c. Most of these works belong to the Antioch period; cf. also Allard, i. 229. In de Sacerdotio 1, Chrysostom, like Augustine, records his own delight in the stage as a young man.
[60] P. G. lvi. 263.
[61] C. I. C. Nov. Iust. cv. 1 (536) ‘faciet processum qui ad theatrum ducit, quem pornas vocant, ubi in scena ridiculorum est locus tragoedis et thymelicis choris’; cf. Choricius, Apology for Mimes, ed. Ch. Graux, in R. d. Philologie, i. 209; Krumbacher, 646.
[62] C. Th. iv. 6. 3 (336); C. Iust. v. 5. 7 (454).
[63] C. Iust. v. 4. 23 (520-3) allows the marriage on condition of an imperial rescript and a dotale instrumentum. C. Iust. i. 4. 33 (534) waives the rescript. It also imposes penalties on fideiussores or sureties of actresses who hinder them from conversion and quitting the stage. For similar legislation cf. Nov. li; lxxxix. 15; cxvii. 4. By Nov. cxvii. 8. 6 a man is permitted to turn his wife out of doors and afterwards repudiate her, if she goes to theatre, circus, or amphitheatre without his knowledge or against his will.
[64] Gibbon, iv. 212, 516 (with Prof. Bury’s additions); C. E. Mallet in E. H. Review, ii. 1; A. Debidour, L’Impératrice Théodora, 59. Neither Prof. Bury nor the editor of the C. I. C. accepts M. Debidour’s dating of C. Iust. v. 4. 23 under Justinian in 534.
[65] Mansi, xi. 943. Canon 3 excludes one who has married a σκηνική from orders. C. 24 forbids priests and monks θυμελικῶν παιγνίων ἀνέχεσθαι, and confirms a decree of the council of Laodicea (cf. p. 24, n. 4) obliging them, if present at a wedding, to leave the room before τὰ παίγνια are introduced. C. 51 condemns, both for clergy and laity, τοὺς λεγομένους μίμους καὶ τὰ τούτων θέατρα and τὰς ἐπὶ σκηνῶν ὀρχήσεις. For clergy the penalty is degradation, for laity excommunication. C. 61 provides a six-years’ excommunication for bear-leaders and such. C. 62 deals with pagan religious festivals of a semi-theatrical character; cf. ch. xiv. C. 66 forbids the circus or any δημώδης θέα in Easter week.
[66] Sathas, passim; Krumbacher, 644.
[67] Jerome, in Ezechiel (410-15) ‘a. spectaculis removeamus oculos arenae circi theatri’ (P. L. xxv. 189); Augustine, de Fide et Symbolo (393) ‘in theatris labes morum, discere turpia, audire inhonesta, videre perniciosa’ (P. L. xl. 639); cf. the sermon quoted in Appendix N, No. x.
[68] Ausonius, Idyl. iv. 46; Sidonius, Ep. iv. 12 ‘legebamus, pariter laudabamus, iocabamurque.’