Laudator Temporis Acti

St. Ambrose, On Elijah and Fasting 15.59-60 (tr. Mary Joseph Aloysius Buck):

Drunkenness is the kindling wood of passion, drunkenness is the incentive of madness, drunkenness is the poison of folly. This vice changes the senses and forms of men, through this vice from men they become neighing horses; since indeed, being warm with the natural heat of the body and inflamed beyond the measure of nature by the heat of wine, they cannot restrain themselves, and are excited to bestial passions, so that they have no time prescribed in which it would be fitting for them to indulge in coition. They lose their voice, they change color, their eyes burn with passion, they pant with open mouth, they snort with distended nostrils, they are enkindled into rage, they go out of their senses. From this comes dangerous delirium, from this comes the heavy affliction of gall stones, from this comes fatal indigestion, from this comes frequent vomiting on the part of those who belch forth half eaten dainties together with the blood of their inner vitals. I speak falsely if the Lord has not said the same thing through Jeremias in these words: Drink ye, and be drunken, and vomit: and ye will fall and will rise no more.

From this come also deluding visions, uncertain sight, and tottering gait. Often they leap over shadows as if they were pitfalls. The ground sways beneath them, suddenly it seems to be raised and lowered as if it were turning. In terror they fall upon their faces and grasp the ground with their hands; or they imagine that they are being engulfed by mountains rushing upon them. There is rumbling in their ears like the crashing of a tossing sea and shores resounding from the waves. If they see dogs they think them lions and flee. Sonic are convulsed in uncouth laughter, others weep with inconsolable grief, others perceive senseless terrors. While awake they sleep, while asleep they quarrel. Life to them is a dream and their sleep is deep. They cannot be aroused by any voices; whatever be the shock by which you would imagine they must be aroused, unless they recover, they cannot awake.

ebrietas fomentum libidinis, ebrietas incentivum insaniae, ebrietas venenum insipientiae. haec sensus hominum mutat et formas. per hanc fiunt ex hominibus equi adhinnientes, siquidem naturali vapore corporis calidi et praeter naturam vini calore flammati cohibere se non queunt et in bestiales libidines excitantur, ut nullum tempus praescriptum habeant, quo deceat indulgere concubitu. vocem amittunt, colore vuariantur, oculis ignescunt, ore anhelant. fremunt naribus, in furorem inardescunt, sensu excidunt. hinc frenesis periculosa, hinc calculi gravis poena, hinc exitialis cruditas, hinc vomitus frequens semesas epulas cum internorum viscerum cruore fundentium. mentior, nisi eadem dominus per Hieremiam locutus est dicens: bibite et inebriamini et vomite: et cadetis et non surgetis.

hinc etiam vanae imagines, incerti visus, instabilis gressus. umbras saepe transiliunt sicut foveas. nutat his terra, subito erigi et inclinari videtur, quasi vertatur. timentes in faciem ruunt et solum manibus adprendunt aut concurrentibus montibus sibi videntur includi. murmur in auribus tamquam maris fluctuantis fragor et resonantia fluctu litora. canes si viderint, leones arbitrantur et fugiunt. alii risu solvuntur incondito, alii inconsolabili maerore deplorant, alii inrationabilis cernunt pavores. vigilantes somniant, dormientes litigant. vita his somnium est, somnus his multus est. excitari nullis vocibus possunt: quantolibet stimulandos inpulsu putes, nisi resipierint, vigilare non possunt.

Related post: Some Effects of Wine.