Acknowledgments -- List of Figures -- List of Abbreviations -- Preface -- Chapter One: A Survey of Foul Language in the Ancient World -- What is Foul Language? -- I. Plato and Aristotle on Foul Language -- I.A. Plato and the Dangers of Mimesis -- I.B. Aristotle and the Bounds of Humor -- II. Abuse -- II.A. Laws Against Slander -- III. Religious Rites -- Excursus: The Language of Some Love Charms -- IV. Comedy -- V. New Forms of Comic Drama -- VI. Literary Obscenities -- VI.A. Epigram -- VI.B. Tales of Sexual Adventures and Sex Manuals -- VI.C. Ovid's Culpa -- Conclusion -- Chapter Two: Speech, Character, and Self-Definition -- I. Speech as it Relates to Character -- II. Speech as it Defined Specific Groups -- II.A. Cynics and Shameless Speech -- II.B. Stoics -- II.B.1. The Linguistic Roots of the Stoic Ethics of Foul Language -- Excursus: Bryson the Megarian -- II.B.2. Changes in Stoic (and Cynic) Views of Obscene Speech -- Chapter Three: Jewish Scripture and Earliest Christianity -- I. Prophetic Scatology -- II. Wisdom Literature and Ben Sirach -- III. Jesus -- IV. James -- V. Didache 3:3 and the Two Ways -- VI. Paul -- VI.A. Galatians 5:12 -- VI.B. Philippians 3:8: Σκύβαλα -- Conclusion -- Chapter Four: Colossians and Ephesians -- I. Colossians 3:8 -- I.A. Colossians 4:6: " Season Your Speech with Salt" -- II. Ephesians -- II.A. Exegesis of Ephesians 5:3-14 -- II.A.1. "Let them not even be named among you" (Eph 5:3) -- II.A.2. 'Eλεγχετε (Eph 5:11) -- II.A.3. "Shameful Even to Mention" (Eph 5:12) -- II.A.4. αισχροτης -- II.A.5. μωρολογια -- II.A.6. ευτραπελια -- II.B. Speech Rules in 1QS -- II.C. Profaning a Sanctum -- II.D. Not Fitting for Holy Ones -- III. Speech and Christian Identities -- Chapter Five: Clement of Alexandria on Foul Language -- I. The Divine Paedagogue and Christian Manners -- II. On Foul Language.

Excursus: Clement and the Didache -- II.A. A "Deeper Logos" about Foul Language -- III. Comparing Clement -- Conclusions -- Works Cited -- Index of Passages Cited.