Hesiod, Works and Days 760-764

ὧδ’ ἔρδειν· δεινὴν δὲ βροτῶν ὑπαλεύεο φήμην.
φήμη γάρ τε κακὴ πέλεται, κούφη μὲν ἀεῖραι
ῥεῖα μάλ’, ἀργαλέη δὲ φέρειν, χαλεπὴ δ’ ἀποθέσθαι.
φήμη δ’ οὔτις πάμπαν ἀπόλλυται, ἥν τινα πολλοὶ
λαοὶ φημίξωσι· θεός νύ τίς ἐστι καὶ αὐτή.

Act in this way; and avoid gossip, which is terrible for mortals. For gossip is bad; it’s light and all too easy to start up, but vexatious to put up with, and difficult to get rid of. A bit of gossip is never quite killed off once many people voice it; gossip is even a kind of god these days.

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