OF THE SAME: AGAINST THOSE WHO KEEP VIRGINS SUBINTRODUCED.
A B C D I. Regarding the ancestors of our own time, there were two reasons why men kept wives in their homes. One is ancient, just, and reasonable: namely, marriage, which has God as its Lawgiver. For he says: “For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife, and they shall be two in one flesh” (Gen. 2.24). The other is newer, unjust, and contrary to law: namely, fornication, which was introduced by malignant demons. In this age of ours, a third, new, and unusual manner has appeared, the cause of which you would not easily discover. There are, indeed, some who take into their homes girls inexperienced in marriage and keep them, fostering them even to extreme old age, not for the purpose of bringing forth children—for they deny that they have relations with them—nor for the sake of lust—for they say that they keep them incorrupt. And if anyone asks them the reason, they have many excuses; they have prepared them, and they are reasonable, so I think, in their own eyes—but none of them is genuine. But let us not now speak of these excuses; rather, let us bring into the middle the cause which we ourselves, most of all, suspect to be the case. And what is that? By all means, if I wander from the goal, it is permitted for you to refute me. And what is this cause? What is this pretext? It seems to me that the cohabitation with women has some amount of pleasure, even without the requirement of marriage and physical congress.
But if my view is not correct, I cannot say; I am telling you my own opinion. Perhaps, however, it is not only mine, but that of those men as well; for it seems to them to be so, and this is clear from the following: they would in no way despise such glory or risk such scandals were there not a great and vehement pleasure in such cohabitation. If, by chance, some should be indignant that I say these things, I pray that pardon be given to us, and let there be no anger; for I would not willingly and rashly take upon myself this enmity. I am not so miserable and wretched as to wish to offend everyone rashly; but I grieve and am tormented in my soul to see the glory of God blasphemed, and to see the salvation of many perishing little by little on account of this pleasure. For that this is sweet, and that it produces a love more ardent than the marital union, you might perhaps be struck to hear, but when I demonstrate it, you too will acknowledge it.
For with a legitimate wife, when it is not forbidden, the union satisfies the craving, and often brings about satiety, extinguishing the heat of desire, and frequently leads the man to a state of satisfaction, and puts an end to the intensity of desire. Furthermore, the pangs of labor, the childbirths, and the rearing of children, as well as the frequent illnesses that follow from these, afflict the body, cause the flower of youth to wither, and make the sting of pleasure weaker. In the virgin who cohabits, however, you will find none of these things. For the intercourse, which can relax and bring down the impetuousness of nature, is absent, and neither the pangs of labor nor the rearing of children cause the flesh to wither; but she preserves her youthful vigor for a long time, as she remains untouched. For after childbirth and the rearing of children, the bodies of wives become weaker, but those women [the subintroduced virgins] remain in their own form up to the fortieth year, and they vie with virgins who are ready to be married. Hence it is that those who cohabit with them are kindled by a double fire; for their ardor is not extinguished, as intercourse with them is forbidden, and the source of their ardor remains and is rendered more powerful.
I suspect this to be the cause of this companionship; but let us not be very angry with them, nor let us be difficult and importunate. For whoever wishes to restore a sick man does not act with anger and blows, but offers medicine with great care and gentle encouragement. For if it were our intended purpose to exact penalties from them, and if we were holding the position of judges, it would be appropriate to be indignant; but if, setting that aside, we take up the duty of physicians and of those who wish to cure, it is necessary to exhort, to beseech, and, if need be, to touch their knees, so that we may accomplish what we have undertaken to do. Therefore, just as physicians who wish to restrain the sick from food or harmful drink—even though they may have pleasure mixed in them—persuade them before all else that there is much bitterness in them besides the harm; so let us act, showing them that this cohabitation, however sweet and pleasant it may appear, is pernicious and is no better than deadly potions. And it seems indeed to have much pleasantness, yet it has much bitterness in it, which it pours into the soul that is delighted by pleasures.
For he who is persuaded to depart, departs securely. Indeed, he who is separated from his beloved by fear and necessity becomes a stronger lover, and perhaps will once again approach that person; but if he flees it as a ruinous and bitter thing, he by no means returns again, on account of the logic of his own judgment, which persuades him more violently than any necessity. How, then, shall we persuade them that this not only harms, but is also bitter? And how else, except from the very nature of things? Let us therefore question them, if someone, having set out a sumptuous table filled with various and most sweet foods, were to declare...
A that no one should touch any of the things set before them, and that under threat of severe punishment, would anyone choose to sit at such a table and torment himself? I certainly do not think so; for he would not reap as much pleasure from the sight as he would endure distress from the prohibition. And what if, to someone thirsty and burning with heat, one were to point out a clear and pure spring, and forbid him not only to taste it, but even to touch it with the tips of his fingers—could there be any suffering for him more bitter than that punishment?
2. *Tantalus.*—Nor here, I think, will anyone disagree with me. So great is this evil that even the profane, who are most skilled in examining these matters—I mean the nature of pleasure and grief—when they desired to depict certain people being severely punished, did it in no other way than this: by crafting a myth, they bring forward in the myth someone who had to pay the ultimate penalty, and besides providing him with a feast B and showing him water flowing past, they would not allow him to enjoy any of these things, but as soon as he reached out his hand, all the things he saw would retreat, and this continued forever. This was the mode of punishment according to the outside myth. And a certain philosopher, seeing one of his companions kiss a beautiful youth, expressed wonder, saying that this person, having dared to kindle such a furnace within himself by means of a kiss, could easily leap into fire. I would not say this, that those who live together kiss or touch each other; but if some were to accuse them of this, I shall endeavor to show that, even if they proceed as far as this, they are dragging upon themselves a torment even more bitter than the former. For if sight alone puts in such pain, when touch is also added—a pleasure far thicker than sight—it raises a greater flame, and makes the pain more sharp, and makes the beast more cruel. For as much as we increase the things of desire, and provide it with stronger nourishment, C so much are our own pains intensified. And just as one who sits by a table and a spring does not suffer as much by seeing as he does when, having been permitted to touch it with his hand, he is stopped from tasting it, so too are those who are permitted to touch virginal bodies punished more severely by the touch than by the sight, dragging upon themselves a more bitter pain from the failure to achieve. And why is it necessary to seek philosophy on these things from external matters? For the decree of God, which is stronger than all these, shows this to be so. For when He wished to punish Adam (Gen. 3), He did not settle him far from paradise, but near to it, so that he might have a continuous punishment—the sight of the place he desired, seeing it constantly but not being allowed to enjoy it. But perhaps someone might say: "And how, if this is so bitter by nature, do the many pursue it with such eagerness?" I, for my part, would say to this that this very thing is the greatest proof of their utmost D infirmity. For this is the habit of those who are sick, to reap a cold and short-lived pleasure, and from it to build up for themselves a long-lasting punishment. For one might see this also in those suffering from fevers, who, not wishing to endure for a little while, by touching forbidden drinks and foods for the sake of a momentary gratification, prepare for themselves a long and most grievous illness. But those who are healthy ought not take their judgments about things from those who are ill; for if we follow them, we shall be condemned by both medicine and philosophy. For this is not the case only with fevers or with women, but also with money and all other things, for those who are sick in such matters. For those who are mad about money, knowing that those who let go of these small things here to those in need will receive myriads of good things there, nevertheless hold onto them and bury them, and choose to fall away from all good things for the sake of this cold and brief pleasure, rather than to be freed from eternal punishment and to reap the immortal life through the disregard of these present things. This is what these people also suffer; since they do not endure keeping themselves away for a little while from this small desire that comes through the eyes, they gather for themselves unbearable fire, and by as much as they think they are experiencing pleasure, by that much more are they entangled in the evil, the devil being the artificer of this for the remaining and increasing of the flame; whence, while they burn, they both experience pleasure and suffer pain, planting a strange temperament in their own souls.
3. But if any of us condemns intemperance because of these words (for [they say] brave men who live with women suffer no harm), I call those people blessed, and I myself should wish to receive such strength; and perhaps I am even persuaded that it is possible for some people to be such, but I wished also that those who accuse us could be persuaded of this—that a young man who is vigorous in body, living with a young virgin and sitting and dining and conversing with her throughout the day (for I add nothing of the other things, the untimely laughter and the unbending and the soft words and the other things which it is perhaps not good even to speak of)—but that by having the same house, and sharing table and words, and partaking of and bestowing many things with great frankness, he is caught by none of the human passions, but remains pure of evil desire and pleasure; I wished that these things could persuade those who accuse us, but they do not wish to be persuaded, but they even cry out against us, the ones making these apologies, as being shameless, and as suffering the same things as they do, and concealing our own wickedness. "And what are these things to us?" he says. "For we are not responsible for the folly of others, nor, if someone is unreasoningly scandalized, am I worthy of punishment because of his folly." But Paul did not say this, but even if someone is unjustly scandalized, and even if through weakness, he commanded us to help. For only then are we rid of the punishment lying upon those who are scandalized, when from the scandal another gain is born greater than the harm from the scandal; whereas if this is not the case, but only one thing happens—that others are scandalized—whether they are scandalized reasonably or unreasoningly, whether as the weak, their blood [is] upon our head, and from our hands God will seek such souls. For this very reason, so that we might not everywhere neither care for nor despise those who are scandalized, Christ established certain boundaries and canons for us, and did this—both this and that—together with the time.
A For when he was discoursing on the nature of foods, and demonstrating that it was pure, and delivering it from Jewish observation, when Peter entered and said, "They have been scandalized," he said, "Leave them alone; B every plant which my heavenly Father has not planted will be rooted up." Thus he made the law concerning foods of no effect. But when those who were demanding the didrachma approached Peter and said, "Does your teacher not pay the didrachma?" then he did not act as he did before, but had regard for the scandal and says, "But so that we do not scandalize them, go to the sea, cast a hook, and take the first fish that comes up, and you will find a stater in its mouth; take this and give it for me and you." Do you see him sometimes caring and sometimes not caring? For in that case, there was no necessity for the glory of the Only-Begotten to be revealed; for how, since he was elsewhere eager to overshadow it and had commanded the multitude not to say that he was the Christ? And for this reason there was no harm in paying the didrachma; but had he not paid it, great evils would have been born from it; for they would have shunned him as a tyrant and an insurgent and an enemy of the whole city, and one casting them into extreme dangers. For this reason, those who wanted to seize him and make him a king, he avoided from afar, and repelled that opinion from the many who were about him. C But in the former case, what was being done was necessary; therefore, he usefully and seasonably and in a matter of greater importance despised the scandal. For it was very fitting for the time not to hinder those who were about to ascend to the highest philosophy from following the custom of the Jews; but rather to go, as the time called, to the purity of the soul, and not be detained by bodily observation, but to be freed from that base care. Thus also Paul sometimes despised those who were scandalized, and sometimes did not despise them, following the Teacher, and said, "I please all men in all things, not seeking what is profitable to myself, but to the many, so that they may be saved." D If then Paul neglects his own profit that he might find that of others, how much punishment shall we be worthy of, if we do not flee our own damage in order to find what is profitable to others, but we also together with others pleasantly lose ourselves, when we could have saved both our own selves and others? For this reason, when he sees more profit than damage, he despises those who suffer scandal; but where he sees no profit, but only scandal coming from it, he is prepared to do and suffer everything that it might not happen. And he does not reason in our manner; for he does not say, "Why are they weak? Why are they thus affected without cause?" but for this very reason he spares them most, because through a lack of reason they are in this state, and are thus weak.
Tell me, what reasonable pretext can he state, who is scandalized by one eating meat and drinking wine?
For this law God had appointed from above. Yet, nevertheless, if anyone is scandalized at these things, Paul abstains. "For I will not eat flesh," he says, "nor drink wine, so that I might not scandalize my brother." And what, am I to be held responsible for the lack of knowledge of another? Because it seems to some simpler person to be a scandal, am I worthy of suffering punishment? A Although even if he had said this, he would have said it much more justly than we. For he who is scandalized at those things, is senseless and very unwise; but in these things, he himself has many just and worthy reasons which he might state. Nevertheless, Paul would have had even more just reasons than we, had he wished; but he did not speak, but looked to one thing alone, namely the salvation of his neighbor. And see how eminently: for he did not say once, or twice, or for such a time, but, "I will not eat in eternity," he says, "if another is scandalized." And so that you might not think him to halt at these things, he adds something else greater. For as he said, "It is good not to eat flesh, nor to drink wine," B he also joined this: "Nor that by which your brother stumbles, or is scandalized, or is weakened." And observe again the wisdom of the teacher. For having left the weak, he corrects the strong before him; for the strong is the cause of the other being weak, in that he is able to correct the weakness, and does not do so. Why do I speak of weak brothers? For he commands the same care to be paid to Jews and Gentiles: "Be without offense," he says, "to Jews and to Gentiles and to the Church of God," and to receive no harm from the cohabitation, to that degree you make yourself all the more a debtor to break this bond. For by how much you were stronger, by so much was it more equitable that you should bear the weaker. C Therefore, if you are weak, desist for your own sake; if more robust, for the infirmity of another. For it is not fitting for him who is strong to be so only for himself, but also to be strong for others. But if you say that you are strong, and despise his weakness, you will pay double the punishment, both because you did not spare him, and because you had much power to be able to spare him. For each one of us is a debtor of the salvation of our neighbor. For this reason we are commanded, not to look to our own things, but to those of our neighbor. For we were bought with a price, and he who redeemed us ordained this for the common utility of our souls. D For it does not happen that only this is our gain, when we save our own members, but also when we establish others in greater security. For though you might philosophize a thousand times, you will be refuted by works, about to receive harm from this cohabitation that is not common. For when I see you thus unable to be torn away, and despising the thousands of things which bring damage, and not being converted by so many reproving you, but even trampling down your own glory, and stoking great envy against the Church, and opening the mouths of the faithless, and imbuing everyone with a bad opinion, and so many evils being born from the cohabitation, and no good occurring; but from the separation the removal of all these evils, and the possibility of attaining the possession of many other goods; then, when you are unwilling to recoil, how shall I be able to persuade others that you are free from affection, and pure from evil concupiscence? Indeed, I do not contend over these things; but let it be that you are pure even by cohabiting, although not even that blessed Job dared to ascribe to himself such virtue and wisdom; but he who had transcended every virtue, having gone beyond them all, andhaving broken the strength of the devil, even he went in such fear of such a struggle and believed it impossible for one living with a virgin to remain unstained and pure—so much so that he established for himself a law for his eyes, not even to glance at a virgin. For he knew clearly, he knew, that it is difficult A, and perhaps even impossible, for not only the one cohabiting, but even the one who looks with curiosity at a virgin’s face, to escape the harm which arises from that. On this account he said: *And I will not fix my mind upon a virgin* (Job 31:1).
5. But if Job seems small to you for the contest, although we are not worthy of even his dung—yet if you think his example falls short of your magnanimity, consider the most sonorous herald of the truth, Paul, who, after having traveled the whole world, and being able to say those things full of much wisdom, that it is no longer he who lives, but Christ in him, and that he has been crucified to the world and the world to him, and that he dies daily (1 Cor. 15:31)—after such grace of the Spirit, and such a demonstration of other graces, after unspeakable dangers, after precise philosophy—shows us and declares that as long as we breathe and are clothed in this flesh, there is need for struggles and labors, and it is never possible to achieve wisdom without trouble, but we have need of many sweats and toils for this trophy. Thus he said: *I buffet my body and bring it into bondage, lest by any means, after having preached to others, I myself should become disqualified* (1 Cor. 9:27). B He said these things, declaring the rebellion of the flesh and the madness arising from desire, and the continuous war, and his own life of struggle. And for this reason Christ, declaring the difficulty of the matter, did not permit one even simply to gaze at the faces of women, but even threatened to punish those who look in such a way with the penalty of adulterers. And when he said to Peter that it is not expedient to marry, he did not legislate against marrying, but by declaring the weight of the matter, he said: *He who is able to receive it, let him receive it* (Matt. 19:12). We hear also of our own generation that many, having bound their whole body with iron, and having clad themselves in sackcloth, and having run to the mountains, and living in continuous fasting and all-night vigils and watchings, and displaying all austerity, and forbidding all women to come up to their chamber and their hut, and training themselves in this way, barely overcome the madness of desire. But you say that even if you see one cohabiting with a virgin, and bound to her, and living luxuriously, and preferring the soul of his cohabitant, and choosing to suffer and do anything C rather than be separated from the beloved—do not believe there is anything evil, nor think it is a matter of desire, but of piety. But it is not those who have bodies, my wonderful friend, but those who cohabit with stones, who ought to be in such a state. And perhaps you do not believe [this] because of your great self-control; but I have heard from some, describing how many have even suffered something regarding statues and stones. But if, where there is hardness and resistance and mere molding, it has such power, what madness does it not produce when, along with the molding, there is a soft body lying beneath? How will the accusers not reasonably appear to be speaking more truly than you who are defending? For what is reasonable, tell me, for a man to desire a woman, or not to desire? We would surely say, to desire. Again, when he does not endure to depart, although ten thousand D reasonable pretexts push him outside, but thrusts himself inside for no virtuous achievement, but [incurring] myriad disgraces and harms to his own and others' [affairs]—what is reasonable? That he suffers this from a good intention, or from an evil one? Perhaps someone would say from an evil one, rather. But let us not be pedantic about these things; let it be granted that those who are scandalized are not scandalized rationally, nor justly, but in vain and to no purpose: why do you cohabit, tell me, with the virgin? For this cohabitation is established for no other reason than for love and longing; for if you take this away, the need for the matter is annulled. For what man would choose, without the necessity for a woman, to endure [her] luxury and insolence and the other defects of that kind? For this reason, God from the beginning armed the woman with this strength, knowing that she would be utterly contemptible if she did not bring this as a beginning, and that no one would choose to cohabit with her while being pure of desire. For if, even when such a great necessity and much other need is now present (for they also bear children, and keep the house, and perform many other services far more than these)—if, when they are performing such and so many services for men now, they were often held in contempt and cast out of the house, how would they be desirable to us without desire, and that too while enveloping us in so many disgraces? Either state, then, the cause of the cohabitation, or there is no need to suspect any other [cause] than evil desire and shameful pleasure.
6. What then, he says, if we can state a reasonable and just cause, will you have said these things about us in vain? Truly, you will state no such thing; yet even so I wanted to learn if you have even a shadow of a reasonable pretext to state. The virgin, he says, is without protection, not having a husband, nor a provider, and often not even a father, nor a brother, and she has need of someone to stretch out a hand, and to comfort her solitude, and to be everywhere as a protector and to place her in great safety and a harbor. What safety, and what harbor? For I do not see the breakwater restraining the waves, but rousing them, and the harbor not checking the storm, but even giving birth to swells that did not exist. Then are you not ashamed, do you not cover your face, defending such things? For if no accusation, nor harm, nor scandal were born from this service, but it were possible to do this very thing with a good reputation, of what would you not be more pitiful, increasing her wealth, and training her in greed, and casting her into business, and tutoring her for worldly cares, and exchanging the rank of stewards and curators and things of the marketplace? Very much so; for you will not be able to discourse about poverty and persuade [people] to despise their possessions, you who do everything so that [her] possessions might remain and increase, and that resources might be added to resources, having become merchants and peddlers for their sake, useless indeed. For your hopes are not noble.
503 S. JOANNIS CHRYSOSTOMI ARCHIEP. CONSTANTINOP. wealth to increase, making some people into agents and others into sub-agents for their sake, although they are useless. For your hope is not noble. For when you were ordered to carry the cross and follow Christ, you cast off the cross, and like effeminate soldiers who have thrown away their shields, you sit occupied with a distaff and a basket, having opened by another more shameful method a door into the present life. For it is not as shameful for those who are in matrimony to manage these things as it is for you, who pretend to have retreated from the cares of present matters, to undergo them again under another’s guise. For this reason, we everywhere receive the reputation of gluttons, sycophants, parasites, and menials to women, since we trade all the nobility given to us from above for earthly servility and base-ness. The great men of olden times indeed refused to distribute the wealth of widows, since so much blasphemy would arise from it because there was no one to administer it, but thinking it beneath their philosophy, they handed it over to others. We, however, are not ashamed to increase the wealth of others to the detriment of the possessors, being no better than the eunuchs occupied in such things, who have been commanded to carry our blood and soul/ A in our hands every day in place of weapons. What then? Is it necessary to disregard all things that are snatched from the virgin, while they are taken and carried off by relatives, servants, outsiders, and domestics? Truly, we shall render to the virgin a fine recompense, because she neither married nor loved the present world, but chose Christ above all, leaving her exposed to those who deprive her of her own possessions. And how much better would it have been for her to marry and have a partner, upon whom the administration of these things would weigh, rather than remaining unwed to trample upon the covenants forged with God, and to commit injury against a thing so noble and venerable, and to drag others also into the shipwreck of her own evils? How, moreover, will you say that she has preferred Christ to all things, when Christ cries out and says: "You cannot serve God and mammon" (Matt. 6:24)? How, furthermore, will you be able to say that you hate the world and the present life, you who persuade/ B her not to reject the desires of this world? And how can you urge the woman who has a husband to despise wealth, when you pursue riches for the virgin? And how will you permit this same virgin to cling assiduously and constantly to the Lord, when you expend your whole life and all your study upon her business affairs? How can a virgin philosophize when she sees you, a man, taking it badly if her money is plundered? How can she hold loss in contempt when she sees you doing and suffering everything to accumulate her wealth? God does not want us to be freed from business in this way, but to despise possessions, and to renounce everything that pertains to this life. But you do not allow us, nor do you grant that the law of God should prevail. What then, if she has need of the patronage of others, he says, and bears much that is unworthy? Are not these things unworthy of a virgin? Indeed, nothing is so unworthy of a virgin as to become wealthy and be overwhelmed by a throng of business affairs. What, moreover, if she should order/ C along with these things such as these: to put out money at interest, then, if she does not persuade us when called to such trade, and when she does not persuade us, she approaches others, shall we be the cause? What, moreover, if she should arrange some other illiberal and servile transactions, and then, if we are unwilling to cooperate, she should have need of certain others, shall we be worthy of being rebuked? By no means, but rather worthy of being praised; for we would be worthy of censure if we gave them such help. Do you wish her wealth not to be carried off or plundered? Admonish her to lay it up where she has no need of a man for safekeeping, and where it may remain perpetually intact; but if she wishes to have business affairs, why does she play a game that is not a game? For if a virgin does these things, she plays a game that is not pleasant, but deadly. For when she constitutes herself liable to these struggles, and makes all things unworthy of her own pledge, a greater punishment, a heavier retribution is prepared. Have you heard what law Paul—or rather, Christ, who spoke through him—has set for her, that the woman/ D and the virgin are divided? And "she that is unmarried thinks of the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit" (1 Cor. 7:34)? But you do not permit it, and listening to all their desires, you are more compliant than bought slaves. "It is so," he says. What then, if she should labor in extreme poverty? For these things have been well said by you regarding those who are in abundance; but what of the crime, if those who lie neglected in beggary and great poverty are raised up? Would that you had not cast them down and driven them into the abysses of perdition; that would be desirable. Indeed, if you do this in obedience to His command, who ordered us to be a help to the poor, you have many brothers; exhibit this good work there, where it will undergo no scandal; but here, the almsgiving is worse than any inhumanity and cruelty. What utility will there be, while you indeed feed the body, but weigh down the soul? When you give a garment, but cause a suspicion more shameful than nakedness? When you are of service in things that are of the body, but destroy all things spiritual? When you make her situation prosperous on earth, but cast her out of the heavens? What sort of almsgiving is this, when the glory of God is held in contempt, when there are openly reproaches and confusion and insults and mockery, both of the one whom you pity, and of many others who are scandalized? These things do not proceed from mercy, but from an inhuman and cruel soul. For if they were from mercy and kindness, it would be necessary to exhibit these things toward men as well. [...], but men have many aids by nature. Moreover, among men there are many who are more infirm than women, both because of great old age, and because of health, and because of mutilation of the body, and because of grave illnesses, and other such causes. Truly, however, because the race of women is your greatest care, as being the weaker, and you are very merciful and compassionate toward them, we shall not be destitute of an occasion in this part either, but we shall show you cases in which there is no reproach and the reward is very great. For there are also certain women worn out by old age, or with hands cut off, or deprived of sight, and invalid from various other diseases, and affected by poverty more difficult than their diseases. Since poverty—when one has absolutely nothing—brings about diseases of the body; and poverty itself also becomes heavier and more intolerable than the diseases. Seek these out and gather them; indeed, in gathering them there will be no need of labor; so do they lie before all, ready for all who...
wish to stretch out a hand. If you have money, spend it upon them; if you are strong, contribute here the service of your body. You will see many things here, too, that require bodily service, the expenditure of money, and much running about. For it is a task to provide dwellings for these women, and to prepare medicines, and to buy a bed and garments, and to provide suitable food, and to look after all the other things—even if there were only ten who were sick with such ailments! But now our city is full of them, and you will find thousands upon thousands. These are the ones who need protection, these are the deserted ones, these are they who lie upon the ground. This is almsgiving, this is philanthropy; this passes over to the glory of God and brings about the benefit of those who see, and those who suffer, and those who act. For the weaker ones should more justly be helped by the strong, and the aged by the young, and the ones possessing only a moderate amount by those who lack even necessary food, and the unsightly, by reason of the unbearable nature of their sufferings, by those who are attractive to many—and the ones who are weighed down by insults by those who are able to turn aside the insults that have occurred and add to their good name. A Show, therefore, that you do these things for the sake of God, and take care of them. But if you do not wish to see these, even in a dream, but go about hunting for beautiful young women, and while having some other intolerable reason for this ignoble "hunt," you put forward another reason that seems attractive—that of "protection"—even if you deceive men, you will not deceive the unbribable tribunal, since you do these things for one subtext while putting forward another. For you say that you do everything for the sake of God, but you perform the deeds of the enemies of God; for to cause His name to be blasphemed and slandered is the work of the enemies of God.
And I put forward another consideration. For let us suppose that the man who says these things is telling the truth, and that he is pure from all desire, and that for no other reason but piety alone he undertakes this protection—yet we shall not find him free from punishment even in this way. For if he lacked other pretexts in which it was necessary to demonstrate piety, and to do this without souls being scandalized—although even then, these men should not be engaged in these matters, where the damage is greater than the gain. For tell me, what is the equality in keeping one or two virgins for the sake of bodily necessities while scandalizing countless multitudes in their souls? But the accusation is not so grievous there; but when you find ten thousand ways and means that are free of accusation, free of scandal, and have a greater "commodity" in them, for what reason do you weave difficulties for yourself in vain and to no purpose, and undermine your gain, and build insecurely and shamefully, when it is possible to do so with security and much glory? Do you not know that the life of a Christian ought to shine brightly everywhere, and that whoever has brought shame upon his own glory will henceforth be useless everywhere, and will be able to gain nothing great, even if he happens to accomplish great things? For if the salt has lost its savor, He says, wherewith shall it be salted? For God wants us to be salt and light and leaven, so that others may be able to share in the profit that comes from us. For if people who live irreproachably can barely convert those who are neglected, if we should provide a handle to them, how shall we not be entirely responsible for their destruction? B For just as it is impossible for one who has a corrupted life to ever be saved, so neither is it possible for one who has wrapped himself in evil glory to escape hell. But if it is necessary to say something astonishing: even if one commits great sins, yet does this secretly and scandalizes no one, he gives a lesser account than one who has committed lesser sins, but does so with boldness and scandalizes many.
8. And lest you marvel at what has been said, or judge the word to be an exaggeration, we shall bring you this verdict from heaven and read this law from thence. For the blessed Moses—the meekest of all men on the earth, and the friend of God, and greater than the prophets (for to the others He spoke through enigmas, but to him as if a friend speaking to a friend)—this man, too, such as he was, having suffered myriad miseries in the desert over so many years, having been in danger many times, both among the Egyptians on behalf of the Jews, and among the Jews on behalf of those ungrateful people themselves, nothing else prevented him, after those many miseries and myriad achievements, from obtaining the promise, save that he scandalized those who were with him at the water. And hinting at this, God said: Because you did not believe me to hallow me before the children of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them (Num. 20:12). And yet, even before this, he disobeyed in some things (for he spoke against God once and twice when sent to Egypt, and after that, in the desert, he doubted, saying: Six hundred thousand are the footmen, and you have said, I will give them flesh, and they shall eat for a month of days. Shall the sheep and the oxen be slaughtered, or shall all the fish of the sea be gathered, and will it suffice them? And after this, again he became discouraged, and he declined the protection of the people). But yet, none of these things had the power to deprive him of the offered prizes, save for that which happened at the water alone; for by its nature it was less than those others; but because it happened to the injury of others, it became much greater. For those former things happened privately and covertly; but this was sinned openly and before all the people. For this reason, also, God, accusing him, hinted at this by saying: Because you did not hallow me before the children of Israel, laying bare to him the nature of the sin, and revealing whence it became inexcusable. C But if this caused such a man to stumble, how shall this not sink and destroy us—worms and creatures of no account? For nothing so exasperates God as when His name is blasphemed. And to the Jews, too, He continued to complain up and down: Because my name is profaned; and again, You profane it; and, Through you my name is blasphemed among the Gentiles; and so great has been His providence that this might not happen, that He has often saved even the unworthy, so that this might not come to pass. For I have acted, He says, so that my name might not be profaned; and, Not for your sake do I act, O house of Israel, but so that my name might not be profaned (Ezech. 20:9 and 36:22). And Paul, too, prayed to be anathema for the sake of the glory of God; and Moses himself exhorted to be blotted out of the book for the sake of the glory of the name of God; but you not only choose to suffer nothing in order to ward off this blasphemy, but you do everything through which you increase it.
B Everything, then, must be done so that no occasion for scandal may arise. But even if they falsely accuse us, let us resolve the charges with persuasion, and let us imitate the saints, who had such a zeal for the glory of God that they would disparage their own interests for the sake of God. Let us not think that, having cast everything aside and trampled it underfoot, we are sufficiently defended if we say, "We bought a dress for the virgin, and shoes, and we have well provided for the other things that pertain to the physical comfort of the virgin." Who, they say, would manage the things in our house? Who would look after our property? Who would be in charge of the house in our absence, and when there is no woman inside? Indeed, these arguments are even more contrary and shameful than the former ones. And they do not care about these things, nor are they ashamed, speaking whatever comes into their mouths, just like drunkards. Therefore, we will not weary ourselves, even if what they say is such that it deserves no answer. We will not be burdened, I say, even to answer and to speak to them gently, until we free them from this drunkenness, as much as lies within us. For I am ashamed and blush when I attempt to overturn these things which those who contradict do not blush to put forward; yet the shame must be endured entirely for the benefit of those who do not know how to blush. For it would be absurd, while refuting those who consider it of no account that they are a scandal to their brothers, to abandon the concern for them because of a sense of shame. For tell me, what are those things that they say are so necessary at home for the care of the virgin? Are there a host of barbarian maidservants, newly purchased, whom it is necessary to instruct in wool-working and other services? Or are there storerooms of wealth and clothing, and does it behoove a guardian to sit inside always and protect the virgin’s eyes from the malice of the servants? Or must dinner and banquets be prepared continuously, and must the house be adorned and the cooks and table-servers be managed by the virgin’s care? Are there likewise many diverse and frequent expenses, and must someone always be in charge so that they may be guarded with diligence, so that those things do not slip away from the house without profit? C It is nothing of these, he says; but so that she herself may take care of the chest, and the clothing, and the other little possessions, and may well prepare the table, and well arrange the bed, and light the fire, and wash feet, and provide every other such comfort. Then, for this small and chilly bit of convenience, will we endure such an accusation, and bear such reproaches? And how much better and more easily would a brother manage these things? For by nature the man is stronger than the woman, while in habit he is more accommodating to us, and not so extravagant. For the woman, being more delicate, needs a softer bed, and thinner clothing, and perhaps another girl to serve her; and she will not provide us as much service as she herself will need from us. But a brother needs none of these things. And if he does need something, we share that same need, which is no small convenience if the housemates use not different but the same things: which is certainly not the case with a virgin. In the first place, surely, whether she wants to be relieved or is sick in body, the brother will not serve her in these things, even if he were very shameless, nor would she be sufficient for herself. But if it is brothers who are living together, they will be able to serve one another by turns. Again, when it is time to sleep, since the virgin is sitting inside, there must be two beds, and two sets of bedding, and two blankets; and if they are wise, two separate rooms. But if they are brothers, again there is no need for such household property. For one house, one pillow, one bed, and the same coverings suffice for both; and in summary, if one were to run through every service, one would find much ease here, whereas there, one would find difficulty. I am silent about the indecency of the house. For what is it, if one goes into the house of a solitary man, to see women’s shoes hanging, and girdles and headbands, baskets, and the spindle and the weaver’s rod and combs and distaffs, and other things which it is not permitted to count one by one? If, however, you search the things that belong to a rich man, the subject for mockery is greater. For first, he is the only one moving about in such a throng of girls, just like a choir-master in the orchestra who sings along in a chorus of dancing women: than which what could be more shameful and dishonest? Then, he is broken down all day long, angry at the servants regarding matters that pertain to the woman. For it is *necessity* for him either to be silent entirely and, neglecting everything, be rebuked by her, or to speak and, in rebuking, act shamefully. And look at what happens: for he who was ordered not even to approach worldly business does not only handle worldly things, but the very things of women. For he will not refuse to carry women’s vessels to the silversmiths, asking repeatedly whether the mistress’s mirror has been prepared, whether they have finished the jar, whether they have returned the oil cruet; for all things have come to such corruption that these virgins use more vessels than many secular women. From there, again, he runs to the perfumer to discuss the mistress’s aromatics, often even, because of such excessive zeal, not refusing to act if the pauper must be insulted. D Yet virgins use various and precious perfumes. Then from the perfumer to the linen seller, and from him again to the tapestry weaver. For they are not ashamed to command these small things, because they see them very obedient, and having more gratitude for those who command than for others who serve. From there again, if at any time something must be prepared which pertains to this portable tent, they persevere until evening without food, stuck to the workshops. And that is not to be wondered at, but that they are also troublesome to the wretched servants, and press them with frequent injury and shouting. Think of how many complaints arise from this: for the servant who has been injured, especially for such things, because he has no other way to avenge himself on him who injured him, does it by tongue and secret disparagement. And he spares none of those by whom he may satisfy his own rage, but avenges himself as immoderately as is likely for a slave thus reproached, and for whom this is the sole consolation from his evils against the one who has saddened him. And he who says that he lives with a poor man, when...
A he is a silversmith, will not converse with him (for his poverty does not allow it), nor will he sit with perfume sellers, but he will often annoy shoemakers and weavers and embroiderers and dyers. And why is it necessary to recount all this indecency, such as when they enter houses selling warp and woof, and when they wander into the marketplace searching for these very things? And these things take place in houses; but in the marketplaces they endure things even more laughable than these.
10. In the church, however, it is not possible to describe the disgrace. For just as it is necessary that no place be ignorant of their insult and this base slavery, so also in this holy and most fearful place do they proclaim their entire lack of self-control; and what is even more grievous, they even pride themselves on things for which they ought to be ashamed. For by receiving them from the very doors, and by becoming like eunuchs, they act with arrogance, and by leading the way they think highly of themselves, with everyone looking on, and they are not abashed, but even rejoice. And even at the very moment of the most fearful mysteries, they perform many things for their pleasure, providing opportunities to many of the onlookers. B And these wretched and miserable women, although it is necessary to drive them away from such grace, are even delighted and think highly of themselves. And yet, who could find, whether for these women or for those men—if he were about to utter some curse—a harsher one than this, namely, that they have ten thousand witnesses to their lack of self-control, and that they behave indecently in the eyes of all? What need is there to speak of how many things are overturned in the churches themselves for their sake, how many of the things of God are neglected for the sake of these men, so that these women might not be provoked? And why do I say "provoked"? If only someone of them looks at them with a gloomy and unpleasant face, they choose to endure everything rather than see that woman suffer this. But how long shall we continue to act indecently by recounting all their affairs? For we did not choose this, since it would require many and long discourses to narrate everything; or rather, it is not even possible to tell everything even if one wished, but by combining a few things from many, it was enough to make the length [of our discourse] sufficient. But we did not come to this, C but we mentioned even these things reluctantly, so that we might slightly sting those of our listeners who have sense; henceforth, we must entreat and beseech. Therefore, I beg and implore, and I prostrate myself before your knees, and I set forth every petition: be persuaded, and let us recover from this drunkenness, and let us become ourselves, and let us recognize the honor which God has given to us, and let us listen to Paul shouting: "Do not become slaves of men" (1 Cor. 7:23); and let us cease being slaves to women, to the common ruin of us all. Christ wishes us to be noble soldiers and athletes. He did not arm us with spiritual weapons for this purpose, that we might accept the service of three-obol virgins, that we might occupy ourselves with wool and looms and such-like ministrations, that we might sit beside women spinning and weaving, that we might spend every day staining our own souls with female habits and words; but that we might strike down the invisible powers opposing us, that we might strike the devil who commands them, D that we might drive away the wild phalanxes of demons, that we might pull down their strongholds, that we might bind the authorities of the prince of darkness and lead them captive, that we might put to flight the spiritual forces of wickedness, that we might breathe fire, that we might be ready and prepared for daily deaths. For this reason He clothed us with the breastplate of righteousness, for this reason He girded us with the belt of truth, for this reason He placed upon us the helmet of salvation, for this reason He shod our feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace, and He handed over the sword of the Spirit, for this reason He cast fire into our souls. Therefore tell me, if you saw one of the soldiers, after putting on the helmet, the greaves, the breastplate, after taking the sword, the spear, the shield, the bows, the arrows, the quiver, while the trumpet was sounding clearly and calling everyone out, and while the enemies were breathing fiercely and were prepared to tear the city up from its foundations, not running out to the battle-line, but entering a house and sitting beside a woman with those weapons—would you not, if it were permitted, thrust the sword through his middle, without even granting him a word? And if you would be filled with such great anger, how do you think God is disposed toward things far more absurd than these? For these things are more shameful and more absurd than those by as much as the war is more severe, and the enemies are more fierce, and the prizes for which the war is waged are greater, and everything, in a word, is as different as the distance between truth and a shadow. Let us not, therefore, soften our strength, nor cut our own sinews with these associations; for an unspeakable and great wickedness flows into our souls from this source. For what if we do not perceive it while drunk with this friendship? For this is the most terrible thing of all, that we do not even know that we are being unnerved, and are becoming softer than any wax. For just as one who takes a proud and grim-looking lion, then shears off its mane, removes its teeth, and pulls out its claws, makes the fearful and unbearable creature—which shakes everything by its roar alone—shameful, ridiculous, and easily overcome by children; so do these women make all whom they capture easily handled by the devil, softer, hotter, shameless, senseless, irascible, bold, untimely, base, ignoble, cruel, servile, unfree, babbling, talkative, and, in a word, carrying all the corrupted female habits, they imprint them upon the souls of these men.
11. For it is impossible for one living with women with such affection, and becoming involved in their associations, not to be a sort of mountebank, a huckster, and rabble. For even if he says anything, he says everything from the looms and the wool, his tongue having been dyed with the quality of female words; and even if he does anything, he will work this with much servility, having removed himself far from the freedom that becomes Christians, and becoming useless for any of the great achievements. For if such a person is useless for life's necessities and public affairs, much more so for the magnitude of spiritual things, which require more noble men, so that those who are to pursue them cannot even touch them unless they become angels instead of men. And not only do they themselves receive such wickedness, but they also become the cause of corrupted character to those women. For just as these men, wishing greatly to please them, depart from the conduct that befits them; so also...
they, by their ornate adornment, excessive care of their dress and gait, and by spending the entire day in idle chatter, behave in ways they ought not. For since they see that these men are delighted by these loose behaviors and words, they zealously pursue all things by which they can hold them in bondage.
But if we should be willing to come to our senses for a little while, and become our own men, we shall gain both them and ourselves and all others. And just as we are now made the cause of destruction for many, so then we shall receive a reward for the salvation of many, and we shall enjoy with great honor those things of which we now take possession basely. For tell me, why do you wish to be honored by women? This is most unworthy of a spiritual man, to crave such honor; yet even this will be present exactly when we are not seeking it. For a man is accustomed to despise those who flatter him and to hold in admiration those who do not fawn—a disposition to which the female nature is more prone. For if someone fawns upon them, he is intolerable; but they admire most of all those who do not know how to yield and who do not succumb to their untimely desires. And you yourselves will be my witnesses to this. For now not only outsiders but even these women who live with you mock you—if not openly, yet certainly in their conscience—and they boast of this harsh tyranny; but then they will admire you entirely, and will be stunned at your liberty.
And if you do not believe our words, ask these very women whom they praise and approve more: those who serve them, or those who master them? Those who are subject to them, and who do and suffer all things for their sake, or those who endure none of these things and are ashamed to obey their base commands? And if they are willing to tell the truth, they will answer: "Those who master us." Indeed, there is no need for a response, as the facts themselves proclaim this. But he who lives with them for the sake of pleasure is intent on wealth, feasting his eyes on the sight of these virgins. Even if this were so at its best, it ought to have been fled for this very reason. But enough has been demonstrated to you that this is not sweet, but clearly the opposite, if one does not enjoy this contemplation—and to this you must add the joy of a good conscience. A Nothing so exhilarates as a good conscience. For nothing is accustomed to exhilarate us as much as a pure conscience and good hope. But do you seek this for the sake of repose? It has already been demonstrated that this would be easier if a brother were living with you; and now you differ in nothing from a slave, and while seeking repose, you have found a most burdensome slavery. When you are free from this ministry, then you will be among those who command, not those who are commanded. Therefore, if there is grief there instead of pleasure, and confusion instead of glory, and slavery instead of liberty, and labor instead of repose, and in addition to these, God is blasphemed, and there is such great destruction and scandal, and eternal punishment, and the loss of countless goods; while here there are all the opposites: glory, honor, pleasure, confidence, liberty, the salvation of souls, the inheritance of the kingdom, and the escape from punishment—for the sake of what will we not exchange these for those? For my part, I do not know, unless one desires to destroy himself; for we shall have no defense or pardon thereafter. For if, even if none of these things were true, it would still have been necessary to bear all things for the glory of God, when it is permitted to perceive both the present things and to attain the future goods; but since, besides the fact that the glory of God is blasphemed, we also destroy ourselves, who will snatch us and deliver us from the impending punishment for this? No one, assuredly. B Oh that we might at last mend the salvation of our souls! But if there is any difficulty in being torn away from a long habit, let us entrust the whole matter to the power of reasoning together with the grace of God, and let us persuade ourselves of this: that if we only set a beginning to the work, we shall no longer see the difficulty; thus we shall prevail over habit. For if you abstain for ten days, you will bear twenty more easily, and then twice as many again; and then by gradually advancing, you will not even feel the difficulty you had at the beginning, and you will see that what once demanded so many struggles is most easy to do, and you will transfer yourself to another habit, finding the transition not so grave. And this will come about not only through habit, but also through good hope. In this way they will admire you more, and God will accept you above others, and men will crown you, and you will live freely and pleasantly. C For what would be sweeter than to be freed from an evil conscience, to resolve the perpetual war of concupiscence, to knit together the famous crown of temperance with great ease, and to look at heaven with free eyes, and with a pure voice and heart to call upon the Master of all? No one who has been exempted from chains, squalor, and the other hardships of prisons—nay, no one who was blind and, with opened eyes, sees this sweet light—is so exultant, leaping, and dancing as he who has been able to be freed from this slavery. For liberation from this tyranny is far sweeter than this light, and the misery of that slavery and those bonds is more grievous than any darkness. But why is there need to pursue the condition of either life more prolixly, when the former surely brings with it unworthiness, sadness, loss, and great corruption; while the latter brings liberty, pleasure, utility, and much prudence? For no speech can express it, but only the experience of the facts. And then you will know rightly from what evils you have been freed, and what life you have attained, when you are willing to obey us in deed. You will obey, therefore, when you have learned what has been said through the work itself. But if you still resist and do not believe our words, ask some who once bore this slavery and then, being freed, turned back to a good liberty, and you will know the gain of this admonition. For even Solomon, when he was held by the concupiscence of secular things, thought them great and admirable, and spent much labor and care on them—building magnificent houses, hoarding boundless gold, gathering choirs of singers, and various kinds of servants for his table and kitchen, seeking pleasure for his soul from the grace of gardens and beautiful bodies, and pursuing every way, if I may so say, of gratification and refreshing. But when he returned from there to himself and was able to look toward the light of true wisdom, as if from a certain dark abyss, then he uttered that sublime voice worthy of the heavens, saying: Vanity of vanities, and all is vanity. D