2

the sword of death, lay down a man-slaying obstacle, prepare shattering for her as she descends; for she will plunge down over all your chasms, as if into softer pools. And what is greater, she does not even ask of God what is written, to command his angels concerning her, lest her body strike against a stone; but to command her soul to depart after the fall of the flesh. O you who were created of the female sex, but shown to be male in spirit. O you who are contended for by flocks of virgins and choirs of martyrs. O you who did not provide enjoyment even by sight to a licentious judge. Therefore let us also pursue the chaste mind of the maiden, let us take up trophies against pleasures, let us shatter advancing licentiousness, let us hold piety dearer than our soul, let us assay a judge from temptations, let us show timely courage, let us put to death our members which are on the earth, so that the Lord also may transform the body of our humiliation to become conformed to his body, to whom be the glory and the power for ever. Amen.

2

θανάτου τὸ ξίφος, ἀνθρωποκτόνον ἀντιτυπίαν ὑπόστρωσον, ἑτοίμασον συντριβὴν κατιούσηι· καθ' ὅλων γάρ σου κυβιστήσει τῶν ἄντρων, ὡς κολυμβήθρας ἁπαλωτέρων. καὶ τὸ δὴ μεῖζον, οὐδὲ τὸ γεγραμμένον ἀπαιτεῖ τὸν Θεόν, τοῖς ἀγγέ λοις ἐντείλασθαι περὶ αὐτῆς, μήποτε προσκόψηι πρὸς λίθον τὸ σῶμα αὐτῆς· ἀλλ' ἐντείλασθαι τῆι ψυχῆι μετὰ τὸ πτῶμα τῆς σαρκὸς ἐκδημῆσαι. ὢ κτισθεῖσα μὲν εἰς τὸ τοῦ θήλεος γένος, ἄρρεν δὲ δειχθεῖσα φρονήματι. ὢ παρθένων ἀγέλαις καὶ μαρτύρων χοροῖς περιμάχητε. ὢ μηδὲ μέχρις ὄψεως ἀπόλαυσιν ἀκολάστωι δικαστῆι πα ρασχοῦσα. τὸ τῆς κόρης τοίνυν καὶ αὐτοὶ μεταδιώξωμεν σῶφρον, τὰ κατὰ τῶν ἡδονῶν ἀνελώμεθα τρόπαια, ἀκολασίαν ἐπιοῦσαν ῥηγνύωμεν, πρὸ τῆς ψυχῆς τὴν εὐσέβειαν σφίγγωμεν, δικαστὴν ἐκ πειρασμῶν μεταλλεύω \μεν, εὐκαίρους ἐπιδειξώμεθα τόλμας, νεκρώσωμεν τὰ μέλη ἡμῶν τὰ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, ἵνα καὶ ὁ Κύριος μεταχωνεύσηι τὸ σῶμα τῆς ταπεινώσεως ἡμῶν εἰς τὸ γενέσθαι αὐτὸ σύμμορφον τοῦ σώματος αὐτοῦ, ὧι ἡ δόξα καὶ τὸ κράτος εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας. ἀμήν.