reddening her cheeks with dyes and forcing herself by artifice to appear beautiful, she lured the young to licentiousness, unexpectedly turning them aside into the abyss of prostitution. And I say these things not to ridicule her for what she did before, but praising her for what she has suddenly become from what she was; for I say what she was, in order to show what she has now become; I speak of the offenses of her sin, in order to show the achievements of her repentance. But she who formerly used her body not blamelessly, ensnaring some through her curls, poisoning others through tears, bewitching others through ointment, and calling all from all sides to the mire of licentiousness, transforms her shameful and sensuous love into a divine and heavenly love-charm. For when she saw Jesus at one time speaking freely with the Samaritan woman, at another receiving the Canaanite woman, at another time proclaiming the theft of the woman with the issue of blood, and here eating with tax collectors, and there visiting the houses of the Pharisees, she reasoned: If He receives prostitutes and sinners and tax collectors, until when, driven uncontrollably by passion, will I draw up the sea of sin? I do not remain young, I do not remain beautiful; for all things pass away, all things fade, both flowers and lilies and the beauties of faces. What then shall I suffer for what I have done? For already I consider the fire of Gehenna, already remorse takes hold of my soul, because for the ruin of the young, forcing myself to appear beautiful, I ran in the streets of the city, in the markets, in the crossways, having my feet as a net and my tongue as a dragnet. Oh how many youths I charmed, carrying about a gaze full of shamelessness! For to the harm of the onlookers, adorning myself, here I would build up my head with many-plaited braids, there I would let wandering tresses stray from the crown of my head down over my forehead; at other times I would rouge my cheeks and paint my eyes, and at other times I would let fall streams of tears, by flattery subduing the soul. What then shall I become because of these things? What physician shall I find for these infinite passions? If I tell my story to men, the manner of confession becomes useless to me. But shall I cover my evils? But I cannot hide; for from whom can I hide, being unable to hide from God? Where then shall I flee, finding the judge everywhere, the one not seen, but everywhere refuting my evils? One hope of salvation is left for me, one provision for life is set before me, to recognize Jesus and to run to him. For he who accepts tax collectors does not refuse a prostitute, he who eats with Pharisees does not reject the tears of the sinner. Since, then, I learned that he is staying with Simon the Pharisee, a man who is a leper and a sinner, I will run to him. But what shall I ask when I approach? Health for my eyes? But the grace is temporary. Deliverance from sickness? But the achievement is small, for eternal death is heavier than the present one. Having disregarded all things of the body I will seek the healing of the soul. For I find one solution for the evils that hang over me, if I see the judge, if I anticipate the time of punishment. I will imitate Rahab the prostitute, I will pursue the virtuous way of a woman; for God wants nothing from us but a change of mind. Having piously considered these things and having anointed her mind for faith, she enters where Jesus was reclining, having taken her former shamelessness as a ground for boldness. And she says nothing to him; for she did not dare, for she knew that the overseer of thoughts has no need of words. For what could she say to the one who knows all things? That she had sinned? That she had become a worker of many evils? That, loving and being loved, she had served common pleasure? These things were clear to God, not only when they were being done, but also being laid bare in the unseen council chamber of the soul. Knowing, therefore, that he knows all things and that nothing can be hidden from him, she bars her tongue, but speaks with her tears. For standing, it says, beside his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with

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βαφαῖς τὰς παρειὰς φοινίσ σουσα καὶ τέχνῃ βιαζομένη φανῆναι καλή, τοὺς νέους πρὸς ἀκολασίαν ὑπέσυρεν, ἀπροόπτως αὐτοὺς εἰς τὸ τῆς πορνείας ἀποκλίνουσα βάραθρον. Ταῦτα δὲ λέγω οὐ κωμῳδῶν αὐτὴν ἐφ' οἷς ἔδρασε πρίν, ἀλλ' ἐπαινῶν αὐτὴν ἀφ' οἵων οἵα γέγονεν ἄφνω· λέγω γὰρ τί ἦν, ἵνα δείξω τί γέγονεν νῦν· λέγω αὐτῆς τῆς ἁμαρτίας τὰ πταίσματα, ἵνα δείξω τῆς μετανοίας τὰ κατορθώματα. Ἀλλ' αὕτη ἡ τῷ σώματι οὐκ ἀμέμπτως χρησαμένη τὸ πρίν, τοὺς μὲν διὰ βοστρύχων σαγηνεύουσα, τοὺς δὲ διὰ δακρύων φαρμάττουσα, τοὺς δὲ δι' ἀλείμματος γοητεύουσα, πάντας δὲ πανταχόθεν ἐπὶ τὸν βόρ βορον τῆς ἀκολασίας προσκαλουμένη, τὸν αἰσχρὸν αὐτῆς καὶ ἡδυπαθῆ ἔρωτα εἰς θεῖον καὶ ἐπουράνιον μεταβάλλει φίλτρον. Ὡς εἶδε γὰρ τὸν Ἰησοῦν ποτὲ μὲν ἀδέως τῇ Σαμαρείτιδι διαλεγόμε νον, ποτὲ δὲ τὴν Χαναναίαν προσιέμενον, ἄλλοτε τῆς αἱμορ ροούσης ἀνακηρύττοντα τὴν κλοπήν, καὶ πῆ μὲν τελώναις συν εσθίοντα, πῆ δὲ τῶν φαρισαίων τοὺς οἴκους καταλαμβάνοντα, ἐλογίσατο· Εἰ πόρνας καὶ ἁμαρτωλοὺς καὶ τελώνας προσίεται, μέχρι πότε ἀκαθέκτως οἰστρῶσα τὸ τῆς ἁμαρτίας πέλαγος ἀντλῶ; Οὐ μένω νέα, οὐ μένω καλή· πάντα γὰρ παρέρχεται, πάντα μαραίνεται, καὶ ἄνθη καὶ κρίνα καὶ τῶν προσώπων τὰ κάλλη. Τί οὖν πάθω ἐφ' οἷς ἔδρασα; Ἤδη γὰρ τὸ τῆς γεέννης πῦρ ἐννοῶ, ἤδη μου τὴν ψυχὴν μετάγνωσις λαμβάνει, ὅτι ἐπ' ὀλέθρῳ τῶν νέων βιαζομένη φανῆναι καλὴ ἐν ταῖς ἀγυίαις τῆς πόλεως, ἐν ταῖς ἀγοραῖς, ἐν ἀμφόδοις ἔτρεχον, δίκτυον μὲν τοὺς πόδας ἔχουσα καὶ σαγήνην τὴν γλῶσσαν. Ὢ πόσους νεανίσκους κατέθελγον μεστὸν ἀναιδείας βλέμμα περιφέρουσα! Ἐπὶ λύμῃ γὰρ τῶν θεατῶν ὡραϊζομένη πῆ μὲν πολυπλόκοις σειραῖς τὴν κεφαλὴν ἐπύργουν, πῆ δὲ νομάδας πλοκάμων ἐκ κορυφῆς εἴων κατὰ μετώπου πλανᾶσθαι· ἄλλοτε δὲ τὰς παρειὰς ἐφοίνισσον καὶ τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς κατέγραφον, καὶ ἄλλοτε δακρύων λιβάδας ἠφίουν τῇ κολακείᾳ ἐκτραχηλίζουσα τὴν ψυχήν. Τίς οὖν ἐπὶ τούτοις γένωμαι; Τίνα ἰατρὸν εὕρω τῶν ἀπείρων τούτων παθῶν; Ἐὰν ἀνθρώποις τὰ κατ' ἐμαυτὴν εἴπω, ἀνωφελής μοι γίνεται τῆς ἐξαγορεύσεως ὁ τρόπος. Ἀλλὰ καλύψω τὰ κακά; Ἀλλ' οὐ δύναμαι λαθεῖν· τίνα γὰρ λάθω θεὸν λαθεῖν μὴ δυναμένη; Ποῦ οὖν φύγω πανταχοῦ τὸν δικαστὴν εὑρίσκουσα τὸν μὴ φαινόμενον μέν, πανταχοῦ δὲ διελέγχοντά μου τὰ κακά; Μία μοι σωτηρίας ὑπολέλειπται ἐλπίς, ἕν μοι ἐφόδιον πρόκειται ζωῆς, τὸ τὸν Ἰησοῦν ἐπιγνῶναι καὶ αὐτῷ προσδραμεῖν. Ὁ γὰρ τελώνας προσδεχόμενος οὐκ ἀπαναίνεται πόρνην, ὁ φαρισαίοις συνεσ θίων οὐ παραιτεῖται τῆς ἁμαρτωλοῦ τὰ δάκρυα. Ἐπεὶ οὖν ἔγνων ὡς παρὰ Σιμῶνι φαρισαίῳ κατάγεται, ἀνδρὶ λεπρῷ καὶ ἁμαρτω λῷ, δραμοῦμαι πρὸς αὐτόν. Ἀλλὰ τί αἰτήσω προσελθοῦσα; Ὀφθαλμῶν ὑγίειαν; Ἀλλὰ πρόσκαιρος ἡ χάρις. Νόσου ἀπαλλαγήν; Ἀλλὰ μικρὸν τὸ κατόρθωμα, ὁ γὰρ αἰώνιος θάνατος τοῦ παρόντος ἐστὶ βαρύτερος. Πάντα παρεῖσα τὰ τοῦ σώματος τὸ τῆς ψυχῆς ἐπιζητήσω ἴαμα. Μίαν γὰρ εὑρίσκω λύσιν τῶν ἐπηρτη μένων κακῶν, ἐὰν τὸν δικαστὴν ἴδω, ἐὰν προλάβω τῆς κολάσεως τὸν καιρόν. Μιμήσομαι Ῥαὰβ τὴν πόρνην, γυναικὸς τὸν ἐνάρετον μεταδιώξω τρόπον· οὐδὲν γὰρ παρ' ἡμῶν βούλεται θεὸς ἢ γνώμης ἐναλλαγήν. Ταῦτα εὐσεβῶς ἐπισκεψαμένη καὶ τὴν διάνοιαν πρὸς πίστιν ἐπαλείψασα ἐπεισέρχεται τῷ Ἰησοῦ ὅπου ἀνέκειτο τὴν προτέραν ἀναίδειαν εἰς ὑπόθεσιν παρρησίας λαβοῦσα. Καὶ λέγει μὲν αὐτῷ οὐδέν· οὐ γὰρ ἐτόλμα, ᾔδει γὰρ ὡς ὁ τῶν λογισμῶν ἔφορος οὐ δεῖται λόγων. Τί γὰρ εἰπεῖν εἶχε τῷ τὰ πάντα εἰδότι; Ὅτι ἥμαρτεν; Ὅτι πολλῶν κακῶν ἐργάτις γέγονεν; Ὅτι ἐρῶσα καὶ ἐρωμένη τὴν πάνδημον ἡδονὴν ἐθεράπευσεν; Ταῦτα θεῷ δῆλα ἦν, οὐ πραττόμενα μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐν τῷ ἀφανεῖ τῆς ψυχῆς βουλευτηρίῳ γυμνούμενα. Εἰδυῖα οὖν ὡς πάντα οἶδε καὶ λαθεῖν αὐτὸν δύναται οὐδέν, θυροῖ μὲν τὴν γλῶσσαν, λαλεῖ δὲ τοῖς δάκρυσι. Στᾶσα γάρ, φησί, παρὰ τοὺς πόδας αὐτοῦ κλαίουσα, ἤρξατο βρέχειν τοὺς πόδας αὐτοῦ τοῖς

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