Athanasius of Alexandria, On Virginity

If you sit with virgins at a table, eat everything that is set before you with them; for if you do not eat, you will be found as one condemning them. You will not announce your ascetic practice. And if they drink wine, and you do not drink, drink a little for their sake. But if they are great old women and compel you to drink too much, do not listen to them, but say to them: You have worn out your youth in much ascetic practice; but I have not yet reached even the first step. Concerning hospitality and almsgiving you have no need to be admonished. For you will do it of yourself.

23 In church be silent, and say nothing, but pay attention only to the reading. If a thought should rise in your heart, that you should do something, do not do it rashly, lest the enemy mock you. Do all things with the counsel of your elders. When you chant or when you pray, do not allow strange thoughts to enter into your heart. I beseech you, beloved, pay attention and listen to these commandments which are written in this book; and do not understand what is written only with your visible eyes, but also with those within. And pay attention to each single commandment, and do it. For if you keep these things, you will be deemed worthy of the royal bridechamber; do not say in your heart, that, how can I do these things? Let not cowardice take hold of your thought; but with all eagerness keep them; for to those who fear God the commandments of God are not burdensome. At every hour let oil not be lacking for your lamp, lest the bridegroom come and find it extinguished. For you do not know when he comes, whether at first sleep or in the morning. Be ready, therefore; so that, when he comes, you may meet him with the wise, having the oil in your lamp, that is, your good works. Every hour be mindful of your departure; have death before your eyes daily; remember before whom you must stand.

24 Ascetic practice is heavy and continence is hard to bear; but nothing is sweeter than the heavenly bridegroom. Here we labor a little, but there we will receive eternal life; for Saint Paul says: "The sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us." It is good to flee from the crowd and to withdraw alone. Great virtue is continence, a great boast is purity, great are the praises of virginity. O virginity, incomprehensible wealth! O virginity, unfading crown! O virginity, temple of God and dwelling-place of the Holy Spirit! O virginity, precious pearl hidden from many, but found by only a few! O continence, friend of God and praised among the saints! O continence, hated by many, but known to those worthy of you! O continence, fleeing death and Hades, and possessed by immortality! O continence, joy of prophets, and boast of apostles! O continence, life of angels, and crown of holy men! Blessed is he who possesses you, blessed is he who perseveres in your patience; because having toiled a little, he will rejoice much in you. Blessed is he who has fasted all this time, because dwelling in the Jerusalem above he will dance with angels and will rest with holy prophets and apostles.

25 These things I have written to you, beloved sister, dancer for Christ, for the support and benefit of your soul. Do not turn aside, therefore, from these words to the right or to the left. For whoever hears these words and despises them, great is the judgment for him. But you, most honored sister who possess this book, may God grant you to keep these things, to conduct yourself in them with an enlightened mind, a pure intellect, enlightened eyes of the mind, that you may receive the unfading crown, which God has prepared for those who love him through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever, amen.

ἐὰν καθίσῃς μετὰ παρθένων ἐπὶ τραπέζης, πᾶν τὸ παρατιθέμενον ἔσθιε μετ' αὐτῶν· ἐὰν γὰρ μὴ φάγῃς, εὑρίσκῃ ὡς κατακρίνουσα αὐτάς. οὐκ ἀναγγελεῖς τὴν ἄσκησίν σου. ἐὰν δὲ καὶ οἶνον πίνωσι, καὶ οὐ πίνῃς, δι' αὐτὰς πίε ὀλίγον. ἐὰν δέ εἰσι μεγάλαι πρεσβύτιδες καὶ ἀναγκάζωσί σε πιεῖν περισσόν, μὴ ἀκούσῃς αὐτῶν, ἀλλὰ λέγε αὐταῖς· ὑμεῖς κατετρίψατε τὴν νεότητα ὑμῶν ἐν ἀσκήσει πολλῇ· ἐγὼ δὲ οὔπω ἔφθασα οὐδὲ εἰς πρῶτον βαθμόν. περὶ τῆς φιλοξενίας καὶ τῆς ἐλεημοσύνης οὐ χρείαν ἔχεις νουθετεῖσθαι. ἀπὸ σεαυτῆς γὰρ ποιήσεις.

23 Ἐν ἐκκλησίᾳ σιώπα, καὶ μηδὲν λάλει, ἀλλὰ τῇ ἀναγνώσει μόνον πρόσεχε. ἐὰν ἐπαναβῇ εἰς τὴν καρδίαν σου λογισμός, ἵνα ποιήσῃς πρᾶγμά τι, μὴ προπετῶς αὐτὸ ποίει, ἵνα μὴ ἐμπαίξῃ σοι ὁ ἐχθρός. μετὰ βουλῆς τῶν μειζοτέρων σου πάντα ποίει. ὅταν ψάλλῃς ἢ ὅταν προσεύχῃ, μὴ ἄφιε ξένους λογισμοὺς εἰσιέναι εἰς τὴν καρδίαν σου. παρακαλῶ σε, ἀγαπητὴ, πρόσεχε καὶ ἄκουε τῶν ἐντολῶν τούτων τῶν γεγραμμένων ἐν τῷ βιβλίῳ τούτῳ· καὶ μὴ μόνον τοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς τοῖς φαινομένοις κατανόει τὰ γεγραμμένα, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῖς ἔνδοθεν. καὶ πρόσεχε μιᾷ ἑκάστῃ ἐντολῇ, καὶ ποίει αὐτήν. ἐὰν γὰρ φυλάξῃς ταῦτα, καταξιωθήσῃ τοῦ νυμφῶνος τοῦ βασιλικοῦ· μὴ εἴπῃς ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ σου, ὅτι, πῶς δύναμαι ποιῆσαι ταῦτα; μὴ δειλίαν λάβῃ ὁ λογισμός σου· ἀλλὰ μετὰ πάσης προθυμίας φυλάξῃς αὐτάς· τοῖς φοβουμένοις γὰρ τὸν Θεὸν αἱ ἐντολαὶ τοῦ Θεοῦ οὐκ εἰσὶ βαρεῖαι. πάσῃ ὥρᾳ μὴ λειψάτω ἔλαιον τῇ λαμπάδι σου, μή ποτε ἔλθῃ ὁ νυμφίος καὶ εὕρῃ αὐτὴν σβεσθεῖσαν. οὐκ οἶδας γὰρ πότε ἔρχεται ἢ πρωτοΰπνιον ἢ πρωΐ. γενοῦ οὖν ἕτοιμος· ἵνα, ὅταν ἔλθῃ, μετὰ τῶν φρονίμων ἀπαντήσῃς αὐτῷ ἔχουσα τὸ ἔλαιον ἐν τῇ λαμπάδι σου, του τέστι τὰ ἔργα σου τὰ καλά. πᾶσαν ὥραν μνημόνευε τῆς ἐξόδου σου· ἔχε καθ' ἡμέραν πρὸ ὀφθαλμῶν τὸν θάνατον· μνημόνευε τίνι σε δεῖ παραστῆναι.

24 Βαρύ ἐστιν ἄσκησις καὶ δυσβάστακτον ἐγκράτεια· ἀλλ' οὐδέν ἐστι γλυκύτερον τοῦ ἐπουρανίου νυμφίου. ὧδε κάμνομεν ὀλίγον, ἐκεῖ δὲ τὴν αἰωνίαν ζωὴν ἀποληψόμεθα· λέγει γὰρ ὁ ἅγιος Παῦλος· «οὐκ ἄξια τὰ παθήματα τοῦ νῦν καιροῦ πρὸς τὴν μέλλουσαν δόξαν ἀποκαλυφθῆναι εἰς ἡμᾶς.» καλὸν ἀποφυγεῖν ἀπὸ ὄχλου καὶ ἀναχωρεῖν καταμόνας. μεγάλη ἀρετὴ ἐγκράτεια, μέγα καύχημά ἐστιν ἁγνεία, μεγάλα ἐγκώμια τῆς παρθενίας. ὦ παρθενία, πλοῦτος ἀκατάληπτος! ὦ παρθενία, στέφανος ἀμαράντινος! ὦ παρθενία, ναὸς Θεοῦ καὶ ἁγίου πνεύματος οἰκητήριον! ὦ παρθενία, μαργαρῖτα τίμιε παρὰ πολλοῖς ἀφανὴς, ὀλίγοις δὲ μόνοις εὑρισκόμενος! ὦ ἐγκράτεια φίλη Θεοῦ καὶ παρὰ ἁγίοις ἐγκωμιαζομένη! ὦ ἐγκράτεια παρὰ πολλοῖς μισουμένη, τοῖς δὲ ἀξίοις σου γνωριζομένη! ὦ ἐγκράτεια θάνατον καὶ ᾅδην ἀποφεύγουσα, καὶ ὑπὸ ἀθανασίας κατεχομένη! ὦ ἐγκράτεια, χαρὰ προφητῶν, καὶ ἀποστόλων καύχημα! ὦ ἐγκράτεια, ἀγγέλων βίος, καὶ ἁγίων ἀνθρώπων στέφανος! μακάριος ὁ κατέχων σε, μακάριος ὁ προσκαρτερῶν σου τῇ ὑπομονῇ· ὅτι ὀλίγον κοπιάσας πολὺ χαρήσεται ἐν σοί. μακάριος ὁ νηστεύσας ὅλον τὸν χρόνον τοῦτον, ὅτι ἐν τῇ ἄνω Ἱηρουσαλὴμ κατοικήσας μετὰ ἀγγέλων χορεύσει καὶ μετὰ ἁγίων προφητῶν καὶ ἀποστόλων ἀναπαύσεται.

25 Ταῦτα ἔγραψά σοι, ἀγαπητὴ ἀδελφὴ, χορεύτρια Χριστοῦ, πρὸς στηριγμὸν καὶ ὠφέλειαν τῆς ψυχῆς σου. Μὴ ἐκκλίνῃς οὖν ἀπὸ τῶν λεγομένων τούτων δεξιὰ ἢ ἀριστερά. ὃς γὰρ ἐὰν ἀκούσῃ τοὺς λόγους τούτους καὶ καταφρονήσῃ, κρῖμα μέγα αὐτῷ ἐστι. σὺ δὲ τιμιωτάτη ἀδελφὴ ἡ κτωμένη τὸ βιβλίον τοῦτο, δῴη σοι ὁ Θεὸς ταῦτα φυλάττειν, ἐν τούτοις ἀναστρέφεσθαι πεφωτισμένην τὴν διάνοιαν, καθαρὸν τὸν νοῦν, πεφωτισμένους τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς τῆς διανοίας, ἵνα λάβῃς τὸν ἀμαράντινον στέφανον, ὃν ἡτοίμασεν ὁ Θεὸς τοῖς ἀγαπῶσιν αὐτὸν διὰ τοῦ κυρίου καὶ σωτῆρος ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, ᾧ ἡ δόξα εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων, ἀμήν.