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of light, Most holy, like-minded with the pure heavenly ones, So that indeed, becoming attendants of the great God, Joyfully we may sing a festal hymn to the King; But ceasing from marriage, from the splendor of paradise, And the much-toiling earth, which follows those who are perishing, Back from a life without bonds let us go towards glory, And the noble plant of the grove, from which we fell through folly. Such is godlike celibacy. But the judges, Desiring wedlock, nevertheless will crown the head 578 Of Virginity. And Christ, giving a prize to both, Will place one near his right hand, The other at his left, and this is also the greatest glory. II. Precepts for virgins. The victory is indeed yours, and may he who is a great friend of the flesh thus judge the case. But for a little while to my words, glorious Virgin, and splendid-minded, prudent one, Lend your ears, and take to your heart My word. For the counsel of grey hair is best. May your mind not wound you, soaring above the clouds with flights of fancy. For often a fall has lifted one high from the earth, And height has cast one down to the earth. These laws are established by God, 579 To be gracious to the mournful, but to curtail the arrogant. And do not, measuring your own path by small measures, If you should outrun someone straying, or the worst of men, Think this to be the goal of virtue; for it is not best To excel the few. But your measure is the commandment, And God, from whom you are far, even if you are swifter than others. Consider not how many you are above, but how many you are beneath, You who pray to be the most excellent of all. Heaven is broad above, but you are lifted up among lowly things. I have heard how in the waters are reflected The moon, and the sun, and the stars. But they indeed 580 Looking at mute images of the truth, Are delighted as if by luminaries, with the feeblest impressions. For never having emerged from the surface of the grey sea, Have they gazed upon the lamps themselves accurately; Or perhaps they would have considered the light and the playthings of light. So it is with some; for they have not seen the true height of the Lord; Leaping up a little, they think they possess all height. But you have grasped this, and you hope for that, climb upon this With more steps, ever looking forward. And standing still is worst; but press on as one about to seize, Until Christ shall lead you even to the final step. 581 And let not Blame strike you from behind, and the worst of tongues Sending the viper's venom upon your good deeds, For there are two roads for mortals, and a twofold reproach; The one is evil, and leads to a corresponding end, The other is good, and its end is dear, as is fitting. But Blame attends both; for what would be better than the tongue, If it assailed only the worst of men? But now it is alike for all, both good and evil, A madness. But you must be for me a prudent observer Of both, and reverence the one, which follows sinners, So that you may flee evil, which the tongue assails. But of the other, have for me as much fear, which the evil Enemy Arms bitterly against the good, as the shore-cliff has Of the wind and the breaking wave. 582 Neither ever do anything shameful, which has pleased the majority, Nor cease from the good, which the worst of men may hate. But do deeds worthy of good repute. But if it be absent, Let not a false report trouble you, but go willingly On your way. Let them bark in vain, they will in no way harm a more divine love. And may envy melt its eyes. And do not you, having fled from Sodom, and having escaped the ashes Of this life, and the mournful threat of divine fire, Look back to Sodom, since you will quickly be fixed as a stone, A pillar both of wickedness and of grievous death. Nor steal your feet away from Sodom, only to linger in the neighboring Plains nearer the fire, but with all speed Be saved to the mountain, lest the rain of fire overtake you. 583 Neither tremble too much at the nature of the flesh, as if it were untamable. For fear is not from God, which makes a man a prisoner. Nor yield too much to the soft flesh, Lest satiety cast you down from cliffs when you are not expecting it. Go willingly on the rough path. But if you should embark upon it, Beware lest there be any slip, so that you may approach the end without falling, And may pass through the narrow gate, Where there is light and glory, and respite from all evils. If you tremble, that a tiny spark ignites the straw, Take courage; a rain from above will cool the great flame, And prayers,

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ἐλαφρῆς, Ἁγνότατοι καθαροῖσιν ὁμόφρονες οὐρανίοισιν, Ὥς κεν δὴ μεγάλοιο Θεοῦ τελέθοντες ὀπηδοὶ, Γηθόσυνοι μέλπωμεν ἑόρτιον ὕμνον ἄνακτι· Εἰς δὲ γάμον λήξαντες, ἀπ' ἀγλαΐης παραδείσου, Καὶ γαῖαν πολύμοχθον, ἅ θ' ἕσπεται ὀλλυμένοισιν, Ἔμπαλιν ἐξ ἀδέτοιο βίου πρὸς κῦδος ἴωμεν, Καὶ φυτὸν ἄλσεος ἐσθλὸν, ὅθεν πέσον ἀφραδίῃσι. Τοῖα καὶ ἀζυγίη θεοείκελος. Οἱ δὲ δικασταὶ Συζυγίην ποθέοντες, ὅμως στέψουσι κάρηνον 578 Παρθενίης. Χριστὸς δὲ διδοὺς γέρας ἀμφοτέροισι, Τὴν μὲν δεξιτερῇ παραστήσεται ἐγγύθι χειρὶ, Τὴν δ' ἑτέρην λαιῇ, κῦδος δέ τε καὶ τὸ μέγιστον. Βʹ. Ὑποθῆκαι παρθένοις. Νίκη μὲν δὴ σεῖο, καὶ ὃς μάλα σαρκὸς ἑταῖρος, Ὧδε δίκην δικάσειε. Μικρὸν δ' ἐπέεσσιν ἐμοῖσι, Παρθένε κυδήεσσα, καὶ ἀγλαόμητι, περίφρων, Οὔατα παρθεμένη, καὶ ἐνὶ φρεσὶ σῇσι βαλέσθαι Μῦθον ἐμόν. Πολιῆς δὲ παραίφασίς ἐστιν ἀρίστη. Μή σε νόος τρώσειεν ὑπερνεφέουσαν ἐρωαῖς. Πολλάκι γὰρ πτῶσις μὲν ἀπὸ χθονὸς ὑψόσ' ἄειρεν, Ἐς χθόνα δ' ὕψος ἔθηκε. Θεῷ τάδε τέθμια κεῖται, 579 Εὐμενέειν γοεροῖσιν, ὑπερφιάλους δὲ κολούειν. Μηδὲ μικροῖς μέτροισι τεὴν σταθμώμενος οἶμον, Εἴ τινα παρθρέξειας ἀπόδρομον, ἠὲ κάκιστον, Τέρμα πέλειν ἀρετῆς τόδ' ὀΐεο· οὐ γὰρ ἄριστον Τῶν ὀλίγων προφέρειν. Μέτρον δέ σοί ἐστιν ἐφετμὴ, Καὶ Θεὸς, οὗ σύ γ' ἄπωθε, καὶ εἰ τροχαλώτερος ἄλλων. Σκέπτεο μὴ καθύπερθεν ὅσων, ὁπόσων δ' ὑπένερθεν Ἑστηὼς, πάντων προφερέστατος εὔχεαι εἶναι. Οὐρανὸς εὐρὺς ὕπερθε, σὺ δ' ἐν χθαμαλοῖσιν ἀείρῃ. Ἔκλυον, ὡς νεπόδεσσι καθ' ὕδατος αὐγάζονται Μήνη τ', ἠέλιός τε καὶ ἀστέρες. Οὐ μὲν ἄρ' οἵ γε 580 Κωφὰ δ' ἀληθείης ἰνδάλματα εἰσορόωντες, Τέρπονθ' ὡς φωστῆρσιν ἀφαυροτάτοισι τύποισιν. Οὔ ποτε γὰρ νώτων πολιῆς ἁλὸς ἐξαναδύντες, Ἀτρεκέως λαμπτῆρας ἐθηήσαντο πάροιθεν· Ἢ τάχ' ἂν ἐσκέψαντο φάος καὶ παίγνια φωτός. Ὥς τινες· οὐ γὰρ ἄνακτος ἐτήτυμον ἔδρακον ὕψος· Μικρὸν ἀναθρώσκοντες, ἔχειν δοκέουσι πᾶν ὕψος. Ἀλλὰ σὺ τοῦ μὲν ἔμαρψας, ὃ δ' ἔλπεο, τοῦδ' ἐπίβαινε Βαθμοῖς ἐν πλεόνεσσιν, ἀεὶ τὸ πρόσθε δεδορκώς. Καὶ στάσις ἐστὶ κάκιστον· ἐπείγεο δ' ὡς καταμάρψων, Μέχρι σε καὶ πυμάτην ἐπὶ βαθμίδα Χριστὸς ἀνάξει. 581 Μὴ δέ σε Μῶμος ὄπισθε βάλοι, καὶ γλῶσσα κακίστη Ἰὸν ἐχιδναῖον πέμπουσ' ἐπὶ σοῖσι καλοῖσι, ∆οιαὶ γὰρ μερόπεσσιν ὁδοὶ, καὶ δισσὸν ὄνειδος· Ἡ μὲν γάρ τε κακὴ, καὶ ἐς τέλος ἶσον ἄγουσα, Ἡ δ' ἀγαθὴ, καὶ τῆσδε φίλον τέλος, ὡς ἐπέοικε. Μῶμος δ' ἀμφοτέρῃσιν· ἐπεὶ γλώσσης τί κεν ἦεν Φέρτερον, εἰ μούνοισιν ἐπέχραε τοῖσι κακίστοις; Νῦν δ' ἡ μὲν πάντεσσιν ὁμῶς ἀγαθοῖς τε κακοῖς τε Λύσσα πέλει. Σὺ δέ μοι φράδμων καὶ ἐπίσκοπος εἶναι Ἀμφοτέρων, καὶ τὴν μὲν ὀπίζεο, ἥ τις ἀλιτροῖς Ἕσπεται, ὡς κακότητα φύγῃς, τὴν γλῶσσα χαλέπτει. Τῆς δ' ἑτέρης μοι τόσσον ἔχειν δέος, ἣν ἀγαθοῖσιν Ἐχθρὸς ἐφοπλίζει πικρὴν κακὸς, ὅσσον ἀήτου Ἀγγίαλος πέτρη καὶ κύματος ἀγνυμένοιο. 582 Μήτ' αἰσχρόν ποτε μηδὲν, ὃ πλείοσιν εὔαδε, ῥέξῃς, Μή τ' ἀγαθοῦ λήξειας, ὅ κεν στυγέωσι κάκιστοι. Ἔρδειν δ' εὐκλείης μὲν ἐπάξια. Ἢν δ' ἀπέῃσι, Μή σέ γ' ἀνιάτω ψεύστης λόγος, ἀλλ' ἴθι πρόφρων Τὴν ὁδόν. Οἱ δ' ὑλάοιεν ἐτώσια, οὐδὲν ἔρωτος Θειοτέρου βλάψουσιν. Ὁ δὲ φθόνος ὄμματα τήκοι. Μηδὲ σύ γ' ἐκ Σοδόμων προφυγὼν, καὶ τέφραν ἀλύξας Τοῦδε βίου, θείου τε πυρὸς στονόεσσαν ἀπειλὴν, Εἰς Σόδομα βλέψειας, ἐπεὶ λίθος αἶψα παγήσῃ, Στήλη καὶ κακίης, καὶ ἀργαλέου θανάτοιο. Μηδ' ἐκ μὲν Σοδόμων κλέψῃς πόδας, ἐν πεδίοις δὲ Γείτοσι δηθύνειν ἆσσον πυρὸς, ἀλλὰ τάχιστα Σώζεσθαι πρὸς ὄρος, μή σε πυρὸς ὄμβρος ἐπίσσῃ. 583 Μήτε λίην τρομέειν σαρκὸς φύσιν, ὡς ἀδάμαστον. Οὐ θεόθεν γὰρ τάρβος, ὃ δέσμιον ἄνδρα τίθησι. Μήτε λίην σάρκεσσιν ἐφιέμεναι μαλακῇσι, Μή σε κατὰ κρημνῶν ῥίψῃ κόρος οὐ δοκέοντα. Πρόφρων μὲν τρηχεῖαν ἴθι τρίβον. Εἰ δ' ἐπιβαίης, Σκέπτεο μή τις ὄλισθος, ὅπως ἐπὶ τέρμα πελάσσῃς Ἅπτωτος, στεινὸν δὲ διεξελάσῃς πυλεῶνα, Ἔνθα φάος τε κλέος τε, κακῶν τ' ἄμπνευσις ἁπάντων. Εἰτρομέεις, καλάμην σπινθὴρ ὅτι τυτθὸς ἀνάπτει, Θάρσει· ὄμβρος ἄνωθεν καταψύξει φλόγα πολλὴν, Εὐχαί τε,