John Chrysostom, On Timothy

he says; for this is called moderation, the saving of the mind. For there are, there are even among the aged raging men, frenzied, some from wine, others from grief; for old age makes men faint-hearted. Sound in the faith, in love, in patience. And he has well said, In patience; for this especially befits old men. The aged women likewise in behavior as becomes holiness, that is, by their very 62.683 demeanor and dress showing modesty. Not slanderers, not given to much wine. For this especially is the failing of women and of old age; for as their vital heat has grown cold the desire for this also becomes great. Wherefore he gives them this exhortation especially concerning this, cutting off drunkenness from every side, and wishing them to be free from this disease, and to escape the ridicule that comes from it. For more easily both the vapors from below are carried up, and the membranes of the brain receive injury because they have grown old with time; and from this drunkenness especially occurs. Therefore there is need of wine especially for this age, for it is weak; but there is no need of much, just as not for the young women, not for the same reason, but because the flame of desire is fiercely kindled. Teachers of good things. And yet you forbid women to teach; how then do you permit it here, when elsewhere you say, But I do not permit a woman to teach? But hear what he added, Nor to have authority over a man. For it has been permitted to men to teach from the beginning both men and women; but to women he permits hortatory discourse at home, but nowhere does he allow them to preside, nor does he permit them to deliver a long discourse. For this reason he added, Nor to have authority over a man. That they may teach the young women to be sober, he says. 2. Do you see how he weaves together and gathers the people? how he subjects the younger women to the older? For he is not speaking here about daughters, but simply about age. Let each older woman, he says, teach the younger to be sober. To be lovers of their husbands. This is the chief of the goods in the household; for a wife, he says, who gets along with her husband. For when this is the case, none of the unpleasant things will happen. For how, when the head is in accord with the body, and there is no discord there, will not all the rest be at peace? for when the rulers are at peace, who is he that divides and cuts through the peace? just as, on the other hand, when these are ill-disposed, nothing will be sound in the household. Therefore nothing is greater than this; and this is more profitable than wealth and noble birth and power and all other things. He did not say simply, to be at peace, but, to love their husbands. For when there is love, none of the difficult things will gain entrance; for from this the other goods are also born. Lovers of their children, he says. Well said; for she who loves the root, much more also the fruits. Sober, chaste, keepers at home, good. All things are born from that; for both good and keepers at home come from love and affection for the husband. obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed; since she who despises her husband also neglects her household. And from loving great sobriety is born, from loving all contentiousness is destroyed; even if he is a Greek, he will quickly be persuaded; and if a Christian, he will be better. Do you see Paul's condescension? He who does all things that we may withdraw from worldly things, now takes much care about the things of the household. For when these things are well-ordered, spiritual things also will have a place; but otherwise, those things too are harmed. For the wife who is a keeper at home 62.684 will also be sober, the keeper at home will also be economical; she will not be occupied with luxury, nor with untimely outings, nor with any other such things. That the word of God, he says, be not blasphemed. Do you see that he cares primarily for the preaching, not for worldly matters? For also writing to Timothy he says: That a quiet and peaceable

φησί· σωφροσύνη γὰρ τοῦτο λέγεται ἡ τῶν φρενῶν σωτηρία. Εἰσὶ γὰρ, εἰσὶ καὶ ἐν τοῖς γεγηρακόσι λυττῶντες ἄνθρωποι, παράφρονες, οἱ μὲν ἀπὸ οἴνου, οἱ δὲ ἀπὸ λύπης· μικροψύχους γὰρ τὸ γῆρας ποιεῖ. Ὑγιαίνοντας ἐν τῇ πίστει, τῇ ἀγάπῃ, τῇ ὑπομονῇ. Καὶ καλῶς εἴρηκε, Τῇ ὑπομονῇ· καὶ τοῦτο γὰρ μάλιστα τοῖς γέρουσιν ἁρμόζει· Πρεσβύτιδας ὡσαύτως ἐν καταστήματι ἱεροπρεπεῖς, τουτέστιν, ἀπ' αὐ 62.683 τοῦ τοῦ σχήματος καὶ τῆς καταστολῆς δεικνυμένας τὴν κοσμιότητα. Μὴ διαβόλους, μὴ οἴνῳ πολλῷ δεδουλωμένας. Μάλιστα γὰρ τοῦτο γυναικῶν τὸ ἐλάττωμα καὶ τοῦ γήρως· τῷ γὰρ κατεψῦχθαι τὰς ἡλικίας πολλὴ καὶ τούτου γίνεται ἡ ἐπιθυμία. Ὅθεν καὶ περὶ τούτου μάλιστα τὴν παραίνεσιν πρὸς αὐτὰς ποιεῖται, πανταχόθεν τὴν μέθην ἐκκόπτων, καὶ τοῦ νοσήματος τούτου ἐκτὸς αὐτὰς εἶναι βουλόμενος, καὶ διαφυγεῖν τὸν ἐντεῦθεν γέλωτα. Καὶ γὰρ εὐκολώτερον καὶ οἱ κάτωθεν ἀτμοὶ ἀναφέρονται, καὶ αἱ μήνιγγες τὴν βλάβην δέχονται τῷ πεπαλαιῶσθαι αὐτὰς τῷ χρόνῳ· καὶ ἐντεῦθεν ἡ μέθη μάλιστα γίνεται. ∆εῖ μὲν οὖν οἴνου τῇ ἡλικίᾳ ταύτῃ μάλιστα, ἀσθενὴς γάρ· δεῖ δὲ οὐ πολλοῦ, ὥσπερ οὐδὲ ταῖς νέαις, οὐ διὰ τὴν αὐτὴν αἰτίαν, ἀλλὰ διὰ τὸ σφόδρα τὴν φλόγα τῆς ἐπιθυμίας ἀνάπτεσθαι. Καλοδιδασκάλους. Καὶ μὴν κωλύεις γυναῖκας διδάσκειν· πῶς οὖν ἐνταῦθα ἐπιτρέπεις, ἐν τοῖς ἑτέρωθι λέγων, Γυναικὶ δὲ διδάσκειν οὐκ ἐπιτρέπω; Ἀλλ' ἄκουε τί ἐπήγαγεν, Οὐδὲ αὐθεντεῖν ἀνδρός. Ἀνδράσι μὲν γὰρ ἐπιτέτραπται διδάσκειν ἄνωθεν καὶ ἄνδρας καὶ γυναῖκας· γυναιξὶ δὲ τὸν μὲν παραινετικὸν ἐπιτρέπει λόγον ἐπ' οἰκίας, οὐδαμοῦ δὲ προκαθῆσθαι συγχωρεῖ, οὐδὲ μακρὸν ἀποτείνειν λόγον ἀφίησι. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο ἐπήγαγεν, Οὐδὲ αὐθεντεῖν ἀνδρός. Ἵνα σωφρονίζωσι, φησὶ, τὰς νέας. βʹ. Ὁρᾷς πῶς συμπλέκει καὶ συνάγει τὸν λαόν; πῶς ὑποτάττει τὰς νεωτέρας ταῖς γεγηρακυίαις; Οὐ γὰρ περὶ θυγατέρων ἐνταῦθα διαλέγεται, ἀλλ' ἁπλῶς ἀπὸ τῆς ἡλικίας. Ἑκάστη, φησὶ, πρεσβυτέρα τὴν νεωτέραν σωφρονιζέτω. Φιλάνδρους εἶναι. Τὸ κεφάλαιον τοῦτο τῶν κατὰ τὴν οἰκίαν ἀγαθῶν· Γυνὴ γὰρ, φησὶν, ἀνδρὶ συμπεριφερομένη. Τούτου γὰρ ὄντος, οὐδὲν τῶν ἀηδῶν συμβήσεται. Πῶς γὰρ, τῆς κεφαλῆς πρὸς τὸ σῶμα συννενευκυίας, καὶ μηδεμιᾶς ἐκεῖ διαστάσεως οὔσης, οὐ πάντα τὰ λοιπὰ εἰρηνεύσεται; τῶν γὰρ ἀρχόντων ἐν εἰρήνῃ ὄντων, τίς ὁ διαιρῶν καὶ διατέμνων τὴν εἰρήνην; ὥσπερ αὖ τούτων κακῶς διακειμένων, οὐδὲν ὑγιὲς ἔσται κατὰ τὴν οἰκίαν. Οὐδὲν οὖν τούτου μεῖζον· καὶ χρημάτων καὶ εὐγενείας καὶ δυναστείας καὶ τῶν ἄλλων ἁπάντων τοῦτο λυσιτελέστερον. Οὐκ εἶπεν ἁπλῶς, ἐν εἰρήνῃ εἶναι, ἀλλὰ, φιλεῖν τοὺς ἄνδρας. Ὅταν γὰρ ἀγάπη ᾖ, οὐδὲν τῶν δυσκόλων παρείσδυσιν ἕξει· ἀπὸ ταύτης γὰρ καὶ τὰ λοιπὰ τίκτεται ἀγαθά. Φιλοτέκνους, φησί. Καλῶς· ἡ γὰρ τὴν ῥίζαν ἀγαπῶσα, πολλῷ μᾶλλον καὶ τοὺς καρπούς. Σώφρονας, ἁγνὰς, οἰκουροὺς, ἀγαθάς. Πάντα ἀπ' ἐκείνης τίκτεται· καὶ γὰρ ἀγαθαὶ καὶ οἰκουροὶ ἀπὸ τῆς ἀγάπης καὶ τῆς περὶ τὸν ἄνδρα φιλίας γίνονται. Ὑποτασσομένας τοῖς ἰδίοις ἀνδράσιν, ἵνα μὴ ὁ λόγος τοῦ Θεοῦ βλασφημῆται· ὡς ἥ γε τοῦ ἀνδρὸς καταφρονοῦσα καὶ τῆς οἰκίας ἀμελεῖ. Ἀπὸ δὲ τοῦ φιλεῖν καὶ σωφροσύνη πολλὴ τίκτεται, ἀπὸ τοῦ φιλεῖν πᾶσα ἀναιρεῖται φιλονεικία· κἂν Ἕλλην ᾖ, ταχέως πει[σ]θήσεται· κἂν Χριστιανὸς, βελτίων ἔσται. Ὁρᾷς τοῦ Παύλου τὴν συγκατάβασιν; Ὁ πάντα πράττων ὥστε ἡμᾶς ἀποστῆσαι τῶν βιωτικῶν, περὶ τῶν κατὰ τὴν οἰκίαν νῦν πολλὴν ποιεῖται τὴν φροντίδα. Τούτων γὰρ καλῶς διοικουμένων, καὶ τὰ πνευματικὰ χώραν ἔξει· ἑτέρως δὲ, κἀκεῖνα λυμαίνεται. Ἡ γὰρ οἰκου 62.684 ρὸς γυνὴ καὶ σώφρων ἔσται, ἡ οἰκουρὸς καὶ οἰκονομική· οὔτε περὶ τρυφὴν, οὔτε περὶ ἐξόδους ἀκαίρους, οὔτε περὶ ἄλλο τι τῶν τοιούτων ἀσχοληθήσεται. Ἵνα μὴ ὁ λόγος τοῦ Θεοῦ, φησὶ, βλασφημῆται. Ὁρᾷς ὅτι προηγουμένως τοῦ κηρύγματος φροντίζει, οὐχὶ τῶν κοσμικῶν πραγμάτων; Καὶ γὰρ πρὸς Τιμόθεον γράφων φησίν· Ἵνα ἤρεμον καὶ ἡσύχιον