Chapter XVII.—Heathen Examples Cry Shame Upon This “Infirmity of the Flesh.”113    Spado.

They will have plainly a specious privilege to plead before Christ—the everlasting “infirmity of the flesh!”  But upon this (infirmity) will sit in judgment no longer an Isaac, our monogamist father; or a John, a noted voluntary celibate114    Comp. ad Ux., l. i. cc. vi. vii.; and de Ex. Cast., c. xiii. of Christ’s; or a Judith, daughter of Merari; or so many other examples of saints.  Heathens are wont to be destined our judges.  There will arise a queen of Carthage, and give sentence upon the Christians, who, refugee as she was, living on alien soil, and at that very time the originator of so mighty a state, whereas she ought unasked to have craved royal nuptials, yet, for fear she should experience a second marriage, preferred on the contrary rather to “burn” than to “marry.”  Her assessor will be the Roman matron who, having—albeit it was through noctural violence, nevertheless—known another man, washed away with blood the stain of her flesh, that she might avenge upon her own person (the honour of) monogamy.  There have been, too, who preferred to die for their husbands rather than marry after their husbands’ death.  To idols, at all events, both monogamy and widowhood serve as apparitors.  On Fortuna Muliebris, as on Mother Matuta, none but a once wedded woman hangs the wreath.  Once for all do the Pontifex Maximus and the wife of a Flamen marry.  The priestesses of Ceres, even during the lifetime and with the consent of their husbands, are widowed by amicable separation.  There are, too, who may judge us on the ground of absolute continence:  the virgins of Vesta, and of the Achaian Juno, and of the Scythian Diana, and of the Pythian Apollo.  On the ground of continence the priests likewise of the famous Egyptian bull will judge the “infirmity” of Christians.  Blush, O flesh, who hast “put on”115    See Rom. xiii. 14; Gal. iii. 27. Christ!  Suffice it thee once for all to marry, whereto “from the beginning” thou wast created, whereto by “the end” thou art being recalled!  Return at least to the former Adam, if to the last thou canst not!  Once for all did he taste of the tree; once for all felt concupiscence; once for all veiled his shame; once for all blushed in the presence of God; once for all concealed his guilty hue; once for all was exiled from the paradise of holiness;116    Or “chastity.” once for all thenceforward married.  If you were “in him,”117    Comp. 1 Cor. xv. 22, ἐν τῷ ᾽Αδάμ. you have your norm; if you have passed over “into Christ,”118    See Rom. vi. 3. you will be bound to be (yet) better.  Exhibit (to us) a third Adam, and him a digamist; and then you will be able to be what, between the two, you cannot.

CAPUT XVII.

Habebunt plane Christo quod allegent, speciosum privilegium, carnis usquequaque imbecillitatem. Sed hanc judicabunt jam non Isaac monogamus pater noster, nec Joannes aliqui Christi spado, nec Judith filia Merari, nec tot alia exempla sanctorum. Solent ethnici judices destinari. Exsurget regina Carthaginis, et decernet in christianas, quae profuga, et in alieno solo, et tantae civitatis cum maxime formatrix, cum regis nuptias ultro optasse debuisset; ne tamen secundas eas experiretur, maluit e contrario 0952C uri quam nubere. Assidebit et illi matrona romana, quae, etsi per vim nocturnam, nihilominus experta alium virum, maculam carnis suo sanguine abluit, ut monogamiam in semetipsam vindicaret. Fuerunt et quae pro viris mori mallent, quam post viros nubere. Idolis certe et monogamia et viduitas apparent. Fortunae muliebri coronam non imponit, nisi 0953A univira; sicut nec matri Matutae. Pontifex Maximus et Flaminica nubent semel. Cereris sacerdotes, viventibus etiam viris et consentientibus, amica separatione viduantur. Sunt et quae de tota continentia judicent nos virgines Vestae et Junonis Achaicae, et Dianae Scythicae, et Apollinis Pythii. Etiam bovis illius aegyptii antistites, de continentia infirmitatem Christianorum judicabunt. Erubesce caro, quae Christum induisti. Sufficiat tibi semel nubere, in quod a primordio facta es, in quod a fine 0954A revocaris. Redi in Adam vel priorem, si in novissimum non potes. Semel gustavit ille de arbore, semel concupiit, semel pudenda protexit, semel Deo erubuit, semel ruborem suum abscondit, semel de paradiso sanctitatis exsulavit, semel exinde nupsit. Si in illo fuisti, habes tuam formam; si in Christum transisti, melior esse debebis. Exhibe tertium Adam, et hunc digamum, et tunc poteris esse, quod inter duos non potes.