Chapter II.—Against Embellishing the Body.

It is not, then, the aspect of the outward man, but the soul that is to be decorated with the ornament of goodness; we may say also the flesh with the adornment of temperance. But those women who beautify the outside, are unawares all waste in the inner depths, as is the case with the ornaments of the Egyptians; among whom temples with their porticos and vestibules are carefully constructed, and groves and sacred fields adjoining; the halls are surrounded with many pillars; and the walls gleam with foreign stones, and there is no want of artistic painting; and the temples gleam with gold, and silver, and amber, and glitter with parti-coloured gems from India and Ethiopia; and the shrines are veiled with gold-embroidered hangings.

But if you enter the penetralia of the enclosure, and, in haste to behold something better, seek the image that is the inhabitant of the temple, and if any priest of those that offer sacrifice there, looking grave, and singing a pæan in the Egyptian tongue, remove a little of the veil to show the god, he will give you a hearty laugh at the object of worship. For the deity that is sought, to whom you have rushed, will not be found within, but a cat, or a crocodile, or a serpent of the country, or some such beast unworthy of the temple, but quite worthy of a den, a hole, or the dirt. The god of the Egyptians appears a beast rolling on a purple couch.

So those women who wear gold, occupying themselves in curling at their locks, and engaged in anointing their cheeks, painting their eyes, and dyeing their hair, and practising the other pernicious arts of luxury, decking the covering of flesh,—in truth, imitate the Egyptians, in order to attract their infatuated lovers.

But if one withdraw the veil of the temple, I mean the head-dress, the dye, the clothes, the gold, the paint, the cosmetics,—that is, the web consisting of them, the veil, with the view of finding within the true beauty, he will be disgusted, I know well. For he will not find the image of God dwelling within, as is meet; but instead of it a fornicator and adulteress has occupied the shrine of the soul. And the true beast will thus be detected—an ape smeared with white paint. And that deceitful serpent, devouring the understanding part of man through vanity, has the soul as its hole, filling all with deadly poisons; and injecting his own venom of deception, this pander of a dragon has changed women into harlots. For love of display is not for a lady, but a courtesan. Such women care little for keeping at home with their husbands; but loosing their husbands’ purse-strings, they spend its supplies on their lusts, that they may have many witnesses of their seemingly fair appearance; and, devoting the whole day to their toilet, they spend their time with their bought slaves. Accordingly they season the flesh like a pernicious sauce; and the day they bestow on the toilet shut up in their rooms, so as not to be caught decking themselves. But in the evening this spurious beauty creeps out to candle-light as out of a hole; for drunkenness and the dimness of the light aid what they have put on. The woman who dyes her hair yellow, Menander the comic poet expels from the house:—

nor, I would add, stain her cheeks, nor paint her eyes. Unawares the poor wretches destroy their own beauty, by the introduction of what is spurious. At the dawn of day, mangling, racking, and plastering themselves over with certain compositions, they chill the skin, furrow the flesh with poisons, and with curiously prepared washes, thus blighting their own beauty. Wherefore they are seen to be yellow from the use of cosmetics, and susceptible to disease, their flesh, which has been shaded with poisons, being now in a melting state. So they dishonour the Creator of men, as if the beauty given by Him were nothing worth. As you might expect, they become lazy in housekeeping, sitting like painted things to be looked at, not as if made for domestic economy. Wherefore in the comic poet the sensible woman says, “What can we women do wise or brilliant, who sit with hair dyed yellow, outraging the character of gentlewomen; causing the overthrow of houses, the ruin of nuptials, and accusations on the part of children?”547    Limpet-shaped cups. [On this chapter consult Kaye, p. 74.]    Aristophanes, Lysistrata. In the same way, Antiphanes the comic poet, in Malthaca, ridicules the meretriciousness of women in words that apply to them all, and are framed against the rubbing of themselves with cosmetics, saying:—

Thrice, I say, not once, do they deserve to perish, who use crocodiles’ excrement, and anoint themselves with the froth of putrid humours, and stain their eyebrows with soot, and rub their cheeks with white lead.

These, then, who are disgusting even to the heathen poets for their fashions, how shall they not be rejected by the truth?548    1 Cor. vii. 29, 30.    [John xvii. 17. “Thy word is truth,” is here in mind; and, soon after, he speaks of the Scriptures and the Word (Logos) in the same way.] Accordingly another comic poet, Alexis, reproves them. For I shall adduce his words, which with extravagance of statement shame the obstinacy of their impudence. For he was not very far beyond the mark. And I cannot for shame come to the assistance of women held up to such ridicule in comedy.

Then she ruins her husband.

I set these quotations from the comic poets549    Matt. xix. 21.    [He rebukes heathen women out of their own poets; while he warns Christian women also to resist the contagion of their example, fortified by the Scriptures.] before you, since the Word most strenuously wishes to save us. And by and by I will fortify them with the divine Scriptures. For he who does not escape notice is wont to abstain from sins, on account of the shame of reproof. Just as the plastered hand and the anointed eye exhibit from their very look the suspicion of a person in illness, so also cosmetics and dyes indicate that the soul is deeply diseased.

The divine Instructor enjoins us not to approach to another’s river, meaning by the figurative expression “another’s river,” “another’s wife;” the wanton that flows to all, and out of licentiousness gives herself up to meretricious enjoyment with all. “Abstain from water that is another’s,” He says, “and drink not of another’s well,” admonishing us to shun the stream of “voluptuousness,” that we may live long, and that years of life may be added to us;550    Baruch iii. 16–19.    Prov. ix. 11. both by not hunting after pleasure that belongs to another, and by diverting our inclinations.

Love of dainties and love of wine, though great vices, are not of such magnitude as fondness for finery.551    Or, proud.    [This is worth noting. Worse than love of wine, because he regards a love for finery as tending to loss of chastity.] “A full table and repeated cups” are enough to satisfy greed. But to those who are fond of gold, and purple, and jewels, neither the gold that is above the earth and below it is sufficient, nor the Tyrian Sea, nor the freight that comes from India and Ethiopia, nor yet Pactolus flowing with gold; not even were a man to become a Midas would he be satisfied, but would be still poor, craving other wealth. Such people are ready to die with their gold.

And if Plutus552    [See Elucidation I. ἐνστάσεσιν τοῦ Χριστιανοῦ.]    Wealth. is blind, are not those women that are crazy about him, and have a fellow-feeling with him, blind too? Having, then, no limit to their lust, they push on to shamelessness. For the theatre, and pageants, and many spectators, and strolling in the temples, and loitering in the streets, that they may be seen conspicuously by all, are necessary to them. For those that glory in their looks, not in heart,553    καλοῦ.    1 Thess. ii. 17. dress to please others. For as the brand shows the slave, so do gaudy colours the adulteress. “For though thou clothe thyself in scarlet, and deck thyself with ornaments of gold, and anoint thine eyes with stibium, in vain is thy beauty,”554    Hag. i. 6.    Jer. iv. 30. says the Word by Jeremiah. Is it not monstrous, that while horses, birds, and the rest of the animals, spring and bound from the grass and meadows, rejoicing in ornament that is their own, in mane, and natural colour, and varied plumage; woman, as if inferior to the brute creation, should think herself so unlovely as to need foreign, and bought, and painted beauty?

Head-dresses and varieties of head-dresses, and elaborate braidings, and infinite modes of dressing the hair, and costly specimens of mirrors, in which they arrange their costume,—hunting after those that, like silly children, are crazy about their figures,—are characteristic of women who have lost all sense of shame. If any one were to call these courtesans, he would make no mistake, for they turn their faces into masks. But us the Word enjoins “to look not on the things that are seen, but the things that are not seen; for the things that are seen are temporal, but the things that are not seen are eternal.”555    1 Tim. vi. 10.    2 Cor. iv. 18.

But what passes beyond the bounds of absurdity, is that they have invented mirrors for this artificial shape of theirs, as if it were some excellent work or masterpiece. The deception rather requires a veil thrown over it. For as the Greek fable has it, it was not a fortunate thing for the beautiful Narcissus to have been the beholder of his own image. And if Moses commanded men to make not an image to represent God by art, how can these women be right, who by their own reflection produce an imitation of their own likeness, in order to the falsifying of their faces? Likewise also, when Samuel the prophet was sent to anoint one of the sons of Jesse for king, and on seeing the eldest of his sons to be fair and tall, produced the anointing oil, being delighted with him, the Lord said to him, “Look not to his appearance, nor the height of his stature: for I have rejected him. For man looketh on the eyes, but the Lord into the heart.”556    1 Sam. xvi. 7.

And he anointed not him that was comely in person, but him that was comely in soul. If, then, the Lord counts the natural beauty of the body inferior to that of the soul, what thinks He of spurious beauty, rejecting utterly as He does all falsehood? “For we walk by faith, not by sight.”557    2 Cor. v. 7. Very clearly the Lord accordingly teaches by Abraham, that he who follows God must despise country, and relations, and possessions, and all wealth, by making him a stranger. And therefore also He called him His friend who had despised the substance which he had possessed at home. For he was of good parentage, and very opulent; and so with three hundred and eighteen servants of his own he subdued the four kings who had taken Lot captive.

Esther alone we find justly adorned. The spouse adorned herself mystically for her royal husband; but her beauty turns out the redemption price of a people that were about to be massacred. And that decoration makes women courtesans, and men effeminate and adulterers, the tragic poet is a witness; thus discoursing:—

O adulterous beauty! Barbarian finery and effeminate luxury overthrew Greece; Lacedæmonian chastity was corrupted by clothes, and luxury, and graceful beauty; barbaric display proved Jove’s daughter a courtesan.

They had no instructor559    [The law was the pædagogue of the Jews (Gal. iii. 24); and therefore, as to Gentiles, they were a law unto themselves (Rom. ii. 14, 15), with some truth in their philosophy to guide them.] to restrain their lusts, nor one to say, “Do not commit adultery;” nor, “Lust not;” or, “Travel not by lust into adultery;” or further, “Influence not thy passions by desire of adornment.”

What an end was it that ensued to them, and what woes they endured, who would not restrain their self-will! Two continents were convulsed by unrestrained pleasures, and all was thrown into confusion by a barbarian boy. The whole of Hellas puts to sea; the ocean is burdened with the weight of continents; a protracted war breaks out, and fierce battles are waged, and the plains are crowded with dead: the barbarian assails the fleet with outrage; wickedness prevails, and the eye of that poetic Jove looks on the Thracians:—

Breasts are beaten in lamentations, and grief desolates the land; and all the feet, and the summits of many-fountained Ida, and the cities of the Trojans, and the ships of the Achæans, shake.

Where, O Homer, shall we flee and stand? Show us a spot of ground that is not shaken!—

Heaven delights in two charioteers, by whom alone the chariot of fire is guided. For the mind is carried away by pleasure; and the unsullied principle of reason, when not instructed by the Word, slides down into licentiousness, and gets a fall as the due reward of its transgression. An example of this are the angels, who renounced the beauty of God for a beauty which fades, and so fell from heaven to earth.561    Gen. vi. 1, 2. [It is surprising with what tenacity this interpretation clings to the ancient mind of the Church. The Nephilim and Gibborim need a special investigation. The Oriental tales of the genii are probably connected with their fabulous history.]

The Shechemites, too, were punished by an overthrow for dishonouring the holy virgin. The grave was their punishment, and the monument of their ignominy leads to salvation.

Ὅτι οὐ χρὴ καλλωπίζεσθαι. Οὐκ ἄρα ἡ πρόσοψις τοῦ ἐκτὸς ἀνθρώπου, ἀλλὰ ἡ ψυχὴ καλλωπιστέα τῷ τῆς καλοκἀγαθίας κοσμήματι· εἴη δ' ἂν καὶ τὴν σάρκα εἰπεῖν τῷ τῆς ἐγκρατείας κόσμῳ. Αἳ δέ, τὴν ἐπιφάνειαν καλλωπιζόμεναι καὶ τὰ βάθη χερσούμεναι, λελήθασι σφᾶς αὐτὰς κατὰ τοὺς Αἰγυπτίων κοσμοῦσαι ναούς· προπύλαια παρ' αὐτοῖς καὶ προτεμενίσματα ἐξήσκηται, ἄλση τε καὶ ὀργάδες, κίοσίν τε παμπόλλοις ἐστεφάνωνται αἱ αὐλαί· τοῖχοι δὲ ἀποστίλβουσι ξενικοῖς λίθοις καὶ γραφῆς ἐντέχνου οἷς ἐνδεῖ οὐδὲ ἕν· χρυσῷ δὲ καὶ ἀργύρῳ καὶ ἠλέκτρῳ παραστίλβουσιν οἱ ναοί, καὶ τοῖς ἀπὸ Ἰνδίας καὶ Αἰθιοπίας πεποικιλμένοι μαρμαίρουσι λιθιδίοις, τὰ δὲ ἄδυτα χρυσοπάστοις ἐπισκιάζεται πέπλοις· ἀλλ' ἢν παρεισέλθῃς εἰς τὸ βάθος τοῦ περιβόλου σπεύδων ἐπὶ τὴν θέαν τοῦ κρείττονος, ζητήσῃς δὲ τὸ ἄγαλμα τὸ ἔνοικον τοῦ νεώ, παστοφόρος δὲ ἤ τις ἄλλος τῶν ἱεροποιούντων περὶ τὸ τέμενος σεμνὸν δεδορκώς, παιᾶνα τῇ Αἰγυπτίων ᾄδων γλώττῃ, ὀλίγον ἐπαναστείλας τοῦ καταπετάσματος, ὡς δείξων τὸν θεόν, πλατὺν ἡμῖν ἐνδίδωσι γέλωτα τοῦ σεβάσματος. Οὐ γὰρ θεὸς ὁ ζητούμενος ἔνδον εὑρεθήσεται, ἐφ' ὃν ἐσπεύσαμεν, αἴλουρος δὲ ἢ κροκόδειλος ἢ αὐτόχθων ὄφις ἤ τι τοιοῦτον θηρίον ἀνάξιον μὲν τοῦ νεώ, χηραμοῦ δὲ ἢ φωλεοῦ ἢ βορβόρου ἀντάξιον· ὁ θεὸς Αἰγυπτίων ἐπὶ στρωμνῆς ἁλουργῆς καταφαίνεται κυλιόμενον θηρίον. Ταύτῃ μοι δοκοῦσιν αἱ χρυσοφοροῦσαι γυναῖκες, τῶν πλοκάμων τοὺς ἐνουλισμοὺς ἀσκοῦσαι χρίσματά τε παρειῶν καὶ ὑπογραφὰς ὀφθαλμῶν καὶ βαφὰς μετιοῦσαι τριχῶν καὶ τὴν ἄλλην βλακείαν κακομηχανώμεναι, κοσμοῦσαι τὸν περίβολον τὸν σαρκικόν, αἰγυπτιάζουσαι ὡς ἀληθῶς, ἐπισπᾶσθαι τοὺς δεισιδαίμονας ἐραστάς. Ἀλλ' ἢν ἀποκαλύψῃ τις τὸ καταπέτασμα τοῦ νεώ, τὸν κεκρύφαλον λέγω, τὴν βαφήν, τὴν ἐσθῆτα, τὸ χρυσίον, τὸ φῦκος, τὰ ἐντρίμματα, τουτέστι τὸ ἐκ τούτων συγκείμενον ὕφος, τὸ καταπέτασμα, ὡς ἔνδον εὑρήσων τὸ κάλλος τὸ ἀληθινόν, μυσάξεται, εὖ οἶδ' ἐγώ. Οὐ γὰρ τὴν εἰκόνα τοῦ θεοῦ κατοικοῦσαν ἔνδον εὑρήσει τὴν ἀξιόλογον, πόρνη δὲ ἀντ' αὐτῆς καὶ μοιχαλὶς τῆς ψυχῆς κατείληφε τὸ ἄδυτον, τό τε ἀληθινὸν θηρίον ἐλεγχθήσεται ψιμυθίῳ πίθηκος ἐντετριμμένος, καὶ ὁ παλίμβολος ὄφις ἐκεῖνος διαβιβρώσκων τὸ νοερὸν τῆς ἀνθρώπου διὰ τῆς φιλοδοξίας χηραμὸν ἔχει τὴν ψυχήν· πάντα φαρμάκων ὀλεθρίων ἐμπλήσας καὶ τὸν ἑαυτοῦ τῆς πλάνης ἐνερευξάμενος ἰὸν μετεσκεύασεν τὰς γυναῖκας εἰς πόρνας ὁ προαγωγὸς οὗτος δράκων–οὐ γὰρ γυναικός, ἀλλ' ἑταίρας τὸ φιλόκοσμον–· αἳ τῆς παρὰ μὲν τοῖς ἀνδράσιν οἰκουρίας ὀλίγα φροντίζουσιν, λύσασαι δὲ τἀνδρὸς τὸ βαλλάντιον ἐκτρέπουσι τὰς χορηγίας εἰς ἐπιθυμίας, ὡς πολλοὺς ἔχοιεν τοῦ καλαὶ δοκεῖν εἶναι μάρτυρας, καὶ τὴν πᾶσαν ἡμέραν κομμωτικῇ προσκαθεζόμεναι ἀργυρωνήτοις σχολάζουσιν ἀνδραπόδοις. Καθάπερ οὖν ὄψον πονηρὸν ἡδύνουσι τὴν σάρκα καὶ τὴν μὲν ἡμέραν κομμωτικῇ προστετήκασι θαλαμευόμεναι, μὴ ἐλεγχθῶσιν ξανθιζόμεναι, ἑσπέρας δὲ καθάπερ ἐκ φωλεοῦ πρὸς τὸν λύχνον τὸ νόθον τοῦτο προσέρπει κάλλος· συνεργεῖ γὰρ καὶ ἡ μέθη καὶ τὸ ἀμυδρὸν τοῦ φωτὸς πρὸς τὴν ἐπίθεσιν αὐτῶν. Καὶ τὴν μὲν ξανθίζουσαν τοὺς πλοκάμους ὁ κωμικὸς Μένανδρος εἴργει τῆς οἰκίας· Νῦν δ' ἕρπε ἀπ' οἴκων τῶνδε· τὴν γυναῖκα γὰρ τὴν σώφρονα οὐ δεῖ τὰς τρίχας ξανθὰς ποιεῖν, ἀλλ' οὐδὲ τὰς παρειὰς φυκοῦν οὐδὲ τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς ὑπογράφεσθαι. Λελήθασι δὲ σφᾶς αἱ κακοδαίμονες τὸ οἰκεῖον ἀπολλύουσαι κάλλος τοῦ ὀθνείου τῇ ἐπεισαγωγῇ· ἅμα γοῦν ἡμέρᾳ σπαρασσόμεναι καὶ ἀποτριβόμεναι καὶ φυράμασί τισι καταπλαττόμεναι τρύχουσι μὲν τὸν χρῶτα, θρύπτουσι δὲ τὴν σάρκα τοῖς φαρμάκοις καὶ τῇ περιεργίᾳ τῶν ῥυμμάτων τὸ οἰκεῖον μαραίνουσιν ἄνθος. ∆ιὰ τοῦτό τοι ὠχραὶ μὲν ἐκ καταπλασμάτων καταφαίνονται, εὐάλωτοι δὲ ὑπὸ νόσων γίνονται τακερὰν ἤδη τὴν σάρκα, φαρμάκοις τὴν ἐσκιαγραφημένην, ἔχουσαι, τῶν ἀνθρώπων τὸν δημιουργὸν ἀτιμάζουσαι, ὡς οὐ κατ' ἀξίαν δεδωρημένον τὸ κάλλος. Εἰκότως ἀργαὶ πρὸς οἰκουρίας γίνονται, καθάπερ ἐζωγραφημέναι, καθεζόμεναι εἰς θέαν, οὐκ εἰς οἰκουρίαν γεγενημέναι. ∆ιὰ τοῦτό τοι ἡ παρὰ τῷ κωμικῷ ἐπιλογιστικὴ γυνὴ λέγει· Τί δ' ἂν γυναῖκες φρόνιμον ἐργασαίμεθα ἢ λαμπρόν, αἳ καθήμεθ' ἐξανθισμέναι, τῶν ἐλευθέρων γυναικῶν λυμαινόμεναι τὸν χαρακτῆρα, οἴκων ἀνατροπὰς καὶ γάμων ἐκτροπὰς καὶ παίδων ὑποβολὰς περιποιούμεναι; Τοῦτο αὐτὸ γάρ τοι καὶ Ἀντιφάνης ὁ κωμικὸς ἐν Μαλθακῇ τὸ ἑταιρικὸν τῶν γυναικῶν ἐπισκώπτει τὰ κοινὰ πάσαις ῥήματα εἰς τὴν κατατριβὴν ἐξηυρημένα λέγων· Ἔρχεται, μετέρχεται αὖ, προσέρχεται αὖ, μετέρχεται, ἥκει, πάρεστι, ῥύπτεται, προσέρχεται, σμῆται, κτενίζεται, ἐμβέβηκε, τρίβεται, λοῦται, σκοπεῖται, στέλλεται, μυρίζεται, κοσμεῖται, ἀλείφεται· † ἂν δ' ἔχοι τι, ἀπάγχεται. Τρὶς γάρ, οὐχ ἅπαξ ἀπολωλέναι δίκαιαι κροκοδείλων ἀποπάτοις χρώμεναι καὶ σηπεδόνων ἀφροῖς ἐγχριόμεναι, καὶ ταῖς ὀφρύσι τὴν ἀσβόλην ἀναματτόμεναι καὶ ψιμυθίῳ τὰς παρειὰς ἐντριβόμεναι. Αἱ τοίνυν καὶ τοῖς ἐθνικοῖς προσκορεῖς ποιηταῖς διὰ τὸν τρόπον πῶς οὐκ ἂν ἀπόβλητοι τῇ ἀληθείᾳ γένοιντο; ἕτερος γοῦν κωμικὸς ἐλέγχων αὐτὰς Ἄλεξις· καὶ γὰρ καὶ τούτου παραθήσομαι τὴν λέξιν δυσωποῦσαν τῷ περιέργῳ τῆς ἑρμηνείας τὸ ἀδιάτρεπτον τῆς ἀναισχυντίας· οὐ γὰρ εἰς τοσοῦτον περίεργος ἦν· ἐγὼ δὲ αἰσχύνομαι κωμῳδουμένης ἐς τοσοῦτον τῆς γυναικωνίτιδος, ἣ βοηθὸς γενομένη εἶτα μέντοι προσαπολλύει καὶ τὸν ἄνδρα. Πρῶτα μὲν γὰρ ἐς τὸ κέρδος καὶ τὸ συλᾶν τοὺς πέλας πάντα τὰ ἄλλα ἔργα αὐταῖς πάρεργα γίγνεται. Τυγχάνει μικρά τις οὖσα· φελλὸς ἐν ταῖς βαυκίσιν ἐγκεκάττυται. Μακρά τις· διάβαθρον λεπτὸν φορεῖ τήν τε κεφαλὴν ἐπὶ τὸν ὦμον καταβαλοῦσα ἐξέρχεται· τοῦτο τοῦ μήκους ἀφεῖλεν. Οὐκ ἔχει τις ἰσχία· ὑπενέδυσ' ἐρραμμένα αὐτήν, ὥστε τὴν εὐπυγίαν ἀναβοᾶν τοὺς εἰσιδόντας. Κοιλίαν ἁδρὰν ἔχει· τιτθί' ἔστ' αὐταῖσι τούτων ὧν ἔχους(ιν) οἱ κωμικοί· ὀρθὰ προσθεῖσαι τοιαῦτα τοὐνδυτὸν τῆς κοιλίας ὡσπερεὶ κοντοῖσι τούτοις εἰς τὸ πρόσθ(εν) ἀπήγαγον. Τὰς ὀφρῦς πυρρὰς ἔχει τις· ζωγραφοῦσιν ἀσβόλῳ. Συμβέβηκ(εν) εἶναι μέλαιναν· κατέπλασε ψιμυθίῳ· λευκόχρως λίαν τις ἐστίν· παιδέρωτ' ἐντρίβεται. Καλὸν ἔχει τοῦ σώματός τι· τοῦτο γυμνὸν δεικνύει. Εὐφυεῖς ὀδόντας ἔσχεν· ἐξ ἀνάγκης δεῖ γελᾶν, ἵνα θεωρῶς(ιν) οἱ παρόντες τὸ στόμα ὡς κομψὸν φορεῖ. Ἂν δὲ μὴ χαίρῃ γελῶσα, διατελεῖ τὴν ἡμέραν ξυλήφιον μυρρίνης ἔχουσα λεπτὸν ὀρθὸν ἐν τοῖς χείλεσιν, ὥστε τῷ χρόνῳ σεσηρέν' ἄν τε βούλητ' ἄν τε μή. Ταῦτα ὑμῖν εἰς τὴν ἀποτροπὴν τῆς φιλοκόσμου κακομηχανίας ἐκ σοφίας κοσμικῆς παρατίθεμαι, παμμάχως σῴζειν ἐθελήσαντος ἡμᾶς τοῦ λόγου, μετὰ μικρὸν δὲ καὶ ταῖς θείαις ἐπιστύψω γραφαῖς. Φιλεῖ δέ πως τὸ μὴ λανθάνον δι' αἰσχύνην τῶν ἐλέγχων ἀφίστασθαι τῶν ἁμαρτημάτων. Ὡς δὲ ἡ καταπεπλασμένη χεὶρ καὶ ὁ περιαληλιμμένος ὀφθαλμὸς ὑπόνοιαν τοῦ νοσοῦντος ἐκ τῆς ὄψεως ἐνδείκνυται, οὕτως τὰ ἐντρίμματα καὶ αἱ βαφαὶ νοσοῦσαν ἐν βάθει τὴν ψυχὴν αἰνίττονται. Ἡμῖν δὲ παριέναι ποταμὸν ἀλλότριον ὁ θεῖος παραινεῖ παιδαγωγός, τὴν ἀλλοτρίαν γυναῖκα, τὴν μάχλον, ποταμὸν ἀλλότριον ἀλληγορῶν, πᾶσιν ἐπιρρέουσαν, πᾶσι δι' ἀσέλγειαν πορνικὴν εἰς τρυφὴν ἐκχεομένην· ἀπὸ ὕδατος ἀλλοτρίου ἀπόσχου, φησίν, καὶ ἀπὸ πηγῆς ἀλλοτρίας μὴ πίῃς, τὸ ῥεῦμα τῆς ἡδυπαθείας φυλάξασθαι παραινῶν, ἵνα πολὺν ζήσωμεν χρόνον, προστεθῇ δὲ ἡμῖν ἔτη ζωῆς, εἴτε ἀλλοτρίαν ἡδονὴν μὴ θηρωμένοις εἴτε καὶ τὰς αἱρέσεις ἐκτρεπομένοις. Φιλοψία μὲν οὖν καὶ φιλοινία εἰ καὶ πάθη μεγάλα, ἀλλ' οὐ τοσαῦτα τὸ μέγεθος ὁπόση ἡ φιλοκοσμία. Τράπεζα πλήρης καὶ κύλικες ἐπάλληλοι ἱκαναὶ πληρῶσαι τὴν λαιμαργίαν· τοῖς δὲ φιλοχρύσοις καὶ φιλοπορφύροις καὶ φιλολίθοις οὔτε ὁ ὑπὲρ γῆς καὶ ὑπὸ γῆν χρυσὸς αὐτάρκης οὔτε ἡ Τυρίων θάλαττα οὔτε μὴν ὁ φόρτος ὁ ἀπ' Ἰνδῶν καὶ Αἰθιόπων, ἀλλ' οὐδὲ ὁ Πακτωλὸς ὁ ῥέων τὸν πλοῦτον. Οὐδ' ἂν Μίδας τις αὐτῶν γένηται, πεπλήρωται, ἀλλὰ ἔτι πένης ἐστὶ πλοῦτον ἄλλον ποθῶν, ἕτοιμοι δὲ οὗτοι συναποθανεῖν χρυσίῳ. Εἰ δὲ καὶ ὁ πλοῦτος τυφλός, ὥσπερ οὖν, αἱ περὶ αὐτὸν ἐπτοημέναι καὶ συμπαθοῦσαι πῶς οὐ τυφλώττουσιν; Ὅρον γοῦν ἐπιθυμίας οὐκ ἔχουσαι εἰς ἀναισχυντίαν ἐξοκέλλουσιν· δεῖ γὰρ αὐταῖς καὶ θεάτρου καὶ πομπῆς καὶ πλήθους θεατῶν καὶ πλάνης ἐν ἱεροῖς καὶ τῆς ἐν τοῖς ἀμφόδοις διατριβῆς, ὡς πᾶσιν αὐτὰς γίνεσθαι καταφανεῖς. Κοσμοῦνται γὰρ ἵνα ἄλλοις ἀρέσκοιεν αἱ ἐν προσώπῳ καυ χώμεναι, οὐκ ἐν καρδίᾳ· ὡς γὰρ τὸν δραπέτην τὰ στίγματα, οὕτω τὴν μοιχαλίδα δείκνυσι τὰ ἀνθίσματα. Κἂν περιβάλῃ κόκκινον καὶ κοσμήσῃ κόσμῳ χρυσῷ, καὶ ἐὰν χρίσῃ στίμμι τοὺς ὀφθαλμούς σου, εἰς μάτην ὁ ὡραϊσμός σου, ὁ λόγος διὰ Ἱερεμίου φησίν. Εἶτα οὐκ ἄτοπον ἵππους μὲν καὶ ὄρνεις καὶ τὰ ἄλλα ζῷα ἐκ τῆς χλόης καὶ τῶν λειμώνων ἀνίστασθαι καὶ ἀνίπτασθαι οἰκείῳ κόσμῳ χαίροντα, χαίτῃ ἱππικῇ καὶ χροιᾷ φυσικῇ καὶ πτερώσει ποικίλῃ, ὡς δὲ ἐνδεέστερον καὶ τῆς θηρείου φύσεως ἡ γυνὴ ἀκαλλὴς εἰς τοσοῦτον εἶναι οἴεται, ὡς ὀθνείου δεῖσθαι κάλλους, ὠνητοῦ καὶ σκιαγραφουμένου; Κεκρύφαλοι μέν γε καὶ κεκρυφάλων διαφοραὶ καὶ περίεργοι πλοκαί, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῶν τριχῶν οἱ μυρίοι σχηματισμοὶ κατόπτρων τε πολυτίμητοι κατασκευαί, οἷς κατασχηματίζονται θηρῶσαι τοὺς δίκην παίδων ἀφρόνων περὶ τὰς μορφὰς ἐπτοημένους, τέλεον ἀπηρυθριακυιῶν ἐστι γυναικῶν, ἃς ἑταίρας καλῶν οὐκ ἄν τις ἀφαμάρτοι προσωπεῖα ποιούσας τὰ πρόσωπα. Ἡμῖν δὲ ὁ λόγος παραινεῖ μὴ σκοπεῖν τὰ βλεπόμενα, ἀλλὰ τὰ μὴ βλεπόμενα· τὰ γὰρ βλεπόμενα πρόσκαιρα, τὰ δὲ μὴ βλεπόμενα αἰώνια. Ὃ δὲ καὶ πέρα τῆς ἀτοπίας προβέβηκεν, τῆς ἐπιπλάστου μορφῆς τῆς ἑαυτῶν οἷον ἀνδραγαθήματός τινος ἢ ἐπανορθώματος κάτοπτρα ἐπινενοήκασιν, ἐφ' ἧς ἀπάτης μάλιστα κάλυμμα ἐπιτιθέναι ἐχρῆν· οὐδὲ γάρ, ὡς ὁ μῦθος Ἑλλήνων ἔχει, Ναρκίσσῳ προεχώρησεν τῷ καλῷ τῆς ἑαυτοῦ εἰκόνος γενέσθαι θεατήν. Εἰ δὲ οὐδεμίαν εἰκόνα ὁ Μωυσῆς παραγγέλλει ποιεῖσθαι τοῖς ἀνθρώποις ἀντίτεχνον τῷ θεῷ, πῶς ἂν εὐλόγως ποιοῖεν αἱ γυναῖκες αὗται σφῶν κατὰ ἀνάκλασιν ἀπομιμούμεναι τὰς εἰκόνας εἰς τοῦ προσώπου τὴν ψευδοποιίαν; Ἀλλὰ καὶ τῷ Σαμουὴλ τῷ προφήτῃ, ὁπότε πέμπεται ἕνα χρῖσαι τῶν υἱῶν Ἰεσσαὶ εἰς βασιλέα, καὶ τὸν πρεσβύτατον τῶν παίδων αὐτοῦ καλὸν καὶ μέγαν ἰδόντι, ὁπότε τὸ χρῖσμα προέβαλεν ὁ Σαμουὴλ ἡσθεὶς ἐπ' αὐτῷ, εἶπεν, φησίν, ὁ κύριος αὐτῷ· μὴ ἐπιβλέψῃς εἰς τὴν ὄψιν αὐτοῦ καὶ τὸ ὕψος τοῦ μεγέθους αὐτοῦ, ὅτι ἀπῶσμαι αὐτόν. Ἄνθρωπος μὲν γὰρ εἰς ὀφθαλμοὺς ὄψεται καὶ κύριος εἰς καρδίαν, καὶ οὐκ ἔχρισε τὸν καλὸν τὸ σῶμα, ἀλλὰ τὸν καλὸν τὴν ψυχήν. Εἰ οὖν τὸ φυσικὸν τοῦ σώματος κάλλος ἔλαττον τοῦ ψυχικοῦ λογίζεται κύριος, τί περὶ τοῦ νόθου φρονεῖ, ἅπαν τὸ ψεῦσμα ἄρδην ἐκβαλών; διὰ πίστεως γὰρ περιπατοῦμεν, οὐ διὰ εἴδους. Σαφέστατα γοῦν ὁ κύριος διὰ τοῦ Ἀβραὰμ διδάσκει καὶ πατρίδος καὶ συγγενέων καὶ κτήσεως καὶ πλούτου παντὸς καταφρονεῖν τὸν ἑπόμενον τῷ θεῷ, ποιήσας αὐτὸν ἔπηλυν, καὶ διὰ τοῦτο καὶ φίλον αὐτὸν ὠνόμασεν τῆς οἴκοι καταφρονήσαντα περιουσίας· εὐπατρίδης γὰρ ἦν καὶ εὔπορος σφόδρα. Τριακοσίοις γοῦν καὶ ὀκτωκαίδεκα οἰκέταις ἰδίοις κεχείρωται τοὺς τέσσαρας βασιλεῖς τοὺς αἰχμαλωτεύσαντας τὸν Λώτ. Μόνην εὑρίσκομεν τὴν Ἐσθὴρ δικαίως κοσμουμένην. Ἐκαλλωπίζετο μυστικῶς ἡ γυνὴ βασιλεῖ τῷ ἑαυτῆς, ἀλλὰ τὸ κάλλος αὐτῆς ἐκεῖνο λύτρον εὑρίσκεται φονευομένου λαοῦ. Ὅτι δὲ ἑταίρας μὲν ποιεῖ τὰς γυναῖκας ὁ καλλωπισμός, ἀνδρογύνους δὲ τοὺς ἄνδρας καὶ μοιχικούς, μάρτυς ἡμῖν ὁ τραγικὸς διηγούμενος ὧδέ πως· Ἐλθὼν δὲ ἐκ Φρυγῶν ὁ τὰς θεὰς κρίνων ὅδε, ὡς ὁ μῦθος Ἀργείων ἔχει, Λακεδαίμονα, ἀνθηρὸς μὲν εἱμάτων στολῇ χρυσῷ τε λαμπρός, βαρβάρῳ χλιδήματι, ἐρῶν ἐρῶσαν ᾤχετ' ἐξαναρπάσας Ἑλένην πρὸς Ἴδης βούσταθμα, ἔκδημον λαβὼν Μενέλαον. Ὢ κάλλους μοιχικοῦ· ἀνέτρεψε τὴν Ἑλλάδα ἡ βάρβαρος φιλοκοσμία καὶ ἡ ἀνδρόγυνος τρυφή· σωφροσύνην διέφθειρεν Λακωνικὴν ἐσθὴς καὶ χλιδὴ καὶ κάλλος ὡραῖον· αἱ βάρβαροι φιλοκοσμίαι ἑταίραν ἤλεγξαν τὴν ∆ιὸς θυγατέρα. Οὐκ ἦν παιδαγωγὸς αὐτοῖς ἀνακόπτων τὰς ἐπιθυμίας οὐδὲ μὴν ὁ λέγων· Μὴ μοιχεύσῃς οὐδὲ ὁ Μὴ ἐπιθυμήσῃς λέγων μηδὲ εἰς μοιχείαν ὁδεύσῃς δι' ἐπιθυμίας, ἀλλὰ μηδὲ τὰς ὀρέξεις ἐκκαύσῃς διὰ φιλοκοσμίας. Οἷον αὐτοῖς τὸ ἐπὶ τούτοις ἐξηκολούθησεν τέλος, καὶ ὅσων ἀπέλαυσαν κακῶν οἱ φιλαυτίαν κωλῦσαι μὴ θελήσαντες· ἤπειροι κεκίνηνται δύο ἀπαιδεύτοις ἡδοναῖς καὶ κλονεῖται τὰ πάντα μειρακίῳ βαρβάρῳ· Ἑλλὰς ὅλη ναυτίλλεται, στενοχωρεῖται δὲ ἡ θάλασσα ἠπείρους φέρουσα· πόλεμος ἐκριπίζεται μακρός, καὶ μάχαι καταρρήγνυνται καρτεραί, καὶ νεκρῶν ἐμπίμπλαται τὰ πεδία· ἐνυβρίζει τῷ ναυστάθμῳ ὁ βάρβαρος· ἀδικία κρατεῖ καὶ τοῦ ποιητικοῦ ∆ιὸς ἐκείνου τὸ ὄμμα τοὺς Θρᾷκας βλέπει· εὐγενὲς αἷμα βάρβαρα πίνει πεδία καὶ ποταμῶν ῥεύματα σώμασιν ἵσταται νεκροῖς· στήθη κρούεται θρήνοις καὶ τὸ πένθος ἐπινέμεται τὴν γῆν· πάντες δὲ σείονται πόδες πολυπιδάκου Ἴδης καὶ κορυφαί, Τρώων τε πόλις καὶ νῆες Ἀχαιῶν. Ποῖ φύγωμεν, Ὅμηρε, καὶ στῶμεν; δεῖξον ἡμῖν γῆν μὴ κεκινημένην. * * * μὴ θίγῃς ἡνιῶν, παιδίον, ἄπειρος ὤν, μηδὲ ἀναβῇς τὸν δίφρον ἐλαύνειν μὴ μαθών· δυσὶν ἡνιόχοις οὐρανὸς ἥδεται, οἷς μόνοις ἐλαυνόμενον ἄγεται τὸ πῦρ. Μετάγεται γὰρ ἡ διάνοια ὑπὸ ἡδονῆς, καὶ τὸ ἀκήρατον τοῦ λογισμοῦ μὴ παιδαγωγούμενον τῷ λόγῳ εἰς ἀσέλγειαν κατολισθαίνει καὶ μισθὸν τοῦ παραπτώματος τὸ ἀπόπτωμα λαμβάνει. ∆εῖγμά σοι τούτων οἱ ἄγγελοι τοῦ θεοῦ τὸ κάλλος καταλελοιπότες διὰ κάλλος μαραινόμενον καὶ τοσοῦτον ἐξ οὐρανῶν ἀποπεσόντες χαμαί. Ἀλλὰ καὶ Σικιμῖται κολάζονται καταπεπτωκότες τὴν ἁγίαν ὑβρίζοντες παρθένον· τάφος ἡ κόλασις αὐτοῖς καὶ τὸ μνημόσυνον τῆς ἐπιτιμίας εἰς σωτηρίαν παιδαγωγεῖ.