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to the rule, but he added: "But if you marry, you have not sinned; and if a virgin marries, she has not sinned." For I do not advise you to flee marriage as if it were a transgression of the law, but as urging you to a better life. And he also shows the benefit of virginity. For concerning those who marry, he said: "But such will have tribulation in the flesh." For the married man is distracted by many cares, taking care not only of a wife, but also of children, and male servants, and female servants; and signifying this he said: "But such will have tribulation in the flesh." And he also reveals his own affection; for he said: "But I spare you." And after a little: "But I would have you without carefulness." Then he makes a comparison and a contrast between the one who is married and the one who embraces the unmarried state. "He that is unmarried cares for the things that belong to the Lord, how he may please the Lord: but he that is married cares for the things that are of the world, how he may please his wife. There is a difference also between a wife and a virgin. The unmarried woman cares for the things of the Lord, how she may please the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit. But she that is married cares for the things of the world, how she may please her husband." In these words he has clearly taught the usefulness of virginity. For he does not command us to flee 83.536 marriage as something unlawful, but to pursue virginity as something free from cares. For the mind of the married, being divided into many things, is hindered from achieving an exact and perfect life; but those who choose the monastic life devote all their care to divine things. He continues, both showing what is profitable and casting out legal necessity from his discourse: "And this I speak for your own profit; not that I may cast a snare upon you." For I do not draw by necessity one who is unwilling, but I show the benefit that arises. For this reason he added: "But for that which is comely, and that you may attend upon the Lord without distraction." For he who is free from the yoke of marriage easily draws His yoke, since nothing else draws him away from good attendance. And he continues, refuting the legislation of the ill-named heretics; for he says: "But if any man think that he behaves himself uncomely toward his virgin, if she pass the flower of her age, and need so require, let him do what he will, he sinneth not: let them marry." And this he says concerning those who have not yet made vows of virginity. "Nevertheless he that standeth stedfast in his heart, having no necessity, but hath power over his own will, and hath so decreed in his heart that he will keep his virgin, doeth well." The phrase "having no necessity" means not being under the authority of another. For masters prevent their servants from doing what they wish. Thus, having given authority both to him who wishes to give her in marriage and to him who is eager to keep his daughter chaste, he added: "So then he that giveth her in marriage doeth well; but he that giveth her not in marriage doeth better." We have received such definitions concerning virginity from theological men, not denouncing marriage, but urging those who are willing to the life free from care. 25. -Concerning marriage. And I think it useful to go through the laws concerning marriage, and to refute the audacity of those who denounce it. And the difference of gender is sufficient to show the cause of creation. For on this account, indeed, the Creator of all things formed woman, for which reason He also called her a helper. "For let us make," He said, "a helper for Adam suitable for him." And not only did He form her, but He also joined her to the man, and according to the law now in force, He led her to the man, and He Himself became the bridesman and the giver in marriage, He Himself brought this blessing to the marriage as a kind of gift, saying, "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it." This first the race of men from the God of all things the

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τῷ ὅρῳ, ἀλλ' ἐπήγα γεν· "Ἐὰν δὲ καὶ γήμῃς, οὐχ ἥμαρτες, καὶ ἐὰν γήμῃ ἡ παρθένος, οὐχ ἥμαρτεν." Οὐ γὰρ ὡς παρα νομίαν παραινῶ φεύγειν τὸν γάμον, ἀλλ' ὡς ἐπὶ κρείττονα βίον προτρέπων. Ἐπιδείκνυσι δὲ καὶ τὸ κέρδος τῆς παρθενίας. Περὶ γὰρ τῶν γαμούντων ἔφη· "Θλῖψιν δὲ τῇ σαρκὶ ἕξουσιν οἱ τοιοῦτοι." Εἰς πολλὰς γὰρ ὁ γεγαμηκὼς περισπᾶται φροντίδας, οὐ μόνον γυναικὸς, ἀλλὰ καὶ παίδων, καὶ οἰκετῶν, καὶ θεραπαινίδων ἐπιμελούμενος· καὶ τοῦτο σημαίνων ἔφη· "Θλῖψιν δὲ τῇ σαρκὶ ἕξουσιν οἱ τοιοῦτοι." Γυ μνοῖ δὲ καὶ τὴν οἰκείαν φιλοστοργίαν· ἔφη γάρ· "Ἐγὼ δὲ ὑμῶν φείδομαι." Καὶ μετ' ὀλίγα· "Θέλω δὲ ἀμερίμνους ὑμᾶς εἶναι." Εἶτα σύγκρισιν ποιεῖ καὶ παρεξέτασιν τοῦ γεγαμηκότος καὶ τοῦ τὴν ἀγαμίαν ἀσπαζομένου. "Ὁ ἄγαμος μεριμνᾷ τὰ τοῦ Κυρίου, πῶς ἀρέσει τῷ Κυρίῳ· ὁ δὲ γαμήσας, μερι μνᾷ τὰ τοῦ κόσμου, πῶς ἀρέσει τῇ γυναικί. Μεμέ ρισται καὶ ἡ γυνὴ καὶ ἡ παρθένος. Ἡ ἄγαμος με ριμνᾷ τὰ τοῦ Κυρίου, πῶς ἀρέσει τῷ Κυρίῳ, ἵνα ᾖ ἁγία καὶ σώματι καὶ πνεύματι. Ἡ δὲ γαμήσασα μεριμνᾷ τὰ τοῦ κόσμου, πῶς ἀρέσει τῷ ἀνδρί." ∆ιαῤῥήδην δὲ ἐδίδαξεν ἐν τούτοις τῆς παρθενίας τὴν χρείαν. Οὐ γὰρ ὡς παράνομον κελεύει φεύγειν τὸν 83.536 γάμον, ἀλλ' ὡς φροντίδων ἐλευθέραν μετιέναι τὴν παρθενίαν. Εἰς πολλὰ γὰρ ἡ τῶν γεγαμηκότων με ριζομένη διάνοια, τὸν ἀκριβῆ καὶ τέλειον κατορθῶσαι βίον κωλύεται· οἱ δὲ τὴν μοναδικὴν ζωὴν προελόμε νοι πᾶσαν ἀπονέμουσι τοῖς θείοις τὴν μέριμναν. Ἐπιμένει δὲ, καὶ τὸ συμφέρον ἐπιδεικνὺς, καὶ τὴν νομικὴν ἀνάγκην ἐκβαλὼν τοῦ λόγου· "Τοῦτο δὲ πρὸς τὸ ὑμῶν αὐτῶν συμφέρον λέγω, οὐχ ἵνα βρόχον ὑμῖν ἐπιβάλω." Οὐ γὰρ ἀνάγκῃ τὸν οὐ βουλόμενον ἕλκω, ἀλλὰ τὴν φυομένην ὄνησιν ἐπιδείκνυμι. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο γὰρ ἐπήγαγεν· "Ἀλλὰ πρὸς τὸ εὔσχημον καὶ εὐπάρεδρον τῷ Κυρίῳ ἀπερισπάστως." Ὁ γὰρ τῆς γαμικῆς ζεύγλης ἐλεύθερος, εὐπετῶς ἕλκει τὸν τού του ζυγὸν, οὐδενὸς αὐτὸν ἑτέρου τῆς ἀγαθῆς προσ εδρείας ἀφέλκοντος. Καὶ ἐπιμένει τὴν τῶν δυσωνύ μων αἱρετικῶν διελέγχων νομοθεσίαν· φησὶ γάρ· "Εἰ δέ τις ἀσχημονεῖν ἐπὶ τὴν παρθένον αὑτοῦ νο μίζει, ἐὰν ᾖ ὑπέρακμος, καὶ οὕτως ὀφείλει γίγνε σθαι, ὃ θέλει ποιείτω, οὐχ ἁμαρτάνει, γαμείτω σαν." Τοῦτο δὲ λέγει περὶ τῶν μηδέπω τὰς περὶ τῆς παρθενίας πεποιημένων συνθήκας. "Ὃς δὲ ἕστηκεν ἑδραῖος ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ μὴ ἔχων ἀνάγκην, ἐξου σίαν δὲ ἔχει περὶ τοῦ ἰδίου θελήματος, καὶ τοῦτο κέκρικεν ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ αὑτοῦ, τηρεῖν τὴν ἑαυτοῦ παρ θένον, καλῶς ποιεῖ." Τὸ οὐκ ἔχων ἀνάγκην, ἀντὶ τοῦ, μὴ ὑπ' ἄλλου τελῶν ἐξουσίαν. Τοὺς γὰρ οἰκέτας δρᾷν ἃ θέλουσιν οἱ δεσπόται κωλύουσιν. Οὕτω καὶ τῷ κατεγγυᾷν βουλομένῳ, καὶ τῷ φυλάττειν ἁγνὴν τὴν θυγατέρα προθυμουμένῳ δεδωκὼς ἐξουσίαν, ἐπήγα γεν· "Ὥστε καὶ ὁ ἐκγαμίζων καλῶς ποιεῖ, ὁ δὲ μὴ ἐκγαμίζων, κρεῖσσον ποιεῖ." Τοιούτους περὶ παρθενίας ὅρους παρὰ τῶν θεολόγων ἀνδρῶν ἐδεξά μεθα, οὐ τοῦ γάμου κατηγοροῦντας, ἀλλ' ἐπὶ τὸν ἀφρόντιδα βίον τοὺς βουλομένους προτρέποντας. ΚΕʹ. -Περὶ γάμου. Προὔργου δὲ οἶμαι, καὶ τοὺς περὶ τοῦ γάμου νό μους διεξελθεῖν, καὶ τῶν τούτου κατηγορούντων δι ελέγξαι τὸ θράσος Ἀπόχρη δὲ καὶ ἡ τοῦ γένους δια φορὰ, δεῖξαι τὴν τῆς δημιουργίας αἰτίαν. Τούτου γὰρ δὴ χάριν γυναῖκα διέπλασε τῶν ὅλων ὁ Ποιητὴς, ἀνθ' ὅτου καὶ αὐτὴν βοηθὸν προσηγόρευσεν. "Ποιήσωμεν γὰρ, ἔφη, τῷ Ἀδὰμ βοηθὸν κατ' αὐτόν." Οὐ μόνον δὲ διέπλασεν, ἀλλὰ καὶ συνέζευξε τῷ ἀνδρὶ, καὶ κατὰ τὸν νῦν πολιτευόμενον νόμον, ἀπήγαγε πρὸς τὸν ἄνδρα, καὶ αὐτὸς ἐγένετο νυμφοστόλος καὶ νυμφευ τὴς, αὐτὸς οἷόν τι δῶρον τῷ γάμῳ τήνδε τὴν εὐλογίαν προσήνεγκεν, "Αὐξάνεσθε, λέγων, καὶ πληθύνεσθε, καὶ πληρώσατε τὴν γῆν, καὶ κατακυριεύσατε αὐτῆς." Ταύτην πρώτην τῶν ἀνθρώπων τὸ γένος παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ τῶν ὅλων τὴν