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For the matter is an art, and great are the praises for those who practice it; sins have become an art. We do not practice them simply, but with zeal, with knowledge; and the devil then commands his own battalions. For where there is drunkenness, there is debauchery; where there is obscene speech, the devil is present, contributing from his own stores. Feasting on these things, tell me, are you celebrating the mystery of Christ, and calling upon the devil? Perhaps you think me burdensome. For this too is a part of the great perversion, that he who rebukes incurs laughter as being austere. Do you not hear Paul saying, "Whatever you do, whether you eat, or drink, or do anything, do all to the glory of God?" But you do it for blasphemy and dishonor. Do you not hear the Prophet saying, "Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice in Him with trembling?" But you are dissipated. For is it not possible both to be pleased, and with safety? Do you wish to hear beautiful songs? In truth, you ought not; however, I condescend, if you wish; do not listen to satanic songs, but to spiritual ones. Do you wish to see dancers? Behold the choir of angels. And how is it possible, he says, to see them? If you drive these things away, Christ also will come to these weddings; and where Christ is present, the choir of angels is also present. If you wish, He will work miracles now also, just as He did then; He will now also make the water wine; and much more wonderfully, He will convert the dissipated and flowing and cold desire, and will change it to a spiritual one. This is to make wine from water. Where there are flute-players, Christ is nowhere to be found; but even if He should enter, He first casts them out, and then works miracles. What is more unpleasant than the satanic procession, where all things are inarticulate, where all things are meaningless? and if anything is articulate, again all is shameful, all is unpleasant. 7. Nothing is more pleasant than virtue, nothing sweeter than modesty, nothing more desirable than decency. Let someone hold a wedding such as I speak of, and he will see the pleasure; 62.390 but what kind of wedding, pay attention. First, seek for the virgin a man who is truly a man and a protector, as one about to place a head on a body, as one about to entrust a daughter to him, not a slave; do not seek money, nor splendor of family, nor greatness of country, all these things are superfluous, but piety of soul, gentleness, true understanding, the fear of God, if you wish your daughter to live with pleasure. For in seeking a richer man, you will not only not benefit her, but you will also harm her, making her a slave instead of a free woman. For she will not reap as much pleasure from the gold, as displeasure from being a slave. But do not seek these things, but rather one of equal station; and if that is not possible, a poorer man rather than a wealthier one, if indeed you wish not to sell your daughter to a master, but to give her to a husband. When you have carefully examined the man's virtue, and are about to give her away, invite Christ to be present; for He will not be ashamed; it is a mystery of His own presence. Indeed, even then invite Him, so that He might give such a suitor. Do not be worse than the servant of Abraham, who, being sent on so long a journey, knew where he ought to take refuge; for which reason he succeeded in all things. When you are looking around and seeking the man, pray; say to God: "Provide whom You will"; entrust the matter to Him, and having been honored by you with this honor, He will reward you. There are two things one must do, both entrust it to Him, and seek such a one as He would wish, modest, temperate. When, therefore, you make the wedding, do not go about to houses, using mirrors and garments; for the matter is not for display, nor are you leading your daughter into a procession; but brightening the house with those within, call neighbors and friends and relatives. Whomever you know to be decent, call them, and advise them to be content with what is there. Let no one from the orchestra be present; for there there is superfluous expense and

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τέχνη γὰρ τὸ πρᾶγμά ἐστι, καὶ ἐγκώμια μεγάλα τοῖς αὐτὴν μετιοῦσι· τὰ ἁμαρτήματα τέχνη γέγονεν. Οὐχ ἁπλῶς αὐτὰ μετερχόμεθα, ἀλλὰ μετὰ σπουδῆς, μετὰ ἐπιστήμης· καὶ στρατηγεῖ λοιπὸν ὁ διάβολος τῶν αὑτοῦ ταγμάτων. Ὅπου γὰρ μέθη, ἀκολασία· ὅπου αἰσχρολογία, ὁ διάβολος πάρεστι τὰ παρ' ἑαυτοῦ εἰσφέρων. Τούτοις ἑστιώμενος, εἰπέ μοι, μυστήριον Χριστοῦ τελεῖς, καὶ τὸν διάβολον καλεῖς; Τάχα με φορτικὸν εἶναι νομίζετε. Καὶ γὰρ καὶ τοῦτο τῆς διαστροφῆς τῆς πολλῆς, ὅτι καὶ ὁ ἐπιτιμῶν, γέλωτα ὀφλισκάνει ὡς αὐστηρός. Οὐκ ἀκούετε Παύλου λέγοντος, Πᾶν ὅ τι ἂν ποιῆτε, εἴτε ἐσθίετε, εἴτε πίνετε, εἴτε τι ποιεῖτε, πάντα εἰς δόξαν Θεοῦ ποιεῖτε; Ὑμεῖς δὲ εἰς δυσφημίαν καὶ ἀδοξίαν. Οὐκ ἀκούετε τοῦ Προφήτου λέγοντος, ∆ουλεύσατε τῷ Κυρίῳ ἐν φόβῳ, καὶ ἀγαλλιᾶσθε αὐτῷ ἐν τρόμῳ; Ὑμεῖς δὲ διαχεῖσθε. Μὴ γὰρ οὐκ ἔστι καὶ ἥδεσθαι, καὶ μετὰ ἀσφαλείας; Βούλει μελῶν ἀκοῦσαι καλῶν; Μάλιστα μὲν οὐδὲ ἔδει· πλὴν συγκαταβαίνω, εἰ βούλει· μὴ τῶν σατανικῶν ἀκούσῃς, ἀλλὰ τῶν πνευματικῶν. Βούλει χορεύοντας ἰδεῖν; ὅρα τῶν ἀγγέλων τὸν χορόν. Καὶ πῶς δυνατὸν, φησὶν, ἰδεῖν; Ἐὰν ταῦτα ἀπελάσῃς, ἐλεύσεται καὶ ὁ Χριστὸς εἰς τούτους τοὺς γάμους· τοῦ δὲ Χριστοῦ παρόντος, καὶ ὁ τῶν ἀγγέλων πάρεστι χορός. Ἂν θέλῃς, καὶ νῦν θαύματα ἐργάσεται, καθάπερ καὶ τότε· ποιήσει καὶ νῦν τὸ ὕδωρ οἶνον· καὶ πολλῷ θαυμασιώτερον, τὴν διάχυσιν ἐπιστρέψει τὴν διαῤῥέουσαν καὶ ψυχρὰν ἐπιθυμίαν, καὶ ἐπὶ τὴν πνευματικὴν μεταστήσει. Τοῦτό ἐστιν ἐξ ὕδατος οἶνον ποιῆσαι. Ἔνθα αὐληταὶ, οὐδαμοῦ ὁ Χριστός· ἀλλὰ κἂν εἰσέλθῃ, τὸ πρῶτον ἐκβάλλει τούτους, καὶ τότε θαυματουργεῖ. Τί τῆς σατανικῆς πομπῆς ἀηδέστερον, ἔνθα ἄναρθρα πάντα, ἔνθα πάντα ἄσημα; ἂν δέ τι καὶ ἔναρθρον, πάλιν πάντα αἰσχρὰ, πάντα ἀηδῆ. ζʹ. Οὐδὲν τῆς ἀρετῆς ἥδιον, οὐδὲν κοσμιότητος γλυκύτερον, οὐδὲν σεμνότητος ποθεινότερον. Ποιείτω τις γάμους, οἵους ἐγὼ λέγω, καὶ ὄψεται τὴν ἡδονήν· 62.390 ποίους δὲ γάμους, προσέχετε. Πρῶτον μὲν ἄνδρα ζήτει τῇ παρθένῳ ὄντως ἄνδρα καὶ προστάτην, ὡς σώματι μέλλων ἐπιθήσειν κεφαλὴν, ὡς οὐκ ἀνδράποδον, ἀλλὰ θυγατέρα αὐτῷ μέλλων παραδώσειν· μὴ χρήματα ζήτει, μὴ γένους λαμπρότητα, μὴ πατρίδος μέγεθος, πάντα ταῦτα περιττὰ, ἀλλὰ ψυχῆς εὐλάβειαν, ἐπιείκειαν, τὴν ἀληθῆ σύνεσιν, τοῦ Θεοῦ τὸν φόβον, εἰ βούλει μεθ' ἡδονῆς τὸ θυγάτριον ζῇν. Πλουσιώτερον γὰρ ζητοῦσα, οὐ μόνον αὐτὴν οὐκ ὠφελήσεις, ἀλλὰ καὶ βλάψεις, δούλην ἀντ' ἐλευθέρας ποιοῦσα. Οὐ τοσαύτην γὰρ ἀπὸ τῶν χρυσίων καρπώσεται τὴν ἡδονὴν, ὅσην ἀπὸ τοῦ δουλεύειν τὴν ἀηδίαν. Ἀλλὰ μὴ ζήτει ταῦτα, ἀλλὰ μάλιστα μὲν ὁμότιμον· εἰ δὲ μὴ δυνατὸν, πενέστερον μᾶλλον, ἢ εὐπορώτερον, εἴ γε μὴ ἀποδόσθαι δεσπότῃ, ἀλλ' ἐκδοῦναι ἀνδρὶ βούλει τὴν θυγατέρα. Ὅταν ἀκριβῶς ἐξετάσῃς τἀνδρὸς τὴν ἀρετὴν, καὶ μέλλῃς ἐκδιδόναι, παρακάλεσον τὸν Χριστὸν παραγενέσθαι· οὐ γὰρ ἐπαισχυνθήσεται· μυστήριόν ἐστι τῆς αὐτοῦ παρουσίας. Μάλιστα μὲν οὖν καὶ τότε παρακάλει, ὥστε μνηστῆρα τοιοῦτον δοῦναι. Μὴ γένῃ τοῦ παιδὸς τοῦ Ἀβραὰμ χείρων, ὃς εἰς τοσαύτην ἀποδημίαν πεμπόμενος, ᾔδει ἔνθα χρὴ καταφυγεῖν· διὸ καὶ πάντων ἐπέτυχεν. Ὅταν περιεργάζῃ καὶ ζητῇς τὸν ἄνδρα, εὔχου· εἰπὲ τῷ Θεῷ· Ὃν ἂν θέλῃς σὺ οἰκονόμησον· ἐγχείρισον αὐτῷ τὸ πρᾶγμα, καὶ τιμηθεὶς ταύτῃ παρὰ σοῦ τῇ τιμῇ ἀμείψεταί σε. ∆ύο δὴ ποιεῖν χρὴ, αὐτῷ τε ἐγχειρίζειν, καὶ τοιοῦτον ζητεῖν, οἷον ἂν αὐτὸς βούληται, κόσμιον, σώφρονα. Ὅταν οὖν τοὺς γάμους ποιῇς, μὴ περιέλθῃς οἰκίας, κάτοπτρα καὶ ἱμάτια χρωμένη· οὐ γὰρ πρὸς ἐπίδειξιν τὸ πρᾶγμά ἐστιν, οὐδὲ εἰς πομπὴν εἰσάγεις τὸ θυγάτριον· ἀλλὰ φαιδρύνουσα τὴν οἰκίαν τοῖς ἐνοῦσι, κάλει γείτονας καὶ φίλους καὶ συγγενεῖς. Ὅσους ἂν οἶδας ἐπιεικεῖς, τούτους κάλει, καὶ τοῖς οὖσιν ἐπαρκεῖσθαι παραίνει. Μηδεὶς τῶν ἀπὸ τῆς ὀρχήστρας παρέστω· ἐκεῖ γὰρ δαπάνη περιττὴ καὶ