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Love has many conspirators, but by one resistance for the sake of being chaste, remaining modest, having taken the victory over all, she is able to be saved. For even if someone should do all things well, for the one sin of committing adultery he must be punished, <as> the prophet said. The chaste woman, by doing the will of God, becomes a good reminder of his first creation, that God, being one, created one woman for one man. And she remains yet more chaste, if she does not forget the creation and foresees the punishment and is not ignorant of the loss of eternal goods. The chaste woman, rejoicing over those who wish to be saved, is a pious example for the God-fearing; for she is a law of a good life. She who wishes to be chaste cuts off the occasions for slander; but if, providing no occasion, she is slandered as by an enemy, she is blessed and vindicated by God. The chaste woman longs for God, loves God, delights God, glorifies God; she gives no occasion to men for slander. The chaste woman perfumes the church with good honor and glorifies it by her modesty; moreover she is also the praise of teachers and is a co-worker with them who are chaste. The chaste woman is adorned for the Son of God as for a bridegroom, clothed in the modest light. And her beauty is the good order in her soul. And she breathes of myrrh, of a good reputation. She is clothed in beautiful garments, modesty, and she wears precious pearls, words that make one chaste. And she is white, when her mind is enlightened. She sees in a beautiful mirror, gazing upon God. She uses a beautiful ornament, admonishing her soul with the fear of God. A beautiful woman is not she who is fettered with gold, but she who is freed from temporary desires. The chaste woman is much desired by the great king, she has been betrothed to him, she has been kept for him, she has been loved by him. The chaste woman gives no occasions to be desired, except to her own husband. The chaste woman, being desired by another, is grieved. The chaste woman loves her husband with all her heart and kisses him tenderly and caresses him, pleases him, serves him, obeys him in all things except in disobeying God. For she who obeys God, without guards, is both chaste in her soul and keeps her body pure. Therefore foolish is every man who separates his own wife from the fear of God, because she who does not fear God does not fear her husband either. If she does not fear God who sees invisible things, how will she keep chaste her invisible will? And how will she be chaste, she who does not come together to hear words from those who teach chastity? And how might she obtain admonition? And how will she be chaste without guards, if she is not taught of the coming judgment of God nor is fully convinced of the eternal loss for a small pleasure? Therefore, on the contrary, compel her, persuade her when she is unwilling to come always to the word that teaches chastity. But it is much better if you come leading her by the hand, so that you yourself may also become chaste; for you will wish to become chaste, so that you may know the end of a holy marriage—and you will not hesitate, if you love, I mean, to become a father, to love your own children and to be loved by your own children. He who wishes to have a chaste wife is also chaste himself, he renders the marriage duty, he dines with her, he is with her, he comes with her to the one who teaches chastity.

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ἔρωτος πολλοὺς ἔχει τοὺς ἐπιβούλους, μιᾷ δὲ τῇ πρὸς τὸ σωφρονεῖν ἐνστάσει σεμνὴ μείνασα τὴν κατὰ πάντων νίκην λαβοῦσα σωθῆναι ἔχει. καὶ γὰρ εἰ πάντα καλὰ διαπράξαιτό τις, μιᾷ τῇ πρὸς τὸ μοιχήσασθαι ἁμαρ- τίᾳ κολασθῆναι δεῖ, <ὡς> ὁ προφήτης ἔφη. ἡ σώφρων γυνὴ τὸ τοῦ θεοῦ θέλημα ποιοῦσα τῆς αὐτοῦ πρώτης κτίσεως ἀγαθὴ ὑπόμνησις γίνε- ται, ὅτι εἷς ὢν ὁ θεὸς ἑνὶ ἀνθρώπῳ μίαν ἔκτισε γυναῖκα. ἔτι δὲ μᾶλλον σώφρων μένει, ἐὰν τῆς κτίσεως μὴ ἐπιλανθάνηται καὶ τὴν κόλασιν προ- βλέπῃ καὶ τῶν αἰωνίων ἀγαθῶν τὴν ζημίαν μὴ ἀγνοῇ. ἡ σώφρων γυνὴ ἐπὶ τοῖς σσζεσθαι θέλουσιν ἡδομένη παράδειγμα εὐσεβὲς τοῖς θεο- σεβοῦσιν τυγχάνει· ἀγαθοῦ γὰρ βίου νόμος ἐστίν. ἡ σωφρονεῖν θέλουσα τὰς προφάσεις τῆς λοιδορίας ἐκκόπτει· ἐὰν δὲ μὴ παρέχουσα πρόφασιν λοι- δορῆται ὡς ὑπὸ ἐχθροῦ, ὑπὸ θεοῦ εὐλογεῖται καὶ ἐκδικεῖται. ἡ σώφρων τὸν θεὸν ποθεῖ, τὸν θεὸν φιλεῖ, τὸν θεὸν τέρπει, τὸν θεὸν δοξάζει· ἀνθρώ- ποις πρόφασιν πρὸς λοιδορίαν οὐ παρέχει. ἡ σώφρων γυνὴ τὴν ἐκκλη- σίαν ἀγαθῇ τιμῇ μυρίζει καὶ ἐπὶ σεμνότητι δοξάζει· ἔτι δὲ καὶ διδα- σκάλων ἔπαινός ἐστιν καὶ συνεργὸς αὐτοῖς σωφρονοῦσι τυγχάνει. ἡ σώφρων γυνὴ ὡς νυμφίῳ τῷ υἱῷ τοῦ θεοῦ κοσμεῖται, ἐνδεδυμένη τὸ σεμνὸν φῶς. ἔστιν δὲ αὐτῇ κάλλος, ἡ ἐν τῇ ψυχῇ εὐνομία. μύρου δὲ πνέει, τῆς ἀγαθῆς φήμης. καλὰ φάρεα ἠμφίεσται, τὴν αἰδώ, καὶ τιμίους μαργαρίτας περίκειται, τοὺς σωφρονίζοντας λόγους. λευκὴ δὲ τυγ- χάνει, ὅταν τὰς φρένας ᾖ λελαμπρυμένη. καλῷ ἐσόπτρῳ ὁρᾷ, εἰς τὸν θεὸν ἐμβλέπουσα. καλῷ κόσμῳ χρῆται, τῷ πρὸς θεὸν φόβῳ τὴν ψυχὴν νουθετοῦσα. καλὴ [ἡ] γυνὴ οὐχ ἡ χρυσῷ πεπεδημένη, ἀλλ' ἡ τῶν προσκαίρων ἐπιθυμιῶν λελυμένη. ἡ σώφρων γυνὴ μεγάλῳ βασιλεῖ περιπόθητός ἐστιν, αὐτῷ μεμνήστευται, αὐτῷ τετήρηται, ὑπὸ αὐτοῦ ἠγά- πηται. ἡ σώφρων εἰς τὸ θέλεσθαι προφάσεις οὐ παρέχει ἢ τῷ αὐτῆς ἀνδρί. ἡ σώφρων ὑπὸ ἑτέρου θελομένη λυπεῖται. ἡ σώφρων τὸν ἄν- δρα ἐνδιαθέτως φιλεῖ καὶ καταφιλεῖ καὶ κολακεύει, ἀρέσκει, δουλεύει, πρὸς πάντα αὐτῷ πείθεται παρεκτὸς τοῦ ἀπειθεῖν θεῷ. ἡ γὰρ πειθομένη θεῷ ἄνευ φυλάκων καὶ τὴν ψυχὴν σωφρονεῖ καὶ τὸ σῶμα καθα- ρεύει. ἀνόητος οὖν πᾶς ἀνὴρ ὁ τὴν ἑαυτοῦ γυναῖκα χωρίζων φό- βου θεοῦ, ὅτι ἡ θεὸν μὴ φοβουμένη οὐδὲ τὸν ἄνδρα φοβεῖται. ἐὰν θεὸν τὸν ἀόρατα βλέποντα μὴ φοβῆται, πῶς τὴν ἀόρατον προαίρεσιν σωφρονήσει; πῶς δὲ σωφρονήσει ἡ μὴ συνερχομένη πρὸς τοὺς σωφρο- νίζοντας ἀκούειν λόγους; πῶς δὲ καὶ νουθεσίας τύχοι; πῶς δὲ σωφρο- νήσει ἄνευ φυλάκων, ἐὰν τὴν ἐσομένην κρίσιν τοῦ θεοῦ μὴ διδαχθῇ μηδὲ τὴν ἐπὶ μικρᾷ ἡδονῇ αἰώνιον ζημίαν πληροφορηθῇ; διὸ τοὐναντίον ἄκουσαν αὐτὴν πρὸς τὸν σωφρονίζοντα ἀεὶ ἔρχεσθαι λόγον ἀνάγκασον, κολάκευσον. πολὺ δὲ κρεῖττον, εἰ χειραγωγήσας ἥξεις, ἵνα καὶ αὐτὸς σώφρων γένῃ· θελήσεις γὰρ σώφρων γενέσθαι, ἵνα γνώσῃ σεμνοῦ γάμου τὸ τέλος-καὶ οὐκ ὀκνήσεις, εἰ ἀγαπᾷς, λέγω δὴ πατὴρ γενέσθαι, ἴδια τέκνα φιλεῖν καὶ ὑπὸ ἰδίων φιλεῖσθαι τέκνων. ὁ σώφρονα γυναῖκα ἔχειν θέλων καὶ αὐτὸς σωφρονεῖ, τὴν ὀφειλομένην εὐνὴν ἀποδίδωσιν, ταύτῃ συνεστιᾶται, ταύτῃ σύνεστιν, σὺν αὐτῇ πρὸς τὸν σωφρονίζοντα ἔρχεται