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Adorn the theater, put on that adornment. What is your theater? Heaven, the company of angels. I am not speaking of virgins only, but also of worldly women; all who believe in Christ have that theater. Let us utter such things, that we may delight those spectators; put on such things, that you may gladden them. For tell me, if a harlot, having left aside the gold and the garments and the laughter and the witty and shameful words, should put on a simple garment, and enter having composed herself artlessly, and should utter godly words, and discourse about modesty, and say nothing shameful, will they not all rise up? will not that theater be broken up? will they not cast her out, as one who does not know how to fit in with the people, and who speaks things foreign to that satanic theater? So also you, if you put on her things and enter into the theater of heaven, the spectators will cast you out. For there there is no need of these golden garments, but of others. Of what kind? Of the kind the prophet speaks of: "Clothed in golden tassels, embroidered;" not to make the body white and glistening, but to beautify the soul. For it is she who contends and struggles there. "All the glory of the king's daughter is within," he says. Put these things on; for you deliver yourself from ten thousand other evils, and your husband from care, and yourself from anxiety. For so you will be venerable to your husband, when you do not need many things. 2. For every man is accustomed to be coy towards those who need him; but when he sees they have no need, he lowers his pride, so that he converses as an equal. When the husband sees that you have no need of him in anything, that you despise the gifts from him, even if he is very proud, he will then respect you more than when you are wearing gold; and you will no longer be his slave. For what we have need of, to these we are forced to submit; but if we remove ourselves, we will no longer be subject, but he knows that for the fear of God we render him some obedience, not for the things from him. For now, as one granting us great things, however much honor he may enjoy, he does not consider that he has enjoyed it all; but then, even if he receives a little, he will consider it a favor; he will not reproach you, nor will he himself be compelled to be greedy on your account. For what is more unreasonable than to procure gold for this, that they may be worn in the baths and in the marketplaces? But perhaps in the baths and in the marketplaces it is nothing wonderful; but to go forth even to the 63.200 church so arrayed, is much laughter. For why does she enter here wearing gold, she who ought to enter in order to hear that they should adorn themselves, not with gold or pearls, or costly array? For what reason then do you enter, O woman? Is it as if fighting with Paul, and showing that even if he says these things ten thousand times, you will not be converted? or as wishing to convict us teachers of speaking these things in vain? For tell me, if some Greek and unbeliever, having heard this passage being read, where the blessed Paul says these things, exhorting women not to adorn themselves with gold, or pearls, or costly array, and having a believing wife, should see that she makes much account of adornment and puts on gold, in order to go forth in church, will he not say to himself, seeing her in the bedchamber putting these things on and arranging them well, "Why does the woman remain inside in the bedchamber? why is she delaying? why is she putting on the gold? where does she have to go? to the church? for what? to hear, 'Not with costly array'?" Will he not laugh? will he not laugh aloud? will he not think our ways a mockery and a deceit? Wherefore I beseech you, let us leave gold to the processions, to the theaters, to the displays in the workshops; but let the image of God not be adorned with these things. Let the free woman be adorned with freedom; and freedom is being without pride, without boasting. And if you also wish to obtain glory from men, thus you will obtain it. For the wife of a rich man we shall not so much admire wearing gold and silks (for this is common to all), as when a plain and simple garment, and made of wool only

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καλλωπίζου τὸ θέατρον, ἐκεῖνον περιτίθεσο τὸν κόσμον. Ποῖόν σού ἐστι τὸ θέατρον; Ὁ οὐρανὸς, ὁ τῶν ἀγγέλων δῆμος· οὐχὶ τῶν παρθένων λέγω μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῶν κοσμικῶν· πᾶσαι, ὅσαι τῷ Χριστῷ πιστεύουσιν, ἐκεῖνο ἔχουσι τὸ θέατρον. Τοιαῦτα φθεγγώμεθα, ἵνα ἐκείνοις τέρπωμεν τοὺς θεατάς· τοιαῦτα περιτίθεσο, ἵνα ἐκείνους εὐφράνῃς. Εἰπὲ γάρ μοι, ἐὰν ἡ πόρνη γυνὴ ἀφεῖσα τὰ χρυσία καὶ τὰ ἱμάτια καὶ τὸν γέλωτα καὶ τὰ ῥήματα τὰ ἀστεῖα καὶ τὰ αἰσχρὰ, εὐτελὲς ἱμάτιον περιβάληται, καὶ ἀνεπιτηδεύτως συνθεῖσα ἑαυτὴν εἰσέλθῃ, καὶ θεοσεβῆ φθέγγηται ῥήματα, καὶ περὶ σωφροσύνης διαλέγηται, καὶ μηδὲν αἰσχρὸν λέγῃ, οὐχὶ ἀναστήσονται πάντες; οὐχὶ διαλυθήσεται τοῦτο τὸ θέατρον; οὐχὶ ἐκβαλοῦσιν αὐτὴν, ὡς οὐκ εἰδυῖαν ἁρμόσασθαι τῷ δήμῳ, καὶ ἀλλότρια λέγουσαν τοῦ θεάτρου ἐκείνου τοῦ σατανικοῦ; Οὕτω καὶ σὺ, ἐὰν τὰ ἐκείνης περιθεμένη εἰς τὸ τῶν οὐρανῶν θέατρον εἰσέλθῃς, ἐκβαλοῦσί σε οἱ θεαταί. Ἐκεῖ γὰρ οὐ τῶν χρυσῶν ἱματίων χρεία τούτων, ἀλλ' ἑτέρων. Ποίων; Οἵων ὁ προφήτης φησίν· Ἐν κροσσωτοῖς χρυσοῖς περιβεβλημένη, πεποικιλμένη· οὐχ ὥστε τὸ σῶμα λευκὸν ποιῆσαι καὶ ἀποστίλβον, ἀλλ' ὥστε τὴν ψυχὴν καλλωπίσαι· αὕτη γάρ ἐστιν ἡ ἀγωνιζομένη ἐκεῖ καὶ ἀθλοῦσα. Πᾶσα ἡ δόξα τῆς θυγατρὸς τοῦ βασιλέως ἔσωθεν, φησί. Ταῦτα περίθου· μυρίων γὰρ καὶ ἄλλων ἀπαλλάττεις σαυτὴν κακῶν, καὶ τὸν ἄνδρα μερίμνης, καὶ σαυτὴν φροντίδος. Οὕτω γὰρ αἰδέσιμος ἔσῃ τῷ ἀνδρὶ, ὅταν μὴ πολλῶν δέῃ. ʹ. Πᾶς γὰρ ἄνθρωπος εἴωθεν ἀκκίζεσθαι κατὰ τῶν δεομένων αὐτοῦ· ὅταν δὲ ἴδῃ μὴ χρείαν ἔχοντας, κατασπᾷ τὸ φρόνημα, ὥστε ὁμοτίμως διαλέγεται. Ὅταν ἴδῃ ὁ ἀνὴρ ὅτι οὐ χρείαν αὐτοῦ ἔχεις ἐν οὐδενὶ, ὅτι καταφρονεῖς τῶν παρ' αὐτοῦ δωρεῶν, κἂν σφόδρα ᾖ φρονηματιῶν, τότε σε αἰδεσθήσεται μᾶλλον, ἢ τὰ χρυσία περικειμένην· καὶ οὐκέτι ἔσῃ αὐτοῦ δούλη. Ὧν γὰρ χρείαν ἔχομεν, ὑποκύπτειν τούτοις ἀναγκαζόμεθα· ἐὰν δὲ ἀποστήσωμεν ἑαυτοὺς, οὐκέτι ἐσόμεθα ὑπόδικοι, ἀλλ' οἶδεν ὅτι διὰ τὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ φόβον ὑπακοήν τινα ἀπονέμομεν αὐτῷ, οὐ διὰ τὰ παρ' αὐτοῦ. Νῦν μὲν γὰρ ὡς μεγάλα ἡμῖν χαριζόμενος, ὅσης ἂν ἀπολαύσῃ τῆς τιμῆς, οὐχ ἡγεῖται τῆς πάσης ἀπολελαυκέναι· τότε δὲ κἂν μικρᾶς τύχῃ, χάριν ἡγήσεται· οὐκ ὀνειδιεῖ, οὐκ ἀναγκασθήσεται οὐδὲ αὐτὸς πλεονεκτεῖν διὰ σέ. Τί γὰρ ἀλογώτερον τοῦ χρυσία εἰς τοῦτο κατασκευάζειν, ἵνα περικέωνται ἐν βαλανείοις καὶ ἐν ἀγοραῖς; Ἀλλ' ἐν βαλανείοις καὶ ἐν ἀγοραῖς οὐδὲν ἴσως θαυμαστόν· τὸ δὲ καὶ ἐν ἐκ 63.200 κλησίᾳ οὕτω σχηματιζομένην προϊέναι, πολὺς ὁ γέλως. Τί γὰρ δή ποτε εἰσέρχεται χρυσία φοροῦσα ἐνταῦθα, ἡ ὀφείλουσα εἰσελθεῖν, ἵνα ἀκούσῃ κοσμεῖν ἑαυτὰς, μὴ χρυσίῳ μηδὲ μαργαρίταις, μηδὲ ἱματισμῷ πολυτελεῖ; Τίνος οὖν ἕνεκεν εἰσέρχῃ, ὦ γύναι; ἆρα ὡς μαχομένη τῷ Παύλῳ, καὶ δεικνύουσα ὅτι κἂν μυριάκις ταῦτα λέγῃ, οὐκ ἐπιστρέφῃ; ἀλλ' ὡς τοὺς διδασκάλους ἡμᾶς ἐλέγξαι βουλομένη μάτην ταῦτα διαλεγομένους; Εἰπὲ γάρ μοι, ἐάν τις Ἕλλην καὶ ἄπιστος ἀκούσας ἀναγινωσκομένου τοῦ χωρίου τούτου, ἔνθα ταῦτα λέγει ὁ μακάριος Παῦλος, παρεγγυῶν ταῖς γυναιξὶ, μήτε χρυσῷ, μήτε μαργαρίταις, μήτε ἱματισμῷ πολυτελεῖ κοσμεῖν ἑαυτὰς, καὶ ἔχων γυναῖκα πιστὴν, ἴδῃ ὅτι πολὺν ποιεῖται λόγον τοῦ καλλωπισμοῦ καὶ χρυσία περιτίθεται, ἵνα προέλθῃ ἐν ἐκκλησίᾳ, ἆρα οὐκ ἐρεῖ πρὸς ἑαυτὸν, ὁρῶν αὐτὴν ἐν τῷ κοιτωνίσκῳ ταῦτα περιτιθεμένην καὶ διατιθεῖσαν καλῶς, Τί μένει ἔνδον ἡ γυνὴ εἰς τὸν κοιτωνίσκον; τί βραδύνει; τί περιτίθεται τὰ χρυσία; ποῦ ἀπελθεῖν ἔχει; εἰς τὴν ἐκκλησίαν; διὰ τί; ἵνα ἀκούσῃ, Μὴ ἱματισμῷ πολυτελεῖ; Οὐ γελάσεται; οὐκ ἀνακαγχάσει; οὐ χλεύην καὶ ἀπάτην εἶναι νομιεῖ τὰ ἡμέτερα; ∆ιὸ παρακαλῶ, τὰ χρυσία ταῖς πομπαῖς ἀφῶμεν, ταῖς σκηναῖς, ταῖς προθήκαις ταῖς ἐπὶ τῶν ἐργαστηρίων· ἡ δὲ τοῦ Θεοῦ εἰκὼν μὴ τούτοις καλλωπιζέσθω· ἡ ἐλευθέρα τῇ ἐλευθερίᾳ κοσμείσθω· ἐλευθερία δὲ τὸ ἄτυφον, τὸ ἀκόμπαστον. Εἰ δὲ καὶ δόξης βούλει τῆς παρὰ ἀνθρώπων ἐπιτυχεῖν, οὕτως ἐπιτεύξῃ Τὴν γὰρ ἀνδρὸς πλουτοῦντος οὖσαν γυναῖκα οὐχ οὕτω θαυμασόμεθα χρυσία φοροῦσαν καὶ σηρικὰ (τοῦτο γὰρ κοινὸν ἁπασῶν), ὡς ὅταν λιτὸν ἱμάτιον καὶ ἁπλοῦν, καὶ ἐξ ἐρίου εἰργασμένον μόνον