Chapter IV.

A virgin at Antioch, having refused to sacrifice to idols, was condemned to a house of ill-fame, whence she escaped unharmed, having changed clothes with a Christian soldier. Then when he was condemned for this, she returned and the two contended for the prize of martyrdom, which was at last given to each.

22. There was lately at Antioch a virgin who avoided being seen in public, but the more she shrank from men’s eyes, the more they longed for her. For beauty which is heard of but not seen is more desired, there being two incentives to passion, love and knowledge—so long as nothing is met with which pleases less; and that which pleases is thought to be of more worth, because the eye is not in this case the judge by investigation, but the mind inflamed with love is full of longing. And so the holy virgin, lest their passions should be longer fed by the desire of gaining her, professed her intention of preserving her chastity, and so quenched the fires of those wicked men, that she was no longer loved, but informed against.

23. So a persecution arose. The maiden, not knowing how to escape, and afraid lest she might fall into the hands of those who were plotting against her chastity, prepared her soul for heroic virtue, being so religious as not to fear death, so chaste as to expect it. The day of her crown arrived. The expectation of all was at its height. The maiden is brought forward, and makes her twofold profession, of religion and of chastity. But when they saw the constancy of her profession, her fear for her modesty, her readiness for tortures, and her blushes at being looked on, they began to consider how they might overcome her religion by setting chastity before her, so that, having deprived her of that which was the greatest, they might also deprive her of that which they had left. So the sentence was that she should either sacrifice, or be sent to a house of ill-fame. After what manner do they worship their gods who thus avenge them, or how do they live themselves who give sentence after this fashion?

24. And the virgin, not hesitating about her religion, but fearful as to her chastity, began to reflect, What am I to do? Each crown, that of martyrdom and that of virginity, is grudged me to-day. But the name of virgin is not acknowledged where the Author of virginity is denied. How can one be a virgin who cherishes a harlot? How can one be a virgin who loves adulterers? How a virgin if she seeks for a lover? It is preferable to have a virgin mind than a virgin body. Each is good if each be possible; if it be not possible, let me be chaste, not to man but to God. Rahab, too, was a harlot, but after she believed in God, she found salvation.74    Jos. ii. 9. And Judith adorned herself that she might please an adulterer, but because she did this for religion and not for love, no one considered her an adulteress.75    Judith x. This instance turned out well. For if she who entrusted herself to religion both preserved her chastity and her country, perhaps I, by preserving my religion, shall also preserve my chastity. But if Judith had preferred her chastity to her religion, when her country had been lost, she would also have lost her chastity.

25. And so, instructed by such examples, and at the same time bearing in mind the words of the Lord, where He says: “Whosoever shall lose his life for My sake, shall find it,”76    S. Matt. x. 39. she wept, and was silent, that the adulterer might not even hear her speaking, and she did not choose the wrong done to her modesty, but rejected wrong done to Christ. Consider whether it was possible for her to suffer her body to be unchaste, who guarded even her speech.

26. For some time my words have been becoming bashful, and fear to laud on or describe the wicked series of what was done. Close your ears, ye virgins! The Virgin of God is taken to a house of shame. But now unclose your ears, ye virgins. The Virgin of Christ can be exposed to shame, but cannot be contaminated. Everywhere she is the Virgin of God, and the Temple of God, and houses of ill-fame cannot injure chastity, but chastity does away with the ill-fame of the place.

27. A great rush of wanton men is made to the place. Listen, ye holy virgins, to the miracles of the martyr, forget the name of the place. The door is shut within, the hawks cry without; some are contending who shall first attack the prey. But she, with her hands raised to heaven, as though she had come to a house of prayer, not to a resort of lust, says: “O Christ, Who didst tame the fierce lions for the virgin Daniel,77    Dan. vi. 22. Thou canst also tame the fierce minds of men. Fire became as dew to the Hebrew children,78    Dan. iii. 27 [50]. the water stood up for the Jews, of Thy mercy, not of its own nature.79    Ex. xiv. 22. Susanna knelt down for punishment and triumphed over her adulterous accusers,80    Hist. Sus. 45. the right hand withered which violated the gifts of Thy temple;81    1 [3] Kings xiii. 4. and now thy temple itself is violated; suffer not sacrilegious incest, Thou Who didst not suffer theft. Let Thy Name be now again glorified in that I who came here for shame, may go away a virgin!”

28. Scarcely had she finished her prayer, when, lo! a man with the aspect of a terrible warrior burst in. How the virgin trembled before him to whom the trembling people gave way. But she did not forget what she had read. “Daniel,” said she, “had gone to see the punishment of Susanna, and alone pronounced her guiltless,82    Hist. Sus. 46. whom the people had condemned. A sheep may be hidden in the shape of this wolf. Christ has His soldiers also, Who is Master of legions.83    S. Matt. xxvi. 53. Or, perchance, an executioner has come in. Fear not, my soul, such an one makes martyrs. O Virgin! thy faith has saved thee.”

29. And the soldier said to her: “Fear not, sister, I pray you. I, a brother, am come hither to save life, not to destroy it. Save me, that you yourself may be saved. I came in like an adulterer, to go forth, if you will, as a martyr. Let us change our attire, mine will fit you, and yours will fit me, and each for Christ. Your robe will make me a true soldier, mine will make you a virgin. You will be clothed well, I shall be unclothed even better that the persecutor may recognize me. Take the garment which will conceal the woman, give me that which shall consecrate me a martyr. Put on the cloak which will hide the limbs of a virgin, but preserve her modesty. Take the cap which will cover your hair and conceal your countenance. They who have entered houses of ill-fame are wont to blush. When you have gone forth, take care not to look back, remembering Lot’s wife,84    Gen. xix. 26. who lost her very nature because she looked back at what was unchaste, though with chaste eyes. And be not afraid lest any part of the sacrifice fail. I will offer the victim to God for you, do you offer the soldier to Christ for me. You have served the good service of chastity, the wages of which are everlasting life; you have the breastplate of righteousness, which protects the body with spiritual armour, the shield of faith with which to ward off wounds, and the helmet of salvation,85    Eph. vi. 14–17. for there is the defence of our salvation where Christ is, since the man is the head of the woman. and Christ of the virgin.”

30. Whilst saying this he put off his cloak. This garment has been up to this time suspected of being that of a persecutor and adulterer. The virgin offered her neck, the soldier his cloak. What a spectacle that was, what a manifestation of grace when they were contending for martyrdom in a house of ill-fame! Let the characters be also considered, a soldier and a virgin, that is, persons unlike in natural disposition, but alike by the mercy of God, that the saying might be fulfilled: “Then the wolves and the lambs shall feed together.”86    Isa. lxv. 25. Behold the lamb and the wolf not only feed together but are also offered together. Why should I say more? Having changed her garment, the maiden flies from the snare, not now with wings of her own, seeing she was borne on spiritual wings, and (a sight which the ages had never seen) she leaves the house of ill-fame a virgin, but a virgin of Christ.

31. But they who were looking with their eyes, yet saw not, raged like robbers for prey, or wolves for a lamb. One who was more shameless went in. But when he took in the state of the matter with his eyes, he said, What is this? A maiden entered, now a man is to be seen here. This is not the old fable of a hind instead of a maiden, but in truth a virgin become a soldier. I had heard but believed not that Christ changed water into wine; now He has begun also to change the sexes. Let us depart hence whilst we still are what we were. Am I too changed who see things differently from what I believe them to be? I came to a house of ill-fame, and see a surety.87    The soldier who remained in the place of the virgin is spoken of as being her “surety.” And yet I go forth changed, for I shall go out chaste who came in unchaste.

32. When the affair was known, because a crown was due to such a conqueror, he was condemned for the virgin who was seized for the virgin, and so not only a virgin but a martyr came forth from the house of ill-fame. It is reported that the maiden ran to the place of punishment, and that they both contended for death. He said: “I am condemned to death, the sentence let you go free when it retained me.” And she replied: “I did not choose you as my surety on pain of death, but as a guarantee for my chastity. If chastity be attacked, my sex remains; if blood is sought, I desire none to give bail for me, I have the means to pay. The sentence was pronounced on me, which was pronounced for me. Undoubtedly, if I had offered you as security for my debt, and in my absence the judge had assigned your property to the creditor, you would share the sentence with me, and I should pay your obligations with my patrimony. Were I to refuse, who would not judge me worthy of a shameful death? How much more am I bound where there is a question of death? Let me die innocent, that I may not die guilty. In this matter there is no middle course; today I shall either be guilty of your blood or a martyr in my own. If I came back quickly, who dares to shut me out? If I delayed, who dares acquit me? I owe a greater debt to the laws who am guilty not only of my own flight, but also of the death of another. My limbs are equal to death, which were not equal to dishonour. A virgin can accept a wound who could not accept contumely. I avoided disgrace, not martyrdom. I gave up my robe to you; I did not alter my profession. And if you deprive me of death, you will not have rescued but circumvented me. Beware, pray, of resisting, beware of venturing to contend with me. Take not away the kindness you have conferred on me. In denying me the execution of this sentence, you are setting up again the former one. For the sentence is changed for a former one. If the latter binds me not, the former one does. We can each satisfy the sentence if you suffer me to be slain first. From you they can exact no other penalty, but her chastity is in danger with a virgin. And so you will be more glorious if you are seen to have made a martyr of an adulteress. than to have made again an adulteress of a martyr.”

33. What do you think was the end? The two contended, and both gained the victory, and the crown was not divided, but became two. So the holy martyrs, conferring benefits one on the other, gave the one the impulse and the other the result to their martyrdom.

CAPUT IV.

Antiochena virgo, cum sacrificare idolis recusaret, 0212C ad lupanar damnata, inde militis christiani opera, mutatis inter se vestibus, sine ullo pudoris damno evadit; at cum ille propterea duceretur ad supplicium, haec e vestigio rediens, constanter de palma cum eodem contendit, qua tandem uterque donati sunt.

22. Antiochiae nuper virgo quaedam fuit fugitans publici visus: sed quo magis virorum evitabat oculos, eo amplius incendebat. Pulchritudo enim audita nec visa plus desideratur, duobus stimulis cupiditatum, amoris et cognitionis: dum et nihil occurrit quod minus placeat, et plus putatur esse quod placeat, quod non judex oculus 0213A explorat, sed animus amator exoptat. Itaque sancta virgo, ne diutius alerentur potiendi spe cupiditates, integritatem 168 pudoris professa, sic restinxit improborum faces, ut non jam amaretur, sed proderetur.

23. Ecce persecutio. Puella fugere nescia, certe pavida, ne incideret insidiatores pudoris, animum ad virtutem paravit: tam religiosa, ut mortem non timeret: tam pudica, ut exspectaret. Venit coronae dies. Maxima omnium exspectatio. Producitur puella, duplex professa certamen, et castitatis, et religionis. Sed ubi viderunt constantiam professionis, metum pudoris, paratam ad cruciatus, erubescentem ad aspectus, excogitare coeperunt quemadmodum specie castitatis religionem tollerent; 0213B ut cum id abstulissent quod erat amplius, etiam id eriperent quod reliquerant. Aut sacrificare virginem, aut lupanari prostitui jubent. Quomodo deos suos colunt, qui sic vindicant: aut quemadmodum ipsi vivunt, qui ita judicant?

24. Hic puella non quod de religione ambigeret; sed de pudore trepidaret, ipsa secum: Quid agimus? Hodie aut martyr, aut virgo: altera in nobis invidetur corona. Sed nec virginis nomen agnoscitur, ubi virginitatis auctor negatur. Nam quemadmodum virgo, si meretricem colas: quemadmodum virgo, si adulteros diligas, quemadmodum virgo, si amorem petas? Tolerabilius est (22, q. 5, cap. Tolerabilius) mentem virginem quam carnem habere. Utrumque bonum, si liceat: si 0213C non liceat, saltem non homini castae, sed Deo simus. Et Rahab meretrix fuit, sed postquam Deo credidit, salutem invenit. (Josue II, 9 et seq.). Et Judith se, ut adultero placeret, ornavit (Judith. IX, 1 et seq.); quae tamen quia hoc religione, non amore faciebat, nemo eam adulteram judicavit. Bene successit exemplum. Nam si illa quae se commisit religioni, et pudorem servavit et patriam; fortassis et nos servando religionem, servabimus etiam castitatem. Quod si Judith pudicitiam religioni praeferre voluisset, perdita patria, etiam pudicitiam perdidisset.

25. Itaque talibus informata exemplis, simul animo tenens verba Domini, quibus ait: Quicumque perdiderit animam suam propter me, inveniet eam 0213D (Marc. X, 39); flevit, tacuit, ne eam vel loquentem adulter audiret: nec pudoris elegit injuriam, sed Christi recusavit. Aestimate utrum adulterare potuerit corpus, quae nec vocem adulteravit.

26. Jamdudum verecundatur oratio mea, et quasi adire gestorum seriem criminosam atque explanare 0214A formidat. Claudite aurem, virgines. Ducitur puella Dei ad lupanar. Sed aperite aurem, virgines. Christi virgo prostitui potest, adulterari non potest. Ubicumque virgo Dei est, 169 templum Dei est: nec lupanaria infamant castitatem, sed castitas etiam loci abolet infamiam.

27. Fit ingens petulantium concursus ad fornicem. Discite martyrum miracula, sanctae virgines, dediscite locorum vocabula. Clauditur intus columba, strepunt accipitres foris: certant singuli, quis praedam primus invadat. At illa manibus ad coelum levatis, quasi ad domum venisset orationis, non ad libidinis diversorium: Christe, inquit, qui domuisti Danieli virgini feros leones (Dan. XIV, 39), potes etiam domare hominum feras mentes. Chaldaeis 0214B roravit ignis (Dan. III, 50), Judaeis se unda suspendit (Exod. XIV, 21), misericordia tua, non natura sua. Susanna ad supplicium genu fixit, et de adulteris triumphavit (Dan. XIII, 42): aruit dextera quae templi tui dona violavit (III Reg. XIII, 4): nunc templum ipsum attrectatur tuum; ne patiaris incestum sacrilegii, qui non passus es furtum. Benedicatur et nunc nomen tuum; ut quae ad adulterium veni, virgo discedam.

28. Vix compleverat precem, et ecce vir militis specie terribilis irrupit. Quemadmodum eum virgo tremuit, cui populus tremens cessit? Sed non illa immemor lectionis: Et Daniel, inquit, supplicium Susannae spectaturus advenerat: et quam populus damnavit, unus absolvit (Dan. XIII, 45 et seq.). Potest 0214C et in hoc lupi habitu ovis latere. Habet et Christus milites suos, qui etiam legiones habet (Matth. XXVI, 53). Aut fortasse percussor intravit. Ne vereare, anima, talis solet martyres facere. O virgo, fides tua te salvam fecit!

29. Cui miles: Ne, quaeso, paveas, soror. Frater huc veni salvare animam, non perdere. Serva me, ut ipsa serveris. Quasi adulter ingressus, si vis, martyr egrediar. Vestimenta mutemus; conveniunt mihi tua, et mea tibi: sed utraque Christo. Tua vestis me verum militem faciet, mea te virginem. Bene tu vestieris, ego melius exuar, ut me persecutor agnoscat. Sume habitum, qui abscondat feminam: trade, qui consecret martyrem. Induere chlamidem quae occultet membra virginis, servetque pudorem. 0214D Sume pileum quod tegat crines, abscondat ora. Solent erubescere qui lupanar intraverint. Sane cum egressa fueris, ne respicias retro, memor uxoris Loth quae naturam suam, quia impudicos licet castis oculis respexit, amisit (Gen. XIX, 26). Nec vereare ne quid pereat sacrificio. Ego pro te hostiam Deo reddo, 0215A tu pro me militem Christo. Habes bonam militiam castitatis, quae stipendiis militat sempiternis: Ioricam justitiae, quae spiritali munimine corpus includat: scutum fidei, quo vulnus repellas: galeam salutis; ibi enim est praesidium nostrae salutis, ubi Christus: quoniam mulieris caput vir, virginis Christus.

30. Et inter haec verba chlamydem exuit. Suspectus tamen adhuc habitus et persecutoris et adulteri. Virgo cervicem, chlamydem miles offerre. Quae pompa illa, quae gratia, cum in lupanari de martyrio certarent! Addantur personae, miles et virgo, hoc est, dissimiles inter se 170 natura, sed Dei miseratione consimiles; ut compleatur oraculum: Tunc lupi et agni simul pascentur (Esai. LXV, 25). 0215B Ecce agna et lupus non solum pascuntur simul, sed etiam immolantur. Quid plura? Mutato habitu, evolat puella de laqueo, jam non suis alis, ut pote quae spiritalibus ferebatur: et (quod nulla umquam viderunt saecula) egreditur de lupanari virgo, sed Christi.

31. At illi qui videbant oculis, et non videbant, ceu raptores ad agnam, ceu lupi fremere ad praedam. Unus qui erat immodestior, introivit. Sed ubi hausit oculis rei textum: Quid hoc, inquit, est? Puella ingressa est, vir videtur. Ecce non fabulosum illud cerva pro virgine, sed quod verum est, miles ex virgine. At etiam audieram et non credideram, quod aquam Christus in vinum convertit (Joan. II, 9): jam mutare coepit et sexus. Recedamus hinc, dum adhuc qui fuimus, sumus. Numquid et ipse mutatus 0215C sum, qui aliud cerno, quam credo? Ad lupanar veni, cerno vadimonium: et tamen mutatus egrediar, pudicus exibo, qui adulter intravi.

32. Indicio rei, quia debebatur tanto corona victori, damnatus est pro virgine, qui pro virgine comprehensus est. Ita de lupanari non solum virgo, sed etiam martyres exierunt. Fertur puella ad locum supplicii cucurrisse, certasse ambos de nece, cum ille diceret: Ego sum jussus occidi, te absolvit sententia, quando me tenuit. At illa clamare coepit: Non ego te mortis vadem elegi, sed praedem pudoris optavi. Si pudor quaeritur, manet sexus: si sanguis exposcitur, fidejussorem non desidero, habeo unde dissolvam. In me lata ista sententia, quae pro me lata est. Certe si pecuniae te fidejussorem dedissem; 0215D et absente me, judex tuum censum feneratori adjudicasset; eadem me sententia convenires, meo patrimonio solverem tuos nexus. Si recusarem, quis me indignam indigna morte censeret? Quanto major est capitis hujus usura! Moriar innocens, ne moriar 0216A nocens. Nihil hic medium est: hodie aut rea ero tui sanguinis, aut martyr mei. Si cito redii, quis me audet excludere? Si moram feci, quis audet absolvere? Plus legibus debeo, rea non solum fugae meae, sed etiam caedis alienae. Sufficiunt membra morti, quae non sufficiebant injuriae. Est in virgine vulneri locus, qui non erat contumeliae. Ego opprobrium declinavi, non martyrium. Tibi cessi vestem, non professionem mutavi. Quod si mihi praeripis mortem, non redemisti me, sed circumvenisti. Cave, quaeso, ne contendas, cave ne contradicere audeas. Noli eripere beneficium, quod dedisti. Dum mihi hanc sententiam negas, illam restituis superiorem. Sententia enim sententia superiore mutatur. Si posterior me non tenet, tenet superior. Possumus uterque 0216B satisfacere sententiae, si me prius patiaris occidi. In te non habent aliam quam exerceant, poenam: in virgine obnoxius 171 pudor est. Itaque gloriosior eris, si videaris de adultera martyrem fecisse, quam de martyre adulteram reddidisse.

33. Quid exspectatis? Duo contenderunt, et ambo vicerunt: nec divisa est corona, sed addita. Ita sancti martyres invicem sibi beneficia conferentes, altera principium martyrio dedit, alter effectum.