Chapter IV.

Having summed up the address of Liberius, St. Ambrose passes on to the virtues of his sister, especially her fasts, which however he advises her to moderate to some extent, and to exercise herself in other matters, after the example which he adduces. Especially he recommends the Lord’s Prayer, and the repetition of Psalms by night, and the recitation of the Creed before daylight.

15. After such a fashion did Liberius of holy memory address you, in words beyond the reality of practice in most cases, but coming short of your performance, who have not only attained to the whole of discipline by your virtue, but have surpassed it in your zeal. For we are bidden to practise fasting, but only for single days; but you, multiplying nights and days, pass untold periods without food, and if ever requested to partake of some, and to lay aside your book a little while, you at once answer: “Man doth not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.”119    S. Matt. iv. 4. Your very meals consisted but of what food came to hand, so that fasting is to be preferred to eating what was repugnant; your drink is from the spring, your weeping and prayer combine, your sleep is on your book.

16. These kings were suited to younger years, whilst he was ripening with the gray hairs of age; but when a virgin has gained the triumph over her subdued body, she should lessen her toil, that she may be preserved as teacher for a younger age. The vine laden with the fruitful branches of full growth soon breaks unless it be from time to time kept back. But whilst it is young let it grow rank, and as it grows older be pruned, so as not to grow into a forest of twigs, or die deprived of life by its exceptive produce. A good husbandman by tending the soil keeps the vine in excellent order, protects it from cold, and guards it from being parched by the mid-day sun. And he works his land by turns, or if he will not let it lie fallow, he alternates his crops, so that the fields may rest through change of produce. Do you too, a veteran in virginity, at least sow the fields of your breast with different seeds, at one time with moderate sustenance, at another with sparing fasts, with reading, work, and prayer, that change of toil may be as a truce for rest.

17. The whole land does not produce the same harvest. On one side vines grow on the hills, on another you can see the purple olives, elsewhere the scented roses. And after leaving the plough, the strong husbandman with his fingers scrapes the soil to plant the roots of flowers, and with the rough hands wherewith he turns the bullocks striving amongst the vines, he gently presses the udders of the sheep. The land is the better the more numerous are its fruits. So do you, following the example of a good husbandman, avoid cleaving your soil with perpetual fastings as if with deep ploughings. Let the rose of modesty bloom in your garden, and the lily of the mind, and let the violet beds drink from the source of sacred blood. There is a common saying, “What you wish to perform abundantly, sometimes do not do at all.” There ought to be something to add to the days of Lent, but so that nothing be done for the sake of ostentation, but of religion.

18. Frequent prayer also commends us to God. For if the prophet says, “Seven times a day have I praised Thee,”120    Ps. cxix. [cxviii.] 164. though he was busy with the affairs of a kingdom, what ought we to do, who read: “Watch and pray that ye enter not into temptation”?121    S. Matt. xxvi. 41. Certainly our customary prayers ought to be said with giving of thanks, when we rise from sleep, when we go forth, when we prepare to receive food, after receiving it, and at the hour of incense,122    It is doubtful whether incense was burnt as an adjunct of Christian worship so early as the time of St. Ambrose, and the reference here may be to the offering at evening in the Jewish temple. He speaks again of incense in Expos. Ev. sec. Lucam. § 28, but again there is no conclusive proof. It was certainly used as a perfume. when at last we are going to rest.

19. And again in your bed-chamber itself, I would have you join psalms in frequent interchange with the Lord’s prayer, either when you wake up, or before sleep bedews your body, so that at the very commencement of rest sleep may find you free from the care of worldly matters, meditating upon the things of God. And, indeed, he who first found out the name of Philosophy itself,123    Pythagoras. every day before he went to rest, had the flute-player play softer melodies to soothe his mind disturbed by worldly cares. But he, like a man washing tiles, fruitlessly desired to drive away worldly things by worldly means, for he was, indeed, rather besmearing himself with fresh mud, in seeking a reward from pleasure, but let us, having wiped off the filth of earthly vices, purify our utmost souls from every defilement of the flesh.

20. We ought, also, specially to repeat the Creed, as a seal upon our hearts, daily, before light, and to recur to it in thought whenever we are in fear of anything. For when is the soldier in his tent or the warrior in battle without his military oath?

CAPUT IV.

Recitata Liberii exhortatione, sororis virtutes laudat Ambrosius, maxime vero jejunium illius, quod tamen ut tantisper remittat, alternisque exercitiis mentem colat, hortatur, adductis in eam rem exemplis elegantissimis. Praeterea ipsam ad preces frequentandas, orationem Dominicam et psalmos noctu etiam repetendos, recitandumque antelucanis horis symbolum urget.

0224B 15. Haec tecum sanctae memoriae Liberius: quae apud alios majora veris, apud te 178 minora exemplis; ita omnem disciplinam non solum virtute adaequasti, sed etiam aemulatione vicisti. Namque jejunium in praeceptis habemus, sed singulorum dierum: tu autem multiplicatis noctibus ac diebus, innumera tempora sine cibo transigis; et siquando rogaris ut cibum sumas, paulisper deponas codicem, respondes illico: Non in pane solo vivit homo, sed in omni verbo Dei (Matth. IV, 4). Ipse epularum usus cibis obviis; ut edendi fastidio jejunium desideretur: potus e fonte, fletus in prece, somnus in codice.

16. Haec junioribus convenere annis, donec mens 0224C aevi matura canesceret: ast ubi domiti trophaeum corporis virgo sustulerit, moderandum labori, ut magistra suppari servetur aetati. Cito fecundis onerata palmitibus emeritae aetatis vitis crepat, nisi aliquando reprimatur. Eadem tamen donec adolescit, exuberet, et inveterata putetur; ne silvescat sarmentis, aut fetu nimio exanimata moriatur. Bonus agricola optimam vitem et fotu terrae cohibet, et defendit a frigore, et ne meridiano sole uratur, explorat. Agrum quoque vicibus exercet: vel si non patitur otiosum, diversa alternat semina, mutatis ut fetibus arva requiescant. Tu quoque, virgo veterana, pectoris tui colles diversis saltem seminibus sere, nunc alimoniis mediocribus, nunc jejuniis parcioribus, lectione, opere, prece; ut mutatio laboris 0224D induciae sint quietis.

17. Non totus messem generat ager. Hinc de 0225A collibus vineta consurgunt, illic purpurascentes cernas olivas, hic olentes rosas. Saepe etiam relictis aratris, ipse validus agricola digito solum scalpit, ut florum deponat radices: et asperis manibus quibus luctantes inter vineta flectit juvencos, molliter ovium pressat ubera. Eo quippe melior ager est, quo numerosior fructus. Ergo et tu boni agricolae exemplum secuta, non perennibus jejuniis tamquam depressis vomeribus humum tuam findas. Floreat in hortis tuis rosa pudoris, lilium mentis, et irriguum sacri sanguinis violaria bibant fontem. Vulgo hoc ferunt: Quod velis prolixe facere, aliquando ne feceris. Debet esse aliquid, quod Quadragesimae diebus addatur: sed ita, ut nihil ostentationis causa fiat, sed religionis.

0225B 18. Oratio quoque nos Deo crebra commendet. Si enim propheta dicit: Septies in die laudem dixi tibi (Psal. CXVIII, 164), qui regni erat necessitatibus occupatus; quid nos facere oportet, qui legimus: Vigilate et orate, ne intretis in tentationem (Matth. XXVI, 41)? Certe solemnes orationes cum gratiarum actione sunt deferendae, cum e somno surgimus, cum prodimus, cum cibum paramus sumere, cum sumpserimus, 179 et hora incensi, cum denique cubitum pergimus.

19. Sed etiam in ipso cubili volo psalmos cum oratione Dominica frequenti contexas vice, vel cum evigilaveris, vel antequam corpus sopor irriget; ut te in ipso quietis exordio rerum saecularium cura liberam, divina meditantem somnus inveniat. Denique 0225C etiam qui primus philosophiae ipsius nomen invenit, quotidie priusquam cubitum iret, tibicinem jubebat molliora canere, ut anxia curis saecularibus corda mulceret. Sed ille, sicut is qui laterem lavat, saecularia saecularibus frustra cupiebat abolere; magis enim se oblinibat luto, qui remedium a voluptate quaerebat: nos autem terrenorum vitiorum colluvione detersa, ab omni inquinamento carnis mentium interna mundemus.

20. Symbolum quoque specialiter debemus tamquam nostri signaculum cordis antelucanis horis quotidie recensere: quo etiam cum horremus aliquid, animo recurrendum est. Quando enim sine militiae sacramento, miles in tentorio, bellator in praelio?