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to be fluttered by childish things. Let him be taught to consider money as nothing, human glory as nothing, power as nothing, death as nothing, the present life as nothing; thus he will be wise. If with such training we bring him to the bridal chamber, consider how great the gift will be to the bride. And let us hold the wedding not with flutes, not with lyres, nor with dances; for it is a great absurdity for such a bridegroom to be shamed by such things. But let us call Christ there; for the bridegroom is henceforth worthy of him; let us invite his disciples. With him all things will be most beautiful. And he himself will then learn so to discipline his own children, and they their own, and so there will be a golden chain. And let us make him also engage in public affairs according to his ability, those which do not involve sin. For if he serves in the army, let him learn not to make shameful gain; if he advocates for the wronged, or any such thing. And let the mother also learn to instruct her own daughter in these things and to lead her away from extravagance and finery and all other things, which belong to harlots. According to this law then let her do everything and lead away from luxury and drunkenness, both the young man and the maiden. For this too is a great thing for self-control; for desire troubles the young men, and for women, love of finery and flightiness. Let us therefore subdue all these things, and so we shall be able to please God by raising such athletes, so that we and our children may be able to attain the good things promised to those who love him, by the grace and loving-kindness of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom to the Father, together with the Holy Spirit, be glory, might, honor, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.

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παιδικὰ ἐπτοῆσθαι. Παιδευέσθω μηδὲν ἡγεῖσθαι χρήματα, μηδὲν δόξαν ἀνθρωπίνην, μηδὲν δυναστείαν, μηδὲν θάνατον, μηδὲν τὴν παροῦσαν ζωήν· οὕτως ἔσται φρόνιμος. Ἐὰν μετὰ τοιαύτης αὐτὸν ἀσκήσεως ἐπὶ τὰς παστάδας ἀγάγωμεν, ἐννόησον ὅσον ἔσται τῇ νύμφῃ τὸ δῶρον. Τοὺς δὲ γάμους ποιῶμεν μὴ μετὰ αὐλῶν, μὴ μετὰ κιθάρας μηδὲ μετὰ ὀρχημάτων· τὸν γὰρ τοιοῦτον νυμφίον ἀτοπίας πολλῆς τοιούτοις αἰσχύνεσθαι. Ἀλλὰ τὸν Χριστὸν καλῶμεν ἐκεῖ· ἄξιος γὰρ αὐτοῦ ὁ νυμφίος λοιπόν· τοὺς αὐτοῦ μαθητὰς παρακαλῶμεν. Ἐκείνῳ πάντα ἔσται τὰ κάλλιστα. Καὶ αὐτὸς λοιπὸν μαθήσεται οὕτω τοὺς παῖδας ῥυθμίζειν τοὺς ἑαυτοῦ, καὶ ἐκεῖνοι τοὺς ἐκείνων, καὶ οὕτως ἔσται σειρὰ χρυσῆ. Ποιῶμεν δὲ αὐτὸν καὶ πραγμάτων ἅπτεσθαι πολιτικῶν τῶν κατὰ δύναμιν, τῶν οὐκ ἐχόντων ἁμαρτήματα. Ἄν τε γὰρ στρατεύηται, μαθέτω μὴ κερδαίνειν αἰσχρῶς· ἄν τε τοῖς ἀδικουμένοις συναγορεύῃ, ἄν τε ὁτιοῦν τοιοῦτον. Καὶ ἡ μήτηρ δὲ μαθέτω τὴν αὑτῆς κόρην τούτοις παιδεύειν καὶ πολυτελείας ἀπάγειν καὶ κόσμου καὶ τῶν ἄλλων ἁπάντων, ἅπερ ἐστὶ πορνῶν γυναικῶν. Κατὰ τοῦτον δὴ τὸν νόμον πάντα ποιείτω καὶ τρυφῆς ἀπαγέτω καὶ μέθης, καὶ τὸν νέον καὶ τὴν κόρην. Καὶ γὰρ καὶ τοῦτο μέγα πρὸς σωφροσύνην· τοῖς μὲν γὰρ νέοις ἡ ἐπιθυμία ἐνοχλεῖ, ταῖς δὲ γυναιξὶ τὸ φιλόκοσμον καὶ ἀνεπτερωμένον. Καὶ ταῦτα οὖν πάντα καταστέλλωμεν, καὶ οὕτως δυνησόμεθα ἀρέσαι τῷ Θεῷ τοιούτους τρέφοντες ἀθλητάς, ἵνα δυνηθῶμεν καὶ ἡμεῖς καὶ οἱ παῖδες τῶν ἐπηγγελμένων ἀγαθῶν τοῖς ἀγαπώσιν αὐτὸν ἐπιτυχεῖν, χάριτι καὶ φιλανθρωπίᾳ τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, μεθ' οὗ τῷ Πατρὶ ἅμα τῷ Ἁγίῳ Πνεύματι δόξα, κράτος, τιμή, νῦν καὶ ἀεὶ καὶ εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν.