Opening the library…

Search the Bible

On the Dress of Virgins

Cyprian of Carthage

Section 12

About this work

Author: Cyprian of Carthage

12. The characteristics of ornaments, and of garments, and

‹ Section 11 Section 13 ›

the

allurements

of

beauty

,

are

not

fitting

for

any

but

prostitutes

and

immodest

women

;

and

the

dress

of

none

is

more

precious

than

of

those

whose

modesty

is

lowly

.

Thus

in

the

Holy

Scriptures

,

by

which

the

Lord

wished

us

to

be

both

instructed

and

admonished

,

the

harlot

city

is

described

more

beautifully

arrayed

and

adorned

,

and

with

her

ornaments

;

and

the

rather

on

account

of

those

very

ornaments

about

to

perish

.

“

And

there

came

,

”

it

is

said

,

“

one

of

the

seven

angels

,

which

had

the

seven

phials

,

and

talked

with

me

,

saying

,

Come

hither

,

I

will

show

thee

the

judgment

of

the

great

whore

,

that

sitteth

upon

many

waters

,

with

whom

the

kings

of

the

earth

have

committed

fornication

.

And

he

carried

me

away

in

spirit

;

and

I

saw

a

woman

sit

upon

a

beast

,

and

that

woman

was

arrayed

in

a

purple

and

scarlet

mantle

,

and

was

adorned

with

gold

,

and

precious

stones

,

and

pearls

,

having

a

golden

cup

in

her

hand

,

full

of

curses

,

and

filthiness

,

and

fornication

of

the

whole

earth

.

”

Let

chaste

and

modest

virgins

avoid

the

dress

of

the

unchaste

,

the

manners

of

the

immodest

,

the

ensigns

of

brothels

,

the

ornaments

of

harlots

.

Notes

30
Perhaps this sentence would be more literally translated, “and the dress of no women is, generally speaking, more expensive than the dress of those whose modesty is cheap;” i.e., who have no modesty at all, or very little.
31
Apoc. xvii. 1.