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On the Dress of Virgins

Cyprian of Carthage

Section 21

About this work

Author: Cyprian of Carthage

21. Therefore hear me, O virgins, as a parent

‹ Section 20 Section 22 ›

;

hear

,

I

beseech

you

,

one

who

fears

while

he

warns

;

hear

one

who

is

faithfully

consulting

for

your

advantage

and

your

profit

.

Be

such

as

God

the

Creator

made

you

;

be

such

as

the

hand

of

your

Father

ordained

you

.

Let

your

countenance

remain

in

you

incorrupt

,

your

neck

unadorned

,

your

figure

simple

;

let

not

wounds

be

made

in

your

ears

,

nor

let

the

precious

chain

of

bracelets

and

necklaces

circle

your

arms

or

your

neck

;

let

your

feet

be

free

from

golden

bands

,

your

hair

stained

with

no

dye

,

your

eyes

worthy

of

beholding

God

.

Let

your

baths

be

performed

with

women

,

among

whom

your

bathing

is

modest

.

Let

the

shameless

feasts

and

lascivious

banquets

of

marriages

be

avoided

,

the

contagion

of

which

is

perilous

.

Overcome

dress

,

since

you

are

a

virgin

;

overcome

gold

,

since

you

overcome

the

flesh

and

the

world

.

It

is

not

consistent

to

be

unable

to

be

conquered

by

the

greater

,

and

to

be

found

no

match

for

the

less

.

Strait

and

narrow

is

the

way

which

leadeth

to

life

;

hard

and

difficult

is

the

track

which

tends

to

glory

.

By

this

pathway

the

martyrs

progress

,

the

virgins

pass

,

the

just

of

all

kinds

advance

.

Avoid

the

broad

and

roomy

ways

.

There

are

deadly

snares

and

death

-

bringing

pleasures

;

there

the

devil

flatters

,

that

he

may

deceive

;

smiles

,

that

he

may

do

mischief

;

entices

,

that

he

may

slay

.

The

first

fruit

for

the

martyrs

is

a

hundred

-

fold

;

the

second

is

yours

,

sixty

-

fold

.

As

with

the

martyrs

there

is

no

thought

of

the

flesh

and

of

the

world

,

no

small

,

and

trifling

,

and

delicate

encounter

;

so

also

in

you

,

whose

reward

is

second

in

grace

,

let

there

be

the

strength

in

endurance

next

to

theirs

.

The

ascent

to

great

things

is

not

easy

.

What

toil

we

suffer

,

what

labour

,

when

we

endeavour

to

ascend

the

hills

and

the

tops

of

mountains

!

What

,

then

,

that

we

may

ascend

to

heaven

?

If

you

look

to

the

reward

of

the

promise

,

your

labour

is

less

.

Immortality

is

given

to

the

persevering

,

eternal

life

is

set

before

them

;

the

Lord

promises

a

kingdom

.

Notes

38
Otherwise read, “among you;” or possibly, “whose bathing is modest towards you.”