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On the Dress of Virgins

Cyprian of Carthage

Section 9

About this work

Author: Cyprian of Carthage

9. You say that you are wealthy and rich. But

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not

everything

that

can

be

done

ought

also

to

be

done

;

nor

ought

the

broad

desires

that

arise

out

of

the

pride

of

the

world

to

be

extended

beyond

the

honour

and

modesty

of

virginity

;

since

it

is

written

,

“

All

things

are

lawful

,

but

all

things

are

not

expedient

:

all

things

are

lawful

,

but

all

things

edify

not

.

”

For

the

rest

,

if

you

dress

your

hair

sumptuously

,

and

walk

so

as

to

draw

attention

in

public

,

and

attract

the

eyes

of

youth

upon

you

,

and

draw

the

sighs

of

young

men

after

you

,

nourish

the

lust

of

concupiscence

,

and

inflame

the

fuel

of

sighs

,

so

that

,

although

you

yourself

perish

not

,

yet

you

cause

others

to

perish

,

and

offer

yourself

,

as

it

were

,

a

sword

or

poison

to

the

spectators

;

you

cannot

be

excused

on

the

pretence

that

you

are

chaste

and

modest

in

mind

.

Your

shameful

dress

and

immodest

ornament

accuse

you

;

nor

can

you

be

counted

now

among

Christ’s

maidens

and

virgins

,

since

you

live

in

such

a

manner

as

to

make

yourselves

objects

of

desire

.

Notes

26
1 Cor. x. 23.