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Banquet of the Ten Virgins

Methodius of Olympus

Chapter 3

About this work

A literary symposium in which ten women offer speeches on virginity, creation, Scripture, virtue, and Christian perfection, consciously adapting the form of a classical philosophical banquet.

Author: Methodius of Olympus
Date: Late 3rd century
Origin: Eastern Mediterranean
Genre: Dialogue

Chapter III.—The Same Endeavour and Effort After Virginity, with a Different Result.

Now when it is said that “the kingdom

‹ Chapter 2 Chapter 4 ›

of

heaven

is

likened

unto

ten

virgins

,

which

took

their

lamps

and

went

forth

to

meet

the

bridegroom

,

”

this

means

that

the

same

way

towards

the

goal

had

been

entered

upon

,

as

is

shown

by

the

mark

X

.

By

profession

they

had

equally

proposed

the

same

end

,

and

therefore

they

are

called

ten

,

since

,

as

I

have

said

,

they

chose

the

same

profession

;

but

they

did

not

,

for

all

that

,

go

forth

in

the

same

way

to

meet

the

bridegroom

.

For

some

provided

abundant

future

nourishment

for

their

lamps

which

were

fed

with

oil

,

but

others

were

careless

,

thinking

only

of

the

present

.

And

,

therefore

,

they

are

divided

into

two

equal

numbers

of

five

,

inasmuch

as

the

one

class

preserved

the

five

senses

,

which

most

people

consider

the

gates

of

wisdom

,

pure

and

undefiled

by

sins

;

but

the

others

,

on

the

contrary

,

corrupted

them

by

multitudes

of

sins

,

defiling

themselves

with

evil

.

For

having

restrained

them

,

and

kept

them

free

from

righteousness

,

they

bore

a

more

abundant

crop

of

transgressions

,

in

consequence

of

which

it

came

to

pass

that

they

were

forbidden

,

and

shut

out

from

the

divine

courts

.

For

whether

,

on

the

one

hand

,

we

do

right

,

or

,

on

the

other

,

do

wrong

through

these

senses

,

our

habits

of

good

and

evil

are

confirmed

.

And

as

Thallousa

said

that

there

is

a

chastity

of

the

eyes

,

and

of

the

ears

,

and

of

the

tongue

,

and

so

on

of

the

other

senses

;

so

here

she

who

keeps

inviolate

the

faith

of

the

five

pathways

of

virtue

—

sight

,

taste

,

smell

,

touch

,

and

hearing

—

is

called

by

the

name

of

the

five

virgins

,

because

she

has

kept

the

five

forms

of

the

sense

pure

to

Christ

,

as

a

lamp

,

causing

the

light

of

holiness

to

shine

forth

clearly

from

each

of

them

.

For

the

flesh

is

truly

,

as

it

were

,

our

five

-

lighted

lamp

,

which

the

soul

will

bear

like

a

torch

,

when

it

stands

before

Christ

the

Bridegroom

,

on

the

day

of

the

resurrection

,

showing

her

faith

springing

out

clear

and

bright

through

all

the

senses

,

as

He

Himself

taught

,

saying

,

“

I

am

come

to

send

fire

on

the

earth

;

and

what

will

I

if

it

be

already

kindled

?

”

meaning

by

the

earth

our

bodies

,

in

which

He

wished

the

swift

-

moving

and

fiery

operation

of

His

doctrine

to

be

kindled

.

Now

the

oil

represents

wisdom

and

righteousness

;

for

while

the

soul

rains

down

unsparingly

,

and

pours

forth

these

things

upon

the

body

,

the

light

of

virtue

is

kindled

unquenchably

,

making

its

good

actions

to

shine

before

men

,

so

that

our

Father

which

is

in

heaven

may

be

glorified

.

Notes

1
Matt. xxv.
2
In Greek ί = ten. The word employed signifies the index of a sun-dial.—Tr. [The lamps found in the Roman catacombs have this mark (X), which is at once a monogram for Christ and a reference to the ten virgins. In the Greek the accented Iota might yet be associated with the initial of Jesus.]
3
Luke xii. 49. The Latin version is certainly more accurate, “Quid volo nisi ut accendatur?”—Tr. [A visionary interpretation follows. But has not this text been too much overlooked in its literal significance? “It is the last time.” The planet is now on fire.]
4
Matt. v. 16.