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Banquet of the Ten Virgins

Methodius of Olympus

Chapter 4

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 IV.—Exhortation to the Cultivation of Virginity; A Passage from the Apocalypse is Proposed to Be Examined.

Now, then, O Virgins, daughters of

‹ Chapter 3 Chapter 5 ›

undefiled

temperance

,

let

us

strive

for

a

life

of

blessedness

and

the

kingdom

of

heaven

.

And

do

ye

unite

with

those

before

you

in

an

earnest

desire

for

the

same

glory

of

chastity

,

caring

little

for

the

things

of

this

life

.

For

immortality

and

chastity

do

not

contribute

a

little

to

happiness

,

raising

up

the

flesh

aloft

,

and

drying

up

its

moisture

and

its

clay

-

like

weight

,

by

a

greater

force

of

attraction

.

And

let

not

the

uncleanness

which

you

hear

creep

in

and

weigh

you

down

to

the

earth

;

nor

let

sorrow

transform

your

joy

,

melting

away

your

hopes

in

better

things

;

but

shake

off

incessantly

the

calamities

which

come

upon

you

,

not

defiling

your

mind

with

lamentations

.

Let

faith

conquer

wholly

,

and

let

its

light

drive

away

the

visions

of

evil

which

crowd

around

the

heart

.

For

,

as

when

the

moon

brightly

shining

fills

the

heaven

with

its

light

,

and

all

the

air

becomes

clear

,

but

suddenly

the

clouds

from

the

west

,

enviously

rushing

in

,

for

a

little

while

overshadow

its

light

,

but

do

not

destroy

it

,

since

they

are

immediately

driven

away

by

a

blast

of

the

wind

;

so

ye

also

,

when

causing

the

light

of

chastity

to

shine

in

the

world

,

although

pressed

upon

by

afflictions

and

labours

,

do

not

grow

weary

and

abandon

your

hopes

.

For

the

clouds

which

come

from

the

Evil

One

are

driven

away

by

the

Spirit

,

if

ye

,

like

your

Mother

,

who

gives

birth

to

the

male

Virgin

in

heaven

,

fear

nothing

the

serpent

that

lies

in

wait

and

plots

against

you

;

concerning

whom

I

intend

to

discourse

to

you

more

plainly

;

for

it

is

now

time

.

John, in the course of the Apocalypse, says: “And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars: and she, being with child, cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered. And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads. And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born. And she brought forth a man-child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to His throne. And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days.” So far we have given, in brief, the history of the woman and the dragon. But to search out and explain the solution of them is beyond my powers. Nevertheless, let me venture, trusting in Him who commanded to search the Scriptures. If, then, you agree with this, it will not be difficult to undertake it; for you will quite pardon me, if I am unable sufficiently to explain the exact meaning of the Scripture.

Notes

2
The same word in the text which is translated wind: πνεῦμα. The play upon the word cannot be preserved in the translation.—Tr.
3
Rev. xii. 1–6.
4
St. John v. 39.