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Banquet of the Ten Virgins

Methodius of Olympus

Chapter 1

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 I.—The Necessity of Praising Virtue, for Those Who Have the Power.

If the art of speaking, O virgins,

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always

went

by

the

same

ways

,

and

passed

along

the

same

path

,

there

would

be

no

way

to

avoid

wearying

you

for

one

who

persisted

in

the

arguments

which

had

already

been

urged

.

But

since

there

are

of

arguments

myriads

of

currents

and

ways

,

God

inspiring

us

“

at

sundry

times

and

in

divers

manners

,

”

who

can

have

the

choice

of

holding

back

or

of

being

afraid

?

For

he

would

not

be

free

from

blame

to

whom

the

gift

has

been

given

,

if

he

failed

to

adorn

that

which

is

honourable

with

words

of

praise

.

Come

then

,

we

also

,

according

to

our

gifts

,

will

sing

the

brightest

and

most

glorious

star

of

Christ

,

which

is

chastity

.

For

this

way

of

the

Spirit

is

very

wide

and

large

.

Beginning

,

therefore

,

at

the

point

from

which

we

may

say

those

things

which

are

suitable

and

fitting

to

the

subject

before

us

,

let

us

from

thence

consider

it

.

Notes

1
πολυμερῶς καὶ πολυτρόπως. Heb. i. 1.