Opening the library…

Home Bible Corpus Discover You

Search the Bible

Banquet of the Ten Virgins

Methodius of Olympus

Chapter 6

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 VI.—God Cares Even for Adulterous Births; Angels Given to Them as Guardians.

But what need is there to protract the argument

‹ Chapter 5 Chapter 7 ›

by

using

such

examples

?

for

nature

could

not

thus

,

in

a

little

time

,

accomplish

so

great

a

work

without

divine

help

.

For

who

gave

to

the

bones

their

fixed

nature

?

and

who

bound

the

yielding

members

with

nerves

,

to

be

extended

and

relaxed

at

the

joints

?

or

who

prepared

channels

for

the

blood

,

and

a

soft

windpipe

for

the

breath

?

or

what

god

caused

the

humours

to

ferment

,

mixing

them

with

blood

and

forming

the

soft

flesh

out

of

the

earth

,

but

only

the

Supreme

Artist

making

us

to

be

man

,

the

rational

and

living

image

of

Himself

,

and

forming

it

like

wax

,

in

the

womb

,

from

moist

slight

seed

?

or

by

whose

providence

was

it

that

the

fœtus

was

not

suffocated

by

damp

when

shut

up

within

,

in

the

connexion

of

the

vessels

?

or

who

,

after

it

was

brought

forth

and

had

come

into

the

light

,

changed

it

from

weakness

and

smallness

to

size

,

and

beauty

,

and

strength

,

unless

God

Himself

,

the

Supreme

Artist

,

as

I

said

,

making

by

His

creative

power

copies

of

Christ

,

and

living

pictures

?

Whence

,

also

,

we

have

received

from

the

inspired

writings

,

that

those

who

are

begotten

,

even

though

it

be

in

adultery

,

are

committed

to

guardian

angels

.

But

if

they

came

into

being

in

opposition

to

the

will

and

the

decree

of

the

blessed

nature

of

God

,

how

should

they

be

delivered

over

to

angels

,

to

be

nourished

with

much

gentleness

and

indulgence

?

and

how

,

if

they

had

to

accuse

their

own

parents

,

could

they

confidently

,

before

the

judgment

seat

of

Christ

,

invoke

Him

and

say

,

“

Thou

didst

not

,

O

Lord

,

grudge

us

this

common

light

;

but

these

appointed

us

to

death

,

despising

Thy

command

?

”

“

For

,

”

He

says

,

“

children

begotten

of

unlawful

beds

are

witnesses

of

wickedness

against

their

parents

at

their

trial

.

”

Notes

1
Wisd. iv. 6.