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Of the Discipline and Advantage of Chastity

Pseudo-Cyprian

Section 12

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Author: Pseudo-Cyprian

12. For what is chastity but a virtuous mind

‹ Section 11 Section 13 ›

added

to

watchfulness

over

the

body

;

so

that

modesty

observed

in

respect

of

the

sexual

relations

,

attested

by

strictness

(

of

demeanour

)

,

should

maintain

honourable

faith

by

an

uncorrupted

offspring

?

Moreover

,

to

chastity

,

brethren

,

are

suited

and

are

known

first

of

all

divine

modesty

,

and

the

sacred

meditation

of

the

divine

precepts

,

and

a

soul

inclined

to

faith

,

and

a

mind

attuned

to

the

sacredness

of

religion

:

then

carefulness

that

nothing

in

itself

should

be

elaborated

beyond

measure

,

or

extended

beyond

propriety

;

that

nothing

should

be

made

a

show

of

,

nothing

artfully

coloured

;

that

there

should

be

nothing

to

pander

to

the

excitement

or

the

renewal

of

wiles

.

She

is

not

a

modest

woman

who

strives

to

stir

up

the

fancy

of

another

,

even

although

her

bodily

chastity

be

preserved

.

Away

with

such

as

do

not

adorn

,

but

prostitute

their

beauty

.

For

anxiety

about

beauty

is

not

only

the

wisdom

of

an

evil

mind

,

but

belongs

to

deformity

.

Let

the

bodily

nature

be

free

,

nor

let

any

sort

of

force

be

intruded

upon

God’s

works

.

She

is

always

wretched

who

is

not

satisfied

to

be

such

as

she

is

.

Wherefore

is

the

colour

of

hair

changed

?

Why

are

the

edges

of

the

eyes

darkened

?

Why

is

the

face

moulded

by

art

into

a

different

form

?

Finally

,

why

is

the

looking

-

glass

consulted

,

unless

from

fear

lest

a

woman

should

be

herself

?

Moreover

,

the

dress

of

a

modest

woman

should

be

modest

;

a

believer

should

not

be

conscious

of

adultery

even

in

the

mixture

of

colours

.

To

wear

gold

in

one’s

garments

is

as

if

it

were

desirable

to

corrupt

one’s

garments

.

What

do

rigid

metals

do

among

the

delicate

threads

of

the

woven

textures

,

except

to

press

upon

the

enervated

shoulders

,

and

unhappily

to

show

the

extravagance

of

a

boastful

soul

?

Why

are

the

necks

oppressed

and

hidden

by

outlandish

stones

,

the

prices

of

which

,

without

workmanship

,

exceed

the

entire

fortune

of

many

a

one

?

It

is

not

the

woman

that

is

adorned

,

but

the

woman’s

vices

that

are

manifested

.

What

,

when

the

fingers

laden

with

so

much

gold

can

neither

close

nor

open

,

is

there

any

advantage

sought

for

,

or

is

it

merely

to

show

the

empty

parade

of

one’s

estate

?

It

is

a

marvellous

thing

that

women

,

tender

in

all

things

else

,

in

bearing

the

burden

of

their

vices

are

stronger

than

men

.

Notes

14
[“Kalendarium cujusvis excedunt.” The kalendaria were tablets of monthly accounts, in which the monthly interest due, etc., were set down. “Exceed the entire monthly income” would be better. Tertullian uses the same word, “exhaust thekalendarium,” rendered by our Edinburgh translator (vol. iv. p. 18), a “fortune.” In this treatise Tertullian is constantly copied and quoted.]