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Of the Discipline and Advantage of Chastity

Pseudo-Cyprian

Section 9

About this work

Author: Pseudo-Cyprian

9. But not less from a different direction arises

‹ Section 8 Section 10 ›

to

us

another

similar

instance

of

chastity

from

the

continence

of

women

.

Susanna

,

as

we

read

,

the

daughter

of

Chelcias

,

the

wife

of

Joachim

,

was

exceedingly

beautiful

—

more

beautiful

still

in

character

.

Her

outward

appearance

added

no

charm

to

her

,

for

she

was

simple

:

chastity

had

cultivated

her

;

and

in

addition

to

chastity

nature

alone

.

With

her

,

two

of

the

elders

had

begun

to

be

madly

in

love

,

mindful

of

nothing

,

neither

of

the

fear

of

God

,

nor

even

of

their

age

,

already

withering

with

years

.

Thus

the

flame

of

resuscitated

lust

recalled

them

into

the

glowing

heats

of

their

bygone

youth

.

Robbers

of

chastity

,

they

profess

love

,

while

they

really

hate

.

They

threaten

her

with

calumnies

when

she

resists

;

the

adulterers

in

wish

declare

themselves

the

accusers

of

adultery

.

And

between

these

rocks

of

lust

she

sought

help

of

the

Lord

,

because

she

was

not

equal

to

prevailing

against

them

by

bodily

strength

.

And

the

Lord

heard

from

heaven

chastity

crying

to

Him

;

and

when

she

,

overwhelmed

with

injustice

,

was

being

led

to

punishment

,

she

was

delivered

,

and

saw

her

revenge

upon

her

enemies

.

Twice

victorious

,

and

in

her

peril

so

often

and

so

fatally

hedged

in

,

she

escaped

both

the

lust

and

death

.

It

will

be

endless

if

I

continue

to

produce

more

examples

;

I

am

content

with

these

two

,

especially

as

in

these

cases

chastity

has

been

defended

with

all

their

might

.