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On Idolatry

Tertullian

Chapter 16

About this work

Author: Tertullian

Chapter XVI.—Concerning Private Festivals.

Touching the ceremonies, however, of private and social solemnities—as

‹ Chapter 15 Chapter 17 ›

those

of

the

white

toga

,

of

espousals

,

of

nuptials

,

of

name

-

givings

—

I

should

think

no

danger

need

be

guarded

against

from

the

breath

of

the

idolatry

which

is

mixed

up

with

them

.

For

the

causes

are

to

be

considered

to

which

the

ceremony

is

due

.

Those

above

-

named

I

take

to

be

clean

in

themselves

,

because

neither

manly

garb

,

nor

the

marital

ring

or

union

,

descends

from

honours

done

to

any

idol

.

In

short

,

I

find

no

dress

cursed

by

God

,

except

a

woman’s

dress

on

a

man

:

for

“

cursed

,

”

saith

He

,

“

is

every

man

who

clothes

himself

in

woman’s

attire

.

”

The

toga

,

however

,

is

a

dress

of

manly

name

as

well

as

of

manly

use

.

God

no

more

prohibits

nuptials

to

be

celebrated

than

a

name

to

be

given

.

“

But

there

are

sacrifices

appropriated

to

these

occasions

.

”

Let

me

be

invited

,

and

let

not

the

title

of

the

ceremony

be

“

assistance

at

a

sacrifice

,

”

and

the

discharge

of

my

good

offices

is

at

the

service

of

my

friends

.

Would

that

it

were

“

at

their

service

”

indeed

,

and

that

we

could

escape

seeing

what

is

unlawful

for

us

to

do

.

But

since

the

evil

one

has

so

surrounded

the

world

with

idolatry

,

it

will

be

lawful

for

us

to

be

present

at

some

ceremonies

which

see

us

doing

service

to

a

man

,

not

to

an

idol

.

Clearly

,

if

invited

unto

priestly

function

and

sacrifice

,

I

will

not

go

,

for

that

is

service

peculiar

to

an

idol

;

but

neither

will

I

furnish

advice

,

or

expense

,

or

any

other

good

office

in

a

matter

of

that

kind

.

If

it

is

on

account

of

the

sacrifice

that

I

be

invited

,

and

stand

by

,

I

shall

be

partaker

of

idolatry

;

if

any

other

cause

conjoins

me

to

the

sacrificer

,

I

shall

be

merely

a

spectator

of

the

sacrifice

.

Notes

1
Tertullian should have added, “and a man’s on a woman.” See Deut. xxii. 5. Moreover, the word “cursed” is not used there, but “abomination” is.
2
Because it was called toga virilis—“the manly toga.”
3
[1 Cor. viii. The law of the inspired apostle seems as rigorous here and in 1 Cor. x. 27–29.]