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On the Apparel of Women

Tertullian

Book 2 · Chapter 1

About this work

Author: Tertullian

Chapter I.—Introduction. Modesty to Be Observed Not Only in Its Essence, But in Its Accessories.

Handmaids of the living God, my fellow-servants and

‹ Book 1 · Chapter 9 Book 2 · Chapter 10 ›

sisters

,

the

right

which

I

enjoy

with

you

—

I

,

the

most

meanest

in

that

right

of

fellow

-

servantship

and

brotherhood

—

emboldens

me

to

address

to

you

a

discourse

,

not

,

of

course

,

of

affection

,

but

paving

the

way

for

affection

in

the

cause

of

your

salvation

.

That

salvation

—

and

not

(

the

salvation

)

of

women

only

,

but

likewise

of

men

—

consists

in

the

exhibition

principally

of

modesty

.

For

since

,

by

the

introduction

into

an

appropriation

(

in

)

us

of

the

Holy

Spirit

,

we

are

all

“

the

temple

of

God

,

”

Modesty

is

the

sacristan

and

priestess

of

that

temple

,

who

is

to

suffer

nothing

unclean

or

profane

to

be

introduced

(

into

it

)

,

for

fear

that

the

God

who

inhabits

it

should

be

offended

,

and

quite

forsake

the

polluted

abode

.

But

on

the

present

occasion

we

(

are

to

speak

)

not

about

modesty

,

for

the

enjoining

and

exacting

of

which

the

divine

precepts

which

press

(

upon

us

)

on

every

side

are

sufficient

;

but

about

the

matters

which

pertain

to

it

,

that

is

,

the

manner

in

which

it

behoves

you

to

walk

.

For

most

women

(

which

very

thing

I

trust

God

may

permit

me

,

with

a

view

,

of

course

,

to

my

own

personal

censure

,

to

censure

in

all

)

,

either

from

simple

ignorance

or

else

from

dissimulation

,

have

the

hardihood

so

to

walk

as

if

modesty

consisted

only

in

the

(

bare

)

integrity

of

the

flesh

,

and

in

turning

away

from

(

actual

)

fornication

;

and

there

were

no

need

for

anything

extrinsic

to

boot

—

in

the

matter

(

I

mean

)

of

the

arrangement

of

dress

and

ornament

,

the

studied

graces

of

form

and

brilliance

:

—

wearing

in

their

gait

the

self

-

same

appearance

as

the

women

of

the

nations

,

from

whom

the

sense

of

true

modesty

is

absent

,

because

in

those

who

know

not

God

,

the

Guardian

and

Master

of

truth

,

there

is

nothing

true

.

For

if

any

modesty

can

be

believed

(

to

exist

)

in

Gentiles

,

it

is

plain

that

it

must

be

imperfect

and

undisciplined

to

such

a

degree

that

,

although

it

be

actively

tenacious

of

itself

in

the

mind

up

to

a

certain

point

,

it

yet

allows

itself

to

relax

into

licentious

extravagances

of

attire

;

just

in

accordance

with

Gentile

perversity

,

in

craving

after

that

of

which

it

carefully

shuns

the

effect

.

How

many

a

one

,

in

short

,

is

there

who

does

not

earnestly

desire

even

to

look

pleasing

to

strangers

?

who

does

not

on

that

very

account

take

care

to

have

herself

painted

out

,

and

denies

that

she

has

(

ever

)

been

an

object

of

(

carnal

)

appetite

?

And

yet

,

granting

that

even

this

is

a

practice

familiar

to

Gentile

modesty

—

(

namely

,

)

not

actually

to

commit

the

sin

,

but

still

to

be

willing

to

do

so

;

or

even

not

to

be

willing

,

yet

still

not

quite

to

refuse

—

what

wonder

?

for

all

things

which

are

not

God’s

are

perverse

.

Let

those

women

therefore

look

to

it

,

who

,

by

not

holding

fast

the

whole

good

,

easily

mingle

with

evil

even

what

they

do

hold

fast

.

Necessary

it

is

that

you

turn

aside

from

them

,

as

in

all

other

things

,

so

also

in

your

gait

;

since

you

ought

to

be

“

perfect

,

as

(

is

)

your

Father

who

is

in

the

heavens

.

”

Notes

1
Postremissimus.
2
Consecrato.
3
See 1 Cor. iii. 16, 17; vi. 19, 20.
4
Comp. de Idol., c. ii.
5
Cultus et ornatus. For the distinction between them, see b. i. c. iv.
6
Comp. de Pæn., c. i.
7
Or, “execution.”
8
See Matt. v. 48.