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On the Apparel of Women

Tertullian

Book 2 · Chapter 11

About this work

Author: Tertullian

Chapter XI.—Christian Women, Further, Have Not the Same Causes for Appearing in Public, and Hence for Dressing in Fine Array as Gentiles. On the Contrary, Their Appearance Should Always Distinguish Them from Such.

Moreover, what causes have you for appearing in public

‹ Book 2 · Chapter 10 Book 2 · Chapter 12 ›

in

excessive

grandeur

,

removed

as

you

are

from

the

occasions

which

call

for

such

exhibitions

?

For

you

neither

make

the

circuit

of

the

temples

,

nor

demand

(

to

be

present

at

)

public

shows

,

nor

have

any

acquaintance

with

the

holy

days

of

the

Gentiles

.

Now

it

is

for

the

sake

of

all

these

public

gatherings

,

and

of

much

seeing

and

being

seen

,

that

all

pomps

(

of

dress

)

are

exhibited

before

the

public

eye

;

either

for

the

purpose

of

transacting

the

trade

of

voluptuousness

,

or

else

of

inflating

“

glory

.

”

You

,

however

,

have

no

cause

of

appearing

in

public

,

except

such

as

is

serious

.

Either

some

brother

who

is

sick

is

visited

,

or

else

the

sacrifice

is

offered

,

or

else

the

word

of

God

is

dispensed

.

Whichever

of

these

you

like

to

name

is

a

business

of

sobriety

and

sanctity

,

requiring

no

extraordinary

attire

,

with

(

studious

)

arrangement

and

(

wanton

)

negligence

.

And

if

the

requirements

of

Gentile

friendships

and

of

kindly

offices

call

you

,

why

not

go

forth

clad

in

your

own

armour

;

(

and

)

all

the

more

,

in

that

(

you

have

to

go

)

to

such

as

are

strangers

to

the

faith

?

so

that

between

the

handmaids

of

God

and

of

the

devil

there

may

be

a

difference

;

so

that

you

may

be

an

example

to

them

,

and

they

may

be

edified

in

you

;

so

that

(

as

the

apostle

says

)

“

God

may

be

magnified

in

your

body

.

”

But

magnified

He

is

in

the

body

through

modesty

:

of

course

,

too

,

through

attire

suitable

to

modesty

.

Well

,

but

it

is

urged

by

some

,

“

Let

not

the

Name

be

blasphemed

in

us

,

if

we

make

any

derogatory

change

from

our

old

style

and

dress

.

”

Let

us

,

then

,

not

abolish

our

old

vices

!

let

us

maintain

the

same

character

,

if

we

must

maintain

the

same

appearance

(

as

before

)

;

and

then

truly

the

nations

will

not

blaspheme

!

A

grand

blasphemy

is

that

by

which

it

is

said

,

“

Ever

since

she

became

a

Christian

,

she

walks

in

poorer

garb

!

”

Will

you

fear

to

appear

poorer

,

from

the

time

that

you

have

been

made

more

wealthy

;

and

fouler

,

from

the

time

when

you

have

been

made

more

clean

?

Is

it

according

to

the

decree

of

Gentiles

,

or

according

to

the

decree

of

God

,

that

it

becomes

Christians

to

walk

?

Notes

1
Gravitatis.
2
Et composito et soluto.
3
See Phil. i. 20.
4
Comp. de Idol., c. xiv.
5
Sordidior.
6
Or “pleasure:” placitum.