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On the Apparel of Women

Tertullian

Book 2 · Chapter 5

About this work

Author: Tertullian

Chapter V.—Some Refinements in Dress and Personal Appearance Lawful, Some Unlawful. Pigments Come Under the Latter Head.

These suggestions are not made to you, of course,

‹ Book 2 · Chapter 4 Book 2 · Chapter 6 ›

to

be

developed

into

an

entire

crudity

and

wildness

of

appearance

;

nor

are

we

seeking

to

persuade

you

of

the

good

of

squalor

and

slovenliness

;

but

of

the

limit

and

norm

and

just

measure

of

cultivation

of

the

person

.

There

must

be

no

overstepping

of

that

line

to

which

simple

and

sufficient

refinements

limit

their

desires

—

that

line

which

is

pleasing

to

God

.

For

they

who

rub

their

skin

with

medicaments

,

stain

their

cheeks

with

rouge

,

make

their

eyes

prominent

with

antimony

,

sin

against

Him

.

To

them

,

I

suppose

,

the

plastic

skill

of

God

is

displeasing

!

In

their

own

persons

,

I

suppose

,

they

convict

,

they

censure

,

the

Artificer

of

all

things

!

For

censure

they

do

when

they

amend

,

when

they

add

to

,

(

His

work

;

)

taking

these

their

additions

,

of

course

,

from

the

adversary

artificer

.

That

adversary

artificer

is

the

devil

.

For

who

would

show

the

way

to

change

the

body

,

but

he

who

by

wickedness

transfigured

man’s

spirit

?

He

it

is

,

undoubtedly

,

who

adapted

ingenious

devices

of

this

kind

;

that

in

your

persons

it

may

be

apparent

that

you

,

in

a

certain

sense

,

do

violence

to

God

.

Whatever

is

born

is

the

work

of

God

.

Whatever

,

then

,

is

plastered

on

(

that

)

,

is

the

devil’s

work

.

To

superinduce

on

a

divine

work

Satan’s

ingenuities

,

how

criminal

is

it

!

Our

servants

borrow

nothing

from

our

personal

enemies

:

soldiers

eagerly

desire

nothing

from

the

foes

of

their

own

general

;

for

,

to

demand

for

(

your

own

)

use

anything

from

the

adversary

of

Him

in

whose

hand

you

are

,

is

a

transgression

.

Shall

a

Christian

be

assisted

in

anything

by

that

evil

one

?

(

If

he

do

,

)

I

know

not

whether

this

name

(

of

“

Christian

”

)

will

continue

(

to

belong

)

to

him

;

for

he

will

be

his

in

whose

lore

he

eagerly

desires

to

be

instructed

.

But

how

alien

from

your

schoolings

and

professions

are

(

these

things

)

!

How

unworthy

the

Christian

name

,

to

wear

a

fictitious

face

,

(

you

,

)

on

whom

simplicity

in

every

form

is

enjoined

!

—

to

lie

in

your

appearance

,

(

you

,

)

to

whom

(

lying

)

with

the

tongue

is

not

lawful

!

—

to

seek

after

what

is

another’s

,

(

you

,

)

to

whom

is

delivered

(

the

precept

of

)

abstinence

from

what

is

another’s

!

—

to

practise

adultery

in

your

mien

,

(

you

,

)

who

make

modesty

your

study

!

Think

,

blessed

(

sisters

)

,

how

will

you

keep

God’s

precepts

if

you

shall

not

keep

in

your

own

persons

His

lineaments

?

Notes

1
Urgent. Comp. de Pæn., c. xi.
2
“Fuligine,” lit. “soot.” Comp. b. i. c. ii.
3
See c. ii. ad fin.
4
Comp. b. i. c. viii.
5
Infingitur.
6
i.e., subject to whom.
7
Disciplinis.
8
Species.
9
Credite.