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On the Veiling of Virgins

Tertullian

Chapter 15

About this work

Author: Tertullian

Chapter XV.—Of Fascination.

Nay, but true and absolute and pure virginity fears nothing

‹ Chapter 14 Chapter 16 ›

more

than

itself

.

Even

female

eyes

it

shrinks

from

encountering

.

Other

eyes

itself

has

.

It

betakes

itself

for

refuge

to

the

veil

of

the

head

as

to

a

helmet

,

as

to

a

shield

,

to

protect

its

glory

against

the

blows

of

temptations

,

against

the

dam

of

scandals

,

against

suspicions

and

whispers

and

emulation

;

(

against

)

envy

also

itself

.

For

there

is

a

something

even

among

the

heathens

to

be

apprehended

,

which

they

call

Fascination

,

the

too

unhappy

result

of

excessive

praise

and

glory

.

This

we

sometimes

interpretatively

ascribe

to

the

devil

,

for

of

him

comes

hatred

of

good

;

sometimes

we

attribute

it

to

God

,

for

of

Him

comes

judgment

upon

haughtiness

,

exalting

,

as

He

does

,

the

humble

,

and

depressing

the

elated

.

The

more

holy

virgin

,

accordingly

,

will

fear

,

even

under

the

name

of

fascination

,

on

the

one

hand

the

adversary

,

on

the

other

God

,

the

envious

disposition

of

the

former

,

the

censorial

light

of

the

latter

;

and

will

joy

in

being

known

to

herself

alone

and

to

God

.

But

even

if

she

has

been

recognized

by

any

other

,

she

is

wise

to

have

blocked

up

the

pathway

against

temptations

.

For

who

will

have

the

audacity

to

intrude

with

his

eyes

upon

a

shrouded

face

?

a

face

without

feeling

?

a

face

,

so

to

say

,

morose

?

Any

evil

cogitation

whatsoever

will

be

broken

by

the

very

severity

.

She

who

conceals

her

virginity

,

by

that

fact

denies

even

her

womanhood

.

Notes

1
Comp. Ps. cxlvii. (in LXX. and Vulg. cxlvi.) 6; Luke i. 52.