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The Chaplet, or De Corona

Tertullian

Chapter 14

About this work

Author: Tertullian

Much less may the Christian put the service of idolatry on

‹ Chapter 13 Chapter 15 ›

his

own

head

—

nay

,

I

might

have

said

,

upon

Christ

,

since

Christ

is

the

Head

of

the

Christian

man

—

(

for

his

head

)

is

as

free

as

even

Christ

is

,

under

no

obligation

to

wear

a

covering

,

not

to

say

a

band

.

But

even

the

head

which

is

bound

to

have

the

veil

,

I

mean

woman’s

,

as

already

taken

possession

of

by

this

very

thing

,

is

not

open

also

to

a

band

.

She

has

the

burden

of

her

own

humility

to

bear

.

If

she

ought

not

to

appear

with

her

head

uncovered

on

account

of

the

angels

,

much

more

with

a

crown

on

it

will

she

offend

those

(

elders

)

who

perhaps

are

then

wearing

crowns

above

.

For

what

is

a

crown

on

the

head

of

a

woman

,

but

beauty

made

seductive

,

but

mark

of

utter

wantonness

,

—

a

notable

casting

away

of

modesty

,

a

setting

temptation

on

fire

?

Therefore

a

woman

,

taking

counsel

from

the

apostles

’

foresight

,

will

not

too

elaborately

adorn

herself

,

that

she

may

not

either

be

crowned

with

any

exquisite

arrangement

of

her

hair

.

What

sort

of

garland

,

however

,

I

pray

you

,

did

He

who

is

the

Head

of

the

man

and

the

glory

of

the

woman

,

Christ

Jesus

,

the

Husband

of

the

church

,

submit

to

in

behalf

of

both

sexes

?

Of

thorns

,

I

think

,

and

thistles

,

—

a

figure

of

the

sins

which

the

soil

of

the

flesh

brought

forth

for

us

,

but

which

the

power

of

the

cross

removed

,

blunting

,

in

its

endurance

by

the

head

of

our

Lord

,

death’s

every

sting

.

Yes

,

and

besides

the

figure

,

there

is

contumely

with

ready

lip

,

and

dishonour

,

and

infamy

,

and

the

ferocity

involved

in

the

cruel

things

which

then

disfigured

and

lacerated

the

temples

of

the

Lord

,

that

you

may

now

be

crowned

with

laurel

,

and

myrtle

,

and

olive

,

and

any

famous

branch

,

and

which

is

of

more

use

,

with

hundred

-

leaved

roses

too

,

culled

from

the

garden

of

Midas

,

and

with

both

kinds

of

lily

,

and

with

violets

of

all

sorts

,

perhaps

also

with

gems

and

gold

,

so

as

even

to

rival

that

crown

of

Christ

which

He

afterwards

obtained

.

For

it

was

after

the

gall

He

tasted

the

honeycomb

and

He

was

not

greeted

as

King

of

Glory

in

heavenly

places

till

He

had

been

condemned

to

the

cross

as

King

of

the

Jews

,

having

first

been

made

by

the

Father

for

a

time

a

little

less

than

the

angels

,

and

so

crowned

with

glory

and

honour

.

If

for

these

things

,

you

owe

your

own

head

to

Him

,

repay

it

if

you

can

,

such

as

He

presented

His

for

yours

;

or

be

not

crowned

with

flowers

at

all

,

if

you

cannot

be

with

thorns

,

because

you

may

not

be

with

flowers

.

Notes

1
1 Cor. xi. 10. [Does he here play on the use of the word angels in the Revelation? He seems to make it = elders.]
2
Rev. iv. 4.
3
1 Tim. ii. 9; 1 Pet. iii. 3.
4
[A very striking collocation of Matt. xxvii. 34, and Luke xxiv. 42.]