Encomium on Maximus, and What Sort of Wives to Marry 3–6
Greek text: PG 51.English: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), public domain (CC0).
Chapter 3
3PG 51:229
ΕἸ δὲ καὶ αὐτὴν λέγοις ἀνίατα νοσεῖν, καὶ πολλὲς ἀπιμελείας τυχοῦσαν τῷ οἰχείῳ χελρῖ,σθαι τρόπιν, οὐδὲ οὕτως αὐτὴν ἐχθλητέον" οὔτε γὰρ τὸ μέλο; ἀνίατα νοποὺν ἐχχόπτεται. Μέλος δὲ καὶ αὔτη σόν Ὑὰρ, φησὶν, οἱ δύο εἰς σάρχα μίαν. Καὶ αὶ ἐπὶ μὲν τοῦ ἱέλους, οὐδὲν ἔσται χέροδος ἡμῖ) τῆς θεραπείας, ἐπειδὰν ὑπὸ τῇ; ἀῤῥωστίας ἀδιόοθωτον φθάσῃ γενέσθα"" Θεοῦ ληψόμεθα τὸν μισθὸν, ὅτι διὰ τὸν ἐχείνου φόδην τοσαύτην ὑπυμονὴν. ἐπεδειξάμεθα, καὶ τὴν χαχίαν αὐτῆς: πράως ἠνέγχαμεν, καὶ τὸ μέλος ἡμῶν ἐχρατήσαυεν. Μέλος γὰρ ἡμῶν ἀναγχαῖον ἢ γυνή " καὶ διὰ τοῦτο αὐτὴν μάλιστα δεῖ φιλεῖν. “Ὅπερ οὖν καὶ αὐτὸ τοῦτο διδάσχων πάλιν ὁ Παῦλος ἔλεγεν Οὕτως ὀξεί- «ἐουσὶν οἱ ἄγδρες ἀγαπί»" τὰς ἑαυτῶν γυναῖχας ὡς τὰ ἑαυτῶν σώματα. Οὑδεὶς γάρ ποτε τὴν ἑαυτοῦ καθὼς καὶ ὁ Χριστὸς τὴ» Ἐχχιζησίαν " ὅτι μέλη ἐσμὲν τοῦ σώματος αὐτοῦ, ἐκ τῆς σαρκὸς αὐεοῦ, καὶ ἐκ τῶν ὀστέων αὐτοῦ. Καθάπερ γὰρ ἡ Εὔα, φησὶν, ἀπὸ τῆς πλευρᾶς τοῦ ᾿Αδὰμ γέγονεν, οὕτω καὶ ἡμεῖ; ἐχ τῆς πλευρᾶ; τοῦ Χριστοῦ. Τοῦτο γάρ ἐστιν, Ἑχ τῆς σαρχὸς αὑτοῦ, καὶ ἐχ τῶν" ὀστέων αὐ. οὔ. ᾿Αλλ᾽ ὅτι μὲν ἡ Εὔα ἐχ τῆς πλευρᾶς αὐτοῦ τοῦ ᾿Αδὰμ γέγονεν, ἅπαντες ἴσμεν, καὶ σαφῶς ἡ Γραφὴ τοῦτο εἴρηκεν, ὅτι ἐπέδαλεν ἔχστασιν ἐπ᾽ αὐτὸν, καὶ ἔλαθε μίαν τῶν πλευρῶν αὐτοῦ, καὶ ὡχοδόμτσε τὴν γυναΐχα᾽ ὅτι δὲ καὶ ἡ Ἐχχλησία ἀπὸ τῇ΄ς πλευρᾶς τοῦ Χριστοῦ συνέστη, πόθεν ἔχοι τις ἂν ἀποδεῖξαι; Καὶ τοῦτο ἡ Γρα:ὴ δείχνυσιν. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ὁ Χριστὸ; εἰς τὸν στανοὺν ἀνηνέχθη, καὶ προσηλώθη,καὶ ἀπέθανε, Προσε.Ἰθὼν εἷς τῶν στρατιωτῶν -ἔνυξεν αὐτοῦ τὴν πιϊεδυρὰν, καὶ ἐξηΐῦθεν αἷμα καὶ ὕδωρ" καὶ ἐξ ἐχείνου τοῦ αἴματος καὶ τοῦ ὕδατος ἡ Ἐχχλησία ἅπασα συνέστηχε. Καὶ μαρτυρεῖ αὐτὸς λέγων, ὅτι ᾿Εὰν μή τις ἀναγενγηϑῇ ἐξ ὕδατος καὶ πνεύματος, οὐ δύναται εἰσειλθεῖν εἰς τὴν βασι- «ἱείαν τῶν» οὐρανῶν. Τὸ δὲ αἷμα, πνεῦμα λέγει. Καὶ γεννώμεθα μὲν διὰ τοῦ ὕδατος τοῦ βαπτίσματος, τρεφόμεθα δὲ διὰ τοῦ αἵματος. ὐρᾷ:; πῶς ἐχ τῆς σα χὸς αὐτοῦ ἐσμεν, καὶ ἐχ τῶν ὀστέων αὑτυῦ, ἀπὸ τοῦ αἴμματος ἐχείνου καὶ τοῦ ὕδατος τιχτόμενοι καὶ τρεφόμενοι; Καὶ χαθάπερ, τοῦ ᾿Αδὰμ χαθεύδοντος, ἢ γυνὴ χατεσχευάζετο, οὕτω, τοῦ Χριστοῦ ἀποθανόντος, ἡ Ἐχἀλησία διεπλάττετο ἐχ τῆς πλευρᾶς αὑτοῦ. Οὐ διὰ κοῦτο δὲ μόνον χρὴ φιλεῖν τὴν γυναῖχα, ὅτι μέλος ἡμῶν ἐστι, καὶ ἐξ ἡμῶν ἔσχε τὴν τῆ; δημιουργίας ἀρχὴν" ἀλλ᾽ ὅτι καὶ νόμον ὑπὲο αὐτοῦ τούτου τέθειχεν ὁ Θεὸς, οὕτω λέγιυν Ἀ»τὶ τούτου καταλείψει ἄ»» θρωπος τὸν πατέρα αὑτοῦ καὶ τὴν μητέρα, καὶ προσ κο.ηθήσεται πρὸς τὴν γυναῖκα αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἔσονται οἱ δύο εἰς σάρκα μίαν. Διὰ γὰρ τοῦτο καὶ τοῦτον ἡμἷν ὁ ἸΙαῦλος ἀνέγνω τὸν νόμον, ἵνα παὺταχόθεν ἡμᾶς πρὸς τὸν ἔρωτα συνελάσῃ τοῦτον. Καὶ σχόπει σοφίαν ἀποστολιχήν᾽ οὔτε γὰρ ἀπὸ τῶν θείων νόμων, οὔτε ἀπὸ τῶν ἀνθρωπίνων μόνον, εἰς τὴν ἀγάπην ἡμᾶ; ἐνάγει τῶν γυναιχῶν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἀπὸ τούτων καὶ ἀπ᾿ ἐχ:ίνων ἐναλλάξας ἀμφότερα ταῦτα τίθησιν" ἵνα ὁ μὲν ὑψηλότερος καὶ φιλοσοφώτερος ἀπὸ τῶν ἄνωθεν, ὁ ὃὲ ἀσθενὴ; ἀπὸ τῶν χάτωθεν καὶ τῶν τῆς φύσεως εἰς φίλτρον ἐνάγτται. Διὰ τοῦτο ἀρχόμενης μὲν ἀπὸ τῶν τοῦ Χριστοῦ χατορθωμάτων, τὴ» παραίνεσιν εἰσάγει οὕτω λέγων" ᾿Αγαπάξε τὰς γυναΐκας, καθὼς καὶ ὁ Χριστὸς ἠγάπησε τὴν Ἑ κκιιησίαν" εἶτα πάλιν ἀπὸ τῶν ἀνθρωπίνων᾽ Οὕὔτως ὁφείιιουσι» οἱ ἄνδρες ἀγαπᾷν τὰς ἑαυτῶν γυγκκας, ὡς τὰ ἑαυτῶ» σώματα" εἶτα πάλι" ἀπὸ τοῦ Χριστοῦ" ὅτι μέλῃ ἐσμὲν ἐχ τοῦ σώματος αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐχ τῆς σαυχὺς αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἔχ τῶν ὀστέων σὐτοῦ" εἶτα πάλιν ἀπὸ τῶν ἀνθρωπίνων, Σ Δ.τὶ τούτοῦ κατα ϊείψει ὥρθεωπς τὴν πατέρες αὐτοῦ καὶ τὴν μητέρα, καὶ προοχο μιήσετ, πρὸς τὴν γυναῖκα αὐτοῦ" καὶ τὸν νόμον ἀναγνοὺς φοῦφνόν φησι" Τὸ μυστήριον τοῦτο μέγα ἐστί. Πῶς μέγα ἐστίν; εἶπέ μοι. Ὅτι τὸν ἅπαντα θαλαμενομένη ἣ χόρη χρόνον, μηδέποτε τὸν νυμφίον ἑωραχνῖα, ἀπὸ τῆς πρώτης ἡμέρας οὕτω ποθεῖ καὶ στέργει ὡς σῶμα οἰχεῖον᾽ πάλιν ὁ ἀνὴρ, ἣν οὐδέποτε εἶδεν, ἧς οὐδέποτε τῆς ἐν λόγῳ ἐχοινώνησε συνουσίας, ταύτην χἀχεῖνος ἀπὸ τῆς πρώτης ἡμέρας ἁπάντων προτίθησι, καὶ τῶν φίλων, καὶ τῶν οἰκεῆων, καὶ τῶν γεννπησαμένων αὐτῶν. Οἱ γονεῖς πάλιν, ἂν μὲν ἐξ ἑτέρας ὑποθέσεως ἀφαιρετοὺς ἀφελομένους ἕλχουσιν " ἀνθρώπῳ δὲ πολλάκις μηδέποτε ὀφθέντι, μηδὲ γνωρισθέντι, ναὶ τὴν θυγα» τέρα τὴν ἑαυτῶν καὶ προῖχα χρημάτων πολλῶν ἐγχειρίζονσι. Καὶ καίρουσι τοῦτο ποιοῦντες, καὶ οὐχ ἡγοῦνται ζημίαν εἶναι τὸ γινόμενον ἀλλ᾽ ὁρῶντες τὴν θυγατέρα ἀπαγομένην, οὐ συνηθείας μέμνηνται, οὐκ ἀλγοῦσιν, οὗ δάχνονται, ἀλλὰ καὶ εὐχαριστοῦσι, καὶ εὐχῆς ἔργον εἶναι νομίζουσι τὸ καὶ τὴν θυγατέρα ἰδεῖν τῆ: οἰχίας ἐξαγομένην, καὶ πολλὰ μετ᾽ ἑἐχείννης χρήματα. Ταῦτα οὖν ἅπαντα ἐννοήσας ὁ Παῦλος, ὅτι τοὺς γονεῖς ἀφέντες ἀμφότεροι ἀλλήλοις συνδεσμοῦνται, καὶ χρόνον τοσούτον συνηθείας ἡ τότε συντυχία τυραννιχωτέρα γίνεται, καὶ συνιδὼν, ὅτι οὐχ ἔστι τοῦτο ἀνθρώπινον, ἀλλ᾽ ὁ Θεὸ; τοὺς ἔρωτας τούτους ἐγχατέσπειρε, γαὶ τοὺς ἐχδιδόντας καὶ τοὺς μένους μετὰ χαρᾶς τοῦτο ποιεῖν παρεσχεύασε, φησίν" Τὸ μυστήριον τοῦτο μέγα ἐστί. Καὶ καθάπερ ἐπὶ τῶν παίδων, τὸ παιδίον τεχθὲν ἀπὸ τῆς ὄψεως εὐθέυις ἐπίσταται τοὺς γονεῖς οὗ φθεγγόμενον᾽ οὕτω δὴ καὶ νυμφίος καὶ νύμφη, οὐδενὸς συνάγοντος, οὐδενὸς παραινοῦντος καὶ συμδουλεύοντος, ἀπὸ τῆς ὄψεως ἀλλή λοις συμπλέχονται. Εἴτα ἰδὼν ὅτι καὶ ἐπὶ τοῦ Χριστοῦ τοῦτο ἐγένετο, καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς Ἐχχλησίας μάλιστα, ἐξεπλάγη καὶ ἐθαύμασε. Πῶς οὖν ἐπὶ τοῦ Χριστοῦ καὶ τῆς Ἐχχλησίας τοῦτο ἐγένετο; Καθάπερ ὁ νυμφίος τὸν πατέρα ἀφεὶς πρὸς τὴν νύμφην ἔρχεται, οὕτω καὶ ὁ Χριστὸς τὸν πατριχὸν θρόνον ἀφεὶς πρὸς τὴν νύμφην ἦλθεν' οὐχ ἡμᾶς ἄνω ἑκάλεσεν, ἀλλ᾽ αὐτὰς πρὸς ἡμᾶς παρεγένετο. ὍὭταν δὲ ἀχούσῃς ὅτι ἀφῆχε, μὴ μετάστασιν νοήσῃς, ἀλλὰ συγχατάδασιν " καὶ γὰρ καὶ μεθ᾽ ἡμῶν ὧν, μετὰ τοῦ Πατρὸς ἦν. Διὰ τοῦτό φησι" Τὸ μυστήριον τοῦτο μέγω ἐστί. Μέγα μὲν ἐστι καὶ ἐπὶ ἀνθρώπων γινόμενον " ὅταν δὲ ἴδω εἰς τὸν Χριστὸν καὶ εἰς τὴν Ἐχχλησίαν αὐτὸ συμδαΐνον, τότε ἐχπλήττομαι, τότε θαυμάζω. Διὰ τοῦτο εἰπὼν, Τὸ μυστήριον τοῦτο μέγα ἐστὶν, ἐπήγαγεν" Ἐγὼ δὲ «“ἐγω, εἰς τὸν Χριστὸν, καὶ εἰς τὴν αχιλησίαν. Εἰδὼς τοίνυν ἡλίχον μυστήριόν ἔστιν ὁ γάμος, καὶ ἡλίχου πράγματος τύπος, μὴ ἁπλῶς, μηδὲ ὡς ἔτυχε περὶ τούτου βουλεύον, μηδὲ χρημάτων εὖπορίαν ζήτει μέλλων ἄγεσθαι νύμφην. Οὐ γὰρ χαπηλείαν, ἀλλὰ βίου χοινωνίαν εἶναι τὸν γάμον δεῖ νο- δ΄. Καὶ γὰρ πολλῶν ἤχουσα λεγόντων, Ὁ δεῖνα εὐπορώτερος γέγονεν ἀπὸ τοῦ γάμου, πένης ὥν᾽ ἐπειδὴ; γυναῖκα εὔπορον ἔλαθε, πλουτεῖ καὶ τρυφᾷ νῦν. Τί λέγεις, ἄνθῥωπε; ἀπὸ γυνα:χὸς χερδαίνειν ἐπιθυμεῖς, καὶ οὐχ αἰσχύνῃ, οὐδὲ ἐρυθριᾷς; οὐδὲ εἰς τὴν γὴν χκαταδύῃ τοιούτους χερδῶν ἐπιζητῶν τρόπους; καὶ ποῦ ταῦτα ἀνδρὸς τὰ ῥήματα; [Γυναιχὺς ἕν ἐστι όνον, τὰ συλλεγόμενα διαφυλάττειν, τὰς προσόδους διατηρεῖν, τῆς οἰκίας ἐπιμελεῖσθαι" καὶ γὰρ διὰ τοῦτο αὐτὴν ἔδωχεν ὁ Θεὸς, ἵν ἐν τούτοις ἡμῖν βοηθῇ μετὰ τῶν ἄλλων ἁπάντων, Ἐπεοιδὴ γὰρ τὸν βέον τὸ ν ἡμέτερον δύο ταῦτα ουγχροτεῖν εἴυνϑε, τὰ πολιτικὰ καὶ ἰδιωτιχὰ πράγματα, διελὼν ἀμφότερα ταῦτα ὁ Θιὸς, ταύτῃ μὲν τὴν τῆς οἰχίας προσταπίαν ἀπένειμε, τοῖς δὲ ἀνδράσι τὰ τῆ: πόλεως ἅπαντα πράγματα, τά τε ἐπὶ τῆς ἀγορᾶς, διχαστήρια,, βουλευτήρια, στρατηγίας, νὰ ἄλλα πάντα. Οὐ δύναται ἀχοντίσαι δόρν, οὐδὲ ἀγεῖναι βέλος ἢ γυνή" ἀλλ' ἠλακάτην δύνα- «τι λαδεῖν, καὶ ἱστὸν ὑφᾶναι, καὶ τὰ ἄλλα πάντα τὰ κατὰ τὴν οἰκίαν διαθεῖναι χαλῶς. Οὐ δύναται γνώμην εἰσηγήσασθαι: ἐν βουλευτηρίῳ " ἀλλὰ δύναται γνώμην εἰσηγήσασθαι ἐν οἰκίᾳ, καὶ πολλάχις ἅπερ συνεῖδεν ὁ ἀνὴρ τῶν κατὰ τὴν οἰχίαν, βέλτιον αὕτη συνεῖδεν. υὐ δύναται τὰ δημόσια διαθεῖναι χαλῶς" ἀλλὰ δύναται παιδία διαθρέψαι καλῶς, τὸ χεφάλαιον τῶν χτημάτων ᾿ δύναται θεραπαινίδων χαχουργίας συνιδεῖν, καὶ φωφροσύντς ἐπιμεληθῆναι τῶν διαχονουμένων, τὴν ἄλλην ἄπαϑαν τῷ συνοιχοῦντι παρέχειν ἄδειαν, καὶ πάσης αὐτὸν τοιαύτης ἀπαλλάξαι φροντίδος ἐν ἐλατίων εὐσχημοσύνης, τῶν ἄλλων ἀπάντων ἐπιμελουμένη, ἅπερ ἀνδρὶ οὔτε εὐπρεπὲς, οὔτε εὔχολον μεταχειρίσασθαί ποτε, χἣν μυρία φιλονειχῇ. Καὶ γὰρ καὶ τοῦτο τῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ φιλοτιμίας καὶ σοφίας ἔργον, “ὃν ἐν τοῦ; μείζοσι χρήσιμον, ἐν τοῖς ἐλάττοσι χαταδεέστερον καὶ ἄχρηστον εἶναι, ἵνα ἀναγκαία γένηται -ἧς γυναιχὸς ἢ χρεία. Ἐ γὰρ ἐν ἀμφοτέροις ἐποίησε τὸν ἄνδρα ἐπιτήδειον εἶναι, εὐχαταφρόνη τον ἂν τὸ Ξῶν γυναιχῶν ἐγένετο γένος" πάλιν, εἰ τὸ μεῖζον καὶ χρησιμώτερον ἐπέτρεψε τῇ γυναιχὶ, πολλῆς ἄν ἐνἔπλησε τὰς γυναῖχας τῆς ἀπονοίας. Διὰ τοῦτο οὔτε ἀμφότερα ἑνὶ ἔδωχεν, ἵνα μὴ τὸ ἕτερον ἐλαττωθῇ γένος, καὶ περιττὸν εἶναι δοχῇ᾽ οὔτε ἐξίσης ἑχατέρῳ διένειμεν, ἵνα μὴ πάλιν ἐχ τῆς ἰσοτιμίας μάχη τις γένηται καὶ φιλονειχία, τῆς αὐτῇ προεδρίας «οἷς ἀνδράσι φιλονειχουσῶν ἀξιοῦσθαι τῶν γυναιχῶν' ἀλλ᾽ ὁμοῦ καὶ τῆς εἰρήνης προνοῶν, καὶ τὴν πρέπου. σαν ἑχάστῳ τάξιν διατηρῶν, εἰς δύο ταῦτα διελὼν ἡμῶν τὴν ζωὴν, τὸ μὲν ἀναγχαιότερον καὶ χρησιμώπϑροὸν τῷ ἀνδρὶ, τὸ δὲ ἔλαττον καὶ χαταδεέστερον δέδωχε τῇ γυναιχί " ἵν᾽ ὁ μὲν διὰ τὸ ἀναγχαῖον τῆς χρείας περισπούδαστος ἡμῖν ἧ, ἡ δὲ διὰ τὸ χαταδεέστερον τῆς διαχονίας μὴ χατεξανιστᾶται τοῦ συνοἰ χοῦντος. Ταῦτ᾽ οὖν ἅπαντες εἰδότες, ἕν μόνον ζητῶμεν, ψυχῆ; ἀρετὴν καὶ εὐγένειαν τρόπων, ἵνα εἰρήνης ἀπολαύωμεν, ἵνα ἐντρυφῶμεν ἐν ὁμονοίᾳ καὶ ἀγάπῃ διηνεχεῖ Ὃ μὲν γὰρ εὔπορον λαδὼν γυναῖχα, δέσποῖνᾶν μᾶλλον ἔλαδεν ἣ γυναῖχα. Εἰ γὰρ, καὶ χωβὶς τούτου, φρονήματός εἰσιν αἱ γυναῖχες ἐμπεπληἀμέναι, καὶ πρὸς δόξης ἔρωτα εὐέμπτωτοι, ἂν καὶ αὐτὴν προσλάδωσι τὴν προτθήχην, πῶς ἔσονται φορηταὶ τοῖς συνοιχοῦσιν αὐταῖς; Ὃ δὲ ὁμότιμον ἣ “ππενεστέραν λαθὼν γυναῖχα, βοηθὸν καὶ σύμμαχον ἔλαθε, καὶ πάντα εἰς; τὴν οἰχίαν εἰσήγαγε τὰ ἀγαθά. Ἢ γὰρ τῖςς πευίας ἀνάγχη θεραπεύειν αὐτὴν μετὰ πολλῆς τῆς ἐπιμελείας ἀναπείθει τὸν ἄνδρα, καὶ πάντα εἴχειν καὶ πείθεσθαι, καὶ ἔριδος μὲν, καὶ μάχης, καὶ ἀπονοῖας, καὶ ὕδρεω; πᾶσαν ἀναιρεῖ πρόφάσιν " εἰρήνης δὲ, καὶ ὁμονοίας, καὶ ἀγάπης, καὶ συμφωνίας γίνεται σύνδεσμος. Μὴ τοίνυν τοῦτο ζηῃτῶμεν ὅπως χρήματα ἔχωμεν, ἀλλ᾽ ὅπως εἰρήνην, ὕπως ἡδονῆς ἀπολαύωμεν" διὰ τοῦτο γάμος, οὐχ ἵνα πολέμου καὶ μάχης τὰς οἰκία; ἐμπιπλῶμεν, οὐχ ἵνα ἔρεις καὶ φιλονειχίας ἔχωμεν, οὐχ ἕνα πρὸς ἀλλήλους ξιαστασιάζωμεν, καὶ ἀθέωτον τὸν βίον ποιῶμεν, ἀλλὰ ἵνα βοηθείας ἀπολαύωμεν, καὶ λιμένα ἔχωνλεν καὶ καταφυγὴν, καὶ παραμυθίαν τῶν ἐπιχει μένον χαχῶν» ἵνα μεθ᾽ ἡδονῆς τῇ γυναιχὶ διαλεγώμεθα. Πόσαι πλουτοῦντες, γυναῖχας λαθόντες εὐπόρους, τὴν οὐπίαν αὐξήσαντες, τὴν ἡδονὴν καὶ τὴν ὁμόνοιαν κατέλυσαν, καθημερινὰς μάχας ἐπὶ τῆς τραπέζη; ποιούμενοι, φιλονεικίας ἔχοντες : πόσοι πένητες πενεσπέρας λαὀδόντες, εἰρήνης ἀπολαύουσι, καὶ μετ᾽ εὐφροσύνης πολλῇς τὸν ἥλιον τοῦτον βλέπουσιν οἱ δὲ οὕποροι, πανταχόθεν αὐτοῖς περιχειμένης τρυφῆς, διὰ τὰς γυναῖχας τὔξαντο πολλάχις ἀποθανεῖν, καὶ τῆς παρ» οὐσης ἀπαλλαγῆναι ζωῆς; οὕτως οὐδὲν χρημάτων ὄφελος, ὅταν ψυχῆς μὴ ἐπιτυγχάνωμεν ἀγαθῆς. Καὶ τί χρὴ λέγειν περὶ εἰρήνης καὶ ὁμονοίας; Καὶ γὰρ εἰς αὐτὴν τῶν χρημάτων τὴν χτῆσιν πολλάχις τὸ πλουσιωτέραν λαδεῖν ἡμᾶς παρέδλαψεν. “Ὅταν γὰρ εἰς τὸν τῆς προιχὸς λόγον ἅπασαν τὴν περιουσίαν ἐπιδοὺς. εἶτα ἀώρου συμδάντος θανάτον, χαταδαλεῖν παρὰ τῶν χηδεστῶν ἀναγχάζηται τὴν προῖχα ἅπασαν χαθάπερ οἱ ναυάγιον ὑπομένοντες ἐπὶ τῆς θαλάσσης τὸ σῶμα διασώζουσι ἑμόνον, οὕτω δὴ καὶ οὗτος, μετὰ πολλὰς φιλονεικίας, καὶ μάχας, καὶ ὕδρεις, καὶ διχαστήρια, μόλις τὸ σῶμα ἐλεύϑερον ἔχων ἐξέρχεται. Καὶ χαθάπερ οἱ τῶν ἑκπόρων ἄπληστοι, μυρίων τὴν ναῦν πλῆσαντες φορτίων, καὶ πλέον τῆς δυνάμεως τὸν ὄγχον ἐπιθέντες, κατέδυσαν τὸ σχάφος, καὶ πάντα ἀπώλεσαν " οὕτιυ δὴ καὶ οὗτοι τοὺς ὑπερόγχους ἀγόμενοι γάμους, μείζονα πολλάκις δόξαντες περιδαλέσθαι οὐσίαν διὰ τῆς γυναικὸς, καὶ τῆς οὔσης ἐξέπεσον' καὶ ὥσπερ ἐχεῖ ἽΝ τὸς ὲ Ῥναχεῖα ἐμπεσοῦσα βαπτίζει τὸ αχάφος, οὕτω καὶ ἐνταῦθα θάνατος ἄωρος προῦσπεσὼν μετὰ τῆς γυναιχὸς καὶ πάντα τὰ ὄντα αὐτοῦ ἀφείλετο. ᾿ α΄, Ταῦτ᾽ οὖν ἅπαντα ἐννοοῦντες, μὴ χρήματα περ:σχοπῶμεν, ἀλλὰ τρόπων ἐπιείχειαν, καὶ σεμνότητα καὶ σωφροσύνην. Γυνὴ γὰρ σώφρων, καὶ ἐπιειχὴς καὶ μετρία, κἂν πένης ἧ, τὴν πενίαν πλούτου βέλτιονδιαθεῖναι δυνήσεται" ὥσπερ ἡ διεφθαρμένη, καὶ ἀχόλαστος, καὶ φῇκερις, χἂν μυρίους εὕρῃ θησαυροὺς ἕνδον χειμένους, ἀνέμου παντὸς τάχιον αὐτοὺς ἐχφυσήσασα, καὶ συμφοραῖς μυρίαι; μετὰ τῆς πενίας περιδάλλει τὸν ἄνδρα. Μὴ τοίνυν πλοῦτον ζητῶμεν, ἀλλὰ τὴν χρησομένην καλῶς τοῖς οὖσι. Πρότερον μάθε, τίς ἡ τοῦ γάμου αἰτία, καὶ τίνος ἕνεχεν εἰς τὸν βίον εἰσενήνεχται τὸν ἡμέτερον, καὶ μηδὲν πλέον ἀπαίτει. Τίς οὖν ἡ τοῦ γάμου πρόφασις, καὶ τίνος ἕνεχεν ἔδωχεν αὐτὸν ὁ Θεός; ἤλχουσον τοῦ Παύλου λέγοντος" Διὰ δὲ τὰς ποργ»είας ἔχαστος τὴν ἑαυτοῦ γυναῖκα ἐχέτω Οὐχ εἶπε, Διὰ δὲ τὴν τῆς πενίας ἀπαλλαγὴν, ἣ Διὰ τὴν τῆς εὐπορίας χτῆσιν “ ἀλλὰ τί; Ἵνα πορνείας φύγωμεν, ἵνα τὴν ἐπιθυμίαν χαταστείλωμεν, ἵνα σωφροσύνῃ τυζήσωμεν, ἵνα εὐαρεστήσωμεν Θεῷ, τῇ οἱκείᾳ ἀρχούμενοι γαμετῇ. Τοῦτο τοῦ γάμον τὸ δῶρον, οὗτος ὁ χαρπὸς, τοῦτο τὸ χέρδος. Μὴ τοίνυν τὰ μείζονα ἀφεὶς, τὰ ἐλάττονα ζήτει’ πολὺ γὰρ σωφροσύονῆς ἐλάττων ὁ πλοῦτος. Δι᾿ ἕν γὰρ τοῦτο μόνον χρὴ λαμδάνειν γυναῖχα, ἵνα τὴν ἁμαρτίαν φύγωμεν, ἵνα πορνείας ἀπάτης ἀπαλλαγῶμεν " πρὸς τοῦτο χρὴ τὸν γάμον χαθίστασθαι πάντα, ἵνα εἰς σωφροσύνην ἡμῖν, σ)μπράττῃ ἔσται δὲ τοῦτο, ἐὰν τοιαύτας ἀγώμεθα νύμφας, αἵ πολλὴν μὲν εὐλάδειαν, πολλὴν δὲ συ»φροσύνην, πολλὴν ὃξ ἐπιείχειαν ἡμῖν εἰσαγαγεῖν δύνανται. Ἡ μὲν γὰρ τοῦ σώματος εὐμορφία, ὅταν μὴ συνεζευγμένην ἔχῃ τὴν τῇ΄ς ψυχῆς ἀρετὴν, καὶ εἴχοαι καὶ τριάχοντα ἡμέρας δυνήσεται τὸν ἄνδρα ἑλεῖν, κεραιτέρω δὲ οὐ προδήσεται, ἀλλὰ δείξασα τὴν χαχίαν, ἅπαν χαταλύσει τὸ φίλτρον" αἱ δὲ τῷ χάλλει τῆς ψυχῆς καταλάμπουσαι, ὅσῳπερ ἂν ὁ χρόνος προΐῃ, καὶ πεῖραν τῆς οἰχείας εὐγενείας παρέχωσι, τοσούτῳ μάλιστα θερμότερον τοῖς οἰχείοις ἀνδράσι κοιοῦσι τὸν ἔρωτα, καὶ τὴν πρὸς αὐτὸν ἐξάπτουσιν ἀγάπην. Τούτου δὲ ὄντος, καὶ φιλίας μεταξὺ χειμέγὴς θερμῆς καὶ γνησίας, ἅπαν ἐλαύνεται πορνείας. εἶδος, καὶ οὐδὲ ἔννοιά τις ἀχολασίας τῷ φιλοῦντι τὴν ἑαυτοῦ γυναῖχά ποτ: ἐμπεσεῖται, ἀλλὰ μένει διηνεχῶς τὴν ἑαυτοῦ στέργων καὶ διὰ τῆς σωφροπύνης τὸν Θεὸν ἐπισπώμενος εἰς τὴν τῆς οἰχίας ἀπάσης εὔνοιάν τὸ καὶ προστασίαν. Οὕτως ἐλάμθανον οἱ γενναῖοι τῶν παλαιῶν ἀνδρῶν γυναῖκας, ψυχῆς εὐγένειαν ἐπιζητοῦντες, καὶ οὐχ εὐπορίαν χρημάτων. Καὶ ὅτι τοῦτό ἐστιν ἀληθὲς, παραδείγματος ἕνεχεν, ἑνὸς ἐπι Καὶ προξεδηκῶς ἡμερῶν, φησὶ, καὶ εἶπε τῷ πωιδὶ αὑτοῦ τῷ πραεσδυτέρῳ τῆς οἰκίας αὐτοῦ͵, τῷ ἄρχοντι τῶν αὐτοῦ πάν»των" Θὲς τὴν χεῖρά σου ὑπὸ τὸν μηρόν μου, καὶ ἐξορχιῶ σε Κύριον τὸν Θεὸν τοῦ οὐραγοῦ καὶ τεῆς γῆς, ἵνα μὴ άξῃς γυναῖχα τῷ υἱῷ μου Ἰσαὰχ ἀπὸ τῶν θυγατέρων τῶν Χαταγαίων, μεθ’ ὧν ἐγὼ οἰχῶ μετ᾽ αὑτῶν, ἀ.1.1᾽ εἰς τ᾿» γήγ μου οὗ ἐγεννήθην, πορεύσῃ. καὶ εἷς τὴν φυ,λὴν μου, καὶ ἰήν ἢ γυναῖχα τῷ υἱῷ μου ἐχεῖθεν. ΕἾδες τοῦ δικαίων τί,» ἀρετῖν, πότην ὑπὲρ γάμου κρόγυιαν ἐποιήσατο, Οὐ γὰρ δὴ μαστρωποὺς χαλέσας γυναῖχας, καθάπερ οἱ νῦν, οὐδῇ᾽ προμντστρίας, οὐδὲ γραΐδια μυθεύοντα, ἀλλὰ τὸν οἰχέτην τὸν ἑαυτοῦ, ποὕτῳ τὸ πρᾶγμα, ἐνεχείρισεν" ὃ καὶ αὐτὸ τῆς εὖὐλαείχ; τοῦ πατριάρχου μέγιστόν ἔστι σημεῖον, ὅτ: πουυῦτον χατεσχεύασε τὸν οἰχέττν, ὡς; καὶ πράγματος νομίσαι ἀξιόπιστον εἶναι διάχονον. Εἶτα γυναῖχα ζητεῖ, οὐχ εὔπορον, οὐδὲ εὔμορφον, ἀλλ᾽ εὐ- ὙενΥ, τοῖς τρόποις, καὶ διὰ τοῦτο τοσαύττ,ν ὀδὺ» ἀτῶδημίας προπέμπει. Ὅρα δὲ καὶ τοῦ οἰχέτου τὴν εὐγνωμυσύνην οὐδὲ γὰρ εἶπε, Τί ποτε τοῦτό ἐστιν; ξθνη τοσαῦτα πλτσίον ἡμῶν, εὐπόρων ἀνδρῶν θυγατέρες τοσαῦται, ἐπισέμων καὶ περιφανῶν" σὺ δὲ εἰς μαχρὰν οὕτω πέμπεις γῆν, πρὸς ἀνθρώπους ἁγνῶτας᾽ τίνι διαλέξομαι; τίς με εἴσεται: -ἰ δὲ, ἂν δύλον μοι ῥάψωσιν, ἂν ἀπάττν ἐργάτωνται; οὐδὲν γὰρ οὕτως εὐεπιχείρττον, ὡς ξένος. Οὐδὲν τούτων εἶπεν, ἀλλχταῦτα ἅπαντα παριδὼν, ὃ μάλισ-ἀ ἐστιν ὑπιδέσθαι, τοῦτο ὑπείδετο, ἀπὸ μὲν τοῦ μηξν ἐχείνῳ ἀντιιπεῖν τὴν ὑπαχοὴν ἐπιδειχνύμενος, ἀπὸ δὲ τοῦ μόνὸν ἐχεῖνο ἐρέσθαι, ὃ μάλιστα πάντων ζητῆσαι ἔδει, τὶν σύνεσιν τὴν αὑτοῦ καὶ πρόνοιαν δηλῶν, Τί ποτ’ οὖν ἐστι τοῦτο; καὶ τί τὸν δεσπότην ἤρετο τὸν ἑαυτοῦ, Ἐὰν δὲ μὴ βου.1ηθῇ, φηπὶν, ἡ γυνὴ πορευθῆναι μετ' ἐμοῦ, ἀποστρέψω τὸν υἱ ν᾽ σου εἰς τὴν γῆΥ, ὅθεν ἐξήιιθες; Εἶτα ὁ ᾿Αδραάμ." Μὴ ἀποστρέψῃρῦ τὸν υἱόν μου ἐκεῖ. Κύριος ὁ θεὸς τοῦ οὑρανοῦ καὶ τῆς γῆς, ὃς ξιἰαδέό με ἐκ τοῦ οἴκου τοῦ πατρός μου, καὶ ἐκ τῆς γῆς. ἧς ἐγεγγήθην, ὃς ἐλά-.1ησέ μοι καὶ ὥμοσέ μοι.1έγων" Σοὶ δώσω τὴν γὴν ταύτην καὶ τῷ σπέρματί σου, αὑτὸς τὸν ἄγγειον αὐτοῦ ἔμπροσθέν σου, καὶ χατευοδώσει τὴν ὁδόν σου. ρᾷς πίστιν ἀνδρό: Οὐ παρεχάλεσε φίλους, ἣ συγγενεῖς, οὐχ ἄλλον οὐδένα, ἀλλὰ τὸν Θεὸν ἔδωχεν αὐτῷ μεσίτην καὶ συνοδοιπόρον. Εἶτα βουλόμενος παραθαρσῦναι τὸν οἱἰχέττν, οὐχ ἁπλῶς εἶπε, Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς τοῦ οὐρανοῦ καὶ τῆς γῆς, ἀλλὰ προστίθησιν, Ὃς ἔλαδέ με ἐχ τοῦ οἴχου τοῦ πατρός μου. ᾿Αναμνήσθητι, φησὶ, πῶς τοσαύτην ἤλθομεν φησὶν, ἐμὲν ἐστιν" αὐτὸς εἶπε, Σοὶ δώσιο τὴν τῖιν «αὐτὴν ταὶ τῷ σπέρματί συυ. Ὥστε εἰ καὶ ἡμεῖς ἀνάξιοι, διὰ τοῦ» τὴν ὁτόστχετιν αὐτὰς τὰν ἕαυτοῦ, καὶ ἕνα αὐτὴν εἰς τέλος ἀγάγῃ, συμπερέΞξται, καὶ ἐξευμαριεῖ τὰ προχείμενα ἅπαντα, καὶ τέλος ἐπιθήσει τούτου οὗπερ εὐχόχκιεθα. Ταῦτα εἰπὼν ἔκεμψε τὸν Εἴτα ἐλθὼν ἐχεῖνος εἰς τὲν χώραν ἐπεΐνεν, οὐ προδξλϑέ τιν τῶν τὴν πάλιν οἰκούντων, οὐ διελέχθη ἀνθρώποι;, οὐκ ἐκάλεσε γνναῖχας - ἀλλ᾽ ὅρα πῶς καὶ ἔχεῖνος πιστὸς ὧν, τὸν μεσέτεν, οὐχ εἶπε, Κύριε ὁ Θεός μου, ἀλλὰ τί Κύριε ὁ Θεὸς τοῦ κυρίου μευ ᾿Αὐδραάμ. Ἐὶ καὶ ἐγὼ εὐτελὴς καὶ ἀπεῤδῥιωμένοξ, τν τὶν, ἀλλὰ τὸν δεσξότην μαι τὸν ἐμόν “ οὐ γὰρ ἐμαυτῷ, ἀλλ᾽ ἐχεΐῖνω διαχονῶν ἔχω ἐχείνου τοίνυν αἰδεσθεὶς τὴν ἀρετὴν, συγχατάκραξὸν μοι τὸ προχείμενον ἅξαν.
EI de kai autēn legois aniata nosein, kai polles apimeleias tychousan tǭ oicheiǭ chelri,sthai tropin, oude houtōs autēn echthlēteon" oute gar to melo? aniata nopoun echchoptetai. Melos de kai autē son Hyar, phēsin, hoi dyo eis sarcha mian. Kai ai epi men tou hielous, ouden estai cherodos hēmi) tēs therapeias, epeidan hypo tę̄? arrhōstias adioothōton phthasę̄ genestha"" Theou lēpsometha ton misthon, hoti dia ton echeinou phodēn tosautēn hypymonēn. epedeixametha, kai tēn chachian autēs: praōs ēnenchamen, kai to melos hēmōn echratēsauen. Melos gar hēmōn ananchaion ē gynē " kai dia touto autēn malista dei philein. “Hoper oun kai auto touto didaschōn palin ho Paulos elegen Houtōs oxei- «eousin hoi agdres agapi»" tas heautōn gynaichas hōs ta heautōn sōmata. Houdeis gar pote tēn heautou kathōs kai ho Christos tē» Echchizēsian " hoti melē esmen tou sōmatos autou, ek tēs sarkos aueou, kai ek tōn osteōn autou. Kathaper gar hē Eua, phēsin, apo tēs pleuras tou ᾿Adam gegonen, houtō kai hēmei? ech tēs pleura? tou Christou. Touto gar estin, Hech tēs sarchos hautou, kai ech tōn" osteōn au. ou. ᾿All᾽ hoti men hē Eua ech tēs pleuras autou tou ᾿Adam gegonen, hapantes ismen, kai saphōs hē Graphē touto eirēken, hoti epedalen echstasin ep᾽ auton, kai elathe mian tōn pleurōn autou, kai hōchodomtse tēn gynaïcha᾽ hoti de kai hē Echchlēsia apo tę̄΄s pleuras tou Christou synestē, pothen echoi tis an apodeixai? Kai touto hē Gra:ē deichnysin. Epeidē gar ho Christo? eis ton stanoun anēnechthē, kai prosēlōthē,kai apethane, Prose.Ithōn heis tōn stratiōtōn -enyxen autou tēn piïedyran, kai exēïythen haima kai hydōr" kai ex echeinou tou aimatos kai tou hydatos hē Echchlēsia hapasa synestēche. Kai martyrei autos legōn, hoti ᾿Ean mē tis anagengēϑę̄ ex hydatos kai pneumatos, ou dynatai eiseilthein eis tēn basi- «hieian tōn» ouranōn. To de haima, pneuma legei. Kai gennōmetha men dia tou hydatos tou baptismatos, trephometha de dia tou haimatos. yrą:? pōs ech tēs sa chos autou esmen, kai ech tōn osteōn hautyy, apo tou aimmatos echeinou kai tou hydatos tichtomenoi kai trephomenoi? Kai chathaper, tou ᾿Adam chatheudontos, ē gynē chatescheuazeto, houtō, tou Christou apothanontos, hē Echalēsia dieplatteto ech tēs pleuras hautou. Ou dia kouto de monon chrē philein tēn gynaicha, hoti melos hēmōn esti, kai ex hēmōn esche tēn tē? dēmiourgias archēn" all᾽ hoti kai nomon hypeo autou toutou tetheichen ho Theos, houtō legiyn A»ti toutou kataleipsei a»» thrōpos ton patera hautou kai tēn mētera, kai pros ko.ēthēsetai pros tēn gynaika autou, kai esontai hoi dyo eis sarka mian. Dia gar touto kai touton hēmin ho IIaulos anegnō ton nomon, hina pautachothen hēmas pros ton erōta synelasę̄ touton. Kai schopei sophian apostolichēn᾽ oute gar apo tōn theiōn nomōn, oute apo tōn anthrōpinōn monon, eis tēn agapēn hēma? enagei tōn gynaichōn, alla kai apo toutōn kai ap᾿ ech:inōn enallaxas amphotera tauta tithēsin" hina ho men hypsēloteros kai philosophōteros apo tōn anōthen, ho hoe asthenē? apo tōn chatōthen kai tōn tēs physeōs eis philtron enagttai. Dia touto archomenēs men apo tōn tou Christou chatorthōmatōn, tē» parainesin eisagei houtō legōn" ᾿Agapaxe tas gynaïkas, kathōs kai ho Christos ēgapēse tēn He kkiiēsian" eita palin apo tōn anthrōpinōn᾽ Houytōs hopheiiiousi» hoi andres agapąn tas heautōn gynkkas, hōs ta heautō» sōmata" eita pali" apo tou Christou" hoti melę̄ esmen ech tou sōmatos autou, kai ech tēs sauchys autou, kai ech tōn osteōn sytou" eita palin apo tōn anthrōpinōn, S D.ti toutou kata ïeipsei hōrtheōps tēn pateres autou kai tēn mētera, kai proocho miēset, pros tēn gynaika autou" kai ton nomon anagnous phouphnon phēsi" To mystērion touto mega esti. Pōs mega estin? eipe moi. Hoti ton hapanta thalamenomenē hē chorē chronon, mēdepote ton nymphion heōrachnia, apo tēs prōtēs hēmeras houtō pothei kai stergei hōs sōma oicheion᾽ palin ho anēr, hēn oudepote eiden, hēs oudepote tēs en logǭ echoinōnēse synousias, tautēn chacheinos apo tēs prōtēs hēmeras hapantōn protithēsi, kai tōn philōn, kai tōn oikeēōn, kai tōn gennpēsamenōn autōn. Hoi goneis palin, an men ex heteras hypotheseōs aphairetous aphelomenous helchousin " anthrōpǭ de pollakis mēdepote ophthenti, mēde gnōristhenti, nai tēn thyga» tera tēn heautōn kai proicha chrēmatōn pollōn encheirizonsi. Kai kairousi touto poiountes, kai ouch hēgountai zēmian einai to ginomenon all᾽ horōntes tēn thygatera apagomenēn, ou synētheias memnēntai, ouk algousin, hou dachnontai, alla kai eucharistousi, kai euchēs ergon einai nomizousi to kai tēn thygatera idein tē: oichias exagomenēn, kai polla met᾽ heecheinnēs chrēmata. Tauta oun hapanta ennoēsas ho Paulos, hoti tous goneis aphentes amphoteroi allēlois syndesmountai, kai chronon tosouton synētheias hē tote syntychia tyrannichōtera ginetai, kai synidōn, hoti ouch esti touto anthrōpinon, all᾽ ho Theo? tous erōtas toutous enchatespeire, gai tous echdidontas kai tous menous meta charas touto poiein parescheuase, phēsin" To mystērion touto mega esti. Kai kathaper epi tōn paidōn, to paidion techthen apo tēs opseōs eutheuis epistatai tous goneis hou phthengomenon᾽ houtō dē kai nymphios kai nymphē, oudenos synagontos, oudenos parainountos kai symdouleuontos, apo tēs opseōs allē lois symplechontai. Eita idōn hoti kai epi tou Christou touto egeneto, kai epi tēs Echchlēsias malista, exeplagē kai ethaumase. Pōs oun epi tou Christou kai tēs Echchlēsias touto egeneto? Kathaper ho nymphios ton patera apheis pros tēn nymphēn erchetai, houtō kai ho Christos ton patrichon thronon apheis pros tēn nymphēn ēlthen' ouch hēmas anō hekalesen, all᾽ autas pros hēmas paregeneto. HoŌtan de achousę̄s hoti aphēche, mē metastasin noēsę̄s, alla synchatadasin " kai gar kai meth᾽ hēmōn hōn, meta tou Patros ēn. Dia touto phēsi" To mystērion touto megō esti. Mega men esti kai epi anthrōpōn ginomenon " hotan de idō eis ton Christon kai eis tēn Echchlēsian auto symdaïnon, tote echplēttomai, tote thaumazō. Dia touto eipōn, To mystērion touto mega estin, epēgagen" Egō de «“egō, eis ton Christon, kai eis tēn achilēsian. Eidōs toinyn hēlichon mystērion estin ho gamos, kai hēlichou pragmatos typos, mē haplōs, mēde hōs etyche peri toutou bouleuon, mēde chrēmatōn euporian zētei mellōn agesthai nymphēn. Ou gar chapēleian, alla biou choinōnian einai ton gamon dei no- d΄. Kai gar pollōn ēchousa legontōn, Ho deina euporōteros gegonen apo tou gamou, penēs hōn᾽ epeidē? gynaika euporon elathe, ploutei kai tryphą nyn. Ti legeis, anthrhōpe? apo gyna:chos cherdainein epithymeis, kai ouch aischynę̄, oude erythriąs? oude eis tēn gēn chkatadyę̄ toioutous cherdōn epizētōn tropous? kai pou tauta andros ta rhēmata? [Gynaichys hen esti onon, ta syllegomena diaphylattein, tas prosodous diatērein, tēs oikias epimeleisthai" kai gar dia touto autēn edōchen ho Theos, hin en toutois hēmin boēthę̄ meta tōn allōn hapantōn, Epeoidē gar ton beon to n hēmeteron dyo tauta ounchrotein eiynϑe, ta politika kai idiōticha pragmata, dielōn amphotera tauta ho Thios, tautę̄ men tēn tēs oichias prostapian apeneime, tois de andrasi ta tē: poleōs hapanta pragmata, ta te epi tēs agoras, dichastēria,, bouleutēria, stratēgias, na alla panta. Ou dynatai achontisai dorn, oude ageinai belos ē gynē" all' ēlakatēn dyna- «ti ladein, kai histon hyphanai, kai ta alla panta ta kata tēn oikian diatheinai chalōs. Ou dynatai gnōmēn eisēgēsasthai: en bouleutēriǭ " alla dynatai gnōmēn eisēgēsasthai en oikią, kai pollachis haper syneiden ho anēr tōn kata tēn oichian, beltion hautē syneiden. yy dynatai ta dēmosia diatheinai chalōs" alla dynatai paidia diathrepsai kalōs, to chephalaion tōn chtēmatōn ᾿ dynatai therapainidōn chachourgias synidein, kai phōphrosynts epimelēthēnai tōn diachonoumenōn, tēn allēn apaϑan tǭ synoichounti parechein adeian, kai pasēs auton toiautēs apallaxai phrontidos en elatiōn euschēmosynēs, tōn allōn apantōn epimeloumenē, haper andri oute euprepes, oute eucholon metacheirisasthai pote, chēn myria philoneichę̄. Kai gar kai touto tēs tou Theou philotimias kai sophias ergon, “hon en tou? meizosi chrēsimon, en tois elattosi chatadeesteron kai achrēston einai, hina anankaia genētai -hēs gynaichos ē chreia. E gar en amphoterois epoiēse ton andra epitēdeion einai, euchataphronē ton an to Xōn gynaichōn egeneto genos" palin, ei to meizon kai chrēsimōteron epetrepse tę̄ gynaichi, pollēs an eneplēse tas gynaichas tēs aponoias. Dia touto oute amphotera heni edōchen, hina mē to heteron elattōthę̄ genos, kai peritton einai dochę̄᾽ oute exisēs hechaterǭ dieneimen, hina mē palin ech tēs isotimias machē tis genētai kai philoneichia, tēs autę̄ proedrias «hois andrasi philoneichousōn axiousthai tōn gynaichōn' all᾽ homou kai tēs eirēnēs pronoōn, kai tēn prepou. san hechastǭ taxin diatērōn, eis dyo tauta dielōn hēmōn tēn zōēn, to men ananchaioteron kai chrēsimōpϑroon tǭ andri, to de elatton kai chatadeesteron dedōche tę̄ gynaichi " hin᾽ ho men dia to ananchaion tēs chreias perispoudastos hēmin hē, hē de dia to chatadeesteron tēs diachonias mē chatexanistatai tou synoi chountos. Taut᾽ oun hapantes eidotes, hen monon zētōmen, psychē? aretēn kai eugeneian tropōn, hina eirēnēs apolauōmen, hina entryphōmen en homonoią kai agapę̄ diēnechei Ho men gar euporon ladōn gynaicha, despoinan mallon eladen hē gynaicha. Ei gar, kai chōbis toutou, phronēmatos eisin hai gynaiches empeplēamenai, kai pros doxēs erōta euemptōtoi, an kai autēn prosladōsi tēn protthēchēn, pōs esontai phorētai tois synoichousin autais? Ho de homotimon hē “ppenesteran lathōn gynaicha, boēthon kai symmachon elathe, kai panta eis? tēn oichian eisēgage ta agatha. Ē gar tiss peuias ananchē therapeuein autēn meta pollēs tēs epimeleias anapeithei ton andra, kai panta eichein kai peithesthai, kai eridos men, kai machēs, kai aponoias, kai hydreō? pasan anairei prophasin " eirēnēs de, kai homonoias, kai agapēs, kai symphōnias ginetai syndesmos. Mē toinyn touto zēę̄tōmen hopōs chrēmata echōmen, all᾽ hopōs eirēnēn, hypōs hēdonēs apolauōmen" dia touto gamos, ouch hina polemou kai machēs tas oikia? empiplōmen, ouch hina ereis kai philoneichias echōmen, ouch hena pros allēlous xiastasiazōmen, kai atheōton ton bion poiōmen, alla hina boētheias apolauōmen, kai limena echōnlen kai kataphygēn, kai paramythian tōn epichei menon chachōn» hina meth᾽ hēdonēs tę̄ gynaichi dialegōmetha. Posai ploutountes, gynaichas lathontes euporous, tēn oupian auxēsantes, tēn hēdonēn kai tēn homonoian katelysan, kathēmerinas machas epi tēs trapezē? poioumenoi, philoneikias echontes : posoi penētes penesperas laodontes, eirēnēs apolauousi, kai met᾽ euphrosynēs pollę̄s ton hēlion touton blepousin hoi de houporoi, pantachothen autois pericheimenēs tryphēs, dia tas gynaichas tyxanto pollachis apothanein, kai tēs par» ousēs apallagēnai zōēs? houtōs ouden chrēmatōn ophelos, hotan psychēs mē epitynchanōmen agathēs. Kai ti chrē legein peri eirēnēs kai homonoias? Kai gar eis autēn tōn chrēmatōn tēn chtēsin pollachis to plousiōteran ladein hēmas paredlapsen. “Hotan gar eis ton tēs proichos logon hapasan tēn periousian epidous. eita aōrou symdantos thanaton, chatadalein para tōn chēdestōn ananchazētai tēn proicha hapasan chathaper hoi nauagion hypomenontes epi tēs thalassēs to sōma diasōzousi hemonon, houtō dē kai houtos, meta pollas philoneikias, kai machas, kai hydreis, kai dichastēria, molis to sōma eleuϑeron echōn exerchetai. Kai chathaper hoi tōn hekporōn aplēstoi, myriōn tēn naun plēsantes phortiōn, kai pleon tēs dynameōs ton onchon epithentes, katedysan to schaphos, kai panta apōlesan " houtiy dē kai houtoi tous hyperonchous agomenoi gamous, meizona pollakis doxantes peridalesthai ousian dia tēs gynaikos, kai tēs ousēs exepeson' kai hōsper echei HiN tos e Rhnacheia empesousa baptizei to achaphos, houtō kai entautha thanatos aōros prouspesōn meta tēs gynaichos kai panta ta onta autou apheileto. ᾿ a΄, Taut᾽ oun hapanta ennoountes, mē chrēmata per:schopōmen, alla tropōn epieicheian, kai semnotēta kai sōphrosynēn. Gynē gar sōphrōn, kai epieichēs kai metria, kan penēs hē, tēn penian ploutou beltiondiatheinai dynēsetai" hōsper hē diephtharmenē, kai acholastos, kai phę̄keris, chan myrious heurę̄ thēsaurous hendon cheimenous, anemou pantos tachion autous echphysēsasa, kai symphorais myriai? meta tēs penias peridallei ton andra. Mē toinyn plouton zētōmen, alla tēn chrēsomenēn kalōs tois ousi. Proteron mathe, tis hē tou gamou aitia, kai tinos henechen eis ton bion eisenēnechtai ton hēmeteron, kai mēden pleon apaitei. Tis oun hē tou gamou prophasis, kai tinos henechen edōchen auton ho Theos? ēlchouson tou Paulou legontos" Dia de tas porg»eias echastos tēn heautou gynaika echetō Ouch eipe, Dia de tēn tēs penias apallagēn, hē Dia tēn tēs euporias chtēsin “ alla ti? Hina porneias phygōmen, hina tēn epithymian chatasteilōmen, hina sōphrosynę̄ tyzēsōmen, hina euarestēsōmen Theǭ, tę̄ hoikeią archoumenoi gametę̄. Touto tou gamon to dōron, houtos ho charpos, touto to cherdos. Mē toinyn ta meizona apheis, ta elattona zētei’ poly gar sōphrosyonēs elattōn ho ploutos. Di᾿ hen gar touto monon chrē lamdanein gynaicha, hina tēn hamartian phygōmen, hina porneias apatēs apallagōmen " pros touto chrē ton gamon chathistasthai panta, hina eis sōphrosynēn hēmin, s)mprattę̄ estai de touto, ean toiautas agōmetha nymphas, hai pollēn men euladeian, pollēn de sy»phrosynēn, pollēn hox epieicheian hēmin eisagagein dynantai. Hē men gar tou sōmatos eumorphia, hotan mē synezeugmenēn echę̄ tēn tę̄΄s psychēs aretēn, kai eichoai kai triachonta hēmeras dynēsetai ton andra helein, keraiterō de ou prodēsetai, alla deixasa tēn chachian, hapan chatalysei to philtron" hai de tǭ challei tēs psychēs katalampousai, hosǭper an ho chronos proïę̄, kai peiran tēs oicheias eugeneias parechōsi, tosoutǭ malista thermoteron tois oicheiois andrasi koiousi ton erōta, kai tēn pros auton exaptousin agapēn. Toutou de ontos, kai philias metaxy cheimegēs thermēs kai gnēsias, hapan elaunetai porneias. eidos, kai oude ennoia tis acholasias tǭ philounti tēn heautou gynaicha pot: empeseitai, alla menei diēnechōs tēn heautou stergōn kai dia tēs sōphropynēs ton Theon epispōmenos eis tēn tēs oichias apasēs eunoian to kai prostasian. Houtōs elamthanon hoi gennaioi tōn palaiōn andrōn gynaikas, psychēs eugeneian epizētountes, kai ouch euporian chrēmatōn. Kai hoti touto estin alēthes, paradeigmatos henechen, henos epi Kai proxedēkōs hēmerōn, phēsi, kai eipe tǭ pōidi hautou tǭ praesdyterǭ tēs oikias autou͵, tǭ archonti tōn autou pan»tōn" Thes tēn cheira sou hypo ton mēron mou, kai exorchiō se Kyrion ton Theon tou ouragou kai teēs gēs, hina mē axę̄s gynaicha tǭ huiǭ mou Isaach apo tōn thygaterōn tōn Chatagaiōn, meth’ hōn egō oichō met᾽ hautōn, a.1.1᾽ eis t᾿» gēg mou hou egennēthēn, poreusę̄. kai heis tēn phy,lēn mou, kai iēn ē gynaicha tǭ huiǭ mou echeithen. EIdes tou dikaiōn ti,» aretin, potēn hyper gamou kroguian epoiēsato, Ou gar dē mastrōpous chalesas gynaichas, kathaper hoi nyn, oudę̄᾽ promntstrias, oude graïdia mytheuonta, alla ton oichetēn ton heautou, poutǭ to pragma, enecheirisen" ho kai auto tēs euylaeich? tou patriarchou megiston esti sēmeion, hot: pouyyton chatescheuase ton oichettn, hōs? kai pragmatos nomisai axiopiston einai diachonon. Eita gynaicha zētei, ouch euporon, oude eumorphon, all᾽ eu- HyenY, tois tropois, kai dia touto tosautt,n ody» atōdēmias propempei. Hora de kai tou oichetou tēn eugnōmysynēn oude gar eipe, Ti pote touto estin? xthnē tosauta pltsion hēmōn, euporōn andrōn thygateres tosautai, episemōn kai periphanōn" sy de eis machran houtō pempeis gēn, pros anthrōpous hagnōtas᾽ tini dialexomai? tis me eisetai: -i de, an dylon moi rhapsōsin, an apattn ergatōntai? ouden gar houtōs euepicheirtton, hōs xenos. Ouden toutōn eipen, allchtauta hapanta paridōn, ho malis-a estin hypidesthai, touto hypeideto, apo men tou mēxn echeinǭ antiipein tēn hypachoēn epideichnymenos, apo de tou monon echeino eresthai, ho malista pantōn zētēsai edei, tin synesin tēn hautou kai pronoian dēlōn, Ti pot’ oun esti touto? kai ti ton despotēn ēreto ton heautou, Ean de mē bou.1ēthę̄, phēpin, hē gynē poreuthēnai met' emou, apostrepsō ton hui n᾽ sou eis tēn gēU, hothen exēiithes? Eita ho ᾿Adraam." Mē apostrepsę̄ry ton huion mou ekei. Kyrios ho theos tou houranou kai tēs gēs, hos xiiadeo me ek tou oikou tou patros mou, kai ek tēs gēs. hēs egengēthēn, hos ela-.1ēse moi kai hōmose moi.1egōn" Soi dōsō tēn gēn tautēn kai tǭ spermati sou, hautos ton angeion autou emprosthen sou, kai chateuodōsei tēn hodon sou. rąs pistin andro: Ou parechalese philous, hē syngeneis, ouch allon oudena, alla ton Theon edōchen autǭ mesitēn kai synodoiporon. Eita boulomenos paratharsynai ton hoiichettn, ouch haplōs eipe, Kyrios ho Theos tou ouranou kai tēs gēs, alla prostithēsin, Hos elade me ech tou oichou tou patros mou. ᾿Anamnēsthēti, phēsi, pōs tosautēn ēlthomen phēsin, emen estin" autos eipe, Soi dōsio tēn tiin «autēn tai tǭ spermati syy. Hōste ei kai hēmeis anaxioi, dia tou» tēn hotostchetin autas tan heautou, kai hena autēn eis telos agagę̄, sympereXxtai, kai exeumariei ta procheimena hapanta, kai telos epithēsei toutou houper euchochkietha. Tauta eipōn ekempse ton Eita elthōn echeinos eis ten chōran epeïnen, ou prodxlϑe tin tōn tēn palin oikountōn, ou dielechthē anthrōpoi?, ouk ekalese gnnaichas - all᾽ hora pōs kai echeinos pistos hōn, ton meseten, ouch eipe, Kyrie ho Theos mou, alla ti Kyrie ho Theos tou kyriou meu ᾿Audraam. Ei kai egō eutelēs kai aperdrhiōmenox, tn tin, alla ton desxotēn mai ton emon “ ou gar emautǭ, all᾽ echeïinō diachonōn echō echeinou toinyn aidestheis tēn aretēn, synchatakraxon moi to procheimenon haxan.
But even if you say that she is incurably sick, and that, though she has received much care, she keeps to her own ways, not even so must she be cast out; for neither is a member that is incurably sick cut off. And she too is a member of yours: “For the two,” it says, “shall become one flesh.” And in the case of the member, there will be no gain to us from the treatment once it has become incurable through the illness; [but in the case of the wife, even if she remains unchanged,] we shall receive from God the reward, because for fear of him we showed such patience and bore her wickedness gently and kept our member. For the wife is a necessary member of ours; and for this reason we must love her above all. Teaching this very thing again, Paul said: “So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies. For no one ever [hated] his own [flesh …], as Christ also does the church; because we are members of his body, of his flesh and of his bones.” For as Eve, he says, came from the side of Adam, so we too came from the side of Christ. For this is the meaning of “of his flesh and of his bones.” But that Eve came from the side of Adam himself we all know, and Scripture has said it clearly, that he cast a trance upon him, and took one of his ribs, and built the woman; but that the church too was formed from the side of Christ, how could one show? This too Scripture shows. For when Christ was lifted up on the cross, and nailed, and died, “one of the soldiers came and pierced his side, and there came out blood and water”; and from that blood and water the whole church has been formed. And he himself bears witness, saying: “Unless one is born again of water and Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of heaven.” The blood he calls spirit. And we are born through the water of baptism, and nourished through the blood. You see how we are of his flesh and of his bones, born and nourished from that blood and water? And as, while Adam slept, the woman was formed, so, when Christ had died, the church was fashioned from his side. Not only for this reason should one love one's wife, that she is our member and had the beginning of her creation from us, but because God also laid down a law about this very thing, saying thus: “For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother, and shall be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” For this reason Paul read us this law too, so that from every side he might drive us together into this love. And consider the apostle's wisdom: he leads us to the love of our wives neither from the divine laws alone nor from the human alone, but, alternating between these and those, he sets both side by side, so that the loftier and more philosophic may be led to affection from what is above, and the weaker from what is below and from nature. Therefore, beginning from the achievements of Christ, he introduces the exhortation, saying: “Love your wives, as Christ also loved the church”; then again from human things: “So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies”; then again from Christ: “because we are members of his body, of his flesh and of his bones”; then again from human things: “For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother, and shall be joined to his wife”; and having read the law, he says: “This mystery is great.” How is it great? Tell me. Because the girl, kept in her chamber all her life, never having seen the bridegroom, from the first day longs for him and loves him as her own body; and again the husband, the woman whom he never saw, with whom he never shared even the fellowship of speech, from the first day he prefers to all — to friends, to relatives, to his very parents. Parents again, if their property is taken on some other ground, drag the takers to court; but to a man often never seen nor known they hand over their own daughter and a dowry of much money. And they rejoice in doing this, and do not think what happens a loss; but seeing their daughter led away, they do not remember the years of companionship, they do not grieve, they are not stung, but even give thanks, and think it an answer to prayer to see their daughter led out of the house, and much money with her. Paul, then, considering all this — that both, leaving their parents, are bound to each other, and that their meeting then becomes more masterful than so long a time of companionship — and seeing that this is not human, but that God sowed these loves and arranged for those who give in marriage and those who are given to do this with joy, says: “This mystery is great.” And as with children the newborn child knows its parents from the sight of them at once, though it does not speak, so too bridegroom and bride, with no one bringing them together, no one exhorting and counselling, are knit to each other from the sight of each other. Then, seeing that this happened also in the case of Christ, and of the church above all, he was astonished and marvelled. How, then, did this happen in the case of Christ and the church? As the bridegroom leaves his father and comes to the bride, so Christ too left his Father's throne and came to the bride; he did not call us up, but himself came to us. When you hear that he left, do not think of a change of place, but of condescension; for even when he was with us, he was with the Father. That is why he says: “This mystery is great.” It is great even when it happens among human beings; but when I see it happening with Christ and the church, then I am astonished, then I marvel. That is why, having said, “This mystery is great,” he added: “But I speak with reference to Christ and the church.” Knowing, then, how great a mystery marriage is, and of how great a thing it is a type, do not deliberate about it lightly or casually, nor seek abundance of money when you are about to take a bride. For one must consider marriage not a trade, but a partnership of life. [4] For I have heard many saying: “So-and-so has become richer from his marriage; he was poor, but since he took a rich wife he is wealthy and lives in luxury now.” What are you saying, man? You desire to profit from a wife, and are not ashamed, nor do you blush, nor sink into the earth for seeking such ways of gain? And where are these the words of a man? A wife has one task only: to guard what is gathered, to keep the revenues, to care for the house; for this is why God gave her, to help us in these things together with all the rest. For since our life is held together by these two things, public and private affairs, God divided both, and assigned to her the management of the house, and to men all the affairs of the city: the marketplace, courts, council chambers, the command of armies, and all the rest. A woman cannot hurl a spear or shoot an arrow; but she can take up the distaff and weave at the loom, and arrange well all the other things of the house. She cannot propose an opinion in the council chamber; but she can propose an opinion at home, and often she sees better than her husband what concerns the house. She cannot manage public affairs well; but she can bring up children well, the chief of possessions; she can detect the misdeeds of the maids, and take care of the good conduct of the servants, give her husband freedom in all other things, and free him from every such care …, taking care of all the other things which it would be neither seemly nor easy for a man ever to handle, however much he strove. For this too is a work of God's munificence and wisdom, that the one who is useful in the greater things is inferior and useless in the lesser, so that the woman's service may be necessary. For if he had made the man fit for both, the female sex would have been easily despised; again, if he had entrusted the greater and more useful to the woman, he would have filled women with much arrogance. That is why he neither gave both to one, so that the other sex might not be diminished and seem superfluous, nor distributed them equally to each, so that from equal honour some fight and rivalry might not arise, with wives contending to be counted worthy of the same precedence as their husbands; but at once providing for peace and preserving the order fitting to each, he divided our life into these two, and gave the more necessary and useful to the husband, and the lesser and inferior to the wife, so that he might be highly esteemed by us for the necessity of his service, and she, through the inferiority of her ministry, might not rise up against her husband. Knowing all this, then, let us seek one thing only, virtue of soul and nobility of character, so that we may enjoy peace, so that we may delight in concord and lasting love. For he who takes a rich wife has taken a mistress rather than a wife. For if even apart from this women are full of pride and easily fall into the love of glory, if they gain this addition too, how will they be bearable to those who live with them? But he who takes a wife of equal rank or poorer has taken a helper and ally, and has brought all good things into the house. For the necessity of her poverty persuades her to serve her husband with great care, and to yield and obey in everything, and removes every pretext for strife and battle and arrogance and insult; it becomes a bond of peace and concord and love and harmony. Let us, then, not seek how we may have money, but how we may have peace, how we may enjoy pleasure. That is why there is marriage: not so that we may fill our houses with war and battle, not so that we may have strife and rivalry, not so that we may quarrel with one another and make life unlivable, but so that we may enjoy help, and have a harbour and refuge and consolation for the evils that beset us, so that we may converse with our wives with pleasure. How many rich men, having taken wealthy wives, have increased their property but destroyed pleasure and concord, having daily battles at table, having rivalries! How many poor men, having taken poorer wives, enjoy peace and see this sun with much gladness, while the wealthy, with luxury surrounding them on every side, have often prayed to die because of their wives and to be freed from the present life! So there is no profit in money when we do not obtain a good soul. And why speak of peace and concord? For even for the acquiring of money itself, to take a richer wife has often harmed us. For when a man has put all his property into the account of the dowry, and then, an untimely death occurring, is forced to pay back the whole dowry to her relatives, as those who suffer shipwreck at sea save only the body, so this man too, after many rivalries and battles and insults and lawsuits, comes out barely with his body free. And as greedy merchants, filling the ship with countless cargoes and putting a load on it beyond its capacity, sink the vessel and lose everything, so these too, contracting marriages beyond their measure, often thinking they have acquired a greater property through the wife, have lost even what they had; and as there a wave falling on the vessel sinks it, so here too an untimely death, falling upon them together with the wife, has taken away all his possessions. [5] Considering all this, then, let us not look about for money, but for gentleness of character, and dignity and chastity. For a chaste and gentle and modest wife, even if she is poor, will be able to make poverty better than wealth; just as the corrupt and licentious and quarrelsome wife, even if she finds countless treasures lying within, will blow them away faster than any wind, and will envelop her husband in countless misfortunes together with poverty. Let us not, then, seek wealth, but a wife who will use well what there is. First learn what the cause of marriage is, and for what reason it was brought into our life, and demand nothing more. What, then, is the reason for marriage, and why did God give it? Hear Paul saying: “But because of sexual immorality let each man have his own wife.” He did not say, “because of release from poverty,” or “because of the acquisition of wealth”; but what? So that we may flee sexual immorality, so that we may restrain desire, so that we may live in chastity, so that we may please God, being content with our own wife. This is the gift of marriage, this its fruit, this its gain. Do not, then, leave the greater and seek the lesser; for wealth is much less than chastity. For one reason only ought one to take a wife: that we may flee sin, that we may be freed from the deceit of sexual immorality; to this end every marriage ought to be ordered, that it may work with us toward chastity. And this will be so if we take such brides as can bring us much piety, much chastity, much gentleness. For bodily beauty, when it does not have the virtue of the soul joined to it, may be able to capture the husband for twenty or thirty days, but will go no further, but, showing its wickedness, will dissolve all affection; but women who shine with the beauty of the soul, the more time advances and they give proof of their own nobility, the warmer they make their own husbands' love and the more they kindle their affection toward them. And when this is so, and warm and genuine friendship lies between them, every form of sexual immorality is driven out, and not even a thought of licentiousness will ever fall upon the man who loves his own wife, but he continues always cherishing his own, and through chastity drawing God to goodwill and protection of the whole house. So the noble men of old took wives, seeking nobility of soul, not abundance of money. And that this is true, for the sake of an example I will recall one … “And being advanced in days,” it says, “he said to his servant, the elder of his house, the ruler of all that he had: Put your hand under my thigh, and I will make you swear by the Lord, the God of heaven and of earth, that you will not take a wife for my son Isaac from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell; but you shall go to my land where I was born, and to my tribe, and take a wife for my son from there.” Do you see the righteous man's virtue, how much forethought he took about marriage? For he did not call in procuresses, as people do now, nor matchmakers, nor old women telling tales, but entrusted the matter to his own servant; which itself is the greatest sign of the patriarch's piety, that he had made his servant such that he thought him a trustworthy minister of the matter. Then he seeks a wife, not rich nor beautiful, but noble in character, and for this reason sends him on so long a journey. And see the good sense of the servant too; for he did not say: “What is this? So many nations near us, so many daughters of wealthy men, distinguished and illustrious; and you send me so far, to a land of unknown people. With whom shall I converse? Who will know me? And what if they weave a plot against me, if they practise every deceit? For nothing is so easy to attack as a stranger.” He said none of these things, but, overlooking all this, he was cautious about what most needs caution, showing his obedience by not contradicting him at all, and his understanding and forethought by asking only what most of all needed to be asked. What, then, is this? And what did he ask his master? “If the woman will not go with me,” he says, “shall I take your son back to the land from which you came?” Then Abraham: “Do not take my son back there. The Lord, the God of heaven and of earth, who took me from my father's house and from the land in which I was born, who spoke to me and swore to me, saying, To you I will give this land and to your seed, he himself will send his angel before you, and will prosper your way.” Do you see the man's faith? He did not summon friends or relatives or anyone else, but gave him God as mediator and fellow traveller. Then, wishing to encourage the servant, he did not simply say, “The Lord, the God of heaven and of earth,” but added, “who took me from my father's house.” Remember, he says, how we came so far …; he himself said, “To you I will give this land and to your seed.” So even if we are unworthy, for the sake of his own promise, and so as to bring it to fulfilment, he will go with you and make all that lies before you easy, and bring to its end what we pray for. Having said this, he sent him. Then the servant, coming to that country, did not approach any of those who lived in the city, did not converse with people, did not call women; but see how he too, being faithful, [called on God as] mediator: he did not say, “Lord my God,” but what? “Lord, God of my master Abraham.” Even if I am lowly and despised, [regard not me,] but my master; for I serve not myself but him; out of respect for his virtue, then, accomplish with me all that lies before me.
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
Gen 2:24 (quotation, high confidence) · Eph 5:28 (quotation, high confidence) · Eph 5:29 (quotation, high confidence) · Eph 5:30 (quotation, high confidence) · Gen 2:21 (allusion, high confidence) · Gen 2:22 (allusion, high confidence) · John 19:34 (quotation, high confidence) · John 3:5 (quotation, high confidence) · Eph 5:25 (quotation, high confidence) · Eph 5:31 (quotation, high confidence) · Eph 5:32 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Cor 7:2 (quotation, high confidence) · Gen 24:1 (quotation, high confidence) · Gen 24:2 (quotation, high confidence) · Gen 24:3 (quotation, high confidence) · Gen 24:4 (quotation, high confidence) · Gen 24:5 (quotation, high confidence) · Gen 24:7 (quotation, high confidence) · Gen 24:12 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Chrysostom says that even an incorrigible wife must not be cast out, explains Paul's teaching on marriage as a great mystery of Christ and the church, warns against marrying for money, and begins the story of Abraham's servant seeking a wife for Isaac.
- Quales ducendae sint uxores, staging ref 3, which also holds Migne's sections 4 and 5 (marked “[4]” and “[5]”, where the OCR has δ΄ and α΄). Re-read against the Greek; no public-domain English. Chrysostom: “not even so must she be cast out” (οὐδὲ οὕτως αὐτὴν ἐκβλητέον). Words and lines lost in the OCR are marked “…” or supplied in brackets by sense (the clause on the wife's reward, the words of Eph 5:29, the clause on the servant's prayer). A passage beginning “but women who shine with the beauty of the soul” and ending “I will recall one”, displaced by the OCR into ref 6, is restored here by a logged correction (its last word is lost after ἐπι-). Migne's Latin version and column numbers are removed by logged corrections. Quotations: Gen 2:24 (several times); Eph 5:28–32, 25; Gen 2:21–22; John 19:34; John 3:5; 1 Cor 7:2; Gen 24:1–4, 5, 7, 12.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (Migne column number in the text; Migne's Latin version leaked into the Greek column; τὸν ἡμέτερον rejoined; a passage displaced by the OCR into ref 6 restored to its place): [210] → ; [2311] → ; οἦκε (α).} ϑίευϊ εἰ ἔνα, ἱπᾳυΐ!, ἐχ ἰωίθγο ν»γοάϊϊι, ἰϊδ οἱ ποἊ 6 δοροζεῖν, οἱ Ἔχοηρίδ ὑπ 6 ορδιὶδ εἾ085 “Πρ αν οὶ! Ῥκρεσὶ! ἰαῖμς {{{πὸ, εἰ εαἷὶέ τη 46 ἑαπρκὶς εἰ ἀσμα (δοαη. 49, : οἱ ὁχ ᾿118 8408 οἱ ἐκ ὅσπα εἰ εἐρί γί ιε, διηἰεἰς οἱ (η}}Π|Πτί θυ, Γει 68 ἰδ, οἷ ροῦ δἰ δι) οδυβδιην δυίδγαίυν οἷϑ ροιῦεἶδ, ἀοἰθηίον [ογυηὶ,, οἱ ἴω ἦι ἰγαμαηὶ εὐπὶ χυὶ αὔνρτγορογαίὶ, ἰΐα οἱ 4. Ἡα ον ογθηία ἡ ἀμ Υἱια οἱ 'ρ8β6 δκὶι ἴῃ ἐδ! ἰοἰ 8. γα οἱ 'ῃ σφίογὶβ ποῦ 511 δι ]ο. Ἰυὺς ποδί ἃ ὁ ἀυσθυδ σθαι, 6 γοῦυβ ρεῖνδιῖ5 εἰ μὺξα, αἱ (εἶδα ἰοχογα, εἰ Ρβοίεδι ὧδ γὸ [εν αγὶ ἴδετε δειίςβείδην, οἱ δ'Ξ06 215εἶα, μὸ ἰοῦ τ αιδῖοδ Βοῆοτγο οὔ γαῖαν (6 ργίμοιραίυ αἱ υἱοῦ δὲ πρδεὶδ ποϑθδδδγὶ8 ράγὰ Υἱέοὸ οἰ ρμαυρογίοείδυδ νἱνωμι ἰδ ρό.6, εἰ αἰἰπηοιίξαπο [ποι μυΐι οὐδίδευϊοιο Ὁ ΕἾ! επί ἰοιογάμαι οἱ φαὶ ἰοϊδα Θαΐ»ἀυαὶ οαηΐδ : ἰδ οἱ “εἰ "δἰ : δἷς οἱ εἰς ἰδίου διογ ὀϑυ υξὶδ ἀδίυνι επὶ αἰνὶηἰιυ ἢ (!. ον. Ἴ. ὃ). Νοὺ ἀαἰϊχίι, ὕι ονϊοίυν ρουροεῖδδ, εἰ γι, φυς δά ρἱ. τλίοιη, δά ἰδιμιρογαπείδι εἰ ρεοδίιδιετι Ὠιαγ τ) ὕδά4υ6 οὐ ἀδοσιι δι ἐμέτερον → ν ἡμέτερον; [918] → ; [419] → ; αἱ δὲ τῷ χάλλει Καὶ → αἱ δὲ τῷ χάλλει τῆς ψυχῆς καταλάμπουσαι, ὅσῳπερ ἂν ὁ χρόνος προΐῃ, καὶ πεῖραν τῆς οἰχείας εὐγενείας παρέχωσι, τοσούτῳ μάλιστα θερμότερον τοῖς οἰχείοις ἀνδράσι κοιοῦσι τὸν ἔρωτα, καὶ τὴν πρὸς αὐτὸν ἐξάπτουσιν ἀγάπην. Τούτου δὲ ὄντος, καὶ φιλίας μεταξὺ χειμέγὴς θερμῆς καὶ γνησίας, ἅπαν ἐλαύνεται πορνείας. εἶδος, καὶ οὐδὲ ἔννοιά τις ἀχολασίας τῷ φιλοῦντι τὴν ἑαυτοῦ γυναῖχά ποτ: ἐμπεσεῖται, ἀλλὰ μένει διηνεχῶς τὴν ἑαυτοῦ στέργων καὶ διὰ τῆς σωφροπύνης τὸν Θεὸν ἐπισπώμενος εἰς τὴν τῆς οἰχίας ἀπάσης εὔνοιάν τὸ καὶ προστασίαν. Οὕτως ἐλάμθανον οἱ γενναῖοι τῶν παλαιῶν ἀνδρῶν γυναῖκας, ψυχῆς εὐγένειαν ἐπιζητοῦντες, καὶ οὐχ εὐπορίαν χρημάτων. Καὶ ὅτι τοῦτό ἐστιν ἀληθὲς, παραδείγματος ἕνεχεν, ἑνὸς ἐπι Καὶ; [220] → .
Topics: Marriage, Divorce and remarriage, Wealth and poverty, Women
Cite (SBL): Chrysostom, Max. 3 (PG 51:229; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/chrysostom-quales-ducendae/3). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/chrysostom-quales-ducendae/3
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek (PG 51, archive.org OCR); re-read against the Greek, since no public-domain English exists.
Chapter 6
6PG 51:233
Εἴτα ἵνα μὴ νομίσης ὅτι ὡς χρέος ἀπαιτεῖ, ἄχουὅσον γαὶ τῶν ἑἐξῖς- Καὶ ποίησον ἔλεος μετὰ τοῦ κυρίου μου Ἁδραάμ. Κἂν μυρία ὧμεν, φησὶ, χατὠωρθωχότες, ἀξιοῦμεν χάριτι σωθῆναι, καὶ ἀπὸ φιλανθρωπίας τοῦτο λαθεῖν, οὐχ ἐξ ὀφειλῖς τινος καὶ χρέους. Τί τοίνυν βούλε: - Ἰδοὺ ἔστηχα, φησὶν, ἐπὶ τῆς πηγῆς τοῦ ὕδατος αἱ δὲ θυγατέρες τῶν ὥδωρ" καὶ ἔσται ἡ παρθένος, ἧ ἂν ἐγὼ εἴσω, ᾿Επίκιινόν μοι κὴν ὑδρίαν σου, ἵνα πίω, καὶ εἴπῃ. Πίε καὶ εὑ, καὶ τὰς καμήιϊιους σου ποειῶ, ἕως ἂν παύσωνται πᾶσαι πίνουσαι, ταύτην ἡτοίμασας τῷ παιδί σου Ἰσαὰκ. καὶ ἐν τούτῳ γνώσομαι ὅτι ἐποίησας ἔλεος τῷ κυρίῳ μου Ἁδραάμ “Ὅρα σοφίαν οἰχέτου, οἷον τίθησι σημεῖον. Οὐχ εἶπεν, Ἐάν τινα ἴδω ἐπὶ ἡμιόνων φερομένην, ἐπὶ ὀχήματος ὀχουμέντιν, εὐνούχων ὃὲ ἐσμὸν ἐπισυρομένην, πολλὴν ἔχουσαν θε ραπείαν, εὔμορφον καὶ ἀπολάμπουσαν χατὰ τὴν τοῦ σώματος ὥραν, ταύτην ἡτοίμασας τῷ παιδί σου " ἀλλὰ τί; Ἧ ἂν ἐγὼ εἴπω" Ἐπίχλινόν μοι τὴν ὑδρίανσου. ἵνα πίω. Τί ποιεῖς, ἄνθρωπε; οὕτως εὐτελῇ γυναῖκα τὲ; δεσπότῃ σου ζητεῖς, ὑδροφοροῦσαν, χαΐ σοι διαλεχθῇναι δυναμένην; Ναὶ, φησίν" οὐ γὰρ ἔπεμψέ με χρη. τῶν εὐπορίαν," οὐδὲ γένους χαμπρότητα, ἀλλὰ ψυχῆς εὐγένειαν ἐπιζνυτήσοντα. Πολλαὶ πολλάχις τῶν ὑδροφορουσῶν τούτων ὀλόχλῃρον ἔχουσιν ἀρετὴν, ἄλλαι δὲ ἐν οἴχοις λαμπροῖς χαθέμεναι, πάντων εἰσὶ χείρους καὶ φαυλότεραι. Εἶτα καὶ πόθεν τοῦτο, ὅτ: ἑνάρετός ἔστιν ἡ γυνή; ᾿Απὸ τοῦ σημείου, φησὶν, οὗ εἶπε. Καὶ ποῖον τοῦτο τὸ σημεῖον ἀρετῆς; Μέγιστον καὶ ἀναμφισδήτητον. Φιλοξενίας γὰρ τοῦτο μέγα σιμεῖόν ἐστιν, ὥστε πᾶσαν παοασχεῖν ἀπόδειξιν. Ὃ τοίνυν λέγει τοιοῦτόν ἐστιν, εἰ καὶ μὴ ταῦτα φθέγγεται τὰ ῥήματα " Ἐχείνην ζητῶ τὴν παρθένον, ἥτι: οὕτω φιλόξενός ἐστιν, ὡς πᾶσαν παρασχεῖν ἐν οἷς ἂν δύνηται θεραπείαν. Καὶ οὐχ ἁπλῶς τοῦτο ἐζήτει " ἀλλ᾽ ἐπειδὴ τοιαύτης οἰχίας ἦν, ἐν ἧ μάλιστα τὰ «ἧς φιλοξενίας ἦνθει κατορθώματα, τοῦτο πρὸ τῶν ἄλλων ἐζήτησεν, ὁμότροπον τοῖς ἑαυτοῦ δεσπόταις λαθεῖν. Εἰς οἰκίαν αὑτὴν μέλλομεν, φησὶν εἰσαγα εἶν, ξένοις ἀνεῳγμένην " ἵνα μὴ πόλεμος ἧ καὶ μάχη, τοῦ ἀνδρὸς προΐεμένου τὰἀὄντα, καὶ τὸν πατέρα μιμονμένον, Α καὶ τοὺς ξένους ὑποδεχομένου " ταύτης δὲ σμιχρολογουμένης τε καὶ μὴ ἀνεχούσης, καὶ χωλνούσης, ὃ πολλάχις ἐν πολλαῖς οἰχίαις εἴωθε γίνεσθαι " ἐντεῦθεν ἤδη βούλομαι μαθεῖν εἰ φιλόξενός ἐστι’ καὶ γὰρὲντεῦθεν ἡμῖν ἄπαντα γέγονε τὰ ἀγαθά. )ὕτω τὸν νυμφίον ἐχτήσατο ὁ δεσπότης ὁ ἐμός - οὕτω πατὴρ ἐγένετο, κατὰ τὸ πλῆθος τῶν ἄστῥων τοὺς ἐχγόνους αὐτῷ ὑπἐσχετο δώσειν ὁ Θεός. Ἐπεὶ οὖν ἐντεῦθεν ἡμῖν καὶ τῇ οἰχίᾳ ἅπαντα γέγονε τὰ ἀγαθὰ, τοῦτο πρὸ τῶν ἄλλων ἐπιζητῶ. Μὴ γὰρ τοῦτο ἴδωμεν, ὅτι ὕδωρ ἐπεζήετησεν, ἀλλ᾽ ἐκεῖνο σχοπήσωμεν, ὅτι σφόδρα φιλοξένου ψυχῆς, μὴ μόνον δοῦναι τὸ αἰτηθὲν, ἀλλὰ καὶ πλόον ὧν ἤτησε καρασχεῖν. Καὶ ἐγένετο, φησὶ, πρὸ τοῦ συντελέσαι αὐτὸν.1αλοῦντα, ἰδοὺ Ῥεδέκκα ἐἀξεπορεύδτο, καὶ τὸ προφητικὸν ἐχεῖνο ἐπληροῦτο " Ἔτι «αλοῦντός σου ἐρῶ, Ἰδοὺ πάρειμι. Τοιαῦται «τὧν γενναίων ἀνδρῶν αἱ εὐκαί" πρὸ τοῦ τέλους πείθουσι τὸν Θεὸν ἐπινεῦσαι τοῖς λεγομένοις. Καὶ σὺ τοίνυν, ἐπειδὰν μέλλῃς γυναῖχα ἄγεσθαι, μὴ πρὸς ἀνθρώπους χαταφύγης, μηδὲ πρὸς γυναῖχας ἐμπορενομένας τὰς ἀλλοτρίας συμφορὰς, καὶ ζητούσας ἂν μόνον, ὅπω; αὐταὶ μισθὸν λάδωσιν" ἀλλὰ χατάφνγε ἐπὶ τὸν Θεόν. Οὐκ ἐπαισχύνεταί σου γενέσθαι νυμφαγωγός. Αὐτὸς ὑπέσχετο καὶ εἶπε" Ζητεϊεετὴν βασιλείαν τῶν οὐρανῶν, καὶ ταῦτα κάντα προστεθήσεται ὑμῖν. Καὶ μὴ λέγε, Πῶς δύναμαι τὸν Θεὸν ἰδεῖν; μὴ γὰρ ἀφεῖναί μοι φωνὴν ἔχει, καὶ διαλεχθῆναι φανερῶς, ἵνα προσελθὼν ἐρωτήσω; ᾿Απίστφυ ταῦτα ψυχῆς. Καὶ γὰρ ὀξέως χὰὶ χωρὶς φωνῆς πάντα, ὅσα ἂν θέλῃ, δύναται χατασχευάζειν ὁ Θεός " ὃ δὴ καὶ ἐπὶ τούτου γέγονεν. Οὐδὲ γὰρ φωνὴν ἤχουσεν, οὐδὲ ὄψιν τινὰ εἶδεν" ἀλλ᾽ ἐπὶ πηγῇ ἑστὼς ηῦξατο, καὶ ταχέως ἐπέτυχεν. Ἐγέγδτο γὰρ κχρὶν ἢ συντελέσαι λωλοῦντα αὐτὸν, φησὶ, Ῥεδέκκα ἐξἔχουσα τὴν ὑδρίαν ἐπὶ τῶν ὥμων " ἡ δὲ παρθένος ἦν καλὴ τῇ ὄψει σφόδρα, παρθένος ἦν, ἀνὴρ οὐκ ἔγνω αὑτήν. Τί μοι λέγεις τὴν εὐμορφίαν τοῦ σώματος; Ἵνα μάθῃς τὴν ὑπερδολὴν τῆς σωφροσύνης, ἵνα μάθῃς τὸ χάλλος τὸ ἐν τῇ ψυχῇ. θαυμαστὸν μὲν γὰρ τὸ σωφρονεῖν" πολλῷ δὲ θαυμαστότερον, ὅταν μετ᾽ εὐμορφίας τοῦτο γίνηται. Διὰ τοῦτο καὶ περὶ τοῦ Ἰωσὴφ μέλλων ἡμῖν διηγεῖσθαι καὶ τῆς ἐχείνου σωφροσύνης, πρότερον τὴν εὐμορφίαν τοῦ σώματος τέθειχεν, εἰπών" Καλὸς ἦν τῷ εἴδει, καὶ ὡραῖος τῇ ὄψει σφόδρα “ καὶ τότε τὴν σωφροσύνην αὐτοῦ διηγήσατο δειχνὺς, ὅτι τὸ χάλλος αὐτὸν εἰς ἀσέλγειαν οὐ προήγαγεν. Οὔτε γὰρ τὸ χάλλος ποργείας αἴτιον, οὔτε ἡ ἀμορφία σωφροσύνης πάντως. Πολλαὶ γὰρ χατὰ τὴν ὥραν τοῦ σώματος λάμψασαι, μειζόνως χατὰ τὴν σωφροσύνην ἔλαμψαν " ἄλλαι πάλιν αἰσχραὶ καὶ δυσειδεῖς οὖσαι, αἰσχρότεραι χατὰ τὴν ψυχὴν ἐγένοντο, μυρίαις ῥυπωθεῖσαι πορνείαις. Οὐ γὰρ ἡ φύσις τοῦ δώματος, ἀλλ᾽ ἡ προαίρεσις τῆς Ψυχῆς καὶ τούτου χἀχείνου αἰτία.
Eita hina mē nomisēs hoti hōs chreos apaitei, achouoson gai tōn heexis- Kai poiēson eleos meta tou kyriou mou Hadraam. Kan myria hōmen, phēsi, chatōōrthōchotes, axioumen chariti sōthēnai, kai apo philanthrōpias touto lathein, ouch ex opheilis tinos kai chreous. Ti toinyn boule: - Idou estēcha, phēsin, epi tēs pēgēs tou hydatos hai de thygateres tōn hōdōr" kai estai hē parthenos, hē an egō eisō, ᾿Epikiinon moi kēn hydrian sou, hina piō, kai eipę̄. Pie kai heu, kai tas kamēiïious sou poeiō, heōs an pausōntai pasai pinousai, tautēn hētoimasas tǭ paidi sou Isaak. kai en toutǭ gnōsomai hoti epoiēsas eleos tǭ kyriǭ mou Hadraam “Hora sophian oichetou, hoion tithēsi sēmeion. Ouch eipen, Ean tina idō epi hēmionōn pheromenēn, epi ochēmatos ochoumentin, eunouchōn hoe esmon episyromenēn, pollēn echousan the rapeian, eumorphon kai apolampousan chata tēn tou sōmatos hōran, tautēn hētoimasas tǭ paidi sou " alla ti? Hē an egō eipō" Epichlinon moi tēn hydriansou. hina piō. Ti poieis, anthrōpe? houtōs eutelę̄ gynaika te? despotę̄ sou zēteis, hydrophorousan, chaï soi dialechthę̄nai dynamenēn? Nai, phēsin" ou gar epempse me chrē. tōn euporian," oude genous champrotēta, alla psychēs eugeneian epiznytēsonta. Pollai pollachis tōn hydrophorousōn toutōn olochlę̄ron echousin aretēn, allai de en oichois lamprois chathemenai, pantōn eisi cheirous kai phauloterai. Eita kai pothen touto, hot: henaretos estin hē gynē? ᾿Apo tou sēmeiou, phēsin, hou eipe. Kai poion touto to sēmeion aretēs? Megiston kai anamphisdētēton. Philoxenias gar touto mega simeion estin, hōste pasan paoaschein apodeixin. Ho toinyn legei toiouton estin, ei kai mē tauta phthengetai ta rhēmata " Echeinēn zētō tēn parthenon, hēti: houtō philoxenos estin, hōs pasan paraschein en hois an dynētai therapeian. Kai ouch haplōs touto ezētei " all᾽ epeidē toiautēs oichias ēn, en hē malista ta «hēs philoxenias ēnthei katorthōmata, touto pro tōn allōn ezētēsen, homotropon tois heautou despotais lathein. Eis oikian hautēn mellomen, phēsin eisaga ein, xenois aneǭgmenēn " hina mē polemos hē kai machē, tou andros proïemenou taaonta, kai ton patera mimonmenon, A kai tous xenous hypodechomenou " tautēs de smichrologoumenēs te kai mē anechousēs, kai chōlnousēs, ho pollachis en pollais oichiais eiōthe ginesthai " enteuthen ēdē boulomai mathein ei philoxenos esti’ kai garenteuthen hēmin apanta gegone ta agatha. )hytō ton nymphion echtēsato ho despotēs ho emos - houtō patēr egeneto, kata to plēthos tōn astrhōn tous echgonous autǭ hypescheto dōsein ho Theos. Epei oun enteuthen hēmin kai tę̄ oichią hapanta gegone ta agatha, touto pro tōn allōn epizētō. Mē gar touto idōmen, hoti hydōr epezēetēsen, all᾽ ekeino schopēsōmen, hoti sphodra philoxenou psychēs, mē monon dounai to aitēthen, alla kai ploon hōn ētēse karaschein. Kai egeneto, phēsi, pro tou syntelesai auton.1alounta, idou Rhedekka eaxeporeudto, kai to prophētikon echeino eplērouto " Eti «alountos sou erō, Idou pareimi. Toiautai «tōn gennaiōn andrōn hai eukai" pro tou telous peithousi ton Theon epineusai tois legomenois. Kai sy toinyn, epeidan mellę̄s gynaicha agesthai, mē pros anthrōpous chataphygēs, mēde pros gynaichas emporenomenas tas allotrias symphoras, kai zētousas an monon, hopō? autai misthon ladōsin" alla chataphnge epi ton Theon. Ouk epaischynetai sou genesthai nymphagōgos. Autos hypescheto kai eipe" Zēteïeetēn basileian tōn ouranōn, kai tauta kanta prostethēsetai hymin. Kai mē lege, Pōs dynamai ton Theon idein? mē gar apheinai moi phōnēn echei, kai dialechthēnai phanerōs, hina proselthōn erōtēsō? ᾿Apistphy tauta psychēs. Kai gar oxeōs chai chōris phōnēs panta, hosa an thelę̄, dynatai chatascheuazein ho Theos " ho dē kai epi toutou gegonen. Oude gar phōnēn ēchousen, oude opsin tina eiden" all᾽ epi pēgę̄ hestōs ēuxato, kai tacheōs epetychen. Egegdto gar kchrin ē syntelesai lōlounta auton, phēsi, Rhedekka exechousa tēn hydrian epi tōn hōmōn " hē de parthenos ēn kalē tę̄ opsei sphodra, parthenos ēn, anēr ouk egnō hautēn. Ti moi legeis tēn eumorphian tou sōmatos? Hina mathę̄s tēn hyperdolēn tēs sōphrosynēs, hina mathę̄s to challos to en tę̄ psychę̄. thaumaston men gar to sōphronein" pollǭ de thaumastoteron, hotan met᾽ eumorphias touto ginētai. Dia touto kai peri tou Iōsēph mellōn hēmin diēgeisthai kai tēs echeinou sōphrosynēs, proteron tēn eumorphian tou sōmatos tetheichen, eipōn" Kalos ēn tǭ eidei, kai hōraios tę̄ opsei sphodra “ kai tote tēn sōphrosynēn autou diēgēsato deichnys, hoti to challos auton eis aselgeian ou proēgagen. Oute gar to challos porgeias aition, oute hē amorphia sōphrosynēs pantōs. Pollai gar chata tēn hōran tou sōmatos lampsasai, meizonōs chata tēn sōphrosynēn elampsan " allai palin aischrai kai dyseideis ousai, aischroterai chata tēn psychēn egenonto, myriais rhypōtheisai porneiais. Ou gar hē physis tou dōmatos, all᾽ hē proairesis tēs Psychēs kai toutou chacheinou aitia.
Then, so that you may not think that he demands it as a debt, hear what follows too: “And show mercy to my master Abraham.” Even if we have done countless good deeds, he says, we ask to be saved by grace, and to receive this from loving-kindness, not from any obligation and debt. What, then, do you want? “Behold, I stand,” he says, “by the spring of water, and the daughters of [the men of the city come out to draw] water; and the maiden to whom I say, Incline your jar to me, that I may drink, and she says, Drink, and I will water your camels too, until they have all finished drinking — her you have prepared for your servant Isaac; and by this I shall know that you have shown mercy to my master Abraham.” See the servant's wisdom, what sort of sign he sets. He did not say: “If I see one carried on mules, riding in a carriage, drawing a swarm of eunuchs after her, with many attendants, beautiful and shining in the bloom of her body, her you have prepared for your servant”; but what? “The one to whom I say, Incline your jar to me, that I may drink.” What are you doing, man? Do you seek so lowly a wife for your master, one who carries water and can converse with you? “Yes,” he says; “for he did not send me to seek abundance of money nor splendour of birth, but nobility of soul.” Many of these water carriers often have complete virtue, while others, sitting in splendid houses, are worse and baser than all. Then, whence will you know this, that the woman is virtuous? From the sign, he says, which he named. And what kind of sign of virtue is this? The greatest and indisputable. For this is a great sign of hospitality, such as to give every proof. What he says, then, is this, even if he does not speak these words: I seek the maiden who is so hospitable as to give every service in what she can. And he did not seek this without reason; but since he belonged to such a house, in which above all the achievements of hospitality flourished, he sought this before all else, to take one of like character with his own masters. “We are going to bring her,” he says, “into a house open to strangers”; so that there may not be war and battle, with the husband lavishing his possessions and imitating his father and receiving strangers, while she is stingy and does not bear it and hinders it, as often happens in many houses. From this, then, I want to learn whether she is hospitable; for from this all good things have come to us. Thus my master obtained the bridegroom; thus he became a father; thus God promised to give him descendants according to the multitude of the stars. Since, then, from this all good things have come to us and to the house, I seek this before all else. Let us not look at this, that he asked for water, but consider that it belongs to a very hospitable soul not only to give what is asked but also to provide more than was asked. “And it happened,” it says, “before he had finished speaking, behold, Rebekah came out”; and that prophetic word was fulfilled: “While you are still speaking I will say, Behold, I am here.” Such are the prayers of noble men: before they end, they persuade God to assent to what is said. You too, then, when you are about to take a wife, do not flee to men, nor to women who traffic in others' misfortunes and seek one thing only, how they may get a fee; but flee to God. He is not ashamed to become your bride-leader. He himself promised and said: “Seek the kingdom of heaven, and all these things will be added to you.” And do not say: “How can I see God? Does he have a voice to send me, and to converse openly, so that I may go and ask him?” These are the words of an unbelieving soul. For quickly and without a voice God can arrange all that he wishes; which indeed happened in this case. For the servant neither heard a voice nor saw any vision; but standing by a spring he prayed, and quickly obtained. “For it happened, before he had finished speaking,” it says, “Rebekah came out, having the jar on her shoulders; and the maiden was very beautiful to look upon; she was a virgin, no man had known her.” Why do you tell me of the beauty of her body? So that you may learn the excess of her chastity, so that you may learn the beauty in her soul. For chastity is wonderful; but much more wonderful when it occurs together with beauty. That is why, when about to recount to us Joseph and his chastity, Scripture first set down the beauty of his body, saying: “He was handsome in form, and very fair to look upon”; and then it recounted his chastity, showing that his beauty did not lead him to licentiousness. For neither is beauty the cause of sexual immorality, nor is ugliness the cause of chastity in every case. For many who shone in bodily bloom shone more greatly in chastity; others again, being ugly and ill-favoured, became uglier in soul, defiled by countless acts of sexual immorality. For not the nature of the body, but the choice of the soul is the cause of both.
Gen 24:12 (quotation, high confidence) · Gen 24:13 (quotation, high confidence) · Gen 24:14 (quotation, high confidence) · Gen 18:10 (allusion, medium confidence) · Gen 15:5 (allusion, high confidence) · Gen 24:15 (quotation, high confidence) · Isa 58:9 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 6:33 (quotation, high confidence) · Gen 24:16 (quotation, high confidence) · Gen 39:6 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Chrysostom explains that Abraham's servant asked God for a sign of hospitality rather than of wealth or beauty in Isaac's bride, and urges those about to marry to seek a wife through prayer to God rather than through matchmakers.
- Quales ducendae sint uxores, staging ref 6. Re-read against the Greek; no public-domain English. “Thus my master obtained the bridegroom” refers to Isaac's birth, promised when Abraham received the three strangers (Gen 18). A passage displaced by the OCR into this ref (it belongs in ref 3) and the Latin version around it are removed by logged corrections, leaving “a house open to strangers”, whose middle words are lost. Words of the quotation of Gen 24:13 lost in the OCR are supplied in brackets. Quotations: Gen 24:12, 13–14, 15, 16; Isa 58:9; Matt 6:33; Gen 39:6; allusions: Gen 18:1–10; Gen 15:5.
Notes on the original text
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Topics: Marriage, Hospitality, Prayer
Cite (SBL): Chrysostom, Max. 6 (PG 51:233; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/chrysostom-quales-ducendae/6). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/chrysostom-quales-ducendae/6
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek (PG 51, archive.org OCR); re-read against the Greek, since no public-domain English exists.