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Ἀλλὰ δέχομαι, τὴν Ἀρετὴν ἡ Θεοπάτρα ἔφη φάναι, καὶ πάσας ἐπαινῶ· κράτιστα γὰρ δή, κἂν οὕτω μὴ φανερῶς, ἀλλὰ μετὰ σπουδῆς τὰ λεχθέντα δεχομένη διεξελήλυθας, οὐ γλυκυμυθίαν πρὸς τέρψιν ·τῶν ἀκουόντων συσκευασαμένη, ἀλλὰ πρὸς ἐπανόρθωσιν ὑπόμνημα καὶ νῆψιν. προτάττειν γὰρ τῶν ἐμῶν ἐπιτηδευμάτων ἁγνείαν ὁ λέγων δεῖν καὶ ἀσπάζεσθαι πρώτην τῶν ἄλλων ὀρθῶς παρακελεύεται· ἥν τιμᾶν μὲν νομίζουσι καὶ θεραπεύειν πολλοί, τιμῶσι δ' αὐτὴν ὡς ἔπος εἰπεῖν ὀλίγοι. οὐ γὰρ ὁπόταν τὴν ἑαυτοῦ σάρκα τῆς κατὰ συνουσίαν ἄγευστον ἡδονῆς φιλοτιμῆται τηρεῖν ἄνθρωπος, τῶν ἄλλων μὴ κρατῶν, ἁγνείαν τιμᾷ· ἀτιμάζει μὲν οὖν αὐτὴν μᾶλλον οὐχ ἥκιστα βαναύσοις ἐπιθυμίαις, ἡδονὰς ἀντικαταλλασσόμενος ἡδοναῖς. οὐδέ γε ὁπόταν πρὸς τὰς ἔξω μὲν ἐπιθυμίας διαπονῇ καρτερῶν, ὑπεραίρηται δὲ φυσιούμενος, αὐτῷ δὴ τούτῳ τῷ δύνασθαι τῶν τῆς σαρκὸς ὑπεκκαυμάτων κρατεῖν, καὶ πάντας ὡς οὐδὲν ἐξουδενῶν ἡγῆται, ἁγνείαν τιμᾷ· ἀτιμάζει γὰρ αὐτὴν ὑβρίζων ὑψηλοφροσύνῃ, τῷ τὸ μὲν ἕξωθεν τοῦ πίνακος καθαίρειν καὶ τῆς παροψίδος, τὴν σάρκα, τὸ σῶμαι τὴν Τε καρδίαν τύφῳ σίνεσθαι καὶ φιλοδρατίᾳ. οὐδέ γε ὁπότε ἀναβρύνεταί τις χρήμασι, τιμᾶν αὐτὴν σπουδάζει· ἀτιμάζει μὲν οὑν παντὸς μᾶλλον δὲ καὶ οὑτος, προκρίνων αὐτῆς ὀλίγον κέρδος, ἡς οὐδὲν ἀντάξιον τῶν ἐν τῷ τιμίων· πᾶς γὰρ πλοῦτος πλοῦτος ἐνώπιον αὐτῆς καὶ χρυσὸς ὡς ψάμος ἀλίγη. οὐδέ γε ὁ ἑαυτὸν ὑπερφυῶς ὑγούμενος φιλεῖν καὶ τὸ ἑαυτῷ μόνῳ συμφέρον σπουδάζων σκοπεῖν, ἄφροντις δὲ τῶν πλησίων, ἁγνείαν τιμᾷ· ἀτιμάζει μὲν οὖν αὐτὴν καὶ οὗτος· πολὺ γὰρ λείπεται τῶν κατ' ἀξίαν ὁμιλούντων αὐτῇ. τῷ τὴν ἀγάπην αὐτῆς καὶ τὸ συμπαθητικὸν καὶ τὸ φιλάνθρωπον λωβήσασθαι. οὐ γὰρ τῇδε μὲν ἁγνεύοντας παρθενεύειν δεῖ, τῇδε δὲ κακοπραγοῦντας χραίνεσθαι καὶ ἀκολασταίνειν, οὐδὲ τῇδε μὲν ἐπαγγέλλεσθαι καθαρεύειν καὶ σωφρονῖν, τῇδε δὲ μολύνεσθαι καὶ ἁμαρτάνειν, οὐδ' αὖ τῇ μὲν ὁμολογεῖν μὴ πεφροντικέναι τῶν κοσμικῶν, τῇ δὲ κτᾶσθαι καὶ ἐν αὐτοῖς ἐξετέζεσθαι., ἀλλὰ πάντα τὰ μέλη φθορᾶς ἀκοινώνητα καὶ ἀμιγῆ τηρεῖν, οὐ μόνον τὰ κνησμώδη καὶ συνουσιαστικά, ἀλλ ἤδη καὶ τὰ τούτων ἐνεργέστερα. χλεύη γὰρ τὰ μὲν τῆς παιδοποιήσεως ὄργανα τηρεῖν παρθένα, τὴν δὲ γλῶτταν μὴ τηρεῖν, ἢ τὴν γλῶσσαν μὲν τηρεῖν παρθένον, τὴν δὲ ὅρασιν ἢ τὴν ἀκοὴν ἢ τὰς χεῖρας μὴ τηρεῖν, ἢ ταῦτα μὲν ἔχειν κοὶ τηρεῖν παρθένα, τὴν καρδίαν δὲ μὴ τηρεῖν, ἀλλ ἑταιρίζεσθαι τύφῳ καὶ θυμῷ. δεῖ γὰρ πάντως τὸν μέλλοντα μὴ ἁμαρτήσεσθαι περὶ τὴν ἄσκησιν τῆς ἁγνείας τὰ μέλη πάντα καὶ τὰ αἰσθητήρια τηρεῖν ἑαυτοῦ καθαρὰ καὶ συνεσφιγμένα καθάπερ δὴ καὶ πλοίων ὧν] οἱ κυβερνῆται τὰς ἁρμογὰς σφίγγουσι, πρὸς τὸ μὴ σχεῖν ἔσω δίοδον τὴν ἁμαρτίαν ἐπεισχεομένην. τοῖς γὰρ μεγάλοις ἐξ ἀνάγκης ἐπιτηδεύμασι μεγάλα καὶ τὰ πταίσματα συμβαίνει, καὶ τῷ ὄντι τῷ ἀγαθῷ μᾶλλον ἐναντιώτερον τὸ κακὸν ἢ τῷ μὴ ἀγαθῷ. πολλοὶ οὖν δοξάζοντες τὸ περὶ τὰς οἰστρώδεις μᾶλλον καρτερεῖν ἐπιθυμίας εἶναι τὴν ἁγνείαν, τῶν ἄλλων ἀμελήσαντες αὐτῆς ἔπταισαν καὶ τοῖς ὀρθῶς πρὸς αὑτὴν ὡρμημένοις προσῆψαν φόγους, οὕς ὑμεῖς ἀλέγξατε, νόμος διὰ πάντων, αὐταὶ γὰρ] παρθενεύσασαι καὶ ἔργῳ καὶ λόγῳ. καὶ τὰ μὲν δὴ τῆς παρθένου, ποταπὴν εἶναι προσῆκε, διεγράφη· ὐμᾶς δὲ διαρκῶς ἀγωνισαμένας τῷ λόγῳ αὐτήκοος γενομένη πάσας αποφαίνομαι νικᾶν καὶ στέφω, ΘέκλανΙ δὲ τῷ μείζονι στεφάνῳ καὶ δασυτέρῳ ὡς πρώτην ὑμῶν καὶ μεγαλοπρεπέστερον ἐκλάμψασαν. Ταῦτα οὖν εἰποῦσαν ἔφη κελεῦσαι πάσας ἀναστῆναι τὴν Ἀρετὴν ἡ Θεοπάτρα, καὶ στάσας ὑπὸ τὴν ἄγνον εὐχαριστήριον πρεπόντως ὕμνον ἀναπέμψαι τῷ κυρίῳ, ἐξάρχειν δὲ τὴν Θέκλαν καὶ προϋφηγεῖσθαι. ὡς οὖν ἀνέστησαν, τὴν Θέκλαν μέσην μὲν τῶν παρθένων ἔφη, ἐκ δεξιῶν δὲ τῆς Ἀρετῆς στᾶσαν κοσμίως ψάλλειν, τὰς δὲ λοιπὰς ἐν κύκλῳ καθάπερ ἐν χοροῦ σχῆματι συστάσας ὑπακούειν αὐτῇ. Ὑπακοή. ἁγνεύω σοι καὶ λαμπάδας φαεσφόρους κρατοῦσα, νυμφίε, ὑπαντάνω σοι. Ψαλμός. Ἄνωθεν, παρθένοι, βοῆς ἀγερσίνεκρος ἀχος ἠλθε νυμφίῳ λέγων πασσυδὶ ὑπαντάνειν λευκαῖσιν ἐν στολαῖς καὶ λαμπάσι πρὸς ἀντολάς· ἔγρεσθε πρὶν φθάσῃ μολεῖν εἴσω θυρῶν ἄναξ. <Ὑπ.> ἁγνεύω σοι καὶ λαμπάδας φαεσφόρους νυμφίε, ὑπαντάνω σοι. <Ψ.> Βροτῶν παλυστένακτον ὄλβον ἐκφυγοῦσα βίου τρυφῆς ἁδονὰς ἔρωτα, σαῖς ὑπ' ἀγκάλαις ζωηφόροις ποθῶ σκέπεσθαι καὶ βλέπειν τὸ σὸν κάλλος διηνεκῶς, μάκαρ. <Ὑπ.> ἁγνεύω σοι καὶ λαμπάδας φαεσφόρους νυμφίε, ὑπαντάνω σοι. <Ψ.> Γάμων λιποῦσα θνητὰ λέκτρα καὶ.. ἄναξ, διὰ σὲ πολύχρυσον, ἠλθον ἀσπίλοις ἐν εἴμασιν, ὅπως φθάσω κἀγὼ πανολβίων θαλάμων εἴσω σὺν σοὶ μολεῖν. <Ὑπ.> ἁγνεύω σοι καὶ φαεσφόρους φαεσφόρους νυμφίε, ὑπαντάνω σοι. <Ψ.> Δόλους δράκοντος <ἠλθον> ἐκψυγοῦσα μυρίους, μάκαρ, θελδτηρίους· ἔτλην δὲ καὶ πυρὸς φλόγα καὶ θηρίων ἀνημέρων ὁρμὰς βροτοφθόρους, σὲ προσμένουσ' ἀπ' οὐρανῶν. <῾Υπ.> ἁγνεύω σοι καὶ λαμπάδας φαεσφόρους κρατοῦσα, νυμφίε, ὑπαντάνω σοι. <Ψ.> Ἐλαθόμην πάτρας, ποθοῦσα σὴν χάριν, ἐλαθόμην <καὶ> παρθένων ὁμηλίκων χορούς, μητρός τε καὶ γένους φρύαγμα· πάντα γὰρ σύ μοι αὐτὸς σύ, Χριστἐ, τυγχάνεις. <Ὑπ.> ἁγνεύω σοι καὶ λαμπάδας φαεσφόρους νυμφίε, ὑπαντάνω σοι. <Ψ.> > Ζωῆς Χριστέ, τυγχάνεις,] χαῖρε φῶς ταύτην δέδεξο τὴν βοήν· χορός σε παρθένων προσεννέπει, τέλειον ἄνθος, ἀγάπη, χαρά, φρόνησις, σοφία, λόγε. <Ὑπ.> ἁγνεύω σοι καὶ λαμπάδας φαεσφόρους νυμφίε, ὑπαντάνω σοι. <Ψ.> Ἠνοιγμέναις θύραις, ἄνασσα φαιδρόκοσμε, ἐδέξω θαλάμων εἴσω χ' ἠμᾶς, ἀχραντόσωμε, Καλλίνικε νύμφα, καλλίπνου· ὁμόστολοι παρήμεθα Χριστῷ, πανόλβιον μέλπουσαι σὸν γάμον, θάλος. <Ὑπ.> ἁγνεύω σοι καὶ λαμπάδας φαεσφόρους νυμφίε, ὑπαντάνω σοι. <Ψ.> Θρηνοῦσι νῦν βαρύστονοι κόραι πυλῶν νυμφῶνος ἔξω καὶ βοῶσι γοερῶς, ὅτι τὸ λαμπάδων ἀποοβέσασαι φῶς οὐκ ἔφθασαν χαρᾶς ταμεῖον εἰσιδεῖν. <Ὑπ.> ἁγνεύω σοι καὶ φαεσφόρους φαεσφόρους νυμφίε, ὑπαντάνω σοι. <Ψ.> Ἱρᾶς ὁδοῦ γὰρ ἐκτραπεῖσαι πρὸς βίου κτήσασθ ἔλαιον ἠμέλησαν ἄθλιαι πλέον· νεκρὰς δὲ φλογεροῦ πυρὸς φέρουσαι λαμπάδας στένουσιν ἔνδον ἐκ φρενῶν. <Ὑπ.> ἁγνεύω σοι καὶ λαμπάδας φαεσφόρους νυμφίε, ὑπαντάνω σοι. <Ψ.> Κροτῆρες ἁδυπληθέες πρόκεινται νέκταρος· πίνωμεν· οὐράνιόν ἐστι πόμα, παρθένοι, ὁ νυμφίος ὅπερ τέθεικε τοῖς μετ' ἀξίας εἰς τὸν γάμον κεκλημένοις. <῾Υπ.> ἁγνεύω σοι καὶ λαμπάδας φαεσφόρους κρατοῦσα, νυμφίε, ὑπαντάνω σοι. <Ψ.> Λαμπρῶς σου τὸν <φονὸν> Ἄβελ ἔλεξεν αὑματοσταγὴς βλέπων εἰς οὐρανόν. ἀνηλεῶς με συγγόνου τετρωμένον χειρὶ δέξαι, λιτάζομαι, λόγε. <Ὑπ.> ἁγνεύω σοι καὶ φαεσξόρους φαεσφόρους νυμφίε, ὑπαντάνω σοι. <Ψ.> Μέγιστον ἀθλον ὁ κάρτερος σου παῖς, λόγε, Ἰωσὴφ ἀνείλετο· γυνὴ γὰρ αὐτὸν εἰς ἄθεσμα λέκτρα βιαίως εἷλκε φλογωμένη πόθοις, ὁδ οὐδὲν ἐντραπεὶς ἔφευγε γυμνὸς ἐκβοῶν· <῾Υπ.> ἁγνεύω σοι καὶ λαμπάδας φαεσφόρους κρατοῦσα, νυμφίε, ὑπαντάνω σοι. <Ψ.> Νεοσφαγῆ ὁ Ἰεφθάε κόρην ἀνῆγε θυσίαν θεῷ, ἄπειρον ἄπειρον ἀμφὶ βωμὸν ἀμνάδος δίκην ἡ δ' εὐγενῶς σου τὸν τύπον τῆς σαρκός, ὦ μάκαρ, τελοῦσ' ἔκραζε καρτερῶς· <῾Υπ.> ἁγνεύω σοι καὶ λαμπάδας φαεσφόρους κρατοῦσα, νυμφίε, ὑπαντόνω σοι. <Ψ.> Ξένων στρατηλάταν ὄχλων εὔτολμος εὐστόχοις Ἰουδὴθ δόλοις καρατόμησε, κάλλεος τύποις θέλξασα τοῦτον, οὐ χράναντα σώματος μέλη, νικαφόροιςδ ἔφη βοαῖς· <Ὑπ.> ἁγνεύω σοι καὶ λαμπάδας φαεσφόρους νυμφίε, ὑπαντάνω σοι. <Ψ.> Ὁρῶντες εἶδος εὐπρεπὲς ὑφῆς δύο Σουσάννας, ἐμμανεῖς ἔρωτι λέξαν·ὠ γύναι, κρυπτῶν [σου] γάμων λέχη ποθοῦντες ἥκομεν, φίλα. ἡδ ἐντρόμοις ἴφη βοαῖς· <Ὑπ.> ἁγνεύω σοι καὶ λαμπάδας φαεσφόρους νυμφίε, ὑπαντάνω σοι. <Ψ.> Πολλῷ με κατθανεῖν ἄμεινόν ἐστιν ἢ λέχη προδοῦσαν,ὠ γυναιμανεῖς, ὑμῖν αἰωνίαν δίκην ὑπ΄ ἐμπύροις θεοῦ τιμωρίαις παθεῖν· σῶσόν με, Χριστέ, τῶνδε νῦν. <Ὑπ.> ἁγνεύω σοι καὶ λαμπάδας φαεσφόροις νυμφίε, ὑπαντάνω σοι. <Ψ.> Ῥοαῖς καθαρσίοις λούων πλήθη βροτῶν ὁ πρόδρομος ἀνόμως κακοῦ πρὸς ἀνδρὸς εἰς σφαγὴν ἤχθη δι ἁγνείαν, λύθρῳ δὲ φοινίω̣ κόνιν δεύων ἔκραζέ σοι, μάκαρ· <῾Υπ> ἁγνεύω σοι καὶ φαεσφόρους φαεσφόρους κρατοῦσα, νυμφίε, ὑπαντάνω σοι. <Ψ.> Σοῦ καὶ ζωητόκος χάρις ἄθικτος,] ἄτεγκτος, ἀσπίλους τὰς σὰς γονὰς ἐν ἀσπόρῳ φέρουσα νηδύι, μορφὴν ὑπέσχεν ὡς προδοῦσα λέκτρα παρθένος· ἔλεξε δ' ἔγκυος, μάκαρ· <῾Υπ.> ἁγνεύω σοι καὶ λαμπάδας φαεσφόρους κρατοῦσα, νυμφίε, ὑπαντάνω σοι. <Ψ.> Τὴν σήν, μάκαρ, γαμήλιον ποθοῦντες ἁμέραν ἰδεῖν, ὅσους ἄνωθεν αὐτὸς ἀγγέλων ἅναξ κέκληκας, ἥκουσιν μέγιστα δῶρά σοι, λόγε, φέροντες ἀσπίλοις στολαῖς. <῾Υπ.> ἁγνεύω σοι καἰ λαμπάδας φαεσφόρους κρατοῦσα, νυμφίε, ὑπαντάνω σοι. <Ψ.> Ὑμνοις, μάκαιρα θεόνυμφε, θαλαμηπόλοι αἱ σαὶ γεραίρομεν σὲ νῦν, ἄθικτα παρθένε, ἐκκλησία χιονόσωμε, κυανοβόστρυχε, σῶφρον, ἄμωμ΄, ἀρασμία. <῾Υπ.> ἁγνεύω σοι καὶ λαμπάδας φαεσφόρους κρατοῦσα, νυμφίε, ὑπαντάνω σοι. <Ψ.> Φθορὰ πέφευγε καὶ νόσων πόνοι δακρυσταγεῖς, θάνατος ᾐρέθη, ὄλωλε πᾶσα ἀφροσύνη, λύπη τέθνηκε τηξίφρων, ἔλαμψε δ'ἠ τοῦ] θεοῦ Χριστοῦ] χαρὰ βροτοῖς ἄφνω πόλιν. <῾Υπ.> ἁγνεύω σοι καὶ λαμπάδας φαεσφόρους κρατοῦσα, νυμφίε, ὑπαντάνω σοι. <Ψ.> Χῆρος ὁ] βροτῶν παράδεισός ἐστιν πάλιν γὰρ αὐτὸν ἐκ θείας ὤσπερ τὸ πρὶν ταγῆς οἰκεῖ τέχναις ὁ ποικίλαις δράκοντος ἐκπεσών, ἄφθαρτος ἄφοβος, μάκαρ. <Ὑπ.> ἁγνεύω σοι καὶ λαμπάδας φαεσφόρους νυμφίε, ὑπαντάνω σοι. <Ψ.> Ψάλλων τὸ καινὸν ᾆσμα νῦν χορός σε καθιστάνει πρὸς οὐρανούς, ἄνασσα, φῶς ὅλη, ἐστεμμένος λευκοῖς κρίνων κάλυξι καὶ φλόγας χερσὶ σελασφόρους φέρων. <Ὑπ.> ἁγνεύω σοι καὶ λαμπάδας φαεσφόρους νυμφίε, ὑπαντάνω σοι. <Ψ.>Ὠ τὰς ἀχράντους οὐρανοῦ, μάκαρ, ναίων ἄναρχε, πάντα συγκροτῶν αἰωνίῳ κράτει, δέξαι σὺν παιδὶ σῷ, πάρεσμεν, ἔνδον εἰς ζωῆς πύλας, πάτερ, καὶ ὴμέας. <> ἁγνεύω σοι καὶ λαμπάδας φαεσφόρους κρατοῦσα, νυμφίε, ὑπαντάνω σοι. ΕΥΒΟΥΛ. Ἀξίως ἀπηνέγκατο τὰ πρῶτα τῶν ἄθλων ἡ Θέκλα,ὠ Γρηγόριον. ΓΡΗΓ. Ἀξίως μὲν οὖν. ΕΥΒΟΥΛ. Τί δαί; ἡ Τελμησιακὴ ξένη, εἰπέ μοι, κἂν ἀξωθεν οὐκ ἐπηκροᾶτο; θαυμάζω γὰρ εἰ ἡσυχίαν εἶχεν ἐκείνη μαθοῦσα τὸ συσσίτιον τοῦτο, καὶ οὐκ εὐθέως ὥσπερ ὄρνεον ἐπὶ τροφὴν ἐφίπτατο τῶν λεγομένων ἀκουσομένη. ΓΡΗΓ. Οὐ· λόγος γὰρ αὐτὴν Μεθοδίῳ συμπαραγεγονέναι αὐτὰ δὴ ταῦτα τὴν Ἀρετὴν πυνθανομένῳ. ἀλλὰ καλὸν καὶ μακάριον τοι. αύτῃ διδασκάλῳ χρήσασθαι καὶ ὁδηγῷ, τῇ Ἀρετῇ. ΕΥΒΟΓΛ. Ἀτάρ, ὦ Γρηγόριον, ποτέρους ἀμείνους λέγομεν, τοὺς μὴ ἐπιθυμοῦντας μέν, κρατοῦντας δὲ τῆς ἐπιθυμίας, ἢ τοὺς ἐπιθυμοῦντας καὶ παρθενεύοντας; ΓΡΗΙ. Τοὺς μὴ ἐπιθυμοῦντας καὶ παρθενεύοντας > ἐπειδὴ καὶ τὴν διάνοιαν οὗτοι καὶ τὴν αἴσθησιν ἀμόλυντον κέκτηνται καί εἰσιν ὁλοτελῶς ἀδιάφθοροι, κατὰ μηδὲν ἀξημαρτηκότες. ΕΥΒΟΥΛ. Εὐγε νὴ τὴν σωφροσύνην,ὠ Γρηγόριον, καὶ συνετῶς. ἀτὰρ μή τι κωλύω, ἐὰν ἀντιλαμβάνωμαι τῶν λόγων, ἵνα ἐρρωμενέστερον μάθω καὶ σηθεὶς ἐξελέγξῃ με ἔτι; ΓΡΗΓ. Ἀλλ' ἀντιλαμβάνου, ὅπῃ καὶ θέλεις· ἐγὼ γὰρ ἱκανῶς,ὠ Εὐβούλιον, διδάξαι σε ἔχω, ὅτι τοῦ ἐπιθυμοῦντος ὁ μὴ ἐπιθυμῶν χρείσσων ἐστί, καὶ οὐδεὶς οὐ μή σε ἐλέγξῃ. ΕΥΒΟΥΛ. Βαβαί· χαίρω τάρ, ὅτι μοι μεγαλοφρόνως ἀποκρίνῃ καὶ δεικνύεις ὅσον πεπλούτηκας ἐπὶ σοφίᾳ. ΓΡΗΓ. Κωτίλος τις ὡς ἔοικεν ἄνθρωπος εἶναι δοκεῖς,ὠ Εὐβούλιον. ΕΥΒΟΥΛ. Τίνος δὴ χάριν; ΓΡΗΓ. Ὅτι τωθαζομένη με ταῦτα λέγεις μᾶλλον ἢ ἀληθεύουσα. ΕΥΒΟΓΛ. Εὐφήμησον, ὦ μακαρία· θαυμάζω γὰρ σφόδρα σου τὸ συνετὸν καὶ μεγαλόδοξον. ἐγὼ τοῦ το ἔφην, ὄτι περὶ ὡν πολλοὶ πρὸς ἑαυτοὺς πολλάκις ἀμφισβητοῦσι σοφοί, ταῦτα οὐ μόνον ἐπίστασθαι σὺ λέγεις, ἀλλὰ καὶ διδάσκειν ἑτέρους σεμνύνῃ. ΓΡΗΓ. Σὺ γὰρ ἐξ ἀληθείας, εἰπέ μοι, δυσχεραίνεις, εἰ διαφέρουσιν ὅλως οἱ μὴ ἐπιθυμοῦντες τῶν ἐπιθυμούντων τε καὶ ἐγκρατευομένων; ἢ πάντως ἐμοῦ ταῦτα προσπαίζεις; ΕΥΒΟΥΛ. Καὶ πῶς ἀποπειρωμένη, ἥ ὁμολογῶ μὴ εἰδέναι; ἀλλ ἴθι φράσον ἐμοί,ὠ σοφωτάτη, τίνι διαφέρουσιν οἱ μὴ ἀπιθυμοῦντες καὶ ἁγνεύοντες τῶν ἐπιθυμούντων τε καὶ παρθενευόντων. ΓΡΗΓ. Ὅτι πρῶτον μὲν καθαρὰν ἔχουσιν αὐτὴν τὴν ψυχὴν καὶ ἀεὶ τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ἄλγιον ἐν αὐτῇ κατοικεῖ, μὴ περιελκομένης αὐτῆς καὶ ἐπιθολουμενης φαντασίαις καὶ λογισμοῖς ἀκρασίας, ὥστε καὶ διὰ τῆς ἐνθυμήσεως ἐπιλωβηθῆναί ποτε· ἀλλ' εἰσὶν ἀνεπίδεκτοι πάντῃ καὶ κατὰ τὴν σάρκα καὶ κατὰ τὴν καρδίαν οὗτοι τῆς ἐπιθυμίας, γαλήνην ἄγοντες τῶν παθημάτων. οἱ δὲ διὰ τῆς οψεως ἔξωθεν δελεαζόμενοι ταῖς φαντασίαις καὶ ἐπεισρέουσαν δεχόμενοι τὴν ἐπιθυμίαν δίκην ῥεύματος εἰς τὴν καρδίαν οὐδὲν ἧσσον μολύνονται πολλάκις, κἂν νομίζωσιν ἀντιφιλονεικεῖν καὶ μάχεσθαι πρὸς τὰς ἡδονάς, ἡττώμενοι τὸν λογισμόν. ΕΥΒΟΥΛ. Οὐκοῦν γαλήνην τοὺς ἄγοντας καὶ μὴ διοχλουμένους ὑπὸ τῆς ἐπιθυμίας λέξομεν καθαρούς; ΓΡΗΓ. Καὶ σφόδρα. τούτους γὰρ τοιούτους ὁ καὶ θεοὺς διὰ τῶν μακαρισμῶν ἀπεργαζόμενος τοὺς ἀνενδοιάστως αὐτῷ πιστεύοντας θεὸς ὄψεσθαι μετὰ παρρησίας ἀποφθέγγεται τὸν θεόν, ὅτι μηδὲν ἐπισκοτοῦν ἢ συνταράσσον τὸν ὀφθαλμὸν τῆς Ψυχῆς πρὸς τὴν θείαν ἐπιφέρονται θεωρίαν, ἀλλ ἐκτὸς γεγονότες τῶν ὀρέξεων πάντῃ τῶν κοσμικῶν τὴν σάρκα καθαρὰν οὐ μόνον, ὡς ἔφην, μίξεως τηροῦσιν, ἀλλ' ἤδη καὶ τὴν καρδίαν ἀνεπίδεκτον λογισμῶν ἀκρασίας, ἐν ᾗ μέλιστα καὶ τὸ ἅγιον ὡς ἐν ναῷ κατοικοῦν ἀναπαύεται πνεῦμα. ΕΥΒΟΥΛ. Ἔχε δὴ οἶμαι γὰρ ἐπὶ τὴν εὕρεσιν τῶν ὄντως κρειττόνων ὀρθότερον ἡμᾶς ἐντεῦθεν διελθεῖν) καί μοι φράσον· καλεῖς τινα κυβερνήτην ἀγαθόν; ΓΡΗΓ. Ἔγωγε. ΕΥΒΟΥΛ. Πότερον τὸν ἐν μεγάλαις καὶ ἀμηχάνοις περισώσαντα ζάλαις τὸ σκάφος ἢ τὸν ἐν γαλήνῃ καὶ νηνεμέᾳ; ΓΡΗΓ. Τὸν ἐν μεγάλαις καὶ ἀμηχάνοις. ΕΥΒΟΥΛ. Οὐκοῦν καὶ ψυχὴν τὴν περιαντλουμένην ταῖς τρικυμίαις τῶν παθημάτων καὶ μὴ ἀποκάμνουσαν ἢ ἐκλυομένην, ἀλλὰ τὸ σκάφος, τὴν σάρκα, γενναίως εἰς λιμένα τὸν τῆς σωφροσύνης ἀπευθύνουσαν λέξομεν τῆς ἐν εὐδίᾳ πλοϊζομένης κρείττονα καἰ δοκιμωτεραν; ΓΡΗΓ. Λέξομεν. ΕΥΒΟΥΛ. Τὸ γὰρ ἁρμόζεσθαι πρὸς τὰς ἐμβολὰς τῶν καταφυσημάτων τοῦ πονηροῦ πνεύματος καὶ μὴ ἀπορρίπτεσθαι ἢ νικᾶσθαι, ἀλλὰ πάντα πρὸς Χριστὸν ἀνανεύοντα καρτερῶς μάχεσθαι ταῖς ἡδοναῖς μείζονα τὸν ἔπαινον φέρει τοῦ μετὰ ῥᾳστώνης ἀχειμαστὶ παρθενεύοντος. ΓΡΗΓ. Ἐοικεν. ΕΥΒΟΥΛ. Τί δαὶ καὶ ὁ κύριος; οὐ δοκεῖ δεικνύναι διαφέρειν τὸν ἐπιθυμοῦντα μᾶλλον καὶ ἐγκρατευόμενον τοῦ μὴ ἐπιθυμοῦντός τε καὶ παρθενεύοντος; ΓΡΗΓ. Ποῦ δή; ΕΥΒΟΓΛ. Ἐνθα τὸν φρόνιμον παραβάλλων οἰκίᾳ τεθεμελιωμένῃ καλῶς ἄπτωτον αὐτὸν ἀποφαίνεται, μὴ δυνάμενον ὑπὸ τῆς βροχῆς καὶ τῶν ποταμῶν καὶ τῶν ἀνέμων καταβληθῆναι, ταῖς μὲν ἐπιθυμίαις ὡς ἔοικέν ἀπεικάζων τοὺς χειμῶνας, τῇ δὲ πέτρᾳ τὴν ἀκίνητον ἔνστασιν καὶ ἀδιάπτωτον τῆς ψυχῆς περὶ τὴν ἁγνείαν. ΓΡΗΓ. Ἀληθῆ λέγειν δόξαις. ΕΥΒΟΥΛ. Τί δαὶ καὶ ἰατρόν; οὐ τὸν ἐπὶ μεγάλαις ἤδη δεδοκιμασμένον νόσοις καὶ πολλοὺς ἰασάμενον ἄριστον καλεῖς; ΓΡΗΓ. Ἕγωγε. ΕΥΒΟΥΛ. Τὸν δὲ μηδὲν μηδέπω διαπραξάμενον, μηδὲ νοσοῦντας ὅλως ἐν χερσὶν ἐσχηκότα οὐ πάντως ἀδοκιμώτερον ἔτι; ΓΡΗΓ. Ναί. ΕΥΒΟΥΛ. Οὐκοῦν καὶ Ψυχὴν τὴν ἀνεχομένην ὑγροτέρου σώματος καὶ τὰς περὶ τὰς ἡδονὰς αὐτοῦ νόσους καταπραϋνουσαν σωφροσύνης φαρμάκοις ἰατρικωτέραν λεκτέον τῆς ὑγιεινὸν διοικεῖν κεκληρωμένης σῶμα καὶ ἀπαθές; ΓΡΗΓ. Λεκτέον γάρ. ΕΥΒΟΓΛ. Τί δαὶ καὶ ἐν πάλῃ; πότερον παλαιστὴς ἀμείνων ὁ ἀνταγωνιστὰς ἔχων μεγάλους καὶ ἰσχυρούς, καὶ προσπαλαίων ἀεὶ καὶ μὴ καθαιρούμενος, ἢ ὁ μὴ ἔχων ἀνταγωνιστάς; ΓΡΗΓ. Δῆλον ὡς ὁ ἔχων. ΕΥΒΟΥΛ. Καὶ ἐν πάλῃ ἄρα δοκιμώτερος ἀθλητὴς ὁ τοὺς ἀνταγωνιστας ἔχων; ΓΡΗΓ. Ἀνάγκη. ΕΥΒΟΥΛ. Οὐκοῦν καὶ ψυχὴν ἀνάγκη πᾶσα τὴν μηχανωμένην πρὸς τὰς ἐφόδους τῆς ἐπιθυμίας καὶ μὴ κατασπωμένην, ἀλλ' ἀνθέλκουσαν καὶ ἀντιτασσομένην, ἰσχυροτέραν φαίνεσθαι τῆς μὴ ἐπιθυμούσης; ΓΡΗΓ. Ἀληθῆ. ΕΓΒΟΥΛ. Τί δαὶ τὸ καρτερῶς ἔχειν πρὸς τὰς ὁρμάς, Γρηγόριον, τῶν φαύλων ὀρέξεων; δοκεῖ σοι μᾶλλον ἀνδρείας εἶναι; ΓΡΗΓ. Καὶ σψόδρα. ΕΥΒΟΥΛ.Ἡ δὲ ἀνδρεία αὕτη δύναμις ἀρετῆς; ΓΡΗΓ. Δῆλον. ΕΥΒΟΥΛ. Οὐκοῦν εἰ δύναμις ἀρετῆς ἐστιν ἡ ὑπομονή, ἡ διοχλουμένη ἄρα ψυχὴ καὶ καρτεροῦσα πρὸς τὰς ἐπιθυμίας δυνατωτέρα φαίνεται τῆς μὴ ὀχλουμένης; ΓΡΗΓ. Ναί. ΕΥΒΟΥΛ. Εἰ δὲ δυνατωτέρα, καὶ κρείσσων; ΓΡΗΓ. Ναί. ΕΥΒΟΥΛ. Κρείσσων ἄρα ἡ ἐπιθυμοῦσα καὶ ἐγκρατευομένη τῆς μὴ ἐπιθυμούσης ἐστὶν ἐκ τῶν προωμολογημένων καὶ ἐγκρατευομενης. ΓΡΗΓ. Ἀληθῆ λέγεις, καὶ ἐπιθυμήσω πληρέστερον ἔτι περὶ τούτων διαλεχθῆναί σοι. εἰ οὖν σοι φίλον, αὔριον ἀφίξομαι πάλιν ἀκουσομένη τούτων. νῦν γάρ, ὡς ὁρᾷς, ὥρα λοιπὸν τραπέσθαι καὶ περὶ τὸ τοῦ ἔξωθεν ἀσχολεῖν ἡμᾶς ἀνθρώπου
"But I do receive it," Theopatra said that Virtue replied, "and I praise you all; for most excellently—even if not so conspicuously, yet with earnestness—have you gone through the things received and spoken, not contriving sweet-sounding speech for the delight of your hearers, but a reminder and watchfulness unto amendment. For he who says that chastity must be set before my pursuits and embraced first of all others gives right counsel; which many think they honor and serve, yet few, so to speak, truly honor. For it is not when a man is ambitious to keep his own flesh untasted of the pleasure of intercourse, while not mastering the others, that he honors chastity; rather he dishonors it, and not least by his vulgar lusts, exchanging pleasures for pleasures. Nor again when, while toiling and persevering against the outward lusts, he is lifted up and puffed up by this very thing—being able to master the kindlings of the flesh—and esteems all men as nothing, despising them, does he honor chastity; for he dishonors it by insulting it with haughtiness, by cleansing the outside of the dish and the platter—the flesh, the body—while injuring the heart with conceit and love of contention. Nor again, when one prides himself on wealth, does he zealously honor it; rather, this man above all dishonors it, preferring to it a little gain, to which none of the things held precious is of equal worth; for all wealth is as nothing before it, and gold as a little sand. Nor again does the one who exceedingly esteems to love himself and is zealous to look to his own advantage alone, but is heedless of his neighbors, honor chastity; rather, this man too dishonors it, for he falls far short of those who consort with it worthily, by maiming its love and its sympathy and its philanthropy. For one must not be chaste and virgin in this respect, while in that doing evil and being defiled and licentious; nor profess in this respect to be pure and self-controlled, while in that being polluted and sinning; nor again confess in this respect to have given no thought to worldly things, while in that acquiring them and being engrossed in them; but one must keep all the members unparticipating in and unmixed with corruption—not only the parts that itch and serve intercourse, but already also those more active than these. For it is a mockery to keep the organs of procreation virgin, but not to keep the tongue; or to keep the tongue virgin, but not the sight or the hearing or the hands; or to have and keep these virgin, but not to keep the heart, but to prostitute it to conceit and anger. For he who is going not to sin in the practice of chastity must by all means keep all his members and senses pure and tightly bound, just as the helmsmen of ships bind tight the joints, so that sin may not have an entrance within when it floods in. For with great pursuits great faults of necessity occur, and in truth evil is more opposed to the good than to the not-good. Many, therefore, supposing that chastity consists rather in enduring against the goading lusts, neglecting the other aspects of it, have stumbled, and have attached reproaches to those who have rightly set out toward it—reproaches which you have refuted, a law through all, since you yourselves have kept virginity both in deed and in word. And the things concerning the virgin, what manner of person she ought to be, have been delineated; and I, having become an eyewitness as you contended sufficiently in word, declare you all to be victors and crown you—but Thecla with the greater and leafier crown, as the first of you and as having shone forth more magnificently." Having said these things, then, Theopatra said that Virtue commanded all to rise, and that, standing under the agnus-castus, they should send up a fitting hymn of thanksgiving to the Lord, and that Thecla should lead and go before. So when they had risen, she said that Thecla, standing in the midst of the virgins and on the right of Virtue, sang in seemly fashion, and that the rest, set in a circle as in the figure of a chorus, responded to her. RESPONSE: I keep myself chaste for you, and holding lamps that bear the light, O Bridegroom, I go forth to meet you. PSALM (Alpha): From on high, O virgins, the cry of one that rouses the dead came, bidding us with all speed to go forth to meet the Bridegroom in white robes and with lamps toward the East: awake, before the King come in within the gates. RESPONSE: I keep myself chaste for you, and holding lamps that bear the light, O Bridegroom, I go forth to meet you. PSALM (Beta): Fleeing the much-lamented happiness of mortals, the delights and love of the luxury of life, I long to be sheltered under your life-giving arms and to behold your beauty forever, O blessed one. RESPONSE: I keep myself chaste for you... O Bridegroom, I go forth to meet you. PSALM (Gamma): Leaving behind the mortal beds of marriages and my golden home, O King, for your sake I have come in spotless garments, that I too may enter within the all-blessed bridal chambers in company with you. RESPONSE: I keep myself chaste for you and bear the light-bringing lamps, O Bridegroom, I go forth to meet you. PSALM (Delta): Fleeing the countless beguiling wiles of the dragon, O blessed one, I endured also the flame of fire and the man-destroying onslaughts of savage beasts, awaiting you from heaven. RESPONSE: I keep myself chaste for you and, holding lamps that bear the light, O Bridegroom, I go forth to meet you. PSALM (Epsilon): I forgot my fatherland, longing for your grace; I forgot the choirs of virgins my companions, and the pride of mother and kindred; for you yourself, O Christ, are all things to me. RESPONSE: I keep myself chaste for you... O Bridegroom, I go forth to meet you. PSALM (Zeta): O Life, you are the giver! Hail, O Light! Receive this our cry; the choir of virgins calls upon you, perfect Flower, Love, Joy, Prudence, Wisdom, Word. RESPONSE: I keep myself chaste for you... O Bridegroom, I go forth to meet you. PSALM (Eta): With doors flung open, O Queen radiantly arrayed, you received us within the chambers, O you of body undefiled, fair-victorious bride, sweet-breathing one; clad in like robes we stand beside Christ, singing your all-blessed marriage, O young shoot. RESPONSE: I keep myself chaste for you... O Bridegroom, I go forth to meet you. PSALM (Theta): Now the maidens, heavy with grief, lament outside the gates of the bridal chamber and cry mournfully, because, having quenched the light of their lamps, they did not arrive in time to behold the storehouse of joy. RESPONSE: I keep myself chaste for you... O Bridegroom, I go forth to meet you. PSALM (Iota): For, having turned aside from the holy way, the wretched ones neglected the more to acquire oil for life; and bearing the dead lamps of fiery flame, they groan within from the depths of their hearts. RESPONSE: I keep myself chaste for you... O Bridegroom, I go forth to meet you. PSALM (Kappa): Sweet-abounding bowls of nectar are set before us; let us drink, O virgins: it is a heavenly draught which the Bridegroom has set for those worthily called to the marriage. RESPONSE: I keep myself chaste for you and bear the light-bringing lamps, O Bridegroom, I go forth to meet you. PSALM (Lambda): Brightly did Abel, dripping with blood, declare your murder, looking up to heaven: "Receive me, wounded pitilessly by a brother's hand, I beseech you, O Word." RESPONSE: I keep myself chaste for you and, holding light-bearing lamps, O Bridegroom, I go forth to meet you. PSALM (Mu): A mighty struggle did your steadfast servant, O Word, Joseph win; for a woman violently dragged him toward lawless beds, inflamed with desire, but he, in no way ashamed, fled naked, crying aloud. RESPONSE: I keep myself chaste for you and, holding lamps that bear the light, O Bridegroom, I go forth to meet you. PSALM (Nu): Jephthah brought up his newly-slain maiden daughter as a sacrifice to God, unskilled, like a lamb about the altar; and she, nobly fulfilling the type of your flesh, O blessed one, cried out steadfastly. RESPONSE: I keep myself chaste for you and, holding lamps that bear the light, O Bridegroom, I go forth to meet you. PSALM (Xi): Courageous Judith, with well-aimed wiles, beheaded the general of foreign hordes, having charmed him by the appearance of her beauty, yet not defiling the members of her body, and said with victorious cries: RESPONSE: I keep myself chaste for you, O Bridegroom, I go forth to meet you. PSALM (Omicron): Beholding the comely form of Susanna, two men, maddened with lust, said: "O woman, we have come longing for secret unions of marriage with you, dear one." But she with trembling cries said: RESPONSE: I keep myself chaste for you... O Bridegroom, I go forth to meet you. PSALM (Pi): "It is far better for me to die than, betraying my marriage-bed to you, O woman-mad men, to suffer eternal punishment in the fiery torments of God: save me, O Christ, from these now." RESPONSE: I keep myself chaste for you, holding light-bearing lamps, O Bridegroom, I go forth to meet you. PSALM (Rho): The Forerunner, washing the multitudes of mortals with cleansing streams, was lawlessly led to slaughter by a wicked man for the sake of chastity, and wetting the dust with crimson gore he cried to you, O blessed one. RESPONSE: I keep myself chaste for you and, holding light-bearing lamps, O Bridegroom, I go forth to meet you. PSALM (Sigma): Your life-bearing grace also, untouched, unyielding, carrying your spotless offspring in a seedless womb, came under suspicion, as a virgin betraying her marriage-bed; but she, being with child, said, O blessed one: RESPONSE: I keep myself chaste for you and, holding lamps that bear the light, O Bridegroom, I go forth to meet you. PSALM (Tau): Longing to behold your nuptial day, O blessed one, all those whom you yourself, O King of angels, have called from on high are come, bearing the greatest gifts to you, O Word, in spotless robes. RESPONSE: I keep myself chaste for you and, holding lamps that bear the light, O Bridegroom, I go forth to meet you. PSALM (Upsilon): With hymns, O blessed Bride of God, we your bridal attendants now honor you, O virgin untouched, O Church of snow-white body, dark-tressed, chaste, blameless, beloved. RESPONSE: I keep myself chaste for you and, holding lamps that bear the light, O Bridegroom, I go forth to meet you. PSALM (Phi): Corruption has fled, and the tearful pains of diseases; death is taken away, all folly has perished, mind-wasting grief has died, and suddenly the joy of God's Christ has shone forth upon mortals. RESPONSE: I keep myself chaste for you and, holding lamps that bear the light, O Bridegroom, I go forth to meet you. PSALM (Chi): The paradise of mortals is no longer bereft; for again he who fell by the manifold arts of the dragon dwells in it, as before, by divine appointment, incorruptible, fearless, O blessed one. RESPONSE: I keep myself chaste for you, holding light-bearing lamps, O Bridegroom, I go forth to meet you. PSALM (Psi): Singing the new song now, the choir conducts you toward the heavens, O Queen, all radiant with light, crowned with white cups of lilies, and bearing in your hands torches that flash with flame. RESPONSE: I keep myself chaste for you, holding light-bearing lamps, O Bridegroom, I go forth to meet you. PSALM (Omega): O you who dwell in the undefiled chambers of heaven, O blessed one, without beginning, marshalling all things by eternal power, we are present: receive us also, together with your Son, within the gates of life, O Father. RESPONSE: I keep myself chaste for you and, holding lamps that bear the light, O Bridegroom, I go forth to meet you. EUBOULION: Worthily did Thecla bear off the first of the prizes, O Gregorion. GREGORION: Worthily indeed. EUBOULION: But what then? The stranger-woman from Telmessus—tell me, was she not listening even from outside? For I marvel whether she kept quiet when she learned of this banquet, and did not at once, like a bird, fly to the food to hear the things being said. GREGORION: No; for the report is that she was present with Methodius, who was inquiring of Virtue about these very things. But it is a fine and blessed thing to make use of such a teacher and guide, namely Virtue. EUBOULION: But, O Gregorion, which do we call the better—those who do not desire but master desire, or those who desire and yet keep virginity? GREGORION: Those who do not desire and keep virginity; since these possess both their understanding and their sense undefiled, and are wholly incorruptible, having sinned in nothing. EUBOULION: Well said, by chastity, O Gregorion, and wisely. But do I hinder you at all if I take up the arguments, that I may learn more vigorously, and you, being moved, may refute me still further? GREGORION: Take them up, wherever you wish; for I am sufficiently able, O Euboulion, to teach you that the one who does not desire is better than the one who desires, and no one shall at all refute you. EUBOULION: Bravo! For I rejoice that you answer me magnanimously and show how richly you have prospered in wisdom. GREGORION: You seem, it appears, to be a chatterer of a fellow, O Euboulion. EUBOULION: For what reason? GREGORION: Because you say these things mocking me rather than speaking the truth. EUBOULION: Speak no ill, O blessed one; for I greatly admire your shrewdness and high renown. I said this, that the things about which many wise men often dispute among themselves, you say you not only understand, but also take pride in teaching others. GREGORION: Tell me, do you in truth find it hard to allow that those who do not desire differ at all from those who desire and exercise self-control? Or are you altogether jesting with me in these things? EUBOULION: And how am I testing you, when I confess that I do not know? But come, tell me, O wisest one, in what do those who do not desire and are chaste differ from those who desire and keep virginity? GREGORION: Because, first of all, they have their soul itself pure, and the Holy Spirit ever dwells in it, since it is not dragged about and muddied by fantasies and reasonings of incontinence, so as ever to be injured even through the imagination; but they are wholly unsusceptible, both in the flesh and in the heart, of desire, keeping a calm of the passions. But those who are lured outwardly through the sight by fantasies, and receive desire flooding in like a stream into the heart, are no less often defiled, even though they suppose they are striving against and battling the pleasures, being defeated in their reasoning. EUBOULION: Shall we then call those pure who keep a calm and are not disturbed by desire? GREGORION: Most certainly. For God, who through the beatitudes makes gods of those who believe in Him without hesitation, declares that such ones shall see God with boldness, because they bring to the divine contemplation nothing that darkens or troubles the eye of the soul, but, having become wholly outside the appetites of worldly things, they keep the flesh pure not only, as I said, of mixture, but already also the heart unsusceptible of reasonings of incontinence, in which especially the Holy Spirit, dwelling as in a temple, rests. EUBOULION: Hold then—for I think we may more rightly proceed from here to the discovery of what is truly better—and tell me: do you call any helmsman good? GREGORION: I do. EUBOULION: Which—the one who has brought the vessel safely through great and irresistible storms, or the one who does so in calm and windless weather? GREGORION: The one in great and irresistible storms. EUBOULION: Shall we not then call the soul that is flooded by the surging waves of the passions and yet does not grow weary or give out, but steers the vessel, the flesh, nobly into the harbor of self-control, better and more approved than the one that sails in fair weather? GREGORION: We shall. EUBOULION: For to adjust oneself to the assaults of the blasts of the evil spirit and not to be cast away or conquered, but, looking up wholly toward Christ, to battle steadfastly with the pleasures, brings greater praise than that of the one who keeps virginity with ease and unbuffeted. GREGORION: It seems so. EUBOULION: And what of the Lord? Does He not seem to show that the one who desires and exercises self-control differs from—is greater than—the one who does not desire and keeps virginity? GREGORION: Where then? EUBOULION: There, where, comparing the prudent man to a house well founded, He declares him incapable of falling, unable to be cast down by the rain and the rivers and the winds—likening, it seems, the lusts to the storms, and to the rock the immovable and unfailing constancy of the soul concerning chastity. GREGORION: You would seem to speak the truth. EUBOULION: And what of a physician? Do you not call best the one who has already been tried in great diseases and has healed many? GREGORION: I do. EUBOULION: And the one who has accomplished nothing yet, nor had any sick at all under his hands—is he not by all means still less approved? GREGORION: Yes. EUBOULION: Shall we not then say that the soul which bears with a more fluid body and soothes its diseases concerning the pleasures with the medicines of self-control is more skilled in healing than the one allotted to govern a healthy and passionless body? GREGORION: We must say so. EUBOULION: And what of wrestling? Which is the better wrestler—the one who has great and strong antagonists, and ever grapples and is not thrown, or the one who has no antagonists? GREGORION: Plainly the one who has them. EUBOULION: And so in wrestling too the more approved athlete is the one who has antagonists? GREGORION: Necessarily. EUBOULION: Shall we not then by all necessity say that the soul which contrives against the assaults of desire and is not dragged down, but pulls against and ranges itself in opposition, appears stronger than the one that does not desire? GREGORION: True. EUBOULION: And what of holding out steadfastly against the impulses, Gregorion, of base appetites? Does it seem to you to belong rather to courage? GREGORION: Very much so. EUBOULION: And is this courage a power of virtue? GREGORION: Plainly. EUBOULION: Then if endurance is a power of virtue, the soul that is troubled and holds out against the desires appears more powerful than the one not troubled? GREGORION: Yes. EUBOULION: And if more powerful, also better? GREGORION: Yes. EUBOULION: The soul that desires and exercises self-control is therefore better than the one that does not desire, from the things agreed upon. GREGORION: True you speak; and I shall desire to discourse with you yet more fully concerning these matters. If, then, it is agreeable to you, tomorrow I will come again to hear of them. For now, as you see, it is time at last to turn and to busy ourselves with the outward man.
「但我確實收納了，」提阿帕特拉說美德回答道，「並且我稱讚你們眾人；因為你們極其卓越地——縱不那麼顯赫，卻帶著殷勤——把所領受、所說的講論完成了，並非為悅聽者而編造甜美悅耳的言語，乃是作為導人改正的提醒與警醒。因為那說貞潔當被列在我所追求之事之先、當在萬事之上首先被擁抱的人，乃是給了正確的勸告；貞潔是許多人自以為尊崇、服事的，然而可以說，真正尊崇它的卻少。因為一個人若只熱衷於使自己的肉身不嘗交合之樂，卻不能勝過其他各方面，這並不是尊崇貞潔；他反倒羞辱了它，尤其是用他那庸俗的情慾，以逸樂換取逸樂。再者，一個人若在外面的情慾上勞苦堅忍，卻因這一點——就是能勝過肉體的種種挑動——而高抬自己、自高自大，並輕看眾人如無物，這也不是尊崇貞潔；因他用高傲侮辱它，只洗淨杯盤的外面（就是肉身、身體），心裡卻被自負與好爭競所損傷。再者，一個人若以錢財自誇，他並非殷勤尊崇貞潔；這人反倒比眾人更羞辱它，竟看重那微小的利益過於貞潔——其實一切尊貴之物都不足與貞潔相比；因為在它面前，一切財富都算不得什麼，黃金不過如少許塵沙。再者，那過度自愛、只殷勤顧念自己利益、卻不顧鄰舍的人，也不是尊崇貞潔；這人也照樣羞辱它，因他遠遠不及那些配得與貞潔相交的人，乃因他殘害了貞潔的愛、同情與仁慈。因為人不可在這方面守貞潔、童貞，在那方面卻作惡、被玷污、放縱；也不可在這方面宣稱潔淨自制，在那方面卻被沾染、犯罪；也不可在這方面承認不顧念世俗之物，在那方面卻獲取它們、沉溺其中；乃要使一切肢體都不沾染、不混雜朽壞——不單是那發癢、服事交合的部分，更要連那些比這些更活躍的也是如此。因為若只保守生育的器官為童貞，卻不保守舌頭；或只保守舌頭為童貞，卻不保守眼目、耳朵或雙手；或保守這些為童貞，卻不保守心，反倒讓心向自負與忿怒賣淫——這都是可笑的。因為那將在貞潔的操練上不致犯罪的人，必須務要保守自己一切的肢體與感官潔淨、緊束，正如船的舵手把船的接縫綁緊，免得罪洶湧而入時有門路進到裡面。因為偉大的追求必然伴隨偉大的過失，而事實上，惡與良善的對立更甚於惡與不良善的對立。因此，許多人以為貞潔不過在於抵擋那挑動的情慾，便忽略了貞潔的其他方面，以致跌倒，並向那些正確地朝它奔去的人加上譴責；這些譴責你們已經駁倒了，你們是貫穿萬事的律法，因為你們自己在行為與言語上都守了童貞。論到童女當為何等人，已經描繪清楚了；我既親耳聽見你們在言語上充分爭戰，便宣告你們眾人都得勝、並為你們加冕——但特格拉要得那更大、更茂密的冠冕，因她是你們中的首位，並且綻放得更為輝煌。」提阿帕特拉說，美德說了這些話之後，便吩咐眾人起立，叫她們站在潔淨樹下，向主獻上一首合宜的感恩讚美詩，並叫特格拉領唱、走在前頭。於是她們起立後，她說特格拉站在眾童女中間、在美德的右邊，端莊地歌唱，其餘的人圍成一圈，彷彿合唱隊的隊形，應和她。應和：新郎啊，我為你守貞潔，手持發光的燈，前去迎接你。詩（阿爾法）：童女們哪，那喚醒死人的呼聲從高天傳來，吩咐我們急速身穿白衣、手持燈火，向著東方前去迎接新郎：要儆醒，趁王還未進到門內。應和：新郎啊，我為你守貞潔，手持發光的燈，前去迎接你。詩（貝塔）：我逃離了世人那滿是哀歎的福樂、逃離了今生奢華的逸樂與情愛，渴望在你那賜生命的懷抱下得蔭庇，永遠瞻仰你的美麗，有福者啊。應和：新郎啊，我為你守貞潔……前去迎接你。詩（伽馬）：王啊，我撇下婚姻必朽的床榻和我那滿是黃金的家，為你的緣故身穿無瑕的衣裳前來，好叫我也能與你一同進入那全然有福的新房。應和：新郎啊，我為你守貞潔，手持發光的燈，前去迎接你。詩（德爾塔）：有福者啊，我逃離了那龍無數迷惑人的詭計，又忍受了火焰與凶猛野獸毀人的猛撲，從天上等候你。應和：新郎啊，我為你守貞潔，手持發光的燈，前去迎接你。詩（埃普西隆）：我為渴慕你的恩典忘了故鄉，忘了那些與我同齡的童女隊伍、忘了母親與宗族的誇耀；因為基督啊，你自己就是我的一切。應和：新郎啊，我為你守貞潔……前去迎接你。詩（澤塔）：生命啊，你是賜予者！光啊，願你歡喜！求你收納我們這呼聲；童女的隊伍呼求你，完全的花朵、愛、喜樂、智慧、聰明、道。應和：新郎啊，我為你守貞潔……前去迎接你。詩（埃塔）：門已敞開，妝飾光彩的王后啊，你身體無玷、得勝佳美的新婦、氣息芬芳的，你接我們進入新房；我們身穿同樣的衣裳侍立在基督旁邊，歌唱你那全然有福的婚姻，嫩枝啊。應和：新郎啊，我為你守貞潔……前去迎接你。詩（西塔）：如今那些滿懷悲傷的女子在新房的門外哀哭、悽慘地喊叫，因為她們既熄滅了燈火，便未能及時看見那喜樂的庫房。應和：新郎啊，我為你守貞潔……前去迎接你。詩（約塔）：因為這些可憐人偏離了聖道，反倒更疏忽為生命預備油；如今她們拿著熄滅的火焰之燈，從心底發出呻吟。應和：新郎啊，我為你守貞潔……前去迎接你。詩（卡帕）：甘甜滿溢的瓊漿之碗擺在面前；童女們哪，我們來喝吧：這是天上的飲品，是新郎為那些配得、蒙召赴婚筵的人所擺設的。應和：新郎啊，我為你守貞潔，手持發光的燈，前去迎接你。詩（拉姆達）：亞伯血流滿身、仰望天，明明地宣告你被殺害之事：「道啊，我被弟兄的手無情地殺傷，求你收納我。」應和：新郎啊，我為你守貞潔，手持發光的燈，前去迎接你。詩（穆）：道啊，你那剛強的僕人約瑟贏得了一場大爭戰；因為有婦人被情慾點燃，強拉他到不法的床上，他卻毫不羞愧，赤身逃跑、放聲呼喊。應和：新郎啊，我為你守貞潔，手持發光的燈，前去迎接你。詩（紐）：耶弗他把他剛被殺的女兒獻為祭物給神，她毫無經驗，如羊羔被牽到壇前；有福者啊，她高貴地成全你肉身的預表，剛強地呼喊。應和：新郎啊，我為你守貞潔，手持發光的燈，前去迎接你。詩（克西）：勇敢的猶滴用精準的詭計斬下了外邦群眾統帥的首級，她以美貌的姿容迷住了他，卻未玷污自己身體的肢體，並以得勝的呼聲說：應和：新郎啊，我為你守貞潔，前去迎接你。詩（奧密克戎）：兩個男人看見蘇撒拿俊美的容貌，因情慾癲狂，說：「婦人啊，我們渴慕與你有隱密的婚合而來，親愛的。」她卻戰兢呼喊說：應和：新郎啊，我為你守貞潔……前去迎接你。詩（皮）：「為男色癲狂的人哪，我寧死也斷不向你們出賣我的床榻，免得在神火般的刑罰中受永遠的懲罰：基督啊，求你如今救我脫離這些人。」應和：新郎啊，我為你守貞潔，手持發光的燈，前去迎接你。詩（羅）：那先鋒用潔淨的水流為眾人施洗，卻為貞潔的緣故被惡人不法地牽去殺害，他用殷紅的血浸潤塵土，向你呼喊，有福者啊。應和：新郎啊，我為你守貞潔，手持發光的燈，前去迎接你。詩（西格瑪）：你那賜生命的恩典也是無玷、不屈的，在未經人道的腹中懷著你那無瑕的後裔，卻受了嫌疑，彷彿是出賣床榻的童女；但她懷著孕說，有福者啊：應和：新郎啊，我為你守貞潔，手持發光的燈，前去迎接你。詩（陶）：有福者啊，凡你這天使之王從高天所召的人，都渴望看見你婚娶的日子而前來，身穿無瑕的衣裳，帶著至大的禮物獻給你，道啊。應和：新郎啊，我為你守貞潔，手持發光的燈，前去迎接你。詩（宇普西隆）：蒙福的、與神成婚者啊，我們這些伴你的女子如今以詩歌尊崇你，無玷的童女、雪白身體的教會、烏絲秀髮的、自制無瑕、蒙愛的。應和：新郎啊，我為你守貞潔，手持發光的燈，前去迎接你。詩（斐）：朽壞已經逃逸，疾病那滴淚的痛楚也已消散；死亡被除去，一切愚妄都已滅亡，那耗人心神的憂愁已死，神之基督的喜樂忽然向世人照耀。應和：新郎啊，我為你守貞潔，手持發光的燈，前去迎接你。詩（西）：世人的樂園不再荒蕪；因為那從前被龍諸般詭計所誘而墜落的人，如今照神的安排再次住在其中，不朽、無懼，有福者啊。應和：新郎啊，我為你守貞潔，手持發光的燈，前去迎接你。詩（普西）：如今合唱隊唱著新歌，引領你升向諸天，王后啊，你通體光輝，戴著百合花的白色花冠，手持閃耀火焰的火把。應和：新郎啊，我為你守貞潔，手持發光的燈，前去迎接你。詩（奧米伽）：有福者啊，你住在天上無玷的居所，無始的，以永遠的權能統管萬有，我們已經來到：父啊，求你連同你的兒子，將我們也收納進入生命的門內。應和：新郎啊，我為你守貞潔，手持發光的燈，前去迎接你。尤布留：革利貴利俄，特格拉配得地奪了頭獎。革利貴利俄：確實配得。尤布留：那又如何呢？那從特勒墨索來的客旅婦人——請告訴我，她豈不是連在外面也沒有聽嗎？因為我希奇，她得知這筵席之後竟能安靜不動，沒有立刻像鳥兒撲向食物那樣飛來聽人所說的話。革利貴利俄：不然；因為據說她與美多丟同在，他正向美德詢問這些事。但能以這樣一位教師與嚮導——就是美德——為師，乃是美好而有福的事。尤布留：但是革利貴利俄，我們說哪一種人更好呢——是那不起情慾卻勝過情慾的人，還是那起了情慾卻仍守童貞的人？革利貴利俄：是那不起情慾並守童貞的人；因為這等人連悟性與感官都保持無玷，全然不能朽壞，在任何事上都未曾犯罪。尤布留：指著貞潔起誓，革利貴利俄，說得好，也說得有智慧。但我若接過這些論點，好叫我學得更紮實，而你被激動便能更進一步駁倒我，這樣豈會妨礙你嗎？革利貴利俄：你儘管接過去，隨你的意；因為尤布留，我綽綽有餘地能教導你：那不起情慾的人比那起情慾的人更佳，沒有人能駁倒你。尤布留：好極了！我歡喜，因你寬宏大量地回答我，並顯出你在智慧上何等豐富。革利貴利俄：尤布留，看來你似乎是個多嘴的人。尤布留：何以見得？革利貴利俄：因為你說這些話是在戲弄我，而非說真話。尤布留：有福者啊，請別這樣說；因為我極其欽佩你的精明與崇高的名聲。我說這話，是因為許多智者彼此間常爭論不休的事，你不僅說自己明白，還以教導別人為榮。革利貴利俄：請告訴我，你真的難以承認那不起情慾的人與那起情慾並自制的人有任何分別嗎？還是你完全在拿這些事跟我開玩笑？尤布留：我既承認自己不知道，又怎能是在試探你呢？來吧，最有智慧的，請告訴我：那不起情慾並守貞潔的人，與那起了情慾卻守童貞的人，有何分別？革利貴利俄：因為首先，他們連靈魂本身都是潔淨的，聖靈常住在其中，因靈魂不被放縱的幻想與思慮牽扯、攪渾，以致曾藉著意念受損；他們乃是無論在肉體或在心裡，都全然不受情慾的感染，保持諸情慾的平靜。但那些藉著眼目在外面被幻想引誘、任憑情慾如水流般湧入心中的人，縱然自以為在抗拒、與逸樂爭戰，卻在理智上落敗，仍照樣常常被玷污。尤布留：那麼我們是否要稱那些保持平靜、不被情慾擾亂的人為潔淨的呢？革利貴利俄：當然如此。因為那藉著八福使凡毫不遲疑信他的人成為神的神，宣告這等人必坦然得見神，因為他們向那神聖的觀照所帶來的，沒有什麼能遮蔽或攪擾靈魂之眼的，乃是他們全然脫離了世俗之物的貪慾，不單如我所說的保守肉身不沾染交合，更已使心不受放縱思慮的感染——聖靈尤其住在這心中，如同住在殿裡，得享安息。尤布留：且慢——因為我想我們從這裡可以更正確地進到尋出何為真正更佳之事——請告訴我：你稱某舵手為好的嗎？革利貴利俄：我稱。尤布留：是稱那在又大又無法應付的風暴中把船安然帶過的，還是那在平靜無風中行船的？革利貴利俄：是那在又大又無法應付的風暴中的。尤布留：那麼我們豈不該說，那被情慾的洶湧巨浪所淹卻不疲乏、不鬆懈，反倒高貴地把船（就是肉身）駛入自制港口的靈魂，比那在風平浪靜中航行的更佳、更為人所稱許嗎？革利貴利俄：我們該如此說。尤布留：因為使自己適應那惡靈狂吹的衝擊而不被拋離、不被勝過，反倒全然仰望基督、堅定地與逸樂爭戰，這比那輕鬆無波、不受顛簸而守童貞之人帶來更大的稱讚。革利貴利俄：看來如此。尤布留：主又如何呢？他豈不顯然表明，那起情慾並自制的人勝過那不起情慾並守童貞的人嗎？革利貴利俄：在哪裡呢？尤布留：就在那裡，他把那精明人比作根基穩固的房子，宣告他不能傾倒，不能被雨水、河流與風吹倒——看來他是把情慾比作風暴，把那磐石比作靈魂在貞潔上不動搖、不墜落的堅貞。革利貴利俄：你似乎說得對。尤布留：醫生又如何呢？你豈不稱那已在大病上受過考驗、醫好了許多人的為最佳嗎？革利貴利俄：我稱。尤布留：那尚未行過任何事、手中也全然沒有病人的，豈不是仍然遠不及前者受人稱許嗎？革利貴利俄：是的。尤布留：那麼我們豈不該說，那忍受較為虛弱的身體、用自制的藥物舒緩它在逸樂上諸病的靈魂，比那蒙派去治理健康無病之身體的更善於醫治嗎？革利貴利俄：我們該這樣說。尤布留：摔角又如何呢？哪一個是更好的摔角手——是那有又大又強的對手、不斷搏鬥卻不被摔倒的，還是那沒有對手的？革利貴利俄：顯然是那有對手的。尤布留：那麼在摔角上，那有對手的角力士也更為人所稱許了？革利貴利俄：必然如此。尤布留：那麼我們豈不必然要說，那謀劃抵擋情慾來襲、不被拖垮、反倒拉住並列陣抵抗的靈魂，顯為比那不起情慾的更強嗎？革利貴利俄：的確。尤布留：革利貴利俄，那堅定抵擋卑劣慾望之衝動的，你看豈不更屬乎勇敢嗎？革利貴利俄：極其如此。尤布留：這勇敢豈不是美德的一種能力嗎？革利貴利俄：顯然。尤布留：那麼，忍耐若是美德的一種能力，那被擾動卻仍抵擋情慾的靈魂，豈不顯為比那不被擾動的更有能力嗎？革利貴利俄：是的。尤布留：若更有能力，豈不也更佳嗎？革利貴利俄：是的。尤布留：那麼從我們所同意的看來，那起情慾並自制的靈魂，就比那不起情慾的更佳了。革利貴利俄：你說得對；我願就這些事與你更充分地談論。那麼，你若樂意，明天我再來聽這些。因為如今你看，時候到了，我們終究該轉去料理外在之人的事了。