 Chapter 3 of Concerning Virgins, Book III. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Concerning Virgins by St. Ambrose. Book III, Chapter III. Virgins are exhorted to avoid visits, to observe modesty, to be silent during the celebration of the mysteries after the example of Mary. Then after narrating the story of a heathen youth and saying of a poet, St. Ambrose relates a miracle wrought by Holy Priest. I will too, that visits amongst the younger, except such as maybe due to parents and those of like age, be few. For modesty is worn away by intercourse, and boldness breaks forth, laughter creeps in, and bashfulness is lessened, whilst politeness is studied. Not to answer one who asks a question is childishness, to answer is nonsense. I should prefer therefore, that conversation should rather be wanting to a virgin than a bound. For if women are bidden to keep silence in churches, even about divine things, and to ask their husbands at home, what do we think should be the caution of virgins, in whom modesty adorns their age, and silence commands their modesty? Was it a small sign of modesty that when Rebecca came to wed Isaac, and saw her bridegroom, she took a veil that she might not be seen before they were united? Certainly the fair virgin feared not for her beauty, but for her modesty. What of Rachel? How she, when Jacob's kiss had been taken, wept and groaned, and would not have ceased weeping, had she not known him to be a kinsman? So she both observed what was due to modesty, and admitted not kindly affection. But if it is said to a man, gay is not on a maid, lest she cause thee to fall, what is to be said to a consecrated virgin who, if she loves, sins in mind, if she is loved, enact also? The virtue of silence, especially in church, is very great. But no sentence of the divine lessons escape you, if we give ear, restrain your voice, at a no word with your lips, which you would wish to recall, but let your boldness to speak despairing. For in truth, in much speaking, there is abundance of sin. To the murderer it was said, Thou hast sinned, be silent, that he might not sin more, but to the virgin it must be said, be silent, lest Thou sinned. For Mary, as we read, kept in heart all things that were said concerning her son, and do you, when any passages read where Christ is announced as about to come, or is shown to have come, not make a noise by talking, but attend? Is anything more unbecoming than the divine words should be so drowned by talking, as not to be heard, believed, or made known, that the sacraments should be indistinctly heard through the sound of voices, that prayer should be hindered when offered for the salvation of all? The Gentiles pay respect to their idols by silence, of which this instance is given. As Alexander, the king of the Macedonians, was sacrificing the sleeve of a barbarian lad, who was lighting the lamp for him, caught fire, and burned his body. Yet he remained without moving, and neither betrayed the pain by a groan, nor showed his suffering by silent tears. Such was the discipline of reverence in a barbarian lad, that nature was subdued. Yet he feared not the gods, who were no gods, but the king. For why should he fear those who, if the same fire had caught them, would have burned? How much better still is it, where a youth at his father's banquet is bidden not to betray by coarse gestures his unchaste loves? And do you, holy virgin, abstain from groans, cries, coughing, and laughter at the mystery? Can you not at the mystery do what he did at a banquet? Let virginity be first marked by the voice, let modesty close the mouth, let religion remove weakness and habit instruct nature, let her gravity first announce a virgin to me, a modest approach, a sober gate, a bashful countenance, and let the march of virtue be preceded by the evidence of integrity. That virgin is not sufficiently worthy of approval, who has to be inquired about when she is seen. There is common story now, when the excessive croaking of frogs was resounding in the ears of the faithful people, the priest of God bade them to be silent, and show reverence to the sacred words, and then at once the noise was stilled. Shall then the marshes keep silence and not the frogs? And shall irrational animals re-acknowledge by reverence what they know not by nature? While the shamelessness of many such, that many care not to pay that respect to the religious feelings of their minds, which they do to the pleasure of their ears. End of Chapter 3, Book III. Chapter 4 of Concerning Virgins. Book III. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Concerning Virgins by Saint Ambrose. Book III. Chapter 4. Having summed up the address of Liberius, Saint Ambrose passes on to the virtues of his sister, especially her fasts, which however he advises her to moderate to some extent, and to exercise herself in other matters after the example which he adduces. Especially he recommends the Lord's prayer, and the repetition of psalms by night, and the recitation of the creed before daylight. After such a fashion did Liberius of holy memory address you in words beyond the reality of practice in most cases, but coming short of your performance, who have not only attained to the whole of discipline by your virtue, but have surpassed it in your zeal. For we are bidden to practice fasting, but only for single days. But you, multiplying nights and days, pass untold periods without food, and if ever requested to partake of some, and to lay aside your book a little while, you at once answer, man does not live by bread alone, but by every word of God. Your very meals consisted, but of what food came to hand, so that fasting used to be preferred to eating what was repugnant. Your drink is from the spring, your weeping and prayer combine, your sleep is on your book. These kings were suited to younger years, whilst he was ripening with the gray hairs of age. But when a virgin has gained the triumph over her subdued body, she should lessen her toil, that she may be preserved as teacher for a younger age. The vine laden with the fruitful branches of full growth soon breaks, unless it be from time to time kept back. But whilst it is young, let it grow rank, and as it grows older be pruned, so as not to grow into a forest of twigs, or die deprived of life by its acceptive produce. A good husband man, by tending the soil, keeps the vine in excellent order, protects it from cold, and guards it from being parched by the midday sun. And he works his land by turns, or if he will not let it lie fallow, he alternates his crops, so that the fields may rest through change of produce. Do you too, a veteran in virginity, at least sow the fields of your breast with different seeds, at one time with moderate sustenance, at another with sparing fasts, with reading, work, and prayer, that change of toil may be as a truce for rest. The whole land does not produce the same harvest. On one side vines grow on the hills, on another you can see the purple olives, elsewhere the scented roses. And after leaving the plow, the strong husband man with his fingers scrapes the soil to plant the roots of flowers. And with the rough hands wherewith he turns the bullocks driving amongst the vines, he gently presses the udders of the sheep. The land is the better, the more numerous are its fruits. So do you, following the example of a good husband man, avoid cleaving your soil with perpetual fastings, as if with deep plowings. Let the rows of modesty bloom in your garden and the lily of the mind, and let the violet beds drink from the source of sacred blood. There is a common saying, what you wish to perform abundantly sometimes do not do at all. There ought to be something to add to the days of Lent, but so that nothing be done for the sake of ostentation but of religion. Frequent prayer also commands us to God, for if the Prophet says, seven times a day have I praised thee. Though he was busy with the affairs of a kingdom, what ought we to do who read, watch and pray that ye enter not into temptation? Certainly our customary prayers ought to be said with giving of thanks, when we rise from sleep, when we go forth, when we prepare to receive food, after receiving it, and at the hour of incense, when at last we are going to rest. And again, in your bedchamber itself, I would have ye join psalms infrequent into change with the Lord's prayer, either when you wake up, or before sleep beduse your body, so that at the very commencement of rest sleep may find you free from the care of worldly matters, meditating upon the things of God. And indeed, he who first found out the name of philosophy itself, every day before he went to rest, had the flute player play softer melodies to soothe his mind disturbed by worldly cares. But he, like a man washing tiles, fruitlessly decided to drive away worldly things by worldly means. For he was indeed rather besmearing himself with fresh mud in seeking a reward from pleasure. But let us, having wiped off the filth of earth devices, purify our utmost souls from every defilement of the flesh. We ought also, specially to repeat the creed, as a seal upon our hearts, daily before light, and to recur to it in thought whenever we are in fear of anything. For when is the soldier in his tent, or the warrior in battle without his military oath? End of chapter 4, Book III. Chapter 5 of Concerning Virgins. Book III. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information, or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Concerning Virgins by St. Ambrose. Book III, Chapter 5. St. Ambrose, speaking of tears, explains David saying, Every night wash I my couch with my tears, and goes on to speak of Christ bearing our griefs and infirmities. Everything should be referred to his honor, and we ought to rejoice with spiritual joy, but not after a worldly fashion. And who can now fail to understand that the Holy Prophet said for our instruction, Every night will I wash my couch and water my bed with my tears. For if we take it literally for his bed, he shows that such abundance of tears should be shed as to wash the bed and water it with tears. The couch of him who is praying for weeping has to be done with the present, rewards with the future, since it is said, Blessed are ye that weep, for ye shall laugh. Or if we take the word of the Prophet as applied to our bodies, we must wash away the offenses of the body with tears of penitence. For Solomon made himself a bed of wood from Lebanon, its pillars were of silver, its bottom of gold, its back strewn with gems. What is that bed but the fashion of our body? For by gem is set forth the splendor of the brightness of the air, fire is set forth by the gold, water by silver, and earth by wood. Of which four elements the human body consists, in which our soul rests. If it do not exist deprived of rest by the roughness of hills, or the damp ground, but raised on high, above vices, supported by the wood. For which reason David also says, The Lord will send him help upon his bed of pain. For how can that be a bed of pain which cannot feel pain, and which has no feeling? But the body of pain is like the body of that death, of which it is said, O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death. And since I have inserted a clause in which mention is made of the Lord's body, lest any one should be troubled at reading that the Lord took a body of pain, let him remember that the Lord grieved and wept over the death of Lazarus, and was wounded in his passion, and that from the wound there went forth blood and water, and that he gave up his spirit. Water for washing, blood for drink, the spirit for his rising again. For Christ alone is to us hope, faith and love, hope in his resurrection, faith in the lava, and love in the sacrament. And as he took a body of pain, so too he turned his bed in his weakness, for he converted it to the benefit of human flesh. For by his passion weakness was ended, and death by his resurrection. And yet he ought to mourn for the world but to rejoice in the Lord, to be sad for penitence, but joyful for grace. Though too, the teacher of the Gentiles by wholesome precept has bidden to weep with them that weep, and to rejoice with them that do rejoice. But let him who desires to solve the whole difficulty of this question have recourse to the same apostle. Whatsoever you do, says he, in word or deed, do all in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, giving thanks to God the Father by him. Let us then refer all our words and deeds to Christ, who brought life out of death, and created light out of darkness. For as the sick body is at one time cherished by warmth, at another sooth by cool applications, and the variation of remedies, if carried out according to the direction of the physician, is healthful. But if done in opposition to his orders increases the sickness. So whatever is paid to Christ is a remedy. Whatever is done by our own will is harmful. There ought then to be the joy of the mind, conscious of right, not excited by unrestrained feasts, or natural concerts, for in such modesty is not safe, and temptation may be suspected, where excessive dancing accompanies festivities. I desire that the vergence of God should be far from this. For as a certain teacher of this world has said, no one dances when sober unless he is mad. Now, if according to the wisdom of this world, either drunkenness, or madness is the cause of dancing, what a warning is given to us amongst the instances mentioned in the Divine Scriptures, where John, the forerunner of Christ, being beheaded at the wish of a dancer, is an instance that the allurements of dancing did more harm than the madness of sacrilegious anger. End of chapter 5 Book III Chapter 6 of Concerning Virgins Book III This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information, or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org Concerning Virgins by Saint Ambrose Book III Chapter 6 Having mentioned the Baptist, Saint Ambrose enters into a description of the events concerning his death and speaks against dancing and the festivities of the wicked. And since we must not cursorily pass by the mention of so great a man, let us consider who he was, by whom, on what account, how, and at what time he was slain. A just man, he is put to death by adulterers, and the penalty of a capital crime is turned off by the guilty on to the judge. Again the reward of the dancer is the death of the prophet. Lastly, a matter of honour even to all barbarians. The cruel sentence is given in the midst of banketing and festivities, and the news of the deadly crime is carried from the banket to the prison, and then from the prison to the banket. How many crimes are there in one wicked act? A banket of death is set out with royal luxury, and when a larger concourse than usual had come together, the daughter of the queen, sent for from within the private apartments, is brought forth to dance in the sight of men. What could she have learnt from an adulterous but loss of modesty? Is anything so conductive to lust as within seemly movements best to expose in nakedness those parts of the body which either nature has hidden or custom has veiled, to sport with the looks, to turn the neck, to loosen the hair? Fittly was the next step an offence against God. For what modesty can there be where there is dancing and noise and clapping of hands? The king said the king being pleased said unto the damsel that she should ask of the king whatsoever she would. Then he swore that if she asked he would give her even half of his kingdom. See how worldly men themselves judge of their worldly power so as to give even kingdoms for dancing. But the damsel being taught by her mother demanded that the head of John that which is said that the king was sorry is not repentance on the part of the king but a confession of guilt which is according to the wound of the divine rule that they who have done evil condemn themselves by their own confession. But for their sakes which sat with him it is said what is more base than that a murder should be committed in order not to displease those who sat at mid and followed for his oath's sake what a new religion he had better have foresworn himself the lord therefore in the gospel bids us not to swear at all that there be no cause for perjury and no need of offending and so an innocent man is slain that an oath be not violated I know which to have in the greatest horror perjury is more than are the oath's of tyrants who would not think when he saw someone running from the bank it to the prison that orders had been given to set the prophet free who I say having heard that it was Herod's birthday and of the state bank it and the choice given to the damsel of choosing whatever she wished would not think that the man was sent to set John free what has cruelty in common with delicacies what have death and pleasure in common the prophet is hurried to suffer at the festival time by a festival order by which he would even wish to be set free he is slain by the sword and his head is brought on a platter this dish was well suited to their cruelty in order that their insatiate savageness might be feasted look most savage king at the sides worthy of thy feast stretch forth thy right hand that nothing be wanting to thy cruelty that streams of holy blood may pour down between thy fingers and since the hunger for such an herd of cruelty could not be satisfied by bankets nor the thirst by goblets drink the blood pouring from the still flowing veins of the cut off head behold those eyes even in death the witnesses of thy crime turning away from the sight of the delicacies the eyes are closing not so much owing to death as to horror of luxury that bloodless golden mouth whose sentence thou couldst not endure is silent and yet thou fairest yet the tongue which even after death is born to observe its duty as when living condemned though with trembling motion the incest this head is born to herodias she rejoices she exalts as though she had escaped from the crime because she has slain her judge what say you holy women do you see what you ought to teach and ought also to untie your daughters she dances but she is the daughter of an adulteress but she who is modest she who is chaste let her teach her daughter religion not dancing and do you graven prudent men learn to avoid the bangits of hateful men if such are the bangits what will be the judgment of the impious end of chapter 6 book the third chapter 7 of concerning virgins book the third this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org concerning virgins by Saint Ambrose book the third chapter 7 in reply to Marcelina who had asked what should be thought of these who to escape violence kill themselves Saint Ambrose replies by narrating the history of Pelagia a virgin with her mother and sister and goes on to speak of the martyrdom of the blessed Soteris one of their own ancestors as I am drawing near the close of my address you make a good suggestion holy sister that I should teach upon what we ought to think of the merits of those who have cast themselves down from a height or have drowned themselves in a river lest they should fall into the hands of persecutors seeing that holy scripture forbids a Christian to lay hands on himself and indeed as regards virgins in the necessity of preserving their purity we have a plain answer seeing that there exists an instance of martyrdom Saint Pelagia lived formally at Antioch being about 15 years old a sister of virgins and a virgin herself she shut herself up at home at the first sound of persecution seeing herself surrounded by those who would drop her of her faith and purity in the absence of her mother and sisters without any defense but all the more filled with God what are we to do unless says she to herself thou a captive of virginity take his thought in both wish and fear to die for I meet not death but seek it let us die if we are allowed or if they will not allow it still let us die God is not offended by a remedy instable and faith permits the act in truth if we think of the real meaning of the word how can what is voluntary be violence it is rather violence to wish to die and not to be able and we do not fear any difficulty for who is there who wishes to die and is not able to do so when there are so many easy ways to death for I can now rush upon the sacrilegious authors and overthrow them to quench with my blood the kindled fires I am not afraid that my right hand may fail to deliver the blow or that my breast may shrink from the pain I shall leave no sin to my flesh I fear not that a sword will be wanting I can die by my own weapons I can die without the help of an executioner in my mother's bosom she is said to have adorned her head and to have put on a bridal dress so that one would say that she was going to a bridegroom not to death but when the hateful persecutors saw that they had lost the prey of her chastity they began to seek her mother and sisters but they by a spiritual flight already held the field of chastity when as on the one side persecutors suddenly threatened them and on the other escape was shut off by an impetuous river they said what do we fear see the water what hinders us from being baptized and this is the baptism whereby sins are forgiven and kingdoms are sought this is a baptism after which no one sins let the water receive us which is wont to regenerate let the water receive us which makes virgins let the water receive us which opens heaven protects the weak hides death, makes martyrs we pray thee creator of all things let not the water scatter our bodies deprived of the breath of life let not death separate our obsequies whose life's affection has always conjoined but let our constancy be one our death one and our burial also be one having said these words and having slightly girded up the bosom of their dress to veil their modesty without impeding their steps joining hands as though to lead a dance they went forward to the middle of the river bed directing their steps to where the stream was more violent and the depth more abrupt no one drew back no one ceased to go on no one tried where to place her steps they were anxious only when they felt the ground grieved when the water was shallow and glad when it was deep one could see the pious mother tightening her grasp rejoicing in her pledges afraid of a fall lest even the stream should carry off her daughters from her these victims, or Christ said she, do I offer as leaders of chastity guides on my journey and companions of my sufferings but who would have cause to wonder that they had such constancy whilst alive seeing that even when dead they preserved the position of their bodies and moved not lay bare their corpses nor did the rapid cause of the river roll them along moreover the holy mother though without sensation still maintained her loving grasp and held the sacred knot which she had tied and loosed not her holding death that she who had paid her debt to religion might die leaving her piety as her heir for those whom she had joined together with herself or martyrdom even to the tomb but why use instances of people of another race to you my sister whom the inspiration of her editor chastity has taught by descent from a martyred ancestor for whence have you learned who had no one from within to learn living in the country with no virgin companion instructed by no teacher you have played the part then not of a disciple for this cannot be done without teaching virtue for how could it come to pass that holy soteres should not have been the originator of your purpose who is an ancestor of your race who in an age of persecution born to the heights of suffering by the insults of slaves gave to the executioner even her face which is usually free from injury when the whole body is tortured and rather beholds than sufferer's torments and patience that when she offered her tender cheeks to punishment the executioner failed in striking before the martyr yielded under the injuries she moved not her face she turned not away her countenance she uttered not a groan or a tear lastly when she had overcome other kinds of punishment she found the sword which she desired end of chapter 7 end of book III of Concerning Virgins by St. Ambrose of Milan