A word to those who lived with virgins

The pastoral letter “A Word to those who lived with virgins” (12 chapters) was written by St. John Chrysostom, probably in Constantinople around 398. In it, the saint touches on the problem of “cohabitants,” when men and women leading an ascetic lifestyle lived in the same house. He turns to the clergy and condemns the custom that has spread among them of inviting girls who have taken a vow of celibacy to their house so that they can help them with the housework and live with them as pious sisters. St. John accuses them of secret voluptuousness and refutes the justifications for such an illegal custom. This practice leads others into temptation and is not consistent with evangelical piety. *The title of the work in Greek is Πρὸς τοὺς ἔχοντας παρθένους συνεισάκτους. *The title of the essay in Latin is Contra eos qui subintroductas habent virgines. The following two Words or arguments, not connected by a common title, are connected by the same content, directed in the first Word against men who had virgins as their concubines, and in the second against virgins who lived with men, so that the author himself in one place of the second Word (Section 4) refers to the content of his first Word. Therefore, we can assume that these two works were written by St. John Chrysostom at the same time, directly one after the other; but at what time of his life, whether during his deaconship in Antioch, as the church historian Socrates testifies (book 6, chapter 3), or during his bishopric in Constantinople, as his biography, Bishop Palladius, testifies (Conversations, section 5), this is not known for certain. In any case, both Words seem to be the fruits of the saint’s true pastoral zeal for the moral purity of persons who devoted themselves primarily to the service of God, but allowed themselves to cohabit with strangers of the other sex, which was prohibited by the 1st Ecumenical Council of Nicaea (right. 3) and condemned by St. Basil the Great (postal to Gregory the Presbyter). Indecent abuse in the life of the clergy. - Vain justifications for custom. – Passion is its basis. – Inevitable inflaming of passions. – Refutation of imaginary justifications for illegal customs. “Nothing makes you happier than a good conscience.” – Greater requirements of the New Testament compared to the Old. Our ancestors had two reasons why women lived with men; one is in marriage - a reason that is ancient, and just, and solid, as coming from the lawgiver God: “Therefore,” he says, “a man will leave his father and his mother and cleave to his wife; and the two will become one flesh” (Gen. 2:24); and the other lies in adultery - a new reason in comparison with that, and unjust and lawless, as originating from wicked demons. And in our century, having invented some third way of life, new and strange, and leading to great difficulty for those who want to find the reason for it. There are people who take in celibate girls without marrying or marrying them, leaving them forever in their home and keeping them with them until they are very old, not for the birth of children - for they do not marry with them, as they say - and not out of debauchery, for they keep them innocent, as they claim; and if anyone asks about the reason, then although they imagine and invent many reasons, they do not, in my opinion, have a single one that is solid and valid. However, we will not talk about these or other pretexts for now, but will indicate the reason that we ourselves especially suspect. What is this reason? In any case, if I deviate from my goal, those of you who wish can stop me. So what is this reason? It seems to me that for them there is some pleasure in living together with women, not only according to the law of marriage, but also without marriage and combination. If I think incorrectly, then I have nothing against it; For now, I am expressing to you my own opinion, and, perhaps, not only mine, but also theirs, and that it seems to them the same way can be seen from the following. They, of course, would not have ignored such great rumors and such great temptations if the pleasure of this cohabitation had not had a strong and powerful effect on them. If anyone were dissatisfied with our words, then I ask you to forgive us and not be angry; for voluntarily and thoughtlessly I would not have decided to incur indignation upon myself. I am not so pitiful and miserable as to want to needlessly insult everyone; but I greatly regret and grieve, seeing how the glory of God is humiliated, and the salvation of many is little by little destroyed because of this pleasure. That such cohabitation is pleasant for them and is accompanied by stronger love than cohabitation under the law of marriage, hearing about this now, you may be embarrassed, but after proof you yourself will agree. Coitus with a legitimate wife, as if unhindered, weakens passion, and often produces satiety in the husband and tames immoderate lust. In addition, the diseases of pregnancy and childbirth, the birth and raising of children, and the frequent illnesses that follow them, exhausting the body and wearing out the color of youth, weaken the effect of pleasure. But nothing like this happens with virgins; there is no intercourse that can tame and suppress natural lust, nor the diseases of birth and raising children exhaust the flesh, but they keep themselves flourishing for a long time, remaining uninvolved in anything like that. In married women, after giving birth and raising children, their bodies become weaker; and even until the age of forty they remain similar to young maidens; Therefore, for those living with them, lust is doubly aroused, both because it is not allowed to suppress passion by copulation, and because the reason that excites passion remains very strong for a long time. This, I suspect, is the pretext for this cohabitation. However, let us not be indignant or angry at them; because no one, wanting to restore the patient, does this with anger and torture, but gives the medicine with care and admonition. If we were to punish, and we occupied the position of judges, then we would have to express indignation; but if, having left this, we accept the position of doctors and trustees, then we should exhort and ask and, when necessary, touch the very knees (of the patient) in order to achieve what we want. Therefore, as doctors, wanting to divert patients from harmful, although enjoyable, food or drink, they first of all convince them that these items produce, along with harm, great trouble; We will do the same, instilling in them that this most pleasant cohabitation for them causes great destruction and is no better than poisonous substances. And although, apparently, it delivers some sweetness, it pours great hidden unpleasantness and bitterness into the enjoying soul; and such a belief will help move away from it. He who is separated from the woman he loves out of fear and necessity becomes an even more passionate lover and, perhaps, will return to the same thing again; and whoever recognizes an object and moves away from it as harmful and bitter will not return to it again, since the verdict of his own opinion will affect him more powerfully than any necessity. How can we convince them that this matter is not only harmful, but also bitter? How could it be otherwise, if not by the properties of the objects themselves? So, let us ask them: if someone, having prepared a sumptuous meal filled with many delicious dishes, with great threat forbade anyone to touch anything offered, would anyone really decide to sit next to such a meal and suffer? I don't think; for he would not receive so much pleasure from contemplation as he would suffer trouble from the prohibition. And what if someone, having shown a clean and bright source to a thirsty person tormented by heat, did not allow him not only to taste from it, but also to touch it with his fingertips, could anything be more unpleasant than such punishment? 2. Here, I think, no one will contradict me. This evil is so great that even among the external (pagans) those who were especially skillful in reasoning about this, i.e. the properties of pleasure and sorrow, wanting to imagine someone being severely punished, were presented in no other way than in the following way: having composed a fable, they brought out in this fable a person 1 who should be subjected to extreme punishment, and, without doing anything else with him, they offered him all sorts of dishes and showed him passing water, however, not allowing him to use any of this: as soon as he extended his hand, everything visible to him was removed; and this happened all the time. This was the method of punishment according to the fable of the pagans. And one of the philosophers 2, seeing how one of those who lived with him kissed a beautiful boy, said with surprise: this one would easily throw himself into the fire, deciding to ignite such a furnace in himself with a kiss. However, I cannot say that those people kiss or hug their partners; if some would accuse them of this, then I will try to show that if they go so far as this, they incur upon themselves torment even more severe than what was said above. If contemplation alone produces such grief, then when at the same time there is also touch, i.e. pleasure is much more palpable than that produced by sight, it raises a greater flame, produces the most severe languor and enrages the (inner) beast more strongly. For the more we intensify lust and the more we supply it with food, the more the languor intensifies within us. Just as someone sitting near a table and a source suffers not so much when contemplating them, but when, having permission to touch them with his hand, he is not able to taste them; Likewise, those who have the opportunity to touch the bodies of virgins suffer from this touch more than from contemplation, experiencing the most unpleasant languor from not being in contact with them. But is it necessary to prove this with external examples? There is a definition of God that proves stronger than all of them that this is indeed so. God, wanting to punish Adam, settled him not far from Paradise, but close to himself, so that he would have constant punishment - contemplation of the coveted place, constantly looking at it, but not having permission to use it. Perhaps someone will say: if this business is so unpleasant in nature, then why do many devote themselves to it with such zeal? To this I could say that this is the greatest proof of their extreme illness. Usually patients allow themselves some empty and short-term pleasure and through this incur long-term suffering. This can be seen in patients with fever, who, not wanting to endure a little, with short-term relief, partake of forbidden drinks and foods and make their illness long-term and severe. But the healthy should not borrow opinions about things from the sick; for if we follow them, we will be condemned by both medical science and philosophy. And not only in a fever and in relation to women they experience this, but also in relation to money and everything else there are such patients. Thus, those who are attached to money, although they know that those who give here these unimportant items to the needy will receive countless benefits there, nevertheless they hold on to them and bury them, and prefer to lose all the benefits for their empty and short-term pleasure, rather than get rid of eternal torment and acquire immortal life for their temporary contempt. Those are in exactly the same illness: not daring to abstain a little from the little lust of the eyes, they bring upon themselves unbearable fire; and the more they think to receive pleasure, the more they become entangled in evil, through the cunning of the devil, who does this to continue and intensify the flame, so that while flaming, they both enjoy and suffer, producing some strange confusion of feelings in their souls. 3. If anyone accuses us of intemperance for these words - valiant men, and living with women, as if they do not suffer anything bad from this - then I please such people and I myself would like to have the same strength; I believe that there may even be such people; but I would like those who accuse us to be able to prove that a young man, blooming in body, living together with a young maiden, sitting and dining together, and talking with her all day long - I do not talk about anything else, indecent laughter and laughter, and tender expressions, and other things that are perhaps indecent to even talk about - that he, living with her in the same house, sharing meals with her and conversation and with great freedom, accepting a lot from her and communicating to her himself, he does not experience anything human, but remains pure from vicious desire and pleasure; I wish those who accuse us could convince us of this; but they themselves do not want to be convinced, and we, who denounce this, are proclaimed shameless, suffering from the same disease as them and covering up our own depravity. What, they say, do we care about this? We are not guilty of the madness of others, and if someone is foolishly tempted, we do not deserve to be punished for his madness. But Paul did not say that, but commanded us to pay attention, even if someone is tempted without guilt (tempting), even if it is through weakness. We are only then freed from the punishment imposed by the seducer when another benefit comes from the temptation, greater than the harm caused by the temptation; If this is not the case, but there is only a temptation for others, whether they are thoroughly tempted or not thoroughly, or through weakness, then their blood falls on our heads and God will require their souls from our hands. Therefore, so that we do not always care about those who are tempted, and do not always despise them, Christ decreed for us some restrictions and rules, and He Himself observed both at the appropriate time. So, when He talked about the properties of the dishes and explained that they were pure by nature, and freed them from Jewish discrimination in them, and when Peter came and said: “they were offended,” then He answered: “leave them,” and not only despised them, but also condemned them, saying: “Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted” (Matthew 15:12-14). Thus He abolished the law of food. When those who demanded the didrachm approached Peter, they said: “Will your teacher give the didrachm?” , then He did not act in the same way as in relation to the first, but takes into account the temptation and says: “But so that we do not tempt them, go to the sea, throw a hook, and take the first fish that comes across, and, opening its mouth, you will find a statir; take it and give it to them for Me and for yourself” (Matthew 17:24, 27). Do you see how He both cared and did not care for those who were tempted? Here there was no urgent need to reveal the glory of the Only Begotten; how (could this be) when He still tried to cover it up and commanded not to tell the people that He was Christ? There was no harm from paying the didrachm, but from non-payment there would be great evil; for then they would begin to turn away from Him as a power-hungry, a troublemaker, an enemy of the entire state, and exposing others to extreme dangers. Therefore, He moved far from those who themselves wanted to take Him and make Him king, wanting to ward off the people around Him from this idea. And there the necessary work was accomplished; therefore, He beneficially and opportunely, for the sake of the greater good, did not pay attention to the temptation. Then it was already timely - not to stop those who were striving to ascend to the highest wisdom to please the Jews, but to direct them to spiritual purity, since the time called for this, not to be delayed by observing the commandments regarding the body, but to be freed from this unimportant concern. So Paul sometimes does not pay attention to those who are tempted, and sometimes he does, following the Teacher, and says: “Even as I please everyone in everything, seeking not my own benefit, but the benefit of many, so that they may be saved” (1 Cor. 10:33). If Paul despised his own benefit in order to benefit others, then what kind of punishment will we not be worthy of, not even wanting to give up what is harmful to ourselves in order to benefit others, but willingly destroying others along with ourselves, then how could we save both ourselves and others? Therefore, when he saw the great benefit that exceeded the harm from temptation, he did not pay attention to those who were tempted; and when there was no benefit, but only temptation could occur, then he decided to do and endure everything so that this temptation would not occur. He did not reason as we do, and did not say: why are they weak, why do they foolishly fall into temptation? - but for this very reason he especially spared them, because they recklessly fall into temptation, because they are weak. 4. What, tell me, good reason can be given by someone who is tempted by someone who eats meat and drinks wine, while this has been permitted by the law of God since ancient times? And yet, when someone was tempted by this, Paul abstained from this too: “I will not eat meat... or drink wine,” he said, “lest I cause my brother to stumble” (1 Cor. 8:13; Rom. 14:21). He did not say what we say: will I be guilty of the foolishness of others? - and: if anyone is tempted in vain, then should I endure punishment? Meanwhile, even if he had said this, he would have said it with more justice than we; for he who is tempted by this is very reckless and insane; and the one who is tempted by this could present many just and solid reasons; however, Paul, who could say this more justly than us, did not say, but looked at only one thing - the salvation of his neighbor. And look at his excellence; he did not say: once or twice, or for such and such a time, but: “forever,” he says, “I will not eat,” if another is tempted. And lest you think that he limited himself to this, he added something more than that; Having said: “It is better not to eat meat, not to drink wine,” he added: “Why does your brother stumble, or be offended, or faint” (Rom. 14:21). And also look at the wisdom of the teacher: leaving the weak, he first corrects the strong; because the latter is the cause of the weakness of the former, having the opportunity to heal the disease and not doing so. But what am I saying about weak brothers? Even about Jews and pagans he commands to have the same care: “Do not give offense,” he says, “neither to the Jews, nor to the Greeks, nor to the Church of God” (1 Cor. 10:32). So, the stronger you consider yourself and not experiencing any harm from such cohabitation, the more you make yourself obligated to dissolve this connection. The stronger you are, the fairer it would be for you to support the weakest. So, if you yourself are weak, then stop doing this for yourself; and if you are very strong, then - for the weak; for the strong must be strong not only for himself, but also for others. If you, considering yourself strong, despise the weakness of another, then you will be subject to double punishment: both for the fact that you did not protect him, and for the fact that he had great strength to protect him, for each of us is responsible for the salvation of our neighbor. That is why we are commanded: “Do not seek your own, but each other’s benefit” (1 Cor. 10:24), because we are “bought ... with a price” (1 Cor. 6:20); but He who redeemed us commanded this for our common benefit. This benefit comes not when we save only our own members, but when we also bring others to greater security. So, no matter how much you reason, your very actions prove that you are receiving significant harm from such cohabitation. When I see that you do not lag behind this, neglect the many harms you suffer and do not pay attention to the many who condemn you, but trample your own glory underfoot, and subject the church community to great reproach, and open the mouths of the infidels, and bring a bad rumor to everyone - there are so many evils in general from such cohabitation, and no good for you, but from separation all this evil would cease and many others would be gained good, and yet you don’t want to be separated! - then how will I be able to convince those who condemn that you are free from all attachment and pure from vicious desire? However, I won’t argue about this; Let’s even assume that you remain pure even while cohabiting; however, blessed Job did not dare to ascribe to himself such power and wisdom, but he, who distinguished himself with all sorts of virtues, who got rid of all the snares of the devil, was the first and only one to show such patience, surpassed all iron and adamant with the strength of his soul, and overthrew the power of the devil, was so afraid of that struggle and considered it so impossible for someone living with a girl to remain unharmed and pure, that he kept himself very far from not only such cohabitation, but also from simple and casual contemplation, and “he made a covenant” with his eyes so as not to look “at the maiden”; for he knew, knew well, that not only for those living together, but also for those who gaze intently at the girl’s face, it is difficult, and perhaps impossible, to avoid the resulting harm; That’s why he said: “so that I don’t think about the girl” (Job.31:1). 5. If Job seems small to you for your competition, although we are unworthy and rotting from him, if you consider this example below the greatness of your soul, then imagine the most powerful preacher of the truth - Paul, who traveled throughout the entire universe and could say such words filled with great wisdom: “And it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me” (Gal. 2:20), and: “To me the world is crucified, and I to the world” (Gal. 6:14). ), and: “I die every day” (1 Cor. 15:31), and however, after such grace of the Spirit and the accomplishment of such feats, after unspeakable dangers and upon achieving wisdom, in order to instill in us and explain that, as long as we breathe and are clothed with this flesh, we need exploits and labors, and that without labors it is never possible to maintain chastity, but for this victory we need a lot of diligence and effort, he said this: “But I subdue and enslave my body, so that, while preaching to others, I myself may not remain unworthy” (1 Cor. 9:27). In these words, he points to the rebellion of the flesh and the irritation of lust, to his constant struggle and ascetic life. Therefore, Christ, explaining the difficulty of this matter, not only forbade looking at the faces of women, but also threatened to punish adulterers with punishment. When Peter said: “It is better not to marry,” He did not command not to marry, but, expressing the severity of this matter, said: “Whoever can accommodate, let him accommodate” (Matthew 19:10, 12). And in our time we hear that many who have covered their whole body with iron and clothed themselves in sackcloth and gone to the tops of the mountains, and constantly live in fasting and all-night and vigils, and exercise every kind of severity in life, and do not allow any woman to enter their huts and caves, and thus guard themselves, barely overcome the fury of lust. And you say that when you see someone living with a virgin and attached to her, and amusing herself with her, and ready to give his soul rather than his partner, and to endure and do everything rather than be separated from his beloved, you do not believe anything bad and consider it not a matter of lust, but of reverence. But, amazing man, such a state is not characteristic of beings clothed with bodies, but having a life the same as stones. You don’t believe, perhaps because of your great chastity; and I heard from some who said that many felt a certain passion for statues and stones. If sometimes a rough sculpture and one image has such power, then when a tender body appears along with the image, what kind of fury will it not produce? How can one not think that those who condemn speak more fairly than you who defend? What is more plausible, tell me: does a man feel lust for a woman or not? Of course he does, we say. Also: when many solid reasons prompt us to separate, but he does not fulfill this, but exposes himself not to anything good, but to countless reproaches and troubles from his own and others, then what is more likely: does he endure this with a good intention or with a bad one? Of course, rather with the bad, everyone will say. However, we will not argue about this, but let us assume that those who are tempted are tempted unjustly and unfairly, but in vain and in vain; Why, tell me, do you live with a virgin? Of course, such cohabitation has become a custom for no other reason than love and passion: take this away, and the need for such a thing will cease; for what man, without this need, would dare to endure female effeminacy and resentment, and other shortcomings of this sex? Therefore, God at first armed the woman with this special power, knowing that she would be subjected to great contempt if she did not exert such an influence, and that no one, remaining pure from lust, would dare to live with her. If even now, with such a need and many other benefits (for they give birth to children, and take care of the house, and provide many other important services), if even now, while providing so many such services to men, they are often despised and driven out of the house, then how could they be desired by us without lust, and subjecting us to so many reproaches? So, either tell me the reason for cohabitation, or it is necessary to suspect something other than vicious lust and reprehensible pleasure. 6. But what if we are able, you say, to present a solid and fair reason, then will it not turn out that you were in vain in saying this about us? Without a doubt, you will not imagine one like this; however, I would like to know if you can imagine at least some shadow of a solid reason. This virgin, you say, is defenseless, has neither a husband nor a guardian, often neither a father nor a brother, and needs someone who will help her, comfort her in solitude, protect her everywhere and place her in perfect safety and sanctuary. How safe and what marina? I see here an underwater stone that does not calm, but raises the waves, and a pier that does not calm the storm, but produces disturbances that did not exist. How are you not ashamed, not closed, presenting such an excuse? Even if this helpfulness did not result in any condemnation, harm, or temptation, but it was possible to do it without bad rumors, and then wouldn’t you be pathetic, increasing her wealth, exercising her in covetousness, involving her in various affairs and disposing her to worldly concerns, fixing for her the position of housekeepers, guardians and some kind of merchants? Very pitiful, because you will not be able to talk about uncovetousness and instill contempt for property, using all measures to ensure that property is preserved and increased and income is added to income, becoming for these women like clerks and attorneys, albeit useless. Your hopes are not noble when you, having received the commandment to bear the cross and follow Christ, rejecting the cross, like pampered warriors (throwing away) shields, sit near the spinning wheel and basket, having begun to lead real life in another shameful way; for it is not as shameful for those who have entered into marriage to engage in this as it is shameful for you when, pretending that you have abandoned real blessings, you again indulge in the same thing under a different name. That’s why we are considered everywhere as sensualists and parasites, flatterers and women’s pleasers, because we, having rejected all the nobility given to us from above, exchange it for earthly servility and humiliation. Once upon a time, valiant men (apostles) did not take upon themselves the responsibility of distributing money to widows, although there was such a murmur at that time due to the lack of any manager, but, considering this matter below their wisdom, they entrusted it to others; and we are not ashamed to increase the wealth of others to the detriment of those who own it, turning out to be no better than the eunuchs who do this, while we must every day protect the blood and souls (our own) from powerful weapons (enemies). Well, you say, is it really not necessary to pay attention when all the property of a virgin is plundered, carried away and taken away by relatives and servants, strangers and their own? We will give a good reward to the virgin because she did not marry and did not love the real world, but chose Christ instead of everything, allowing her to bow before those who want to deprive her of her property! – But wouldn’t it be better for her to get married and leave her husband to manage such matters, rather than, remaining celibate, trample on the vows given to God, insult such an honest and honorable cause, and drag others into the cycle of her own evils? How can you say that she chose Christ instead of everything, when Christ cries out and says: “You cannot serve God and mammon” (Matthew 6:24)? How do you (talk about) hating the world and real goods, urging you to indulge in worldly desires? Which of the married people will you be able to convince to disdain property while collecting wealth for a virgin? Will you leave her the opportunity to constantly and continuously stand before the Lord, using her whole life and zeal for her deeds? When will a virgin be able to philosophize, seeing how you, a man, are indignant if her money is stolen? How will she patiently look at losses, seeing that you do and endure everything in order to increase real wealth for her? It is not this kind of liberation from business that God commands us, but coupled with contempt for wealth, with renunciation of everything worldly. But you do not allow and do not allow this law of God to operate. Well, you say, if she needs the protection of others and endures a lot of indecent things, is such protection really unworthy of a virgin? Nothing is more unworthy of a virgin than to enrich oneself and amuse oneself with many activities. But what (you say) if she begins to order something else, for example, to give gold on interest, and, having invited us and not receiving our consent, therefore turns to others, will we not be guilty? What if she begins to undertake some other slavish and obscene trading business and then, without receiving our consent to assist, resorts to the help of someone else, will we not be worthy of condemnation? No, but you will still be worthy of praise; for the opposite would be worthy of condemnation and censure, i.e. consent to these matters and assistance in them. Do you want her money not to be carried away and stolen? Convince her to put them where she will not need a man to guard them and where they will remain forever unspent. If she wants to deal with (everyday) affairs, then why joke about serious subjects? Truly, if a virgin begins to engage in such activities, then this means playing a game that brings not pleasure, but death. When, having condemned herself to such feats, she then begins to engage in everything unworthy of such a vow, then she will suffer a greater punishment, the most severe torment. Have you not heard what law Paul decreed for her, or better yet, Christ who spoke through him: “There is a difference between a married woman and a virgin: the unmarried woman cares about the things of the Lord, how to please the Lord, so that she may be holy in both body and spirit” (1 Cor. 7:33, 34)? And you do not allow this, listening to all their desires rather than hired slaves. So, you say; but what if she is struggling with extreme poverty? You said this well about the rich; But is it really reprehensible to support those who are in poverty and great helplessness? If you did not lead and plunge them into the abyss of destruction, then this would be desirable; but if you do this out of obedience to Him who commanded you to help the poor, then you have many brothers for this; show this good activity there, where there will be nothing tempting; and here alms are worse than any cruelty and inhumanity. For what good is it if you nourish the body but exhaust the soul? when you give clothes, but arouse suspicion that is more shameful than nakedness; when in the physical you bring benefit, but in everything spiritual you cause harm; when, having brought her prosperity on earth, will you deprive her of heaven? What kind of almsgiving is there when the glory of God is humiliated, when there is dishonor and shame, ridicule and reproach for both the recipient of alms and many others who are tempted by it? This is not the work of a merciful, but of an inhuman and cruel soul. For if this were a matter of mercy and philanthropy, then it would have to be done in relation to men. 7. But women, you say, need more protection; Men, on the other hand, have many comforts by nature. However, among men there are many who are weaker than women due to old age, illness, physical squalor, severe illnesses, and some other similar reasons; but since you especially care about women as the weaker sex, and are very merciful and compassionate towards them, now we will not ignore this reason, and will point out to you such enterprises that are free from any condemnation and will bring you a great reward. There are women, some who are weak from old age, others who have lost their arms, others who have poor eyes, others who have been subjected to other various and varied sufferings and the most severe of sufferings—poverty; for poverty and complete poverty intensifies their bodily illnesses; and on the other hand, poverty itself becomes more severe and unbearable from them. Go out to catch these (poor) and gather them; or better yet, you don’t even need to work to collect them; they stand ready before everyone who wants to extend a helping hand. If you have money, spend it; if you are strong, here give help with your bodily strength; and here you will see many needs that require physical help, and a waste of money and trouble; for it is necessary to provide them with housing, and to prepare medicine, and to buy bed and clothes, and to buy suitable food and everything else, even if there were only ten such sick women; and now our city is filled with them and you will find a thousand of them and twice as many. Here are those in need of protection, here are the lonely, and here are those cast to the ground; This is alms, this is philanthropy, this serves for the glory of God and brings benefit to those who look on, those who suffer, and those who do good. Truly, it would be fairer to help the weaker than the strong, the elderly rather than the young, those who do not have the necessary food rather than those who have sufficient wealth, those who are hated by many because of unbearable suffering rather than those loved by many, who have the ability to drive away the grief caused and bring good glory rather than to those who cause grief. Show that you are doing this for God and take care of these people. But if you don’t even want to see such people in your dreams, but look for beautiful and young people everywhere and, guided by one unforgivable reason for this obscene prey, imagine another, seemingly decent one, i.e. patronage, then, even if you deceive people, you will not deceive the incorruptible court by doing it for one reason and presenting another. You say that everything is done for God, but you do what is characteristic of the enemies of God; for to do that through which His name is slandered and blasphemed is characteristic of the enemies of God. However, I will make another consideration. Let us suppose that the one who speaks this speaks the truth and that he is pure from all lust and accepts such protection not for anything else, but out of piety alone; but even so we will find that he will not get rid of punishment. If there were no other cases in which one should show one’s piety and do it without tempting the souls of others, then one would not have to do something that causes more harm than good. Is it an indifferent matter, tell me, by protecting one or two virgins in their bodily needs, to seduce countless souls? However, this is not such a grave guilt; but when you can find countless ways, free from criticism and free from temptations, and representing more benefits, then why do you entangle yourself in these matters in vain and in vain, and lose benefit and act with danger and dishonor, while how can you - with safety and great glory? Don’t you know that the life of a Christian should shine brightly everywhere, and whoever has disgraced his honor will be useless in everything and cannot gain any great benefit for himself, even if he sometimes does great things? “If the salt loses its strength,” says the Lord, “then with what will you make it salty?” (Matthew 5:13). God wants us to be salt, light and leaven so that others can benefit from us. If people who live impeccably can hardly admonish the careless, then if we give them a reason (to sin), will we not be to blame in all respects for their destruction? Truly, just as it is never possible for someone who lives depravedly to be saved, so it is impossible for someone who has brought disrepute upon himself to escape punishment. Even - if something wonderful can be said - whoever commits great sins, but does it unnoticed and does not tempt anyone, will be subject to less punishment than the one who sinned more easily, but with insolence and with temptation for many. 8. So that you are not surprised by what was said and do not consider this word an exaggeration, we will bring you the same saying from Heaven and present the same law from there. So, to blessed Moses, the meekest of all people on earth, the friend of God and the greatest of the prophets (for God spoke with others in parables, and with him as with each other), such and such a great man, who endured countless disasters in the desert for so many years, often exposed to extreme dangers both from the Egyptians for the Jews, and from the Jews because of their ingratitude, no other thing prevented, after those many disasters and countless deeds, from receiving the promised, like the temptation he caused to those who were with him when the water was brought out. Making this clear, God said: “Because you did not believe Me, to demonstrate My holiness in the sight of the children of Israel, you will not bring this people into the land that I am giving them” (Num. 20:12). Although he had previously shown some disobedience (for he once and twice contradicted God, being sent to Egypt, and after that in the desert he showed unbelief when he said: “There are six hundred thousand footmen among this people... and You say: I will give them meat, and they will eat for a whole month! Shall we slaughter all the sheep and oxen, so that there will be enough for them? Or will all the fish of the sea be gathered together to satisfy them?” (Num. 11:21, 22), and after that he again resisted and refused to rule the people, but none of this could deprive him of the upcoming rewards, but only one incident during the removal of water; because this act, although in essence it was less important than those, but in terms of harm to others it was much more important than them. Those occurred in private and secretly, and this sin was committed openly and in front of all the people. Me, to show My holiness in the sight of the children of Israel,” revealing the essence of this sin of his and explaining why it was unforgivable. If this subjected such a man to the fall, then how will it not overthrow and destroy us, worms and insignificant creatures? Nothing offends God more than when His name is blasphemed. And He continually rebuked the Jews for this: “For what reproach would there be against My name!” (Isa.48:11); and again: “But you blaspheme Him” (Mal.1:12); and again: “Every day my name will be dishonored” (Is. 52:5); and such was His concern that this should not happen, that He often saved the unworthy so that this would not happen. “I did it for the sake of My name,” He says, “so that it would not be blasphemed before the nations” and again: “I will not do this for you, O house of Israel, but for the sake of My holy name” (Ezek. 20:9, 36:22). And Paul desired to be excommunicated (from Christ) for the glory of God, and Moses himself asked to be blotted out of the book for the glory of the name of God; and you not only do not want to endure anything in order to remove blasphemy, but you do everything you can to multiply it and increase it every day. Who will justify you? Who will forgive you? Nobody. And such care of God and the saints that His name is not blasphemed is not because God needs glorification from us (for He is all-pleased and perfect), but because such blasphemy causes great harm to people. When the name of God and His glory are blasphemed before them, it no longer brings them any benefit; If God being blasphemed does not bring them any benefit, then much more so do we. 9 . So, let us try in every possible way not to give any reason for temptation; but if they begin to blame us unjustly, we will refute the accusations with conviction and imitate the saints who showed such zeal for the glory of God that they despised their own glory for God. Let us not think, recklessly abandoning and despising everything, that it is enough to justify us if we say that we bought clothes and shoes for the virgin and well arranged everything else related to her bodily peace. And who, you say, will take care of our household affairs, who will look after our property, who will manage when we are outside the house and our wife is not in it? For they say this too, although contrary to what was said before and more shamefully, they do not care about anything and are not ashamed, saying everything indiscriminately, like drunken people. Therefore, we will not be burdened - although their words are such that they do not deserve any answer - we will not be burdened by the answer, and we will meekly speak to them until we deliver them from this intoxication, as much as possible for us. I am ashamed and blush, beginning to refute those objections that they are not ashamed to say; however, it is necessary to endure this shame for the benefit of those who are not ashamed; for it would be absurd, condemning them for their contempt for their seduced brothers, while we ourselves, out of shame, ignore their healing. Tell me, what kind of household chores are they talking about, for the supervision of which the services of a virgin are considered necessary? Do you have many foreign and recently purchased slaves who need to be directed and trained in yarn and other work? Or do you have storehouses of a lot of money and precious clothes, and you need a watchman to constantly sit in the house, and the eyes of a virgin to protect them from malicious servants? Or are dinners and feasts often given, and the house must be decorated, and the cooks and servants at meals must be under the supervision of a virgin? Or are there various and constant expenses, and someone needs to constantly see that one thing is carefully preserved, and another does not disappear from the house in vain? Nothing of the kind is said, but only that she should take care of the box, clothes and other meager possessions for herself, that she should set the table, make the bed, light the fire, wash her feet and provide all sorts of other amenities. And for such small and insignificant conveniences will we endure dishonor, will we be subjected to such reproaches? Wouldn't a brother have performed this service much better and easier? A man is naturally stronger than a woman, and his needs are more convenient for us, and do not require as much expense. A woman, belonging to the gentler sex, needs a softer bed and finer clothing, and, perhaps, also a servant for herself, and does not provide so many services to us as she herself demands from us; and the brother is free from all this; if he needs anything, he will need the same thing as us; and this is not an unimportant convenience when those living together do not use different things, but the same ones, which cannot happen with a virgin. So, firstly, when it is necessary to wash or a bodily illness occurs, then neither the brother can serve her at the same time, unless he is very shameless, nor she herself will allow herself to be helped; if the brothers live together, then they can mutually provide these services to each other. Also, when it comes to sleeping, if a virgin is in the house, you need to have two beds, two beds and two blankets, and even, if they are prudent, two rooms; and with brothers, these needs decrease, as they are the same for them, for one room, one headboard, one bed, and the same blankets will be sufficient for both; and in general, if you look at all the needs, you will find great convenience here, and inconvenience there. I do not dwell on obscenities in the house, when, for example, a single man entering the house can see hanging women's shoes and belts, and headbands, and baskets, and a spinning wheel, and a spindle, and combs, and a footstool, and many other things that cannot be counted individually. If at the same time you imagine a rich virgin, then there will be even more laughter. Firstly, the roommate addresses himself among the crowd of maids, like the leader of an orchestra in a choir of women dancing along; and what could be more shameful and dishonest than this? Then he is tormented all day, angry with the servants for the things belonging to this woman; for he either must remain silent and, not paying attention to anything, receive reprimands from her, or, by talking and scolding, disgrace himself. And look what happens. He who is commanded not to even approach everyday affairs interferes not only with everyday affairs, but also with women’s affairs; he, of course, will not refuse to carry women’s accessories, and will often visit the silversmiths, asking if the lady’s mirror is ready, if they have made a flask, if they have returned the flask; for everything has reached such depravity that many of the virgins are more occupied with these things than the worldly ones. From there he again runs to the peacemaker to talk about the mistress’s aromas, and often, out of excessive zeal, he will not fail to offend the poor; for virgins also use various and precious aromas. Then from the peace maker he goes to the canvas seller, and from him to the awning maker; for they are not ashamed to entrust even these little things, seeing that men completely obey them and are grateful to them for orders more than to others for services. Then again, if they need to prepare something for a portable shed, they wait until the evening without lunch, remaining in the workshops. And not only do they do this strange thing, but they are also burdensome for the unfortunate servants, and inflict a lot of insults on them with indignation and shouting. Imagine how many complaints there are from here; because a servant who is offended, and especially for such things, not finding any other way to take revenge on the offender, does it with tongue and secret reproach, not sparing anyone who may fall under his anger, but indulges in this vengeance with such extremeness as is characteristic of a servant who has been so offended and who finds in that the only consolation in his anger at the offender. But he who lives with a poor woman, you say, will not turn to silversmiths (because poverty will not allow it), and will not go to perfume sellers. However, he will often visit shoemakers, weavers, tailors and dyers. And is it necessary to set out all the disgrace, for example, when such people enter houses to buy spinning wheels and yarn, when they walk around the square, looking for the same thing? This happens in houses; and in the squares they are subjected to even greater ridicule. 10. And what kind of shame there is in the church, it’s impossible to say. As if in order to ensure that no place remains unaware of their dishonor and slavish servility, they reveal all their intemperance in this holy and terrible place; and, what is most regrettable, they still admire what they should be ashamed of. Meeting their virgins at the door and replacing eunuchs for them, they push aside others and, walking ahead, magnify themselves before the eyes of everyone and are not ashamed, but still boast about it; and at the very time of the offering of the Terrible Secrets, out of servility, they provide them with many services, giving many who see a reason for temptation. And those poor and unfortunate, instead of being kept from such servility, still enjoy and are magnified by it. Truly, if anyone wanted to pronounce an accusation against these women or their saints, could they find it more serious that they reveal their intemperance in front of many witnesses and act indecently in front of everyone? Is it necessary to talk about how many riots occur in the churches themselves to please these women, how many works of God are neglected by many so that they are not offended? And what am I saying: weren’t you offended? If someone just looks at them gloomily and unpleasantly, then (their saints) would rather endure everything than allow them to endure it. However, how long will we continue to engage in obscene things, telling all their deeds? This is not what we assumed; and we would need to talk a lot and for a long time to tell everything; or better - it’s impossible to tell everything, even if we wanted to; but by choosing a few out of many, we have already spread the speech sufficiently. This is not what we were striving for, but we also mentioned this involuntarily, in order to at least a little deter those of the listeners who have intelligence; and now exhortation and prayer must be offered. So, I ask and exhort, and fall to your knees, and beg in every possible way: make sure that we leave this intoxication, let us control ourselves and recognize the honor that God has given us, and listen to Paul, who cries: “Do not become slaves of men” (1 Cor. 7:23), and let us stop servile to women to the common destruction of us all. Christ wants us to be valiant warriors and ascetics. He armed us with spiritual weapons not so that we would serve unworthy virgins, so that we could handle yarn, fabric and similar handicrafts, so that we could sit next to spinning and weaving women, so that we would spend the whole day introducing feminine morals and speeches into our souls, but so that we would repel the invisible forces hostile to us, so that they would defeat their leader - the devil, so that they would drive away the ferocious regiments of demons, so that they would destroy them. fortifications, so that, having bound the “rulers of the world of darkness” (Eph. 6:12), they would take them into captivity, so that they would put the spiritual forces of evil to flight, so that they would breathe fire (against them), so that they would be ready and prepared for daily death. For this purpose, He clothed us in the “armor of righteousness,” for this purpose He girded us with the belt of “truth,” for this purpose He placed on us the “helmet of salvation,” for this purpose He shod our feet “in the readiness to preach peace,” and for this purpose He gave us the “sword of the Spirit,” for this purpose He kindled a fire in our souls (Eph. 6:14, 15, 17). So, tell me: if you saw that one of the warriors, dressed in a helmet, greaves, armor, taking a sword, a spear, a shield, a bow, arrows, a quiver, when the trumpet is already blowing loudly and calling everyone forward, and when the enemies are breathing strong rage and are ready to destroy the city to the ground, does not run forward to the military formation, but goes home and sits down with this weapon near a woman, then would you not pierce him with a sword if could it be possible without saying a word to him? If you were filled with such anger, then what do you think would be the case before God that is much more obscene than these? For those deeds are so much more shameful and obscene than these, since our war is harder, and the enemies are stronger, and the rewards for the war are greater, and in general everything is as different as the truth is different from the shadow. Let us not weaken our fortress and destroy our strength with such conversations; for from here comes unspeakable and great evil for our souls. What (to say) if we don’t even feel it, intoxicated by addiction? This is the most terrible thing that we don’t even realize how we relax and become softer than any wax. Like the one who, having caught a lion looking proudly and menacingly, cuts off his mane, pulls out his teeth and cuts his nails, makes the one who was terrible and insurmountable and shook everything with one roar despicable, ridiculous and even for children surmountable; Likewise, these women make everyone whom they attract to themselves susceptible to the devil, effeminate, irritable, reckless, angry, impudent, obscene, low, ignoble, inhuman, servile, vile, insolent, talkative, and in general all women's bad morals are transmitted and introduced into their souls. 11. It is impossible for someone who lives with women so biasedly and engages in conversations with them not to be some kind of gossip and talker and frivolous. Will he talk about anything, he talks all about yarn and fabrics, since his language is infected with the properties of women's speech; whether he will do anything, he does it with great servility, since he has deviated far from the freedom characteristic of Christians and has become incapable of any great deed. If such a person is incapable of everyday and civil affairs, then much more so - of great spiritual ones, which require such valiant men that those who intend to begin them cannot even touch them, unless they have become angels from people. And not only do they themselves fall into such evil, but they also serve as a cause of corruption for their concubines. Just as those who try to please virgins themselves do not engage in proper activities, so because of them they deviate from their proper path, giving them this evil and harmful retribution. They decorate themselves more carefully, and take a lot of care about elegant clothing and gait, and chatter all day about empty objects; for, seeing that (their cohabitants) delight in these obscene manners and speeches, they try to do everything that could be used to keep them captives. But if we, by abstaining a little, curb ourselves, we will benefit them, ourselves, and everyone else; and just as we now become guilty of the destruction of many, so then we will receive a reward for the salvation of all, and what we now use in a shameful way, we will then use with great honor. Why, tell me, do you want to be honored by women? It is very unworthy of a spiritual husband to desire such an honor; Meanwhile, it will also be achieved when we do not look for it. Usually a person despises those who please him, but respects those who do not flatter him; This mood is especially characteristic of the female sex. A woman is dissatisfied when people flatter her; she respects those most of all who do not want to bow down and submit to her inappropriate desires: in this you can be my witnesses. Now not only strangers, but also the cohabitants themselves laugh at you, if not openly, then in their conscience, and boast about this cruel power (over you); and then they will respect you all and be amazed at your freedom. If you do not believe our words, then ask them themselves, whom do they praise and approve of more: those who subjugate them or those who dominate them, those who submit and do everything and suffer to please them, or those who do not allow anything like that, but are ashamed to obey their bad orders? - and if they want to tell the truth, then, of course, they will say that - the latter; or better - there is no need for an answer when actions say so. But, you say, the cohabitant endures all this for pleasure, enjoying the sight of virgins. Even if this were so, that is why he should have left; It has now been sufficiently proven to you that this is not the pleasure, but the opposite, in not enjoying such a sight; Add also the consolation of conscience: usually nothing consoles us more than a good conscience and good hopes. But are you looking for peace of mind in this? However, it has been proven that this is also easier to achieve when your brother lives with you. Now you are no different from a slave and, looking for peace, you find the cruelest slavery; and then you will be out of this slavery and will be among those who command, and not those who obey. So, if there is sorrow instead of pleasure, shame instead of glory, slavery instead of freedom, labor instead of peace, and, in addition, an insult to God, destruction, temptations, eternal punishment and deprivation of countless benefits; here is everything opposite, glory, honor, pleasure, boldness, freedom, salvation of souls, inheritance of the Kingdom and deliverance from punishment, then why should we not prefer the latter to the former? I don’t know, unless someone decisively wants to destroy himself; because after that there will be no excuse or forgiveness for us. If, even without all this, we should endure everything for the glory of God, then when we can receive both this blessings and be worthy of future blessings, and we, by giving rise to blasphemy, at the same time destroy ourselves, who will save and deliver us from the punishment assigned for this? Nobody. 12. So, imagining all this, let us at least now finally turn to the salvation of our souls. If it seems somewhat difficult to lag behind a long-term habit, then we will leave the whole matter to the power of reason together with the grace of God, and, making sure that if we only make the beginning of the matter, we will not see any difficulty later, we will thus rebel against this habit. For if you abstain for ten days, then you will endure twenty days more easily, and then twice as many, then, stretching forward, you will finally not feel the difficulty that was at the beginning, but you will find a very difficult task very easy and you will acquire another habit for yourself, and you recognize such a change as convenient not only because of the (new) habit, but also because of good hopes. Then virgins will respect you more, and God will approve of you even before them, and all people will glorify you, and you will live a life filled with great freedom and great pleasure; for what could be more pleasant than to be freed from remorse, to stop the constant struggle with lust, to weave with great ease the beautiful crown of chastity, to look at heaven with free eyes and to call upon the Lord of all with a clear voice and heart? Not a single prisoner, freed from the bonds, stench and other disasters of the prison, or better yet, not a single blind man, having received his sight and seeing this pleasant light, rejoices, rejoices and admires as much as the one who could free himself from this slavery. Truly, liberation from this subordination is much more pleasant than light, and more unbearable than any darkness is the suffering from this slavery and these bonds. However, why dwell on the properties of this and that life, of which one is filled with humiliation, sorrow, harm and great relaxation, and the other with freedom, pleasure, benefit and great chastity? No word can depict them, but (can show) only one test in practice. Then you will know well what evils you have got rid of, what kind of life you have acquired, when you want to be convinced of our words in practice; Then you will be convinced when you check what is said with your own deeds. If you are not yet satisfied with this and do not believe our words, then ask those who were once in this slavery, but then suddenly got rid of them and achieved wonderful freedom, and then you will know the benefit of this admonition. So Solomon, when he became addicted to the things of life, considered them great and wondrous and took great care of them, building magnificent houses, acquiring countless quantities of gold, gathering hosts of musicians from everywhere and various crowds of cooks and servants at meals, abundantly supplying to his passion the pleasantness of oak forests and the pleasure of beautiful bodies, and paving for himself, so to speak, all the paths to fun and pleasure; but when he arose a little from this and, as if from some dark abyss, looked at the light of wisdom, then he uttered this lofty and heavenly saying: “Vanity of vanities—all is vanity” (Eccl. 1:2). You, if you want, will pronounce this and an even higher sentence about this obscene pleasure, when you lag a little behind the bad habit. Moreover, Solomon, who lived in ancient times, was not obliged to very strict wisdom; for the ancient law did not prohibit luxury and did not call the enjoyment of other pleasures unnecessary and vain; however, even with all this, he saw their uselessness and recognized their great vanity. And we are called to a better way of life, strive for the highest perfection and doomed ourselves to the most important feats; for what else is commanded to us, if not to live like the heavenly powers, spiritual and incorporeal? Therefore, isn’t it shameful and not worthy of great punishment to turn out to be much worse than him and not only not to rise above the permitted (pleasures) as he did, but also to indulge in the forbidden and bring upon us unbearable torment? Truly, to nourish vicious love in the soul, to look at a woman with lust, to admire the beauty of others, to disgrace oneself, and to harm the weaker and give many reasons (for reproach) to pagans and Jews, to seduce one’s own and others, to contribute to the great humiliation of the glory of God and to accept servile service, to interfere in the vanity of everyday affairs, to betray the freedom given to us to the devil and instead of it to be subjected to the most severe subjugation, to become an object of laughter for friends and an object of censure for enemies, to bring a bad reputation to church society, to disgrace the venerable dignity of virginity, to provide many pretexts for those inclined to debauchery and to cause even more other evils (for it is impossible to see and describe in words everything that such people are actually subjected to) - this is one of the things strictly prohibited and entailing unbearable punishment. Thus, if there is any small pleasure in this, we, contrasting all this with him, ridicule, shame, suspicion from many, condemnation, ridicule, reproach, the undying worm, pitch darkness, unquenchable fire, sorrow, sighing, gnashing of teeth, insoluble bonds, and putting this, as it were, on a scale and comparing one with the other, let us at least now finally get rid of such a grave and disastrous infection, so that we can go there with bright crowns and be able to say with free lips to Christ: “For You and Your glory, we despised our habit, overcame pleasure, brought our soul to contrition and, rejecting all partiality and prejudice, We preferred You and love for You to everything.” In this way we will benefit ourselves, we will benefit the pitiful cohabitants, we will benefit those who are tempted, we will stand close to the martyrs and receive first place; for I place no lower than those who have fought the greatest feats and endured cruel torments that person who, having been betrayed by an old lust and committed to some pleasant and long-standing habit, then, out of the fear of God, dissolves these bonds and resorts to the will of God. Truly, one of the most difficult things is to reject addiction and old attachments, to dissolve complex temptations, to take wings and ascend to the vaults of heaven. Just as martyrs have a difficult feat, so these too have long-lasting sorrow. That is why their crowns are the same, because their exploits are similar. “If you extract something precious from something worthless, you will be like My mouth” (Jer. 15:19) - then having freed yourself and delivered very many others from condemnation, imagine what reward you will receive; and, inspired by the hope of reward, despise the bad habit, so that, having lived your present life in accordance with the will of God, with a clear conscience you will see your (beloved) there and enjoy the most holy conversation with her; for after the destruction of bodily passions and the quenching of destructive lust, there will be no obstacle for men and women to be together, when all evil views cease and all who are brought into the Kingdom of Heaven will be able to lead the life of the Angels, these spiritual powers, by the grace and love of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom to the Father, together with the Holy Spirit, be glory, honor, power forever and ever. Amen. Tantalus, mentioned in Greek fables. See Odysse. XI, 582–592. The philosopher Socrates, according to the legend of the historian Xenophon. See Memorabilia of Socrates, Bk. 1, ch. 3, dept. 9–13. You might be interested in: