Chapter 11
TERTULLIAN
shaped like a bunch of grapes in the hair, and finds no fault with crescent-shaped necklaces. Still, let us not flatter our selves, as the pagans are accustomed to do, that God is merely the Creator of the world and thereafter pays no attention to the works He has created. (5) Could we not be acting much more usefully and cautiously if we were to presume that all these things have been provided by God at the beginning and placed in the world in order that they should now be means of testing the moral strength of His servants, so that, in being permitted to use things, we might have the opportunity of showing our self-restraint? Do not wise masters purposely offer and permit some things to their servants in order to try them and to see whether and how they make use of things thus permitted, whether they will do so with moderation and honesty? (6) However, is not that servant deserving more praise who abstains totally, thus manifesting a reverential fear of the kindness of his master? Therefore the Apostle con cludes: 'All things are lawful, but not all things are expe dient.'3 It will be much easier for one to dread what is for bidden who has a reverential fear of what is permitted.
Chapter 11 (1) Moreover, what reasons have you for appearing in public in fancy dress, since you are automatically removed from the occasions which demand that sort of thing? You do not visit pagan temples nor do you long for the spectacles nor do you keep the holy days of the Gentiles. People only wear fancy dress in public because of those gatherings and the 3 1 Cor. 10.23.
THE APPAREL OF WOMEN
desire to see and to be seen,1 either for the purpose of trans acting the trade of wantonness or else of inflating their vanity.
You, however, have no cause of appearing in public, except such as is serious. (2) You either visit some sick brethren or attend the sacrifice of the Mass or listen to the word of God.
Any one of these functions is an occasion of seriousness and holiness for which there is no need of any extraordinary studiously arranged and luxurious attire. And if you are re quired to go out because of friendship or duty to some
Gentile, why not go dressed in your own armor—all the more, in fact, because you are going to those who are strangers to the faith? It is desirable that there be some way of distinguishing between the handmaids of God and of the Devil so that you may be an example to them and they be edified in you;2 as St. Paul says: 'Let God be glorified in your body.'3 God, however, is glorified in your body through modesty; hence, also, through dress that is suitable to modesty.
(3) But some of you may object that the [Christian] name should not be blasphemed in us by making some derogatory change of our former style of dress. Well, let us then continue to practise our former vices! If we must keep the same appearance, let us also maintain the same conduct! Then certainly the pagans will not blaspheme the [Christian] name! It is, indeed, a great blasphemy if it is said of one of you: 'Since she became a Christian she walks in poorer garb'!
Are you going to be afraid to appear to be poorer from the time that you have been made richer and to be more shabbily clothed from the time when you have been made more clean?
1 Cf. Tertullian, De spectaculis 25.3; Ovid, Ars amatoria 1.99.
2 Cf. 1 Cor. 10.23.
3 Cf. Phil. 1.20.
TERTULLIAN
In a word, should a Christian walk according to what is pleasing to the pagan or according to what is pleasing to God?
Chapter 12 (1) We should certainly see to it that we never give adequate cause to another to blaspheme. Yet, how much more conducive to blasphemy is it if you who are called the priestesses of modesty go around dressed and painted like those who are immodest! In fact, to what extent could one consider those poor, unhappy victims of organized lust to be beneath you? Even though in the past some laws used to for bid them to adorn themselves as married women or as matrons, now, surely, the corruption of our times which is daily growing worse makes it very difficult to distinguish them from the most honorable women. (2) Yet even the Scriptures suggest to us that the alluring display of beauty is invariably joined with and appropriate to bodily prostitution. That powerful city which rules over the seven mountains and over many waters merited from the Lord the appellation of a prostitute1 and received that name because of the likeness of dress. Surely she sits in purple and scarlet and gold and pre cious stones;2 surely those things are cursed without which an accursed prostitute could not have been described. (3) The only reason why Juda thought that Thamar was sitting [on the cross-road] for hire was because she had painted her face and adorned herself, and thus (because she was hidden be neath her 'veil' and, by the kind of dress she wore, pretended that she was a harlot) he considered her as such, addressed
1 Cf. Apoc. 17.1.
2 Cf. Apoc. 17.4.