Against Collyridians,^l who make offerings to Mary.
    59, but 79 of the series

Κατὰ Κολλυριδιανῶν τῶν τῇ Μαρίᾳ προσφερόντων νθ͵ τῆς δὲ ἀκολουθίας οθ.ῃ

^[79] 1,1 < Another > sect has come to public notice after this, and I have already mentioned a few things about it in the Sect preceding, in the letter about Mary which I wrote to Arabia. ⁽²⁾ This one, again, was also brought to Arabia from Thrace and upper Scythia, and word of it has reached me;

Ἑξῆς δὲ ταύτῃ ἄλλη εἰς φήμην πέφηνεν αἵρεσις͵ περὶ ἧς ἤδη ὑπεμνήσαμεν ὀλίγα ἐν τῇ πρὸ ταύτης͵ διὰ τῆς εἰς Ἀραβίαν γραφείσης ἐπιστολῆς τῆς περὶ τῆς Μαρίας ἐχούσης. καὶ αὐτὴ δὲ ἡ αἵρεσις πάλιν ἐν τῇ Ἀραβίᾳ ἀπὸ τῆς Θρᾴκης καὶ τῶν ἄνω μερῶν τῆς Σκυθίας ἀνεδείχθη ^3.476 καὶ εἰς ἡμῶν ἀκοὰς ἀνηνέχθη·

1,4 For as, long ago, those who, from an insolent attitude towards Mary, have seen fit to suspect these things were sowing damaging suspicions in people’s minds, so these persons who lean in the other direction are guilty of doing the worst sort of harm. In them too the maxim of certain pagan philosophers, “Extremes are equal,” will be exemplified. ⁽⁵⁾ For the harm done by both of these sects is equal, since one belittles the holy Virgin while the other, in its turn, glorifies her to excess.

ὡς γὰρ ἄνω πολὺ διὰ τῆς πρὸς Μαρίαν ὕβρεως οἱ δόξαντες ταῦτα ὑπονοεῖν βλαβερὰς ὑπονοίας ἐνσπείρουσι λογισμοῖς ἀνθρώπων͵ οὕτω καὶ οὗτοι ἐπὶ τὸ ἕτερον μέρος κλίναντες ἐν ἀκρότητι βλάβης καταλαμβάνονται͵ ὅπως κἀκεῖνο τὸ παρά τισι τῶν ἔξωθεν φιλοσόφων ᾀδόμενον καὶ ἐν αὐτοῖς πληρωθήσεται ἐν τῷ λέγειν͵ αἱ ἀκρότητες ἰσότητες. ἴση γὰρ ἐπ΄ ἀμφοτέ ραις ταύταις ταῖς αἱρέσεσιν ἡ βλάβη͵ τῶν μὲν κατευτελιζόντων τὴν ἁγίαν παρθένον͵ τῶν δὲ πάλιν ὑπὲρ τὸ δέον δοξαζόντων.

1,6 And who but women are the teachers of this? Women are unstable, prone to error, and mean-spirited. ⁽⁷⁾ As in our earlier chapter on Quintilla, Maximilla and Priscilla, so here the devil has seen fit to disgorge ridiculous teachings from the mouths of women.

οὗτοι γὰρ οἱ τοῦτο διδάσκοντες τίνες εἰσὶν ἀλλ΄ ἢ γυναῖκες; γυναικῶν γὰρ τὸ γένος εὐόλι σθον͵ σφαλερὸν δὲ καὶ ταπεινὸν τῷ φρονήματι. καὶ αὐτόθι γὰρ ἔδοξεν ἀπὸ γυναικῶν ὁ διάβολος ἐξεμεῖν͵ ὡς καὶ ἄνω παρὰ Κυϊντίλλῃ καὶ Μαξιμίλλῃ καὶ Πρισκίλλῃ περιγέλαστα [τὰ] διδάγματα͵ οὕτω καὶ ἐνταῦθα.

For certain women decorate a barber’s chair or a square seat, spread a cloth on it, set out bread and offer it in Mary’s name on a certain day of the year, and all partake of the bread—as I partially discussed in my same letter to Arabia.

τινὲς γὰρ γυναῖκες κουρικόν τινα κοσμοῦσαι ἤτοι δίφρον τετράγωνον͵ ἁπλώσασαι ἐπ΄ αὐτὸν ὀθόνην͵ ἐν ἡμέρᾳ τινὶ φανερᾷ τοῦ ἔτους [ἐν ἡμέραις τισὶν] ἄρτον προτιθέασι καὶ ἀναφέρουσιν εἰς ὄνομα τῆς Μαρίας͵ αἱ πᾶσαι δὲ ἀπὸ τοῦ ἄρτου μεταλαμβάνουσιν͵ ὡς ἐν αὐτῇ τῇ εἰς τὴν Ἀραβίαν ἐπιστολῇ γράφοντες ἐκ μέρους περὶ τούτου διελέχθημεν.

Now, however, I shall speak plainly of it and, with prayer to God, give the best refutations of it that I can, so as to grub out the roots of this idolatrous sect and with God’s help, be able to cure certain people of this madness.

νῦν δὲ σαφῶς τὰ περὶ αὐτῆς λέξομεν͵ καὶ τὰς κατ΄ αὐτῆς ἀνατροπὰς θεὸν αἰτησάμενοι κατὰ τὸ δυνατὸν παραθησόμεθα͵ ὅπως τῆς εἰδωλοποιοῦ ταύτης αἱρέσεως τὰς ῥίζας ἐκτεμόντες ἀπό τινων τὴν τοιαύτην λύσσαν καταλῦσαι ἐν θεῷ δυνηθῶμεν.

2,1. Now then, servants of God, let us adopt a manly frame of mind and dispel the madness of these women.

2. ῎αγε τοίνυν͵ θεοῦ δοῦλοι͵ ἀνδρικὸν φρόνημα ἐνδυσώμεθα͵ γυναι κῶν δὲ τούτων τὴν μανίαν διασκεδάσωμεν.

The speculation is entirely feminine, and the malady of the deluded Eve all over again. Or rather, it is still the malady of the snake, the seducing beast, and the false promise of the one who spoke in it. This promise made no < sound > suggestion and did not make its undertaking good, but only caused death by calling the untrue true, and encouraging disobedience by the sight of the tree, and aversion to the truth itself by attraction to many things.

 τὸ πᾶν γὰρ θήλεος ἡ ὑπόνοια καὶ Εὔας πάλιν τῆς ἀπατωμένης τὸ νόσημα͵ μᾶλλον δ΄ ἔτι τοῦ ὄφεως τοῦ ἐρεθιστικοῦ θηρὸς καὶ τοῦ λαλήσαντος ἐν αὐτῇ ἡ τῆς πλάνης ὑπόσχεσις͵ μηδὲν ὑγιὲς εἰς μέσον φέρουσα οὐδὲ τὰ ὑπισχνούμενα τελειοῦσα ἀλλ΄ ἢ μόνον θάνατον ἀπεργαζομένη͵ τὰ μὴ ὄντα ὡς ὄντα καλοῦσα καὶ διὰ τῆς ὁράσεως τοῦ ξύλου παρακοὴν ἐργαζομένη καὶ ἀποστροφὴν ἀπ΄ αὐτῆς τῆς ἀληθείας διὰ τοῦ ἐπὶ πολλὰ τρέπεσθαι.

2,2. But we shall have reason to suppose that, as the ideas the deceiver sowed by saying, `Ye shall be as gods,” ² so are the minds of these women which have been ensnared by the pride of that snake. Once again he is bringing death on that sex, as I have often said.

νομίζειν δὲ ἔσται ὁποῖα ^3.477 ὁ ἀπατεὼν ἔσπειρε λέγων ἔσεσθε ὡς θεοί͵ οὕτω καὶ τούτων τὸ φρόνημα κεπφούμενον τῇ τοῦ προειρημένου θηρὸς ἐπάρσει͵ ἐφ΄ ᾗ φύσει πάλιν τὸν θάνατον ἐργάζεται͵ ὡς καὶ πολλάκις εἶπον.

2,3. For to begin with, to whom is it not immediately obvious, < if he will > investigate the whole scope of the past, that their teaching and behavior are devilish, and their undertaking a deviation? Never at any time has a woman offered sacrifice to God—⁽⁴⁾ Eve herself, though she had fallen into transgression, still did not dare to undertake such a further impiety.

Not one of her daughters did, though Abel sacrificed to God at once, and, even though they were not accepted, Cain offered sacrifices before the Lord. Enoch pleased God and was translated. Noah made thank offerings to the Lord, as a token of gratitude, with the extra animals in the ark, in thanksgiving to the One who had preserved him. () The righteous

οὐ μία τῶν ταύτης θυγατέρων͵ καίτοι γε τοῦ ῎αβελ εὐθὺς ἱερουργήσαντος θεῷ καὶ τοῦ Κάϊν θύσαντος ἐνώπιον κυρίου θυσίας͵ ἀλλ΄ οὐ προσδεδεγμένας͵ Ἐνώχ τε εὐαρεστήσαντος καὶ μετατεθέντος͵ Νῶε δὲ προσενέγκαντος ἐκ τῶν τῆς κιβωτοῦ περισσευμάτων εὐχαριστη ρίους προσφορὰς κυρίῳ͵ εὐγνώμονος διαθέσεως ὑποδεικνύοντος τεκμήριον͵ ὁμολογοῦντος τὴν χάριν τῷ σεσωκότι.

Abraham offered God sacrifice, and Melchizedek the priest of God Most High. Isaac was pleasing to God, and Jacob made the best offering he could on the stone, by pouring oil from his flask.

Ἀβραὰμ δὲ ὁ δίκαιος ἱερουργεῖ θεῷ͵ καὶ Μελχισεδὲκ ὁ ἱερεὺς τοῦ θεοῦ τοῦ ὑψίστου͵ καὶ Ἰσαὰκ θεῷ εὐάρεστος εὑρίσκεται͵ καὶ Ἰακὼβ κατὰ δύναμιν προσήνεγκεν ἐπὶ τοῦ λίθου͵ ἀπὸ τοῦ φακοῦ ἐπιχέας ἔλαιον.

And the children of Jacob. We find that Levi was the next to receive the priesthood, but that those who received the priestly order came from his stock—I mean Moses the prophet and expositor, Aaron and his sons Eleazar and Phinehas, and his grandson Ithamar. ⁽⁶⁾

 And why name the throngs of those who sacrificed to God in the Old Testament? We find Ahitub sacrificing, and the sons of Korah, and the Gershonites and the Merarites, to whom the levitical order was entrusted. And the house of Eli, and his kinsmen after him in the household of Abimelech and Abiathar, Helkiah and Buzi, down to the high priest Joshua, and Ezra the priest, and the rest And nowhere did a woman offer sacrifice.

 καὶ τί μοι τὰ πλήθη λέγειν τῶν ἱερουργη σάντων θεῷ ἐν παλαιᾷ διαθήκῃ; ὡς Ἀχιτὼβ εὑρίσκεται ἱερουργῶν͵ οἵ τε Κορῖται καὶ οἱ Γερσωνῖται καὶ Μεραρῖται͵ τὴν Λευιτικὴν πεπι στευμένοι τάξιν͵ ὅ τε οἶκος Ἠλεὶ καὶ οἱ μετ΄ αὐτὸν οἱ ἀπὸ τῆς συγγενείας αὐτοῦ ἐν τῷ οἴκῳ Ἀβιμέλεχ καὶ Ἀβιάθαρ͵ Χελκίας τε καὶ Βουζεί͵ ἄχρι Ἰησοῦ τοῦ ἱερέως τοῦ μεγάλου͵ ῎εσδρα τε τοῦ ἱερέως καὶ τῶν ἄλλων.

 καὶ οὐδαμοῦ γυνὴ ἱεράτευσεν.

3,1 But I shall also go on to the New Testament as well. If it were ordained by God that women should offer sacrifice or have any canonical function in the church, Mary herself, if anyone, should have functioned as a priest in the New Testament.

3. Ἐλεύσομαι δὲ καὶ εἰς τὴν καινὴν διαθήκην.

 εἰ ἱερατεύειν γυναῖκες θεῷ προσετάσσοντο ἢ κανονικόν τι ἐργάζεσθαι ἐν ἐκκλησίᾳ͵ ἔδει μᾶλλον αὐτὴν τὴν Μαρίαν ἱερατείαν ἐπιτελέσαι ἐν καινῇ διαθήκῃ͵

But it was not God’s pleasure [that she be a priest].

ἀλλ΄ οὐκ εὐδόκησεν.

She was not even entrusted with the administration of baptism—for Christ could have been baptized by her rather than by John.

ἀλλ΄ οὐδὲ βάπτισμα διδόναι πεπίστευται͵ ἐπεὶ ἠδύνατο ὁ Χριστὸς μᾶλλον παρ΄ αὐτῆς βαπτισθῆναι ἤπερ παρὰ Ἰωάννου.

But John the son of Zacharias dwelt in the wilderness entrusted with baptism for the remission of sins, while his father offered sacrifice to God and saw a vision at the time of the offering of incense.

ἀλλὰ Ἰωάννης μὲν παῖς Ζαχαρίου ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ 3.478 διετέλεσε βάπτισμα ἀφέσεως ἁμαρτιῶν πεπιστευμένος͵ ὁ δὲ τούτου πατὴρ θεῷ ἱεράτευσε καὶ τῇ ὥρᾳ τοῦ θυμιάματος ὀπτασίαν εἶδε.

3,3 Peter and Andrew, James and John, Philip and Bartholomew, Thomas, Thaddaeus, James the son of Alphaeus, Judas the son of James and Simon the Zealot, and Matthias who was chosen to make up the number of the Twelve—all these were chosen to be apostles and “offer the Gospel”³ < throughout > the world, together with Paul, Barnabas and the rest, and with James, the Lord’s brother and the bishop of Jerusalem, [they were chosen] to preside over mysteries.

Πέτρος τε καὶ Ἀνδρέας͵ Ἰάκωβος καὶ Ἰωάννης͵ Φίλιππος καὶ Βαρθολομαῖος͵ Θωμᾶς͵ Θαδδαῖος͵ καὶ Ἰάκωβος Ἀλφαίου͵ καὶ Ἰούδας Ἰακώβου καὶ Σίμων ὁ Καναναῖος͵ καὶ Ματθίας ὁ εἰς πλήρωσιν τῶν δώδεκα ἐκλελεγ μένος͵ οὗτοι πάντες ἐξελέγησαν ἀπόστολοι κατὰ τὴν γῆν ἱερουργοῦντες τὸ εὐαγγέλιον ἅμα Παύλῳ καὶ Βαρνάβᾳ καὶ λοιποῖς͵ καὶ μυστηρίων ἀρχηγέται σὺν Ἰακώβῳ τῷ ἀδελφῷ τοῦ κυρίου καὶ πρώτῳ ἐπισκόπῳ Ἱεροσολύμων.

3,4 Successors to the episcopate and presbyterate in the household of God were appointed by this bishop and these apostles, and nowhere was a woman appointed. ⁽⁵⁾ Scripture says, `Philip the evangelist had four daughters which did prophesy,^”4 but they were certainly not priests. And “Anna the daughter of Phanuel was a prophetess,^”5 but not entrusted with the priesthood. For the words, “Your sons shall prophesy, and your daughters shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions,”⁶ required fulfillment.

ἐξ οὗπερ ἐπισκόπου καὶ τῶν προειρημένων ἀποστόλων κατεστάθησαν διαδοχαὶ ἐπισκόπων καὶ πρεσβυτέρων ἐν οἴκῳ θεοῦ͵ καὶ οὐδαμοῦ γυνὴ ἐν τούτοις κατεστάθη.

 ἦσαν δέ͵ φησί͵ τέσσαρες θυ γατέρες Φιλίππῳ τῷ εὐαγγελιστῇ προφητεύουσαι͵ οὐ μὴν ἱερουργοῦσαι͵ καὶ ἦν ῎αννα προφῆτις θυγάτηρ Φανουήλ͵ ἀλλ΄ οὐχ ἱερατείαν πεπι στευμένη.

 ἔδει γὰρ πληροῦσθαι τὸ προφητεύσουσιν οἱ υἱοὶ ὑμῶν καὶ αἱ θυγατέρες ὑμῶν ἐνυπνίοις ἐνυπνιασθήσονται͵ καὶ οἱ νεανίσκοι ὑμῶν ὁράσεις ὄψονται.

DEACONESSES

3,6. < It is plain > too that there is an order of deaconesses in the church. But this is not allowed for the practice of priesthood or any liturgical function, but for the sake of female modesty, at either the time of baptism or of the examination of some condition or trouble, and when a woman’s body may be bared, so that she will be seen not by the male priests but by the assisting female who is appointed by the priest for the occasion, to take temporary care of the woman who needs it at the time when her body is uncovered.

καὶ ὅτι μὲν διακονισσῶν τάγμα ἐστὶν εἰς τὴν ἐκκλησίαν δῆλον· ἀλλ΄ οὐχὶ εἰς τὸ ἱερατεύειν οὐδέ τι ἐπιχειρεῖν ἐπιτρέπεται͵ ἕνεκεν δὲ σεμνότητος τοῦ γυναικείου γένους ἢ δι΄ ὥραν λουτροῦ ἢ ἐπισκέψεως πάθους ἢ πόνου καὶ ὅτε γυμνωθείη σῶμα γυναίου͵ ἵνα μὴ ὑπὸ ἀνδρῶν ἱερουργούντων θεαθείη͵ ἀλλ΄ ὑπὸ τῆς διακονούσης͵ ἣ ἐπιτάσσεται ἀπὸ τοῦ ἱερέως ἐπιμελεῖσθαι πρὸς τὴν ὥραν τῆς ἐπιδεομένης γυναικὸς ἐν τῇ ὥρᾳ τῆς τοῦ σώματος αὐτῆς γυμνώσεως͵

For the ordinance of discipline and good order in the church has been well protected with understanding, by the standard of our rule.

τοῦ τάγματος τῆς εὐταξίας καὶ ἐκκλησιαστικῆς εὐνομίας ἐπιστημόνως ἐν μέτρῳ κανόνος σφόδρα ἠσφαλισμένου.

For the same reason the word of God does not allow a woman  “to speak” ⁷ in church either, or “bear rule over a man.”⁸ And there is a great deal that can be said about this.

 διὸ οὔτε ἐπιτρέπει ὁ θεῖος λόγος γυναικὶ ἐν ἐκκλησίᾳ λαλεῖν οὔτε αὐθεντεῖν ἀνδρός.

 καὶ πολλὰ ἔστι περὶ τούτου λέγειν.

4,1. But it must be observed that the ordinance of the church required not only deaconesses. It mentioned widows too, and called those of them who were still older, “elder,” but nowhere did it prescribe “elderesses” or “priestesses.”

4. Παρατηρητέον δὲ ὅτι ἄχρι διακονισσῶν μόνον τὸ ἐκκλησιαστικὸν ἐπεδεήθη τάγμα͵ χήρας τε ὠνόμασε καὶ τούτων τὰς ἔτι γραοτέρας πρεσ βύτιδας͵ οὐδαμοῦ δὲ πρεσβυτερίδας ἢ ἱερίσσας προσέταξε.

Indeed, not even the deacons in the hierarchy of the church have been commissioned to celebrate any mystery, but only to administer mysteries already celebrated.

καὶ γὰρ οὔτε διάκονοι ἐν τῇ ἐκκλησιαστικῇ τάξει ἐπιστεύθησάν τι μυστήριον ἐπιτελεῖν͵ ἀλλὰ μόνον διακονεῖν τὰ ἐπιτελούμενα.

4,2. But, once more, from whence has this new story arisen for us? Whence women’s pride and female madness? What has nourished the wickedness that—through the female, once morej⁹— pours the feminine habit of speculation into our minds < and >, by encouraging its characteristic luxury, tries to compel the wretched human race to overstep its proper bounds?

 πόθεν δὲ πάλιν ἡμῖν ὁ καινὸς μῦθος οὗτος ἐγήγερται; πόθεν γυναικῶν τῦφος καὶ μανία γυναικω νῖτις; πόθεν τρεφομένη ἡ κακία͵ διὰ τῆς  πάλιν θήλεος ἡμῖν τὸ θῆλυ ^3.479 τῆς ὑπονοίας τοῖς φρονήμασιν ἐπιχέουσα τὸ σφέτερόν τε ἡδυπα θείας ἐργαζομένη͵ ἀπὸ τοῦ προκειμένου ἔξω βαίνειν τὴν τάλαιναν τῶν ἀνθρώπων φύσιν ἐπιχειρεῖ ἀναγκάζειν;

4,3 But let us adopt the firm resolve of the champion Job, prepare ourselves with the righteous answer on our lips, and ourselves say, “You have spoken as one of the foolish women.”¹⁰

ἀλλὰ μὴν τοῦ Ἰὼβ δεξώμεθα τὸ φρόνημα τὸ στερεὸν τοῦ ἀθλητοῦ͵ ἐξοπλισώμεθα τὴν δικαίαν ἀπό κρισιν ἐπὶ τοῖς χείλεσιν ἀναλαβόντες͵ εἴπωμεν καὶ αὐτοί ὥσπερ μία τῶν ἀφρόνων γυναικῶν ἐλάλησας.

4,4. For how can such a thing not appear insane to every wise man whose <mind is sound* > in God? How can the practice not seem idolatrous and the undertaking the devil’s? But the devil has always slipped into the human mind in the guise of someone righteous and, to deify mortal human nature in human eyes, made human images with a great variety of arts.

πόθεν γὰρ οὐκ ἐμβρόντητον τὸ τοιοῦ τον φανήσεται παντὶ τῷ σύνεσιν ἔχοντι καὶ  ἐν θεῷ κεκτημένῳ; πόθεν οὐκ εἰδωλοποιὸν τὸ ἐπιτήδευμα καὶ τὸ ἐγχείρημα διαβολικόν; προφάσει γὰρ δικαίου ἀεὶ ὑπεισδύνων τὴν διάνοιαν ὁ διάβολος τῶν ἀνθρώπων τὴν θνητὴν φύσιν θεοποιῶν εἰς ὀφθαλμοὺς ἀνθρώπων ἀνδροείκελα ἀγάλ ματα διὰ ποικιλίας τεχνῶν διέγραψε.

4,5. And yet the men who are worshiped have died, and their images, which have never lived, are introduced for worship—and since they’ve never lived they can’t be called dead either! And with adulterous intent < they have rebelled > against the one and only God, like a common whore who has been excited to the wickedness of many relations and rejected the temperate course of lawful marriage to one husband.

καὶ τεθνήκασι μὲν οἱ προσκυνού μενοι͵ τὰ δὲ τούτων ἀγάλματα μηδέποτε ζήσαντα (οὔτε γὰρ νεκρὰ δύναται λέγεσθαι τὰ μηδέποτε ζήσαντα) προσκυνητὰ παρεισάγουσι͵ διὰ μοι χευσάσης διανοίας  ἀπὸ τοῦ ἑνὸς καὶ μόνου θεοῦ͵ ὡς ἡ πολύκοινος πόρνη ἐπὶ πολλὴν ἀτοπίαν πολυμιξίας ἐρεθισθεῖσα καὶ τὸ σῶφρον ἀπο τριψαμένη τῆς τοῦ ἑνὸς ἀνδρὸς εὐνομίας.

4,6. Yes, of course Mary’s body was holy, but she was not God. Yes, the Virgin was indeed a virgin and honored as such, but she was not given us to worship; she worships Him who, though born of her flesh, has come from heaven, from the bosom of his Father.

ναὶ μὴν ἅγιον ἦν τὸ σῶμα τῆς Μαρίας͵ οὐ μὴν θεός͵ ναὶ δὴ παρθένος ἦν ἡ παρθένος καὶ τετιμημένη͵ ἀλλ΄ οὐκ εἰς προσκύνησιν ἡμῖν δοθεῖσα͵ ἀλλὰ προσκυνοῦσα τὸν ἐξ αὐτῆς σαρκὶ γεγεννημένον͵ ἀπὸ οὐρανῶν δὲ ἐκ κόλπων πατρῴων παραγενόμενον.

4,7. And the Gospel therefore protects us by telling us so on the occasion when the Lord himself said, “Woman, what is between me and you? My hour is not yet come.”¹¹ < For > to make sure that no one would suppose, because of the words, “What is between me and you?” that the holy Virgin is anything more [than a woman], he called her “Woman” as if by prophecy, because of the schisms and sects that were to appear on earth. Otherwise some might stumble into the nonsense of the sect from excessive awe of the saint.

καὶ διὰ τοῦτο τὸ εὐαγγέλιον ἐπασφαλίζεται ἡμᾶς λέγον͵ αὐτοῦ τοῦ κυρίου φήσαντος ὅτι τί ἐμοὶ καὶ σοί͵ γύναι; οὔπω ἥκει ἡ ὥρα μου· ἵνα γὰρ ἀπὸ τοῦ γύναι͵ τί ἐμοὶ καὶ σοί μή τινες νομίσωσι περισσότερόν τι εἶναι τὴν ἁγίαν παρθένον͵ γυναῖκα ταύτην κέκληκεν͵ ὡς προφητεύων͵ τῶν μελλόντων ἔσεσθαι ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς σχισμάτων τε καὶ αἱρέσεων χάριν͵ ἵνα μή τινες ὑπερβολῇ θαυμάσαντες τὴν ἁγίαν εἰς τοῦτο ὑποπέσωσι τῆς αἱρέσεως τὸ ληρολόγημα.

5,1. For what this sect has to say is complete nonsense and, as it were, an old wives’ tale. Which scripture has spoken of it? Which prophet permitted the worship of a man, let alone a woman?

5. Χλεύης γάρ ἐστι τὸ πᾶν καὶ γραῶν [ὁ] μῦθος ὡς εἰπεῖν τῆς αἱρέ σεως τὸ διήγημα. ποία δέ τις γραφὴ διηγήσατο περὶ τούτου;

5,2. The vessel is choice but a woman, and by nature no different [from others]. Like the bodies of the saints, however, she has been held in honor for her character and understanding. And if I should say anything more in her praise, [she is] like Elijah, who was virgin from his mother’s womb, always remained so, and was taken up and has not seen death. She is like John who leaned on the Lord’s breast, “the disciple whom Jesus loved.” ¹² She is like St. The-cla; and Mary is still more honored than she, because of the providence vouchsafed her.

ποῖος προφητῶν ἐπέτρεψεν ἄνθρωπον προσκυνεῖσθαι͵ οὐ μὴν γυναῖκα λέγειν; ἐξαίρετον μὲν γάρ ἐστι τὸ σκεῦος͵ ἀλλὰ γυνή͵ καὶ οὐδὲν τὴν φύσιν παρ ηλλαγμένη͵ τὴν δὲ γνώμην καὶ τὴν αἴσθησιν ἐν τιμῇ τετιμημένη͵ ὥσπερ τὰ σώματα τῶν ἁγίων· καὶ εἴ τι περισσότερον πρὸς δοξολογίαν εἴποιμι͵ ὡς Ἠλίας ἐκ μητρὸς παρθένος καὶ οὕτω μένων εἰς τὸ διηνεκὲς καὶ ἀνα λαμβανόμενος͵ θάνατον δὲ οὐχ ἑωρακώς· ὡς ὁ Ἰωάννης ὁ ἐπὶ τὸ στῆθος 3.

480 τοῦ κυρίου ἀναπεσών͵ ὃν ἠγάπα ὁ Ἰησοῦς· ὡς Θέκλα ἡ ἁγία͵ καὶ Μαρία ἡ ἔτι ταύτης τιμιωτέρα δι΄ ἣν κατηξίωται οἰκονομίαν.

5,3. But Elijah is not to be worshiped, even though he is alive. And John is not to be worshiped, even though by his own prayer—or rather, by receiving the grace from God—he made an awesome thing of his falling asleep.¹³ But neither is Thecla worshiped, nor any of the saints.

ἀλλ΄ οὔτε Ἠλίας προσκυνητός͵ καίπερ ἐν ζῶσιν ὤν͵ οὔτε Ἰωάννης προσκυνητός͵ καίτοι γε διὰ ἰδίας εὐχῆς τὴν κοίμησιν αὑτοῦ ἔκπληκτον ἀπεργασάμενος͵ μᾶλλον δὲ ἐκ θεοῦ λαβὼν τὴν χάριν͵ ἀλλ΄ οὔτε ἡ Θέκλα οὔτε τις τῶν ἁγίων προσκυνεῖται.

For the age-old error of forgetting the living God and worshiping his creatures will not get the better of me.

οὐ γὰρ κυριεύσει ἡμῶν ἡ ἀρχαία πλάνη τοῦ καταλιμπάνειν τὸν ζῶντα καὶ προσκυνεῖν τὰ ὑπ΄ αὐτοῦ γεγονότα.

5,4. They served and worshiped the creature more than the creator,” and “were made fools.^”14 If it is not his will that angels be worshiped, how much more the woman born of Ann,¹⁵ who was given to Ann by Joachim¹⁶ and granted to her father and mother by promise, after prayer and all diligence? She was surely not born other than normally, but of a man’s seed and a woman’s womb like everyone else.

ἐλάτρευσαν γὰρ καὶ ἐσεβάσθησαν τῇ κτίσει παρὰ τὸν κτίσαντα καὶ ἐμωράνθησαν.

 εἰ γὰρ ἀγγέλους προσκυνεῖσθαι οὐ θέλει͵ πόσῳ μᾶλλον τὴν ἀπὸ ῎αννης γεγεννη μένην͵ τὴν ἐκ τοῦ Ἰωακεὶμ τῇ ῎αννᾳ δεδωρημένην͵ τὴν δι΄ εὐχῆς καὶ πάσης ἐπιμελείας κατὰ ἐπαγγελίαν πατρὶ καὶ μητρὶ δοθεῖσαν͵ οὐ μὴν ἑτέρως γεγεννημένην παρὰ τὴν τῶν ἀνθρώπων φύσιν͵

5,5. For even though the story and traditions of Mary say that her father Joachim was told in the wilderness, “Your wife has conceived,”¹⁷ it was not because this had come about without conjugal intercourse or a man’s seed. The angel who was sent to him predicted the coming event, so that there would be no doubt. The thing had truly happened, had already been decreed by God, and had been promised to the righteous.

ἀλλὰ καθὼς πάντες ἐκ σπέρματος ἀνδρὸς καὶ μήτρας γυναικός; εἰ γὰρ καὶ ἡ τῆς Μαρίας ἱστορία καὶ παραδόσεις ἔχουσιν ὅτι ἐρρέθη τῷ πατρὶ αὐτῆς Ἰωακεὶμ ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ ὅτι ἡ γυνή σου συνειληφυῖα͵ ἀλλ΄ οὐχ ὅτι ἄνευ συζυγίας τοῦτο ἐγένετο͵ οὐδὲ ὅτι ἄνευ σπέρματος ἀνδρός͵ ἀλλὰ τὸ μέλλον ἔσεσθαι προεθέσπιζεν ὁ ἄγγελος ἀποσταλείς͵ ἵνα μή τις γένηται δισταγμὸς διὰ τὸ ἐν ἀληθείᾳ γεγενημένον καὶ τὸ ἐκ θεοῦ ἤδη τεταγμένον καὶ τῷ δικαίῳ ἐπηγγελμένον.

6,1. And everywhere we see the scriptures saying < the same >.

6. Καὶ πάντη τὰς γραφὰς ὁρῶμεν ὡσαύτως διηγουμένας.

Isaiah predicted the things that would be realized in the Son of God and said, “Behold, the virgin shall be with child and shall bear a son and shall call his name Immanuel.”¹⁸

Ἠσαΐας γὰρ προκηρύττει περὶ τῶν μελλόντων εἰς τὸν υἱὸν τοῦ θεοῦ πληροῦσθαι͵ λέγων ἰδού͵ ἡ παρθένος ἐν γαστρὶ ἕξει καὶ τέξεται υἱὸν καὶ καλέσουσι τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ Ἐμμανουήλ.

6,2.And as the woman who bore him was a virgin, and the name of < the > child the woman had conceived meant, “God is with us,” the prophet saw them in a vision and was compelled by the Holy Spirit to describe them, so that he would not doubt the meaning of the truth. He said, “And he went in unto the prophetess.” He was describing Gabriel’s entrance in the Gospel, who was sent by God to announce the entrance into the world of God’s only-begotten Son, and his birth of Mary.

καὶ ἐπειδὴ παρθένος ἦν ἡ γεννήσασα καὶ θεὸς [ὁ] μεθ΄ ἡμῶν ἑρμηνευόμενος ὁ ἐν γυναικὶ κυϊσκόμενος͵ ἵνα μὴ ἐν δισταγμῷ ὑπονοίας τῷ προφήτῃ γένηται ἡ ἀλήθεια͵ ὁρᾷ ἐν ὁράσει καὶ διηγεῖται ἐκ πνεύματος ἁγίου ἀναγκαζόμενος ὁ προφήτης͵ καὶ φησί καὶ εἰσῆλθε πρὸς τὴν προφῆτιν͵ διηγούμενος περὶ τῆς τοῦ Γαβριὴλ εὐαγγελικῆς εἰσόδου͵ ὃς ἀπεστάλη ὑπὸ θεοῦ διηγήσασθαι τὴν τοῦ μονογενοῦς υἱοῦ τοῦ θεοῦ εἴσοδον εἰς τὸν κόσμον καὶ γέννησιν ἀπὸ Μαρίας.

And Isaiah said, “And she conceived and bare a son.

6,3. And the Lord said unto me, Call his name Spoil Speedily, Ravage Fiercely. For before the child shall know how to cry Father, or Mother, he shall take the power of Damascus and the spoil of Samaria,”¹⁹ and so on.

 καὶ ἐν γαστρὶ ἔλαβε φησί καὶ ἔτεκεν υἱόν.

 καὶ εἶπε κύριος πρός με· κάλεσον τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ Ταχέως σκύλευσον͵ ὀξέως προνόμευσον· πρὶν ἢ γνῶναι τὸ παιδίον καλεῖν πατέρα ἢ μητέρα͵ λήψεται δύναμιν Δαμασκοῦ καὶ τὰ σκῦλα Σαμαρείας καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς.

And all of these things were still unfulfilled. But this would be realized in the Son of God, and fulfilled about 1600 years later. (sic

καὶ πάντα ταῦτα οὔπω ἦν τετελεσμένα· ^3.481 ἤμελλε δὲ τοῦτο γίνεσθαι ἐν τῷ υἱῷ τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ πληροῦσθαι μετὰ χίλια ἔτη καὶ ἑξακόσια͵ πλείω ἐλάσσω.

6,4. And the prophet was seeing what would < happen > after so many generations as though it had already happened.

καὶ τὰ μετὰ τοσαύτας γενεὰς μέλλοντα γίνεσθαι ὡς ἤδη γενόμενα ἑώρα ὁ προφήτης.

Was it a lie, then? Never! God’s providence was announced with confidence as though it had already taken place, so that the truth would not be disbelieved, and the arrival of such an astounding, awesome event would not come to seem uncertain in the prophet’s estimation.

ἆρα ψεῦσμα ἦν; μὴ γένοιτο.

 ἀλλὰ ἀσφαλῶς τὸ παρὰ τοῦ θεοῦ οἰκονομηθὲν ὡς ἤδη τετελειωμένον ἐκηρύττετο͵ ἵνα μὴ ἀπιστηθῇ ἡ ἀλήθεια͵ ἵνα μὴ εἰς δισταγμὸν ἔλθῃ ἐν ὑπονοίᾳ τοῦ προφήτου τὸ τοιοῦτον ἔκθαμβον καὶ ἔκπληκτον μυστήριον μέλλον ἔσεσθαι.

6,5. Or don’t you see the very next declaration, as the holy Isaiah himself says, “He was led as a sheep to the slaughter, and as a lamb before its shearer is dumb, so opens he not his mouth.

ἢ οὐχ ὁρᾷς αὐτὸ τὸ κήρυγμα τὸ ἐπιφερόμενον͵ ὡς λέγει αὐτὸς ὁ ἅγιος Ἠσαΐας ὡς πρόβατον ἐπὶ σφαγὴν ἤχθη καὶ ὡς ἀμνὸς ἐναντίον τοῦ κείροντος αὐτὸν ἄφωνος͵ οὕτως οὐκ ἀνοίγει τὸ στόμα αὐτοῦ.

But who can tell his generation? For his life is taken from the earth, and I shall give the evil for his grave,”²⁰ and so on.

τὴν δὲ γενεὰν αὐτοῦ τίς διηγήσεται; ὅτι αἴρεται ἐκ τῆς γῆς ἡ ζωὴ αὐτοῦ͵ καὶ δώσω τοὺς πονηροὺς ἀντὶ τῆς ταφῆς αὐτοῦ καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς.

And see how he describes the earlier events as though they came later, and explains the later ones as though they had already taken place, by saying, “He was led as a sheep to the slaughter.”

καὶ βλέπε πῶς τὰ πρῶτα ὕστερα διηγεῖται καὶ τὰ ὕστερα ὡς γεγονότα ἑρμηνεύει͵ φήσας ὡς πρόβατον ἐπὶ σφαγὴν ἤχθη.

6,6. For this is said to be a past event; he didn’t say, “is led,” and the subject of Isaiah’s pronouncement had yet to be led.

παρῳχημένον γὰρ λέγεται εἶναι· οὐ γὰρ εἶπεν͵ ἄγεται͵ καὶ οὔπω ἦν ἀχθεὶς ὁ ὑπὸ Ἠσαΐου κηρυττόμενος.

But this was said to the prophet as though it had already happened.

ἐλέγετο δὲ τῷ προφήτῃ ὡς ἤδη γεγενη μένον τὸ ἔργον

God’s revelation was unalterable.

ἀπαράβατος γὰρ ἦν ἡ θεοῦ μυσταγωγία.

But when he went on he no longer spoke as of past events, so as not to cause an error in his own turn, but said, “His life is taken from the earth.”

ἐξ αὐτῆς δὲ ὑποβαίνων οὐκέτι ὡς γενόμενα ἔλεγεν͵ ἵνα μὴ πλάνην πάλιν ἀπεργάσηται͵ ἀλλὰ φησίν αἴρεται ἐκ τῆς γῆς ἡ ζωὴ αὐτοῦ.

He is giving the truth in the two ways, because “was led” was already done, and “is taken” was done later. Thus from its pastness you will know the truth and the sureness of God’s promise, and from its futurity you will imagine the time of the mysteries’ revelation.

ἐκ δὲ τῶν δύο προφάσεων δείκνυσι τὴν ἀλήθειαν͵ ὅτι τὸ ἤχθη ἤδη ἐτελειοῦτο καὶ τὸ αἴρεται μετέπειτα ἐπληροῦτο͵ ἵνα ἀπὸ τοῦ γεγονέναι νοήσῃς τὸ ἀληθὲς καὶ τὸ πάγιον τῆς τοῦ θεοῦ ἐπαγγελίας͵ ἀπὸ δὲ τοῦ μέλλοντος ἔσεσθαι τὸν χρόνον ἀπεικάσῃς τῶν ἀποκαλυπτομένων μυστηρίων.

7,1. And so in Mary’s case. The angel foretold what her father would receive from God on his return home—the favor her father and mother had asked in prayer, “Lo, thy wife hath conceived in her womb,”²¹ as a sure fulfillment, by the promise, of the faithful man’s purpose. But for some this became an occasion of error. No one in the world can be born in any but the normal human way. Only < the Son* > was fit < for this* >; nature allowed it to him alone.

7,2. As Maker and Master of the thing [to be made] he formed himself from a virgin as though from earth—God come from heaven, the Word who had assumed flesh from a holy Virgin.

7. Οὕτω καὶ ἐπὶ τῇ Μαρίᾳ ὁ ἄγγελος προέλεγεν ὅπερ ἔμελλεν εἰσερ χόμενος ὁ πατὴρ ταύτης εἰς τὸν οἶκον τὸν ἴδιον παρὰ θεοῦ κομίζεσθαι͵ τὸ δι΄ εὐχῆς αἰτηθὲν διὰ τῆς τοῦ πατρὸς καὶ τῆς μητρὸς αἰτήσεως͵ ὅτι ἰδού͵ ἡ γυνή σου συνειληφυῖα ἐν γαστρί͵ ἵνα βεβαίως περαιώσῃ τὴν διάνοιαν τοῦ πιστοῦ ἐν τῇ ἐπαγγελίᾳ.

 τοῦτο δὲ γέγονέ τισιν εἰς πλάνην.

 ἀδύνατον γάρ τινα παρὰ τὴν τῶν ἀνθρώπων φύσιν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς γεννᾶσθαι.

 μόνος γὰρ διέπρεψεν αὐτῷ μόνῳ παρεχώρησεν ἡ φύσις.

 οὗτος ὡς πλάστης καὶ ἐξουσιαστὴς τοῦ πράγματος ἑαυτὸν ἀπὸ παρθένου ὥσπερ ἀπὸ τῆς ^3.482 γῆς ἀνεπλάσατο͵ θεὸς ἀπ΄ οὐρανῶν ἐλθών͵ σάρκα ἐνδυσάμενος ὁ λόγος ἐξ ἁγίας παρθένου·

But certainly not from a virgin who is worshiped, or to make her God, or to have us make offerings in her name, or, again, to make women priestesses after so many generations.

7,3. t was not God’s pleasure that this be done with Salome, or with Mary herself. He did not permit her to administer baptism or bless disciples, or tell her to rule on earth, but only to be a sacred shrine and be deemed worthy of his kingdom.

7,4. He did not order the woman called the mother of Rufus to advance < to* > this rank²² or the women who followed Christ from Galilee, or Martha the sister of Lazarus and [her sister] Mary, or any of the holy women who were privileged to be saved by his advent < and > who assisted him with their own possessions—or the woman of Canaan, or the woman who was healed of the issue of blood, or any woman on earth.

οὐ μὴν δὲ προσκυνουμένης τῆς παρθένου͵ οὐδὲ ἵνα θεὸν ταύτην ἀπεργάσηται͵ οὐχ ἵνα εἰς ὄνομα αὐτῆς προσενέγκωμεν͵ οὐχ ἵνα γυναῖκας πάλιν ἱερείας μετὰ τοσαύτας γενεὰς ἀποδείξῃ.

 οὐκ εὐδόκησεν ὁ θεὸς τοῦτο ἐν Σαλώμῃ γενέσθαι͵ οὐκ ἐν αὐτῇ τῇ Μαρίᾳ.

 οὐκ ἐπέτρεψεν αὐτῇ δοῦναι βάπτισμα͵ οὐκ εὐλογῆσαι μαθητάς͵ οὐ τὸ ἄρχειν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς ἐκέλευσεν͵ ἢ μόνον ἁγίασμα αὐτὴν εἶναι καὶ κατα ξιωθῆναι τῆς αὐτοῦ βασιλείας.

 οὐ τὴν καλουμένην μητέρα Ρούφου͵ οὐ τὰς ἀκολουθησάσας ἀπὸ Γαλιλαίας͵ οὐ τὴν Μάρθαν τὴν ἀδελφὴν Λαζάρου καὶ Μαρίαν͵ οὔτινα τῶν ἁγίων γυναικῶν τῶν καταξιωθεισῶν ὑπὸ τῆς αὐτοῦ παρουσίας σωθῆναι͵ ἐξυπηρετησαμένων τε αὐτῷ ἐκ τῶν ἰδίων ὑπαρχόντων͵ οὐ τὴν γυναῖκα τὴν Χανανῖτιν͵ οὐ τὴν αἱμορροοῦσαν καὶ σεσωσμένην͵ οὔτινα τῶν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς γυναικῶν  τοῦτο ποιεῖν προσέταξε τὸ ἀξίωμα.

7,5. Again, where has this coiled serpent come from? How are its crooked counsels renewed? Mary should be honored, but the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit should be worshiped; no one should worship Mary. There is no commandment to < offer > the Eucharist even to a man, < as though > to God, let alone to a woman; not even angels are allowed such glory. ⁽⁶⁾ The bad writing on the hearts of the deluded should be erased, the sliver removed from their eyes. The creature must return to its Master; Eve, with Adam, must take care to honor only God, and not be influenced by the voice of the serpent but abide by God’s commandment,

πόθεν τοίνυν πάλιν ἡμῖν κυκλοδράκων͵ πόθεν ἀνακαινί ζεται τὰ σκολιὰ βουλεύματα; ἐν τιμῇ ἔστω Μαρία͵ ὁ δὲ πατὴρ καὶ υἱὸς καὶ ἅγιον πνεῦμα προσκυνείσθω͵ τὴν Μαρίαν μηδεὶς προσκυνείτω.

 οὐ λέγω γυναικί͵ ἀλλ΄ οὐδὲ ἀνδρὶ ὡς θεῷ προστέτακται προσφέρειν τὸ μυστήριον͵ οὐδὲ ἄγγελοι χωροῦσι δοξολογίαν τοιαύτην.

 ἐξαλειφέσθω τὰ κακῶς γραφέντα ἐν καρδίᾳ τῶν ἠπατημένων͵ ἀμαυρούσθω ἐξ ὀφθαλμῶν τὸ ἐγκίσσημα τοῦ ξύλου· ἐπιστρέψῃ πάλιν τὸ πλάσμα πρὸς τὸν δεσπότην͵ ἐντρεπέσθω Εὔα μετὰ τοῦ Ἀδὰμ θεὸν τιμᾶν μόνον͵ μὴ ἀγέσθω τῇ τοῦ ὄφεως φωνῇ͵

“Thou shalt not eat of the tree.”^{23 (7)} And yet the tree was not error; the disobedience of error came by the tree. Let no one eat of the error which has arisen on St. Mary’s account. Even though the tree is “lovely”²⁴ it is not for food; and even though Mary is all fair, and is holy and held in honor, she is not to be worshiped.

ἀλλ΄ ἐμμενέτω τῇ τοῦ θεοῦ προστάξει μὴ φάγῃς ἀπὸ τοῦ ξύλου.

 καὶ ἦν τὸ ξύλον οὐ πλάνη͵ ἀλλὰ διὰ τοῦ ξύλου γέγονεν ἡ παρακοὴ τῆς πλάνης.

 μὴ φαγέτω τις ἀπὸ τῆς πλάνης τῆς διὰ Μαρίαν τὴν ἁγίαν· καὶ γὰρ εἰ καὶ ὡραῖον τὸ ξύλον͵ ἀλλ΄ οὐκ εἰς βρῶμα͵ καὶ εἰ καλλίστη ἡ Μαρία καὶ ἁγία καὶ τετιμημένη͵ ἀλλ΄ οὐκ εἰς τὸ προσκυνεῖσθαι.

8,i But again, these women are “renewing the potion for Fortune and preparing the table for the demon²⁵ and not for God, as the scripture says. And they drink impious drinks as the word of God says, “And the women grind flour, and their sons gather wood to make cakes for the host of heaven.”^{26 (2)} Such women should be silenced by Jeremiah, and not frighten the world. They must not say, “We honor the queen of heaven.”²⁷ Taphnes knows how they must be punished; the places in Magdula know how to receive their bodies for the moth. Do not obey a woman, Israel; rise above a woman’s evil counsel. “A woman snares men’s precious souls.”²⁸ “Her feet bring those who use her with death to hades.”^{29 (3)} “Heed not a worthless woman. Honey drops from the lips of an harlot, who anointeth thy throat for a time; but afterwards shall thou find her more bitter than gall, and sharper than a two-edged sword.”³⁰

8. Αὗται δὲ πάλιν ἀνακαινίζουσι τῇ Τύχῃ τὸ κέρασμα καὶ ἑτοιμά ζουσι τῷ δαίμονι καὶ οὐ θεῷ τὴν τράπεζαν͵ κατὰ τὸ γεγραμμένον͵ καὶ σιτοῦνται σῖτα ἀσεβείας͵ ὥς φησιν ὁ θεῖος λόγος καὶ αἱ γυναῖκες τρίβουσι σταῖς͵ καὶ οἱ υἱοὶ συλλέγουσι ξύλα ποιῆσαι χαυῶνας τῇ στρατιᾷ 3.

483 τοῦ οὐρανοῦ.

 φιμούσθωσαν ὑπὸ Ἰερεμίου αἱ τοιαῦται γυναῖκες͵ καὶ μὴ θροείτωσαν τὴν οἰκουμένην.

 μὴ λεγέτωσαν· τιμῶμεν τὴν βασίλισσαν τοῦ οὐρανοῦ.

 οἶδε γὰρ Ταφνὰς ταύτας τιμωρεῖσθαι͵ οἴδασιν οἱ τόποι Μαγδούλων τούτων τὰ σώματα ὑποδέχεσθαι εἰς σῆψιν.

 μὴ πείθου͵ Ἰσραήλ͵ γυναικί͵ ἀνάκυπτε ἀπὸ κακῆς γυναικὸς συμβουλίας.

 γυνὴ γὰρ τιμίας ψυχὰς ἀνδρῶν ἀγρεύει.

 ταύτης γὰρ οἱ πόδες τοὺς χρωμένους μετὰ τοῦ θανάτου ἄγουσιν εἰς τὸν ῞αιδην.

 μὴ πρόσεχε φαύλῃ γυναικί.

 μέλι γὰρ ἀποστάζει ἀπὸ χειλέων γυναικὸς πόρνης͵ ἣ πρὸς καιρὸν λιπαίνει σὸν φάρυγγα͵ ὕστερον μέντοι πικρότερον χολῆς εὑρήσεις καὶ ἠκονη μένον μᾶλλον μαχαίρας διστόμου.

Do not obey this worthless woman. Every sect is a worthless woman, but this sect more so, which is composed of women and belongs to him who was the deceiver of the first woman. ⁽⁴⁾ Our mother Eve should be honored because formed by God, but not be obeyed, or she may convince her children to eat of the tree and transgress the commandment. She herself must repent of her folly, must turn in shame and clad with fig leaves. And Adam should look to himself, and no longer obey her. () Error’s persuasion, and the contrary counsels of a woman, are the cause of her spouse’s death—and not only his, but her children’s. By her transgression Eve has overthrown creation, for she was incited by the voice and promise of the snake, strayed from God’s injunction, and went on to another notion.

μὴ πείθου ταύτῃ τῇ γυναικὶ τῇ φαύλῃ.

 πᾶσα γὰρ αἵρεσις φαύλη γυνή͵ πλέον δὲ ἡ τῶν γυναικῶν αἵρεσις αὐτὴ καὶ ἡ τοῦ ἀπατήσαντος τὴν πρώτην γυναῖκα.

 τιμάσθω ἡ μήτηρ ἡμῶν Εὔα ὡς ἐκ θεοῦ πεπλασμένη͵ μὴ ἀκουέσθω δέ͵ ἵνα μὴ πείσῃ τὰ τέκνα φαγεῖν ἀπὸ τοῦ ξύλου καὶ ἐντολὴν παραβῆναι.

 μετανοείτω δὲ καὶ αὐτὴ ἀπὸ κενοφωνίας͵ ἐπιστρεφέτω αἰσχυνομένη καὶ φύλλα συκῆς ἐνδυομένη.

 κατανοείτω δὲ ἑαυτὸν καὶ ὁ Ἀδάμ͵ καὶ μηκέτι αὐτῇ πειθέσθω.

 ἡ γὰρ τῆς πλάνης πειθὼ καὶ γυναικὸς εἰς τὸ ἐναντίον συμβουλία θάνατον τῷ ἰδίῳ συζύγῳ ἐργάζεται͵ οὐ μόνον δέ͵ ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῖς τέκνοις.

 κατέ στρεψε τὸ πλάσμα Εὔα διὰ τῆς παραβάσεως͵ ἐρεθισθεῖσα διὰ τῆς τοῦ ὄφεως φωνῆς καὶ ἐπαγγελίας͵ πλανηθεῖσα ἀπὸ τοῦ κηρύγματος καὶ ἐφ΄ ἑτέραν βαδίσασα διάνοιαν.

9,1 And so, since “death < had entered into > the world”³¹ through a woman, the Master and Savior of all, whose desire was to heal the hurt, rebuild the ruins, and repair what was defective, came down and was himself born of a virgin woman to bar death out, complete what was missing, and perfect what was lacking. But evil returns to us, to perpetuate the defect in the world. Thanks to their God-given prudence, however, neither young men nor old obey the woman. ⁽²⁾ The Egyptian woman could not persuade or pervert the chaste Joseph, though she engineered her dire scheme against the boy with great ingenuity. But a man who had received prudence from the Holy Spirit was not persuaded, and so as not to cheapen his nobility did not lose his chastity; he left his garments behind and did not ruin his body. To avoid the snare, he fled the place. He was punished for a while, but he reigns forever. He was thrown into prison, but better to remain under guard and “in the corner of a courtyard”³² than with “a contentious and brawling woman.”^{33 (3)} And how much is there to say? Whether these worthless women offer Mary the loaf as though in worship of her, or whether they mean to offer this rotten fruit on her behalf, it is altogether silly and heretical, and demon-inspired insolence and imposture.

9. Διὰ τοῦτο ὁ πάντων δεσπότης καὶ σωτὴρ βουλόμενος θεραπεῦσαι τὸ ἄλγος καὶ οἰκοδομῆσαι τὸ κατεστραμμένον καὶ διορθώσασθαι τὸ ἠλαττωμένον͵ ἐπειδὴ ἀπὸ γυναικὸς ὁ θάνατος εἰς τὸν κόσμον εἰσῆλθεν κατελθὼν ἐκ γυναικὸς παρθένου αὐτὸς ἐγεννήθη͵ ἵνα τὸν θάνατον ἐκκλείσῃ καὶ τὸ ἐλλεῖπον πληρώσῃ καὶ τὸ ἠλαττωμένον τελειώσῃ.

 στρέ φεται δὲ ἡμῖν πάλιν ἡ κακία͵ ἵνα τὸ ἐλάττωμα εἰς τὸν κόσμον προαγάγῃ.

 ἀλλ΄ οὔτε νέοι οὔτε γέροντες πείθονται τῇ γυναικὶ διὰ τὴν ἄνωθεν σωφρο σύνην.

 οὐ πείθει ἡ Αἰγυπτία τὸν σώφρονα Ἰωσὴφ οὐδὲ παρεκτρέπει͵ καίτοι γε διὰ πολλῆς μηχανίας ἐργασαμένη τὸ δεινὸν πρὸς τὸν παῖδα τῆς συμβουλίας.

 ἀλλ΄ οὐ πείθεται ἄνθρωπος ἐκ πνεύματος ἁγίου λαβὼν τὴν φρόνησιν͵ οὐ τὸ σῶφρον ἀφανίζει͵ ἵνα μὴ τὴν εὐγένειαν κατευτελίσῃ.

 καταλιμπάνει τὰ ἱμάτια καὶ τὸ σῶμα οὐκ ἀπόλλυσιν.

 ἀποδιδράσκει ^3.484 τὸν τόπον͵ ἵνα μὴ πέσῃ τῇ παγίδι· πρὸς καιρὸν τιμωρεῖται͵ ἀλλ΄ εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα βασιλεύει· ἐν δεσμωτηρίῳ βάλλεται͵ ἀλλ΄ αἱρετὸν ἐν φυλακῇ καταμένειν καὶ ἐν γωνίᾳ ὑπαίθρου͵ ἢ μετὰ γυναικὸς μαχίμου καὶ γλωσσώδους.

 καὶ πόσα ἔστι λέγειν; ἤτοι γὰρ ὡς αὐτὴν προσκυνοῦντες τὴν Μαρίαν αὐτῇ προσφέρουσι τὴν κολλυρίδα αἱ ἀργαὶ αὗται γυναῖκες ἤτοι ὑπὲρ αὐτῆς προσφέρειν ἐπιχειροῦσι τὴν προειρημένην ταύτην σα θρὰν κάρπωσιν͵ τὸ πᾶν ἐστιν ἠλίθιον καὶ ἀλλότριον καὶ ἐκ δαιμόνων κινήσεως φρύαγμά τε καὶ ἀπάτη.

9,4 But what I have said will do me, so as not to prolong the work. Mary is to be held in honor, but the Lord is to be worshiped! For the righteous deceive no one. “God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man”³⁴ to deceive him, and neither do his servants. “But every man is tempted of his own lust, and enticed and caught. Then lust conceiveth sin, and sin, when it is perfected, bringeth forth death.”³⁵

Ἵνα δὲ μὴ παρεκτείνωμεν τὸν λόγον͵ ἀρκέσει τὰ εἰρημένα ἡμῖν.

 ἡ Μαρία ἐν τιμῇ͵ ὁ κύριος προσκυνείσθω.

 οὐδενὶ γὰρ ἐργάζονται οἱ δίκαιοι πλάνην.

 ἀπείραστος γάρ ἐστιν ὁ θεὸς κακῶν͵ πειράζει δὲ αὐτὸς οὐδένα͵ οὐδὲ οἱ αὐτοῦ δοῦλοι͵ πρὸς ἀπάτην.

 ἕκαστος δὲ πειράζεται ἐκ τῆς ἰδίας ἐπιθυμίας ἐξελκόμενος καὶ δελεαζόμενος.

 εἶτα ἡ ἐπιθυμία τίκτει ἁμαρτίαν͵ ἡ δὲ ἁμαρτία ἀποτελεσθεῖσα ἀποκυεῖ θάνατον.

9,5 I believe I have said enough about all this, beloved. Now that we have squashed this blister-beetle too, as it were, with the speech of the truth—it looks golden, has something like wings, and flies, but it is poisonous and contains deadly venom—let us go on to the one sect still remaining. Once more let us call on God’s support, so that we may find our way to the realm of the truth, and complete the refutation of our opponents.

Ἱκανῶς δὲ ἔχειν περὶ πάντων τούτων νομίσαντες͵ ἀγαπητοί͵ καὶ ταύτην ὡς εἰπεῖν τὴν κανθαρίδα͵ τὴν τῷ εἴδει μὲν χρυσίζουσαν͵ πτερω τὴν δὲ ὡς εἰπεῖν καὶ πετομένην͵ ἰοβόλον οὖσαν καὶ δηλητήριον ἐν ἑαυτῇ κεκτημένην͵ τῷ λόγῳ τῆς ἀληθείας συντρίψαντες͵ ἐπὶ τὴν ἔτι μίαν περι λειφθεῖσαν ἴωμεν͵ πάλιν θεὸν ἐπικαλούμενοι παραστῆναι εἰς τὸ τὰ τῆς ἀληθείας ἰχνηλατεῖν μέρη καὶ κατὰ τῆς ἐναντιότητος τὴν ἀνατροπὴν τελείαν ἐργάσασθαι.