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| An Appeal to the Married Women.
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Chapter
XVII.—An Appeal to the Married Women.
But we admonish you, too, women of the
second (degree of) modesty, who have fallen into wedlock, not to
outgrow so far the discipline of the veil, not even in a moment of an
hour, as, because you cannot refuse it, to take some other means
to nullify it, by going neither covered nor bare. For
some, with their turbans and woollen bands, do not veil their
head, but bind it up; protected, indeed, in front, but, where the head
properly lies, bare. Others are to a certain extent covered over
the region of the brain with linen coifs of small dimensions—I
suppose for fear of pressing the head—and not reaching quite to
the ears. If they are so weak in their hearing as not to be able
to hear through a covering, I pity them. Let them know that the
whole head constitutes “the woman.”332
Its limits and boundaries reach as far
as the place where the robe begins. The region of the veil is
co-extensive with the space covered by the hair when unbound; in order
that the necks too may be encircled. For it is they which
must be subjected, for the sake of which “power” ought to
be “had on the head:” the veil is their yoke.
Arabia’s heathen females will be your judges, who cover
not only the head, but the face also, so entirely, that they are
content, with one eye free, to enjoy rather half the light than to
prostitute the entire face. A female would rather see than
be seen. And for this reason a certain Roman queen said that they
were most unhappy, in that they could more easily fall in love than be
fallen in love with; whereas they are rather happy in their
immunity from that second (and indeed more frequent) infelicity, that
females are more apt to be fallen in love with than to fall in
love. And the modesty of heathen discipline, indeed, is more
simple, and, so to say, more barbaric. To us the Lord has,
even by revelations, measured the space for the veil to extend
over. For a certain sister of ours was thus addressed by an
angel, beating her neck, as if in applause: “Elegant neck,
and deservedly bare! it is well for thee to unveil thyself from the
head right down to the loins, lest withal this freedom of thy neck
profit thee not!” And, of course, what you have said to one
you have said to all. But how severe a chastisement will
they likewise deserve, who, amid (the recital of) the Psalms,
and at any mention of (the name of) God, continue uncovered; (who) even
when about to spend time in prayer itself, with the utmost readiness
place a fringe, or a tuft, or any thread whatever, on the crown of
their heads, and suppose themselves to be covered? Of so small
extent do they falsely imagine their head to be! Others, who
think the palm of their hand plainly greater than any fringe or thread,
misuse their head no less; like a certain (creature), more beast than
bird, albeit winged, with small head, long legs, and moreover of erect
carriage. She, they say, when she has to hide, thrusts away into
a thicket her head alone—plainly the whole of it,
(though)—leaving all the rest of herself exposed. Thus,
while she is secure in head, (but) bare in her larger parts, she
is taken wholly, head and all. Such will be their plight withal,
covered as they are less than is useful.
It is incumbent, then, at all times and in every
place, to walk mindful of the law, prepared and equipped in readiness
to meet every mention of God; who, if He be in the heart, will be
recognised as well in the head of females. To such as read
these (exhortations) with good will, to such as prefer Utility to
Custom, may peace and grace from our Lord Jesus Christ redound:
as likewise to Septimius Tertullianus, whose this tractate
is. E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
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