Letter 146: Why are you surprised that so many heresies arose after the Savior's incarnation in the flesh?

To Elias the Deacon. The pupils within the eyes, like maidens set in their chambers and veiled by the eyelids as by curtains, would rightly be governed by temperate reasoning, so that they may always blush and be ashamed at what they ought. And if ever they should behold another's beauty, let them blush all the more and draw the curtains, and look downward, and survey the earth as a mother who teaches — not only that our nature comes from her, but also that the beauty they beheld has blossomed from her and shall return to her again.

PMG. – ΗΛΙΑ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΟ. Αἱ κόραι αἱ εἴσω τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν, καθάπερ παρ- θένοι (16) ἐν θαλάμοις ἱδρυμέναι, καὶ τοῖς βλεφά ροις καθάπερ παραπετάσμασι κεκαλυμμέναι, δίκαιαι ἂν εἶεν ὑπὸ σώφρονος λογισμοῦ ἐπιτροπεύεσθαι, ἵνα ἐρυθριῶσι μὲν ἀεὶ, καὶ αἰσχύνωνται ἃ δεῖ. Ει δὲ ποτε καὶ ἀλλότριον κάλλος θεάσοιντο, πλέον έρυ- θριῶσι, καὶ ἕλκωσι τὰ παραπετάσματα, καὶ κάτω xύπτωσι, καὶ τὴν γῆν ὅτε μητέρα περισκοπῶσι τὴν παιδεύουσαν, οὐ μόνον τὴν ἡμετέραν φύσιν, ἀλλ᾽ ὅτι καὶ τὸ ὀφθὲν κάλλος ἐξ αὐτῆς ἦνθησε, καὶ εἰς αὐτὴν ὑποστρέψει μαρανθησόμενον. Εἰ γὰρ τοῦτο δράσαιεν, φυλάξαιεν ἀληθῶς τὸ πρέπον παρθένοις· ε! δὲ ἀκρατῶς καὶ ἀναισχύντως καθορῷεν, κύνες ἀντὶ παρθένων εὑρεθήσονται, τοῖς ἀλλοτρίοις κάλλε σιν ἐπιλυττῶσαι. ΡΟΓ΄. – ΘΕΟΔΩΡΩ Αὐτουργίᾳ τὴν σαυτοῦ ἀναπληροῦν ἀνάγκη τῆς χρείας.