OF THE DISCIPLINE OF CHASTITY. 261 with such difficultyas thatwhich is armed by it. He who getsrid of desireshas got ridof fearsalso; forfrom desires come fears. He who overcomes desires,triumphsover sin; he who overcomes desires,shows that the mischiefof the human familyliesprostrateunder hisfeet; he who has over come desires,has given to himselfperpetualpeace; he who has overcome desires,restoresto himself liberty,— a most difficultmatter even fornoblenatures.Thereforewe should always meditate,brethren,as these matters teach us, on chastity.That itmay be the more easy,itisbased upon no acquiredskill.For the rightwillthatisthereincarriedto perfection— which,were itnot checked,isremote \_scil.from our consciousness]— is stillour will; so that it isnot a will to be acquired,but thatwhich isour own isto be cherished.1 12.For what ischastitybut a virtuousmind added towatch fulnessover the body; so thatmodesty observedin respectof the sexual relations,attestedby strictness[of demeanour], should maintain honourable faithby an uncorrupted off spring? Moreover,to chastity,brethren,are suitedand are known firstof alldivinemodesty,and the sacredmeditation of the divineprecepts,and a soul inclinedto faith,and a mind attuned to the sacrednessof religion: then carefulness that nothing in itselfshould be elaboratedbeyond measure, or extended beyond propriety; that nothingshouldbe made a show of,nothing artfullycoloured; that there should be nothing to pander to the excitementor the renewal of wiles. She isnot a modest woman who strivesto stirup the fancy of another,even although her bodilychastitybe preserved. Away with such as do not adorn,but prostitutetheirbeauty. For anxietyabout beauty is not only the wisdom of an evil fnd, but belongs to deformity. Let the bodilynature be -1Thispassageisallowedby alltobe corrupt.Ifwe weretopunc tate differently,to insert" nisi" before" consummata,"and change longeest" into" non deesset,"we getthefollowingsense: " There- e we shouldalwaysmeditate,brethren,on chastity,ascircumstances ch us,thatitmay be moreeasyforus. Itdependson no arts; for t is itbut perfectedwill,which,ifitwere not checked,would inlynotfailto arise? And itisourown will,too: thereforeit not tobe acquired,butwe havetocherishwhatisalreadyourown."