Letter 430

To Theodosia, a Nun. Woman you are in body, whether you wish it or whether you do not. Cease, therefore, from teaching the men in church; for the Apostle [Paul] plainly declared this to be shameful, even if you should say ten thousand times over that you stand far removed from the womanish condition, and that you yourself are sturdier than the men, by the firm grounding of a virgin's resolve. Let us not, just as it happens and without testing the matter, shift ourselves from place to place; but rather let us stand fast, praying with endurance, just as holy Moses said to the Israelites: "Stand fast, take courage, do not be afraid, and you shall see the help from the Lord, which he will work for you."

Γύναι τὸ σῶμα τυγχάνεις, κἂν θέλῃς, κἂν μὴ θέλῃς. Πέπαυσο τοίνυν τοὺς ἄνδρας διδάσκουσα ἐπὶ τῆς ἐκκλησίας· αἰσχρὸν γὰρ τοῦτο εἶναι ὁ Ἀπόστολος φανερῶς ἀπεφήνατο, καὶ μυριάκις λέγῃς τῆς θηλυδρώδους ἕξεως μακρὰν ἀπέχειν, καὶ τῶν ἀνδρῶν ὑπάρχειν σεαυτὴν στεῤῥοτέραν, κατὰ τὸν τοῦ παρθένου φρονήματος ἑδρασμόν. Μὴ ὥς ἔτυχε, καὶ ἀβασανίστως μετατιθέμεν ἑαυ- τοὺς ἀπὸ τόπων εἰς τόπους, μᾶλλον δὲ στήκωμεν μεθ' ὑπομονῆς προσευχόμενοι, καθὼς ἔλεγεν ὁ ἅγιος Μωϋσῆς πρὸς τοὺς Ἰσραηλίτας, « Στήκετε, θαρσεῖτε, μὴ φοβεῖσθε, καὶ ὄψεσθε τὴν παρὰ τοῦ Κυρίου βοή- θειαν, ἣν ποιήσει ὑμῖν. »