Virginity And Marriage

Πολλοὶ τῶν μεγάλων ἀνθρώπων τὴν παρθενίαν θαυμάζουσιν· καὶ γάρ ἐστι θαυμαστὴ ὡς τῶν ἀγγέλων σύμφυτος, ὡς τῶν ἄνω δυνάμεων συνόμιλος, ὡς τῶν ἀσωμάτων φύσεων σύνδρομος, ὡς τῆς ἁγίας ἐκκλησίας λαμπαδοῦχος, ὡς τὸν κόσμον νικῶσα, ὡς τὰ πάθη πατοῦσα, ὡς τὰς ὀρέξεις χαλινοῦσα, ὡς τῇ Εὔᾳ μὴ κοινωνοῦσα, ὡς λύπης ἀπηλλαγμένη, ὡς ἁγνείας ἐπειλημμένη, ὡς στεναγμῶν λελυτρωμένη, ὡς τὴν καταδεδικας μένην ἀπόφασιν μὴ προσδεχομένη τὴν φάσκουσαν· Πληθύνων πληθυνῶ τὰς λύπας σου καὶ τὸν στεναγμόν σου· ἐν λύπαις τέξῃ τέκνα καὶ πρὸς τὸν ἄνδρα σου ἡ ἀποστροφή σου, καὶ αὐτός σου κυριεύσει. Θαυμαστὴ τοιγαροῦν ἡ παρθενία ὡς ἀδούλωτον κτῆμα, ὡς ἐλεύθερον ἐνδιαίτημα, ὡς ἀσκητικὸν ἐγκαλλώπισμα, ὡς τῆς ἀνθρωπίνης ἕξεως ἀνωτέρα, ὡς τῶν ἐπ' ἀνάγκαις παθῶν ἀπολυθεῖσα, ὡς συνεισελθοῦσα τῷ νυμφίῳ Χριστῷ εἰς τὸν θάλαμον τῆς τῶν οὐρανῶν βασιλείας. Καὶ τὰ μὲν τῆς παρθενίας κλέη ταῦτα καὶ τὰ παραπλήσια τούτων. Ὁ δὲ τίμιος γάμος ὑπέρκειται παντὸς δώρου γηΐνου, ὡς ἔγκαρπον δένδρον, ὡς ἀστειότατον φυτόν, ὡς ῥίζα τῆς παρθενίας, ὡς γεωργὸς τῶν λογικῶν καὶ ἐμψύχων κλάδων, ὡς εὐλογία τῆς τοῦ κόσμου αὐξήσεως, ὡς παρήγορος τοῦ γένους, ὡς δημιουργὸς τῆς ἀνθρωπότητος, ὡς τῆς θεϊκῆς εἰκόνος ζωγράφος, ὡς τὸν δεσπότην εὐλογοῦντα κεκτημένος, ὡς πάντα τὸν κόσμον φέρειν δεχόμενος, ὡς ἐκείνῳ πολιτευόμενος ὃν καὶ ἐνανθρωπῆσαι ἐδυσώπησεν, ὡς δυνάμενος λέγειν μετὰ παρρησίας· Ἰδού, ἐγὼ καὶ τὰ παιδία ἅ μοι ἔδωκεν ὁ θεός. Περίελε τὸν τίμιον γάμον καὶ οὐχ εὑρήσεις τὸ τῆς παρθενίας ἄνθος· ἔνθεν γὰρ καὶ οὐκ ἄλλοθεν τὸ τῆς παρθενίας ἄνθος ἀναλέγεται. Ταῦτα δὲ λέγοντες οὐ μάχην παρεισβάλλομεν μεταξὺ παρθενίας καὶ γάμου· ἑκάτερα δὲ ὡς ἀλληλόχρεα θαυμάζομεν. Ἐπειδὴ τῶν ἑκατέρων ὁ δεσπότης προνοητής, οὐκ ἀντιταλαντεύει ἕτερον τῷ ἑτέρῳ· πρὸς πάντα γὰρ τὰ ἑκάτερα μέρη τῆς θεοφοβίας ἔχεται. Δίχα γὰρ τῆς εὐσεβοῦς θεοφοβίας οὔτε παρθενία σεμνὴ οὔτε γάμος τίμιος. Ἀμφιλοχίος Ἐπισκόπος Ἰκονίου, εἰς τὴν θεοτόκον καὶ εἰς τὸν Συμεῶνα καὶ Ἄνναν. Λογός Β' Source: Migne 39.44-45

They are many great men who admire virginity, for indeed it is a wonder to share the nature ofangels, to be as an associate of lofty powers, as a companion ofincorporeal nature, as a torch of the holy Church, as one who conquersthe world, as one who treads down passions, as one who binds appetite, as one who has no communion with Eve, as one untouched by sorrow, as one immune togroans, as one loosed from moaning, as one not expecting that decree ofcondemnation which says, 'I shall multiply the multitude of your sorrows and your groans; insorrow you shall birth children, and you shall incline to your man and he shallrule over you.' 1 Thus is virginity a wonder, as a thing knowing no servitude, as a place of freedom, as a honourableascetic discipline, as something superior to human state, as a thingthat frees from pressing passions, as that which enters the wedding chamber with Christ the bridegroomin the kingdom of heaven. And these emblems of virginity things near may have. Indeed marriage is honourable, 2 a over all worldly things, as a fruit bearing tree, as an elegant plant, as the root of virginity, that which produces living and rational branches, as a blessing of growth to the world, as a type ofcomfort, as the Creator of man, as the painter of the Divine image, as that to which the Lord gave blessing, as that which may receive Him who bears the whole world, for Him prepared who descending became man, that it is able to say openly, 'Behold, I and the children which the Lord has given to me.' 3 Take away honourable marriage and you will not find the flower of virginity, because the flower of virginity is not gathered from another. But when we speak of these things, we by no means set up a fight between virginity and marriage, but we admire the different offices of both. Since the provident master of each one does not oppose one to the other, in both piety may be embraced. For without devout piety, neither is virginity venerable nor is marriage honourable. Amphilocius of Iconium, from Oration 2, On The Mother Of God and Simeon and Anna 1 Gen 3.16 2 Heb 13.4 3 Isaiah 8.18