Quanta sacri moderaminis sollicitudo erga uxorem et liberos propriosque domesticos ab eodem est exhibenda.
The Threefold Ministry of Rule
A wise ruler must first govern himself, then his wife, children, and household, and finally his subjects, treasuring up a double glory by making others holy as he is holy.
A pious and wise king carries out the ministry of ruling in three ways. For first, himself — as we have shown in the above — secondly, his own wife and children and his household, thirdly, the people entrusted to him, he ought to rule with wise and glorious guidance. It is fitting, therefore, for a good ruler not only to master himself — turning from evil, choosing what is good, and holding firmly to it — but also to govern those closely united to him, namely his wife, children, and household, with thoughtful care and familial love. Doing this, he treasures up for himself a double palm of glory, so that while he himself is good and holy, he may make others who are united to him good and holy as well — as the psalmist says: "With the holy you will be holy, and with the innocent man you will be innocent" — and the rest.✦ For it is not enough to have one's own honor, unless he is also adorned with the modesty of a chaste and pure wife, and of children, companions, and ministers as well — as David says: "Walking on the blameless way, this one ministered to me."✦ Just as a lily in a field is adorned with the varied beauty of other plants and violets, and just as the moon shines more pleasingly with the splendor of surrounding stars, so a just and wise king is adorned by the company of good people. Let him therefore make sure he has a wife who is not only noble, beautiful, and wealthy, but also chaste, prudent, and well-mannered in holy virtues. For the more closely a wife is united by right, the more she becomes either harmful through the gall of malice or sweet through the gentleness of her manners.
The Ruinous Foolish Wife
A foolish woman brings ruin to a household, whereas a chaste and prudent wife becomes the security, joy, and bond of all virtues in the home.
A foolish woman is truly the ruin of a household, the loss of wealth, an enticement to wicked men, a satiation of all evils and vices, who, adorning her outward face with various superstitions, does not know how to cultivate the inner beauty of her own soul. The one she loves today, she hates tomorrow; and as someone says, 'a wicked woman is the shipwreck of her husband's affairs,' so on the other side a chaste and prudent woman, striving in all useful matters with due discipline, with a humble face and cheerful speech, peacefully governs the children and the household, and for her husband's well-being, if necessary, she puts her own life at risk, and she safeguards his wealth along with her good name. The one who was his friend yesterday is also his friend today. She herself therefore becomes the channel of wealth and the security of the home, the joy of her husband, the beauty of the household, and the bond of all the virtues.
The Counsel of a Faithful Wife
A virtuous wife should be joined to her husband not only in submission but as a source of wise counsel and holy living, as even orthodox rulers have heeded her prudence.
Such a woman ought to be joined to her husband not only by a chaste bond and in submission, but should always show the pattern of devotion and holy living, and be the source of wise counsel. For just as destructive dangers arise from the persuasion of an evil wife, so by the counsel of a prudent wife many useful things come forth that are pleasing to the Almighty; hence the apostle says, 'the unbelieving husband is saved through the faithful wife.'✦ And not only unbelievers, but even holy and orthodox rulers often weigh and listen to the remarkable prudence in their wives, not considering the frailty of her sex, but gathering the fruit of good counsel. And there is a story about the venerable wife of the glorious emperor Theodosius, named Placilla, that the ruler himself, while he was good and just and wise in his own right, also had another source of advantage through which he might triumph in good works.
Placilla's Humble Service
Placilla, wife of Emperor Theodosius, embodied humble charity by personally serving the poor and sick, reminding her husband to govern with gratitude and according to God's law.
For his wife would often remind him of God's laws, after first thoroughly instructing herself. For she was not lifted up by the heights of a kingdom, but rather set ablaze by divine love. For the greatness of the gift she had received stirred in her an even greater longing for the giver; and suddenly she came to wear purple.1 She took the greatest care of the lame and the weak, relying on no servants or other ministers, but acting personally, going to their lodgings, and providing each one with whatever they needed. In the same way, moving through the hostels of the churches, she would minister to the sick with her own hands, wiping their pots, tasting their broth, offering spoons, breaking bread, serving food, washing cups, and doing all the other things that it is customary for servants and ministers to do with reverence.2 To those who tried to stop her in matters like this, she would say, 'Distributing gold is the task of the empire; but I, for the empire itself, offer this service to the One who bestows all good things on me.' For she would often say to her husband, 'You must always consider, husband, what you once were and what you are now.' If you always reflect on these things, you will not be ungrateful to the one who benefits you, but you will govern the empire you received according to law and please the author of these gifts.'
The Vineyard of a Noble Marriage
A king's upright conduct shines through his wife as an honorable vineyard, adorned with chaste love, dove-like simplicity, and the peace of a heavenly covenant, so that noble offspring may flourish.
By these words, then, he was offering his own wife what was, as it were, the finest and most useful abundance of virtue. A king who is devout and wise rules with a threefold guidance — over himself, over his own family, and over his subjects. The glory of a ruler whose conduct is upright shines out in his wife, as an honorable vineyard shines out. Let her nobility be adorned with a threefold virtue — with the roses of a chaste heart; let her white beauty shine on her handsome bearing with honor, but let chastity shine brighter still. Christ joined the Church to himself with chaste love; so let a wife cling to her husband. Let gentle simplicity abound in her mind, like the grace of a dove; let piety, prudence, and sacred authority adorn her — the one who flourished in kindly Esder. Let the bonds of peace be loved by king and queen alike; let there be covenant and harmony between the two. Let no envious discord tear apart the twin pair whom the law of heaven had joined. Let discipline rule those whose noble offspring may flourish as branches of beauty. A dry branch does not grow well on a green tree.
A Blessing on the Ruler's Line
A good caretaker who governs his people rightly also governs his family line, adorning the heavens with descendants as if born from Abraham's noble lineage.
A good caretaker provides for this: if a ruler and guide govern the people rightly, they govern their own family line. Let them adorn the heavens with descendants, as if born from Abraham's noble line.
Read the original Latin
Rex pius et sapiens tribus modis regendi ministerium gerit. Nam primo se ipsum, quomodo in superioribus ostendimus, secundo uxorem propriam et liberos suosque domesticos, tertio populum sibi commissum rationabili et glorioso moderamine regere debet. Bonum itaque principem non solum sibimet dominari oportet, dum a malis declinet et quae bona sunt eligat et firmiter teneat, sed etiam alios sibi coniunctiores, uxorem videlicet, liberos atque domesticos provida sollicitudine ac familiari caritate gubernet. Hoc autem faciens duplicem thesaurizat sibi gloriae palmam, ut, dum in se bonus et sanctus sit, alios sibi coniunctos bonos faciat et sanctos, iuxta psalmistam qui ait: "cum sancto sanctus eris, et cum viro innocente innocens eris" et reliqua. Non enim sufficit propriam habere honestatem, nisi pudicae et castae coniugis nec non etiam filiorum et comitum ac ministrorum pudore decoretur, dicente David: "ambulans in via immaculata, hic mihi ministrabat". Nam sicut lilium agri aliorum holerum ac violarum multiplici pulchritudine venustatur, et sicut luna stellarum splendore circumstantium gratius emicat, ita nimirum rex iustus et sapiens aliorum societate bonorum perornatur. Is ergo perspicaciter procuret, ut non solum nobilem, pulchram ac divitem, sed et castam, prudentem quoque atque in sanctis virtutibus morigeram habeat coniugem. Nam quantum coniunx iure est coniunctior, tantum aut felle malitiae fit noxia, aut morum dulcedine mellea.
Etenim mulier inepta domus est ruina, divitiarum defectio, iniquorum saturatio, omnium malorum et vitiorum commoratio, quae diversis superstitionibus vultum exterius ornans, interiorem animae suae pulchritudinem nescit decorare. Quem diligit hodie, odit in crastino, et sicut quidam ait: "naufragium rerum est mulier malefida marito", ita e contrario casta et prudens mulier utilibus rebus disciplinabiliter intendens humili facie hilarique sermone pacifice liberos et familiam regit, proque viri salute, si necesse fuerit, suam animam opponit morti ac divitias, quae sunt mariti sui, cum bona fama custodit. Qui est amicus eius heri, idem et amicus hodie. Fit ergo ipsa divitiarum deductio et domus confirmatio, viri iocunditas, familiae pulchritudo omniumque virtutum connexio. Talem autem decet non solum viro suo casta copula esse connexam et subditam, sed pietatis et sanctae conversationis semper ostendere formam ac prudentium consiliorum esse repertricem. Sicut enim persuasione malae coniugis damnosa nascuntur pericula, ita prudentis uxoris consilio multa proveniunt utilia quae sunt Omnipotenti beneplacita, unde et apostolus ait, quoniam vir infidelis salvabitur per mulierem fidelem. Nec solum infideles, sed etiam sancti et orthodoxi principes mirabilem saepe in uxoribus perpendunt et auscultant prudentiam, non sexum fragilem considerantes, sed fructus bonorum consiliorum carpentes. Unde et de gloriosi imperatoris Theodosii venerabili coniuge nomine Placilla refertur, quod ipse princeps, dum in se bonus et iustus et sapiens erat, habebat et aliam utilitatis occasionem, per quam de bonis operibus triumpharet.
Coniux enim eius divinas leges eum saepius admonebat, se ipsam tamen perfecte prius erudiens. Non enim regni fastigiis elevata est, sed potius divino amore succensa. Beneficii namque magnitudo maius ei desiderium benefactoris adhibebat; repente namque venit ad purpuram. Claudorum atque debilium maximam habebat curam, non servis, non aliis ministris utens, sed per semet ipsam agens et ad eorum habitacula veniens et unicuique, quod opus haberet, praebens. Sic etiam per ecclesiarum xenodochia discurrens suis manibus ministrabat infirmis, ollas eorum tergens, ius gustans, offerens coclearia, panem frangens cibosque ministrans, calicem deluens et alia cuncta faciens, quae servis et ministris mos est sollemniter operari. His autem, qui eam de rebus talibus nitebantur prohibere, dicebat: "aurum distribuere opus imperii est; ego autem pro ipso imperio hoc opus offero bona mihi omnia conferenti". Nam viro suo saepe dicebat: "oportet te semper, marite, cogitare quid dudum fuisti, quid modo sis. Haec si semper cogitaveris, ingratus benefactori non eris, sed imperium quod suscepisti, legaliter gubernabis et harum rerum placabis auctorem".
His ergo sermonibus velut optimam quandam utilitatem virtutisque habundantiam coniugi suo offerebat.
Rex pius et sapiens terno moderamine regnat Semet suosque et subditos. Gloria regnantis proba moribus eminet uxor, Sicut honesta vinea. Illam nobilitas triplici virtute venustet Rosis pudici pectoris; Lactea formoso niteant si colla decore, Magis nitescat castitas. Christus ut ecclesiam sibi casto iunxit amore, Uxor viro sic haereat; Mitis simplicitas in cuius mente redundet Velut columbae gratia; Quam decoret pietas, prudentia, sacra potestas, Esder ut alma floruit. Vincula pacis ament rex et regina; duobus Sit foedus et concordia. Invida non dirimat geminos discordia, pacis Quos lex superna iunxerat. Disciplina regat quorum praenobile germen Rami decori floreant. Aridus haut viridi bene crescit in arbore palmes.
Cultor bonus hoc providet: Princeps et rectrix populum si rite gubernant, Suam regant prosapiam. Abrahae veluti generosa stirpe creatis Ornent polos nepotibus.
Scripture echoes
- ↩Ps.18.26 — With the loyal one you show yourself loyal; with the blameless man you show yourself blameless.
- ↩Ps.101.6 — My eyes are on the faithful ones of the land, that they may dwell with me; whoever walks in a blameless way—he is the one who will serve me.
- ↩1Cor.7.14 — For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by his wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by her brother; otherwise your children would be unclean, but now they are holy.
Notes
On Christian Rulers (De rectoribus christianis) companion
Formation did not end with the Carolingians
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