medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
Clint Atchley wrote in part:
>During the past few days, I've come across three quotes about prostitution
>attributed to Augustine. All are similar--something along the lines
>of "suppress prostitiution and capricious lusts will overthrow society"--
>but none of the authors cite a source for their quotes. Can anyone on the
>list tell me exactly where Augustine says this or where he discusses
>prostitution?
That's from _De Ordine_ (386) 2.4.12:
... Quid sordidius, quid inanius decoris et turpitudinis plenius
meretricibus, lenonibus caeterisque hoc genus pestibus dici potest?
Aufer meretrices de rebus humanis, turbaveris omnia libidinibus:
constitue matronarum loco, labe ac dedecore dehonestaveris. Sic
igitur hoc genus hominum per suos mores impurissimum vita, per
ordinis leges conditione vilissimum ...
I don't find an English translation on-line, but it's apparently in
the _Fathers of the Church_ series, vol. 5, which I don't have at
hand.
Augustine wrote later in the _Contra Faustum Manichaeum_ (397/9) 22.61:
http://www.augustinus.it/latino/contro_fausto/libro_22_testo.htm
Consulta quippe aeterna lex illa, quae ordinem naturalem conservari
iubet, pertubari vetat, non nisi propagationis causa statuit hominis
concubitum fieri, et hoc non nisi socialiter ordinato connubio, quod
non pervertat vinculum pacis: et ideo prostitutio feminarum, non ad
substituendam prolem, sed ad satiandam libidinem propositarum, divina
atque aeterna lege damnatur.
http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/npnf104.iv.ix.XXII.html
Undoubtedly, by the eternal law, which requires the preservation of
natural order, and forbids the transgression of it, conjugal
intercourse should take place only for the procreation of children,
and after the celebration of marriage, so as to maintain the bond of
peace. Therefore, the prostitution of women, merely for the
gratification of sinful passion, is condemned by the divine and
eternal law.
(end quote)
John
--
*** John McChesney-Young ** panis~at~pacbell.net ** Berkeley,
California, U.S.A. ***
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