angelic doctor 830 His sisters attacked [him] with the most charming arguments, because they could not [fight] with weapons;24 while he stood as an unmoved rock. Finally, a prostitute, having been procured [by them], came to the fight. Armed with a more beautiful form, with a more elegant dress, with a more charming eloquence, bringing with her the whole of the river Styx for reinforcement. What did this Christian athlete do? Did he perhaps succumb, having been attacked by so many enemies? Not at all. Did he surrender the treasure of the lily of [his] heart to the boar of hell? In no way. Did he at least shudder, terrified at the reinforcements sent by hell, or stagger at the allurements of the woman Siren?25 No indeed, truly greater than [the temptation] itself, attacking with flames the inflamed Venus before he felt her flames, he overcame, put to flight,26 and was victorious. Let the ancient days be silent here, and no more praise their Melanion with full lips and with the sound of trumpets. In order to be chaste, he turned away from the company of men and withdrew to the forest;27 but what victory is there without an enemy? What praise without a victory? Our Melanion [Thomas] preserved his chaste spirit from an impure fall among men more savage than wild beasts and brought back a most glorious triumph over Venus herself. Let the ancient days no more exalt their Scipio beyond the stars because, being continent, he refused when a maiden of eminent beauty was offered [to him].28 The Roman emperor was easily able to do this, since he was not being attacked. But our Scipio sancti Ioannis perducunt: ubi varie exagitatus, ut sanctum propositum mutaret.” BR, p. 1045. Cf. also: Petitot, op. cit., pp. 25-28. 24 His sisters, Marotta and Theodora, visited him with the permission of their mother to try and discourage him from his holy intention. Cf. Petitot, op. cit., 29. 25 A Siren is a mythical sea monster with the appearance partly of a woman and partly of a vulture, which would lead sailers into shipwreck by singing sweetly and then devour them. Cf. FLL, s.v. Siren, enis. Cf. Parandowski, op. cit., p. 267. 26 Cf. G. de Tocco, op. cit., pp. 74-75. Cf. BR, loc. cit. 27 This story about Melanion is found in a fable told by the Greek comedian Aristophanes. Cf. Lysistrata, in: Aristophanis Comoediae, ed. Graece et Latine, Parisiis 1884, 270. 28 Cf. Plutarchus, op. cit., 106 (s.v. Scipio Aphricanus).
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