Ante-Nicene Fathers/Volume IV/Tertullian: Part Fourth/On the Apparel of Women/II/Chapter 6

Chapter VI.&#8212;Of Dyeing the Hair.

I see some (women) turn (the colour of) their hair with saffron.&#160; They are ashamed even of their own nation, (ashamed) that their procreation did not assign them to Germany and to Gaul:&#160; thus, as it is, they transfer their hair (thither)!&#160; Ill, ay, most ill, do they augur for themselves with their flame-coloured head, and think that graceful which (in fact) they are polluting!&#160; Nay, moreover, the force of the cosmetics burns ruin into the hair; and the constant application of even any undrugged moisture, lays up a store of harm for the head; while the sun&#8217;s warmth, too, so desirable for imparting to the hair at once growth and dryness, is hurtful.&#160; What &#8220;grace&#8221; is compatible with &#8220;injury?&#8221;&#160; What &#8220;beauty&#8221; with &#8220;impurities?&#8221;&#160; Shall a Christian woman heap saffron on her head, as upon an altar? &#160; For, whatever is wont to be burned to the honour of the unclean spirit, that&#8212;unless it is applied for honest, and necessary, and salutary uses, for which God&#8217;s creature was provided&#8212;may seem to be a sacrifice.&#160; But, however, God saith, &#8220;Which of you can make a white hair black, or out of a black a white?&#8221; &#160; And so they refute the Lord!&#160; &#8220;Behold!&#8221; say they, &#8220;instead of white or black, we make it yellow,&#8212;more winning in grace.&#8221; &#160; And yet such as repent of having lived to old age do attempt to change it even from white to black!&#160; O temerity!&#160; The age which is the object of our wishes and prayers blushes (for itself)! a theft is effected! youth, wherein we have sinned, is sighed after! the opportunity of sobriety is spoiled!&#160; Far from Wisdom&#8217;s daughters be folly so great!&#160; The more old age tries to conceal itself, the more will it be detected.&#160; Here is a veritable eternity, in the (perennial) youth of your head!&#160; Here we have an &#8220;incorruptibility&#8221; to &#8220;put on,&#8221; with a view to the new house of the Lord which the divine monarchy promises!&#160; Well do you speed toward the Lord; well do you hasten to be quit of this most iniquitous world, to whom it is unsightly to approach (your own) end!