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  CONFESSIONS - BOOK IX - CHAPTER IX
  by St. Augustine
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19. Thus modestly and soberly brought up, she was made subject to her
parents by thee, rather more than by her parents to thee. She arrived at
a marriageable age, and she was given to a husband whom she served as
her lord. And she busied herself to gain him to thee, preaching thee to
him by her behavior, in which thou madest her fair and reverently
amiable, and admirable to her husband. For she endured with patience his
infidelity and never had any dissension with her husband on this
account. For she waited for thy mercy upon him until, by believing in
thee, he might become chaste.

Moreover, even though he was earnest in friendship, he was also violent
in anger; but she had learned that an angry husband should not be
resisted, either in deed or in word. But as soon as he had grown calm
and was tranquil, and she saw a fitting moment, she would give him a
reason for her conduct, if he had been excited unreasonably. As a
result, while many matrons whose husbands were more gentle than hers
bore the marks of blows on their disfigured faces, and would in private
talk blame the behavior of their husbands, she would blame their
tongues, admonishing them seriously--though in a jesting manner--that
from the hour they heard what are called the matrimonial tablets read to
them, they should think of them as instruments by which they were made
servants. So, always being mindful of their condition, they ought not to
set themselves up in opposition to their lords. And, knowing what a
furious, bad-tempered husband she endured, they marveled that it had
never been rumored, nor was there any mark to show, that Patricius had
ever beaten his wife, or that there had been any domestic strife between
them, even for a day. And when they asked her confidentially the reason
for this, she taught them the rule I have mentioned. Those who observed
it confirmed the wisdom of it and rejoiced; those who did not observe it
were bullied and vexed.

20. Even her mother-in-law, who was at first prejudiced against her by
the whisperings of malicious servants, she conquered by submission,
persevering in it with patience and meekness; with the result that the
mother-in-law told her son of the tales of the meddling servants which
had disturbed the domestic peace between herself and her daughter-in-law
and begged him to punish them for it. In conformity with his mother\\

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Source: https://sermonindex.net/speakers/st-augustine/confessions-book-ix-chapter-ix/
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