earth are representatives of God and that all authority is from God.106

Later on, as a child's talent and the light of reason grow, a father should demonstrate the beauty of virtue and the ugliness of vice.107

Stress should be given to a right balance between the two aspects. They should be in harmony with a common attitude of championing the principle of authority. “A father should be careful, therefore, not to be over-indulgent towards his son and never grant him too much familiarity, especially when he is older. At the same time, he should not be over-severe and rigid, while maintaining a certain seriousness seasoned with and tempered by gentleness and kindness, so his son may join fear to love in his regard. This is what we mean by reverence” .108

An important role in educative prevention is given to chastity. Antoniano, dealing with Vane et inhoneste pitture (Vain and shameful pictures) says, “that much work should be done to safeguard the purity of a boy and girl, so as not to allow the devil to steal it away”.109 He forcefully underscores the danger of the “vice of the flesh”, because “this domestic enemy ordinarily attacks youth when the blood flow is greater and passions are stronger. What are needed are diligence, study and work.”110 We should not be indulgent in this matter and so, as the Saints say, there is no other vice which darkens the mind of a child, casts it more deeply into the mud and renders it more obtuse and inept for anything, than the vice of dishonesty.”111

The suggested strategy is the traditional one, further strengthened by protective elements in view of the future. Its development has three directions: removing and avoiding the occasions of sin, a clarifying and positive approach to life, and recourse to means provided by grace. First of all, “a victory against the vice of the flesh, as the Saints say, can be recorded when there is a running a way from it; and there is no better way to fight it than not having to fight it at all”. 112

This is neither the first nor the main means, however constructive and positive it may seem to be, at the level of reason and grace. “At times, the father should talk with his son about chastity, so he may fall perfectly in love with this most beautiful virtue and learn how to hate and loathe the vice of lust, especially when the time comes for the young man to bind himself in marriage. He will also urge him to be faithful in his marriage”.113 “I have given final place to the remedy which no doubt should be and is the first remedy, and that is to make sure that the love of God is enkindled in the tender and pure heart of a young person….For this reason, then, let this be the main concern of a good father in the family, that his young boy may fall in love with God and with the glory prepared for us in Paradise and with the beauty of virtue... Therefore a good father, through all kinds of good and holy practices of piety and religion, by giving frequent and gentle instructions and by means of prayer, should provide the right weapons for his son to fight the devil’s arrows, but especially by frequent use of the holy sacraments of Confession and the Eucharist”.114

106 S. Antoniano, book II, Ch. 30, sheet 49v.

107 ibid, book II, Ch. 51, sheet 60v. Della virtù della verità.

108 ibid, book II, Ch. 70, sheet 74r.

109 ibid, book II, Ch. 42, sheet 56r. Chapters 85 to 98 of Book II deal with the sixth commandment: Ch. 85 Del sesto

precetto, non commettere adulterio; Ch. 86 Della cura paterna circa la castità del figliuolo; 87 Dell’errore di alcuni

indulgenti alla giovenezza; Ch 88 Della cautela che si deve usare nel ragionar della castità; Ch. 89 Alcune christiane

ragioni da persuadere la castità; Ch. 90 De i danni che temporalmente apporta la vita impudica; Ch. 95 Dell’offitio, et

cura particolare della madre di famiglia circa gli adornamenti delle figliuole; Ch. 96 Del rimuovere l’occasioni; Ch. 97

Come sia molto da avvertire alle conversazioni di fuori; Ch. 98 Della frequenza de i sacramenti, et dell’amore di Dio. 110ibid, book 2, Ch. 86, sheet 85r-v.

111ibid, book 2, Ch. 87, sheet 85v-86r, Dell’errore di alcuni indulgenti alla giovenezza.

112ibid, book 2, Ch. 96, sheet 91v.

113 ibid, book 2, Ch. 88, sheet 86V. Della cautela che si deve usare nel ragionar della castità.

114 ibid, book 2, Ch. 98, sheet 92v.