C10_KAPPA

KAPPA

Ἀρχὴ τοῦ Κ στοιχείου.

CASSIAN 10_01

Περὶ τοῦ ἀββᾶ Κασιανοῦ

As a young man Cassian (360-435) joined a monastery in Bethlehem; he left there with a friend, Germanus, to study monasticism in Egypt and Syria. The material he collected during that time later formed the basis of his two books, the Institutes and the Conferences: the Institutes describes monastic life as he had seen it in Egypt and Syria, and deals with the eight chief hindrances to perfection; in the Conferences, Cassian gives long expositions of various spiritual topics, set out in the form of conversations between himself and the leaders of early monasticism whom be had met in Egypt. In 415 he founded two monasteries near Marseilles; he died in 435.
Cassian s writings are the work of a sophisticated writer reflecting on his experiences and interpreting them in the light of other influences. But the basic material he used was the tradition of desert teaching and his works filtered these early ideals for the use of the West. The Rule of S. Benedict recommends the Institutes and Conferences ‘and the Lives of the Fathers, as also the Rule of our holy father Basil’ (Rule ch 73)as ‘tools [in ] Cassian j jjj of virtue for good-living and obedient monks’ thus ensuring that the tradition passed on by Cassian would become one of the most potent and formative influences in western monasticism.

1. Abba Cassian related the following: ‘The holy Germanus and I went to Egypt, to visit an old man. Because he offered us hospitality we asked him, “Why do you not keep the rule of fasting, when you receive visiting brothers, as we have received it in Palestine?” He replied, “Fasting is always to hand but you I cannot have with me always. Furthermore, fasting is certainly a useful and necessary thing, but it depends on our choice while the law of God lays it upon us to do the works of charity. Thus receiving Christ in you, I ought to serve you will all diligence, but when I have taken leave of you, I can resume the rule of fasting again. For ‘Can the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them, but when the bridegroom is taken from them, then they will fast in that day.’ “ ‘ (Mark 2. 19-20)

α. Διηγήσατο ὁ ἀββᾶς Κασιανὸς͵ ὅτι Παρεβά λομεν ἐγώ τε καὶ ὁ ἅγιος Γερμανὸς εἰς Αἴγυπτον͵ πρός τινα γέροντα. Καὶ φιλοξενήσας ἡμᾶς ἠρωτήθη παρ΄ ἡμῶν· Τίνος ἕνεκεν ἐν τῷ καιρῷ τῆς ὑποδοχῆς τῶν ξένων ἀδελφῶν͵ τὸν κανόνα τῆς νηστείας ἡμῶν͵ ὡς ἐν Παλαιστίνῃ παρελάβομεν͵ οὐ φυλάττετε; Καὶ ἀπεκρίθη λέγων· Ἡ νηστεία πάντοτε μετ΄ ἐμοῦ ἐστιν· ὑμᾶς δὲ κατέχειν πάντοτε μεθ΄ ἑαυτοῦ οὐ δύ ναμαι· καὶ ἡ μὲν νηστεία καὶ χρήσιμόν ἐστι πρᾶγμα καὶ ἀναγκαῖον͵ τῆς ἡμετέρας δέ ἐστι προαιρέσεως· τὴν δὲ τῆς ἀγάπης πλήρωσιν ἐξ ἀνάγκης ἀπαιτεῖ ὁ τοῦ Θεοῦ νόμος. Ἐν ὑμῖν οὖν δεχόμενος τὸν Χριστὸν͵ χρεωστῶ μετὰ πάσης θεραπεῦσαι σπουδῆς. Ἐπὰν δὲ ὑμᾶς προπέμψω͵ τὸν κανόνα τῆς νηστείας δύνα μαι ἀνακτήσασθαι. Οὐ δύνανται γὰρ οἱ υἱοὶ τοῦ νυμφῶνος νηστεύειν͵ ἐφ΄ ὅσον χρόνον ὁ νυμφίος μετ΄ αὐτῶν ἐστιν· ὅταν δὲ ἀρθῇ ὁ νυμφίος͵ τότε μετ΄ ἐξουσίας νηστεύσουσιν

2. The same abba said, ‘There was an old man who was served by a holy virgin and men said he was not pure. The old man heard what was said. When he was on the point of dying he said to the Fathers, “When I am dead, plant my stick in the grave; if it grows and bears fruit, know that I am pure from all contact with her; but if it does not grow, know that I have sinned with her.” So they planted the stick and on the third day it budded and bore fruit, and they all gave glory to God.’

β. Ὁ αὐτὸς εἶπεν͵ ὅτι ῏Ην τις γέρων͵ καὶ ὑπηρετεῖτο ὑπὸ ἁγίας παρθένου· καὶ οἱ ἄνθρωποι ἔλεγον· Οὐκ εἰσὶ καθαροί. Καὶ ἤκουσεν ὁ γέρων. Ὅταν δὲ ἤμελλε τελευτᾷν͵ εἶπε τοῖς Πατράσιν· Ὅταν τελευτήσω͵ φυτεύσατε τὴν ῥάβδον μου εἰς τάφον· καὶ ἐὰν βλαστήσῃ καὶ ποιήσῃ καρπὸν͵ μάθετε ὅτι καθαρός εἰμι ἀπ΄ αὐτῆς· εἰ δὲ μὴ βλαστήσῃ͵ γι νώσκετε ὅτι πέπτωκα μετ΄ αὐτῆς. Καὶ ἐφυτεύθη ἡ ῥάβδος͵ καὶ τῇ τρίτῃ ἡμέρᾳ ἐβλάστησε͵ καὶ ἐποίησε καρπόν. Καὶ πάντες ἐδόξασαν τὸν Θεόν

3. He also said, ‘We went to see another old man who made us eat. Then when we had had enough, he pressed us to take some more food. When I said to him I could not take any more, he replied, “This is the sixth time I have set the table for the brothers who come, and inviting each of them, have eaten with him, and I am still hungry. But though you have eaten only once of this food, you are already satisfied, to the extent that you cannot eat any more.’“

γ. Εἶπε πάλιν͵ ὅτι Παρεβάλομεν ἑτέρῳ γέροντι· καὶ ἐποίησεν ἡμᾶς γεύσασθαι. Προετρέπετο δὲ ἡμᾶς κορεσθέντας͵ ἔτι μεταλαβεῖν τροφῆς. Ἐμοῦ δὲ εἰρηκό τος μηκέτι δύνασθαι͵ ἀπεκρίθη· Ἐγὼ ἑξάκις παραγενομένων ἀδελφῶν τράπεζαν ἔθηκα͵ καὶ προ τρεπόμενος ἕνα ἕκαστον συνήσθιον͵ καὶ ἀκμὴν πεινῶ. Τοῦτο δὲ σὺ ἅπαξ φαγὼν οὕτως ἐκορέσθης͵ ὥστε μηκέτι φαγεῖν δύνασθαι

4. The same Father related this: ‘Abba John, abbot of a great monastery, went to Abba Paesius who had been living for forty years very far off in the desert. As he was very fond of him and could therefore speak freely with him, he said to him, “What good 1 have you done by living here in retreat for so long, and not being easily disturbed by anyone?” He replied, “Since I lived in solitude the sun has never seen me eating.” Abba John said to him, “As for me, it has never seen me angry.” ‘

δ. Διηγήσατο πάλιν ὁ αὐτὸς͵ ὅτι Παρέβαλεν ὁ ἀββᾶς Ἰωάννης ἄνθρωπος κοινοβίου ἡγούμενος με γάλου͵ τῷ ἀββᾷ Παησίῳ͵ ἐν ἀκροτάτῃ ἐρήμῳ δι άγοντι ἐπὶ ἔτη τεσσαράκοντα͵ καὶ ὡς ἔχων πρὸς αὐ τὸν πολλὴν ἀγάπην͵ καὶ τὴν ἐκ ταύτης παῤῥησίαν εἶπεν αὐτῷ· Τί ἐν τοσούτῳ χρόνῳ οὕτως ἀναχωρῶν͵ καὶ ὑπὸ μηδενὸς ἀνθρώπου ταχέως ὀχλούμενος κατ ώρθωσας; Ὁ δέ φησιν· Ἀφ΄ οὗ ἐμόνασα͵ οὐδέ ποτέ ²⁴⁵ με εἶδεν ὁ ἥλιος ἐσθίοντα. Εἶπε δὲ καὶ ὁ ἀββᾶς Ἰωάννης· Οὐδὲ ἐμὲ ὀργιζόμενον

5. The brothers surrounded the same Abba John who was at the point of death and ready to depart eagerly and joyously to God. They asked him to leave them a concise and salutary saying as their inheritance, which would enable them to become perfect in Christ. Groaning he said to them, ‘I have never done my own will, nor taught anything which I had not previously carried out.’

ε. Τοῦτον τὸν ἀββᾶν Ἰωάννην περὶ τὴν τελευτὴν ὄντα͵ καὶ ἐκδημοῦντα προθύμως καὶ ἱλαρῶς πρὸς τὸν Θεὸν͵ ἐκύκλωσαν οἱ ἀδελφοὶ͵ ἀξιοῦντες λόγον τινὰ σύντομον καὶ σωτήριον ἐν κλήρου τάξει καταλι πεῖν αὐτοῖς͵ δι΄ οὗ δυνήσονται ἐπιβῆναι τῆς ἐν Χριστῷ τελειότητος. Ὁ δὲ στενάξας ἔφη· Οὐδέποτε ἐποίησα τὸ ἴδιον θέλημα· οὐδέ τινα ἐδίδαξα͵ ὅπερ πρότερον οὐκ ἐποίησα. .

6. He related with regard to another old man living in the desert, that he had asked God to grant him never to become sleepy during a spiritual conference, but, if someone uttered slanderous or useless words, to be able to go to sleep at once, so that his ears should never be touched by that poison. This old man also said that the devil, enemy of all spiritual instruction, works hard to provoke useless words. He used the following example, ‘Once when I was talking to some brothers on a helpful topic, they were overcome by sleep so deep, that they could not even move their eyelids any longer. Then, wishing to show them the power of the devil, I introduced a trivial subject of conversation. Immediately, they woke up, full of joy. Then I said to them with many sighs, “Until now, we were discussing heavenly things and your eyes were heavy with sleep, but when I embarked on a useless discourse, you all woke up with alacrity. Therefore, brothers, I implore you to recognize the power of the evil demon; pay attention to yourselves, and guard yourselves from the desire to sleep when you are doing or listening to something spiritual.’“

ϛ. Διηγήσατο πάλιν περὶ ἑτέρου γέροντος ἐν ἐρήμῳ καθεζομένου͵ ὅτι παρεκάλεσε τὸν Θεὸν χαρί σασθαι αὐτῷ͵ ὥστε μηδέποτε νυστάξαι αὐτὸν κινου μένης ὁμιλίας πνευματικῆς· εἰ δέ τις καταλαλιᾶς ἢ ἀργολογίας λόγους ἐπιφέρει͵ εὐθὺς εἰς ὕπνον καταφέρεσθαι͵ ἵνα μὴ ἰοῦ τοιούτου γεύωνται αἱ ἀκοαὶ αὐτοῦ. Οὗτος δὲ ἔλεγε͵ τὸν διάβολον σπουδα στὴν εἶναι τῆς ἀργολογίας͵ πολέμιον δὲ πάσης δι δασκαλίας πνευματικῆς· τοιούτῳ χρώμενος ὑπο δείγματι· Λαλοῦντος γάρ μου͵ φησὶ͵ περὶ ὠφελείας πρός τινας ἀδελφοὺς͵ τοσούτῳ ὕπνῳ βαθεῖ κατεσχέ θησαν͵ ὥστε μήτε τὰ βλέφαρα κινεῖν δύνασθαι. Ἐγὼ οὖν θέλων δεῖξαι τοῦ δαίμονος τὴν ἐνέργειαν͵ λόγον ἀργολογίας παρεισήνεγκα· ἐφ΄ ᾧ χαρέντες παρα χρῆμα διένηψαν. Στενάξας δὲ εἶπον· Μέχρι τοίνυν περὶ οὐρανίων πραγμάτων διελεγόμεθα͵ πάντων ὑμῶν οἱ ὀφθαλμοὶ τῷ ὕπνῳ συνείχοντο· ἡνίκα δὲ λόγος ἀργὸς ἐῤῥύη͵ πάντες μετὰ προθυμίας διαν έστητε. Διὸ͵ ἀδελφοὶ͵ παρακαλῶ͵ ἐπίγνωτε τοῦ πο νηροῦ δαίμονος τὴν ἐνέργειαν͵ καὶ ἑαυτοῖς προσ έχετε͵ φυλαττόμενοι τὸν νυσταγμὸν͵ ἡνίκα τι ποιεῖτε πνευματικὸν͵ ἢ ἀκούετε

7. He also said, ‘There was a distinguished official who had renounced everything and distributed his goods to the poor. He kept a little bit for his personal use because he did not want to accept the humiliation that comes from total renunciation, nor did he sincerely want to submit to the rule of the monastery. Saint Basil said to him, “You have lost your senatorial rank without becoming a monk.” ‘

ζ. Εἶπε πάλιν͵ ὅτι Συγκλητικός τις ἀποταξά μενος͵ καὶ τὰ ἑαυτοῦ ὑπάρχοντα πένησι διαδοὺς͵ παρακατέσχε τινὰ εἰς ἰδίαν ἀπόλαυσιν͵ μὴ βουλόμε νος τὴν ἐκ τῆς τελείας ἀποταγῆς ἀναδέξασθαι τα πεινοφροσύνην͵ καὶ τὴν γνησίαν ὑποταγὴν τοῦ κοι νοβιακοῦ κανόνος. Πρὸς ὃν ὁ ἐν ἁγίοις Βασίλειος λό γον ἀπεφθέγξατο τοιοῦτον· Καὶ τὸν συγκλητικὸν ἀπώλεσας͵ καὶ μοναχὸν οὐκ ἐποίησας

8. He also said, ‘There was a monk living in a cave in the desert. His relations according to the flesh let him know, “Your father is very ill, at the point of death: come and receive his inheritance.” He replied to them, “I died to the world before he did and the dead do not inherit from the living.”

η. Εἶπε πάλιν͵ ὅτι ῏Ην τις μοναχὸς οἰκῶν ἐν σπη λαίῳ ἐν ἐρήμῳ· καὶ ἐδηλώθη αὐτῷ ὑπὸ τῶν συγ γενῶν κατὰ σάρκα͵ ὅτι Ὁ πατήρ σου ἰσχυρῶς ἐν οχλεῖται͵ καὶ μέλλει τελευτᾷν͵ ἐλθὲ ἵνα κληρονομή σῃς αὐτόν. Ὁ δὲ ἀπεκρίθη πρὸς αὐτούς· Ἐγὼ πρὸς ἐκείνου ἀπέθανον τῷ κόσμῳ· νεκρὸς ζῶντα οὐ κλη ρονομεῖ. ²⁴⁸

CRONIUS 10_02

Περὶ τοῦ ἀββᾶ Κρονίου

Cronius, born c. A.D. 285, first lived in a monastery, but left it to join Anthony the Great in Egypt, where he acted as Anthony s Greek interpreter. Later, be settled as an anchorite in Nitria, was ordained priest, and had many disciples, one of whom was Isaac of the Cells. He died about A.D. 386.

1. A brother said to Abba Cronius, ‘Speak a work to me.’ He said to him, ‘When Elisha came to the Shunamite, he did not find her busy with anyone else. So she conceived and bore a child through the coming of Elisha.’ (2 Kings 4) The brother said to him, ‘What does this mean?’ The old man said, ‘If the soul is vigilant and withdraws from all distraction and abandons its own will, then the spirit of God invades it and it can conceive because it is free to do so.’

α. Ἀδελφὸς ἔφη τῷ ἀββᾷ Κρονίῳ· Εἰπέ μοι ῥῆμα. Καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ͵ ὅτι Ἐν τῷ ἐλθεῖν τὸν Ἐλισ σαῖον πρὸς τὴν Σωμανῆτιν͵ εὗρεν αὐτὴν μὴ ἔχουσαν πρᾶγμα μετά τινος· συνέλαβεν οὖν͵ καὶ ἔτεκε διὰ τῆς παρουσίας Ἐλισσαίου. Λέγει δὲ αὐτῷ ὁ ἀδελφός· Τί ἐστι τὸ ῥῆμα τοῦτο; Καὶ λέγει ὁ γέρων͵ ὅτι Ἡ ψυχὴ ἐὰν νήψῃ͵ καὶ συστείλῃ ἑαυτὴν ἀπὸ τοῦ περι σπασμοῦ͵ καὶ καταλείψῃ τὰ θελήματα ἑαυτῆς͵ τότε τὸ Πνεῦμα τοῦ Θεοῦ παραβάλλει αὐτῇ· καὶ δύναται λοιπὸν γεννῆσαι͵ ἐπειδὴ στεῖρά ἐστιν

2. A brother asked Abba Cronius, ‘What should I do to correct the forgetfulness which enslaves my spirit, and prevents me from perceiving anything until I am led into sin?’ The old man said, ‘When the strange people took possession of the ark because of the evil manner of life of the sons of Israel, they drew it until they brought it into the house of Dagon, their God and then he fell to the ground.’ (1 Sam. 5) The brother said, ‘What is the meaning of that?’ The old man said, If the demons attempt to capture a man’s spirit through his own impetus, they draw him in this manner until they lead him to an invisible passion. Then, at that point if the spirit returns and seeks after God and if it remembers the eternal judgement, immediately the passion falls away and disappears. It is written, “In returning and rest you shall be saved.’“ (Isaiah 30.15)

β. Ἀδελφὸς ἠρώτησε τὸν ἀββᾶν Κρόνιον· Τί ποιήσω τῇ λήθῃ τῇ αἰχμαλωτιζούσῃ τὸν νοῦν μου͵ καὶ οὐκ ἐώσῃ με αἰσθάνεσθαι͵ μέχρι με ἐνέγκῃ κατ΄ αὐτῆς τῆς ἁμαρτίας; Καὶ λέγει ὁ γέρων· Ὅτε ἔλαβον οἱ ἀλλόφυλοι τὴν κιβωτὸν διὰ τὴν κακὴν πρᾶξιν τῶν υἱῶν Ἰσραὴλ͵ ἔσυρον αὐτὴν ἕως οὗ ἤνεγκαν αὐτὴν εἰς τὸν οἶκον Δαγὼν τοῦ θεοῦ αὐτῶν· καὶ τότε ἔπεσεν ἐπὶ προσώπου αὐτοῦ. Καὶ λέγει ὁ ἀδελφός· Τί ἐστι τοῦτο; Ὁ δὲ γέρων εἶπεν͵ ὅτι Ἐὰν φθάσωσιν αἰχμαλωτίσαι τὸν νοῦν τοῦ ἀνθρώπου διὰ τῶν ἰδίων αὐτοῦ ἀφορμῶν͵ οὕτως ὑποσύρωσιν αὐτὸν͵ ἕως ἂν ἐνέγκωσιν αὐτὸν ἐπάνω τοῦ ἀοράτου πάθους. Ἐν ἐκείνῳ οὖν τῷ τόπῳ ἐὰν στραφῇ ὁ νοῦς͵ καὶ ζητήσῃ τὸν Θεὸν͵ καὶ μνημονεύσῃ τῆς αἰωνίου κρίσεως͵ εὐθὺς τὸ πάθος πίπτει καὶ ἀφανὲς γίνε ται. Γέγραπται γάρ· Ὅταν ἀποστραφεὶς στενάξῃς͵ τότε σωθήσῃ͵ καὶ γνώσῃ ποῦ ἦσθα

3. A brother asked Abba Cronius, how can a man become humble. The old man said to him, ‘Through the fear of God.’ The brother said, And by what work does he come to the fear of God?’ The old man said, ‘In my opinion, he should withdraw from all business and give himself to bodily affliction and with all his might remember that he will leave his body at the judgement of God.’

γ. Ἀδελφὸς ἠρώτησε τὸν ἀββᾶν Κρόνιον· Ποίῳ τρόπῳ ἔρχεται ἄνθρωπος εἰς ταπεινοφροσύνην; Λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ γέρων͵ ὅτι Διὰ τοῦ φόβου τοῦ Θεοῦ. Λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ ἀδελφός· Καὶ διὰ ποίου πράγματος ἔρχεται εἰς τὸν φόβον τοῦ Θεοῦ; Λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ γέρων· Τὸ κατ΄ ἐμὲ͵ ἵνα συστείλῃ ἑαυτὸν ἀπὸ παντὸς πράγμα τος͵ καὶ δώσει ἑαυτὸν εἰς κόπον σωματικὸν͵ καὶ ὅσην ἔχει ἰσχὺν͵ μνημονεύσῃ τῆς ἐκ τοῦ σώματος ἐξόδου͵ καὶ τῆς κρίσεως τοῦ Θεοῦ

4. Abba Cronius said, ‘If Moses had not led his sheep to Mount Sinai, he would not have seen the fire in the bush.’ The brother questioned the old man, ‘What does the bush symbolize?’ He said to him, ‘The bush signifies bodily action. For it is written: “The kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field.’“ (Matt. 13 .44) The brother said to the old man, ‘So, man does not advance towards any reward without bodily affliction?’ The old man said to him, ‘Truly it is written: “Looking to Jesus, the Pioneer of and perfector of our faith who for the joy which was set before him, endured the cross.” (Heb. 12.2) David also said: “I will not give sleep to mine eyes, nor slumber to my eyelids,” until I find a place for the Lord.’ (Ps. 132.4)

δ. Εἶπεν ὁ ἀββᾶς Κρόνιος͵ ὅτι Εἰ μὴ ἤγαγε Μωϋ σῆς τὰ πρόβατα ὑπὸ τὸ ὄρος Σινᾶ͵ οὐκ ἂν ἔβλεπε τὸ πῦρ ἐν τῇ βάτῳ. Ἠρώτησεν ὁ ἀδελφὸς τὸν γέροντα· Εἰς τί λαμβάνεται ἡ βάτος; Καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ͵ ὅτι Ἡ βάτος λαμβάνεται εἰς τὴν σωματικὴν πρᾶξιν. Γέ ²⁴⁹ γραπται γὰρ͵ ὅτι Ὁμοία ἐστὶν ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν θησαυρῷ κεκρυμμένῳ ἐν ἀγρῷ. Λέγει ὁ ἀδελφὸς τῷ γέροντι· Οὐκοῦν ἐκτὸς καμάτου σω ματικοῦ οὐ προκόπτει ἄνθρωπος εἴς τινα τιμήν; Λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ γέρων· Τέως γέγραπται· Ἀφορῶντες εἰς τὸν τῆς πίστεως ἀρχηγὸν καὶ τελειωτὴν Ἰη σοῦν͵ ὃς ἀντὶ τῆς προκειμένης αὐτῷ χαρᾶς ὑπ έμεινε σταυρόν. Καὶ πάλιν Δαβὶδ λέγει· Εἰ δώσω ὕπνον τοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς μου͵ καὶ τοῖς βλεφάροις μου νυσταγμόν· καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς

5. Abba Cronius said that Abba Joseph of Pelusia told him the following story, ‘When I was living in Sinai, there was a brother who was good, ascetic and handsome. He came to church for the synaxis dressed in a little old mafort darned all over. Once when I saw him coming to the synaxis I said to him, “Brother, do you not see the brothers, looking like angels for the synaxis in church? How can you always come here in that garb?” He said to me, “Forgive me, abba, but I have nothing else.” So I took him in to my cell and gave him a tunic and whatever else he needed. After that he wore them like the other brethren and was like an angel to look at. Now once it was necessary for the Fathers to send ten brethren to the emperor about something or other and he was chosen as one of the group to go. When he heard this, he made a prostration before his Father saying, “In the Lord’s name, excuse me, for I am the slave of a great man down there and if he recognizes me, he will deprive me of my habit and force me to serve him again.” The brothers were convinced and left him behind. But later, they learned from someone who had known him well when he was in the world that he had been head of the administration and that he had spoken as he did as a ruse, so that no-one should know this or bother him about it. So great, amongst the Fathers, was their concern to flee from glory and the peace of this world!’

ε. Εἶπεν ὁ ἀββᾶς Κρόνιος͵ ὅτι Διηγήσατο ἡμῖν ὁ ἀβ βᾶς Ἰωσὴφ ὁ τοῦ Πηλουσίου͵ ὅτι Καθημένου μου εἰς τὸ Σινᾶ͵ ἦν ἐκεῖ ἀδελφὸς καλὸς καὶ ἀσκητὴς͵ ἀλλὰ καὶ κατὰ τὸ σῶμα εὐειδής· καὶ ἤρχετο εἰς τὴν ἐκ κλησίαν εἰς τὴν σύναξιν͵ φορῶν πολύῤῥαφον καὶ μι κρὸν μαφόριον παλαιόν. Καὶ θεωρῶν αὐτὸν καθάπαξ οὔτως εἰς τὴν σύναξιν ἐρχόμενον͵ λέγω αὐτῷ· Ἀδελ φὲ͵ οὐ βλέπεις τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς͵ πῶς εἰσιν ὡς ἄγγελοι εἰς τὴν σύναξιν ἐν τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ; πῶς σὺ πάντοτε οὕ τως ἔρχῃ ὧδε; Ὁ δὲ ἔφη· Συγχώρησόν μοι͵ ἀββᾶ͵ ὅτι οὐκ ἔχω ἄλλα. Ἔλαβον οὖν αὐτὸν ἐν τῷ κελλίῳ μου͵ καὶ ἔδωκα αὐτῷ λεβίτωνα καὶ εἴ τι ἄλλο ἔχρῃ ζε· καὶ ἐφόρει λοιπὸν ὡς καὶ οἱ λοιποὶ ἀδελφοὶ͵ καὶ ἦν ἰδεῖν αὐτὸν ὡς ἄγγελον. Ἐγένετο δέ ποτε χρεία τοῖς Πατράσιν͵ ἀποστεῖλαι δέκα ἀδελφοὺς πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα διά τινα χρείαν· καὶ ἐψηφίσαντο καὶ αὐτὸν μετὰ τῶν ὑπαγόντων. Ὡς δὲ ἤκουσεν͵ ἔβαλε μετά νοιαν τοῖς Πατράσι͵ λέγων· Διὰ τὸν Κύριον συγχωρή σατέ μοι͵ ὅτι δοῦλός εἰμί τινος μεγάλου τῶν ἐκεῖ· καὶ ἐὰν γνωρίσῃ με͵ ἀποσχηματίζει με͵ καὶ φέρει πάλιν εἰς τὸ δουλεύειν αὐτῷ. Μετὰ οὖν τὸ πεισθῆναι τοὺς Πατέρας͵ καὶ ἀφεῖναι αὐτὸν͵ ἔμαθον ὕστερον παρά τινος ἀκριβῶς ἐπισταμένου αὐτὸν͵ ὅτι ὅτε ἦν ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ͵ ἔπαρχος πραιτωρίων ὑπῆρχε· καὶ ἵνα μὴ γνωσθῇ͵ καὶ ὄχλησιν εὕρῃ ἐκ τῶν ἀνθρώπων͵ τοῦτο προεφασίσατο. Τοσαύτη ἦν σπουδὴ τοῖς Πατράσι͵ φεύγειν τὴν δόξαν καὶ τὴν ἀνάπαυσιν τοῦ κόσμου τούτου.

CARION 10_03

Περὶ τοῦ ἀββᾶ Καρίωνος

Canon was a married man, an Egyptian, with a wife and two children. He left his family in order to become a monk in Scetis. During a famine, Carton [117 his wife sent the boy, Zacharias, to his father and he was brought up in the desert. The presence of the boy caused some comment but he proved to be a monk of zeal and discernment and even of greater spiritual understanding than his father.

1. Abba Carion said, ‘I have laboured much harder than my son Zacharias and yet I have not attained to his measure in humility and silence.’

α. Εἶπεν ὁ ἀββᾶς Καρίων͵ ὅτι Πολλοὺς κόπους ἐποίησα͵ πλέον τοῦ υἱοῦ μου Ζαχαρίου͵ καὶ οὐκ ἔφθασα εἰς τὰ μέτρα αὐτοῦ͵ ἐν τῇ ταπεινώσει καὶ ἐν τῇ σιωπῇ αὐτοῦ

2. There was a monk in Scetis called Abba Carion. He had two children which he left with his wife when he withdrew from the world. Later, there was a famine in Egypt, and his wife came to Scetis, destitute of everything, bringing the two little children (one was a boy, called Zacharias, the other was a girl). She waited in the marsh land, at a distance from the old man. (For there was a marsh beside Scetis, and they had built churches and wells there.) Now it was the custom in Scetis, that when a woman came to talk with a brother or with someone else whom she had to see, that they should sit far away from one another while they talked. So the woman said to Abba Carion, ‘You have become a monk and now there is a famine; who is going to feed your children?’ Abba Carion said to her, ‘Send them to me.’ The woman said to the children, ‘Go to your father.’ When they got close to their father, the little girl ran back to her mother but the boy stayed with his father. Then the old man said to his wife, ‘That is good. Take the little girl and depart; I will look after the boy.’ So he was brought up in Scetis and everyone knew that he was his son. As he grew older, they murmured in the fraternity about him. Hearing of it, Abba Carion said to his son, Zacharias, get up; we will go away from here, because the Fathers are murmuring.’ The young man said to him, Abba, everyone here knows that I am your son, but if we go somewhere else, we can no longer say that I am your son.’ But the old man said to him, ‘Rise, let us go away from here.’ So they went to the Thebaid. There they were given a cell and stayed there several days. But down there the same murmuring recurred about the child. Then his father said to him, Zacharias, get up, we will go to Scetis.’ A few days after their arrival in Scetis once again they murmured about him. Then young Zacharias went to the lake which was full of nitre, undressed, went down to it and jumped in, up to the nose. He remained there many hours, as long as he could, until his body was changed and he 1 became like a leper. He came out, and put on his clothes again and went back to his father who scarcely recognized him. When he went to communion as usual, Abba Isidore, the priest of Scetis, had a revelation of what he had done. When he saw him, he was filled with wonder. Then he said to him, ‘Last Sunday the boy Zacharias came and communicated like a man; now he has become like an angel.’*

β. Γέγονέ τις ἐν τῇ Σκήτει μοναχὸς͵ ἀββᾶς Καρίων λεγόμενος. Οὗτος ἐσχηκὼς δύο τέκνα͵ ἐάσας αὐτὰ τῇ ἰδίᾳ γυναικὶ͵ ἀνεχώρησε. Μετὰ δὲ καιρὸν͵ λιμοῦ γε νομένου ἐν τῇ Αἰγύπτῳ͵ στενωθεῖσα ἡ γυνὴ αὐτοῦ͵ ἦλθεν ἐν τῇ Σκήτει φέρουσα τὰ δύο παιδία μεθ΄ ἑαυ τῆς (ἦν δὲ τὸ ἓν ἀῤῥενικὸν λεγόμενον Ζαχαρίας͵ καὶ τὸ ἓν θηλυκὸν)͵ καὶ καθίσασα πόῤῥωθεν τοῦ γέροντος ἐν τῷ ἕλει· ἕλος γὰρ παράκειται ἐν τῇ Σκήτει͵ ἔνθα καὶ αἱ ἐκκλησίαι ᾠκοδόμηνται͵ καὶ αἱ πηγαὶ τῶν ²⁵² ὑδάτων εἰσί. Συνήθεια δὲ τοιαύτη ἦν ἐν τῇ Σκήτει͵ ἵνα ἔλθῃ γυνὴ͵ λαλῆσαι ἀδελφῷ αὐτῆς͵ ἢ ἄλλῳ δια φέροντι αὐτῇ͵ ἀπὸ μακρόθεν καθεζομένων αὐτῶν ἀπ΄ ἀλλήλων ὁμιλῶσιν ἀλλήλοις. Τότε λέγει ἡ γυνὴ τῷ ἀββᾷ Καρίωνι· Ἰδοὺ γέγονας μοναχὸς͵ καὶ λιμός ἐστι· τίς οὖν τρέφει τὰ τέκνα σου; Λέγει αὐτῇ ὁ ἀββᾶς Καρίων· Καὶ ἀπόστειλόν μοι αὐτὰ ὧδε. Λέγει ἡ γυνὴ τοῖς τέκνοις· Ἀπέλθετε πρὸς τὸν πατέρα ὑμῶν. Ἐρχο μένων οὖν αὐτῶν πρὸς τὸν πατέρα αὐτῶν͵ τὸ θηλυκὸν ὑπέστρεψε πρὸς τὴν μητέρα αὐτοῦ͵ τὸ δὲ ἀῤῥενικὸν ἦλθε πρὸς τὸν ἴδιον πατέρα. Τότε λέγει αὐτῇ· Ἰδοὺ καλῶς ἐγένετο· λάβε σὺ τὸ θηλυκὸν καὶ ἄπελθε͵ κἀγὼ τὸ ἀῤῥενικόν. Ἀνέτρεφεν οὖν αὐτὸ ἐν τῇ Σκήτει͵ πάντων εἰδότων ὅτι τέκνον αὐτοῦ ἐστιν. Ὡς δὲ ἡλι κίας γέγονε͵ γογγυσμὸς ἐγένετο ἐν τῇ ἀδελφότητι περὶ αὐτοῦ. Καὶ ἀκούσας ὁ ἀββᾶς Καρίων͵ λέγει τῷ τέκνῳ αὐτοῦ· Ζαχαρία͵ ἔγειρε͵ ἄγωμεν ἐντεῦθεν͵ ὅτι γογγύζουσιν οἱ Πατέρες. Λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ μικρός· Ἀβ βᾶ͵ πάντες οἴδασιν ἐνταῦθα ὅτι υἱός σού εἰμι· ἐὰν δὲ ἄλλῃ ἀπέλθωμεν͵ οὐκ ἔχουσι λέγειν ὅτι υἱός σού εἰμι. Καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ γέρων· Ἔγειρε͵ ἄγωμεν ἐντεῦθεν. Καὶ ἀπῆλθον ἐν τῇ Θηβαΐδι. Ὡς δὲ λαβόντες κελλίον ἐκάθισαν ὀλίγας ἡμέρας͵ κἀκεῖ ὁ αὐτὸς γογγυσμὸς γέγονε περὶ τοῦ παιδίου. Τότε λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ πατὴρ αὐτοῦ· Ζαχαρία͵ ἔγειρε͵ ἄγωμεν ἐν τῇ Σκήτει. Καὶ ἐλθόντων αὐτῶν ἐν τῇ Σκήτει͵ καὶ ὀλίγων ἡμερῶν παρελθουσῶν͵ πάλιν γογγυσμὸς ἐγένετο περὶ αὐτοῦ. Τότε Ζαχαρίας ὁ παῖς͵ ἐλθὼν εἰς τὴν λίμνην τοῦ νί τρου͵ καὶ ἀποδυσάμενος͵ κατῆλθε κάτω μέχρι τῆς ῥι νὸς αὐτοῦ καταβαπτίσας ἑαυτόν· καὶ μείνας ἐπὶ πολ λὴν ὥραν͵ ὅσην ἠδύνατο͵ ἠφάνισε τὸ ἑαυτοῦ σῶμα· γέγονε γὰρ ὡς λελωβημένος. Καὶ ἀνελθὼν ἐφόρεσε τὰ ἱμάτια αὐτοῦ͵ καὶ ἀπῆλθε πρὸς τὸν ἴδιον πατέρα· καὶ μόλις ἐπέγνω αὐτόν. Ἀπελθόντος δὲ αὐτοῦ εἰς τὴν ἁγίαν κοινωνίαν κατὰ τὸ ἔθος͵ ἀπεκαλύφθη τῷ ἁγίῳ Ἰσιδώρῳ τῷ πρεσβυτέρῳ τῆς Σκήτεως͵ ὅπερ ἐποίησε· καὶ ἰδὼν αὐτὸν καὶ θαυμάσας͵ εἶπε· Ζαχα ρίας ὁ παῖς τῇ Κυριακῇ παρελθούσῃ ἦλθε καὶ ἐκοι νώνησεν ὡς ἄνθρωπος͵ νῦν δὲ ὡς ἄγγελος ἐγένετο.

3. Abba Carion said, A monk who lives with a boy, falls, if he is not stable; but even if he is stable and does not fall, he still does not make progress.’

COPRES 10_04

Περὶ τοῦ ἀββᾶ Κόπρι

1. Abba Poemen said of Abba Copres that he was so holy that when he was ill and in bed, he still gave thanks and restrained his own will.

α. Ἔλεγεν ὁ ἀββᾶς Ποιμὴν διὰ τὸν ἀββᾶν Κόπριν͵ ὅτι εἰς τοσοῦτον ἦλθε μέτρον͵ ὅτι ἠσθένει καὶ κλινήρης ἦν͵ καὶ εὐχαρίστει͵ καὶ ἐκώλυε τὸ ἴδιον θέλημα

2. Abba Copres said, ‘Blessed is he who bears affliction with thankfulness.’

β. Εἶπεν ὁ ἀββᾶς Κόπρις· Μακάριος ὁ ὑπομένων κόπον μετ΄ εὐχαριστίας

3. One day, the inhabitants of Scetis assembled together to discuss Melchizedek and they forgot to invite Abba Copres. Later on they called him and asked him about this matter. Tapping his mouth three times, he said Alas for you, Copres! For that which God commanded you to do, you have put aside, and you are wanting to learn something which you have not been required to know about.’ When they heard these words, the brothers fled to their cells.

γ. Συνήχθησάν ποτε οἱ ἐν τῇ Σκήτει περὶ τοῦ Μελχισεδὲκ͵ καὶ ἐπελάθοντο καλέσαι τὸν ἀββᾶν Κόπριν· ὕστερον δὲ καλέσαντες αὐτὸν͵ ἠρώτων περὶ τούτου. Ὁ δὲ͵ τύψας τὸ στόμα αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ τρεῖς͵ εἶπεν· Οὐαί σοι͵ Κόπρι ὅτι ἃ ὁ Θεὸς ἐνετεί λατό σοι ποιῆσαι ἐγκατέλειπες͵ καὶ ἃ οὐ ζητεῖ παρὰ σοῦ ἐρευνᾷς. Καὶ ἀκούσαντες οἱ ἀδελφοὶ ταῦτα͵ ἔφυγον εἰς τὰ κελλία αὐτῶν. ²⁵³

CYRUS 10_05

Περὶ τοῦ ἀββᾶ Κύρου

1. Abba Cyrus of Alexandria was asked about the temptation of fornication, and he replied, ‘If you do not think about it, you have no hope, for if you are not thinking about it, you are doing it. I mean, he who does not fight against the sin and resist it in his spirit will commit the sin physically. It is very true that he who is fornicating in fact is not worried with thinking about it.’ The old man questioned the brother, saying, ‘Do you not usually talk to women?’ The brother said, ‘No; my thoughts are about old and new representations of them: it is their remembrance which overcomes me.’ The old man said to him, ‘Do not fear the dead, but flee from the living, and before all things persist in prayer.’

. Πρὸς τὸν λογισμὸν τῆς πορνείας͵ ἐπερωτηθεὶς ὁ ἀββᾶς Κῦρος ὁ Ἀλεξανδρεὺς͵ ἀπεκρίνατο οὕτως· Ἐὰν λογισμὸν οὐκ ἔχῃς͵ ἐλπίδα οὐκ ἔχεις· ἐὰν λογι σμοὺς οὐκ ἔχῃς͵ πρᾶξιν ἔχεις. Τοῦτο δέ ἐστιν͵ ὅτι ὁ κατὰ διάνοιαν πρὸς τὴν ἁμαρτίαν μὴ πολεμῶν͵ μηδὲ ἀντιλέγων͵ σωματικῶς πράττει αὐτήν. Ὁ γὰρ ἔχων πράξεις διὰ λογισμῶν οὐκ ὀχλεῖται. Ἠρώτησε δὲ ὁ γέρων τὸν ἀδελφὸν͵ λέγων· Μὴ συνήθειαν ἔχεις εἰς ὁμιλίαν γυναικός; Καὶ εἶπεν ὁ ἀδελφός· Οὔ· παλαιοὶ καὶ νέοι ζωγράφοι εἰσὶν οἱ λογισμοί μου· μνῆμαί εἰ σιν ὀχλοῦσαί μοι͵ καὶ γυναικῶν εἴδωλα. Ὁ δὲ γέρων πρὸς αὐτόν· Νεκροὺς μὴ φοβοῦ· ἀλλὰ τοὺς ζῶντας φεῦγε͵ καὶ ἐπεκτείνου μᾶλλον εἰς προσ ευχήν.

C11_LAMBDA

LAMBDA

Ἀρχὴ τοῦ Λ στοιχείου.

LUCIUS  11_01

Περὶ τοῦ ἀββᾶ Λουκίου.

Lucius, a companion of Long inus from Cilicia, was a monk in Syria and later abbot of Enaton. The heretics called Euchites were also known as Messalians, ‘those who pray’ . This was a pietistic sect originating in Mesopotamia in the mid fourth century and spreading to Asia Minor, Egypt and Syria. It was condemned at the Council ofEphesus (431 ). The contrast between them in their dualism and over-spiritualized approach to prayer and the orthodoxy and common sense of the monks is made clear in this story.

1. Some of the monks who are called Euchites went to Enaton to see Abba Lucius. The old man asked them, ‘What is your manual work?’ They said, ‘We do not touch manual work but as the Apostle says, we pray without ceasing.’ The old man asked them if they did not eat and they replied they did. So he said to them, ‘When you are eating, who prays for you then?’ Again he asked them if they did not sleep and they replied they did. And he said to them, ‘When you are asleep, who prays for you then?’ They could not find any answer to give him. He said to them, ‘Forgive me, but you do not act as you speak. I will show you how, while doing my manual work, I pray without interruption. I sit down with God, soaking my reeds and plaiting my ropes, and I say, “God, have mercy on me; according to your great goodness and according to the multitude of your mercies, save me from my sins.” ‘ So he asked them if this were not prayer and they replied it was. Then he said to them, ‘So when I have spent the whole day working and praying, making thirteen pieces of money more or less, I put two pieces of money outside the door and I pay for my food with the rest of the money. He who takes the two pieces of money prays for me when I am eating and when I am sleeping; so, by the grace of God, I fulfil the precept to pray without ceasing.’

Παρέβαλόν ποτέ τινες τῷ ἀββᾷ Λουκίῳ εἰς τὸ Ἔνατον͵ οἱ λεγόμενοι Εὐκτῖται͵ μοναχοί· καὶ ἠρώ τησεν αὐτοὺς ὁ γέρων· Τί τὸ ἐργόχειρον ὑμῶν; Οἱ δὲ εἶπον· Ἡμεῖς οὐ ψηλαφῶμεν ἐργόχειρον· ἀλλὰ͵ καθὼς λέγει ὁ Ἀπόστολος͵ ἀδιαλείπτως προσευχόμεθα. Καὶ λέγει ὁ γέρων· Οὐκ ἐσθίετε; Καὶ εἶπον· Ναί. Καὶ λέ γει αὐτοῖς· Ὅτε οὖν ἐσθίετε͵ τίς εὔχεται ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν; Πάλιν οὖν εἶπεν αὐτοῖς· Οὐ κοιμᾶσθε; Καὶ εἶπον· Ναί. Καὶ λέγει ὁ γέρων· Ὅτε οὖν κοιμᾶσθε͵ τίς εὔχε ται περὶ ὑμῶν; Καὶ οὐχ εὗρον πρὸς ταῦτα ἀποκρί νασθαι αὐτῷ. Καὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς· Συγχωρήσατέ μοι͵ ἰδοὺ οὐ ποιεῖτε καθὼς λέγετε. Ἐγὼ δὲ δεικνύω ὑμῖν͵ ὅτι ἐργαζόμενος τὸ ἐργόχειρόν μου ἀδιαλείπτως προσεύχομαι. Καθέζομαι σὺν Θεῷ βρέξας τὰ μικρά μου θαλλία· καὶ πλέκων αὐτὰ σειρὰν͵ λέγω· Ἐλέη σόν με͵ ὁ Θεὸς͵ κατὰ τὸ μέγα ἔλεός σου͵ καὶ κατὰ τὸ πλῆθος τῶν οἰκτιρμῶν σου ἐξάλειψον τὸ ἀνόμημά μου. Καὶ λέγει αὐτοῖς· Οὐκ ἔστιν εὐχὴ τοῦτο; Καὶ εἶπον· Ναί. Καὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς· Ὅταν οὖν ἐμμείνω δι΄ ὅλης ἡμέρας ἐργαζόμενος καὶ εὐχόμενος͵ ποιῶ πλεῖον ἢ ἔλαττον δεκαὲξ νουμία· καὶ παρ έχω ἐξ αὐτῶν εἰς τὴν θύραν δύο͵ καὶ τὰ λοιπὰ ἐσθίω· καὶ εὔχεται ὑπὲρ ἐμοῦ ὁ λαβὼν τὰ δύο νουμία ὅτε ἐσθίω ἢ ὅτε κοιμῶμαι· καὶ διὰ τῆς χάριτος τοῦ Θεοῦ πληροῦταί μοι τὸ ἀδιαλείπτως προσεύχε σθαι.

LOT 11_02

Περὶ τοῦ ἀββᾶ Λώτ

 Lot was a simple Coptic monk, a disciple of Joseph of Panephysis and a friend of Arsenius. He lived as a solitary at Arsinoe near Abba Anthony. Like the majority of the Copts he was opposed to the teaching of Origen.

1. One of the old men came to Abba Lot’s dwelling, near to the little marsh of Arsinoe and he asked for a cell, which Abba Lot gave him. Now the old man was ill and Abba Lot took care of him. When anyone came to see Abba Lot, he made him visit the sick old man also. But the sick man began to quote the words of Origen to the visitors. This made Abba Lot anxious and he said to himself, ‘The Fathers must not think that we are like that too.’ However, he was afraid to drive him away because of the commandment. So Abba Lot got up and went to Abba Arsenius and told him about the old man. Abba Arsenius said to him, ‘Do not drive him away, but say to him: look, eat that which comes from God and drink as much as you like, only do not make such remarks any more. If he wants to, he will correct himself. If he does not want to change his ways, he will ask to leave this place of his own accord. Thus his departure will not come from you.’ Abba Lot went away and did this. When the old man heard these word he did not want to change, but he 1 began to ask him, ‘For the Lord’s sake, send me away from here, for I can no longer bear the desert.’ So he got up and left, accompanied to the door by charity.

α. ῏Ηλθέ τις τῶν γερόντων πρὸς τὸν ἀββᾶν Λὼτ͵ πρὸς τὸ μικρὸν ἕλος τοῦ Ἀρσενοΐτου͵ καὶ παρεκά λεσεν αὐτὸν διὰ κελλίον͵ καὶ ἔδωκεν αὐτῷ. ῏Ην δὲ ὁ γέρων ἀσθενής· καὶ ἀνέπαυσεν αὐτὸν ὁ ἀββᾶς Λώτ· καὶ εἰ ἤρχοντό τινες παραβαλεῖν τῷ ἀββᾷ Λὼτ͵ ἐποίει αὐτοὺς παραβαλεῖν καὶ τῷ γέροντι τῷ ἀσθενεῖ. Καὶ ἤρξατο λαλεῖν αὐτοῖς λόγους τοῦ Ὠριγένους· καὶ ἐθλίβετο ὁ ἀββᾶς Λὼτ͵ λέγων· Μὴ καὶ νομίσωσιν οἱ ²⁵⁶ Πατέρες͵ ὅτι καὶ ἡμεῖς οὕτως ἐσμέν· καὶ ἐκβαλεῖν αὐτὸν ἐκ τοῦ τόπου ἐφοβεῖτο διὰ τὴν ἐντολήν. Καὶ ἀναστὰς ὁ ἀββᾶς Λὼτ͵ ἦλθε πρὸς τὸν ἀββᾶν Ἀρσέ νιον͵ καὶ διηγήσατο αὐτῷ περὶ τοῦ γέροντος. Καὶ λέ γει αὐτῷ ὁ ἀββᾶς Ἀρσένιος· Μὴ διώξῃς αὐτὸν͵ ἀλλ΄ εἰπὲ αὐτῷ· Ἰδοὺ ἐκ τῶν τοῦ Θεοῦ φάγε͵ πίε͵ ὡς θέ λεις͵ μόνον τὸν λόγον τοῦτον μὴ λαλήσῃς· καὶ ἐὰν θέ λῃ͵ διορθοῦται· εἰ δὲ μὴ θέλῃ διορθώσασθαι͵ ἀφ΄ ἑαυ τοῦ μέλλει παρακαλεῖν τοῦ ἀναχωρῆσαι ἐκ τοῦ τόπου· καὶ οὐκ ἀπὸ σοῦ γίνεται ἡ ἀφορμή. Ἀπελθὼν οὖν ὁ ἀββᾶς Λὼτ ἐποίησεν οὕτως. Καὶ ὁ γέρων ὡς ἤκουσε ταῦτα͵ οὐκ ἤθελε διορθώσασθαι· ἀλλ΄ ἔβαλε παρακα λεῖν λέγων· Διὰ τὸν Κύριον πέμψατέ με ἐντεῦθεν͵ ὅτι οὐκ ἔτι δύναμαι βαστάξαι τὴν ἔρημον. Καὶ οὕτως ἀναστὰς ἐξῆλθε͵ προπεμπόμενος μετὰ ἀγά πης

2. It was related of a brother who had committed a fault that when he went to Abba Lot, he was troubled and hesitated, going in and coming out, unable to sit down. Abba Lot said to him, ‘What is the matter, brother?’ He said, ‘I have committed a great fault and I cannot acknowledge it to the Fathers.’ The old man said to him, ‘Confess it to me, and I will carry it.’ Then he said to him, ‘I have fallen into fornication, and in order to do it, I have sacrificed to idols.’ The old man said to him, ‘Have confidence; repentance is possible. Go, sit in your cave, eat only once in two days and I will carry half of your fault with you.’ After three weeks, the old man had the certainty that God had accepted the brother’s repentance. Then the latter remained in submission to the old man until his death.

β. Διηγήσατό τις περί τινος ἀδελφοῦ ἐμπεσόντος εἰς ἁμαρτίαν͵ ὅτι παραβάλλων τῷ ἀββᾷ Λὼτ͵ ἐταράσ σετο εἰσερχόμενος καὶ ἐξερχόμενος͵ μὴ δυνάμενος καθίσαι. Καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ ἀββᾶς Λώτ· Τί ἔχεις͵ ἀδελφέ; Ὁ δὲ εἶπεν· Ἁμαρτίαν μεγάλην ἐποίησα͵ καὶ οὐ δύναμαι ἐξειπεῖν τοῖς Πατράσι. Λέγει ὁ γέρων· Ὁμολόγησόν μοι αὐτὴν͵ κἀγὼ βαστάζω αὐτήν. Τότε εἶπεν αὐτῷ· Εἰς πορνείαν ἔπεσον͵ καὶ ἔθυσα τοῦ τυ χεῖν τοῦ πράγματος. Καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ γέρων· Θάρ σει ὅτι ἔστι μετάνοια· ὕπαγε͵ κάθου εἰς τὸ σπήλαιον͵ καὶ νήστευσον δύο δύο͵ κἀγὼ βαστάζω μετὰ σοῦ τὸ ἥμισυ τῆς ἁμαρτίας. Πληρωθεισῶν οὖν τῶν τριῶν ἑβδομάδων͵ ἐπληροφορήθη ὁ γέρων ὅτι ἐδέξατο ὁ Θεὸς τὴν μετάνοιαν τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ. Καὶ ἔμεινεν ὑπο τασσόμενος τῷ γέροντι ἕως τοῦ θανάτου αὐτοῦ.

LONGINUS 11_03

Περὶ τοῦ ἀββᾶ Λογγίνου

Longinus, a friend and disciple of Lucius and later a famous abbot of the monastery ofEnaton, led the monks in opposition to the Council of Chalcedon. Enaton was a leading monastery in Egypt; the Monophysite patriarchs took up residence there in the sixth century; it was sacked by the Persians in 611 .

1. One day Abba Longinus questioned Abba Lucius about three thoughts saying first, ‘I want to go into exile.’ The old man said to him, If you cannot control your tongue, you will not be an exile anywhere. Therefore control your tongue here, and you will be an exile.’ Next he said to him, ‘I wish to fast.’ The old man replied, Isaiah said, “If you bend your neck like a rope or a bulrush that is not the fast I will accept; but rather, control your evil thoughts.” ‘ (of. Isaiah 58) He said to him the third time, I wish to flee from men.’ The old man replied, If you have not first of all lived rightly with men, you will not be able to live rightly in solitude.’

α. Ἠρώτησεν ὁ ἀββᾶς Λογγῖνος τὸν ἀββᾶν Λούκιόν ποτε τρεῖς λογισμοὺς λέγων· Θέλω ξενιτεῦσαι. Λέ γει αὐτῷ ὁ γέρων· Ἐὰν μὴ κρατήσῃς τῆς γλώσσης σου͵ οὐκ εἶ ξένος͵ ὅπου ἐὰν ἀπέλθῃς. Καὶ ὧδε οὖν κράτησον τῆς γλώσσης σου͵ καὶ ξένος εἶ. Λέγει αὐτῷ πάλιν· Θέλω νηστεῦσαι. Ἀπεκρίθη ὁ γέρων· Εἶπεν Ἡσαΐας ὁ προφήτης· Ἐὰν κάμψῃς ὡς κλοιὸν καὶ κρίκον τὸν τράχηλόν σου͵ οὐδὲ οὕτως κληθήσε ται νηστεία δεκτή· ἀλλὰ μᾶλλον κράτησον τῶν πο νηρῶν λογισμῶν. Λέγει αὐτῷ τὸ τρίτον· Θέλω φυγεῖν τοὺς ἀνθρώπους. Ἀπεκρίθη ὁ γέρων· Ἐὰν μὴ πρῶ τον κατορθώσῃς μετὰ τῶν ἀνθρώπων͵ οὐδὲ καταμό νας δύνασαι κατορθῶσαι

2. Abba Longinus said, If ever you are ill, say to your body, “Be ill and die; if you ask me for food outside the agreed time, I will not bring you even your daily food any more.’

β. Εἶπεν ὁ ἀββᾶς Λογγῖνος· Ἅπαξ κακωθεὶς λέγε͵ Καὶ κακώθητι͵ καὶ ἀπόθανον· ἐὰν δὲ ἀπαιτήσῃς με παρὰ καιρὸν φαγεῖν οὐδὲ τὴν καθημερινήν σοι τρο φὴν προσφέρω

3. A woman had an illness they call cancer of the breast; she had heard of Abba Longinus and wanted to meet him. Now he lived at the ninth milestone from Alexandria. As the woman was looking for him, the blessed man happened to be collecting wood beside the sea. When she met him, she said to him, Abba, where does Abba Longinus, the servant of God live?’ not knowing that it was he. He said, ‘Why are you looking for that old imposter? Do not go to see him, for he is a deceiver. What is the matter with you?’ The woman showed him where she was suffering. He made the sign of the cross over the sore and sent her away saying, ‘Go, and God will heal you, for Longinus cannot help you at all.’ The woman went away confident in this saying, and she was healed on the spot. Later, telling others what had happened and mentioning the distinctive marks of the old man, she learned that it was Abba Longinus himself.

γ. Γυνή τις ἔχουσα πάθος κατὰ τοῦ μασθοῦ αὐτῆς͵ τὸ λεγόμενον καρκίνον͵ ἀκούσασα περὶ τοῦ ἀββᾶ Λογ γίνου͵ ἐζήτησε συντυχεῖν αὐτῷ. Ἐκάθητο οὖν οὗτος ἐν τῷ ἐνάτῳ σημείῳ Ἀλεξανδρείας. Ἐπιζητούσης δὲ τῆς γυναικὸς͵ συνέβη τὸν μακάριον ἐκεῖνον συλλέ γειν ξύλα παρὰ τὴν θάλασσαν. Καὶ εὑροῦσα αὐτὸν͵ ²⁵⁷ λέγει αὐτῷ· Ἀββᾶ͵ ποῦ μένει ὁ ἀββᾶς Λογγῖνος ὁ δοῦλος τοῦ Θεοῦ; μὴ εἰδυῖα ὅτι αὐτός ἐστιν. Ὁ δέ φη σι· Τί θέλεις τὸν ἐπιθέτην ἐκεῖνον; μὴ ἀπέλθῃς πρὸς αὐτόν· ἐπιθέτης γάρ ἐστι. Τί δέ ἐστιν ὃ ἔχεις; Ἡ δὲ γυνὴ ἔδειξε τὸ πάθος. Ὁ δὲ σφραγίσας τὸν τόπον͵ ἀπέλυσεν αὐτὴν͵ εἰπών· Ἄπελθε͵ καὶ ὁ Θεός σε θε ραπεύει· Λογγῖνος γὰρ οὐδέν σε δύναται ὠφελῆσαι. Ἀπῆλθε δὲ ἡ γυνὴ πιστεύσασα τῷ λόγῳ͵ καὶ ἐθερα πεύθη παραχρῆμα. Μετὰ ταῦτα διηγησαμένη τισὶ τὸ πρᾶγμα͵ καὶ τὰ σημεῖα εἰποῦσα τοῦ γέροντος͵ μαν θάνει ὅτι αὐτός ἐστιν ὁ ἀββᾶς Λογγῖνος

4. Another time, they brought him one possessed by a demon. He said to those who were escorting him: ‘I can do nothing for you; but go instead to Abba Zeno.’ So Abba Zeno began to put pressure onto the demon to cast it out. The demon began to cry out: ‘Perhaps, Abba Zeno, you think I am going away because of you; look, down there Abba Longinus is praying, and challenging me and it is for fear of his prayers that I go away, for to you I would not even have given an answer.’

δ. Ἄλλοτε πάλιν φέρουσιν αὐτῷ τινες δαιμονιῶν τα. Ὁ δέ φησιν πρὸς αὐτούς· Ἐγώ τι ποιῆσαι ὑμῖν οὐκ ἔχω· ἀλλὰ μᾶλλον ἀπέλθετε πρὸς τὸν ἀββᾶν Ζή νωνα. Εἶτα ὁ ἀββᾶς Ζήνων ἤρξατο ἐπικεῖσθαι τῷ δαί μονι ἐκδιώκων αὐτόν. Καὶ ἤρξατο βοᾷν ὁ δαίμων· Ἄρτι νομίζεις͵ ἀββᾶ Ζήνων͵ ὅτι διὰ σὲ ἐξέρχομαι· ἰδοὺ ὁ ἀββᾶς Λογγῖνος ἐκεῖ προσεύχεται͵ κατ΄ ἐμοῦ ἐντυγχάνων· καὶ φοβούμενος τὰς εὐχὰς αὐτοῦ ἐξέρ χομαι͵ ἐπεὶ οὐκ ἐδίδουν σοι ἀπόκρισιν

5. Abba Longinus said to Abba Acacius: A woman knows she has conceived when she no longer loses any blood. So it is with the soul, she knows she has conceived the Holy Spirit when the passions stop coming out of her. But as long as one is held back in the passions, how can one dare to believe one is sinless? Give blood and receive the Spirit.’

ε. Εἶπεν ὁ ἀββᾶς Λογγῖνος τῷ ἀββᾷ Ἀκακίῳ· Ἡ γυνὴ τότε γινώσκει ὅτι συνέλαβεν͵ ὅταν σταλῇ τὸ αἷ μα αὐτῆς. Οὕτως οὖν καὶ ἡ ψυχὴ͵ τότε γινώσκει ὅτι συνέλαβε Πνεῦμα ἅγιον͵ ὅταν σταλῇ τὰ ῥέοντα ἀπ΄ αὐτῆς κάτωθεν πάθη. Ἐν ὅσῳ δὲ ἐνέχεται ἐν αὐτοῖς͵ πῶς δύναται κενοδοξεῖν ὡς ἀπαθής; Δὸς αἷμα͵ καὶ λάβε πνεῦμα.

C12_MU

MU

Ἀρχὴ τοῦ Μ στοιχείου.

MACARIUS THE GREAT 12_01

Περὶ τοῦ ἀββᾶ Μακαρίου τοῦ Αἰγυπτίου

Macarius the Great (the Egyptian), born c. A.D. 300, was a former camel-driver, who traded in nitre. He was one of the pioneers of Seeds. He was ordained priest and lived as an anchorite in a village until he was falsely blamed for the pregnancy of a girl there; when he was clear he went to Scetis. Like many of the early monks, he travelled about and was not fixed in any one place, as these stories show. Cassian said of hit He was the first who found a way to inhabit the desert of Scetis. He was much influenced by Anthony the Great and visited him at least twice. H died in A.D. 390.

1. Abba Macarius said this about himself: ‘When I was young and was living in a cell in Egypt, they took me to make me a cleric in the village. Because I did not wish to receive this dignity, I fled to another place. Then a devout layman joined me; he sold my manual work for me and served me. Now it happened that a virgin in the village, under the weight of temptation, committed sin. When she became pregnant, they asked her who was to blame. She said, “The anchorite.” Then they came to seize me, led me to the village and hung pots black with soot and various other things round my neck and led me through the village in all directions, beating me and saying, “This monk has denied our virgin, catch him, catch him,” and they beat me almost to death. Then one of the old men came and said, “What are you doing, how long will you go on beating this strange monk?” The man who served me was walking behind me, full of shame, for they covered him with insults too, saying, “Look at this anchorite, for whom you stood surety; what has he done?” The girl’s parents said, “Do not let him go till he has given a pledge that he will keep her.” I spoke to my servant and he vouched for me. Going to my cell, I gave him all the baskets I had, saying, “Sell them, and give my wife something to eat.” Then I said to myself, “Macarius, you have found yourself a wife; you must work a little more in order to keep her.” So I worked night and day and sent my work to her. But when the time came for the wretch to give birth, she remained in labour many days without bringing forth, and they said to her, “What is the matter?” She said, “I know what it is, it is because I slandered the anchorite, and accused him unjustly; it is not he who is to blame, but such and such a young man.” Then the man who served me came to me full of joy saying, “The virgin could not give birth until she had said ‘The anchorite had nothing to do with it, but I have lied about him.’ The whole village wants to come here solemnly and do penance before you.” But when I heard this, for fear people would disturb me, I got up and fled here to Scetis. That is the original reason why I came here.’

α. Διηγήσατο περὶ ἑαυτοῦ ὁ ἀββᾶς Μακάριος͵ λέ γων· Ὅτε ἤμην νεώτερος καὶ ἐκαθήμην εἰς κελλίον εἰς Αἴγυπτον͵ ἐκράτησάν με καὶ ἐποίησαν κληρικὸν εἰς τὴν κώμην. Καὶ μὴ θέλων καταδέξασθαι͵ ἔφυγον εἰς ἕτερον τόπον. Καὶ ἦλθε πρὸς μὲ εὐλαβὴς κοσμικὸς͵ καὶ ἐλάμβανε τὸ ἐργόχειρόν μου͵ καὶ διηκόνει μοι. Συνέβη δὲ ἀπὸ πειρασμοῦ παρθένον τινὰ εἰς τὴν κώμην ἐκπεσεῖν. Καὶ λαβοῦσα κατὰ γαστρὸς ἠρωτᾶτο τίς εἴη ὁ τοῦτο πεποιηκώς. Ἡ δὲ ἔλεγεν· Ὁ ἀναχω ρητής. Καὶ ἐξελθόντες συνέλαβόν με εἰς τὴν κώμην͵ καὶ ἐκρέμασαν ἐν τῷ τραχήλῳ μου ἠσβολωμένας χύ τρας καὶ ὠτία κούφων͵ καὶ περιεπόμπευσάν με ἐν τῇ κώμῃ κατὰ ἄμφοδον͵ τύπτοντές με͵ καὶ λέγοντες· Οὗτος ὁ μοναχὸς ἔφθειρεν ἡμῶν τὴν παρ θένον͵ λάβετε αὐτὸν͵ λάβετε. Καὶ ἔτυψάν με παρὰ μικρὸν τοῦ ἀποθανεῖν. Ἐλθὼν δέ τις τῶν γερόντων εἶπεν· Ἕως πότε τύπτετε τὸν ξένον μοναχόν; Ὁ δὲ διακονῶν μοι ἠκολούθει ὀπίσω μου αἰδούμενος. ῏Ησαν γὰρ ὑβρίζοντες αὐτὸν πολλὰ͵ καὶ λέγοντες· Ἰδοὺ ὁ ἀναχωρητὴς ὃν σὺ ἐμαρτύρεις͵ τί ἐποίησε; Καὶ λέ ²⁶⁰ γουσιν οἱ γονεῖς αὐτῆς· Οὐκ ἀπολύομεν αὐτὸν͵ ἕως δῷ ἐγγυητὴν τοῦ τρέφειν αὐτήν. Καὶ εἶπον τῷ δια κονητῇ μου· καὶ ἐνηγγυήσατό με. Καὶ ἀπελθὼν εἰς τὸ κελλίον μου͵ ἔδωκα αὐτῷ ὅσα εἶχον σπυρίδια͵ λέ γων· Πώλησον͵ καὶ δὸς τῇ γυναικί μου φαγεῖν. Καὶ ἔλεγον τῷ λογισμῷ μου· Μακάριε͵ ἰδοὺ εὗρες ἑαυτῷ γυναῖκα· χρὴ ἐργάζεσθαι μικρὸν περισσὸν͵ ἵνα τρέφῃς αὐτήν· καὶ εἰργαζόμην νύκτα καὶ ἡμέραν͵ καὶ ἔπεμπον αὐτῇ. Καὶ ὅτε ἦλθεν ὁ καιρὸς τῇ ἀθλίᾳ τεκεῖν͵ ἔμεινεν ἐπὶ πολλὰς ἡμέρας βασανιζομένη͵ καὶ οὐκ ἔτικτε. Καὶ λέγουσιν αὐτῇ· Τί ἐστι τοῦτο; Ἡ δὲ εἶπεν· Ἐγὼ οἶδα· ὅτι τὸν ἀναχωρητὴν ἐσυκοφάντησα͵ καὶ ψευσαμένη ᾐτιασάμην· καὶ οὗτος οὐκ ἔχει πρᾶ γμα͵ ἀλλ΄ ὁ δεῖνα ὁ νεώτερος. Καὶ ἐλθὼν ὁ διακονῶν μοι χαίρων ἔλεγεν͵ ὅτι οὐκ ἠδυνήθη τεκεῖν ἡ παρθέ νος ἐκείνη͵ ἕως οὗ ὡμολόγησε͵ λέγουσα͵ ὅτι Οὐκ ἔχει πρᾶγμα ὁ ἀναχωρητὴς͵ ἀλλ΄ ἐψευσάμην κατ΄ αὐτοῦ· καὶ ἰδοὺ πᾶσα ἡ κώμη θέλει ἐλθεῖν ὧδε μετὰ δόξης͵ καὶ μετανοῆσαί σοι. Ἐγὼ δὲ ἀκούσας ταῦτα͵ ἵνα μὴ θλίψωσί με οἱ ἄνθρωποι͵ ἀνέστην καὶ ἔφυγον ὧδε εἰς Σκῆτιν. Αὕτη ἐστὶν ἡ ἀρχὴ τῆς αἰτίας͵ δι΄ ἣν ἦλθον ὧδε

2 One day Macarius the Egyptian went from Scetis to the mountain of Nitria for the offering of Abba Pambo. The old men said to him, ‘Father, say a word to the brethren.’ He said, ‘I have not yet become a monk myself, but I have seen monks. One day when I was sitting in my cell, my thoughts were troubling me, suggesting that I should go to the desert and see what I could see there. I remained for five years, fighting against this thought, saying, perhaps it comes from the demons. But since the thought persisted, I left for the desert. There I found a sheet of water and an island in the midst, and the animals of the desert came to drink there. In the midst of these animals I saw two naked men, and my body trembled, for I believed they were spirits. Seeing me shaking, they said to me, “Do not be afraid, for we are men.” Then I said to them, “Where do you come from, and how did you come to this desert?” They said, “We come from a monastery and having agreed together, we came here forty years ago. One of us is an Egyptian and the other a Libyan.” They questioned me and asked me, “How is the world? Is the water rising in due time? Is the world enjoying prosperity?” I replied it was, then I asked them, “How can I become a monk?” They said to me, “If you do not give up all that is in the world, you cannot become a monk.” I said to them, “But I am weak, and I cannot do as you do.” So they said to me: “If you cannot become like us, sit in your cell and weep for your sins.” I asked them, “When the winter comes are you not frozen? And when the heat comes do not your bodies burn?” They said, “It is God who has made this way of life for us. We do not freeze in winter, and the summer does us no harm.” That is why I said that I have not yet become a monk, but I have seen monks.’

β. ῏Ηλθέ ποτε Μακάριος ὁ Αἰγύπτιος ἀπὸ Σκήτεως εἰς τὸ ὄρος τῆς Νιτρίας εἰς τὴν προσφορὰν τοῦ ἀββᾶ Παμβώ· καὶ λέγουσιν αὐτῷ οἱ γέροντες· Εἰπὲ ῥῆμα τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς͵ Πάτερ. Ὁ δὲ εἶπεν· Ἐγὼ οὔπω γέγονα μοναχὸς͵ ἀλλ΄ εἶδον μοναχούς. Καθημένῳ γάρ μοί ποτε ἐν τῷ κελλίῳ εἰς Σκῆτιν͵ ὤχλησάν μοι οἱ λο γισμοὶ λέγοντες· Ἄπελθε εἰς τὴν ἔρημον͵ καὶ ἴδε τί βλέπεις ἐκεῖ. Ἔμεινα δὲ πολεμῶν τῷ λογισμῷ πέντε ἔτη͵ λέγων͵ Μήπως ἀπὸ δαιμόνων ἐστίν. Καὶ ὡς ἐπέμενεν ὁ λογισμὸς͵ ἀπῆλθον εἰς τὴν ἔρημον· καὶ ηὗρον ἐκεῖ λίμνην ὑδάτων͵ καὶ νῆσον ἐν μέσῳ αὐτῆς· καὶ ἦλθον τὰ κτήνη τῆς ἐρήμου πιεῖν ἐξ αὐτῆς. Καὶ εἶδον ἐν μέσῳ αὐτῶν δύο ἀνθρώπους γυμνούς· καὶ ἐδειλίασε τὸ σῶμά μου· ἐνόμισα γὰρ ὅτι πνεύματά εἰσιν. Αὐτοὶ δέ με ὡς εἶδον δειλιῶντα͵ ἐλάλησαν πρὸς μέ· Μὴ φοβοῦ· καὶ ἡμεῖς ἄνθρωποί ἐσμεν. Καὶ εἶ πον αὐτοῖς· Πόθεν ἐστὲ͵ καὶ πῶς ἤλθετε εἰς τὴν ἔρη μον ταύτην; Καὶ εἶπον· Ἀπὸ κοινοβίου ἐσμέν· καὶ γέγονεν ἡμῖν συμφωνία͵ καὶ ἐξήλθομεν ὧδε· ἰδοὺ τεσ σαράκοντα ἔτη· καὶ ὁ μὲν εἷς Αἰγύπτιος͵ ὁ δὲ ἕτε ρος Λιβυκὸς ὑπάρχει. Καὶ ἐπερώτησάν με καὶ αὐτοὶ͵ λέγοντες· Πῶς ὁ κόσμος; καὶ εἰ ἔρχεται τὸ ὕδωρ κατὰ καιρὸν αὐτοῦ͵ καὶ εἰ ἔχει ὁ κόσμος τὴν εὐθηνίαν αὐ τοῦ; Καὶ εἶπον αὐτοῖς· Ναί. Κἀγὼ αὐτοὺς ἠρώτησα· Πῶς δύναμαι γενέσθαι μοναχός; Καὶ λέγουσί μοι· Ἐὰν μὴ ἀποτάξηταί τις πᾶσι τοῖς τοῦ κόσμου͵ οὐ δύναται γενέσθαι μοναχός. Καὶ εἶπον αὐτοῖς· Ἐγὼ ἀσθενής εἰμι͵ καὶ οὐ δύναμαι ὡς ὑμεῖς. Καὶ εἶπόν μοι καὶ αὐτοί· Καὶ ἐὰν οὐ δύνασαι ὡς ἡμεῖς͵ κάθου εἰς τὸ κελλίον σου͵ καὶ κλαῦσον τὰς ἁμαρτίας σου. Καὶ ἠρώτησα αὐτούς· Ὅταν γίνηται χειμὼν͵ οὐ ῥιγᾶ τε; καὶ ὅταν γίνηται καῦμα͵ οὐ καίεται τὰ σώματα ²⁶¹ ὑμῶν; Οἱ δὲ εἶπον· Ὁ Θεὸς ἐποίησεν ἡμῖν τὴν οἰκο νομίαν ταύτην· καὶ οὔτε τῷ χειμῶνι ῥιγῶμεν͵ οὔτε τῷ θέρει τὸ καῦμα ἡμᾶς ἀδικεῖ. Διὰ τοῦτο εἶπον ὑμῖν͵ ὅτι οὔπω γέγονα μοναχὸς͵ ἀλλ΄ εἶδον μοναχούς. Συγ χωρήσατέ μοι͵ ἀδελφοί

3. When Abba Macarius dwelt in the great desert, he was the only one living as an anchorite, but lower down there was another desert where several brothers dwelt. The old man was surveying the road when he saw Satan drawing near in the likeness of a man and he passed by his dwelling. He seemed to be wearing some kind of cotton garment, full of holes, and a small flask hung at each hole. The old man said to him, ‘Where are you off to?’ He said, ‘I am going to stir up the memories of the brethren.’ The old man said, And what is the purpose of these small flasks?’ He replied, ‘I am taking food for the brethren to taste.’ The old man said, All those kinds?’ He replied, ‘Yes, for if a brother does not like one sort of food, I offer him another, and if he does not like the second any better, I offer him a third; and of all these varieties he will like one at least.’ With these words he departed. The old man remained watching the road until he saw him coming back again. When the old man saw him, he said to him: ‘Good health to you.’ The other replied: ‘How can I be in good health?’ The old man asked him what he meant, and he replied, ‘Because they all opposed me, and no one received me.’ The old man said, Ah, you did not find any friends down there?’ He replied, ‘Yes, I have a monk who is a friend down there. He at least obeys me and when he sees me he changes like the wind.’ The old man asked him the name of this monk. Theopemtus,’ he replied. With these words he went away. Then Abba Macarius got up and went to the desert below his own. When they heard of it the brothers took branches of palm to go to meet him. Each one got ready, thinking that it was to him the old man was coming down. But he enquired which was the one on the mountain called Theopemptus, and when he had found out he went to his cell. Theopemptus received him with joy. When he was alone with him the old man asked him, ‘How are you getting on?’ Theopemptus replied, ‘Thanks to your prayers, all goes well.’ The old man asked: ‘Do not your thoughts war against you?’ He replied: ‘Up to now, it is all right,’ for he was afraid to admit anything. The old man said to him, ‘See how many years I have lived as an ascetic, and am praised by all, and though I am old, the spirit of fornication troubles me.’ Theopemptus said, ‘Believe me, abba, it is the same with me.’ The old man went on admitting that other thoughts still warred against him, until he had brought him to admit them about himself. Then he said, ‘How do you fast?’ He replied, ‘Till the ninth hour.’ ‘Practise fasting a little later; meditate on the Gospel and the other Scriptures, and if an alien thought arises within you, never look at it but always look upwards, and the Lord will come at once to your help.’ When he had given the brother this rule, the old man then returned to his solitude. He was watching the road once more when he saw the devil, to whom he said, ‘Where are you going this time?’ He replied, ‘To arouse the memories of the brothers,’ and he went away. When he came back the saint asked him, ‘How are the brothers?’ He replied that it had gone badly. The old man asked him why. He replied, ‘They are all obdurate, and the worst is the one friend I had who used to obey me. I do not know what has changed him, but not only does he not obey me any more, but he has become the most obdurate of them all. So I have promised myself not to go down there again at least not for a long time from now.’ When he had said this, he went away leaving the old man, and the saint returned to his cell.

γ. Ὁ ἀββᾶς Μακάριος ὅτε ᾤκει ἐν τῇ πανερήμῳ· ἦν δὲ μόνος ἐν αὐτῇ ἀναχωρῶν͵ παρακάτω δὲ ἄλλη ἔρημος ἦν πλειόνων ἀδελφῶν. Παρετήρει δὲ ὁ γέρων τὴν ὁδόν· καὶ ὁρᾷ τὸν σατανᾶν ἀνερχόμενον ἐν σχή ματι ἀνθρώπου͵ παρελθεῖν δι΄ αὐτοῦ· ἐφαίνετο δὲ ὡς στιχάριον φορῶν λινοῦν τρωγλωτόν· καὶ κατὰ τρυμα λίαν ἐκρέματο ληκύνθιον. Καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ γέρων ὁ μέγας· Ποῦ πορεύῃ; Καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ· Ἀπέρχομαι ὑπομνῆσαι τοὺς ἀδελφούς. Ὁ δὲ γέρων εἶπε· Καὶ ἵνα τί σοι τὰ ληκύνθια ταῦτα; Καὶ εἶπε· Γεύ ματα ἀποφέρω τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς. Ὁ δὲ γέρων εἶπε· Καὶ ταῦτα ὅλα; Ἀπεκρίθη· Ναί· ἐὰν μὴ τὸ ἓν ἀρέσῃ τινὶ͵ φέρω ἄλλο· ἐὰν δὲ μὴ καὶ τοῦτο͵ διδῶ ἄλλο· πάντως δὲ ἐξ αὐτῶν κἂν ἓν ἀρέσει αὐτῷ. Καὶ ταῦτα εἰπὼν ἀπῆλθεν. Ὁ δὲ γέρων ἔμεινε παρατηρούμενος τὰς ὁδοὺς͵ ἕως πάλιν ἐκεῖνος ἐπανῆλθε. Καὶ ὡς εἶδεν αὐ τὸν ὁ γέρων͵ λέγει αὐτῷ· Σωθείης. Ὁ δὲ ἀπεκρίθη· Ποῦ ἔνι μοι σωθῆναι; Λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ γέρων· Διατί; Ὁ δὲ λέγει· Ὅτι πάντες ἄγριοί μοι ἐγένοντο͵ καὶ οὐδείς μου ἀνέχεται. Λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ γέρων· Οὐ δένα οὖν φίλον ἔχεις ἐκεῖ; Ὁ δὲ ἀπεκρίθη· Ναὶ͵ ἕνα μοναχὸν ἔχω ἐκεῖ φίλον͵ καὶ κἂν αὐτός μοι πεί θεται· καὶ ὅτε ὁρᾷ με͵ στρέφεται ὡς ἀνέμη. Λέγει αὐ τῷ ὁ γέρων· Καὶ τίς καλεῖται ὁ ἀδελφός; Ὁ δὲ λέγει· Θεόπεμπτος. Εἰπὼν δὲ ταῦτα ἀπῆλθε. Καὶ ἀναστὰς ὁ ἀββᾶς Μακάριος ἀπέρχεται ἐπὶ τὴν παρακάτω ἔρη μον. Καὶ ἀκούσαντες οἱ ἀδελφοὶ͵ λαβόντες βαΐα ἐξ ῆλθον εἰς ἀπάντησιν αὐτοῦ. Καὶ λοιπὸν ἕκαστος ηὐτρεπίζετο͵ νομίζων ὅτι παρ΄ αὐτῷ ἔμελλε κατα λύειν ὁ γέρων. Ὁ δὲ ἐζήτει τίς εἴη ὁ καλούμενος Θεό πεμπτος ἐν τῷ ὄρει. Καὶ εὑρὼν͵ εἰσῆλθεν εἰς τὸ κελ ²⁶⁴ λίον αὐτοῦ. Ὁ δὲ Θεόπεμπτος ὑπεδέξατο αὐτὸν χαί ρων. Ὡς δὲ ἤρξατο ἰδιάζειν αὐτὸν͵ ὁ γέρων λέγει· Πῶς τὰ κατὰ σὲ͵ ἀδελφέ; Ὁ δὲ εἶπεν· Εὐχαῖς σου͵ καλῶς. Εἶπε δὲ ὁ γέρων· Μὴ πολεμοῦσί σε οἱ λογισμοί; Ὁ δὲ εἶπε· Τέως καλῶς εἰμι· ᾐδεῖτο γὰρ εἰπεῖν. Λέ γει αὐτῷ ὁ γέρων· Ἰδοὺ πόσα ἔτη ἀσκῶ͵ καὶ τιμῶ μαι παρὰ πάντων͵ καὶ ἐμοὶ τῷ γέροντι ὀχλεῖ τὸ πνεῦ μα τῆς πορνείας. Ἀπεκρίθη λέγων καὶ ὁ Θεόπεμπτος· Πίστευε͵ ἀββᾶ͵ καὶ ἐμοί. Ὁ δὲ γέρων προεφασίζετο καὶ ἑτέρους λογισμοὺς πολεμεῖν αὐτῷ͵ ἕως ποιήσει αὐτὸν ὁμολογῆσαι. Εἶτα λέγει αὐτῷ· Πῶς νηστεύεις; Ὁ δὲ λέγει αὐτῷ· Τὴν ἐνάτην. Λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ γέρων· Νήστευε ἕως ὀψὲ͵ καὶ ἄσκει· καὶ ἀποστήθιζε τοῦ Εὐ αγγελίου καὶ τῶν ἄλλων Γραφῶν· καὶ ἐάν σοι ἀναβῇ λογισμὸς͵ μηδέποτε πρόσχῃς κάτω͵ ἀλλὰ πάντοτε ἄνω· καὶ εὐθέως σοι ὁ Κύριος βοηθεῖ. Καὶ τυπώσας ὁ γέ ρων τὸν ἀδελφὸν ἐξῆλθεν εἰς τὴν ἰδίαν ἔρημον. Καὶ παρατηρῶν πάλιν ὁρᾷ ἐκεῖνον τὸν δαίμονα͵ καὶ λέ γει αὐτῷ· Ποῦ πάλιν ἀπέρχῃ; Ὁ δὲ λέγει· Ὑπομνῆ σαι τοὺς ἀδελφούς. Καὶ ἀπῆλθεν. Ὡς δὲ πάλιν ἐπαν ῆλθε͵ λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ ἅγιος· Πῶς οἱ ἀδελφοί; Ὁ δὲ λέ γει· Κακῶς. Ὁ δὲ γέρων λέγει· Διατί; Ὁ δὲ εἶπεν· Ἄγριοί εἰσιν ὅλοι καὶ τὸ μεῖζον κακὸν͵ ὅτι καὶ ὃν εἶ χον φίλον ὑπακούοντά μοι͵ καὶ αὐτὸς οὐκ οἶδα πόθεν διεστράφη͵ καὶ οὐδὲ αὐτός μοι πείθεται͵ ἀλλὰ πάν των ἀγριώτερος ἐγένετο· καὶ ὤμοσα μηκέτι τὰ ἐκεῖ πατῆσαι͵ εἰ μὴ μετὰ χρόνον. Καὶ οὕτως εἰπὼν ἀπῆλ θεν͵ ἐάσας τὸν γέροντα. Καὶ ὁ ἅγιος εἰσῆλθεν εἰς τὸ κελλίον αὐτοῦ

4. One day Abba Macarius the Great came to Abba Anthony’s dwelling on the mountain. When he knocked on the door, Anthony came out to him and said to him, ‘Who are you?’ He replied, ‘I am Macarius.’ Then Anthony went inside and shut the door leaving him there. Later, seeing his patience, he opened the door and received Macarius with joy, saying to him, ‘I have wanted to see you for a long time, having heard about you.’ He rendered him all the duties of hospitality and made him rest for he was very tired. When evening came, Abba Anthony soaked some palm-leaves for himself, and Abba Macarius said to him, Allow me to soak some for myself.’ He replied: ‘Do so.’ Having made a large bundle, he soaked them. Then sitting down in the evening they spoke of the salvation of the soul, while they plaited the leaves. The rope which Macarius was making hung down through the window in the cave. Going in early, blessed Anthony saw the length of Abba Macarius’ rope and said, ‘Great power comes out of these hands.’

δ. Παρέβαλεν ὁ ἀββᾶς Μακάριος ὁ μέγας τῷ ἀββᾷ Ἀντωνίῳ͵ εἰς τὸ ὄρος· καὶ κρούσαντος αὐτοῦ τὴν θύ ραν͵ ἐξῆλθε πρὸς αὐτὸν͵ καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ· Σὺ τίς εἶ; ὁ δὲ ἔφη· Ἐγώ εἰμι Μακάριος. Καὶ κλείσας τὴν θύραν εἰσῆλθε καὶ ἀφῆκεν αὐτόν. Καὶ ἰδὼν τὴν ὑπομονὴν αὐτοῦ͵ ἤνοιξεν αὐτῷ͵ καὶ χαριεντιζόμενος μετ΄ αὐτοῦ͵ ἔλεγεν· Ἀπὸ πολλοῦ χρόνου ἐπεθύμουν σε ἰδεῖν͵ ἀκούων τὰ περὶ σοῦ. Καὶ φιλοξενήσας αὐτὸν ἀνέπαυ σεν· ἦν γὰρ ἀπὸ καμάτου πολλοῦ. Ὀψίας δὲ γενομέ νης͵ ἔβρεξεν ἑαυτῷ ὁ ἀββᾶς Ἀντώνιος θαλλία. Καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ ἀββᾶς Μακάριος· Κέλευσον ἵνα κἀγὼ βρέξω ἐμαυτῷ. Ὁ δὲ εἶπε· Βρέξον. Καὶ ποιήσας δε σμὸν μέγαν͵ ἔβρεξε. Καὶ καθήμενοι ἀπὸ ὀψὲ͵ λαλοῦν τες περὶ σωτηρίας ψυχῶν ἔπλεκον· καὶ ἡ σειρὰ διὰ τῆς θυρίδος εἰς τὸ σπήλαιον κατέβαινε. Καὶ εἰσελθὼν πρωῒ ὁ μακάριος Ἀντώνιος εἶδε τὸ πλῆθος τῆς σει ρᾶς τοῦ ἀββᾶ Μακαρίου͵ καὶ ἔλεγε· Πολλὴ δύναμις ἐκ τῶν χειρῶν τούτων ἐξέρχεται

5. Concerning the devastation of Scetis, Abba Macarius said to the brethern, ‘When you see a cell built close to the marsh, know that the devastation of Scetis is near; when you see trees, know that it is at the doors; and when you see young children, take up your sheep-skins, and go away.’

ε. Ἔλεγεν ὁ ἀββᾶς Μακάριος περὶ τῆς ἐρημώσεως τῆς Σκήτεως τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς· Ὅταν ἴδητε κελλίον οἰκοδομούμενον ἐγγὺς τοῦ ἕλους͵ μάθετε ὅτι ἐγγύς ἐστιν ἡ ἐρήμωσις αὐτῆς· ὅταν ἴδητε δένδρα͵ ἐπὶ θυ ρῶν ἐστιν· ὅταν δὲ ἴδητε παιδία͵ ἄρατε τὰ μηλωτάρια ὑμῶν͵ καὶ ἀναχωρήσατε. .

6. Again, wishing to comfort the brethren, he said, A mother came here with her little child, possessed with a devil, who said to his mother, “Get up, woman, let us go away from here.” She replied, “I cannot walk any further,” and the little child said to her, “I will carry you myself.” I wondered at the devil’s tricks and how eager he was to make them flee.’

ϛ. Ἔλεγε πάλιν͵ παρηγορῆσαι θέλων τοὺς ἀδελ ²⁶⁵ φούς· ῏Ηλθεν ὧδε παιδίον δαιμονιζόμενον μετὰ τῆς μητρὸς αὐτοῦ͵ καὶ ἔλεγε τῇ μητρὶ αὐτοῦ· Ἔγειρε͵ γραῖα͵ ἄγωμεν ἔνθεν. Ἡ δὲ εἶπεν· Οὐ δύναμαι πεζεῦσαι. Καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῇ τὸ παιδίον· Ἐγώ σε βα στάζω. Καὶ ἐθαύμασα τὴν πονηρίαν τοῦ δαίμονος͵ πῶς ἠθέλησεν αὐτοὺς φυγαδεῦσαι

7. Abba Sisoes said, ‘When I was at Scetis with Macarius, we went up, seven of us, to bring in the harvest. Now a widow cried out behind us and would not stop weeping. So the old man called the owner of the field and said to him, “What is the matter with the woman that she goes on weeping?” “It is because her husband received a deposit in trust from someone and he died suddenly without saying where he had hidden it, and the owner of the deposit wants to take her and her children and make slaves of them.” The old man said to him, “Tell her to come to us, when we take our mid-day rest.” The woman came, and the old man said to her, “Why are you weeping all the time like this?” She replied, “My husband who had received a deposit on trust from someone, has died and he did not say when he died, where he had put it.” The old man said to her, “Come, show me where you have buried him.” Taking the Macarius the Great [ 129 brethren with him, he went with her. When they had come to the place, the old man said to her, “Go away to your house.” While the brethren prayed, the old man asked the dead man, “So and so, where have you put the deposit?” The corpse replied, “It is hidden in the house, at the foot of the bed.” The old man said, “Rest again, until the day of resurrection.” When they saw this, the brethren were filled with fear and threw themselves at his feet. But the old man said to them, “It is not for my sake that this has happened, for I am nothing, but it is because of the widow and the orphans that God has performed this miracle. This is what is remarkable, that God wants the soul to be without sin and grants it all it asks.” He went to tell the widow where the deposit was. Taking it, she returned it to its owner and thus freed her children. All who heard this story gave glory to God.’

ζ. Ἔλεγεν ὁ ἀββᾶς Σισόης· Ὅτε ἤμην εἰς Σκῆ τιν μετὰ τοῦ Μακαρίου͵ ἀνέβημεν θερίσαι μετ΄ αὐτοῦ ἐπτὰ ὀνόματα· καὶ ἰδοὺ μία χήρα καλαμωμένη ἦν ὀπίσω ἡμῶν͵ καὶ οὐκ ἐπαύετο κλαίουσα. Ἐφώνη σεν οὖν ὁ γέρων τὸν κύριον τοῦ χωρίου͵ καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ· Τί ἔχει ἡ γραῦς αὕτη͵ ὅτι πάντοτε κλαίει; Λέγει αὐτῷ· Ὅτι ὁ ἀνὴρ αὐτῆς εἶχε παραθήκην τι νὸς͵ καὶ ἀπέθανεν ἄφνω͵ καὶ οὐκ εἶπε ποῦ ἔθηκεν αὐτήν· καὶ θέλει ὁ κύριος τῆς παραθήκης λαβεῖν αὐτὴν καὶ τὰ τέκνα αὐτῆς εἰς δούλους. Λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ γέρων· Εἰπὲ αὐτῇ ἵνα ἔλθῃ πρὸς ἡμᾶς͵ ὅπου ἀνα παυόμεθα τὸ καῦμα. Καὶ ἐλθούσης τῆς γυναικὸς͵ εἶπεν αὐτῇ ὁ γέρων· Τί πάντα οὕτως κλαίεις; Καὶ εἶπεν· Ὁ ἀνήρ μου ἀπέθανε λαβὼν παραθήκην τινὸς͵ καὶ οὐκ εἶπεν ἀποθνήσκων ποῦ ἔθηκεν αὐτήν. Καὶ εἶπεν ὁ γέρων πρὸς αὐτήν· Δεῦρο͵ δεῖξόν μοι ποῦ ἔθηκας αὐτόν. Καὶ λαβὼν τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς μεθ΄ ἑαυτοῦ͵ ἐξῆλθε σὺν αὐτῇ. Καὶ ἐλθόντων ἐπὶ τὸν τό πον͵ εἶπεν αὐτῇ ὁ γέρων· Ἀναχώρησον εἰς τὸν οἶκόν σου. Καὶ προσευξαμένων αὐτῶν͵ ἐφώνησεν ὁ γέρων τὸν νεκρὸν͵ λέγων· Ὁ δεῖνα͵ ποῦ ἔθηκας τὴν ἀλλοτρίαν παραθήκην; Ὁ δὲ ἀποκριθεὶς εἶπεν· Εἰς τὸν οἶκόν μου κέκρυπται͵ ὑπὸ τὸν πόδα τῆς κλίνης. Καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ γέρων· Κοιμῶ πάλιν ἕως τῆς ἡμέ ρας τῆς ἀναστάσεως. Ἰδόντες δὲ οἱ ἀδελφοὶ͵ ἀπὸ τοῦ φόβου ἔπεσον εἰς τοὺς πόδας αὐτοῦ. Καὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς ὁ γέρων· Οὐ δι΄ ἐμὲ γέγονε τοῦτο· οὐδὲν γάρ εἰμι· ἀλλὰ διὰ τὴν χήραν καὶ τὰ ὀρφανὰ ὁ Θεὸς ἐποίησε τὸ πρᾶγμα· τοῦτο δέ ἐστι τὸ μέγα͵ ὅτι ἀναμάρτητον θέλει ὁ Θεὸς τὴν ψυχήν· καὶ εἴ τι ἂν αἰτήσηται λαμ βάνει. Ἐλθὼν δὲ͵ ἀνήγγειλε τῇ χήρᾳ ποῦ κεῖται ἡ παραθήκη. Ἡ δὲ λαβοῦσα αὐτὴν͵ ἔδωκε τῷ κυρίῳ αὐτῆς͵ καὶ ἠλευθέρωσε τὰ τέκνα αὐτῆς. Καὶ πάντες οἱ ἀκούσαντες ἐδόξασαν τὸν Θεόν

8. Abba Peter said this about the holy Macarius: ‘One day he came to the cell of an anchorite who happened to be ill, and he asked him if he would take something to eat, though his cell was stripped bare. When the other replied, “Some sherbet,” that courageous man did not hesitate, but went as far as Alexandria to fetch some for the sick man. The astonishing thing is that no-one knew about it.’

η. Ἔλεγεν ὁ ἀββᾶς Πέτρος περὶ τοῦ ἁγίου Μακα ²⁶⁸ ρίου͵ ὅτι παραγενόμενός ποτε πρός τινα ἀναχωρητὴν͵ καὶ εὑρὼν αὐτὸν κακούμενον͵ ἐπυνθάνετο τί βούλοιτο τραφῆναι͵ οὐδενὸς ὄντος ἐν τῷ κελλίῳ αὐτοῦ. Καὶ φήσαντος ἐκείνου͵ Πάστιλον͵ εἰς τὴν Ἀλεξανδρέων πόλιν οὐκ ὤκνησεν ὁ ἀνδρεῖος παραγενέσθαι͵ καὶ δοῦναι τῷ κάμνοντι· καὶ τὸ θαυμαστὸν μηδενὶ κα τάδηλον γενόμενον

9. He also said that when Abba Macarius received all the brethren in simplicity, some of them asked him why he mixed with them like this. He replied, ‘For twelve years I served the Lord, so that he might grant me this gift, and do you all advise me to give it up?’

θ. Εἶπε πάλιν͵ ὅτι ἐν ἀκακίᾳ τοῦ ἀββᾶ Μακαρίου πολιτευομένου πρὸς πάντας τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς͵ ἔφησαν αὐτῷ τινες· Διατί οὕτως ἑαυτὸν ποιεῖς; Ὁ δὲ εἶπε· Δώδεκα ἔτη ἐδούλευσα τῷ Κυρίῳ μου͵ ἵνα μοι χαρί σηται τὸ χάρισμα τοῦτο͵ καὶ πάντες μοι συμβου λεύετε ἀποθέσθαι αὐτό;

10. They said about Abba Macarius that when he visited the brethren he laid this rule upon himself, ‘If there is wine, drink some for the brethren’s sake, but for each cup of wine, spend a day without drinking water.’ So the brothers would offer him some refreshment, and the old man would accept it joyfully to mortify himself; but when his disciple got to know about it he said to the brethren, ‘In the name of God, do not offer him any more, or he will go and kill himself in his cell.’ When they heard that, the brethren did not offer him wine any more.

ι. Ἔλεγον περὶ τοῦ ἀββᾶ Μακαρίου͵ ὅτι εἰ εὐκαί ρησε μετὰ ἀδελφῶν͵ ἐτίθει ἑαυτῷ ὅρον͵ ὅτι Ἐὰν εὑρεθῇ οἶνος͵ διὰ τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς πίνε͵ καὶ ἀντὶ ἐνὸς ποτηρίου οἴνου͵ μίαν ἡμέραν μὴ πίῃς ὕδωρ. Οἱ οὖν ἀδελφοὶ͵ χάριν ἀναπαύσεως ἐδίδουν αὐτῷ. Ὁ δὲ γέ ρων μετὰ χαρᾶς ἐλάμβανεν͵ ἵνα ἑαυτὸν βασανίσῃ. Ὁ δὲ μαθητὴς εἰδὼς τὸ πρᾶγμα͵ ἔλεγε τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς· Διὰ τὸν Κύριον͵ μὴ δῶτε αὐτῷ· εἰ δὲ μή γε͵ εἰς τὸ κελλίον μέλλει ἑαυτὸν δαμάζειν. Καὶ μαθόντες οἱ ἀδελφοὶ͵ οὐκ ἔτι αὐτῷ παρεῖχον

11. When Abba Macarius was returning from the marsh to his cell one day carrying some palm-leaves, he met the devil on the road with a scythe. The latter struck at him as much as he pleased, but in vain, and he said to him, ‘What is your power, Macarius, that makes me powerless against you? All that you do, I do, too; you fast, so do I; you keep vigil, and I do not sleep at all; in one thing only do you beat me.’ Abba Macarius asked what that was. He said, ‘Your humility. Because of that I can do nothing against you.’

ια. Παρερχόμενός ποτε ἀπὸ τοῦ ἕλους εἰς τὸ κελ λίον ἑαυτοῦ ὁ ἀββᾶς Μακάριος͵ ἐβάσταζε θαλλία͵ καὶ ἰδοὺ ὑπήντησεν αὐτῷ ὁ διάβολος κατὰ τὴν ὁδὸν μετὰ δρεπάνου· καὶ ὡς ἠθέλησεν αὐτὸν κροῦσαι͵ οὐκ ἴσχυσε. καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ· Πολλὴ βία ἀπὸ σοῦ͵ Μακάριε͵ ὅτι οὐ δύναμαι πρὸς σέ. Ἰδοὺ γὰρ εἴ τι ποιεῖς͵ κἀγὼ ποιῶ· σὺ νηστεύεις͵ κἀγώ· ἀγρυπνεῖς͵ κἀγὼ ὅλως οὐ κοιμῶμαι· ἕν ἐστι μόνον ἐν ᾧ νικᾷς με. Λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ ἀββᾶς Μακάριος· Ποῖον τοῦτο; Ὁ δὲ ἔφη· Ἡ ταπείνωσίς σου· καὶ διὰ τοῦτο οὐ δύναμαι πρὸς σέ

12. Some Fathers questioned Abba Macarius the Egyptian, ‘Why is it that whether you eat, or whether you fast, your body is always emaciated?’ The old man said to them, ‘The little bit of wood that is used to poke the vinebranches when they are burning ends by being entirely burnt up by the fire; in the same way, man purifies his soul in the fear of God, and the fear of God burns up his body.’

ιβ. Ἠρώτησάν τινες τῶν Πατέρων τὸν ἀββᾶν Μακά ριον τὸν Αἰγύπτιον͵ λέγοντες· Πῶς ὅτε ἐσθίεις καὶ ὅτε νηστεύεις͵ τὸ σῶμά σου ξηρόν ἐστι; Καὶ λέγει αὐτοῖς ὁ γέρων· Τὸ ξύλον τὸ στρέφον τὰ καιόμενα φρύγανα͵ δι΄ ὅλου ἐσθίεται ἐκ τοῦ πυρός. Οὕτως ἐὰν καθαρεύσῃ ἄνθρωπος τὸν νοῦν αὐτοῦ ἐν τῷ φόβῳ τοῦ Θεοῦ͵ αὐτὸς ὁ φόβος τοῦ Θεοῦ κατεσθίει τὸ σῶμα αὐτοῦ

13. One day Abba Macarius went up from Scetis to Terenuthis and went into the temple to sleep. Now there were some old coffins of the pagans there. Taking one, he put it under his head as a pillow. The devils, seeing his audacity, were filled with jealousy and to make him afraid they called out, as though addressing a woman, ‘So and so, come to bath with us.’ Another devil replied from beneath him, as though among the dead, ‘I have a stranger on top of me, and I cannot come.’ But the old man was not afraid. On the contrary, he knocked on the coffin with assurance, saying, Awake, and go into the darkness, if you can.’ Hearing this, the devils began to cry out with all their might, ‘You have overcome us.’ Filled with confusion, they fled.

ιγ. Ἀνέβη ποτὲ ὁ ἀββᾶς Μακάριος ἀπὸ Σκήτεως εἰς Τερενοῦθιν· καὶ εἰσῆλθεν εἰς τὸ ἱερὸν κοιμηθῆ ναι. ῏Ησαν δὲ ἐκεῖ σκηνώματα Ἑλλήνων παλαιά· καὶ λαβὼν ἓν͵ ὑπέθηκε τῇ ἑαυτοῦ κεφαλῇ͵ ὡς ἐμ βρίμιον. Οἱ οὖν δαίμονες͵ ὁρῶντες αὐτοῦ τὸ θαρσα λέον͵ ἐφθόνησαν· καὶ θέλοντες αὐτὸν πτοῆσαι͵ ἐφώ νουν ὡς γυναικὸς ὄνομα͵ λέγοντες· Ἡ δεῖνα͵ δεῦρο μεθ΄ ἡμῶν εἰς τὸ βαλανεῖον. Ὑπήκουσε δὲ ἄλλος δαίμων ὑποκάτωθεν αὐτοῦ ὡς ἐκ τῶν νεκρῶν͵ λέγων· Ξένον ἔχω ἐπάνω μου͵ καὶ οὐ δύναμαι ἐλθεῖν. Ὁ δὲ γέρων οὐκ ἐπτοήθη· ἀλλὰ θαῤῥῶν ἔτυπτε τὸ σκή νωμα͵ λέγων· Ἔγειραι͵ ὕπαγε εἰς τὸ σκότος͵ εἰς δύ νασαι. Καὶ τοῦτο ἀκούσαντες οἱ δαίμονες͵ ἐβόησαν ²⁶⁹ φωνῇ μεγάλῃ͵ λέγοντες· Ἐνίκησας ἡμᾶς. Καὶ ἔφυ γον καταισχυνόμενοι

14. It was said of Abba Macarius the Egyptian that one day when he was going up from Scetis with a load of baskets, he sat down, overcome with weariness and began to say to himself, ‘My God, you know very well that I cannot go any further,’ and immediately he found himself at the river.

ιδ. Ἔλεγον περὶ τοῦ ἀββᾶ Μακαρίου τοῦ Αἰγυ πτίου͵ ὅτι ἀναβαίνων ἀπὸ Σκήτεως͵ καὶ βαστάζων σπυρίδας͵ κοπιάσας ἐκαθέσθη· καὶ ηὔξατο λέγων· Ὁ Θεὸς͵ σὺ οἶδας ὅτι οὐκ ἰσχύω. Καὶ εὐθέως εὑρέθη ἐπὶ τὸν ποταμόν

15. A man of Egypt had a paralytic son. He brought him to the cell of Abba Macarius, and put him down at the door weeping and went a good distance away. The old man stooped down and saw the child, and said to him, ‘Who brought you here?’ He replied, ‘My father threw me down here and went away.’ Then the old man said to him, ‘Get up, and go back to him.’ The child was cured on the spot; he got up and rejoined his father and they returned to their own home.

ιε. ῏Ην τις ἔχων υἱὸν παραλυτικὸν ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ· καὶ ἤνεγκεν αὐτὸν εἰς τὸ κελλίον τοῦ ἀββᾶ Μακαρίου· καὶ ἀφεὶς αὐτὸν ἐπὶ τὴν θύραν κλαίοντα͵ ἀνεχώρησε μακράν. Παρακύψας οὖν ὁ γέρων͵ εἶδε τὸ παιδίον͵ καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ· Τίς ἤνεγκέ σε ὧδε; Καὶ λέγει· Ὁ πατήρ μου ἔῤῥιψέ με ὧδε͵ καὶ ἀπῆλθε. Λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ γέρων· Ἀναστὰς κατάλαβε αὐτόν. Καὶ εὐθέως ὑγιάνας͵ ἀνέστη͵ καὶ κατέλαβε τὸν πατέρα αὐτοῦ· καὶ οὕτως ἀπῆλθον εἰς τὸν οἶκον αὐτῶν

16. Abba Macarius the Great said to the brothers at Scetis, when he dismissed the assembly, ‘Flee, my brothers.’ One of the old men asked him, ‘Where could we flee to beyond this desert?’ He put his finger on his lips and said, ‘Flee that,’ and he went into his cell, shut the door and sat down.

ιϛ. Ὁ ἀββᾶς Μακάριος ὁ μέγας ἔλεγε τοῖς ἀδελ φοῖς ἐν τῇ Σκήτει͵ ὡς ἀπέλυε τὴν ἐκκλησίαν· Φεύ γετε͵ ἀδελφοί. Καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ τις τῶν γερόντων· Ποῦ ἔχομεν φυγεῖν πλέον τῆς ἐρήμου ταύτης; Ὁ δὲ ἐτίθει τὸν δάκτυλον αὐτοῦ εἰς τὸ στόμα͵ λέγων· Τοῦτο φεύγετε. Καὶ εἰσήρχετο εἰς τὸ κελλίον ἑαυτοῦ͵ καὶ ἔκλειε τὴν θύραν͵ καὶ ἐκάθητο

17. The same Abba Macarius said, ‘If you reprove someone, you yourself get carried away by anger and you are satisfying your own passion; do not lose yourself, therefore, in order to save another.’

ιζ. Εἶπεν ὁ αὐτὸς ἀββᾶς Μακάριος· Ἐάν τινι ἐπι τιμῶν͵ εἰς ὀργὴν κινηθῇς͵ ἴδιον πάθος πληροῖς. Οὐ γὰρ ἵνα ἄλλους σώσῃς͵ σεαυτὸν ἀπολέσεις

18. The same Abba Macarius while he was in Egypt discovered a man who owned a beast of burden engaged in plundering Macarius’ goods. So he came up to the thief as if he was a stranger and he helped him to load the animal. He saw him off in great peace of soul, saying, ‘We have brought nothing into this world, and we cannot take anything out of the world.’ (1 Tim. 6.7) ‘The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.’ (Job 1.21)

ιη. Ὁ αὐτὸς ἀββᾶς Μακάριος͵ ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ ὢν͵ εὗ ρεν ἄνθρωπον ἔχοντα κτῆνος καὶ συλοῦντα τὰς χρείας αὐτοῦ· καὶ αὐτὸς ὡς ξένος παραστὰς τῷ συλοῦντι͵ συνεγέμου τὸ κτῆνος͵ καὶ μετὰ πολλῆς ἡσυχίας προέπεμπεν αὐτὸν͵ λέγων͵ ὅτι Οὐδὲν εἰσηνέγκαμεν εἰς τὸν κόσμον͵ δῆλον ὅτι οὐδὲ ἐξενεγκεῖν τι δυνάμεθα. Ὁ Κύριος ἔδωκεν· ὡς αὐτὸς ἠθέλη σεν͵ οὕτως καὶ ἐγένετο. Εὐλογητὸς Κύριος ἐπὶ πᾶσιν

19. Abba Macarius was asked, ‘How should one pray?’ The old man said, ‘There is no need at all to make long discourses; it is enough to stretch out one’s hands and say, “Lord, as you will, and as you know, have mercy.” And if the conflict grows fiercer say, “Lord, help ! “ He knows very well what we need and he shews us his mercy.’

ιθ. Ἠρώτησάν τινες τὸν ἀββᾶν Μακάριον͵ λέγον τες· Πῶς ὀφείλομεν προσεύχεσθαι; Λέγει αὐτοῖς ὁ γέρων· Οὐκ ἔστι χρεία βαττολογεῖν͵ ἀλλ΄ ἐκτείνειν τὰς χεῖρας͵ καὶ λέγειν· Κύριε͵ ὡς θέλεις καὶ ὡς οἶδας͵ ἐλέησον. Ἐὰν δὲ ἐπίκειται πόλεμος· Κύριε͵ βοήθει. Καὶ αὐτὸς οἶδε τὰ συμφέροντα͵ καὶ ποιεῖ μεθ΄ ἡμῶν ἔλεος

20. Abba Macarius said, ‘If slander has become to you the same as praise, poverty as riches, deprivation as abundance, you will not die. Indeed it is impossible for anyone who firmly believes, who labours with devotion, to fall into the impurity of the passions and be led astray by the demons.’

κ. Εἶπεν ὁ ἀββᾶς Μακάριος· Εἰ γέγονεν ἐν σοὶ ἡ ἐξουδένωσις ὡς ὁ ἔπαινος͵ καὶ ἡ πενία ὡς ὁ πλοῦτος͵ καὶ ἡ ἔνδεια ὡς ἡ δαψίλεια͵ οὐκ ἀποθνήσκεις. Ἀμή χανον γάρ ἐστι τὸν καλῶς πιστεύοντα͵ καὶ ἐν εὐσε βείᾳ ἐργαζόμενον͵ ἐμπεσεῖν εἰς ἀκαθαρσίαν παθῶν καὶ δαιμόνων πλάνην

21. It was said that two brothers at Scetis had fallen into sin and that Abba Macarius of Alexandria had excommunicated them. Some brethren came and told Abba Macarius the Great of Egypt about it. He said, ‘It is not the brothers who are excommunicated; it is Macarius (for he loved him).’ Hearing that he had been excommunicated by the old man, Abba Macarius fled to the marsh. Then Abba Macarius the Great went out and found him eaten up by mosquitoes. He said to him, ‘So you have excommunicated some brothers; and yet they live apart in the village. I myself have excommunicated you and like a pretty young girl to the utmost privacy of her chamber, you have fled here. I have summoned the two brothers, and have learnt from them what happened, and I have told them nothing has happened. Examine yourself, then, my brother, and see if you have not been the sport of the demons, for you have lacked perception in this matter. But repent of your fault.’ Then the other asked him, Please give me a penance.’ Faced with his humility, the old man said, ‘Go, fast for three weeks, eating only once a week.’ For it was his usual custom to fast for the whole week.

κα. Ἔλεγον͵ ὅτι ἐσφάλησαν δύο ἀδελφοὶ Σκῆτιν· καὶ ἐχώρισεν αὐτοὺς ὁ ἀββᾶς Μακάριος ὁ πολιτικός· ²⁷² καὶ ἦλθόν τινες͵ καὶ εἶπον τῷ ἀββᾷ Μακαρίῳ τῷ μεγάλῳ τοῦ Αἰγυπτίῳ. Ὁ δὲ εἶπεν· Οὐκ εἰσὶν οἱ ἀδελφοὶ κεχωρισμένοι͵ ἀλλὰ Μακάριός ἐστι κεχωρι σμένος· ἦν γὰρ ἀγαπῶν αὐτόν. ῎Ηκουσεν ὁ ἀββᾶς Μακάριος͵ ὅτι ἐχωρίσθη ὑπὸ τοῦ γέροντος͵ καὶ ἔφυ γεν εἰς τὸ ἕλος. Ἐξῆλθεν οὖν ὁ ἀββᾶς Μακάριος ὁ μέγας͵ καὶ εὑρίσκει αὐτὸν τιτρωσκόμενον ὑπὸ τῶν κωνώπων͵ καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ· Σὺ ἐχώρισας τοὺς ἀδελ φοὺς͵ καὶ ἰδοὺ εἶχον ἀναχωρῆσαι εἰς τὴν κώμην. Ἐγὼ δέ σε ἐχώρισα͵ καὶ σὺ ὡς καλὴ παρθένος εἰς τὸν ἐσώτερον κοιτῶνα ἔφυγες ὧδε. Ἐγὼ δὲ καλέσας τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς͵ ἔμαθον παρ΄ αὐτῶν͵ καὶ εἶπον· Οὐδὲν τούτων γέγονε. Βλέπε οὖν καὶ σὺ͵ ἀδελφὲ͵ μὴ ἀπὸ δαιμόνων ἐχλευάσθης (οὐδὲν γὰρ ἑώρακας)͵ ἀλλὰ βάλε μετάνοιαν ὑπὲρ τοῦ σφάλματός σου. Ὁ δὲ εἶπεν· Εἰ θέλεις͵ δός μοι μετάνοιαν. Ἰδὼν δὲ ὁ γέρων τὴν ταπείνωσιν αὐτοῦ͵ ἔλεγεν· Ὕπαγε͵ καὶ νήστευσον τρεῖς ἑβδομάδας͵ κατὰ ἑβδομάδα ἐσθίων. Αὕτη γὰρ ἦν ἡ ἐργασία αὐτοῦ πάντοτε͵ τὰς ἑβδομάδας νηστεύειν

22. Abba Moses said to Abba Macarius at Scetis, ‘I should like to live in quiet prayer and the brethren do not let me.’ Abba Macarius said to him, ‘I see that you are a sensitive man and incapable of sending a brother away. Well, if you want to live in peace, go to the interior desert, to Petra, and there you will be at peace.’ And so he found peace.

κβ. Εἶπεν ὁ ἀββᾶς Μωϋσῆς τῷ ἀββᾷ Μακαρίῳ εἰς Σκῆτιν· Θέλω ἡσυχάσαι͵ καὶ οὐκ ἀφιοῦσί με οἱ ἀδελ φοί. Καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ ἀββᾶς Μακάριος· Θεωρῶ ὅτι ἡ φύσις σου ἁπαλή ἐστι͵ καὶ οὐ δύνασαι ἀποστρέψαι ἀδελφόν· ἀλλ΄ ἐὰν θέλῃς ἡσυχάσαι͵ ὕπαγε εἰς τὴν ἔρημον ἔσω εἰς τὴν Πέτραν͵ κἀκεῖ ἡσυχάζεις. Καὶ τοῦτο ἐποίησε͵ καὶ ἀνεπάη

23. A brother came to see Abba Macarius the Egyptian, and said to him, Abba, give me a word, that I may be saved.’ So the old man said, ‘Go to the cemetery and abuse the dead.’ The brother went there, abused them and threw stones at them; then he returned and told the old man about it. The latter said to him, ‘Didn’t they say anything to you?’ He replied, ‘No.’ The old man said, ‘Go back tomorrow and praise them.’ So the brother went away and praised them, calling them, Apostles, saints and righteous men.’ He returned to the old man and said to him, ‘I have complimented them.’ And the old man said to him, ‘Did they not answer you?’ The brother said no. The old man said to him, ‘You know how you insulted them and they did not reply, and how you praised them and they did not speak; so you too if you wish to be saved must do the same and become a dead man. Like the dead, take no account of either the scorn of men or their praises, and you can be saved.’

κγ. Ἀδελφὸς παρέβαλε τῷ ἀββᾷ Μακαρίῳ τῷ Αἰγυπτίῳ͵ καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ· Ἀββᾶ͵ εἰπέ μοι ῥῆμα πῶς σωθῶ. Καὶ λέγει ὁ γέρων· Ὕπαγε εἰς τὸ μνη μεῖον͵ καὶ ὕβρισον τοὺς νεκρούς. Ἀπελθὼν οὖν ὁ ἀδελφὸς͵ ὕβρισε καὶ ἐλίθασε· καὶ ἐλθὼν ἀπήγγειλε τῷ γέροντι. Καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ· Οὐδέν σοι ἐλάλησαν; Ὁ δὲ ἔφη· Οὐχί. Λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ γέρων· Ὕπαγε πάλιν αὔριον͵ καὶ δόξασον αὐτούς. Ἀπελθὼν οὖν ὁ ἀδελφὸς͵ ἐδόξασεν αὐτοὺς͵ λέγων· Ἀπόστολοι͵ ἅγιοι͵ καὶ δί καιοι. Καὶ ἦλθε πρὸς τὸν γέροντα͵ καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ· Ἐδόξασα. Καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ· Οὐδέν σοι ἀπεκρίθησαν; Ἔφη ὁ ἀδελφός· Οὐχί. Λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ γέρων· Οἶδας πόσα ἠτίμασας αὐτοὺς͵ καὶ οὐδέν σοι ἀπεκρίθησαν͵ καὶ πόσα ἐδόξασας αὐτοὺς͵ καὶ οὐδέν σοι ἐλάλησαν· οὕτως καὶ σὺ͵ ἐὰν θέλῃς σωθῆναι͵ γενοῦ νεκρός· μήτε τὴν ἀδικίαν τῶν ἀνθρώπων͵ μήτε τὴν δόξαν αὐτῶν λογίσῃ͵ ὡς οἱ νεκροί· καὶ δύνασαι σωθῆναι

24. One day when Abba Macarius was going down to Egypt with some brethren, he heard a boy saying to his mother, ‘Mother, there is a rich man who likes me, but I detest him; and on the other hand, there is a poor man who hates me, and I love him.’ Hearing these words, Abba Macarius marvelled. So the brethren said to him: ‘What is this saying, abba, that makes you marvel?’ The old man said to them, ‘Truly, our Lord is rich and loves us, and we do not listen to him; while our enemy the devil is poor and hates us, but we love his impurity.’

κδ. Παρερχόμενός ποτε ὁ ἀββᾶς Μακάριος μετὰ ἀδελφῶν διὰ τῆς Αἰγύπτου͵ ἤκουσε παιδίου λέγοντος τῇ μητρὶ αὐτοῦ· Ἀμμᾶ͵ πλούσιός τις ἀγαπᾷ με͵ καὶ μισῶ αὐτόν· καὶ πτωχὸς μισεῖ με͵ καὶ ἀγαπῶ αὐτόν. Καὶ ἀκούσας ὁ ἀββᾶς Μακάριος͵ ἐθαύμασε. Καὶ λέ γουσιν αὐτῷ οἱ ἀδελφοί· Τί ἐστι τὸ ῥῆμα τοῦτο͵ Πά τερ͵ ὅτι ἐθαύμασας; Καὶ λέγει αὐτοῖς ὁ γέρων· Ἀληθῶς ὁ Κύριος ἡμῶν πλούσιός ἐστι καὶ ἀγαπᾷ ἡμᾶς͵ καὶ οὐ θέλομεν αὐτοῦ ἀκοῦσαι· ὁ δὲ ἐχθρὸς ἡμῶν διάβολος πτωχός ἐστι καὶ μισεῖ ἡμᾶς͵ καὶ ἀγα πῶμεν αὐτοῦ τὴν ἀκαθαρσίαν

25. Abba Poemen asked him weeping, ‘Give me a word that I may be saved.’ But the old man replied, ‘What you are looking for has disappeared now from among monks.’

κε. Παρεκάλεσεν ὁ ἀββᾶς Ποιμὴν αὐτὸν μετὰ πολ λῶν δακρύων͵ λέγων· Εἰπέ μοι ῥῆμα πῶς σωθῶ. Ἀποκριθεὶς δὲ ὁ γέρων εἶπεν αὐτῷ· Τὸ πρᾶγμα ὃ ζητεῖς͵ ἀπῆλθε νῦν ἀπὸ τῶν μοναχῶν. ²⁷³

26. One day Abba Macarius went to see Abba Anthony. He spoke to him and then returned to Scetis. The Fathers came to meet him, and as they were speaking, the old man said to them, ‘I said to Abba Anthony that we do not have an offering in our district.’ But the Fathers began to speak of other things without asking him to tell them the old man’s reply and he himself did not tell them. One of the Fathers said about this that when the Fathers see that the brethren fail to question them about something that would be useful, they ought to begin talking about it themselves; but if they are not urged on by the brethren, they should not say anymore about it, so that they shall not be found to have spoken without being asked, and to have said unnecessary words.

κϛ. Παρέβαλέ ποτε ὁ ἀββᾶς Μακάριος τῷ ἀββᾷ Ἀντωνίῳ· καὶ λαλήσας αὐτῷ͵ ὑπέστρεψεν εἰς Σκῆ. Καὶ ἦλθον οἱ Πατέρες εἰς ἀπάντησιν αὐτοῦ. Καὶ ὡς ἐλάλουν͵ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς ὁ γέρων· Ἔφην τῷ ἀββᾷ Ἀντωνίῳ͵ ὡς οὐκ ἔχομεν προσφορὰν ἐν τῷ τόπῳ ἡμῶν. Καὶ ἤρξαντο οἱ Πατέρες λαλεῖν περὶ ἄλλων͵ καὶ οὐκ ἠρώτησαν ἔτι μαθεῖν τὴν ἀπόκρισιν παρὰ τοῦ γέροντος͵ οὔτε ὁ γέρων αὐτοῖς εἶπε. Τοῦτο οὖν ἔλεγέ τις τῶν Πατέρων͵ ὅτι ἐὰν ἴδωσιν οἱ Πατέρες ὅτι λανθάνει τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς τῷ ἐρωτῆσαι περὶ πράγματος ὠφελοῦντος αὐτοὺς͵ ἀναγκάζουσιν ἑαυτοὺς εἰπεῖν ἀρχὴν τοῦ λόγου· ἐὰν δὲ μὴ ἀναγκασθῶσι πα ρὰ τῶν ἀδελφῶν͵ οὐκ ἔτι λαλοῦσι τὸν λόγον· ἵνα μὴ εὑρεθῶσιν ὡς μὴ ἐπερωτώμενοι καὶ λαλοῦντες͵ καὶ ὡς ἀργολογία εὑρίσκηται

27. Abba Isaiah questioned Abba Macarius saying, ‘Give me a word.’ The old man said to him, ‘Flee from men,’ Abba Isaiah said to him, ‘What does it mean to flee from men?’ The old man said, ‘It means to sit in your cell and weep for your sins.’

κζ. Ἠρώτησεν ὁ ἀββᾶς Ἡσαΐας τὸν ἀββᾶν Μακά ριον͵ λέγων· Εἰπέ μοι ῥῆμα. Καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ γέ ρων· Φεῦγε τοὺς ἀνθρώπους. Λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ ἀββᾶς Ἡσαΐας· Τί ἐστι τὸ φεύγειν τοὺς ἀνθρώπους; Ὁ δὲ γέρων εἶπεν αὐτῷ· Τὸ καθίσαι εἰς τὸ κελλίον σου͵ καὶ κλαῦσαι τὰς ἁμαρτίας σου

28. Abba Paphnutius, the disciple of Abba Macarius, said, ‘I asked my Father to say a word to me and he replied, “Do no evil to anyone, and do not judge anyone. Observe this and you will be saved.’“

κη. Ἔλεγεν ὁ ἀββᾶς Παφνούτιος ὁ μαθητὴς τοῦ ἀββᾶ Μακαρίου͵ ὅτι Παρεκάλεσα τὸν Πατέρα μου͵ λέγων· Εἰπέ μοι λόγον. Ὁ δὲ ἔφη· Μὴ κακοποιήσῃς τινὰ͵ μηδὲ κατακρίνῃς τινά. Ταῦτα τήρει͵ καὶ σώζῃ

29. Abba Macarius said, ‘Do not sleep in the cell of a brother who has a bad reputation.’

κθ. Εἶπεν ὁ ἀββᾶς Μακάριος· Μὴ κοιμηθῇς εἰς κελλίον ἀδελφοῦ ἔχοντος κακὴν φήμην

30. The brethren came one day to Abba Macarius at Scetis and they found nothing in this cell except stagnant water. So they said to him, Abba, come up to the village, and we will get some clean water for you.’ The old man said to them, ‘Brothers, do you know so-and-so’s bakery in the village?’ and they said that they did. The old man said to them, ‘I know it, too. Do you know so-and-so’s field, where the river runs?’ They said, ‘Yes.’ The old man said to them, ‘I know it too. So when I want to, I can go there myself, without your help.’

λ. Παρέβαλόν ποτε τῷ ἀββᾷ Μακαρίῳ ἀδελφοὶ εἰς Σκῆτιν͵ καὶ οὐχ εὗρον ἐν τῷ κελλίῳ αὐτοῦ οὐδὲν͵ εἰ μὴ ὕδωρ σαπρόν. Καὶ λέγουσιν αὐτῷ· Ἀββᾶ͵ δεῦρο ἄνω εἰς τὴν κώμην͵ καὶ ἀναπαύομέν σε. Λέγει αὐτοῖς ὁ γέρων· Οἴδατε͵ ἀδελφοὶ͵ τὸ ἀρτοκοπεῖον τοῦ δεῖνος εἰς τὴν κώμην; Καὶ λέγουσιν αὐτῷ· Ναί. Ἔφη αὐ τοῖς ὁ γέρων· Κἀγὼ οἶδα αὐτό. Οἴδατε καὶ τὸ χωρίον τοῦ δεῖνος ὅπου ὁ ποταμὸς κρούει; Λέγουσιν αὐτῷ· Ναί. Λέγει αὐτοῖς ὁ γέρων· Κἀγὼ οἶδα αὐτό. Ὅτε οὖν θέλω͵ οὐ χρείαν ὑμῶν ἔχω͵ ἀλλ΄ ἐμαυτῷ ἀνα βάζω

31 . They said of Abba Macarius that if a brother came to see him with fear, like someone coming to see a great and holy old man, he did not say anything to him. But if one of the brethren said to him, as though to humiliate him, ‘Abba, when you were a camel-driver, and stole nitre and sold it again, did not the keepers beat you?’ If someone talked to him like that he would talk to them with joy about whatever they asked him.

λα. Ἔλεγον περὶ τοῦ ἀββᾶ Μακαρίου͵ ὅτι εἰ προσ ήρχετο αὐτῷ ἀδελφὸς͵ ὡς ἁγίῳ γέροντι καὶ μεγάλῳ μετὰ φόβου͵ οὐδὲν ἐλάλει αὐτῷ. Εἰ δὲ ἔλεγεν αὐτῷ τις τῶν ἀδελφῶν ὡς ἐξουθενῶν αὐτόν· Ἀββᾶ͵ ἆρα ὅταν ἦς καμηλίτης καὶ ἔκλεπτες νίτρον καὶ ἐπώλεις αὐτὸ͵ οὐκ ἔδερόν σε οἱ τηρηταί; Εἰ ταῦτά τις ἔλεγεν αὐτῷ͵ ἐλάλει αὐτῷ μετὰ χαρᾶς͵ εἴ τι αὐτὸν ἠρώτα

32. They said of Abba Macarius the Great that he became, as it is written, a god upon earth, because, just as God protects the world, so Abba Macarius would cover the faults which he saw, as though he did not see them; and those which he heard, as though he did not hear them.

λβ. Ἔλεγον περὶ τοῦ ἀββᾶ Μακαρίου τοῦ μεγάλου͵ ὅτι γέγονε καθώς ἐστι γεγραμμένον θεὸς ἐπίγειος͵ ὅτι ὥσπερ ἐστὶν ὁ Θεὸς σκεπάζων τὸν κόσμον͵ οὕτως γέγονεν ὁ ἀββᾶς Μακάριος σκεπάζων τὰ ἐλαττώ ματα͵ ἃ ἔβλεπεν ὡς μὴ βλέπων͵ καὶ ἃ ἤκουεν ὡς μὴ ἀκούων

33. Abba Bitimius related that Abba Macarius said this: ‘When I was living at Scetis, two young strangers came down there. One had a beard, the other was beginning to grow one. They came towards me saying: “Where is Abba Macarius’ cell?” I said to them: “What do you want with him?” They replied, “We have heard tell of him and of Scetis and we have come to see him.” I said to them, “I am he.” Then they bowed low to me and said, “We want to live here.” Seeing that they were delicate and had been brought up in comfort, I said to them, “You cannot live here.” The elder said, “If we cannot live here, we will go somewhere else.” Then I said to myself, “Why chase them away and be a stumbling block to them? Suffering will make them go away of their own accord.” So I said to them, “Come and make yourselves a cell, if you can.” They said, “Show us a place, and we will make one.” The old man gave them an axe, a basket full of bread and salt, and showed them a lump of rock, saying, “Cut out some stones here, and bring wood from the marsh, make a roof, and live here.” He added, “I thought they would choose to go away, because of the hardship. But they asked me what work they should do here.” I replied, “Rope-making.” And I took some leaves from the marsh and showed them the rudiments of weaving and how to handle the reeds. I said to them, “Make some baskets, give them to the keepers, and they will bring you bread.” Then I went away. But they, with patience, did all that I had told them and for three years they did not come to see me. Now I wrestled with my thoughts, thinking, “What is their way of life? Why do they not come to ask me about their thoughts? Those who Macarius the Great live far off come to see me, but those who live quite close do not come. They do not go to anyone else either; they only go to church, in silence, to receive the oblation.” I prayed to God, fasting the whole week, that he would show me their way of life. At the end of the week, I got up and went to visit them, to see how they were. When I knocked, they opened the door and greeted me in silence. Having prayed, I sat down. The elder made a sign to the younger to go out and he sat plaiting the rope, without saying anything. At the ninth hour, he knocked, and the younger one returned and made a little soup and set the table at a sign of his elder brother. He put three small loaves on it and stood in silence. As for me, I said, “Rise, and let us eat.” We got up to eat and he brought a small water-bottle and we drank. When the evening came, they said to me, “Are you going away?” I replied, “No, I will sleep here.” They spread a mat for me on one side, another for themselves in the opposite corner. They took off their girdles and cowls, and lay down together on the mat. When they were settled, I prayed God that he would show me their way of life. Then the roof opened and it became as light as day, but they did not see the light. When they thought I was asleep, the elder tapped the younger on the side and they got up, put on their girdles again and stretched their hands towards heaven. I could see them, but they could not see me. I saw the demons coming like flies upon the younger one, some sitting on his mouth and others on his eyes. I saw the angel of the Lord circling round about him with a fiery sword, chasing the demons far from him. But they could not come near the elder one. When early dawn came, they lay down and I made as though I had just woken up and they did the same. The elder simply said to me “Shall we recite the twelve psalms?” and I said to him, “Yes.” The younger one chanted five psalms in groups of six verses and an alleluia and at each verse a tongue of flame came out of his mouth and ascended to heaven. Likewise with the elder, when he opened his mouth to chant it was like a column of fire which came forth and ascended up to heaven; in my turn, I recited a little by heart. As I went out, I said, “Pray for me.” But they bowed without saying a word. So I learned that the first was a perfect man, but the enemy was still fighting against the younger. A few days later the elder brother fell asleep and three days afterwards, his younger brother died too.’ When the Fathers came to see Abba Macarius, he used to take them to their cell, and 1 say, ‘Come and see the place of martyrdom of the young strangers.’

λγ. Διηγήσατο ὁ ἀββᾶς Βιτίμιος͵ ὅτι ἔλεγεν ὁ ἀββᾶς Μακάριος· Καθημένου μού ποτε εἰς Σκῆτιν͵ κατέβησαν δύο νεώτεροι ξενικοὶ ἐκεῖ· καὶ ὁ μὲν εἷς ²⁷⁶ εἶχε γένειον͵ ὁ δὲ ἄλλος ἀρχὴν βάλλων γενείου. Καὶ ἦλθον πρὸς μὲ λέγοντες· Ποῦ ἔστιν ἡ κέλλα τοῦ ἀββᾶ Μακαρίου; Κἀγὼ εἶπον· Τί θέλετε αὐτόν; Καὶ λέγουσιν· Ἀκούοντες τὰ περὶ αὐτοῦ καὶ τῆς Σκή τεως͵ ἤλθομεν ἰδεῖν αὐτόν. Λέγω αὐτοῖς· Ἐγώ εἰμι. Καὶ ἔβαλον μετάνοιαν͵ λέγοντες· Ὧδε θέλομεν μεῖ ναι. Ἐγὼ δὲ βλέπων αὐτοὺς τρυφεροὺς καὶ ὡς ἀπὸ πλούτου͵ λέγω αὐτοῖς· Οὐ δύνασθε καθίσαι ὧδε. Καὶ λέγει ὁ μειζότερος· Ἐὰν μὴ δυνώμεθα καθίσαι ὧδε͵ ὑπάγομεν ἀλλαχοῦ. Λέγω ἐγὼ τῷ λογισμῷ μου· Διατί διώκω αὐτοὺς͵ καὶ σκανδαλίζονται; ὁ κόπος ποιεῖ αὐτοὺς δι΄ ἑαυτῶν φυγεῖν. Καὶ λέγω αὐτοῖς· Δεῦτε͵ ποιήσατε ἑαυτοῖς κελλίον͵ εἰ δύνασθε. Καὶ λέγουσι· Δεῖξον ἡμῖν τόπον͵ καὶ ποιοῦμεν. Ἔδωκε δὲ αὐτοῖς ὁ γέρων πέλεκυν͵ καὶ ἀναβολίδιν μεστὸν ψωμίων͵ καὶ ἅλας· ἔδειξε δὲ αὐτοῖς ὁ γέρων καὶ πέτραν σκλη ρὰν͵ λέγων· Λατομήσατε ὧδε͵ καὶ φέρετε αὑτοῖς ξύλα ἐκ τοῦ ἕλους͵ καὶ στεγάσαντες καθίσατε. Ἐνό μιζον δὲ ἐγὼ͵ φησὶν͵ ὅτι μέλλουσι διὰ τὸν κόπον ἀνα χωρεῖν. Ἠρώτησαν δέ με͵ τί ἐργάζωνται ὧδε. Λέγω αὐτοῖς· Τὴν σειράν· καὶ λαμβάνω βαΐα ἐκ τοῦ ἕλους͵ καὶ δεικνύω αὐτοῖς τὴν ἀρχὴν τῆς σειρᾶς͵ καὶ πῶς ῥάπτειν δεῖ͵ καὶ εἶπον· Ποιεῖτε σπυρίδας͵ καὶ παρ έχετε τοῖς φύλαξι καὶ φέρουσιν ὑμῖν ψωμία. Λοιπὸν οὖν ἐγὼ ἀνεχώρησα. Αὐτοὶ δὲ μεθ΄ ὑπομονῆς πάντα ἐποίησαν͵ ὅσα εἶπον αὐτοῖς· καὶ οὐ παρέβαλόν μοι ἐπὶ τρία ἔτη. Καὶ ἔμεινα πολεμῶν τοῖς λογισμοὶς͵ λέγων· Τίς ἄρα ἐστὶν ἡ ἐργασία αὐτῶν͵ ὅτι οὐκ ἦλ θον ἐρωτῆσαι λογισμόν; Οἱ ἀπὸ μήκοθεν ἔρχονται πρὸς μέ· καὶ οὗτοι οἱ ἐγγὺς οὐκ ἦλθον͵ οὔτε δὲ πρὸς ἄλλους ὑπῆγον· εἰ μὴ μόνον εἰς τὴν ἐκκλησίαν σιω πῶντες͵ λαβεῖν τὴν προσφοράν. Καὶ ηὐξάμην τῷ Θεῷ νηστεύσας τὴν ἑβδομάδα͵ ἵνα δείξῃ μοι τὴν ἐρ γασίαν αὐτῶν. Ἀναστὰς δὲ μετὰ τὴν ἑβδομάδα͵ ἀπῆλθον πρὸς αὐτοὺς ἰδεῖν πῶς κάθηνται. Καὶ κρού σαντός μου ἀνέῳξαν͵ καὶ ἠσπάσαντό με σιωπῶντες· καὶ ποιήσας εὐχὴν͵ ἐκάθισα. Νεύσας δὲ ὁ μείζων τῷ μικροτέρῳ ἐξελθεῖν͵ ἐκάθισε πλέκειν τὴν σειρὰν͵ λαλήσας μηδέν· καὶ τῇ ὥρᾳ τῆς ἐνάτης͵ ἔκρουσε͵ καὶ ἦλθεν ὁ νεώτερος͵ καὶ ἐποίησε μικρὸν ἕψημα͵ καὶ παρέθηκε τράπεζαν͵ νεύσαντος αὐτῷ τοῦ μειζο τέρου· καὶ ἔθηκεν εἰς αὐτὴν τρεῖς παξαμάδας͵ καὶ ἔστη σιωπῶν. Ἐγὼ δὲ εἶπον· Ἐγείρεσθε͵ φάγωμεν. Καὶ ἀναστάντες͵ ἐφάγομεν· καὶ ἤνεγκε τὸ βαυκάλιον͵ καὶ ἐπίομεν. Ὡς δὲ ἐγένετο ἑσπέρα͵ λέγουσί μοι· Ὑπάγεις; Ἐγὼ δὲ εἶπον· Οὐχὶ͵ ἀλλ΄ ὧδε κοιμῶμαι. Καὶ ἔθηκάν μοι ψιάθιον παρὰ μέρος͵ καὶ ἑαυτοῖς εἰς τὴν γωνίαν παρὰ μέρος· καὶ ἦραν τὰς ζώνας αὐ τῶν καὶ τοὺς ἀναλάβους͵ καὶ ἔθηκαν ἑαυτοὺς ὁμοῦ εἰς τὸ ψιάθιον ἔμπροσθέν μου. Ὡς δὲ ἔθηκαν ἑαυτοὺς͵ ηὐξάμην τῷ Θεῷ͵ ἵνα μοι ἀποκαλύψῃ τὴν ἐργασίαν αὐτῶν. Καὶ ἠνεῴχθη ἡ στέγη͵ καὶ ἐγένετο φῶς ὡς ἡμέρα· αὐτοὶ δὲ οὐκ ἐθεώρουν τὸ φῶς. Καὶ ὡς ἐνόμιζον ὅτι κοιμῶμαι͵ νύσσει ὁ μείζων τὸν μικρό τερον εἰς τὴν πλευρὰν͵ καὶ ἐγείρονται͵ καὶ ζώνου σιν ἑαυτοὺς͵ καὶ ἐκτείνουσι τὰς χεῖρας εἰς τὸν οὐ ²⁷⁷ ρανόν. Καὶ ἐθεώρουν αὐτούς· αὐτοὶ δὲ οὐκ ἐθεώρουν με· καὶ εἶδον τοὺς δαίμονας ἐρχομένους ὥσπερ μυίας ἐπὶ τὸν μικρότερον· καὶ οἱ μὲν ἤρχοντο καθίσαι εἰς τὸ στόμα αὐτοῦ͵ οἱ δὲ εἰς τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς αὐτοῦ. Καὶ εἶδον ἄγγελον Κυρίου κατέχοντα ῥομφαίαν πυρὸς͵ καὶ περιχαρακοῦντα αὐτὸν καὶ διώκοντα τοὺς δαίμο νας ἀπ΄ αὐτοῦ. Τῷ δὲ μειζοτέρῳ οὐκ ἐδύναντο προσ εγγίσαι. Καὶ ὡς περὶ τὴν πρωΐαν ἔθηκαν ἑαυτούς· κἀγὼ ἐποίησα ἐμαυτὸν ὅτι διϋπνίσθην͵ καὶ αὐτοὶ ὡσαύτως. Εἶπε δέ μοι ὁ μείζων τὸν λόγον τοῦτον μό νον· Θέλεις βάλωμεν τοὺς δώδεκα ψαλμούς; Λέγω· Ναί. Καὶ ψάλλει ὁ μικρότερος πέντε ψαλμοὺς ἀπὸ ἓξ στίχων καὶ ἓν Ἀλληλούϊα Καὶ κατὰ στίχον͵ ἐξήρχετο λαμπὰς πυρὸς ἐκ τοῦ στόματος αὐτοῦ͵ καὶ ἀνέβαινεν εἰς τὸν οὐρανόν. Ὡσαύτως καὶ ὁ μείζων͵ ὅτε ἤνοιγε τὸ στόμα αὐτοῦ ψάλλων͵ ὡς σχοινίον πυρὸς ἐξήρχετο͵ καὶ ἔφθανεν ἕως τοῦ οὐρανοῦ. Κἀγὼ εἶπον μικρὸν ἀπὸ στήθους. Καὶ ἐξελθὼν͵ λέγω· Εὔξασθε περὶ ἐμοῦ. Αὐτοὶ δὲ ἔβαλον μετάνοιαν͵ σιωπῶντες. Ἔμαθον οὖν ὅτι ὁ μείζων τέλειός ἐστι· τῷ δὲ μικρο τέρῳ ἀκμὴν ἐπολέμει ὁ ἐχθρός. Μετὰ δὲ μικρὰς ἡμέρας͵ ἐκοιμήθη ὁ μείζων ἀδελφὸς͵ καὶ τῇ τρίτῃ ἡμέρᾳ ὁ μικρότερος. Καὶ ὅτε παρέβαλόν τινες τῶν Πατέρων πρὸς τὸν ἀββᾶν Μακάριον͵ ἐλάμβανεν αὐ τοὺς εἰς τὴν κέλλαν αὐτῶν͵ λέγων· Δεῦτε͵ ἴδετε τὸ μαρτύριον τῶν μικρῶν ξένων

34. One day the old men of the mountain sent a delegation to Scetis to Abba Macarius with these words, ‘Deign to visit us so that we may see you before you go to the Lord, otherwise all the people will be grieved.’ So he came to the mountain and all the people gathered round him. The old men asked him to say a word to the brothers. When he heard this, he said, ‘Let us weep, brothers, and let tears gush out of our eyes, before we go to that place where our tears shall burn our bodies.’ They all wept, falling with their faces on the ground and saying, ‘Father, pray for us.’

λδ. Ἀπέστειλάν ποτε πρὸς τὸν ἀββᾶν Μακάριον ἐν τῇ Σκήτει οἱ γέροντες τοῦ ὄρους͵ παρακαλοῦντες αὐ τόν· καί φασι πρὸς αὐτόν· Ἵνα μὴ σκυλῇ πᾶς ὁ λαὸς πρὸς σὲ͵ ἀξιοῦμέν σε παραγενέσθαι πρὸς ἡμᾶς͵ ὅπως θεασώμεθα πρὸ τοῦ σε ἐκδημῆσαι πρὸς Κύριον. Παραγενομένου δὲ αὐτοῦ ἐν τῷ ὄρει͵ συνήχθη πᾶς ὁ λαὸς πρὸς αὐτόν. Καὶ παρεκάλουν αὐτὸν οἱ γέροντες εἰπεῖν λόγον τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς. Ὁ δὲ ἀκούσας ἔφη· Κλαύ σωμεν͵ ἀδελφοὶ͵ καὶ καταγαγέτωσαν οἱ ὀφθαλμοὶ ἡμῶν δάκρυα͵ πρὸ τοῦ ἡμᾶς ἀπελθεῖν͵ ὅπου τὰ ἡμῶν δάκρυα κατακαύσει τὰ σώματα ἡμῶν. Καὶ ἔκλαυσαν πάντες͵ καὶ ἔπεσον ἐπὶ πρόσωπον αὐτῶν͵ καὶ εἶπον· Πάτερ͵ εὖξαι ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν

35. Another time a demon approached Abba Macarius with a knife and wanted to cut his foot. But, because of his humility he could not do so, and he said to him, All that you have, we have also; you are distinguished from us only by humility; by that you get the better of us.’

λε. Ἄλλοτε πάλιν͵ δαίμων ἐπέστη τῷ ἀββᾷ Μα καρίῳ μετὰ μαχαιρίου͵ θέλων τὸν πόδα αὐτοῦ κόψαι· καὶ διὰ τὴν ταπεινοφροσύνην αὐτοῦ μὴ δυνηθεὶς͵ λέ γει αὐτῷ· Ὅσα ἔχετε͵ καὶ ἡμεῖς ἔχομεν· μόνῃ τῇ ταπεινοφροσύνῃ διαφέρετε ἡμῶν͵ καὶ κρατεῖτε

36. Abba Macarius said, ‘If we keep remembering the wrongs which men have done us, we destroy the power of the remembrance of God. But if we remind ourselves of the evil deeds of the demons, we shall be invulnerable.’

λϛ. Εἶπεν ὁ ἀββᾶς Μακάριος· Ἐὰν μνησθῶμεν τῶν ὑπὸ τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἐπαγομένων ἡμῖν κακῶν͵ ἀναιροῦμεν τὴν δύναμιν τῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ μνήμης. Ἐὰν δὲ μνησθῶμεν τῶν κακῶν τῶν δαιμόνων͵ ἐσόμεθα ἄτρωτοι

37. Abba Paphnutius, the disciple of Abba Macarius, repeated this saying of the old man, ‘When I was small with other children, I used to eat bilberries and they used to go and steal the little figs. As they were running away, they dropped one of the figs, and I picked it up and ate it. Every time I remember this, I sit down and weep.’

λζ. Εἶπεν ὁ ἀββᾶς Παφνούτιος ὁ μαθητὴς τοῦ ἀββᾶ Μακαρίου͵ ὅτι ἔλεγεν ὁ γέρων ὅτι͵ Ὅτε ἤμην παι ²⁸⁰ δίον͵ μετὰ τῶν ἄλλων παιδίων ἔβοσκον βοΐδια· καὶ ἀπῆλθον κλέψαι συκίδια. Καὶ ὡς τρέχουσιν͵ ἔπεσεν ἓν ἐξ αὐτῶν· καὶ λαβὼν ἔφαγον αὐτό· καὶ ὅτε μνημο νεύσω αὐτοῦ͵ κάθημαι κλαίων

38. Abba Macarius said, ‘Walking in the desert one day, I found the skull of a dead man, lying on the ground. As I was moving it with my stick, the skull spoke to me. I said to it, “Who are you?” The skull replied, “I was high priest of the idols and of the pagans who dwelt in this place; but you are Macarius, the Spirit-bearer. Whenever you take pity on those who are in torments, and pray for them, they feel a little respite.” The old man said to him, “What is this alleviation, and what is this torment?” He said to him, “As far as the sky is removed from the earth, so great is the fire beneath us; we are ourselves standing in the midst of the fire, from the feet up Macarius the Great 137 to the head. It is not possible to see anyone face to face, but the face of one is fixed to the back of another. Yet when you pray for us, each of us can see the other’s face a little. Such is our respite.” The old man in tears said, “Alas the day when that man was born!” He said to the skull, “Are there any punishments which are more painful than this?” The skull said to him, “There is a more grievous punishment down below us.” The old man said, “Who are the people down there?” The skull said to him: “We have received a little mercy since we did not know God, but those who know God and denied Him are down below us.” Then, picking up the skull, the old man buried it.’

λη. Εἶπεν ὁ ἀββᾶς Μακάριος ὅτι͵ Περιπατῶν ποτε εἰς τὴν ἕρημον͵ εὗρον κρανίον εἰς τὸ ἔδαφος νεκροῦ ἐῤῥιμμένον· καὶ σαλεύσας αὐτὸ τῇ βαΐνῃ ῥάβδῳ͵ ἐλάλησέ μοι τὸ κρανίον. Καὶ λέγω αὐτῷ· Σὺ τίς εἶ; Ἀπεκρίθη μοι τὸ κρανίον· Ἐγὼ ἤμην ἀρχιερεὺς τῶν εἰδώλων͵ καὶ τῶν μεινάντων Ἑλλήνων ἐν τῷ τόπῳ τούτῳ· σὺ δὲ εἶ Μακάριος ὁ πνευματοφόρος· οἵαν ὥραν σπλαγχνισθῇς τοὺς ἐν τῇ κολάσει͵ καὶ εὔχῃ περὶ αὐτῶν͵ παραμυθοῦνται ὀλίγον. Λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ γέρων· Ποία ἐστὶν ἡ παραμυθία͵ καὶ τίς ἡ κόλασις; Λέγει αὐτῷ· Ὅσον ἀπέχει ὁ οὐρανὸς ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς͵ τοσοῦτόν ἐστι τὸ πῦρ ὑποκάτωθεν ἡμῶν͵ ἀπὸ ποδῶν ἕως κεφαλῆς ἑστηκότων ἡμῶν μέσον τοῦ πυρός· καὶ οὐκ ἔστι πρόσωπον πρὸς πρόσωπον θεάσασθαί τινα· ἀλλὰ τὸ πρόσωπον ἐκάστου͵ πρὸς τὸν ἑτέρου νῶτον κεκόλληται. Ὡς οὖν εὔχῃ ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν͵ ἐκ μέρους τις θεωρεῖ τὸ πρόσωπον τοῦ ἑτέρου. Αὕτη ἐστὶν ἡ παραμυ θία. Καὶ κλαύσας ὁ γέρων εἶπεν· Οὐαὶ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐν ᾗ ἐγεννήθη ὁ ἄνθρωπος. Λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ γέρων· Ἔστιν ἄλλη χείρων βάσανος; Λέγει αὐτῷ τὸ κρανίον· Μει ζοτέρα βάσανός ἐστιν ὑποκάτωθεν ἡμῶν. Λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ γέρων· Καὶ τίνες εἰσὶν ἐκεῖ; Λέγει αὐτῷ τὸ κρα νίον· Ἡμεῖς ὡς μὴ εἰδότες τὸν Θεὸν͵ κἂν ὀλίγον ἐλεούμεθα· οἱ δὲ ἐπιγνόντες τὸν Θεὸν͵ καὶ ἀρνησάμε νοι αὐτὸν͵ ὑποκάτωθεν ἡμῶν εἰσι. Καὶ λαβὼν ὁ γέ ρων τὸ κρανίον͵ ἔχωσεν αὐτό

39. They said of Abba Macarius the Egyptian that one day he went up from Scetis to the mountain of Nitria. As he approached the place he told his disciple to go on ahead. When the latter had gone on ahead, he met a priest of the pagans. The brother shouted after him saying, ‘Oh, oh, devil, where are you off to?’ The priest turned back and beat him and left him half dead. Then picking up his stick, he fled. When he had gone a little further, Abba Macarius met him running and said to him, ‘Greetings! Greetings, you weary man!’ Quite astonished, the other came up to him and said, ‘What good do you see in me, that you greet me in this way?’ The old man said to him, ‘I have seen you wearing yourself out without knowing that you are wearing yourself out in vain.’ The other said to him, ‘I have been touched by your greeting and I realize that you are on God’s side. But another wicked monk who met me insulted me and I have given him blows enough for him to die of them.’ The old man realized that he was referring to his disciple. Then the priest fell at his feet and said, ‘I will not let you go till you have made me a monk.’ When they came to the place where the brother was, they put him onto their shoulders and carried him to the church in the mountain. When the people saw the priest with Macarius they were astonished and they made him a monk. Through him many pagans became Christians. So Abba Macarius said, ‘One evil word makes even the good evil, while one good word makes even the evil good.’

λθ. Ἔλεγον περὶ τοῦ ἀββᾶ Μακαρίου τοῦ Αἰγυ πτίου͵ ὅτι ἀνέβαινέ ποτε ἐκ τῆς Σκήτεως εἰς τὸ ὄρος τῆς Νιτρίας· καὶ ὡς ἤγγισεν εἰς τὸν τόπον͵ εἶπε τῷ μαθητῇ αὐτοῦ· Πρόλαβε μικρόν. Καὶ ἐν τῷ προάγειν αὐτὸν͵ συναντᾷ τινι ἱερεῖ τῶν Ἑλλήνων· καὶ κράξας αὐτῷ ὁ ἀδελφὸς͵ ἐφώνει λέγων· Αἲ αἲ δαῖμον͵ ποῦ τρέχεις; Στραφεὶς δὲ ἐκεῖνος͵ διδοῖ αὐτῷ πληγὰς͵ καὶ ἀφίει αὐτὸν ἡμιθανῆ. Καὶ ἄρας τὸ ξύλον ἔτρεχε. Καὶ προβάντι ὀλίγον͵ συναντᾷ αὐτῷ ὁ ἀββᾶς Μακάριος τρέχοντι· καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ· Σωθείης͵ σωθείης͵ καμα τηρέ. Καὶ θαυμάσας ἦλθε πρὸς αὐτὸν͵ καὶ εἶπεν· Τί καλὸν εἶδες ἐν ἐμοὶ͵ ὅτι προσηγόρευσάς με; Λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ γέρων· Ὅτι εἶδόν σε κοπιῶντα· καὶ οὐκ οἶ δας ὅτι εἰς κενὸν κοπιᾷς. Λέγει αὐτῷ καὶ αὐτός· Κἀγὼ ἐπὶ τῷ ἀσπασμῷ σου κατενύγην· καὶ ἔμαθον ὅτι τοῦ μέρους τοῦ Θεοῦ εἶ. Ἄλλος δὲ κακὸς μοναχὸς ἀπαν τήσας μοι͵ ὕβρισέ με· κἀγὼ ἔδωκα αὐτῷ πληγὰς εἰς θάνατον. Καὶ ἔγνω ὁ γέρων ὅτι ὁ μαθητὴς αὐτοῦ ἐστι. Καὶ κρατήσας τοὺς πόδας αὐτοῦ ὁ ἱερεὺς ἔλε γεν· Οὐκ ἀφῶ σε͵ ἐὰν μὴ ποιήσῃς με μοναχόν. Καὶ ἦλθον ἐπάνω ὅπου ἦν ὁ μοναχὸς͵ καὶ ἐβάσταξαν αὐ τὸν͵ καὶ ἤνεγκαν εἰς τὴν ἐκκλησίαν τοῦ ὄρους. Καὶ ἰδόντες τὸν ἱερέα μετ΄ αὐτοῦ͵ ἐξέστησαν· καὶ ἐποίη σαν αὐτὸν μοναχόν. Καὶ πολλοὶ τῶν Ἑλλήνων ἐγέ νοντο δι΄ αὐτὸν Χριστιανοί. Ἔλεγεν οὖν ὁ ἀββᾶς Μα ²⁸¹ κάριος͵ ὅτι ὁ λόγος ὁ κακὸς͵ καὶ τοὺς καλοὺς ποιεῖ κακούς· καὶ ὁ καλὸς λόγος͵ καὶ τοὺς κακοὺς ποιεῖ καλούς

40. They said of Abba Macarius that a thief went into his cell when he was away. Marcarius came back to his cell and found the thief loading his things onto a camel. So Macarius went into the cell, picked up his things and helped him load them onto the camel. 1 When the loading was finished, the thief began to beat the camel to make it get up but in vain. Seeing that it did not get up, Abba Macarius went inside his cell, found a small hoe there, picked it up and put it onto the camel saying, ‘Brother, the camel wants to have this.’ Then the old man kicked it, saying, ‘Get up.’ At once the camel got up and went forward a little, because of his command. Then it lay down again and refused to get up until it was completely unloaded; and then it set off.

μ. Ἔλεγον περὶ τοῦ ἀββᾶ Μακαρίου͵ ὅτι ἀπόντος αὐτοῦ͵ εἰσῆλθε λῃστὴς εἰς τὸ κελλίον αὐτοῦ. Παρα γενομένου δὲ αὐτοῦ εἰς τὸ κελλίον͵ εὗρε τὸν λῃστὴν γεμίζοντα τὴν κάμηλον τὰ σκεύη αὐτοῦ. Αὐτὸς δὲ εἰσ ελθὼν εἰς τὸ κελλίον͵ ἐλάμβανεν ἀπὸ τῶν σκευῶν͵ καὶ συνεγέμιζε μετ΄ αὐτοῦ τὴν κάμηλον. Ὡς οὖν ἐγέμισαν͵ ἤρξατο ὁ λῃστὴς τύπτειν τὴν κάμηλον͵ ἵνα ἀναστῇ· καὶ οὐκ ἠγείρετο. Ἰδὼν δὲ ὁ ἀββᾶς Μακά ριος ὅτι οὐκ ἐγείρεται͵ εἰσελθὼν ἐν τῷ κελλίῳ εὗρε μικρὸν σκαλίδιν· καὶ ἐκβαλὼν͵ ἐπέθηκε τῇ κα μήλῳ͵ λέγων· Ἀδελφὲ͵ τοῦτο ζητεῖ ἡ κάμηλος. Καὶ κρούσας αὐτὴν ὁ γέρων τῷ ποδὶ͵ λέγει· Ἀνάστα. Καὶ εὐθέως ἀνέστη͵ καὶ ἀπῆλθε μικρὸν διὰ τὸν λόγον αὐτοῦ. Καὶ πάλιν ἐκάθισε͵ καὶ οὐκ ἀνέστη͵ ἕως ἀπ εγέμισαν ὅλα τὰ σκεύη· καὶ οὕτως ἀπῆλθεν

41 . Abba Aio questioned Abba Macarius, and said: ‘Give me a word.’ Abba Macarius said to him: ‘Flee from men, stay in your cell, weep for your sins, do not take pleasure in the conversation of men, and you will be saved.’

μα. Ὁ ἀββᾶς Ἀϊὼ ἠρώτησε τὸν ἀββᾶν Μακάριον͵ λέγων· Εἰπέ μοι ῥῆμα. Λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ ἀββᾶς Μακά ριος· Φεῦγε τοὺς ἀνθρώπους· κάθισον εἰς τὸ κελλίον σου͵ καὶ κλαῦσον τὰς ἁμαρτίας σου· καὶ μὴ ἀγαπή σῃς λαλιὰν ἀνθρώπων· καὶ σώζῃ.

MOSES 12_02

Περὶ τοῦ ἀββᾶ Μωσῆ

Moses, called the Robber or the Negro, was a released slave who lived as a robber in Nitria; late in life he became a monk and was trained by Isidore the Priest. He was ordained priest and became one of the great fathers of Scetis. On the advice of Macarius he retired to Petra; he was martyred with seven others by barbarian invaders.

1. It happened that Abba Moses was struggling with the temptation of fornication. Unable to stay any longer in the cell, he went and told Abba Isidore. The old man exhorted him to return to his cell. But he refused, saying, Abba, I cannot.’ Then Abba Isidore took Moses out onto the terrace and said to him, ‘Look towards the west.’ He looked and saw hordes of demons flying about and making a noise before launching an attack. Then Abba Isidore said to him, ‘Look towards the east.’ He turned and saw an innumerable multitude of holy angels shining with glory. Abba Isidore said, ‘See, these are sent by the Lord to the saints to bring them help, while those in the west fight against them. Those who are with us are more in number than they are.’ Then Abba Moses, gave thanks to God, plucked up courage and returned to his cell.

α. Ἐπολεμήθη ποτὲ ὁ ἀββᾶς Μωϋσῆς εἰς πορ νείαν πάνυ· καὶ μηκέτι ἰσχύων καθίσαι εἰς τὸ κελ λίον͵ ἀπῆλθε͵ καὶ ἀνήγγειλε τῷ ἀββᾷ Ἰσιδώρῳ. Καὶ παρεκάλεσεν αὐτὸν ὁ γέρων͵ ἵνα ὑποστρέψῃ εἰς τὸ κελλίον αὐτοῦ. Καὶ οὐ κατεδέξατο͵ λέγων ὅτι͵ Οὐκ ἰσχύω͵ ἀββᾶ. Καὶ λαβὼν αὐτὸν μεθ΄ ἑαυτοῦ͵ ἀνήγα γεν εἰς τὸ δῶμα͵ καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ· Πρόσχες εἰς δυ σμάς. Καὶ προσχὼν͵ εἶδε πλῆθος δαιμόνων ἀναρίθμη τον· καὶ ἦσαν τεταραγμένοι͵ καὶ θορυβοῦντες τοῦ πολεμεῖν. Λέγει αὐτῷ πάλιν ὁ ἀββᾶς Ἰσίδωρος· Βλέ ψον καὶ εἰς τὰς ἀνατολάς. Καὶ προσέσχε͵ καὶ εἶδεν ἀναρίθμητα πλήθη ἁγίων ἀγγέλων δεδοξασμένων. Καὶ εἶπεν ὁ ἀββᾶς Ἰσίδωρος· Ἰδοὺ οὗτοί εἰσιν οἱ ἀποστελλόμενοι τοῖς ἁγίοις παρὰ τοῦ Κυρίου εἰς βοή θειαν. Οἱ δὲ εἰς δυσμὰς͵ εἰσὶν οἱ πολεμοῦντες αὐ τούς. Πλείους οὖν εἰσιν οἱ μεθ΄ ἡμῶν. Καὶ οὕτως εὐχαριστήσας ὁ ἀββᾶς Μωϋσῆς τῷ Θεῷ͵ ἔλαβε θάρ σος͵ καὶ ὑπέστρεψε εἰς τὸ κελλίον αὐτοῦ

2. A brother at Scetis committed a fault. A council was called to which Abba Moses was invited, but he refused to go to it. Then the priest sent someone to say to him, ‘Come, for everyone is waiting Moses [139 for you.’ So he got up and went. He took a leaking jug, filled it with water and carried it with him. The others came out to meet him and said to him, ‘What is this, Father?’ The old man said to them, ‘My sins run out behind me, and I do not see them, and today I am coming to judge the errors of another.’ When they heard that they said no more to the brother but forgave him.

β. Ἀδελφός ποτε ἐσφάλη εἰς Σκῆτιν· καὶ γενομέ νου συνεδρίου͵ ἀπέστειλαν πρὸς τὸν ἀββᾶν Μωϋσῆν. Ὁ δὲ οὐκ ἤθελεν ἐλθεῖν. Ἀπέστειλεν οὖν πρὸς αὐτὸν ὁ πρεσβύτερος͵ λέγων· Ἐλθὲ͵ ὅτι σε ὁ λαὸς περιμέ νει. Ὁ δὲ ἀναστὰς ἦλθε. Καὶ λαβὼν σπυρίδα τετρημ μένην͵ καὶ γεμίσας ἄμμου͵ ἐβάστασεν. Οἱ δὲ ἐξελ θόντες εἰς ἀπάντησιν αὐτοῦ͵ λέγουσιν αὐτῷ· Τί ἐστι τοῦτο͵ Πάτερ; Εἶπε δὲ αὐτοῖς ὁ γέρων· Αἱ ἁμαρτίαι ²⁸⁴ μού εἰσιν ὀπίσω μου καταῤῥέουσαι͵ καὶ οὐ βλέπω αὐτάς· καὶ ἦλθον ἐγὼ σήμερον͵ ἁμαρτήματα ἀλλό τρια κρῖναι. Οἱ δὲ ἀκούσαντες͵ οὐδὲν ἐλάλησαν τῷ ἀδελφῷ· ἀλλὰ συνεχώρησαν αὐτῷ

3. Another day when a council was being held in Scetis, the Fathers treated Moses with contempt in order to test him, saying, ‘Why does this black man come among us?’ When he heard this he kept silence. When the council was dismissed, they said to him, ‘Abba, did that not grieve you at all?’ He said to them, ‘I was grieved, but I kept silence.’

γ. Ἄλλοτε συνεδρίου γενομένου ἐν τῇ Σκήτει͵ θέ λοντες αὐτὸν οἱ Πατέρες δοκιμάσαι͵ ἐξουδένωσαν αὐ τὸν͵ λέγοντες· Τί καὶ ὁ Αἰθίοψ οὗτος ἔρχεται εἰς τὴν μέσην ἡμῶν; Ὁ δὲ ἀκούσας ἐσιώπησε. Μετὰ δὲ τὸ ἀπολυθῆναι αὐτοὺς͵ λέγουσιν αὐτῷ· Ἀββᾶ͵ οὐ δὲν ἄρτι ἐταράχθης; Λέγει αὐτοῖς· Ἐταράχθην͵ ἀλλ΄ οὐκ ἐλάλησα

4. It was said of Abba Moses that he was ordained and the ephod was placed upon him. The archbishop said to him, ‘See, Abba Moses, now you are entirely white.’ The old man said to him, ‘It is true of the outside, lord and father, but what about Him who sees the inside?’ Wishing to test him the archbishop said to the priests, ‘When Abba Moses comes into the sanctuary, drive him out, and go with him to hear what he says.’ So the old man came in and they covered him with abuse, and drove him out, saying, ‘Outside, black man!’ Going out, he said to himself, ‘They have acted rightly concerning you, for your skin is as black as ashes. You are not a man, so why should you be allowed to meet men?’

δ. Ἔλεγον περὶ τοῦ ἀββᾶ Μωϋσέως͵ ὅτι ἐγένετο κληρικὸς͵ καὶ ἐπέθηκαν αὐτῷ τὴν ἐπωμίδα. Καὶ λέ γει αὐτῷ ὁ ἀρχιεπίσκοπος· Ἰδοὺ γέγονας ὁλόλευκος͵ ἀββᾶ Μωϋσῆ. Λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ γέρων· Ἄρα τὰ ἔξω͵ κῦρι ὁ Πάπας· ἢ καὶ τὰ ἔσω Θέλων δὲ ὁ ἀρ χιεπίσκοπος δοκιμάσαι αὐτὸν͵ λέγει τοῖς κληρικοῖς· Ὅταν εἰσέρχηται ὁ ἀββᾶς Μωϋσῆς εἰς τὸ ἱερατεῖον͵ διώξατε αὐτὸν͵ καὶ ἀκολουθήσατε αὐτῷ͵ ἵνα ἀκού σητε τί λέγει. Εἰσῆλθεν οὖν ὁ γέρων· καὶ ἐπετίμη σαν αὐτὸν͵ καὶ ἐδίωξαν͵ λέγοντες· Ὕπαγε ἔξω͵ Αἰ θίοψ. Ὁ δὲ ἐξελθὼν ἔλεγεν ἑαυτῷ· Καλῶς σοι ἐποίη σαν͵ σποδόδερμε͵ μελανέ. Μὴ ὢν ἄνθρωπος͵ τί ἔρχῃ μετὰ ἀνθρώπων;

5. Once the order was given at Scetis, ‘Fast this week.’ Now it happened that some brothers came from Egypt to visit Abba Moses and he cooked something for them. Seeing some smoke, the neighbours said to the ministers, ‘Look, Moses has broken the commandment and has cooked something in his cell.’ The ministers said, ‘When he comes, we will speak to him ourselves.’ When the Saturday came, since they knew Abba Moses’ remarkable way of life, the ministers said to him in front of everyone, ‘O Abba Moses, you did not keep the commandment of men, but it was so that you might keep the commandment of God.’

ε. Ἐδόθη ποτὲ εἰς Σκῆτιν ἐντολὴ ὅτι͵ Νηστεύσατε τὴν ἑβδομάδα ταύτην· καὶ κατ΄ εὐκαιρίαν͵ παρέβα λον ἀδελφοὶ ἀπὸ Αἰγύπτου τῷ ἀββᾷ Μωϋσῇ· καὶ ἐποίησεν αὐτοῖς μικρὸν ἕψημα. Καὶ ἰδόντες οἱ γείτο νες τὸν καπνὸν͵ εἶπον τοῖς κληρικοῖς· Ἰδοὺ Μωϋσῆς κατέλυσε τὴν ἐντολὴν͵ καὶ ἕψημα παρ΄ ἑαυτῷ ἐποίη σεν. Οἱ δὲ εἶπον· Ὅτε ἔρχεται͵ ἡμεῖς λαλοῦμεν αὐ τῷ. Τοῦ δὲ σαββάτου γενομένου͵ οἱ κληρικοὶ ἰδόντες τὴν μεγάλην πολιτείαν τοῦ ἀββᾶ Μωϋσέως͵ ἔλεγον αὐτῷ ἔμπροσθεν τοῦ λαοῦ· Ὦ ἀββᾶ Μωϋσῆ͵ τὴν ἐντολὴν τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἔλυσας͵ καὶ τὴν τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐφύλαξας. .

6. A brother came to Scetis to visit Abba Moses and asked him for a word. The old man said to him, ‘Go, sit in your cell, and your cell will teach you everything.’ 1

ϛ. Ἀδελφὸς παρέβαλεν εἰς Σκῆτιν πρὸς τὸν ἀββᾶν Μωϋσῆν͵ αἰτούμενος παρ΄ αὐτοῦ λόγον. Λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ γέρων· Ὕπαγε͵ κάθισον εἰς τὸ κελλίον σου· καὶ τὸ κελλίον σου διδάσκει σε πάντα

7. Abba Moses said, ‘The man who flees and lives in solitude is like a bunch of grapes ripened by the sun, but he who remains amongst men is like an unripe grape.’

ζ. Εἶπεν ὁ ἀββᾶς Μωϋσῆς· Ἄνθρωπος φεύγων͵ ²⁸⁵ ἔοικε σταφυλῇ ὀπῇ· ὁ δὲ ἐν ἀνθρώποις ὢν͵ ὡς ὄμ φαξ ἐστίν

8. The magistrate heard about Abba Moses one day and he went to Scetis to see him. They told the old man. He got up and fled to the marsh. Some people met him and said to him, ‘Old man, tell us where the cell of Abba Moses is.’ He said to them, ‘What do you want with him? He is a fool.’ So the magistrate went back to the church and said to the ministers, ‘I heard people talk about Abba Moses and I went to see him, but there was an old man going into Egypt who crossed our path and we asked him where Abba Moses’ cell is, and he said to us, “What do you want with him? He is a fool.’“ When they heard this, the clergy were offended and said, ‘What kind of an old man was it who spoke like that about the holy man to you?’ He said, An old man wearing old clothes, a big black man.’ They said, ‘It was Abba Moses himself and it was in order not to meet you that he said that.’ The magistrate went away greatly edified.

η. ῎Ηκουσέ ποτε ὁ ἄρχων περὶ τοῦ ἀββᾶ Μωϋ σέως͵ καὶ ἀπῆλθεν εἰς Σκῆτιν ἰδεῖν αὐτόν· καὶ ἀνήγ γειλάν τινες τῷ γέροντι τὸ πρᾶγμα· καὶ ἀνέστη φυ γεῖν εἰς τὸ ἕλος. Καὶ ὑπήντησαν αὐτῷ λέγοντες· Εἰπὲ ἡμῖν͵ γέρον· ποῦ ἔστιν ἡ κέλλα τοῦ ἀββᾶ Μωϋ σέως; Καὶ λέγει αὐτοῖς· Τί θέλετε παρ΄ αὐτοῦ; ἄν θρωπος σαλός ἐστι. Καὶ ἐλθὼν ὁ ἄρχων εἰς τὴν ἐκ κλησίαν͵ λέγει τοῖς κληρικοῖς· Ἐγὼ ἀκούων τὰ περὶ τοῦ ἀββᾶ Μωϋσέως͵ κατῆλθον ἰδεῖν αὐτόν· καὶ ἰδοὺ ὑπήντησεν ἡμῖν γέρων ὑπάγων εἰς Αἴγυπτον͵ καὶ εἴπομεν αὐτῷ· Ποῦ ἔστιν ἡ κέλλα τοῦ ἀββᾶ Μωϋσέως; καὶ λέγει ἡμῖν· Τί θέλετε ἀπ΄ αὐτοῦ; σαλός ἐστιν. Ἀκούσαντες δὲ οἱ κληρικοὶ͵ ἐλυπήθησαν͵ λέγοντες· Ποταπὸς ἦν ὁ γέρων ὁ ταῦτα λαλήσας κατὰ τοῦ ἁγίου; Οἱ δὲ εἶπον· Γέρων͵ παλαιὰ φορῶν͵ μακρὸς καὶ με λανός. Οἱ δὲ εἶπον· Αὐτός ἐστιν ὁ ἀββᾶς Μωϋσῆς· καὶ διὰ τὸ μὴ ἀπαντῆσαι αὐτὸν ὑμῖν͵ ταῦτα εἶπεν ὑμῖν. Πολλὰ δὲ ὠφεληθεὶς ὁ ἄρχων ἀνεχώρησεν

9. At Scetis Abba Moses used to say, ‘If we keep the commandments of our Fathers, I will answer for it on God’s behalf that the barbarians will not come here. But if we do not keep the commandments of God, this place will be devastated.’

θ. Ἔλεγεν ὁ ἀββᾶς Μωϋσῆς ἐν Σκήτει· Ἐὰν φυ λάξωμεν τὰς ἐντολὰς τῶν Πατέρων ἡμῶν͵ ἐγὼ ἐγ γυῶμαι ὑμᾶς πρὸς τὸν Θεὸν͵ ὅτι βάρβαροι οὐκ ἔρ χονται ὧδε. Εἰ δὲ μὴ φυλάξωμεν͵ ἐρημωθῆναι ἔχει ὁ τόπος οὗτος

10. One day, when the brethren were sitting beside him, he said to them, ‘Look, the barbarians are coming to Scetis today; get up and flee.’ They said to him, Abba, won’t you flee too?’ He said to them, As for me, I have been waiting for this day for many years, that the word of the Lord Christ may be fulfilled which says, “All who take the sword will perish by the sword.” ‘ (Matt. 26.52) They said to him, ‘We will not flee either, but we will die with you.’ He said to them: ‘That is nothing to do with me; let everyone decide for himself whether he stops or not.’ Now there were seven brothers there and he said to them, Look, the barbarians are drawing near to the door.’ They they came in and slew them. But one fled and hid under the cover of a pile of rope and he saw seven crowns decending and crowning them.

ι. Καθημένων δέ ποτε τῶν ἀδελφῶν πρὸς αὐτὸν͵ ἔλεγεν αὐτοῖς· Ἰδοὺ βάρβαροι σήμερον εἰς Σκῆτιν ἔρχονται· ἀλλὰ ἀνάστητε καὶ φύγετε. Λέγουσιν αὐτῷ· Σὺ οὖν οὐ φεύγεις͵ ἀββᾶ; Ὁ δὲ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς· Ἐγὼ τοσαῦτα ἔτη προσδοκῶ τὴν ἡμέραν ταύτην· ἵνα πλη ρωθῇ ὁ λόγος τοῦ Δεσπότου Χριστοῦ͵ λέγοντος· Πάν τες οἱ λαβόντες μάχαιραν͵ ἐν μαχαίρᾳ ἀποθα νοῦνται. Λέγουσιν αὐτῷ· Οὐδὲ ἡμεῖς φεύγομεν͵ ἀλλὰ μετὰ σοῦ ἀποθνήσκομεν. Ὁ δὲ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς· Ἐγὼ πρᾶγμα οὐκ ἔχω· ἕκαστος βλεπέτω πῶς καθ έζεται. ῏Ησαν δὲ ἑπτὰ ἀδελφοὶ͵ καὶ λέγει αὐτοῖς· Ἰδοὺ οἱ βάρβαροι ἐγγίζουσι τῇ θύρᾳ. Καὶ εἰσελθόν τες͵ ἐφόνευσαν αὐτούς. Εἷς δὲ ἐξ αὐτῶν ἔφυγεν ὀπίσω τῆς σειρᾶς· καὶ εἶδεν ἑπτὰ στεφάνους κατελ θόντας͵ καὶ στεφανώσαντας αὐτούς

11. A brother questioned Abba Moses saying, ‘I see something in front of me and I am not able to grasp it.’ The old man said to him, If you do not become dead like those who are in the tomb, you will not be able to grasp it.’

ια. Ἀδελφὸς ἠρώτησε τὸν ἀββᾶν Μωϋσέα͵ λέγων· Ὁρῶ ἐνώπιόν μου πρᾶγμα͵ καὶ οὐ δύναμαι αὐτὸ κα τασχεῖν. Λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ γέρων· Ἐὰν μὴ γίνῃ νεκρὸς ὡς οἱ ταφέντες͵ οὐ δύνασαι αὐτὸ κατασχεῖν

12. Abba Poemen said that a brother asked Abba Moses how someone could consider himself as dead towards his neighbour. The old man said to him, If a man does not think in his heart that he is already three days dead and in the tomb, he cannot attain this saying.’

ιβ. Εἶπεν ὁ ἀββᾶς Ποιμὴν͵ ὅτι ἀδελφὸς ἠρώτησε τὸν ἀββᾶν Μωϋσέα͵ ποίῳ τρόπῳ νεκροῖ ἑαυτὸν ἄν θρωπος ἀπὸ τοῦ πλησίον. Καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ ὁ γέρων ὅτι͵ Ἐὰν μὴ θήσει ἄνθρωπος ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ αὐτοῦ͵ ἑαυτὸν ἤδη τριήμερον ἐν μνημείῳ͵ οὐ φθάνει εἰς τὸν λόγον τοῦτον

13. It was said of Abba Moses at Scetis that when he had arranged to go to Petra, he grew tired in the course of the journey and said to himself, ‘How can I find the water I need there?’ Then a voice said to him, ‘Go, and do not be anxious about anything.’ So he went. Some Fathers came to see him and he had only a small bottle of water. He used it all up in cooking lentils for them. The old man was worried, so he went in and came out of his cell, and he prayed to God, and a cloud of rain came to Petra and filled all the cisterns. After this, the visitors said to the old man, ‘Tell us why you went in and out.’ The old man said to them, I was arguing with God, saying, “You brought me here and now I have no water for your servants.” This is why I was going in and out; I was going on at God till he sent us some water.’

ιγ. Ἔλεγον περὶ τοῦ ἀββᾶ Μωϋσέως εἰς Σκῆτιν͵ ὅτι ὡς ἤμελλεν ἐλθεῖν εἰς τὴν Πέτραν͵ ἐκοπίασεν ὁδεύων· καὶ ἔλεγεν ἐν ἑαυτῷ· Πῶς δύναμαι τὸ ὕδωρ ²⁸⁸ μου συναγαγεῖν ὧδε; Καὶ ἦλθεν αὐτῷ φωνὴ λέγουσα· Εἴσελθε͵ καὶ μηδὲν φροντίσῃς. Εἰσῆλθεν οὖν. Καὶ παρέβαλον αὐτῷ τινες τῶν Πατέρων͵ καὶ οὐκ εἶχεν εἰ μὴ ἓν μόνον λαγύνιον ὕδατος· καὶ ποιοῦντος αὐ τοῦ μικρὸν φακὸν͵ ἀνηλώθη. Ὁ δὲ γέρων ἐθλίβετο. Εἰσερχόμενος οὖν καὶ ἐξερχόμενος͵ ηὔχετο τῷ Θεῷ. Καὶ ἰδοὺ νεφέλη βροχῆς ἦλθε κατ΄ αὐτῆς τῆς Πέτρας· καὶ ἐγέμισεν ὅλα τὰ ἀγγεῖα αὐτοῦ. Καὶ λέγουσι μετὰ ταῦτα τῷ γέροντι· Εἰπὲ ἡμῖν͵ τί εἰσήρχου καὶ ἐξήρ χου. Καὶ λέγει αὐτοῖς ὁ γέρων· Δίκην ἐποίουν μετὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ ὅτι͵ ῎Ηνεγκάς με ὧδε͵ καὶ ἰδοὺ ὕδωρ οὐκ ἔχω ἵνα πίωσιν οἱ δοῦλοί σου. Διὰ τοῦτο εἰσηρχόμην καὶ ἐξηρχόμην παρακαλῶν τὸν Θεὸν͵ ἕως οὗ ἔπεμψεν ἡμῖν

Seven instructions which Abba Moses sent to Abba Poemen. He who puts them into practice will escape all punishment and will live in peace, whether he dwells in the desert or in the midst of brethren.

1. The monk must die to his neighbour and never judge him at all, in any way whatever.

ιδ. Εἶπεν ὁ ἀββᾶς Μωϋσῆς͵ ὅτι ὀφείλει ἄν θρωπος ἀποθανεῖν ἀπὸ τοῦ ἑταίρου αὐτοῦ͵ τοῦ μὴ κρίνειν αὐτὸν ἔν τινι

2. The monk must die to everything before leaving the body, in order not to harm anyone.

ιε. Πάλιν εἶπεν ὅτι͵ Ὀφείλει ἄνθρωπος νεκρῶσαι ἑαυτὸν ἀπὸ παντὸς πονηροῦ πράγματος͵ πρὸ τοῦ ἐξελθεῖν ἀπὸ τοῦ σώματος͵ τοῦ μὴ κακῶσαί τινα ἄν θρωπον

3. If the monk does not think in his heart that he is a sinner, God will not hear him. The brother said, ‘What does that mean, to think in his heart that he is a sinner?’ Then the old man said, ‘When someone is occupied with his own faults, he does not see those of his neighbour.’

ι. Εἶπε πάλιν· Ἐὰν μὴ ἄνθρωπος ἔχῃ ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ αὐτοῦ ὅτι ἁμαρτωλός ἐστιν͵ ὁ Θεὸς οὐκ εἰσ ακούει αὐτοῦ. Καὶ εἶπεν ὁ ἀδελφός· Τί ἐστιν͵ ἔχει ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ ὅτι ἁμαρτωλός ἐστιν; Καὶ εἶπεν ὁ γέρων ὅτι͵ Εἴ τις βαστάζει τὰς ἁμαρτίας αὐτοῦ͵ οὐ βλέπει τὰς τοῦ πλησίον αὐτοῦ

4. If a man’s deeds are not in harmony with his prayer, he labours in vain. The brother said, ‘What is this harmony between practice and prayer?’ The old man said, ‘We should no longer do those things against which we pray. For when a man gives up his own will, then God is reconciled with him and accepts his prayers.’

ιζ. Εἶπε πάλιν· Ἐὰν μὴ συμφωνήσῃ ἡ πρᾶξις μετὰ τῆς εὐχῆς͵ εἰς μάτην κοπιᾷ. Καὶ εἶπεν ὁ ἀδελφός· Τί ἐστι͵ συμφώνησις πράξεως μετὰ εὐχῆς; Καὶ εἶπεν ὁ γέρων· Ἵνα ὑπὲρ ὧν εὐχόμεθα͵ μηκέτι ποιῶμεν αὐτά. Ὅταν γὰρ ἄνθρωπος ἀφῇ τὰ θελή ματα αὐτοῦ͵ τότε καταλλάσσεται αὐτῷ ὁ Θεὸς͵ καὶ δέχεται τὴν εὐχὴν αὐτοῦ

The brother asked, ‘In all the affliction which the monk gives himself, what helps him?’ The old man said, ‘It is written, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.’“ (Ps.46.1)

ιη. Ἠρώτησεν ὁ ἀδελφὸς ὅτι͵ Ἐν παντὶ κόπῳ τοῦ ἀνθρώπου͵ τί ἐστι τὸ βοηθοῦν αὐτῷ; Καὶ λέγει ὁ γέ ρων· Ὁ Θεός ἐστιν ὁ βοηθῶν. Γέγραπται γάρ· Ὁ Θεὸς ἡμῶν καταφυγὴ καὶ δύναμις͵ βοηθὸς ἐν θλίψεσι ταῖς εὑρούσαις ἡμᾶς σφόδρα.

5. The old man was asked, ‘What is the good of the fasts and watchings which a man imposes on himself?’ and he replied, ‘They make the soul humble. For it is written, “Consider my affliction and my trouble, and forgive all my sins.” (Ps.25.18) So if the soul gives itself all this hardship, God will have mercy on it.’

Εἶπεν ὁ ἀδελφός· Αἱ νηστεῖαι καὶ ἀγρυπνίαι ἃς ποιεῖ ἄνθρω πος͵ τί γίνονται; Λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ γέρων· Αὗται ποιοῦ σι τὴν ψυχὴν ταπεινωθῆναι. Γέγραπται γάρ· Ἰδὲ τὴν ταπείνωσίν μου καὶ τὸν κόπον μου͵ καὶ ἄφες πάσας τὰς ἁμαρτίας μου. Ἐὰν ἡ ψυχὴ ποιήσῃ τοὺς καρποὺς τούτους͵ σπλαγχνίζεται ὁ Θεὸς ἐπ΄ αὐτῇ δι΄ αὐτῶν. Λέγει ὁ ἀδελφὸς τῷ γέροντι· Τί ποιήσει ἄν θρωπος ἐν παντὶ πειρασμῷ ἐπερχομένῳ ἐπάνω αὐ τοῦ͵ ἢ ἐν παντὶ λογισμῷ τοῦ ἐχθροῦ;

6. The old man was asked, ‘What should a man do in all the temptations and evil thoughts that come upon him?’ The old man said to him, ‘He should weep and implore the goodness of God to come to his aid, and he will obtain peace if he prays with discernment. For it is written, “With the Lord on my side I do not fear. What can man do to me?” ‘ (Ps. 118.6)

Λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ γέρων· Κλαίειν ὀφείλει ἐνώπιον τῆς ἀγαθότητος τοῦ Θεοῦ͵ ἵνα βοηθήσῃ αὐτῷ· καὶ ἀναπαύεται ταχέως͵ ²⁸⁹ ἐὰν παρακαλῇ ἐν γνώσει· γέγραπται γάρ· Κύριος ἐμοὶ βοηθὸς͵ καὶ οὐ φοβηθήσομαι τί ποιήσει μοι ἄνθρωπος.

7. A brother asked the old man, ‘Here is a man who beats his servant because of a fault he has committed; what will the servant say?’ The old man said, ‘If the servant is good, he should say, “Forgive me, I have sinned.” ‘ The brother said to him, ‘Nothing else?’ The old man said, ‘No, for from the moment he takes upon himself responsibility for the affair and says, “I have sinned,” immediately the Lord will have mercy on him. The aim in all these things is not to judge one’s neighbour. For truly, when the hand of the Lord caused all the first-born in the land of Egypt to die, no house was without its dead.’ The brother said, ‘What does that mean?’ The old man said, If we are on the watch to see our own faults, we shall not see those of our neighbour. It is folly for a man who has a dead person in his house to leave him there and go to weep over his neighbour’s dead. To die to one’s neighbour is this: To bear your own faults and not to pay attention to anyone else wondering whether they are good or bad. Do no harm to anyone, do not think anything bad in your heart towards anyone, do not scorn the man who does evil, do not put confidence in him who does wrong to his neighbour, do not rejoice with him who injures his neighbour. This Matoes is what dying to one’s neighbour means. Do not rail against anyone, but rather say, “God knows each one.” Do not agree with him who slanders, do not rejoice at his slander and do not hate him who slanders his neighbour. This is what it means not to judge. Do not have hostile feelings towards anyone and do not let dislike dominate your heart; do not hate him who hates his neighbour. This is what peace is: Encourage yourself with this thought, “Affliction lasts but a short time, while peace is for ever, by the grace of God the Word. Amen.’“

Ἠρώστησεν ὁ ἀδελφὸς ὅτι͵ Ἰδοὺ ἄνθρω πος δέρει τὸν δοῦλον αὐτοῦ δι΄ ἁμαρτίαν ἢν ἔπραξε. Τί ἐρεῖ ὁ δοῦλος; Λέγει ὁ γέρων· Ἐάν ἐστι δοῦλος κα λὸς͵ ἐρεῖ· Ἐλέησόν με͵ ἡμάρτηκα. Λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ ἀδελφός· Οὐδὲν ἄλλο λέγει; Λέγει ὁ γέρων· Οὐχί. Ἀφ΄ οὗ γὰρ τὴν μέμψιν ἐπιτιθεῖ ἐφ΄ ἑαυτῷ͵ καὶ εἴπῃ͵ Ἡμάρτηκα͵ εὐθέως σπλαγχνίζεται ἐπ΄ αὐτῷ ὁ κύ ριος αὐτοῦ. Τέλος δὲ τούτων πάντων͵ τὸ μὴ κρῖναι τὸν πλησίον. Ὅτε γὰρ ἡ χεὶρ Κυρίου ἀπέκτεινε πᾶν πρωτότοκον ἐν γῇ Αἰγύπτῳ͵ οὐκ ἦν οἶκος οὗ οὐκ ἦν ἐν αὐτῷ τεθνηκώς. Λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ ἀδελφός· Τίς ἐστιν ὁ λόγος οὗτος; Λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ γέρων ὅτι͵ Ἐὰν ἡμᾶς ἐάσωσιν ἰδεῖν τὰς ἁμαρτίας ἡμῶν͵ οὐ μὴ ἴδωμεν τὰς ἁμαρτίας τοῦ πλησίον. Μωρία γάρ ἐστιν ἀνθρώ πῳ͵ ἔχοντι τὸν ἑαυτοῦ νεκρὸν͵ ἀφεῖναι αὐτὸν καὶ ἀπελθεῖν κλαῦσαι τὸν τοῦ πλησίον. Τὸ ἀποθανεῖν δὲ ἀπὸ τοῦ πλησίον σου͵ τοῦτό ἐστι τὸ βαστάσαι σου τὰς ἁμαρτίας͵ καὶ ἀμεριμνεῖν ἀπὸ παντὸς ἀνθρώπου͵ ὅτι οὗτος καλός ἐστιν͵ ἢ οὗτος κακός. Μὴ ποιήσῃς κακὸν μηδενὶ ἀνθρώπῳ͵ μηδὲ λογίζου πονηρὸν ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ σου εἴς τινα· μηδὲ ἐξουδενώσῃς τινὰ ποιοῦν τα κακόν· μηδὲ πεισθῇς τῷ κακοποιοῦντι τὸν πλησίον αὐτοῦ͵ μηδὲ χαῖρε μετὰ τοῦ ποιοῦντος κακὸν τῷ πλησίον αὐτοῦ· μὴ καταλαλήσῃς τινά· ἀλλὰ λέγε· Ὁ Θεὸς γινώσκει ἕκαστον· μὴ συμπεισθῇς μετὰ τοῦ καταλαλοῦντος͵ μηδὲ συγχαρῇς μετὰ τῆς καταλαλιᾶς αὐτοῦ͵ μηδὲ μισήσῃς τὸν καταλαλοῦντα τὸν πλησίον αὐτοῦ. Καὶ τοῦτό ἐστι τὸ μὴ κρῖναι. Μὴ ἔχε ἔχθραν μετά τινος ἀνθρώπου͵ καὶ μὴ κρατήσῃς ἔχθραν ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ σου· μὴ μισήσῃς τὸν ἐχθραίνοντα μετὰ τοῦ πλησίον. Καὶ αὕτη ἐστὶν ἡ εἰρήνη. Ἐν τούτοις ἐαυτὸν παρακάλει· πρὸς ὀλίγον χρόνον ὁ κάματος͵ καὶ εἰς ἀεὶ ἡ ἀνάπαυσις͵ χάριτι τοῦ Θεοῦ Λόγου. Ἀμήν.

MATOES 12_03

Περὶ τοῦ ἀββᾶ Ματόη

1. Abba Matoes said, ‘I prefer a light and steady activity, to one that is painful at the beginning but is soon broken off.’

α. Ἔλεγεν ὁ ἀββᾶς Ματόης· Θέλω ἐργασίαν ἐλα φρὰν καὶ ἐμμένουσαν͵ ἢ ἐπίπονον ἐξ ἀρχῆς καὶ τα χέως ἐκκοπτομένην

2. He also said, ‘The nearer a man draws to God, the more he sees himself a sinner. It was when Isaiah the prophet saw God, that he declared himself “a man of unclean lips.’“ (Is. 6.5)

β. Εἶπε πάλιν· Ὅσον ἐγγίζει ἄνθρωπος τῷ Θεῷ͵ τοσοῦτον ἁμαρτωλὸν ἑαυτὸν βλέπει. Ἡσαΐας γὰρ ὁ προφήτης ἰδὼν τὸν Θεὸν͵ τάλαν καὶ ἀκάθαρτον ἔλεγεν ἑαυτόν

3. He also said, ‘When I was young, I would say to myself: perhaps one day I shall do something good; but now that I am old, I see that there is nothing good about me.’

γ. Ἔλεγε πάλιν· Ὅτε ἤμην νεώτερος͵ ἔλεγον ἐν ἑαυτῷ ὅτι͵ Τάχα τί ποτε ἐργάζομαι ἀγαθόν· νῦν δὲ ὡς ἐγήρασα͵ βλέπω ὅτι οὐκ ἔχω ἓν ἔργον καλὸν ἐν ἐμαυτῷ

4. He also said, ‘Satan does not know by what passion the soul can be overcome. He sows, but without knowing if he will reap, sometimes thoughts of fornication, sometimes thoughts of slander, and similarly for the other passions. He supplies nourishment to the passion which he sees the soul is slipping towards.’

δ. Εἶπε πάλιν· Οὐκ οἶδεν ὁ Σατανᾶς ποίῳ πάθει ἠττᾶται ἡ ψυχή. Σπείρει μὲν͵ ἀλλ΄ οὐκ οἶδεν εἰ θερί σει· τοὺς μὲν περὶ πορνείας͵ τοὺς δὲ περὶ καταλα λιᾶς λογισμοὺς͵ καὶ ὁμοίως τὰ λοιπὰ πάθη. Καὶ εἰς οἷον πάθος ἴδῃ τὴν ψυχὴν κλίνασαν͵ χορηγεῖ αὐτῇ. ²⁹²

5. A brother went to Abba Matoes and said to him, ‘How is it that the monks of Scetis did more than the Scriptures required in loving their enemies more than themselves?’ Abba Matoes said to him, As for me I have not yet managed to love those who love me as I love myself

ε. Ἀδελφὸς παρέβαλε τῷ ἀββᾷ Ματώῃ͵ καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ· Πῶς οἱ Σκητιῶται ἐποίουν περισσότερον τῆς Γραφῆς͵ ἀγαπῶντες τοὺς ἐχθροὺς αὐτῶν ὑπὲρ ἑαυ τούς; Λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ ἀββᾶς Ματώης· Ἐγὼ τέως τὸν ἀγαπῶντά με οὐκ ἀγαπῶ ὡς ἐμαυτόν.

6. A brother questioned Abba Matoes, ‘What ought I to do when a brother comes to see me and it is a fast day, or in the morning? This worries me.’ The old man said to him, ‘If you don’t fuss about it and simply eat with the brother, that is all right, but if you are not expecting anyone and you eat, that is your own will.’ 1

ϛ. Ἀδελφὸς ἠρώτησε τὸν ἀββᾶν Ματώην· Τί ποιήσω ἐὰν παραβάλῃ μοι ἀδελφὸς͵ καὶ ἔστι νηστεία ἢ πρωΐ; ὅτι θλίβομαι. Καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ γέρων· Ἐὰν μὲν οὐ θλίβῃ͵ καὶ φάγῃς μετὰ τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ͵ καλῶς ποιεῖς. Ἐὰν δὲ μὴ προσδοκᾷς τινα͵ καὶ φάγῃς͵ τοῦτο σὸν θέλημά ἐστιν

7. Abba James said that he went to Abba Matoes’ cell and when he left he said to him, ‘I want to go to the Cells.’ He said to me: ‘Greet Abba John for me.’ So going to Abba John’s cell I said to him, Abba Matoes greets you.’ The old man said to me, Abba Matoes is an Israelite indeed in whom there is no guile.’ A year later I returned to Abba Matoes and gave him Abba John’s greeting. The old man said: ‘I am not worthy of what the old man said, but know this: whenever you hear an old man praising his neighbour more than himself, it is because he has reached a great stature: for this is perfection to praise one’s neighbour more than oneself.’

ζ. Εἶπεν ὁ ἀββᾶς Ἰακὼβ ὅτι͵ Παρέβαλον τῳ ἀββᾷ Ματώῃ· καὶ ἀνακάμψαντός μου͵ εἶπον αὐτῷ ὅτι͵ Θέλω παραβαλεῖν εἰς τὰ Κελλία. Καὶ εἶπέ μοι· Ἄσπασαι ἐξ ἐμοῦ τὸν ἀββᾶν Ἰωάννην. Ἐλθὼν δὲ ἐγὼ πρὸς τὸν ἀββᾶν Ἰωάννην͵ λέγω αὐτῷ· Ἀσπά ζεταί σε ὁ ἀββᾶς Ματώης. Καὶ λέγει μοι ὁ γέρων· Ἰδοὺ ὁ ἀββᾶς Ματώης͵ ἀληθῶς Ἰσραηλίτης͵ ἐν ᾧ δόλος οὐκ ἔστι. Καὶ πληρωθέντος ἐνιαυτοῦ͵ πάλιν παρέβαλον τῷ ἀββᾷ Ματόῃ· καὶ εἶπον αὐτῷ τὸν ἀσπασμὸν τοῦ ἀββᾶ Ἰωάννου. Καὶ λέγει ὁ γέρων· Οὐκ εἰμὶ μὲν ἄξιος τοῦ λόγου τοῦ γέροντος· πλὴν τοῦτο γίνωσκε͵ ὅτι ὅταν ἀκούσῃς γέροντος τὸν πλη σίον δοξάζοντος ὑπὲρ ἑαυτὸν͵ εἰς μέτρα μεγάλα ἔφθασεν. Αὕτη γάρ ἐστιν ἡ τελειότης͵ ὥστε τὸν πλη σίον ἑαυτοῦ δοξάζειν ὑπὲρ ἑαυτόν

8. Abba Matoes said, A brother came to me and said, “Slander is worse than fornication.” I said to him, “That is a hard saying.” He said to me, “What do you mean?” I said to him, “Slander is bad, but it is soon healed, for he who slanders often repents, saying that he has spoken unkindly; but fornication is physical death.’“

η. Ἔλεγεν ὁ ἀββᾶς Ματώης ὅτι͵ ῏Ηλθεν ἀδελφὸς πρὸς μὲ͵ καὶ εἶπέ μοι͵ ὅτι ἡ καταλαλιὰ χεῖρόν ἐστι τῆς πορνείας. Καὶ εἶπον· Σκληρός ἐστιν ὁ λόγος. Λέγει οὖν μοι· Καὶ πῶς θέλεις εἶναι τὸ πρᾶγμα τοῦ το; Ἐγὼ δὲ ἔφην· Ἡ μὲν καταλαλιὰ κακή ἐστιν· ταχεῖαν δὲ ἔχει θεραπείαν· μετανοεῖ γὰρ πολλάκις ὁ καταλαλήσας͵ λέγων· Κακῶς ἐλάλησα. Ἡ δὲ πορ νεία͵ φυσικὸς θάνατός ἐστιν

9. One day Abba Matoes went to Rhaithou, in the region of Magdolos. A brother went with him, and the bishop seized the old man and made him a priest. While they were eating together the bishop said, ‘Forgive me, abba; I know you did not want it but it was in order that I might be blessed by you that I dared to do it.’ The old man said humbly to him, ‘I did not wish it, to be sure; but what really troubles me is that I must be separated from the brother who is with me and I am not able to keep on saying the prayers quite alone.’ The bishop said to him, ‘If you know that he is worthy, I will ordain him too.’ Abba Matoes said, ‘I do not know if he is worthy of it; I know only one thing, that he is better than I.’ So the bishop ordained him also. Both of them died without having approached the sanctuary to make the offering. The old man used to say, ‘I have confidence in God that I shall not suffer great condemnation through the laying on of hands since I do not make the offering. For the laying on of hands is for those who are without reproach.’

θ. Ἀπῆλθέ ποτε ὁ ἀββᾶς Ματώης ἀπὸ τῆς Ραι θοῦ͵ εἰς τὰ μέρη Μαγδολῶν· ἦν δὲ ὁ ἀδελ φὸς αὐτοῦ μετ΄ αὐτοῦ. Καὶ κρατήσας ὁ ἐπίσκοπος τὸν γέροντα͵ ἐποίησεν αὐτὸν πρεσβύτερον. Καὶ γενομέ νων αὐτῶν ὁμοῦ͵ ἔλεγεν ὁ ἐπίσκοπος· Συγχώρη σόν μοι͵ ἀββᾶ· οἷδα ὅτι οὐκ ἤθελες τὸ πρᾶγμα τοῦ το· ἀλλὰ διὰ τὸ εὐλογηθῆναί με παρὰ σοῦ͵ ἐτόλμη σα τοῦτο ποιῆσαι. Εἶπε δὲ αὐτῷ ὁ γέρων μετὰ τα πεινώσεως· Καὶ ὁ λογισμός μου μικρὸν ἤθελεν· πλὴν εἰς τοῦτο ἐγὼ κοπιῶ͵ ὅτι χωρισθῆναι ἔχω ἀπὸ τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ τοῦ μετ΄ ἐμοῦ. Οὐ βαστάζω γὰρ ὅλας τὰ εὐχὰς ποιῆσαι μόνος. Καὶ λέγει ὁ ἐπί σκοπος· Εἰ οἶδας ὅτι ἄξιός ἐστιν͵ ἐγὼ αὐτὸν χειροτο νῶ. Λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ ἀββᾶς Ματώης· Εἰ μὲν ἄξιός ἐστιν͵ οὐκ οἶδα· ἓν δὲ οἶδα͵ ὅτι ἐμοῦ καλλίων ἐστίν. Ἐχειροτόνησε δὲ καὶ αὐτόν. Καὶ ἐκοιμήθησαν οἱ ²⁹³ ἀμφότεροι͵ μὴ ἐγγίσαντες θυσιαστηρίῳ ἕνεκεν τοῦ ποιῆσαι προσφοράν. Ἔλεγε δὲ ὁ γέρων· Πιστεύω εἰς τὸν Θεὸν͵ ὅτι οὐκ ἔχω κρῖμα πολὺ διὰ τὴν χειρο τονίαν͵ ὁπότε οὐ ποιῶ προσφοράν. Τῶν γὰρ ἀμέμ πτων ἐστὶν ἡ χειροτονία

10. Abba Matoes said that three old men went to Abba Paphnutius, he who is called Cephalus, to ask a word of him. The old man said to them, ‘What do you want me to say to you? A spiritual word, or a bodily word?’ They said, A spiritual word.’ The old man said to them, ‘Go, and choose trials rather than quietness, dishonour rather than glory, and to give rather than to receive.’

ι. Εἶπεν ὁ ἀββᾶς Ματόης ὅτι͵ Τρεῖς γέροντες ἀπῆλθον πρὸς τὸν ἀββᾶν Παφνούτιον τὸν λεγόμενον Κεφαλᾶν͵ ἵνα ἐρωτήσωσιν αὐτὸν λόγον. Καὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς ὁ γέρων· Τί θέλετε εἴπω ὑμῖν; Πνευματικὸν ἢ σωματικόν; Λέγουσιν αὐτῷ· Πνευματικόν. Λέγει αὐτοῖς ὁ γέρων· Ὑπάγετε͵ ἀγαπήσατε τὴν θλῖψιν ὑπὲρ τὴν ἀνάπαυσιν͵ καὶ τὴν ἀτιμίαν πλέον τῆς δό ξης͵ καὶ τὸ διδόναι μᾶλλον ἢ λαμβάνειν

11 . A brother questioned Abba Matoes saying, ‘Give me a word. ‘ He said to him, ‘Go, and pray God to put compunction in your heart, and give you humility; be aware of your faults; do not judge others but put yourself below everyone; do not be friendly with a boy nor with an heretical friend; put freedom of speech far from you; control your tongue and your belly; drink only a small quantity of wine, and if someone speaks about some topic, do not argue with him but if he is right, say, “Yes”; if he is wrong, say, “You know what you are saying,” and do not argue with him about what he has said. That is humility.’

ια. Ἠρώτησεν ἀδελφὸς τὸν ἀββᾶν Ματώην͵ λέγων· Εἰπέ μοι ῥῆμα. Ὁ δὲ εἶπεν αὐτῷ· Ὕπαγε͵ παρα κάλεσον τὸν Θεὸν͵ ἵνα δώσει πένθος εἰς τὴν καρδίαν σου͵ καὶ ταπείνωσιν· καὶ πρόσεχε πάντοτε τὰς ἁμαρτίας σου· καὶ μὴ κρῖνε ἄλλους͵ ἀλλὰ γενοῦ ὑπο κάτω πάντων· καὶ μὴ ἔχε φιλίαν μετὰ παιδίου͵ μήτε γνῶσιν μετὰ γυναικὸς͵ μήτε φίλον αἱρετικόν· καὶ κόψον τὴν παῤῥησίαν ἀπὸ σοῦ· καὶ κράτει τὴν γλῶσ σαν καὶ τὴν κοιλίαν σου͵ καὶ ἀπὸ οἴνου μικρόν· καὶ ἐάν τις λαλήσῃ περὶ πράγματος οἱουδήποτε͵ μὴ φι λονείκει μετ΄ αὐτοῦ· ἀλλ΄ ἐὰν καλῶς λέγῃ͵ εἰπέ· Ναί· ἐὰν δὲ κακῶς͵ εἰπέ· Σὺ οἶδας πῶς λαλεῖς· καὶ μὴ ἔριζε μετ΄ αὐτοῦ περὶ ὧν ἐλάλησε. Καὶ αὕτη ἐστὶν ἡ ταπείνωσις

12. A brother said to Abba Matoes, ‘Give me a word.’ He said to him, ‘Restrain the spirit of controversy in yourself in everything, and weep, have compunction, for the time is drawing near.’

ιβ. Ἠρώτησεν ἀδελφὸς τὸν ἀββᾶν Ματώην· Εἰπέ μοι ῥῆμα. Καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ· Πᾶσαν φιλονεικίαν ἀπὸ παντὸς πράγματος κόψον ἀπὸ σοῦ· κλαῦσον δὲ καὶ πένθησον͵ ὅτι ὁ καιρὸς ἤγγισεν

13. A brother questioned Abba Matoes saying, ‘What am I to do? My tongue makes me suffer, and every time I go among men, I cannot control it, but I condemn them in all the good they are doing and reproach them with it. What am I to do?’ The old man replied, ‘If you cannot contain yourself, flee into solitude. For this is a sickness. He who dwells with brethren must not be square, but round, so as to turn himself towards all.’ He went on, ‘It is not through virtue that I live in solitude, but through weakness; those who live in the midst of men are the strong ones.’

ιγ. Ἀδελφὸς ἠρώτησε τὸν ἀββᾶν Ματόην͵ λέγων· Τί ποιήσω; ὅτι ἡ γλῶσσά μου θλίβει με· καὶ ὅταν ἔρχωμαι ἐν μέσῳ τῶν ἀνθρώπων͵ οὐ δύναμαι κατα σχεῖν αὐτήν· ἀλλὰ κατακρίνω αὐτοὺς ἐν παντὶ ἔργῳ ἀγαθῷ͵ καὶ ἐλέγχω αὐτούς. Τί οὖν ποιήσω; Καὶ ἀπο κριθεὶς ὁ γέρων εἶπεν· Εἰ οὐ δύνασαι κατέχειν ἑαυ τὸν͵ φύγε καταμόνας. Ἀσθένεια γάρ ἐστιν. Ὁ δὲ καθ ήμενος μετὰ ἀδελφῶν͵ οὐκ ὀφείλει εἶναι τετραγω νιαῖος͵ ἀλλὰ στρογγύλος͵ ἵνα πρὸς πάντας κυλίηται. Καὶ εἶπεν ὁ γέρων Οὐ κατὰ ἀρετὴν κάθημαι κατα μόνας͵ ἀλλὰ κατὰ ἀσθένειαν· δυνατοὶ γάρ εἰσιν͵ οἱ ἐρχόμενοι εἰς τὸ μέσον τῶν ἀνθρώπων.

MARK, DISCIPLE OF ABBA SILVANUS 12_04

Περὶ τοῦ ἀββᾶ Μάρκου μαθητοῦ τοῦ ἀββᾶ Σιλουανοῦ

1. It was said of Abba Silvanus that at Scetis he had a disciple called Mark, whose obedience was great. He was a scribe. The old man loved him because of his obedience. He had eleven other disciples who were hurt because he loved him more than them. When they knew this, the elders were sorry about it and they came one day to him to reproach him about it. Taking them with him, he went to knock at each cell, saying, ‘Brother so and so, come here; I need you,’ but none of them came immediately. Coming to Mark’s cell, he knocked and said, ‘Mark.’ Hearing the old man’s voice, he jumped up immediately and the old man sent him off to serve and said to the elders, ‘Fathers, where are the other brothers?’ Then he 1 went into Mark’s cell and picked up his book and noticed that he had begun to write the letter ‘omega’, but when he had heard the old man, he had not finished writing it. Then the elders said, ‘Truly, abba, he whom you love, we love too and God loves him.’

α. Ἔλεγον περὶ τοῦ ἀββᾶ Σιλουανοῦ͵ ὅτι εἶχε μα θητὴν ἐν Σκήτει͵ Μάρκον ὀνόματι· ἦν δὲ ἔχων ὑπ ακοὴν μεγάλην͵ καὶ ἦν καλλιγράφος. Ἠγάπα δὲ αὐτὸν ὁ γέρων διὰ τὴν ὑπακοὴν αὐτοῦ. Εἶχε δὲ ἄλ λους ἕνδεκα μαθητὰς͵ καὶ ἐθλίβοντο͵ ὅτι ἠγάπα αὐτὸν ὑπὲρ αὐτούς. Καὶ ἀκούσαντες οἱ γέροντες͵ ἐλυπήθη σαν. ῏Ηλθον δὲ ἐν μιᾷ πρὸς αὐτὸν οἱ γέροντες͵ καὶ ²⁹⁶ ἐνεκάλουν αὐτόν. Λαβὼν δ΄ αὐτοὺς ἐξῆλθε͵ καὶ ἔ κρουσε κατὰ κελλίον͵ λέγων· Ὁ δεῖνα ἀδελφὲ͵ δεῦρο͵ ὅτι χρῄζω σου. Καὶ εἷς ἐξ αὐτῶν͵ οὐκ ἠκολούθησεν αὐτῷ εὐθύς. Καὶ ἐλθὼν ἐπὶ τὴν κέλλαν Μάρκου͵ ἔ κρουσε͵ λέγων· Μάρκε. Ὁ δὲ ἀκούσας τῆς φωνῆς τοῦ γέροντος͵ εὐθὺς ἐπήδησεν ἔξω· καὶ ἔπεμψεν αὐτὸν εἰς διακονίαν. Καὶ λέγει τοῖς γέρουσι· Ποῦ εἰσὶν οἱ λοιποὶ ἀδελφοὶ͵ Πατέρες; Καὶ εἰσελθὼν εἰς τὴν κέλ λαν αὐτοῦ͵ ἐψηλάφησε τὸ τετράδιον αὐτοῦ· καὶ εὗρεν ὅτι ω ἔβαλε χεῖρα ποιεῖν· καὶ ἀκούσας τοῦ γέρον τος͵ οὐκ ἔστρεψε τὸν κάλαμον πληρῶσαι αὐτό. Λέ γουσιν οὖν οἱ γέροντες· Ὄντως ὃν σὺ ἀγαπᾷς͵ ἀββᾶ͵ καὶ ἡμεῖς αὐτὸν ἀγαπῶμεν͵ καὶ ὁ Θεὸς αὐτὸν ἀγαπᾷ

2. They said this of Abba Silvanus that, as he was walking to Scetis one day with the old men, and wishing to demonstrate his disciple Mark’s obedience, and show the reason for his affection for him, he said to him, seeing a small wild boar, ‘Boy, do you see that little buffalo?’ He said to him, ‘Yes, abba.’ ‘And do you see his horns, how attractive they are?’ He said to him, ‘Yes, abba.’ The old men were astonished at his reply and edified by his obedience.

β. Ἔλεγον περὶ τοῦ ἀββᾶ Σιλουανοῦ͵ ὅτι ποτὲ περιπατῶν ἐν τῇ Σκήτει μετὰ τῶν γερόντων͵ καὶ θέλων αὐτοῖς τὴν ὑπακοὴν τοῦ μαθητοῦ αὐτοῦ Μάρ κου δεῖξαι͵ καὶ δι΄ ὃ ἀγαπᾷ αὐτὸν͵ θεωρήσας μικρὸν σύαγρον͵ λέγει αὐτῷ· Θεωρεῖς τὸ μικρὸν βουβάλιον ἐκεῖνο͵ τέκνον; Λέγει αὐτῷ· Ναὶ͵ ἀββᾶ. Καὶ τὰ κέρατα αὐτοῦ πῶς πιθανά εἰσιν; Λέγει· Ναὶ͵ ἀββᾶ. Καὶ ἐθαύμασαν οἱ γέροντες τὴν ἀπόκρισιν αὐτοῦ͵ καὶ ᾠκοδομήθησαν ἐν τῇ ὑπακοῇ αὐτοῦ

3. Abba Mark’s mother came down to see him one day with great pomp. The old man went out to meet her. She said to him, Abba, tell my son to come out so that I may see him.’ So the old man went back and said to him, ‘Go out, and let your mother see you.’ He was wearing ragged garments and coming from the kitchen, so he was very dirty. He went out under obedience and closed his eyes and said to them: ‘Greetings, greetings, greetings!’ but he did not see them at all. His mother did not recognize him. So she sent a message to the old man again, Abba, send me my son, so that I may see him.’ He said to Mark, ‘Did I not tell you to go out, so your mother would see you?’ Mark said to him, As you said, abba, I went out; but please, do not tell me a second time to go out, because I don’t want to disobey you.’ The old man went out and said to the mother, Your son was he who came to meet you, saying, “Greetings!” ‘ Then he comforted her and sent her away.

γ. Κατῆλθέ ποτε ἡ μήτηρ τοῦ ἀββᾶ Μάρκου ἰδεῖν αὐτόν· καὶ εἶχε πολλὴν φαντασίαν. Καὶ ἐξῆλθεν ὁ γέρων πρὸς αὐτήν. Καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ· Ἀββᾶ͵ εἰπὲ τὸν υἱόν μου ἐξελθεῖν͵ ἵνα ἴδω αὐτόν. Εἰσελθὼν δὲ ὁ γέρων͵ εἶπεν αὐτῷ· Ἔξελθε͵ ἵνα σε ἴδῃ ἡ μήτηρ σου. ῏Ην δὲ φορῶν κεντονάριον͵ καὶ ἠσβολωμένος ἀπὸ τοῦ μαγειρείου. Καὶ ἐξελθὼν διὰ τὴν ὑπακοὴν͵ ἐκάμμυσε τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς αὐτοῦ͵ καὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς· Σωθείητε͵ σωθείητε͵ σωθείητε· καὶ οὐκ εἶδεν αὐτούς. Ἡ δὲ μήτηρ αὐτοῦ οὐκ ἐγνώρισεν αὐτόν. Πάλιν οὖν πέμπει πρὸς τὸν γέροντα͵ λέγουσα· Ἀββᾶ͵ πέμ ψον μοι τὸν υἱόν μου͵ ἵνα αὐτὸν ἴδω. Καὶ εἶπε τῷ Μάρκῳ· Οὐκ εἶπόν σοι· Ἔξελθε͵ ἵνα σε ἴδῃ ἡ μήτηρ σου; Καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ ὁ Μάρκος· Ἐξῆλθον κατὰ τὸν λόγον σου͵ ἀββᾶ. Πλὴν παρακαλῶ σε͵ μὴ εἴπῃς μοι ἄλλο ἅπαξ ἐξελθεῖν͵ ἵνα μὴ παρακούσω σου. Καὶ ἐξελθὼν ὁ γέρων εἶπεν αὐτῇ· Αὐτός ἐστιν ὁ ἀπαν τήσας ὑμῖν͵ λέγων· Σωθείητε. Καὶ παρακαλέσας αὐτὴν ἀπέλυσεν

4. On another occasion Mark decided to leave Scetis and go to Mount Sinai and live there. His mother sent his abba a message, begging him with tears to send her son out to see her. So the old man made him go. But as he was putting on his sheepskin to go and preparing to take leave of the old man, he suddenly burst into tears and did not go out after all.

δ. Ἄλλοτε συνέβη αὐτὸν ἐξελθεῖν ἀπὸ Σκήτεως͵ καὶ ἀπελθεῖν εἰς τὸ ὄρος τὸ Σινὰ͵ καὶ μεῖναι ἐκεῖ. Καὶ ἔπεμψεν ἡ μήτηρ τοῦ Μάρκου ὁρκίζουσα αὐτὸν μετὰ δακρύων͵ ἵνα ἐξέλθῃ υἱὸς αὐτῆς͵ καὶ ἴδῃ αὐτόν. Ὁ δὲ γέρων ἀπέλυσεν αὐτόν. Καὶ ὡς ἐποίει τὴν μη λωτὴν αὐτοῦ τοῦ ἐξελθεῖν͵ καὶ ἤρχετο ἀσπάσασθαι τὸν γέροντα͵ εὐθέως ἔβαλλε κλαίειν͵ καὶ οὐκ ἐξήρ χετο

5. It was said of Abba Silvanus that when he wished to go away to Syria, his disciple Mark said to him. ‘Father, I do not want to leave this place, nor to let you go away, abba. Stay here for three days.’ And on the third day Mark died.

ε. Ἔλεγον περὶ τοῦ ἀββᾶ Σιλουανοῦ͵ ὅτι ὡς ἤθελεν ἐξελθεῖν εἰς Συρίαν͵ εἶπεν αὐτῷ ὁ μαθητὴς αὐτοῦ Μάρκος· Πάτερ͵ οὐ θέλω ἐξελθεῖν ἔνθεν· ἀλλ΄ οὐδὲ σὲ ἀφῶ ἐξελθεῖν͵ ἀββᾶ. Ἀλλὰ παράμεινον ὧδε τρεῖς ἡμέρας. Καὶ τῇ τρίτῃ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκοιμήθη. ²⁹⁷

MILESIUS 12_05

Περὶ τοῦ ἀββᾶ Μιλησίου

1. While travelling through a certain region, Abba Milesius saw a monk whom someone had seized under the pretext that he had committed a murder. The old man went and questioned the brothers. Learning that he had been wrongly accused, he said to those who were holding him, ‘Where is the man who has been killed?’ They showed him to him. Telling them all to pray, he went up to the dead man. While he was stretching his hands towards heaven, the dead man stood up. He said to him in front of everyone, ‘Tell us who killed you.’ The man said, ‘As I was going into the church, I gave some money to the priest. He stood up and killed me; then he took me and threw me into the abba’s monastery. Therefore I beseech you to take the money and give it to my children.’ Then the old man said to him, ‘Go, and rest until the Lord comes and awakens you.’

α. Παρερχόμενος ὁ ἀββᾶς Μιλήσιος διά τινος τό που͵ εἶδέ τινα μοναχὸν κρατούμενον ὑπό τινος͵ ὡς φόνον ποιήσαντα. Καὶ προσεγγίσας ὁ γέρων͵ ἐπερώ τησε τὸν ἀδελφόν. Καὶ μαθὼν ὅτι συκοφαντεῖται͵ λέγει πρὸς τοὺς κατέχοντας αὐτόν· Ποῦ ἔστιν ὁ φονευθείς; Καὶ ἔδειξαν αὐτῷ. Καὶ προσεγγίσας τῷ φονευθέντι͵ εἶπε πᾶσι προσεύξασθαι. Αὐτοῦ δὲ ἐκπε τάσαντος τὰς χεῖρας πρὸς τὸν Θεὸν͵ ἀνέστη ὁ νεκρός. Καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ ἐπὶ πάντων· Εἰπὲ ἡμῖν τίς ἐστιν ὁ φονεύσας σε. Ὁ δὲ εἶπεν͵ ὅτι Εἰσελθὼν εἰς τὴν ἐκ κλησίαν͵ δέδωκα χρήματα τῷ πρεσβυτέρῳ· ὁ δὲ ἀνα στὰς͵ ἔσφαξέ με· καὶ ἀπενέγκας͵ ἔῤῥιψεν εἰς τὸ μοναστήριον τοῦ ἀββᾶ Ἀλλὰ παρακαλῶ ὑμᾶς͵ λη φθῆναι τὰ χρήματα͵ καὶ δοθῆναι τοῖς τέκνοις μου. Τότε εἶπε πρὸς αὐτὸν ὁ γέρων· Ἄπελθε͵ καὶ κοιμῶ͵ ἕως ἂν ἔλθῃ ὁ Κύριος͵ καὶ ἐγείρῃ σε

2. Another time, when he was living with two disciples on the borders of Persia, two of the king’s sons, brothers by blood, went to hunt according to their custom. They spread nets around a wide area; at least forty miles, so as to be able to hunt and shoot everything that was found inside the nets. Now the old man happened to be there with his two disciples. Seeing him, all hairy and like a wild man, they were struck with amazement and said to him, ‘Tell us if you are a man or a spirit?’ He said to them, ‘I am a sinful man, and I have come away to weep for my sins, and I adore Jesus the Christ, the Son of the Living God.’ They said to him, ‘There is no god save the sun, the fire, and the water’ (which they worshipped). ‘Therefore, come and make a sacrifice in their honour.’ He said to them, ‘They are creatures and you are wrong. But I implore you to be converted and to acknowledge the true God, the Creator of all these things.’ They said to him, ‘You say that the man who was condemned and crucified is the true God?’ The old man said, ‘He who has crucified sin and killed death, is He whom I say is the true God.’ But they tortured him and the brothers, to compel them to offer sacrifice. After many torments, they beheaded the two brothers, but they tortured the old man for many days. Finally they used a different procedure, and placing him between them, they shot arrows at him, one in front and the other behind. But he said to them, ‘Since you have agreed about shedding innocent blood, at the same time, tomorrow, at the same hour, your mother will no longer have you as sons, and will be deprived of your love and by your own arrows you will shed each other’s blood.’ They scorned his words and went to hunt the next day. A hart ran close to them. They spurred their horses and galloped after it. They threw their javelins at it, and they pierced each other’s hearts, as the old man had said when he warned them. An so they died.

β. Ἄλλοτε οἰκοῦντος αὐτοῦ μετὰ δύο μαθητῶν ἐν τοῖς ὁρίοις Περσίδος͵ ἐξῆλθον δύο υἱοὶ τοῦ βασιλέως σαρκικοὶ ἀδελφοὶ͵ ἀγρεῦσαι κατὰ τὸ ἔθος. Ἔβαλον δὲ λίνα ἐπὶ πολὺ διάστημα κἂν ἐπὶ τεσσαράκοντα μίλια· ὥστε εἰ εὑρίσκεται ἕσω τῶν λίνων͵ ἀγρεύσωσι καὶ ἀποκτείνωσι κόντοις. Εὑρέθη δὲ ὁ γέρων μετὰ τῶν δύο μαθητῶν αὐτοῦ. Καὶ θεασάμενοι αὐτὸν τριχώδη καὶ ὡς ἄγριον͵ ἐξεπλάγησαν͵ καὶ εἶπον αὐτῷ· Ἄν θρωπος εἶ ἢ πνεῦμα͵ εἰπὲ ἡμῖν. Καὶ εἶπε αὐτοῖς· Ἄνθρωπός εἰμι ἁμαρτωλός· καὶ ἐξῆλθον κλαῦσαι τὰς ἁμαρτίας μου· καὶ προσκυνῶ Ἰησοῦν τὸν Χριστὸν τὸν Υἱὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ τοῦ ζῶντος. Οἱ δὲ εἶπον αὐτῷ· Οὐκ ἔστιν ἄλλος Θεὸς͵ πλὴν τοῦ ἡλίου καὶ τοῦ πυρὸς καὶ τοῦ ὕδατος· ἃ ἐσέβοντο. Ἀλλὰ πρόσελθε͵ καὶ ἐπίθυσον αὐτοῖς. Ὁ δὲ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς· Ταῦτα κτί σματά εἰσι͵ καὶ πλανᾶσθε· ἀλλὰ παρακαλῶ ὑμᾶς ἐπιστρέψαι καὶ γνῶναι τὸν ἀληθινὸν Θεὸν τὸν κτί σαντα ταῦτα πάντα. Αὐτοὶ δὲ εἶπον· Τὸν κατακρι θέντα καὶ σταυρωθέντα λέγεις Θεὸν εἶναι ἀληθινόν; Καὶ λέγει ὁ γέρων· Τὸν σταυρώσαντα τὴν ἁμαρτίαν͵ καὶ ἀποκτείναντα τὸν θάνατον͵ αὐτὸν λέγω εἶναι Θεὸν ἀληθινόν. Αὐτοὶ δὲ βασανίζοντες αὐτὸν μετὰ καὶ τῶν ἀδελφῶν͵ ἠνάγκαζον θύειν. Καὶ πολλὰ βασανίσαντες͵ ἀπεκεφάλισαν τοὺς δύο ἀδελφούς· τὸν δὲ γέροντα ἐπὶ πολλὰς ἡμέρας ἐβασάνιζον· ὕστερον δὲ͵ τῇ τέχνῃ αὐτῶν ἔστησαν αὐτὸν εἰς τὸ μέσον͵ καὶ ἔῤῥιψαν βέλη͵ ὁ εἷς ἔμπροσθεν͵ καὶ ὁ εἷς ὄπισθεν αὐτοῦ. Αὐτὸς δὲ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς· Ἐπειδὴ γεγόνατε ἐν ὁμονοίᾳ͵ καὶ ἐκ χέετε αἷμα ἀθῶον͵ ἐν μιᾷ ῥοπῇ αὔριον ταύτῃ τῇ ὥρᾳ͵ ἀτεκνωθείη ἡ μήτηρ ὑμῶν ἀφ΄ ὑμῶν͵ καὶ στε ρηθείη τῆς ἀγάπης ὑμῶν͵ καὶ τοῖς ἰδίοις βέλεσιν ἀλλήλων τὰ αἵματα ἐκχέητε. Καταφρονήσαντες δὲ τοῦ ῥήματος αὐτοῦ͵ ἦλθον ἐπὶ τὴν αὔριον θηρεῦσαι. Καὶ ἐξήλισεν ἀπ΄ αὐτῶν μία ἔλαφος. Καὶ καθίσαντες τοῖς ἵπποις͵ κατέδραμον ἐπὶ τὸ καταλαβεῖν αὐτήν· καὶ ῥίψαντες βέλη κατ΄ αὐτῆς͵ ἐκόλλησαν ἀλλήλοις κατὰ τῆς καρδίας ἑαυτῶν· κατὰ τὸ ῥῆμα τοῦ γέρον τος ὃ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς͵ καταρώμενος αὐτοῖς. Καὶ ἀπ έθανον. ³⁰⁰

MOTIUS 12_06

Περὶ τοῦ ἀββᾶ Μωτίου

1. A brother questioned Abba Motius, saying, ‘If I go to dwell somewhere, how do you want me to live?’ The old man said to him, ‘If you live somewhere, do not seek to be known for anything special; do not say, for example, I do not go to the synaxis; or perhaps, I do not eat at the agape. For these things make an empty reputation and later you will be troubled because of this. For men rush there where they find these practices.’ The brother said to him, ‘What shall I do, then?’ The old man said, ‘Wherever you live, follow the same manner of life as everyone else and if you see devout men, whom you trust doing something, do the same and you will be at peace. For this is humility: to see yourself to be the same as the rest. When men see you do not go beyond the limits, they will consider you to be the same as everyone else and no-one will trouble you.’

α. Ἀδελφὸς ἠρώτησε τὸν ἀββᾶν Μώτιον͵ λέγων· Ἐὰν ἀπέλθω μεῖναι εἰς τόπον͵ πῶς θέλεις διάξω ἐκεῖ; Λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ γέρων· Ἐὰν οἰκήσῃς εἰς τόπον͵ μὴ θελή σῃς ἐκβαλεῖν σεαυτῷ ὄνομα ἔν τινι͵ ὅτι οὐκ ἐξέρχομαι εἰς σύναξιν͵ ἢ εἰς ἀγάπην οὐκ ἐσθίω. Ταῦτα γὰρ ὄνομα ποιοῦσι κενὸν͵ καὶ ὕστερον εὑρίσκεις ὄχλησιν. Οἱ γὰρ ἄνθρωποι͵ ὅπου εὑρίσκουσι ταῦτα͵ ἐκεῖ τρέχουσι. Λέγει οὖν αὐτῷ ὁ ἀδελφός· Τί οὖν ποιήσω; Λέγει ὁ γέρων· Ὅπου ἐὰν καθίσῃς͵ ἴσως μετὰ πάντων ἀκολούθει· καὶ εἴ τι βλέπεις τοὺς εὐλαβεῖς ποιοῦντας εἰς οὓς πληροφορῇ͵ ποίησον͵ καὶ ἀναπαύῃ. Τοῦτο γὰρ ταπείνωσίς ἐστι͵ τὸ εἶναί σε ἐπίσης αὐτῶν. Καὶ οἱ ἄνθρωποι θεωροῦντές σε ἐκβαίνοντα͵ ἔχουσί σε ἐπίσης πάντων· καὶ οὐδείς σοι ὀχλεῖ

2. Concerning Abba Motius, his disciple, Abba Isaac, told this (both of them became bishops): ‘This old man was the first to build a monastery at Heracliopolis and when he left he went to another place and did the same there. But through the power of the devil, there was a brother who opposed him and grieved him. The old man got up and withdrew to his own village; he built a monastery there and lived as a recluse. After some time the old men came from the place he had left, bringing with them the brother who had distressed him, to ask him to take him into his hermitage. When they drew near to the place where Abba Sores was, they left their sheepMegethius [U9 skins with this abba together with the brother in question. When they knocked, Motius put up the ladder, looked out, recognized them and said, ‘Where are your sheepskins?’ They said, ‘Down there, with the brother.’ As soon as he heard the name of the brother who had distressed him, in his joy the old man took a hatchet, battered down the door and came running out to where the brother was. He went to him first of all and made a prostration to him, and embraced him. He took him into his cell. For three days he entertained them all and relaxed with them, which he was not accustomed to do; then he got up and went home with them. Later, he became a bishop. In fact he was a wonder-worker, and Blessed Cyril made his disciple, Abba Isaac, a bishop also.’

β. Διηγήσατο περὶ τοῦ ἀββᾶ Μωτίου ὁ μαθητὴς αὐτοῦ ἀββᾶς Ἰσαάκ· ἀμφότεροι δὲ ἐγένοντο ἐπίσκο ποι· ὅτι πρῶτος ᾠκοδόμησε μοναστήριον ὁ γέρων εἰς τὸν Ἡρακλᾶν· καὶ ὡς ἀνεχώρησεν ἐκεῖθεν͵ ἀπῆλθεν εἰς ἕτερον τόπον͵ καὶ ᾠκοδόμησεν ἐκεῖ πάλιν. Καὶ κατ΄ ἐνέργειαν τοῦ διαβόλου͵ εὑρέθη ἀδελφός τις ἐχθραίνων αὐτῷ͵ καὶ θλίβων αὐτόν. Καὶ ἀναστὰς ὁ γέρων ἀνεχώρησεν εἰς τὴν ἰδίαν κώμην· καὶ ἐποίησεν ἑαυτῷ μοναστήριον͵ καὶ ἐνέκλεισεν ἑαυτόν. Καὶ μετὰ χρόνον ἦλθον οἱ γέροντες τοῦ τόπου ὅθεν ἐξῆλθε͵ καὶ λαβόντες καὶ τὸν ἀδελφὸν ὅπου εἶχε πρὸς αὐτὸν τὴν λύπην͵ ἀπῆλθον παρακαλέσαι αὐτὸν͵ ἵνα ἐνέγκωσιν αὐτὸν εἰς τὴν μονὴν αὐτοῦ. Ὡς δὲ ἤγγισαν ὅπου ἦν ὁ ἀββᾶς Σώρης͵ ἀφῆκαν τὰ μηλω τάρια αὐτῶν ἐγγὺς αὐτοῦ͵ καὶ τὸν ἀδελφὸν τὸν ἔχοντα τὴν λύπην. Καὶ ὡς ἔκρουσαν͵ βάλλει ὁ γέρων τὸ κλι μάκιον͵ καὶ παρακύπτει͵ καὶ γνωρίζει αὐτοὺς͵ καὶ λέγει· Ποῦ τὰ μηλωτάρια ὑμῶν; Οἱ δὲ εἶπον· Ἰδοὺ ὧδε μετὰ τοῦδε τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ. Ὡς δὲ ἤκουσε τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ τοῦ λυπήσαντος αὐτὸν͵ ὁ γέρων ἀπὸ χαρᾶς ἔβαλε πέλεκυν͵ καὶ κατέστρεψε τὴν θύραν͵ καὶ ἐξῆλθε τρέχων ὅπου ἦν ὁ ἀδελφός· καὶ ἔβαλεν αὐτῷ μετάνοιαν πρῶτος͵ καὶ ἠσπάσατο αὐτόν· καὶ εἰσήνεγκεν αὐτὸν εἰς τὸ κελλίον αὐτοῦ· καὶ ἐπὶ τρεῖς ἡμέρας εὔφρανεν αὐτούς· καὶ αὐτὸς μετ΄ αὐ τῶν· ὅπερ οὐκ εἶχε συνήθειαν ποιεῖν· καὶ ἀναστὰς ἐπορεύθη μετ΄ αὐτῶν. Καὶ μετὰ ταῦτα ἐπίσκοπος γέγονεν. ῏Ην γὰρ σημειοφόρος. Καὶ τὸν μαθητὴν αὐτοῦ ἐποίησεν ἐπίσκοπον ὁ μακάριος Κύριλλος τὸν ἀββᾶν Ἰσαάκ.

MEGETHIUS 12_07

Περὶ τοῦ ἀββᾶ Μεγεθίου

1. They said of Abba Megethius, that if he left his cell and it occurred to him to leave the place where he was living he would go without returning to his cell. He owned nothing in this world, except a knife with which he cut reeds and every day he made three small baskets, which was all he needed for his food.

α. Ἔλεγον περὶ τοῦ ἀββᾶ Μεγεθίου͵ ὅτι ἐξήρχετο τοῦ κελλίου· καὶ εἰ ἤρχετο αὐτῷ λογισμὸς ἀναχω ρῆσαι ἐκ τοῦ τόπου͵ οὐκ ἀνέκαμπτεν εἰς τὴν κέλλαν αὐτοῦ. Οὐδὲ γὰρ εἶχέ τί ποτε τοῦ αἰῶνος τούτου ὕλην͵ εἰ μὴ ῥαφίδα μίαν ὅπου τὰ θαλλία ἔσχιζεν· εἰργά ζετο γὰρ καθ΄ ἡμέραν τρία μαλάκια͵ τὸ τῆς τροφῆς αὐτοῦ. ³⁰¹

2. They said of Abba Megethius that he was very humble, for he was brought up by the Egyptians and in contact with many old men, including Abba Sisoes and Abba Poemen. He lived on the river bank at Sinai. It happened, as he himself related, that one of the holy men visited him and said to him, ‘Brother, what is your way of life in this desert?’ He said, ‘Every second day, I eat one loaf only.’ The old man said to him, ‘I advise you to eat half the loaf every day.’ This he did and he found rest.

β. Ἔλεγον περὶ τοῦ δευτέρου ἀββᾶ Μεγεθίου͵ ὅτι ἦν ταπεινὸς σφόδρα͵ μαθητευθεὶς παρ΄ Αἰγυ πτίοις͵ καὶ συντυχὼν πολλοῖς γέρουσι͵ καὶ τῷ ἀββᾷ Σισόῃ͵ καὶ τῷ ἀββᾷ Ποιμένι. Ἔμεινε δὲ καὶ εἰς πο ταμὸν εἰς τὸ Σινά. Καὶ συνέβη τινὰ τῶν ἁγίων παρα βαλεῖν αὐτῷ (ὡς αὐτὸς διηγήσατο)͵ καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ· Πῶς διάγεις͵ ἀδελφὲ͵ ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ ταύτῃ; Ὁ δὲ εἶπε· Νηστεύω δύο δύο͵ καὶ ἕνα ἄρτον ἐσθίω. Καὶ λέγει μοι· Εἰ θέλεις ἀκοῦσαί μου͵ φάγε καθ΄ ἡμέραν τὸ ἥμισυ τοῦ ἄρτου. Καὶ ποιήσας οὕτως εὗρεν ἀνά παυσιν

3. Some of the Fathers questioned Abba Megethius, saying, ‘If some cooked food remains over for the next day, do you recommend the brethren to eat it?’ The old man said to them, ‘If this food is bad, it is not right to compel the brethren to eat it, in case it makes them ill, but it should be thrown away. But if it is still good and is thrown away through extravagance in order to prepare more that is wrong.

γ. Ἠρώτησάν τινες τῶν Πατέρων τὸν ἀββᾶν Με γέθιον͵ λέγοντες· Ἐὰν περισσεύηται ἕψημα εἰς τὴν ἄλλην ἡμέραν͵ θέλεις ἵνα φάγωσιν οἱ ἀδελφοί; Λέγει αὐτοῖς ὁ γέρων· Ἐὰν ἠρήμωται͵ οὐκ ἔστι καλὸν ἵνα ἀναγκασθῶσιν οἱ ἀδελφοὶ φαγεῖν αὐτὸ͵ καὶ ἀσθενή σωσιν͵ ἀλλὰ ῥιφῇ· ἐὰν δὲ καλόν ἐστι͵ καὶ διὰ στρῆ νος ῥιφῇ͵ καὶ ἄλλο ἑψηθῇ͵ τοῦτο κακόν ἐστιν

4. He also said, ‘Orginally, when we met together we spoke of edifying things, encouraging one another and we were “like the angels”; we ascended up to the heavens. But now when we come together, we only drag one another down by gossiping, and so we go down to hell.’

δ. Εἶπε πάλιν· Ἐν ἀρχῇ ὅτε συνηγόμεθα πρὸς ἀλλήλους͵ καὶ ἐλαλοῦμεν περὶ ὠφελείας συγκροτοῦν τες ἀλλήλους͵ ἐγινόμεθα χοροὶ χοροὶ͵ καὶ ἀνηρχό μεθα εἰς τοὺς οὐρανούς. Νυνὶ δὲ συναγόμεθα͵ καὶ εἷς τὸν ἕνα εἰς καταλαλιὰν ἐρχόμενοι͵ κατάγομεν κάτω.

MIUS 12_08

Περὶ τοῦ ἀββᾶ Μιώς

1. Abba Mius of Belos said, ‘Obedience responds to obedience. When someone obeys God, God obeys his request.’

α. Εἶπεν ὁ ἀββᾶς Μιὼς ὁ τοῦ Βελέου͵ ὅτι ἡ ὑπ ακοὴ ἀντὶ ὑπακοῆς ἐστιν. Εἴ τις ὑπακούει τῷ Θεῷ͵ ὁ Θεὸς ὑπακούει αὐτόν

2. Concerning an old man who was at Scetis he said that he had been a slave and he had become a true reader of hearts. Every year he went to Alexandria, taking his wages to his masters. They went to meet him with great respect, but the old man put water into a basin and brought it to wash his masters’ feet. They said to him, ‘No, Father, do not overwhelm us.’ But he said to them, ‘I acknowledge that I am your slave and I acknowledge that you have left me free to serve God; I wash your feet, and you accept my wages, which are here.’ They argued, not wishing to receive them, so he said to them, ‘If you refuse to accept them, I shall remain here and serve you.’ Since they revered him, they allowed him to do what he wanted; then they saw him off, giving him many provisions and money so that he could give alms for them. For this reason he became famous and beloved in Scetis.

β. Εἶπε πάλιν περί τινος γέροντος͵ ὅτι ἦν ἐν τῇ Σκήτει· ἦν δὲ ἀπὸ δούλων· ἐγένετο δὲ διακριτικὸς σφόδρα. Καὶ ἤρχετο κατ΄ ἐνιαυτὸν εἰς Ἀλεξάνδρειαν͵ φέρων τὴν μισθοφορίαν τοῖς κυρίοις αὐτοῦ. Καὶ ὑπήντων αὐτῷ͵ καὶ προσεκύνουν αὐτῷ. Ὁ δὲ γέρων ἔβαλεν ὕδωρ εἰς τὸν νιπτῆρα͵ καὶ ἔφερεν͵ ἵνα νίψῃ τοὺς κυρίους αὐτοῦ. Οἱ δὲ πρὸς αὐτὸν ἔλεγον· Μὴ͵ Πάτερ͵ μὴ βαρῇς ἡμᾶς. Ὁ δὲ πρὸς αὐτοὺς ἔλεγεν· Ὁμολογῶ ὅτι δοῦλος ὑμῶν εἰμι· καὶ εὐχαριστῶν ὅτι ἀφήκατέ με ἐλεύθερον δουλεύειν τῷ Θεῷ͵ ἀλλὰ κἀγὼ νίπτω ὑμᾶς͵ καὶ δέξασθε τὴν μισθοφορίαν μου ταύ την. Οἱ δὲ ἐφιλονείκουν μὴ καταδεχόμενοι. Ἔλεγεν οὖν αὐτοῖς· Ἐὰν μὴ θέλητε δέξασθαι͵ κάθ ημαι ὧδε δουλεύων ὑμῖν. Καὶ φοβούμενοι αὐτὸν͵ ἤφιον ὃ ἐβούλετο ποιῆσαι· καὶ προέπεμπον αὐτὸν μετὰ πολλῶν χρειῶν͵ καὶ πολλῆς τιμῆς͵ ἵνα ποιῇ ὑπὲρ αὐτῶν ἀγάπας. Καὶ διὰ τοῦτο ἐγένετο ὀνομαστὸς εἰς Σκῆτιν͵ καὶ ἀγαπητός

3. A soldier asked Abba Mius if God accepted repentance. After the old man had taught him many things he said, ‘Tell me, my dear, if your cloak is torn, do you throw it away?’ He replied, ‘No , I mend it and use it again.’ The old man said to him, ‘If you are so careful about your cloak, will not God be equally careful about his creature?’

γ. Ἠρωτήθη ὁ ἀββᾶς Μιὼς ὑπὸ στρατευομένου͵ εἰ ἄρα δέχεται μετάνοιαν ὁ Θεός. Ὁ δὲ μετὰ τὸ κατ ηχῆσαι αὐτὸν ἐν πολλοῖς λόγοις͵ λέγει πρὸς αὐτόν· ³⁰⁴ Εἰπέ μοι͵ ἀγαπητέ· ἐὰν σχισθῇ σου τὸ χλανίδιον͵ βάλλεις τοῦτο ἔξω; Λέγει· Οὔ· ἀλλὰ ῥάπτω αὐτὸ͵ καὶ χρῶμαι αὐτῷ. Λέγει πρὸς αὐτὸν ὁ γέρων· Εἰ οὖν σὺ τοῦ ἱματίου φείδῃ͵ ὁ Θεὸς τοῦ ἰδίου πλάσματος οὐ φείσεται;

MARK THE EGYPTIAN  12_09

Περὶ τοῦ ἀββᾶ Μάρκου τοῦ Αἰγυπτίου.

1. It was said of Abba Mark the Egyptian that he lived for thirty years without going out of his cell. The priest used to take holy communion to him. But the devil, seeing the remarkable endurance of this man, decided to tempt him, by making him blame the priest. He brought it about that a demoniac went to the old man, under the pretext of asking for prayers. Before anything was said, the possessed man cried out to the old man, ‘Your priest smells of sin, do not let him come near you any more.’ But Mark, filled with the spirit of God, said to him, ‘My son, everyone rids himself of impurity, but you bring it. It is written: “Judge not for that you be not judged.” (Matt. 7.1) However, even if he is a sinner, the Lord will save him, for it is written: “Pray for one another that you may be healed.’“ (James 5.16) When he had said this and when he had prayed, he drove the devil out of the man and sent him away healed. When the priest came, according to his custom, the old man received him with joy. Seeing the absence of malice in the old man, the good God showed him a marvel. When the priest prepared himself to stand before the holy table, this is what the old man related, ‘I saw the angel of the Lord descend from heaven and place his hand on the priest’s head and he became like a pillar of fire. I was filled with wonder at this sight, and I heard a voice saying to me, “Man, why are you astonished at this? In truth, if an earthly king does not allow his nobles to stand in his presence in soiled garments, but only arrayed in glory, how much more will the divine power purify the servants of the holy mysteries who stand before the heavenly glory?’“ And the noble athlete of Christ, Mark the Egyptian, became great and was judged worthy of this grace because he had not judged the priest.

Ἔλεγον περὶ τοῦ ἀββᾶ Μάρκου τοῦ Αἰγυπτίου͵ ὅτι ἔμεινε τριάκοντα ἔτη͵ μὴ ἐξερχόμενος ἐκ τοῦ κελλίου αὐτοῦ. Εἶχε δὲ ἔθος ὁ πρεσβύτερος ἔρχεσθαι͵ καὶ ποιεῖν αὐτῷ τὴν ἁγίαν προσφοράν. Ὁ δὲ διάβο λος͵ θεωρήσας τὴν τοῦ ἀνδρὸς ἐνάρετον ὑπομονὴν͵ ἐπανουργεύσατο ἐν κατακρίσει πειράσαι αὐτόν· καὶ παρεσκεύασέ τινα πνευματιῶντα͵ πρὸς τὸν γέροντα προφάσει εὐχῆς ἀπελθεῖν. Ὁ δὲ πνευματιῶν πρὸ παντὸς λόγου προσεφώνει τῷ γέροντι· Ὁ πρεσβύτε ρός σου ἔχει ὀσμὴν ἁμαρτίας͵ μηκέτι αὐτὸν ἐάσῃς εἰσελθεῖν πρὸς σέ. Ὁ δὲ θεόπνευστος ἀνὴρ εἶπε πρὸς αὐτόν· Τέκνον͵ πάντες τὴν ἀκαθαρσίαν ἔξω βάλ λουσι· σὺ δὲ πρὸς μὲ ἤνεγκας αὐτήν. Ἀλλὰ γέγρα πται· Μὴ κρίνετε͵ ἵνα μὴ κριθῆτε. Ὅμως εἰ καὶ ἁμαρτωλός ἐστιν͵ ὁ Κύριος σώσει αὐτόν. Γέγραπται γάρ· Εὔχεσθε ὑπὲρ ἀλλήλων͵ ὅπως ἰαθῆτε. Καὶ ἐπὶ τῷ λόγῳ τούτῳ ποιήσας εὐχὴν͵ ἐφυγάδευσε τὸν δαίμονα ἀπὸ τοῦ ἀνθρώπου͵ καὶ ἀπέλυσεν αὐτὸν ὑγιῆ. Ὡς δὲ ἦλθεν ὁ πρεσβύτερος κατὰ τὸ εἰωθὸς͵ ὑπ εδέξατο αὐτὸν ὁ γέρων μετὰ χαρᾶς. Ὁ δὲ ἀγαθὸς Θεὸς͵ ἰδὼν τὴν ἀκακίαν τοῦ γέροντος͵ ἔδειξεν αὐτῷ σημεῖον. Μέλλοντος γὰρ τοῦ κληρικοῦ στῆναι ἔμπρο σθεν τῆς ἁγίας τραπέζης͵ καθὼς ὁ γέρων διηγή σατο͵ ὅτι Εἶδον ἄγγελον Κυρίου ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ κατ ερχόμενον͵ καὶ ἔθηκε τὴν χεῖρα αὐτοῦ εἰς τὴν κε φαλὴν τοῦ κληρικοῦ͵ καὶ ἐγένετο ὁ κληρικὸς ὡς στύλος πυρός. Ἐμοῦ δὲ θαυμάσαντος ἐπὶ τῇ ὁράσει͵ ἤκουσα φωνῆς λεγούσης πρὸς μέ· Ἄνθρωπε͵ τί τεθαύμακας ἐπὶ τῷ πράγματι τούτῳ; Εἰ γὰρ βασι λεὺς ἐπίγειος οὐ μὴ ἐάσῃ τοὺς μεγιστᾶνας αὐτοῦ ῥυπαροὺς στῆναι ἕμπροσθεν αὐτοῦ͵ ἐὰν μὴ μετὰ δό ξης πολλῆς· πόσῳ μᾶλλον ἡ θεία δύναμις· οὐ κα θαρίσει τοὺς λειτουργοὺς τῶν ἁγίων μυστηρίων͵ στήκοντας ἔμπροσθεν τῆς οὐρανίου δόξης; Ὁ δὲ γεν ναῖος καὶ ἀθλητὴς τοῦ Χριστοῦ Μάρκος ὁ Αἰγύπτιος͵ μέγας γενόμενος͵ κατηξιώθη τοῦ χαρίσματος τούτου͵ ὅτι οὐ κατέκρινε τὸν κληρικόν.

MACARIUS OF ALEXANDRIA 12_10

Περὶ τοῦ ἀββᾶ Μακαρίου τοῦ πολιτικοῦ

Macarius of Alexandria, born c. A. D. 2g6, was a tradesman, a seller of sweetmeats. He went to visit Pachomius at least once during Lent. He was a hermit and priest in the Cells, famous for extreme asceticism; one of his disciples was Paphnutius. He died about A. D. 393.

1. Abba Macarius of Alexandria went one day with some brethren to cut reeds. The first day the brethren said to him, ‘Come and eat with us, Father.’ So he went to eat with them. The next day they invited him again to eat. But he would not consent saying, ‘My 1 children, you need to eat because you are carnal, but I do not want food now.’

α. Ἀπῆλθέ ποτε ὁ ἀββᾶς Μακάριος ὁ πολιτικὸς κόψαι θαλία͵ καὶ οἱ ἀδελφοὶ μετ΄ αὐτοῦ. Καὶ λέγου σιν αὐτῷ τὴν πρώτην ἡμέραν· Δεῦρο͵ φάγε μεθ΄ ἡμῶν͵ Πάτερ. Ὁ δὲ ἀπῆλθε καὶ ἔφαγε. Καὶ πάλιν τῇ ἄλλῃ λέγουσιν αὐτῷ φαγεῖν. Ὁ δὲ οὐκ ἤθελεν͵ ἀλλ΄ ἔλεγεν αὐτοῖς· Ὑμεῖς χρείαν ἔχετε φαγεῖν͵ τέκνα· ἀκμὴν γὰρ σάρξ ἐστε· ἐγὼ δὲ νῦν οὐ θέλω φαγεῖν

2. Abba Macarius went one day to Abba Pachomius of Tabennisi. Pachomius asked him, ‘When brothers do not submit to the rule, is it right to correct them?’ Abba Macarius said to him, ‘Correct and judge justly those who are subject to you, but judge no-one else. For truly it is written: “Is it not those inside the church whom you are to judge? God judges those outside.’“ (1 Cor. 5.12-13)

β. Παρέβαλεν ὁ ἀββᾶς Μακάριος πρὸς τὸν ἀββᾶν Παχώμιον τῶν Ταβενησιωτῶν. Ὁ δὲ Παχώμιος ἠρώτα αὐτὸν͵ λέγων· Ὅτε εἰσιν ἀδελφοὶ ἄτακτοι͵ καλόν ἐστι παιδεῦσαι αὐτούς; Λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ ἀββᾶς Μακά ³⁰⁵ ριος· Παίδευσον͵ καὶ κρῖνον δικαίως τοὺς ὑπὸ σέ· ἔξω δὲ μὴ κρίνῃς τινάς. Γέγραπται γάρ· Οὐχὶ τοὺς ἔσω ὑμεῖς κρίνετε; τοὺς δὲ ἔξω ὁ Θεὸς κρίνει

3. For four months Abba Macarius visited a brother every day, and he did not once find him distracted from prayer. Filled with wonder he said, ‘He is an angel on earth.’ I

γ. Ἐποίησέ ποτε ὁ ἀββᾶς Μακάριος τετράμηνον͵ παραβάλλων τινὶ ἀδελφῷ ἡμερούσιον· καὶ οὐχ εὗρεν αὐτὸν εὐκαιροῦντα ἀπὸ τῆς προσευχῆς οὐδὲ ἅπαξ· καὶ θαυμάσας ἔλεγεν· Ἰδοὺ ἐπίγειος ἄγγελος.

13_NU

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Ἀρχὴ τοῦ Ν στοιχείου.

NILUS 13_01

Περὶ τοῦ ἀββᾶ Νείλου

1. Abba Nilus said, ‘Everything you do in revenge against a brother who has harmed you will come back to your mind at the time of prayer.’

α. Εἶπεν ὁ ἀββᾶς Νεῖλος· Ὅσα ἂν ποιῇς εἰς ἄμυναν ἀδελφοῦ ἠδικηκότος σε͵ ἅπαντα εἰς καρδίαν σοι γενήσεται ἐν καιρῷ προσευχῆς

2. He also said, ‘Prayer is the seed of gentleness and the absence of anger.’

β. Εἶπε πάλιν· Προσευχή ἐστι πραότητος καὶ ἀορ γησίας βλάστημα

3. He also said, ‘Prayer is a remedy against grief and depression.’

γ. Εἶπε πάλιν· Προσευχή ἐστι λύπης καὶ ἀθυμίας ἀλέξημα

4. He also said, ‘Go, sell all that belongs to you and give it to the poor and taking up the cross, deny yourself; in this way you will be able to pray without distraction.’

δ. Εἶπε πάλιν· Ἀπελθὼν πώλησόν σου τὰ ὑπάρ χοντα͵ καὶ δὸς πτωχοῖς· καὶ λαβὼν τὸν σταυρὸν͵ ἀπάρνησαι σεαυτόν· ἵνα δυνηθῇς ἀπερισπάστως προσ εύχεσθαι

5. He also said, ‘Whatever you have endured out of love of wisdom will bear fruit for you at the time of prayer.’

ε. Εἶπε πάλιν· Ὅπερ ἂν ὑπομένων φιλοσοφήσῃς͵ τούτου τὸν καρπὸν κατὰ τὸν καιρὸν τῆς εὐχῆς εὐ ρήσεις. .

6. He also said, ‘If you want to pray properly, do not let yourself be upset or you will run in vain.’

ϛ. Εἶπε πάλιν· Ἐπιθυμῶν προσεύξασθαι ὡς δεῖ͵ μὴ λυπήσῃς ψυχήν· εἰ δὲ μήγε͵ εἰς μάτην τρέχεις

7. He also said, ‘Do not be always wanting everything to turn out as you think it should, but rather as God pleases, then you will be undisturbed and thankful in your prayer.’

ζ. Εἶπε πάλιν· Μὴ θέλε ὡς σοὶ δοκεῖ͵ ἀλλ΄ ὡς Θεῷ ἀρέσκει γίνεσθαι τὰ κατὰ σέ· καὶ ἔσῃ ἀτάρα χος καὶ εὐχάριστος ἐν προσευχῇ σου

8. He also said, ‘Happy is the monk who thinks he is the outcast of all.’

η. Εἶπε πάλιν· Μακάριός ἐστι μοναχὸς͵ ὁ πάντων περίψημα ἑαυτὸν λογιζόμενος

9. He also said, ‘The monk who loves interior peace will remain invulnerable to the shafts of the enemy, but he who mixes with crowds constantly receives blows.’

θ. Εἶπε πάλιν· Ἄτρωτος διαμένει μοναχὸς ἀπὸ τῶν βελῶν τοῦ ἐχθροῦ͵ ὁ ἀγαπῶν ἡσυχίαν· ὁ δὲ συναναμιγνύμενος πλήθεσι συνεχεῖς δέχεται πληγάς

10. He also said, ‘The servant who neglects his master’s work should expect a beating.’

ι. Εἶπε πάλιν· Ὁ δοῦλος ὁ ἀμελῶν τῶν ἔργων τοῦ κυρίου αὐτοῦ ἑτοιμαζέσθω πρὸς μάστιγας.

NISTERUS 13_02

Περὶ τοῦ ἀββᾶ Νιστερώου

1. Abba Nisterus the Great was walking in the desert with a brother. They saw a dragon and they ran away. The brother said to him, ‘Were you frightened too, Father?’ The old man said to him, ‘I am not afraid, my child, but it is better for me to flee, so as not to have to flee from the spirit of vain-glory.’

α. Ὁ ἀββᾶς Νιστερῶος ὁ μέγας περιεπάτει ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ μετὰ ἀδελφοῦ τινος· καὶ ἰδόντες δράκοντα͵ ἔφυγον. Καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ ἀδελφός· Καὶ σὺ φοβῇ͵ Πάτερ; Καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ γέρων· Οὐ φοβοῦμαι͵ τέκνον· ἀλλὰ συμφέρει ὅτι ἔφυγον͵ ἐπεὶ οὐκ εἶχον ἐκφυγεῖν τὸ πνεῦμα τῆς κενοδοξίας

2. A brother questioned an old man saying, ‘What good work should I do so that I may live?’ The old man said, ‘God knows what is good. I have heard it said that one of the Fathers asked Abba Nisterus the Great, the friend of Abba Anthony, and said to him, “What good work is there that I could do?” He said to him, “Are not all actions equal? Scripture says that Abraham was hospitable and God was with him. David was humble, and God was with him. Elias loved interior peace and God was with him. So, do whatever you see your soul desires according to God and guard your heart.” ‘

β. Ἀδελφὸς ἠρώτησε γέροντα͵ λέγων· Ποῖον καλὸν πρᾶγμά ἐστιν͵ ἵνα ποιήσω͵ καὶ ζήσωμαι ἐν αὐτῷ; Καὶ εἶπεν ὁ γέρων· Ὁ Θεὸς οἶδε τὸ καλόν. Ἀλλ΄ ³⁰⁸ ἤκουσα ὅτι ἠρώτησέ τις τῶν Πατέρων τὸν ἀββᾶν Νι στερῶον τὸν μέγαν͵ τὸν φίλον τοῦ ἀββᾶ Ἀντωνίου͵ καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ· Ποῖον καλὸν ἔργον ἐστὶν͵ ἵνα ποιή σω; Καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ· Οὐκ εἰσὶ πᾶσαι αἱ ἐργασίαι ἴσαι; ἡ Γραφὴ λέγει͵ ὅτι Ἀβραὰμ φιλόξενος ἦν͵ καὶ ὁ Θεὸς ἦν μετ΄ αὐτοῦ· καὶ Ἠλίας ἠγάπα τὴν ἡσυ χίαν͵ καὶ ὁ Θεὸς ἦν μετ΄ αὐτοῦ· καὶ ὁ Δαβὶδ ταπει νὸς ἦν͵ καὶ ὁ Θεὸς ἦν μετ΄ αὐτοῦ. Ὃ οὖν θεωρεῖς τὴν ψυχήν σου θέλουσαν κατὰ Θεὸν͵ τοῦτο ποίησον καὶ [φύλαξον] τὴν καρδίαν σου

3. Abba Joseph said to Abba Nisterus, ‘What should I do about my tongue, for I cannot control it?’ The old man said to him, ‘When you speak, do you find peace?’ He replied ‘No.’ The old man said, ‘If you do not find peace, why do you speak? Be silent and when a conversation takes place, it is better to listen than to speak.’

γ. Ὁ ἀββᾶς Ἰωσὴφ λέγει τῷ ἀββᾷ Νισθερώῳ· Τί ποιήσω τῇ γλώσσῃ μου ὅτι οὐ δύναμαι κρατῆσαι αὐ τῆς; Καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ γέρων· Ἐὰν οὖν λαλήσῃς͵ ἔχεις ἀνάπαυσιν; Λέγει αὐτῷ· Οὐχί. Καὶ εἶπεν ὁ γέρων· Εἰ οὐκ ἔχεις ἀνάπαυσιν͵ διατί λαλεῖς; μᾶλ λον σιώπα· καὶ ἐὰν συμβῇ ὁμιλία͵ πολλὰ ἄκουε μᾶλ λον ἢ λάλει

4. A brother saw Abba Nisterus wearing two tunics and he questioned him saying, If a poor man came to ask you for a tunic, Nisterus the Cenobite [155 which would you give him?’ He replied, ‘The better one.’ ‘And if someone else asked you for one, what would you give him?’ The old man said, ‘Half of the other one.’ The brother said, ‘And if someone else asked for one, what would you give him?’ He said, ‘I should cut the rest, give him half, and gird myself with whatever was left.’ So the brother said, And if someone came and asked you for that, what would you do?’ The old man said, ‘I would give him the rest and go and sit down somewhere, until God sent me something to cover myself with, for I would not ask anyone for anything.’

δ. Ἀδελφὸς εἶδε τὸν ἀββᾶν Νισθερῶον φοροῦντα δύο κολόβια͵ καὶ ἐπηρώτησεν αὐτὸν͵ λέγων· Ἐὰν πτωχὸς ἔλθῃ͵ καὶ αἰτήσῃ σε ἱμάτιον͵ ποῖον δίδως αὐτῷ; Καὶ ἀποκριθεὶς εἶπε· Τὸ κάλλιον. Καὶ λέγει ὁ ἀδελφός· Καὶ ἐὰν ἄλλος αἰτήσῃ σε͵ τί παρέχεις αὐτῷ; καὶ λέγει ὁ γέρων· Τὸ ἥμισυ τοῦ ἄλλου. Καὶ λέγει ὁ ἀδελφός· Καὶ ἐὰν ἄλλος αἰτήσῃ σε͵ τί δίδως αὐτῷ; Ὁ δὲ ἔφη· Κόπτω καὶ τὸ λοιπὸν͵ καὶ δίδωμι αὐτῷ τὸ ἥμισυ͵ καὶ τὸ λοιπὸν ζώννυμαι. Καὶ πάλιν λέγει· Εἰ δὲ καὶ τοῦτο ζητήσῃ τις παρὰ σοῦ͵ τί ποιεῖς; Λέγει ὁ γέρων· Παρέχω αὐτῷ τὸ λοιπὸν͵ καὶ πορευθεὶς κάθημαι εἰς ἕνα τόπον͵ ἕως οὗ ὁ Θεὸς πέμψῃ καὶ σκεπάσῃ με· οὐ ζητῶ γὰρ παρ΄ ἄλλου τινός

5. Abba Nisterus said that a monk ought to ask himself every night and every morning, ‘What have we done that is as God wills and what have we left undone of that which he does not will?’ ‘He must do this throughout his whole life. This is how Abba Arsenius used to live. Every day strive to come before God without sin. Pray to God in his presence, for he really is present. Do not impose rules on yourself; do not judge anyone. Swearing, making false oaths, lying, getting angry, insulting people laughing, all that is alien to monks, and he who is esteemed or exalted above that which he deserves suffers great harm.’

ε. Εἶπεν ὁ ἀββᾶς Νισθερῶος͵ ὅτι ὀφείλει ὁ μονα χὸς καθ΄ ἑσπέραν καὶ πρωΐας λόγον ποιεῖν͵ Τί ὧν θέλει ὁ Θεὸς ἐποιήσαμεν͵ καὶ τί ὧν οὐ θέλει οὐκ ἐποιήσαμεν; καὶ οὕτως τρακτεύοντες ἑαυτῶν τὴν πᾶσαν ζωήν. Οὕτως γὰρ ἔζησεν ὁ ἀββᾶς Ἀρσένιος. Σπούδαζε ἑκάστην ἡμέραν παρεστάναι τῷ Θεῷ χωρὶς ἁμαρτίας. Οὕτω προσεύχου τῷ Θεῷ͵ ὡς παρὼν παρ όντι· καὶ γὰρ ἀληθῶς πάρεστι. Μὴ νομοθέτει ἑαυ τόν· κρῖνε δὲ μηδένα. Μοναχοῦ ἀλλότριον ὑπάρχει τὸ ὀμνύειν͵ ἐπιορκεῖν͵ ψεύδεσθαι͵ καταρᾶσθαι͵ ὑβρί ζειν͵ γελᾷν. Ὁ δὲ πλέον τῆς ἀξίας τιμώμενος ἢ ἐπαιρούμενος͵ πολὺ ζημιοῦται.

6. They said of Abba Nisterus when he lived at Rhaithou that for three weeks of the year he would weave baskets, making six each week.*

NISTERUS THE CENOBITE 13_03

Περὶ τοῦ ἐν κοινοβίῳ Νισθερώου

1. Abba Poemen said of Abba Nisterus that he was like the serpent of brass which Moses made for the healing of the people: he possessed all virtue and without speaking, he healed everyone.

α. Ἔλεγεν ὁ ἀββᾶς Ποιμὴν περὶ τοῦ ἀββᾶ Νισθε ρώου͵ ὅτι ὥσπερ ὁ ὄφις ὁ χαλκοῦς ὃν ἐποίησε Μωϋσῆς εἰς θεραπείαν τοῦ λαοῦ͵ οὕτως ἦν ὁ γέρων͵ πᾶσαν ἀρετὴν ἔχων͵ καὶ σιωπῶν πάντας ἐθεράπευεν. ³⁰⁹

2. Abba Poemen asked Abba Nisterus how he had managed to gain this virtue: whenever a troublesome matter came up in the monastery, he did not say anything and he never intervened. He answered, ‘Forgive me, abba, but when I came for the first time to the monastery, I said to myself, “You and the donkey are the same. The donkey is beaten but he does not speak, and when ill-treated he does not reply; now you must do the same, as psalmist says, ‘I was like a beast towards thee; nevertheless, I am continually with thee.”“ (Ps. 73. 22-23)

τοῦ ἀββᾶ Ποιμένος͵ πόθεν ἐκτήσατο τὴν ἀρετὴν ταύτην͵ ὅτι ὅτε δήποτε συνέβη θλῖψις εἰς τὸ κοινό βιον͵ οὐκ ἐλάλει͵ οὐδὲ ἐμέσαζεν͵ ἀπεκρίνατο· Συγχώ ρησόν μοι͵ ἀββᾶ· ὅτε εἰσῆλθον ἀρχὴν εἰς τὸ κοινό βιον͵ εἶπον τῷ λογισμῷ μου͵ ὅτι Σὺ καὶ ὁ ὄνος ἕν ἐστε. Ὥσπερ ὁ ὄνος δέρεται καὶ οὐ λαλεῖ͵ ὑβρίζεται καὶ οὐδὲν ἀποκρίνεται͵ οὕτως καὶ σύ· καθὼς ὁ ψαλ μὸς λέγει· Κτηνώδης ἐγενήθην παρὰ σοὶ͵ κἀγὼ διαπαντὸς μετὰ σοῦ.

NICON 13_04

Περὶ τοῦ ἀββᾶ Νίκωνος.

1. A brother asked one of the Fathers saying: ‘How does the devil present temptations to the saints?’ The old man said to him, ‘There was one of the Fathers, named Nicon, who lived on Mount Sinai. And someone went into a Pharanite’s tent and finding his daughter alone, sinned with her. Then he said to her, “Say it was the anchorite, Abba Nicon, who did this.” So when her father came and heard about it, he took his sword and went to confront the old man. When he knocked on the door, the old man came out. But when he drew his sword, intending to kill him, his hand withered. Then the Pharanite went and spoke to his priests, and they sent for the old man. When he came out, they inflicted many blows on him and wanted to drive him away, but he begged them, saying, “For God’s sake, let me stay here that I may do penance.” So they kept him apart for three years and ordered that no-one should see him. He spent three years coming each Sunday to do penance and to beg everyone saying, “Pray for me.” Later, the man who had committed the sin and thrown the temptation onto the anchorite was possessed with the devil, and he admitted in church: “It was I who committed the sin and said the servant of God should be falsely denounced.” Then the whole congregation went to do penance before the old man, saying, “Forgive us, abba.” He said to them, “As to forgiveness, be forgiven; but as for staying here I shall not remain here any longer with you, for no-one here had enough discernment to show compassion towards me.” With that, he left that place.’ The old man said, ‘You see how the devil presents temptations to the saints.’

Ἀδελφὸς ἠρώτησέ τινα τῶν Πατέρων͵ λέγων· Πῶς ὁ διάβολος τοὺς πειρασμοὺς φέρει ἐπάνω τῶν ἁγίων; Καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ γέρων͵ ὅτι ῏Ην τις τῶν Πα τέρων͵ ὀνόματι Νίκων͵ οἰκῶν εἰς τὸ ὄρος τὸ Σινᾶ. Καὶ ἰδού τις ἀπελθὼν εἰς σκηνὴν Φαρανίτου τινὸς͵ καὶ εὑρὼν τὴν θυγατέρα αὐτοῦ μόνην͵ ἔπεσε μετ΄ αὐτῆς. Καὶ λέγει αὐτῇ· Εἰπὲ͵ ὅτι ὁ ἀναχωρητὴς ὁ ἀββᾶς Νίκων ἐποίησέ μοι οὕτως. Καὶ ἡνίκα ἦλθεν ὁ πατὴρ αὐτῆς͵ καὶ ἔμαθε͵ λαβὼν τὸ ξίφος ἀπῆλθεν ἐπάνω τοῦ γέροντος. Καὶ κρούσαντος αὐτοῦ͵ ἐξῆλθεν ὁ γέρων. Καὶ ἐκτείναντος αὐτοῦ τὸ ξίφος τοῦ φονεῦ σαι αὐτὸν͵ ἀπεξηράνθη ἡ χεὶρ αὐτοῦ. Καὶ ἀπελ θὼν ὁ Φαρανίτης͵ εἶπε τοῖς πρεσβυτέροις· καὶ ἔπεμψαν ἐπ΄ αὐτόν· καὶ ἦλθεν ὁ γέρων· καὶ ἐπιθέν τες αὐτῷ πολλὰς πληγὰς͵ ἤθελον διῶξαι. Καὶ παρ εκάλεσε͵ λέγων· Ἄφετέ με ὧδε διὰ τὸν Θεὸν͵ ἵνα μετανοήσω. Καὶ χωρίσαντες αὐτὸν τρία ἔτη͵ ἔδωκαν ἐντολὴν ἵνα μηδεὶς αὐτῷ παραβάλῃ. Καὶ ἐποίησε τρία ἔτη͵ ἐρχόμενος κατὰ Κυριακὴν μετανοῶν· καὶ παρεκάλει πάντας͵ λέγων· Εὔξασθε ὑπὲρ ἐμοῦ. Ὕστερον δὲ ἐδαιμονίσθη ὁ ποιήσας τὴν ἁμαρτίαν͵ καὶ τὸν πειρασμὸν ἐπάνω τοῦ ἀναχωρητοῦ βαλών· καὶ ὡμολόγησεν εἰς τὴν ἐκκλησίαν͵ ὅτι Ἐγὼ ἐποίησα τὴν ἁμαρτίαν͵ καὶ εἶπον συκοφαντῆσαι τὸν δοῦλον τοῦ Θεοῦ. Καὶ ἀπελθὼν πᾶς ὁ λαὸς͵ μετενόησε τῷ γέροντι͵ λέγοντες· Συγχώρησον ἡμῖν͵ ἀββᾶ. Καὶ λέ γει αὐτοῖς· Τὸ μὲν συγχωρῆσαι͵ συγκεχώρηται ὑμῖν· τὸ δὲ μεῖναι͵ οὐκ ἔτι μένω ὧδε μεθ΄ ὑμῶν͵ ὅτι οὐχ εὑρέθη εἷς ἔχων διάκρισιν͵ συμπαθῆσαι μετ΄ ἐμοῦ. Καὶ οὕτως ἀνεχώρησεν ἐκεῖθεν. Καὶ εἶπεν ὁ γέρων· Θεωρεῖς πῶς ὁ διάβολος φέρει τοὺς πει ρασμοὺς ἐπάνω τῶν ἁγίων. ³¹²

NETRAS 13_05

Περὶ τοῦ ἀββᾶ Νετρᾶ.

1. It was related of Abba Netras, the disciple of Abba Silvanus, that when he dwelt in his cell on Mount Sinai, he treated himself prudently, with regard to the needs of his body; but when he became bishop of Pharan, he curbed himself with great austerities. His disciple said to him, ‘Abba, when we were in the desert, you did not practice such asceticism.’ The old man said to him, ‘There in the desert, I had interior peace and poverty and I wished to manage my body so as not to be ill and not need what I did not have. But now I am in the world and among its cares and even if I am ill here; there will be someone to look after me and so I do this in order not to destroy the monk in me.’

Διηγήσαντο περὶ τοῦ ἀββᾶ Νετρᾶ μαθητοῦ τοῦ ἀββᾶ Σιλουανοῦ͵ ὅτι ὅτε ἐκάθητο εἰς τὸ κελλίον αὐ τοῦ ἐν τῷ ὄρει τῷ Σινᾷ͵ συμμέτρως ἐδιοίκει ἑαυτὸν πρὸς τὴν χρείαν τοῦ σώματος· ὅτε δὲ ἐγένετο ἐπί σκοπος εἰς Φαρὰν͵ πολλὰ ἔσφιγγεν ἑαυτὸν εἰς σκλη ραγωγίαν. Καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ μαθητὴς αὐτοῦ· Ἀββᾶ͵ ὅτε ἤμεθα εἰς τὴν ἔρημον͵ οὐκ ἤσκεις οὕτως. Καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ γέρων· Ἐκεῖ ἔρημος ἦν͵ καὶ ἡσυχία͵ καὶ πτωχεία͵ καὶ ἤθελον κυβερνῆσαι τὸ σῶμα͵ ἵνα μὴ ἀσθενήσω͵ καὶ ζητήσω ἃ οὐκ εἶχον. Νῦν δὲ κόσμος ἐστὶ͵ καὶ ἀφορμαί εἰσιν· ἐὰν δὲ καὶ ἀσθε νήσω ὧδε͵ ἔστιν ὁ ἀντιλαμβανόμενός μου͵ ἵνα ἡ ἀπολέσω τὸν μοναχόν.

NICETAS 13_06

Περὶ τοῦ ἀββᾶ Νικήτα.

1. Abba Nicetas said of two brothers that they met with the intention of living together. The first thought within himself, ‘If my brother wants something, I will do it,’ and the second thought the same, ‘I will do the will of my brother.’ So they lived many years in great charity. Seeing this, the enemy set out to separate them. He stood at the entrance to the cell, appearing to the one like a dove and to the other like a raven. The first said, ‘Do you see that little dove?’ The other said, ‘It is a raven.’ They began to argue and to contradict one another, then they stood up and fought till they drew blood, to the great joy of the enemy; and they separated. After three days they returned and came to their senses and each asked the other’s forgiveness. They recognized that each of them had believed the bird to be what he had seen and recognized that their conflict came from the enemy. So they lived to the end without being separated.

Ἔλεγεν ὁ ἀββᾶς Νικήτας περί τινων ἀδελφῶν δύο͵ ὅτι συνῆλθον θέλοντες οἰκῆσαι ὁμοῦ. Ἐλογίσατο δὲ ὁ εἷς ἐν ἑαυτῷ͵ ὅτι Εἴ τι θέλει ὁ ἀδελφός μου͵ ἐκεῖνο ποιῶ. Ὁμοίως καὶ ὁ ἕτερος ἐλογίσατο͵ ὅτι Τὸ θέ λημα τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ μου ποιήσω. Καὶ ἔζησαν ἐπὶ ἔτη πολλὰ μετὰ πολλῆς ἀγάπης. Ἰδὼν δὲ ὁ ἐχθρὸς͵ ἀπῆλθε θέλων χωρίσαι αὐτούς· καὶ σταθεὶς εἰς τὸ πρόθυρον͵ ἐφαίνετο τῷ ἑνὶ ὡσεὶ περιστερὰ͵ καὶ τῷ ἑτέρῳ ὡσεὶ κορώνη. Λέγει ὁ εἷς· Βλέπεις τὸ περι στέριον τοῦτο; Λέγει ἐκεῖνος· Κορώνη ἐστίν. Καὶ ἤρξαντο φιλονεικεῖν ἄλλος ἄλλῳ λέγων͵ καὶ ἀνα στάντες͵ συνέβαλον μάχην μέχρις αἵματος͵ εἰς τε λείαν χαρὰν τοῦ ἐχθροῦ͵ καὶ ἐχωρίσθησαν. Μετὰ δὲ τρεῖς ἡμέρας ἀνένευσαν εἰς ἑαυτοὺς ἐλθόντες· καὶ ποιήσαντες ἑαυτοῖς μετάνοιαν͵ ὡμολόγουν ὃ ἕκαστος αὐτῶν ἐλογίζετο τὸ ὁραθὲν πετηνόν· καὶ γνόντες τὸν πόλεμον τοῦ ἐχθροῦ͵ ἔμειναν μέχρι τέλους μὴ χωρι σθέντες.