VARIOUS LETTERS BY THE SAME
ABBOT DOROTHEOS

ΤΟΥ ΑΥΤΟΥ ΑΒΒΑ ΔΩΡΟΘΕΟΥ ΕΠΙΣΤΟΛΑΙ ΔΙΑΦΟΡΟΙ

[Letter 2] 18. OF THE RELATIONS BETWEEN THE PRESIDENT AND HIS DISCIPLES IN MONASTERIES

Βʹ. ΠΡΟΣ ΤΟΥΣ ΕΝ ΤΩ ΜΟΝΑΣΤΗΡΙΩ ΕΠΙΣΤΑΤΑΣ ΚΑΙ ΜΑΘΗΤΑΣ. ΠΩΣ ΔΕΙ ΕΠΙΣΤΑΤΕΙΝ ΑΔΕΛΦΩΝ ΚΑΙ ΠΩΣ ΤΟΙΣ ΕΠΙΣΤΑΤΟΥΣΙΝ ΥΠΟΤΑΣΣΕΣΘΑ

How the President should conduct himself towards the brethren, and how they should subject themselves to him.

IF YOU ARE put in charge of the brethren, in your care of them be strict in thought and merciful in action, teach them the way to live both by word and by deed but especially by your deeds, because example is more stimulating than words. If you are strong in body, mould them by bodily works; if you are weak in body, by the fruits of the spirit (which the Apostle enumerates 1) which emanate from a noble state of soul, in love, patience, joy, peace, constancy, goodness, faith, meekness and control of all the passions. If a fault occurs, do not be too anxious, but explain the disorder and the harm that comes from these faults. And if there is need to rebuke, take into account the person to whom rebuke is due, and choose a suitable time. Do not be exacting about small faults or anxious about your own rights, do not correct too severely, for this is burdensome and piling up corrections leads to insensitivity and contempt and not to orderly government. Rather, with humility take counsel with the brother. Speaking like this is more effective and more persuasive and keeps your neighbor calm.

(184.)   Ἐὰν εἶ ἀδελφῶν ἐπιστάτης, φρόντισον αὐτῶν ἐν στρυφνότητι καρδίας καὶ σπλάχνοις οἰκτιρμῶν, παιδεύων αὐτοὺς ἔργῳ καὶ λόγῳ τὰ πρακτέα, τὰ πλείω δὲ τῷ ἔργῳ, ἐπειδὴ τὰ ὑποδείγματα μᾶλλον ἐνεργέστερά εἰσιν, εἰ μὲν δύνασαι καὶ ἐν τοῖς σωματικοῖς τυπῶν αὐτούς, εἰ δὲ ἀσθενὴς ⁽⁵⁾ εἶ, τῇ τῆς ψυχῆς καλῇ καταστάσει καὶ τοῖς παρὰ τῷ Ἀποσ- τόλῳ ἠριθμημένοις καρποῖς τοῦ Πνεύματος, ἀγάπῃ, χαρᾷ, εἰρήνῃ, μακροθυμίᾳ, χρηστότητι, ἀγαθωσύνῃ, πίστει, πρα- ότητι καὶ τῇ κατὰ πάντων τῶν παθῶν ἐγκρατείᾳ. Ἐπὶ δὲ τοῖς συμβαίνουσι σφάλμασι, μὴ σφόδρα ἀγανάκτει, ἀλλὰ ⁽¹⁰⁾ ἀταράχως δείκνυε τὴν βλάβην τὴν ἀπὸ τοῦ σφάλματος, κἂν ἐπιτιμῆσαι δέοι πρόσωπον τηρῶν καὶ καιρὸν ἐπιτήδειον. Μὴ ἀκριβάζου δὲ περὶ τὰ μικρὰ σφάλματα, ὡς ἀκριβοδίκαιος αὐτός, μηδὲ συνεχῶς ἔλεγχε· φορτικὸν γὰρ τοῦτο καὶ διὰ τῆς συνηθείας τοῦ ἐλέγχου εἰς ἀναισθησίαν ἄγει καὶ κατα- ⁽¹⁵⁾ φρόνησιν· μὴ προστακτικῶς ἐπιτάσσων, ἀλλὰ μετὰ ταπεινώσεως συμβουλευόμενος μετὰ τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ· προτρεπ- τικὸς γὰρ οὗτος ὁ λόγος γίνεται, καὶ πείθει μᾶλλον καὶ τὸν πλησίον ἀναπαύει.

At a time of disturbance, when the brother is resisting you, control your tongue lest you say anything simply to vent your anger and do not allow yourself to curse him in your heart but remember that he is your brother, a member of Christ and made to God’s likeness, and he has been used spitefully by the common enemy. and so be compassionate towards him, lest the devil, having led him captive through the onslaught of passion, should condemn him to death through the remembrance of old injuries and through our inattentiveness a soul should be lost for whom Christ died. Remember that you will also lie under the same condemnation for anger. And because of your own weakness, have sympathy with your brother and give thanks that you have found a starting place for forgiveness, that you may be forgiven by God for your many and greater faults. For “if you forgive it shall be forgiven you”.2 Do you perhaps think that your brother is harmed by your long-suffering? But the Apostle exhorts us to slay evil by good, not good by evil.3

(185.)   Ἐν καιρῷ δὲ ταραχῆς ἀδελφοῦ σοι ἀνθισταμένου, φύλαξον τὴν γλῶσσάν σου μὴ λαλῆσαί τι τὸ σύνολον ἐν ὀργῇ, καὶ μὴ ἐάσῃς τὴν καρδίαν σου ἐπαρθῆναι κατ’ αὐτοῦ, ἀλλὰ μνήσθητι ὅτι ἀδελφός ἐστιν καὶ μέλος ἐν Χριστῷ καὶ εἰκὼν Θεοῦ ἐπηρεαζομένη ὑπὸ τοῦ κοινοῦ ἐχθροῦ ἡμῶν, ⁽⁵⁾ καὶ σπλαγχνίσθητι ἐπ’ αὐτῇ, μή πως αἰχμαλωτίσας αὐτὴν  ὁ διάβολος ἀπὸ τῆς πληγῆς τοῦ θυμοῦ, θανατώσῃ εἰς μνησι- κακίαν καὶ ἀπολεῖται ψυχὴ ἐξ ἀπροσεξίας ἡμῶν ὑπὲρ ἧς Χριστὸς ἀπέθανε· μνήσθητι δὲ ὅτι καὶ σὺ ὑπόκεισαι τῷ αὐτῷ κρίματι τῆς ὀργῆς, καὶ ἐκ τῆς σῆς ἀσθενείας συμπά- ⁽¹⁰⁾ θησον τῷ ἀδελφῷ σου, καὶ εὐχαρίστει ὅτι εὗρες ἀφορμὴν εἰς τὸ συγχωρῆσαι, ἵνα καὶ σὺ τὰ μείζονα καὶ πλείονα παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ συγχωρηθῇς. Ἄφετε γάρ, φησίν, καὶ ἀφεθήσεται ὑμῖν. Ἀλλὰ νομίζεις βλάπτεσθαι τὸν ἀδελφόν σου ἐκ τῆς σῆς μακροθυμίας; ἀλλ’ ὁ Ἀπόστολος παραγγέλλει νικᾷν ⁽¹⁵⁾ ἐν τῷ ἀγαθῷ τὸ κακόν, οὐκ ἐν τῷ κακῷ τὸ κακόν. Καὶ οἱ Πατέρες δὲ λέγουσιν· Ἐὰν ἑτέρῳ ἐπιτιμῶν εἰς ὀργὴν κινηθῇς, ἴδιον πάθος ἐπλήρωσας· καὶ οὐδεὶς συνετὸς λύει τὴν ἑαυτοῦ οἰκίαν, ἵνα τὴν τοῦ πλησίον οἰκοδομήσῃ.

Our Fathers are in the habit of saying that if someone rebukes another when he is burning with anger, he is merely fulfilling his own evil inclination, and no wise man would destroy his own house to build up his neighbor’s. While the disturbance lasts, put a curb on your heart and pray in this way: “0 Merciful God and lover of souls who created us out of nothing to communicate your own goodness to us and, when we fled away from your commandments, called us back through the bloody sacrifice of your Son, our Savior, come now to the help of our weakness, and as you once calmed the waves of the sea, so now put an end to the rage in our hearts. Do not at one time do away with two of your sons, condemned to death by sin, and do not say, “What use is there in my blood, in my going down to death?”4 or, “Amen, I say to you, I do not know you” , 5 because our lamps are gone out for want of oil.” After this prayer, when your heart has calmed down, you will then be able with an understanding heart to correct and convince according to the Apostle’s exhortations,6 and to do it with sympathy so as to heal a weak member and set him on the right path. Then thebrother will accept the correction with confidence and blame himself severely, and through your peace you will bring peace to his heart. Never separate yourself from the holy example of Christ, who said, “Learn of me for I am meek and humble of heart”. . First make a point of acquiring a peaceful state of soul, so that correction is given not out of pretended righteousness or for the pleasure of rebuking, but as a duty performed for the sake of love and cleanness of heart. Building up your brother in this way, you shall hear a voice saying to you, “If you extract what is precious from what is unclean, you shall be compared to my own voice.” 8

(186.)   Ἐπιμενούσης δὲ τῆς ταραχῆς, βίασαι τὴν καρδίαν σου καὶ εὖξαι λέγων οὕτως· Ὁ Θεὸς ὁ φιλάνθρωπος καὶ φιλόψυχος, ὁ τῇ ἀφάτῳ σου ἀγαθότητι ἐκ τοῦ μὴ ὄντος εἰς τὸ εἶναι ποιήσας ἡμᾶς ἐπὶ μεταλήψει τῶν σῶν ἀγαθῶν καὶ ἀποστατήσαντας ἡμᾶς ἀπὸ τῶν ἐντολῶν σου ἀνακαλέσας ⁽⁵⁾ διὰ τοῦ αἵματος τοῦ μονογενοῦς σου Υἱοῦ τοῦ Σωτῆρος ἡμῶν, καὶ νῦν παράστηθι τῇ ἀσθενείᾳ ἡμῶν καὶ ἐπιτίμησον ὥσπερ ποτὲ κυματουμένῃ τῇ θαλάσσῃ, οὕτως καὶ νῦν τῇ ταραχῇ τῆς καρδίας ἡμῶν, καὶ μὴ ἀτεκνωθῇς ἐν μιᾷ ὥρᾳ ἐξ ἀμφοτέρων ἡμῶν θανατωθέντων τῇ ἁμαρτίᾳ, καὶ μὴ εἴπῃς ⁽¹⁰⁾ ἡμῖν· Τίς ὠφέλεια ἐν τῷ αἵματί μου, ἐν τῷ καταβαίνειν ⁽¹⁰⁾ με εἰς διαφθοράν; Καί· Ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν, οὐκ οἶδα ὑμᾶς, διὰ τὸ σβεσθῆναι τὰς λαμπάδας ἡμῶν ἐλαίου λείψαντος. Καὶ μετὰ τὴν εὐχὴν ταύτην πραϋνθείσης σου τῆς καρδίας, δύνασαι λοιπὸν μετὰ συνέσεως καὶ ταπεινώσεως κατὰ τὸ ἀποστολικὸν παράγγελμα ἐλέγξαι, ἐπιτιμῆσαι, παρακαλέσαι  ⁽¹⁵⁾ καὶ μετὰ συμπαθείας ὡς μέλος ἀσθενὲς θεραπεῦσαι καὶ διορθώσασθαι. Τότε γὰρ καὶ ὁ ἀδελφὸς καταδέχεται τὴν διόρθωσιν μετὰ πληροφορίας, καταγνοὺς ἑαυτοῦ ἐπὶ τῇ σκληρότητι· καὶ διὰ τῆς σῆς εἰρήνης εἰρηνεύεις τὴν αὐτοῦ καρδίαν. Μηδὲν τοίνυν χωριζέτω σε τῆς ἁγίας τοῦ Χριστοῦ ⁽²⁰⁾ παραδόσεως· Μάθετε ἀπ’ ἐμοῦ λέγοντος ὅτι πρᾶός εἰμι καὶ ταπεινὸς τῇ καρδίᾳ. Ἐπιμελεῖσθαι γὰρ χρὴ πρῶτον εἰρηνικῆς καταστάσεως, ὥστε μηδὲ ἐπὶ δικαίαις προφάσεσιν ἢ ἐντολῆς δῆθεν χάριν τὴν καρδίαν θολοῦν, πεπεισμένον ὡς πάσας τὰς ἐντολὰς ἐπιτηδεύομεν ἀγάπης ἕνεκα καὶ τῆς ⁽²⁵⁾ καθαρότητος τῆς καρδίας· οὕτως τὸν ἀδελφὸν διοικῶν, ἀκούσεις τῆς λεγούσης φωνῆς· Ἐὰν ἐξαγάγῃς τίμιον ἐξ ἀναξίου, ὡς στόμα μου ἔσῃ.

If you are in a state of obedience to another, never believe your own heart; for it is blinded by its long-standing habitual preoccupations. Do not determine your way of life in anything by your own judgment. Do not make rules about anything for yourself without inquiring and taking counsel. Do not think that your own thoughts and resolutions are more profitable and more virtuous than those of your director, do not make yourself the examiner of his works, and so be often mistaken in your judgements. For it is the craft of the evil one to prevent submission with faith in every circumstance and, through faith, a state of certain security. It bars you also from obedience with tranquility, and from travelling without danger, or wandering from the road laid down by the Fathers. Do yourself violence in all things and cut off your own will, and, by the grace of Christ living in you, you will become so habituated to cutting off self-will that you do it without constraint or trouble as naturally as you do your own will. Then no longer will you want certain things to happen, but what is happening will be the thing you want and you will be at peace with all. This, however, applies to the things which are not contrary to the commandments of God or of the Fathers. Strive to find in everything something to blame yourself for, hold fast to indifference in knowledge and believe that everything that concerns us, even the most trivial thing, happens through God’s providence, and you will bear anything that comes upon you without being troubled. Believe that disgrace and contempt is a healing remedy against the arrogance of your soul, and pray earnestly for those who, as true healers, abuse you. Believe that he who hates disgrace hates humility, and he who flees from those who provoke him flees from meekness. Do not desire to know the evils of your neighbor and do not entertain suspicions about him, but if suspicious thoughts burst out of your own wickedness, take care to mould them into noble thoughts, and in all things give thanks in accord with God’s goodness and holy love.

(187.)   Ἐν ὑποταγῇ δὲ ὤν, μηδέποτε πιστεύσῃς τῇ καρδίᾳ σου· τυφλώττῃ γὰρ ἀπὸ τῶν παλαιῶν προσπαθειῶν. Καὶ μὴ στοιχήσῃς ἔν τινι τῇ ἰδίᾳ κρίσει καὶ μὴ στήσῃς παρὰ σεαυτῷ μηδὲν χωρὶς ἐρωτήσεως καὶ γνώμης, καὶ μὴ λογίζου ἢ νόμιζε εὐλογώτερα καὶ δικαιότερα τοῦ διοικοῦντός σε, ⁽⁵⁾ μηδὲ γίνου ἐξεταστὴς τῶν ἔργων αὐτοῦ καὶ πεπλανημένος πολλάκις δοκιμαστής. Ἀπάτη γὰρ αὕτη τοῦ πονηροῦ πρὸς τὸ ἐμποδίσαι τῇ μετὰ πίστεως κατὰ πάντα ὑποταγῇ καὶ τῇ ἐκ ταύτης ἀσφαλεῖ σωτηρίᾳ· καὶ ὑποτάσσῃ μετὰ ἀνα- παύσεως καὶ ἀκινδύνως ὁδεύεις καὶ ἀπλανῶς τὴν ὁδὸν τῶν ⁽¹⁰⁾ Πατέρων. Βιάζου δὲ σεαυτὸν εἰς πάντα καὶ κόπτε τὸ θέλημά σου, καὶ χάριτι Χριστοῦ διὰ τῆς συνηθείας ἐν ἕξει τοῦ κόπτειν γενόμενος ἀβιάστως τοῦ λοιποῦ καὶ ἀθλίπτως αὐτὸ ποιεῖς, ὡς συμβαίνειν τὸ σὸν πάντοτε γίνεσθαι. Οὐ γὰρ θέλεις τὰ πράγματα γίνεσθαι ὡς θέλεις, ἀλλὰ θέλεις ὡς γίνεται, καὶ οὕτως εἰρηνεύεις μετὰ πάντων, ταῦτα μέντοι ⁽¹⁵⁾ ἐν οἷς οὐκ ἔστι παράβασις ἐντολῆς Θεοῦ ἢ Πατέρων.  Ἀγωνίζου εὑρίσκειν ἐν παντὶ τὸ μέμφεσθαι ἑαυτὸν καὶ κράτει τὸ ἀψήφιστον ἐν γνώσει· καὶ πίστευε ὅτι ὑπὸ πρό- νοιαν Θεοῦ ἐστι καὶ μέχρι τῶν εὐτελεστάτων τὰ καθ’ ἡμᾶς, καὶ φέρεις τὰ ἐπερχόμενά σοι ἀταράχως· πίστευε ὅτι ⁽²⁰⁾ φάρμακά ἐστιν ἰατρικὰ τῆς ὑπερηφανίας τῆς ψυχῆς σου αἱ ἀτιμίαι καὶ αἱ ὕβρεις, καὶ ὑπερεύχου τῶν λοιδορούντων σε ὡς ἰατρῶν ἀληθινῶν, πεπεισμένος ὡς ὁ μισῶν ἀτιμίαν μισεῖ ταπείνωσιν καὶ ὁ φεύγων ἐρεθίζοντας φεύγει πραότητα. Μὴ θέλε εἰδέναι τὴν κακίαν τοῦ πλησίον σου καὶ μὴ προσ- ⁽²⁵⁾ δέχου τὰς κατ’ αὐτοῦ ὑπονοίας· εἰ δὲ καὶ σπαρῶσι διὰ τὴν κακίαν ἡμῶν, σπούδαζε μεταβάλλειν αὐτὰς εἰς καλοεννοησίαν καὶ ἐν παντὶ εὐχαρίστει καὶ κτάσαι τὴν ἀγαθότητα καὶ τὴν ἁγίαν ἀγάπην.

Before everything let all of us keep a guard on our own conscience in all things, both with regard to God and our neighbor and in regard to material things. Before we say or do anything, let us determine if it is in accord with God’s will. And praying with this intention let us speak or act, at the same time casting our powerlessness before God, and in this way his goodness will come upon us in everything we do.

  Πρὸ δὲ πάντων φυλάξωμεν πάντες τὴν συνείδησιν ἡμῶν ⁽³⁰⁾ ἐν πᾶσι, τοῖς τε πρὸς τὸν Θεὸν καὶ τὸν πλησίον καὶ ἐν ταῖς ὕλαις· καὶ πρὶν εἰπεῖν ἢ ποιῆσαί τι, ἐξετάσωμεν εἰ κατὰ θέλημά ἐστι τοῦ Θεοῦ· καὶ οὕτως εὐξάμενοι εἴπωμεν ἢ ποιήσωμεν, καὶ παραρρίψωμεν τὴν ἀδυναμίαν ἡμῶν ἐνώπιον τοῦ Θεοῦ· καὶ ἡ ἀγαθότης αὐτοῦ συνέρχεται ἡμῖν ἐν πᾶσιν. ⁽³⁵⁾

FOOTNOTES

1. Gal 5:22-3.

2. Lk 6:37.

3. Rom 12:21.

4. Ps 30:9.

5. Mt 25:13.

6. Gal 6:1.

7. Mt 11:29.

8. Jer 15:29.^^^

[Letter 3] 19. DIALOGUE WITH THE CELLARER

Γʹ. ΠΡΟΣ ΤΟΝ ΕΧΟΝΤΑ ΤΗΝ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΙΑΝ ΤΟΥ ΚΕΛΛΑΡΙΟΥ

ABBOT. You do not want to fall into anger and to remember injuries, do you? Do not have an all-in attachment to material things and do not lay claim for yourself to anything whatever, or despise even the least thing. But whatever is asked of you, give it gladly. If through negligence or levity anything is broken or lost, don’t get upset about it. You ought to act in this way not from contempt for the monastery and its goods—for you have a debt to take care of them with all your ability and zeal—but because you want to be undisturbed and tranquil in mind, always referring what has happened to God as much as possible. This you should be able to do if you manage things not as if they belonged to yourself, but as things dedicated to God and only entrusted to you. This is the way, as I said, not to be too attached to things and not to be led to despise them. If you do not have this as your aim, you will get angry and never be at peace. Being upset yourself, you will upset others.

(188.)   Εἰ θυμῷ καὶ μνησικακίᾳ περιπίπτειν οὐ θέλεις, προσπάθειαν τὸ καθόλου μὴ ἔχε πρὸς τὴν ὕλην, μηδὲ ἀντιποιοῦ σκεύους οἱουδήποτε, μήτε δὲ πάλιν ὡς ἐλαχίστου ἢ μηδαμινοῦ καταφρόνει· ἀλλὰ κἂν θέλει τις ἀπὸ σοῦ, δίδου, κἂν δὲ ἀπὸ ἀσυστροφίας ἢ καταφρονήσεως κλασθῇ ἢ ἀπώληται, μὴ μεριμνήσῃς. Τοῦτο δὲ ποιεῖν ὀφείλεις, ⁽⁵⁾ οὐχ ὡς καταφρονῶν τῶν σκευῶν τοῦ μοναστηρίου· χρεωσ- τεῖς γὰρ πάσῃ δυνάμει καὶ πάσῃ σπουδῇ φροντίζειν αὐτῶν· ἀλλ’ ὡς θέλων τὸ ἀτάραχον καὶ ἀθόρυβον ἑαυτοῦ φυλάττειν, δεικνύων ἀεὶ τῷ Θεῷ τὸ κατὰ δύναμιν. Τοῦτο δὲ κατορ- θῶσαι δυνήσῃ, ἐὰν μὴ ὡς ἴδια διοικῇς τὰ πράγματα, ἀλλ’ ⁽¹⁰⁾ ὡς τῷ Θεῷ ἀνακείμενα, καὶ μόνην τούτων πιστευθεὶς τὴν φροντίδα. Τὸ μὲν γὰρ μὴ προσπάσχειν, ὡς εἶπον, τὸ δὲ μὴ καταφρονεῖν παρασκευάζει. Εἰ δὲ τοῦτον οὐκ ἔχῃς τὸν σκοπόν, θάρρει, οὐ μὴ παύσῃ ταρασσόμενος καὶ ταράσσων. 4.

[Letter 4 – To the Same]

Δʹ. ΠΡΟΣ ΤΟΝ ΑΥΤΟΝ

CELLARER. My mind delights in what you say and I want to act this way, but how is it that whenever I am attending to these affairs I do not find myself capable of doing so? REPLY. Because you do not have these things clearly in your mind all the time. If you want to have these ideas before you at the moment you need to use them, go over them in your mind all the time and set your heart on them, and I am convinced that, by God’s grace, you will make progress. Combine prayer with your good intentions. Take great care of the sick, in the first place to gain an understanding sympathy with the sick, but also so that, should you fall sick, God will raise up someone to look after you. “For with what measure you mete, it shall be meted out to you again.” 1

(189.)   Ἐρώτησις· Τοῦ λογισμοῦ χαίροντος ἐν τοῖς λόγοις τούτοις καὶ θέλοντος εἶναι οὕτως, πόθεν οὐχ εὑρίσκομαι ἕτοιμος εἰς τὴν ὥραν τοῦ πράγματος;

  Ἀπόκρισις· Ἐπειδὴ οὐ μελετᾷς αὐτὰ πάντοτε. Εἰ δὲ θέλεις ἔχειν αὐτὰ ἐν καιρῷ, πάντοτε αὐτὰ μελέτα καὶ ἐν ⁽⁵⁾ τούτοις ἴσθι, καὶ πιστεύω τῷ Θεῷ ὅτι μέλλεις προκόπτειν. Τὴν προσευχὴν σύγκρινε τῇ μελέτῃ· τοὺς ἀσθενεῖς θεράπευε, πρῶτον μὲν ἵνα κτήσῃ ἐκ τούτου συμπάθειαν, ὡς πολλάκις εἶπον, ἔπειτα δὲ ἵνα καὶ σὺ ὅτε δήποτε ἀσθενήσεις, ἐγείρῃ ὁ Θεὸς τὸν θεραπεύοντά σε. Ἐν ᾧ γὰρ μέτρῳ, φησί, μετρεῖτε, ⁽¹⁰⁾ ἀντιμετρηθήσεται ὑμῖν.

If you make a practice of doing things conscientiously, to the best of your ability and understanding, and you are told you have slipped up in something you did this way, you ought to see, and be fully convinced, that you do not yet know how to do it and ought not to be overcome or troubled, but accept the fact with joy. For by the criticism of your confrères, what is wanting will always be put right, or what is well done will be more firmly established. Be keen to make progress so that even if troubles arise, either bodily or spiritual, you can bear them with patience, without being troubled or cast down. Even if you are told off for doing something you did not do, do not be frightened or enraged, but bow your head before your accuser and say humbly, “Forgive me, and pray for me”, and keep silent about it, as the Fathers used to tell us. But if you are asked about whether the thing is true or not, still bow your head with humility and say honestly how the thing stands. And after speaking again, bow down humbly and say, “Forgive me and say a prayer for me!”

Ἐὰν σπουδάσῃς ποιεῖν πρᾶγμα μετὰ συνειδήσεως πρὸς τὴν δύναμίν σου, εἰδέναι ὀφείλεις καὶ ἑαυτὸν πληροφορεῖν ὅτι τὴν ἀληθινὴν ὁδὸν οὔπω οἶδας, καὶ ὀφείλεις ἀταράχως καὶ ἀθλίπτως καὶ μετὰ χαρᾶς δέχεσθαι,  ὅτε ἀκούσεις ὅτι ἐσφάλης εἰς ἐκεῖνο ὃ ἐνόμισας ποιεῖν μετὰ ⁽¹⁵⁾ συνειδήσεως. Τῇ γὰρ κρίσει τῶν συνετωτέρων σου πάντως ἢ τὸ ἀπολειπόμενον διορθοῦται ἢ τὸ καλῶς γινόμενον ἀσφαλέστερον γίνεται. Σπούδαζε προκόψαι, ἵνα ἐὰν συμβῇ σοι θλίψις ἢ σωματικῶς ἢ πνευματικῶς, ἀθλίπτως καὶ ἀβαρῶς καὶ μεθ’ ὑπομονῆς δυνηθῇς βαστάσαι. Ἐὰν ἀκούσῃς ὅτι ἐποίησας πρᾶγμα ὅπερ οὐκ ἐποίησας, μὴ θροηθῇς ὅλως ⁽²⁰⁾ μηδὲ πυρθῇς, ἀλλ’ εὐθέως βάλε μετάνοιαν τῷ εἰπόντι σοι, μετὰ ταπεινώσεως λέγων αὐτῷ· Συγχώρησόν μοι καὶ εὖξαι ὑπὲρ ἐμοῦ, καὶ σιώπα μέχρι τούτου, καθὼς καὶ οἱ Πατέρες εἶπον. Ἐὰν δὲ ἐρωτηθῇς παρ’ αὐτοῦ εἰ ἀληθές ἐστι τὸ πρᾶγμα ἢ οὔ, τότε βάλε μετάνοιαν μετὰ ταπεινώσεως ⁽²⁵⁾ καὶ εἰπὲ μετὰ ἀληθείας πῶς ἦν τὸ πρᾶγμα. Καὶ μεθ’ ὃ λέγεις, πάλιν βάλε μετάνοιαν μετὰ ταπεινώσεως λέγων ὁμοίως· Συγχώρησόν μοι καὶ εὖξαι ὑπὲρ ἐμοῦ. 5.

[Letter 5 – To the Same]

Εʹ. ΠΡΟΣ ΤΟΝ ΑΥΤΟΝ

CELLARER. What shall I do if I am not in that state of mind when I encounter the brethren?

(190.)   Ἐρώτησις· Τί ποιήσω, ὅτι οὐ τὴν αὐτὴν ἔχω κατάστασιν ἐν τῇ ἀπαντήσει τῶν ἀδελφῶν;

REPLY. Obviously you cannot always be in the same amiable frame of mind when you meet the brethren, but you can take care not to be scandalized at anyone, or to condemn anyone, or abuse anyone, or by word or deed or movement set on anyone of the brethren who refuses to help you. But rather in everything edify him, without desiring to be rewarded by word or deed, or becoming vain about your work. Procure for yourself freedom in your way of life and your speech even in trivial matters. Be convinced that if a man is interiorly fighting and is troubled by some impassioned thought and publishes it abroad, he gives it more strength against himself, giving it power to fight against him and trouble him more. But if he faces it squarely and contests it and stirs up contrary thoughts, as I often tell you, he weakens that passionate thought and it becomes unable to fight against him and trouble him. And fighting in this way, little by little, and with the help of God, he overcomes the passion itself. May God protect us by the prayers of all the saints. Amen.

  Ἀπόκρισις· Τὴν μὲν αὐτὴν κατάστασιν ἐν τῇ ἀπαντήσει τῶν ἀδελφῶν οὔπω δύνασαι ἔχειν· ἀλλὰ τέως σπούδαζε μὴ σκανδαλισθῆναι ἔν τινι, μηδὲ κρίνειν τινά, μηδὲ κατα- ⁽⁵⁾ λαλεῖν τινος, μηδὲ προσέχειν λόγῳ ἢ ἔργῳ ἢ κινήματι ἀδελφοῦ μὴ ὠφελοῦντός σε· ἀλλὰ μᾶλλον σπούδαζε ἐν πᾶσιν οἰκοδομεῖν ἑαυτόν, καὶ μὴ θέλε φανητιᾷν ἐν λόγῳ ἢ ἔργῳ σου καὶ κενοδοξεῖν. Κτήσαι ἐλευθερίαν εἰς τὴν διαίταν σου καὶ εἰς τὸν λόγον σου, ἕως λεπτοῦ πράγματος. Γίνωσκε ⁽¹⁰⁾ ὅτι, ἐὰν πολεμῆταί τις ἢ θλίβηται ὑπό τινος ἐμπαθοῦς λογισ- μοῦ, καὶ ἐνεργήσῃ αὐτόν, ἐνδυναμοῦται τὸ πάθος κατ’  αὐτοῦ· αὐτὸς γὰρ ἰσχυροποιεῖ αὐτὸ καθ’ ἑαυτοῦ, οἱονεὶ δύναμιν παρέχει αὐτῷ εἰς τὸ πλέον πολεμεῖν καὶ θλίβειν αὐτόν. Ἐὰν δὲ πάλιν ἀγωνίσηται καὶ ἐναντιωθῇ τῷ λογισμῷ ⁽¹⁵⁾ ἑαυτοῦ καὶ ἐνεργήσῃ τὰ ἐναντιούμενα αὐτῷ, καθὼς πολλάκις εἶπον, ἐξασθενεῖ τὸ πάθος καὶ ἀνίσχυρον γίνεται εἰς τὸ πολεμεῖν καὶ θλίβειν αὐτόν· καὶ οὕτως κατὰ μικρὸν μικρὸν ἀγωνιζόμενος καὶ βοηθούμενος ὑπὸ τοῦ Θεοῦ, περιγίνεται καὶ αὐτοῦ τοῦ πάθους.

[Letter 5 – To the Same]

Ϛʹ. ΠΡΟΣ ΤΟΝ ΑΥΤΟΝ

CELLARER. [Evidently not concerned exclusively with his office] Why does Abbot Poemen say that three things are fundamental: To fear the Lord, to pray to the Lord; and to do good to your neighbor?

(191.)   Ἐρώτησις· Διὰ τί εἶπεν ὁ ἀββᾶς Ποιμὴν ὅτι τρία ταῦτα κεφαλαῖά ἐστι, τὸ φοβεῖσθαι τὸν Κύριον καὶ εὔχεσθαι τῷ Κυρίῳ καὶ ποιῆσαι ἀγαθὸν τῷ πλησίον;

ABBOT. The Old Man says, “Fear the Lord,” because the fear of God in itself leads on to every virtue. ‘the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom.” 2 Also, without the fear of God no one would acquire any virtue or do any good whatever, for it is “by the fear of God that everyone turns away from evil”.3 He says then, “Pray to God”, because a man cannot gain victory or do any good, even if he fears God and keenly desires to do so, unless he has God’s help. It is absolutely necessary that his own zeal and God’s help be continually working together. A man needs therefore to pray about everything, and to beg God’s help and cooperation in everything he does.

  Ἀπόκρισις· Τὸ φοβεῖσθαι τὸν Κύριον εἶπεν ὁ γέρων, ἐπειδὴ ὁ φόβος τοῦ Θεοῦ προηγεῖται πάσης ἀρετῆς· ἀρχὴ ⁽⁵⁾ γὰρ σοφίας φόβος Κυρίου· καὶ ὅτι οὐδεὶς ἄνευ φόβου Θεοῦ κατορθοῖ ἀρετὴν οὐδέ τί ποτε ἀγαθόν· τῷ γὰρ φόβῳ Κυρίου ἐκκλίνει πᾶς ἀπὸ κακοῦ.

  Τὸ δὲ εὔχεσθαι τῷ Κυρίῳ εἶπεν, ἐπειδὴ οὔτε ἀρετὴν δύναται κτήσασθαι ἄνθρωπος οὔτε ἄλλο τι ἀγαθόν, ὡς ⁽¹⁰⁾ εἶπον, ποιῆσαι, κἂν διὰ τὸν φόβον τοῦ Θεοῦ θέλει καὶ σπουδάζει, ἄνευ τῆς βοηθείας τοῦ Θεοῦ· χρεία γὰρ πάντως καὶ τῆς ἡμετέρας σπουδῆς καὶ τῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ συνεργείας. Χρῄζει οὖν ὁ ἄνθρωπος ἐν παντὶ προσεύχεσθαι καὶ παρα- καλεῖν τὸν Θεὸν βοηθῆσαι αὐτῷ καὶ συνεργῆσαι ἐν παντὶ ⁽¹⁵⁾ πράγματι.

Finally ‘to do good to one’s neighbor”. This is love. A man who fears the Lord and prays to God only helps himself. But only through loving our neighbor is all virtue made perfect. This is why the Old Man adds ‘to do good to our neighbor”. For even if a man fears God and even if he continually prays to God he still has the debt of being useful to his neighbor and being good to him; for this is an essential part of love, which is, as the Apostle says, the perfection of the virtues.4

  Τὸ δὲ ποιῆσαι ἀγαθὸν τῷ πλησίον, τῆς ἀγάπης ἐστίν. Ἐπειδὴ οὖν ὁ φοβούμενος τὸν Κύριον καὶ εὐχόμενος τῷ Θεῷ δῆθεν μόνον ἑαυτὸν ὠφελεῖ, πᾶσα δὲ ἀρετὴ διὰ τῆς εἰς  τὸν πλησίον ἀγάπης τελειοῦται, διὰ τοῦτο εἶπεν ὁ γέρων ⁽²⁰⁾ τὸ ποιῆσαι ἀγαθὸν τῷ πλησίον. Κἂν γὰρ φοβεῖταί τις τὸν Θεόν, κἂν προσεύχεται τῷ Θεῷ, ὀφείλει καὶ τῷ πλησίον χρησιμεῦσαι καὶ ἀγαθοποιῆσαι αὐτῷ. Τοῦτο γάρ, ὡς εἶπον, τῆς ἀγάπης ἐστίν, ἥτις ἐστὶν ἡ τελείωσις τῶν ἀρετῶν, καθὼς καὶ ὁ ἅγιος Ἀπόστολος λέγει.

FOOTNOTES

Mt 7:2.            Prov 16:6.

Ps 111:10.       Cf: Rom 13:10, 1 Cor 13:13.

Reply about Holding Meetings          245

[Letter 1] 20. REPLY TO CERTAIN HERMITS WHO ASKED HIM ABOUT HOLDING MEETINGS

Αʹ. ΠΡΟΣ ΤΙΝΑΣ ΚΕΛΛΙΩΤΑΣ ΕΡΩΤΗΣΑΝΤΑΣ ΑΥΤΟΝ ΠΕΡΙ ΤΟΥ ΠΑΡΑΒΑΛΛΕΙΝ

THE FATHERS tell us that to sit alone in the cell is one half and to consort with the elders is the other half.

(180.)   Λέγουσιν οἱ Πατέρες ὅτι τὸ καθίσαι εἰς τὸ κελλίον ἥμισύ ἐστι καὶ τὸ παραβάλλειν γέρουσιν ἥμισύ ἐστι.

The significance of this saying is this: both in the cell and outside it there is an equal need for discretion and for a man to know why he ought to be quiet in his cell and why he ought to consort with the seniors and his brethren. For if a man is discreet about his way of life, he is earnest about what he is doing, as the Fathers say. And whenever he sits at home in his cell, he prays, he studies, he does some manual work, he pits himself against the power of his thoughts. Again, when from time to time he goes to a meeting, he comes to understand and look into his [spiritual] condition and to see whether he receives help from the encounter with others, and if he is able to return in safety to his cell. And if he has been harmed he learns his own weakness and learns that he has by no means gained the full benefit from his time of retirement, and he turns back humbled to his cell, lamenting and repenting and asking God to protect him against his own weakness and stupidity. So at last he sits in silence, attentive to his spiritual life.

Τοῦτο σημαίνει ὁ λόγος ὅτι καὶ ἐν τῷ κελλίῳ καὶ ἔξωθεν τοῦ κελλίου ὁμοίως νήψεως χρεία, καὶ τοῦ εἰδέναι τινὰ καὶ διὰ τί ὀφείλει ἡσυχάζειν καθ’ ἑαυτὸν καὶ διὰ τί ὀφείλει παρα- ⁽⁵⁾ βάλλειν Πατράσι ἢ ἀδελφοῖς. Ἐὰν γὰρ νήφῃ τις περὶ τὸν σκοπὸν τοῦτον, σπουδάζει ποιεῖν ὡς εἶπον οἱ Πατέρες· καὶ ὅτε μὲν κάθηται ἐν τῷ κελλίῳ, εὔχεται, μελετᾷ, ποιεῖ μικρὸν ἐργόχειρον, φροντίζει κατὰ δύναμιν τῶν λογισμῶν· ὅτε δὲ πάλιν παραβάλλει πούποτε, κατανοεῖ καὶ βλέπει τὴν ⁽¹⁰⁾ κατάστασιν ἑαυτοῦ, εἰ ὠφελεῖται ἐκ τῆς ἀπαντήσεως τῶν ἀδελφῶν ἢ οὔ, καὶ εἰ δύναται ἀβλαβῶς ἀνακάμψαι εἰς τὸ κελλίον αὐτοῦ. Καὶ ἐὰν ἴδῃ ἑαυτὸν εἴς τί ποτε βλαβέντα, μανθάνει τὴν ἀσθένειαν ἑαυτοῦ, μανθάνει ὅτι ἀκμὴν οὐδὲν ἐκτήσατο ἀπὸ τῆς ἡσυχίας, καὶ ἀποστρέφεται τεταπεινωμένος ⁽¹⁵⁾ εἰς τὸ ἴδιον κελλίον, κλαίων, μετανοῶν, παρακαλῶν τὸν  Θεὸν ὑπὲρ τῆς ἀσθενείας αὐτοῦ, καὶ οὕτως λοιπὸν καθέζεται προσέχων ἑαυτῷ.

When he comes again into the company of men, he sees for himself if he remains worsted in the same way as before or in other ways, and so he goes back to his cell and does the same things, lamenting and doing penance, praying God to improve his spiritual state. The solitude of his cell should lift him up and the company of men test him. And so the Fathers speak truly when they say that to sit in the solitude of the cell is one half, and to sit with the elders is the other half.

Εἶτα πάλιν ἔρχεται πρὸς τοὺς ἀνθρώπους καὶ βλέπει ἑαυτὸν εἰ ἔμεινεν ἡττωμένος εἰς τὰ πρῶτα ἢ εἰς ἄλλα, καὶ οὕτως ὑποστρέφει πάλιν εἰς τὸ κελλίον ἑαυτοῦ ⁽²⁰⁾ ὁμοίως τὰ αὐτὰ ποιῶν, μετανοῶν, κλαίων, δεόμενος τοῦ Θεοῦ περὶ τῆς καταστάσεως αὐτοῦ.Τὸ κελλίον γὰρ ὑψοῖ, οἱ δὲ ἄνθρωποι δοκιμάζουσιν. Ὥστε καλῶς εἶπον οἱ Πατέρες ὅτι τὸ καθίσαι εἰς τὸ κελλίον ἥμισύ ἐστι καὶ τὸ παραβάλλειν γέρουσιν ἥμισύ ἐστι. ⁽²⁵⁾

You, therefore, when you set out to meet one another, ought to know why you leave your cells and not continually be going out at any time. The man who makes a journey without purpose, as the Fathers say, labors in vain. A man setting out to do something ought always to have a clear object in view and to know why he does it. What aim then ought we to have when we come to meet one another? First of all, love, for it is said, “When you see your brother you see the Lord, your God.” Secondly, to listen to the word of God, for in the assembly the word of God is always more moving. For often one man does not understand [until] another one asks questions. And in addition to this, to learn to understand one’s own spiritual state (as we said before). Let us, for example, suppose a man comes along to eat with those who have just celebrated the Eucharist, with the purpose of understanding himself and looking into his own conduct. If he is offered pleasant food and it pleases him, can he master himself and not partake of it? Is he careful not to over-reach his brother and take more than his share? And what if the food is already divided into portions? Is he eager to get a large portion for himself and leave a smaller portion to his brother?

(181.)   Καὶ ὑμεῖς οὖν ὅτε παραβάλλετε ἀλλήλοις, ὀφείλετε εἰδέναι διὰ τί ἐξέρχεσθε τοῦ κελλίου, καὶ μὴ ἀφαρεὶ ἐξέρχεσθε πούποτε. Ὁ γὰρ ἀσκόπως ὁδοιπορῶν, καθὼς εἶπον οἱ Πατέρες, ματαιοπονεῖ. Ἕκαστος οὖν ποιῶν πρᾶγμα ὀφείλει ἔχειν σκοπὸν πάντως καὶ εἰδέναι διὰ τί ποιεῖ αὐτό. Τίς ⁽⁵⁾ οὖν ἐστιν ὁ σκοπὸς ὃν ὀφείλομεν ἡμεῖς ἔχειν, ὅταν ἀπερχώμεθα πρὸς ἀλλήλους; Πρῶτον διὰ τὴν ἀγάπην· λέγει γάρ· Εἶδες τὸν ἀδελφόν σου, εἶδες Κύριον τὸν Θεόν σου. Δεύτερον διὰ τὸ ἀκοῦσαι λόγον Θεοῦ· πάντως γὰρ ἐν τῷ πλήθει πλεῖον κινεῖται ὁ λόγος· ὃ γὰρ οὗτος πολλάκις οὐκ οἶδεν, ⁽¹⁰⁾ ἄλλος ἐρωτᾷ. Ἔπειτα καὶ διὰ τὸ μαθεῖν, ὡς προεῖπον, τὴν ἰδίαν κατάστασιν. Οἷόν τι λέγω· Ἀπερχόμενός τις, ὑπόθου, εἰς τὸ φαγεῖν μετὰ τῶν συνευρισκομένων, κατανοεῖ ἑαυτὸν καὶ βλέπει, ἐὰν παρατεθῇ βρῶμα καλὸν καὶ ἀρέσῃ αὐτῷ, εἰ δύναται ἐγκρατεύσασθαι καὶ μὴ λαβεῖν ἀπ’ αὐτοῦ, εἰ ⁽¹⁵⁾ σπουδάζει μὴ πλεονεκτῆσαι τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ καὶ λαβεῖν πουδάζει μὴ πλεονεκτῆσαι τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ καὶ λαβεῖν ⁽¹⁵⁾ περισσότερον αὐτοῦ, ἤ τί ποτε ἐὰν κατὰ μερίδας παρατεθῇ, εἰ σπουδάζει μὴ λαβεῖν τὸ μειζότερον μέρος καὶ ἀφεῖναι αὐτῷ τὸ μικρότερον. Ἔστι γὰρ ὅτε οὐδὲ τὴν χεῖρα αἰσχύνεταί τις ἐκτεῖναι καὶ ὠθῆσαι τὸ μικρὸν ἔμπροσθεν τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ αὐτοῦ καὶ λαβεῖν τὸ μέγα ἔμπροσθεν αὐτοῦ.

There are times when a man is not ashamed to stretch out his hand and place the smaller portion before his brother and put the larger one before himself. What is the good of knowing the difference between the larger and smaller portion? The difference between this is after all very little. Why should such a trivial thing cause you to overreach your brother and do what is, wrong? Again, let him consider whether he can abstain from taking enormous meals. Similarly, if there are many dishes, must he partake of all of them and so overeat? Is he on his guard about speaking too freely? Does he take a dim view of the brother who is honored more than himself, or does he take it amiss that someone is more at peace than himself? If he sees a brother conversing freely with another and doing a lot of talking, does he sometimes refrain from joining him? Does he dismiss him from his mind without judging him, but rather seek the company of someone more disciplined, as was said about Abbot Anthony, namely, that when he was visiting the brethren, whatever good he saw in each he set about to acquire for himself. From one he picked up self-control, from another humility, from another hard work, from another serenity. And so he was found to have in himself the good that he found in each of the others.

Ἄρα τί ἔχει  ⁽²⁰⁾ εἶναι ἡ διαφορὰ τοῦ μειζοτέρου μέρους πρὸς τὸ μικρότερον; Πόσον ἐστὶ τὸ μεταξὺ τῶν δύο μερίδων, ὅτι διὰ τοιαῦτα εὐτελῆ πράγματα εὑρίσκεταί τις πλεονεκτῶν τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ καὶ ἁμαρτάνων; Πάλιν προσέχει ἐὰν δύναται κρα- τῆσαι ἑαυτὸν ἀπὸ πολλῶν βρωμάτων, καὶ μή, ὡς εἰκός, ⁽²⁵⁾ εὑρίσκων διάφορα βρώματα, ἐκδίδωσιν ἑαυτὸν εἰς χορ- τασίαν· εἰ φυλάττει ἑαυτὸν ἀπὸ παρρησίας, εἰ βλέπει τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ προτιμώμενον ἢ ἀναπαυόμενον πλέον αὐτοῦ καὶ οὐ πάσχει, εἰ βλέπει ἄλλον παρρησιαζόμενον μετὰ ἄλλου ἢ λαλοῦντα πολλὰ ἢ εἴ τι δήποτε ἀσυστροφοῦντα, καὶ ⁽³⁰⁾ οὐ προσέχει αὐτῷ οὐδὲ κατακρίνει αὐτόν, ἀλλὰ μᾶλλον τῷ εὐλαβεστέρῳ προσέχει καὶ σπουδάζει ποιῆσαι ὡς λέγει περὶ τοῦ ἀββᾶ Ἀντωνίου ὅτι ἀπερχόμενος πρός τινας, εἴτι ἔβλεπε καλὸν ἔχοντα ἕκαστον αὐτῶν, ἐκεῖνο ἐλάμβανε καὶ ἐκράτει, τοῦ μὲν τὸ πρᾷον, τοῦ δὲ τὸ ταπεινόν, τοῦ δὲ τὸ ⁽³⁵⁾ ἥσυχον, καὶ εὑρίσκετο αὐτὸς ἔχων τὰ ἑκάστου ἐν ἑαυτῷ. Ἰδοὺ οὕτως ὀφείλομεν καὶ ἡμεῖς ποιεῖν καὶ διὰ ταῦτα παραβάλλειν, καὶ ὅτε ὑποστρέφομεν εἰς τὰ κελλία ἡμῶν, ἐρευνᾷν ἑαυτοὺς καὶ μανθάνειν εἰς τί ὠφελήθημεν ἢ εἰς τί ἐβλάβημεν· καὶ ἐφ’ οἷς μὲν εὑρίσκομεν ὅτι ἐσκεπάσθημεν, ⁽⁴⁰⁾ εὐχαριστήσωμεν τῷ Θεῷ τῷ σκεπάσαντι ἡμᾶς ἀβλαβῶς παρελθεῖν· ἐφ’ οἷς δὲ ἐσφάλημεν, μετανοήσωμεν, κλαύσωμεν, πενθήσωμεν τὴν ἰδίαν κατάστασιν.

This then is what we ought to do and why we ought to come together, and when we return to our cell let us examine ourselves and learn where we have been helped and what good we have received. As soon as we find we have been protected, let us give thanks to God who has preserved us unharmed, but if we have done wrong, let us do penance and grieve over our own weakness. For if a man comes to harm, he owes it to his own feeble condition, since nobody did him any harm. But if we do any harm [to anyone else] through our own feeble state, we also do harm to ourselves. We can, if we intend it, gain some benefit or suffer some loss, as I am always telling you. And that you may understand how true this is, I give you an example: A certain man happened one night to be in a certain place. I won’t call him a monk, but someone from the town. Three men passed by him. One thought he was waiting for a street walker; another thought he was a thief; and the third thought he had been invited by a friend to meet him at a neighboring house and they were going off somewhere to say some prayers. You see, all three men saw the same man in the same place and, similarly, each one thought his own thoughts about him. One thought one thing, another another, and the third something else, each one according to his own state [of mind]. There are bodies which are melancholic and produce unhealthy body fluids; every food they take in they turn into unhealthy vital juices, even if the food itself is good and wholesome. The cause of this ill-health does not come from the food but from the body which is, as they say, distempered. Of necessity it works on the digestion and changes the food [for the worse].

(182.)   Ἕκαστος γὰρ ἐκ τῆς ἰδίας καταστάσεως ὠφελεῖται ἢ βλάπτεται· ἐπεὶ οὐδεὶς βλάπτει τινά. Ἀλλ’ ἐὰν βλαβῶμεν, ̓ βλάπτεται· ἐπεὶ οὐδεὶς βλάπτει τινά. Ἀλλ’ ἐὰν βλαβῶμεν, ἐκ τῆς καταστάσεως ἡμῶν, ὡς εἶπον, βλαπτόμεθα. Δυνάμεθα γάρ, ὡς ἀεὶ λέγω ὑμῖν, ἀπὸ ἑκάστου πράγματος, ἐὰν θέλωμεν, καὶ ὠφεληθῆναι καὶ βλαβῆναι. Καὶ λέγω ὑμῖν ὑπόδειγμα, ἵνα μάθητε ὅτι οὕτως ἐστί. Συμβαίνει τινὰ ἐν νυκτὶ ἵστασθαι ⁽⁵⁾ εἰς τόπον τινά, οὐ λέγω μοναχὸν ἀλλ’ εἴ τινα δήποτε ἐν τῇ  πόλει, καὶ παρέρχονται δι’ αὐτοῦ τρεῖς ἄνθρωποι· καὶ ὁ μὲν εἷς λογίζεται περὶ αὐτοῦ ὅτι τινὰ ἐκδέχεται, ἵνα ἀπέλθῃ καὶ πορνεύσῃ· ὁ δὲ ἄλλος λογίζεται ὅτι κλέπτης ἐστίν· ὁ δὲ ἄλλος λογίζεται ὅτι φίλον αὐτοῦ ἐκάλεσεν ἐκ τοῦ πλησίον ⁽¹⁰⁾ οἴκου καὶ ἐκδέχεται αὐτόν, ἵνα κατέλθῃ καὶ ἀπέλθωσιν ἅμα πώποτε εἰς προσευχήν. Ἰδοὺ καὶ οἱ τρεῖς τὸν αὐτὸν ἄνθρωπον εἶδον καὶ ἐν τῷ αὐτῷ τόπῳ, καὶ ὅμως οὐκ ἐλογί- σαντο οἱ τρεῖς περὶ αὐτοῦ τὸν αὐτὸν λογισμόν, ἀλλ’ ὁ μὲν τοῦτο ἐνεθυμήθη, ὁ δὲ ἐκεῖνο, ὁ δὲ ἄλλο, ἕκαστος δῆλον ⁽¹⁵⁾ ὅτι πρὸς τὴν ἰδίαν κατάστασιν. Ὥσπερ γάρ εἰσι σώματα μελαγχολικά, κακόχυμα, καὶ ἕκαστον βρῶμα ὃ λαμβάνωσιν εἰς κακοχυμίαν αὐτὸ τρέπουσι, κἂν ὠφέλιμον εἴη τὸ βρῶμα· καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν ἀπὸ τοῦ βρώματος ἡ αἰτία· ἀλλ’ αὐτὸ τὸ σῶμα, ὡς εἶπον, δύσκρατόν ἐστι καὶ λοιπὸν ἀνάγκῃ πρὸς ⁽²⁰⁾ τὴν κρᾶσιν αὐτοῦ ἐργάζεται καὶ ἀλλοιοῖ τὰ βρώματα·

So it goes also with the soul [which is] a prey to bad habits. It is harmed by every occurrence; even if a thing is in itself useful, that soul is still harmed by it. Suppose I have a pot of honey and someone adds a little absinth, does that little bit not spoil the flavor of the lot and make it bitter all through? This is what we do when we throw out a little of our own bitterness and sully the good [name] of our neighbor by looking at him through the window of our own bad dispositions.

οὕτως καὶ ἡ ψυχὴ ἡ ἔχουσα κακὴν ἕξιν ἀπὸ ἑκάστου πράγμα- τος βλάπτεται· κἂν ὠφέλιμόν ἐστι τὸ πρᾶγμα αὐτῇ, βλάπτεται. Ὑπόθου μοι ἀγγεῖον μέλιτος εἶναι, καὶ βάλλει τις εἰς αὐτὸ μικρὸν ἀψινθίον· οὐκ ἀφανίζει τὸ μικρὸν ⁽²⁵⁾ ἐκεῖνο ὅλον τὸ ἀγγεῖον καὶ ποιεῖ ὅλον τὸ μέλι πικρόν; Οὕτως καὶ ἡμεῖς ποιοῦμεν· ἐκβάλλομεν μικρὸν ἐκ τῆς πικρίας ἡμῶν καὶ ἀφανίζομεν τὸ καλὸν τοῦ πλησίον, βλέ- ποντες αὐτὸ πρὸς τὴν κατάστασιν ἡμῶν καὶ ἀλλοιοῦντες αὐτὸ πρὸς τὴν κακοεξίαν τὴν ἐν ἡμῖν. ⁽³⁰⁾

Those who have habitually good dispositions are like a man whose bodily temperament is so healthy that even if he should eat something harmful it turns into health-giving body fluids and the unsuitable food does not harm him. Since, as we were saying, his body is in a healthy state, by the digestive processes it extracts what is nourishing in the same way as we mentioned about the first [kind of body] which through its distempered condition changes good food into harmful body fluids. I give you an example that you may do the same: The body of a sow has an exceedingly well-tempered constitution; its food is acorns, date-stones and mud. So well-tempered is its bodily constitution that it turns food like that into healthy nourishment. So also if we have habitually good dispositions and are in a healthy [spiritual] state, we can extract spiritual benefit from any occurrence, even if the occurrence itself is not particularly helpful. As the Book of Proverbs truly says, “He who scrutinizes attentively shall obtain mercy”, I and elsewhere, “Everything goes against a senseless man”.2

  Οἱ δὲ ἔχοντες καλὴν ἕξιν εὑρίσκονται ὥσπερ τις ἔχων σῶμα εὔχυμον, ὅτι κἂν βλαβερόν τί ποτε φάγῃ, τρέπει αὐτὸ εἰς εὐχυμίαν πρὸς τὴν κρᾶσιν αὐτοῦ καὶ οὐκ ἀδικεῖ αὐτὸν οὐδὲ τὸ κακὸν βρῶμα ἐκεῖνο, ἐπειδή, καθὼς εἶπον, τὸ σῶμα αὐτοῦ εὔχυμόν ἐστι καὶ πρὸς τὴν κρᾶσιν αὐτοῦ ἐργάζεται ⁽³⁵⁾ τὴν τροφήν· καὶ καθὼς εἴπομεν περὶ τοῦ πρώτου ὅτι πρὸς τὴν δυσκρασίαν αὐτοῦ καὶ τὸ καλὸν βρῶμα μεταβάλλει  εἰς κακοχυμίαν, ὁμοίως καὶ οὗτος πρὸς τὸ εὔκρατον αὐτοῦ σῶμα καὶ τὸ κακὸν βρῶμα μεταβάλλει εἰς εὐχυμίαν. Καὶ λέγω ὑμῖν ὑπόδειγμα ἵνα νοήσητε. Ὁ χοῖρος ἔχει σῶμα ⁽⁴⁰⁾ εὔχυμον πάνυ. Ἔστι δὲ ἡ τροφὴ αὐτοῦ κεράτια καὶ ὀστέα φοινίκων καὶ βόρβορος· καὶ ὅμως ἐπειδὴ εὔχυμον σῶμα ἔχει, τὴν τοιαύτην τροφὴν εἰς εὐχυμίαν μεταβάλλει· οὕτως καὶ ἡμεῖς, ἐὰν ἔχωμεν καλὴν ἕξιν καὶ καλὴν κατάστασιν, δυνάμεθα, ὡς προεῖπον, ἀπὸ ἑκάστου πράγματος ὠφεληθῆναι, ⁽⁴⁵⁾ κἂν μὴ ᾖ ὠφέλιμον τὸ πρᾶγμα. Καὶ καλῶς λέγει ἡ Παροιμία· Ὁ βλέπων λεῖα ἐλεηθήσεται. Καὶ ἀλλαχοῦ λέγει· Πάντα ἐναντία ἀνδρὶ ἄφρονι.

I heard about a certain brother who, if he saw that his cell was uncared for and disorderly when he went to consult any of the brethren, used to say to himself, “Happy indeed is this brother! How free from care about many things, or rather, about all earthly things, and he so fixes his whole mind on high so that he has no leisure to put his cell in order.” And again, if he came on another and saw his cell in good order, clean, beautiful, he used to say to himself, ‘the soul of this brother must be as clean and well-kept as his cell, for the good state of his soul must be represented by the good state of his cell.” He never said about anyone, ‘this man is uncouth or that one is vainglorious”, but on account of his own habitual good disposition he took edification from each of them.

(183.)   Ἤκουσα περί τινος ἀδελφοῦ ὅτι, ὅτε παρέβαλε ἑνὶ τῶν ἀδελφῶν, εἰ ἔβλεπε τὸ κελλίον αὐτοῦ ἀσύστροφον, ἀφιλοκάλητον, ἔλεγεν ἐν ἑαυτῷ· Μακάριός ἐστιν οὗτος ὁ ἀδελφός· πῶς ἠμερίμνησεν ἀπὸ ὅλων τῶν γηΐνων, καὶ οὕτως ὅλον τὸν νοῦν αὐτοῦ ἔλαβεν ἄνω, ὅτι οὐδὲ τὸ κελλίον ⁽⁵⁾ αὐτοῦ σχολάζει καταστῆσαι. Πάλιν, εἰ ἀπήρχετο πρὸς ἄλλον καὶ ἔβλεπε τὸ κελλίον αὐτοῦ κατεσταμένον, καθαρόν, πεφιλοκαλημένον, ἔλεγε πάλιν ἐν ἑαυτῷ· Ὥσπερ ἐστὶν ἡ ψυχὴ τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ τούτου καθαρά, οὕτως ἐστὶ καὶ τὸ κελλίον αὐτοῦ καθαρόν· καὶ πρὸς τὴν κατάστασιν τῆς ψυχῆς αὐτοῦ ⁽¹⁰⁾ ἐστι καὶ ἡ κατάστασις τοῦ κελλίου αὐτοῦ. Καὶ οὐδέποτε ἔλεγε περί τινος ὅτι οὗτος ἀσύστροφός ἐστιν ἢ οὗτος πέρ- περος· ἀλλ’ ἐκ τῆς καλῆς καταστάσεως αὐτοῦ ὠφελεῖτο ἀπὸ ἑκάστου.

May God, who is so good, give us these good dispositions, that we also may gain some benefits from every single person, and never think badly of our neighbor. And even if our own condition makes us think, or suddenly suspect, something evil of our neighbor, let us quickly change our thoughts into something kind and beautiful. For not to see evil in our brother generates, with God’s help, that goodness which is well-pleasing to God, to whom be glory and honor for ever and ever. Amen.

  Ὁ Θεὸς ὁ ἀγαθὸς δώσῃ καὶ ἡμῖν καλὴν κατάστασιν, ἵνα ⁽¹⁵⁾ δυνάμεθα καὶ ἡμεῖς ἀπὸ ἑκάστου ὠφεληθῆναι καὶ μηδέποτε νοῆσαι τὴν κακίαν τοῦ πλησίον. Εἰ δὲ καὶ νοήσωμεν ἢ ὑπονοήσωμεν ἐκ τῆς κακίας ἡμῶν, ἵνα εὐθέως μετασ- τρέψωμεν τὸν λογισμὸν ἡμῶν εἰς καλοεννοησίαν. Τὸ γὰρ μὴ εἰδέναι τὴν κακίαν τοῦ πλησίου τίκτει σὺν Θεῷ τὴν ⁽²⁰⁾ ἀγαθότητα.  

FOOTNOTES

1. Prov 28:13.

2. Prov 14:4 (LXX)^^^

[Letter 7] XXI ON INSENSIBILITY OF SOUL AND THE FLIGHT OF LOVE

Ζʹ. ΠΡΟΣ ΑΔΕΛΦΟΝ ΕΠΕΡΩΤΗΣΑΝΤΑ ΑΥΤΟΝ ΠΕΡΙ ΑΝΑΙΣΘΗΣΙΑΣ ΨΥΧΗΣ ΚΑΙ ΠΕΡΙ ΨΥΞΕΩΣ ΑΓΑΠΗΣ

AS FOR INSENSIBILITY of soul, brother, you need continual reading of the divine writings combined with the heart-rending words of the god-fearing Fathers, also the memory of the fearful judgments of God, the separation of soul and body, and the fearful power to be let loose on those who have practised wickedness in this short and fretful life. Think that you are already about to stand before the fearsome and impartial judgment seat of Christ to be examined not only about your deeds, but about your words and thoughts also, before God and all his angels and the whole of creation. Remember continuously that judgment which the fearsome and just judge will pronounce on all who stand on his left: “Depart from me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire, which was prepared for the devil and his angels.” 1 It is a good thing also to call to mind the great troubles and disasters that befall men, for only with trouble and toil will a hardened and insensitive soul be brought back from this evil state to its own proper state of perceptiveness.

(192.)   Περὶ τῆς ἀναισθησίας τῆς ψυχῆς, ἄδελφε, συνεχὴς ἀνάγνωσις τῶν θείων Γραφῶν συμβάλλεται μετὰ κατανυκ- τικῶν λογίων τῶν θεοφόρων Πατέρων, καὶ ἡ μνήμη τῶν φοβερῶν κριμάτων τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ τῆς ἐξόδου τῆς ψυχῆς ἀπὸ τοῦ σώματος καὶ τῶν μελλουσῶν ἀπαντᾷν αὐτῇ φοβερῶν ⁽⁵⁾ δυνάμεων, μεθ’ ὧν ἔπραξε τὴν πονηρίαν ἐν τῇ ὀλιγοχρονίῳ καὶ ἐλεεινῇ ζωῇ ταύτῃ, ἔτι δὲ καὶ τοῦ μέλλειν παραστῆναι τῷ φρικτῷ καὶ ἀδεκάστῳ βήματι τοῦ Χριστοῦ, καὶ μὴ μόνον περὶ πράξεων, ἀλλὰ καὶ λόγων καὶ ἐννοιῶν ἀπαιτεῖσθαι λόγον ἐνώπιον τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ πάντων τῶν ἀγγέλων αὐτοῦ ⁽¹⁰⁾ καὶ πάσης ἁπλῶς τῆς κτίσεως. Μνημόνευε δὲ συνεχῶς καὶ τῆς ἀποφάσεως ἐκείνης ἣν ἐρεῖ ὁ φοβερὸς καὶ δίκαιος Κριτὴς τοῖς ἐξ εὐωνύμων· Ἀπέλθατε ἀπ’ ἐμοῦ, οἱ κατηραμένοι, εἰς τὸ πῦρ τὸ αἰώνιον τὸ ἡτοιμασμένον τῷ διαβόλῳ καὶ τοῖς ἀγγέλοις αὐτοῦ. Καλὸν δὲ καὶ τῶν μεγάλων θλίψεων τῶν ⁽¹⁵⁾ ἀνθρωπίνων μνημονεύειν· μόλις γὰρ ἵνα οὕτως ἡ σκληρὰ καὶ ἀναίσθητος μαλαχθῇ ψυχὴ καὶ εἰς αἴσθησιν ἔλθῃ τῆς ἰδίας κακῆς καταστάσεως.

The weakening of love towards your brothers comes from dwelling on suspicious thoughts and trusting in your own heart, and not wanting to suffer what divine providence arranges for you. Do you want to be helped by God about this? Do not be predisposed to believe your own suspicions.

  Τὸ δὲ ἀσθενεῖν περὶ τὴν ἀγάπην τῶν ἀδελφῶν, ἐκ τοῦ  δέχεσθαί σε τοὺς ἐξ ὑποψίας λογισμοὺς καὶ πιστεύειν τῇ ⁽²⁰⁾ ἰδίᾳ καρδίᾳ γίνεταί σοι καὶ ἐκ τοῦ μηδὲν θέλειν πάσχειν παρὰ προαίρεσιν.

Strive with all your might to be humbled for the sake of your brethren. For their sake, cut off your own will. If anyone insults you or otherwise troubles you, pray for him, as the Father says, as for one who does you a great benefit in curing you of your love for pleasure. From this your violent passions will be lessened. The Fathers say that genuine love is the curb of the passions, and, before all, it entreats God to give you sobriety and a clear understanding to know what is his will, what is good and well-pleasing to him and perfect, and the power of being constant in the performance of every good work. 2

Θέλεις οὖν βοηθούμενος ὑπὸ τοῦ Θεοῦ προηγουμένως μὴ πιστεύειν ὅλως ταῖς ἰδίαις ὑπονοίαις καὶ πάσῃ δυνάμει σπουδάζειν ταπεινοῦσθαι τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς καὶ κόπτειν αὐτοῖς τὸ ἴδιον θέλημα. Ἐὰν ὑβρίσῃ σέ τις αὐτῶν ⁽²⁵⁾ ἢ ἄλλως θλίψῃ, ὑπερεύχου αὐτοῦ, ὡς εἶπον οἱ Πατέρες, ὡς μεγάλα σε εὐεργετοῦντος, ὡς ἰατροῦ τῆς φιληδονίας σου. Ἐκ τούτων καὶ ὁ θυμός σου μειοῦται, εἴγε κατὰ τοὺς ἁγίους Πατέρας θυμοῦ χαλινὸς ἡ ἀγάπη· πρὸ δὲ πάντων παρακάλει τὸν Θεὸν δοῦναί σοι νῆψιν καὶ σύνεσιν τοῦ εἰδέναι τί τὸ θέλημα αὐτοῦ τὸ ἀγαθὸν καὶ εὐάρεστον καὶ τέλειον, ἔτι δὲ ⁽³⁰⁾ καὶ δύναμιν εἰς τὸ καταρτισθῆναι πρὸς πᾶν ἔργον ἀγαθόν.

1. Mt 25:41.

2. Rm 12:2.