EVAGRIUS PONTICUS
ON PRAYER  Περι προσευχῆς

Selections

  St. Antony,
  Athos, 18
th c. icon,.


 

Translation by Luke Dysinger, O.S.B.  (translation in public domain) Greek text based on: PG 79.1165-1200; Philokalia; and Tugwell.[1]

 

 

 

 

153 CHAPTERS on PRAYER

Περι προσευχῆς.
[ΛΟΓΟΣ ΠΝΓ´ ΚΕΦΑΛΙΑ ΔΙΕΙΛΗΜΜΕΝΟΣ]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PROLOGUE ΠΡΟΟΙΜΙΟΝ.

 

 

Prl. 1. I WAS feverish with the inflammation of the passions, when you revived me as you usually do with the [healing] touch of your godly letter, palliating my diseased nous (intellect) in its shameful deformity: and thus you blessedly imitated our great professor and teacher.

Πυρέττοντά με τῷ φλογμῷ τῶν παθῶν, συνήθως ἀνεκτήσω, τῇ τῶν θεοφιλῶν σου γραμμάτων ἐπαφῇ, τὸν κάμνοντά μου νοῦν ἐν τοῖς αἰσχίστοις παραμυθησάμενος, καὶ τὸν μέγαν μιμησάμενος καθηγητὴν, και διδάσκαλον μακαρίως·

  And this is no surprise: for your share was the marked ones like blessed Jacob: you served well for Rachel, received Leah; and now you seek the [real] object of your longing, having fulfilled ‘the week’ [of years] (Gen 29:15-30).

καὶ οὐ θαυμαστόν· σῆ γὰρ ἀεὶ μερὶς γέγονε τὰ ἐπίσημα, ὡς καί τοῦ εὐλογημένου  Ἰακώβ· καλῶς γὰρ δουλεύσας τῆς  ᾿Ραχὴλ χάριν, καὶ λαβὼν τὴν Λείαν, ζητεῖς καὶ τὴν ποθουμένην, ὡς καὶ ταύτης δήπου πληρώσας τὰ ἕβδομα.

  For I do not deny that I had toiled all night and caught nothing: but when at your word I let down my nets (Lk 5:5) I caught an abundance of fish: I do not think they are [very] large, but there are a hundred and fifty-three of them (Jn 21:11); and I am sending them to you in the basket of love (cf. Mt 15:37; Mk 8:8) in an equivalent number of chapters, thereby fulfilling your instructions.

̓Εγὼ δὲ οὐκ ἀρνηθείην, ὡς ὅλην τὴν νύκτα κοπιάσας, πεπίακα οὐδὲν, πλὴν αλλ' ἐπὶ τῷ σῷ λόγῶ χαλάσας τὸ δίκτυον ἤγρευσα ἰχθύων πληθὺν, οὐκ οἲμαι μὲν μεγάλων, ἑκατὸν δὲ ὅμως καὶ πεντήκοντα τριῶν, καὶ τούτους ἀπέσταιλα ἐν τῇ σπυρίδι τῆς ἀγάπης διὰ τῶν ἰσαρίθμων κεφαλαίων, τὴν πρόσταξίν σου πεπληρωκώς·

  I am amazed at you and very jealous of your excellent purpose.  For your do not simply yearn for these [texts] that came into existence through hands, ink, and paper; rather [you yearn] for chapters fixed in the nous (intellect) through love and forgetfulness of injury.

 θαυμάζω δέ σε, καὶ λίαν ζηλῶ τῆς ἀρίστης προθέσεως τῶν περὶ προσευχῆς ἐρῶντα κεφαλαίων. Οὐ γὰρ ἁπλῶς τούτων ἐρᾷς τῶν ὑπὸ χειρῶν, καὶ ἐν χάρτῃ διὰ μέλανος τὸ εἲναι ἐχόντων, ἀλλὰ τῶν ἐν νῷ ἰδρυμένων δι' ἀγάπης, καὶ ἀμνησικακίας.

 

 

Prl. 2. SINCE everything is twofold, each facing the other as the wise Jesus [Ben-Sirach] says (Sir. 42:24), receive these chapters 

   Ἀλλ' ἐπεὶ πάντα δισσὰ, ἓν κατ' ἔναντι τοῦ ἑνὸς, κατὰ τὸν σοφὸν 'Ιησοῦν, δέχοϋ

[2] both in letter;

[1] and in spirit. 

πρὸς τῷ γράμματι
καὶ τῷ πνεύματι·

 But understand that nous (intellect) takes complete precedence over the letter, since without [nous] there can be no letter.

καὶ σύνες, ὡς πάντως τοῦ γράμματος νοῦς προηγεῖται· οὐκ ὄντος γὰρ τούτου, οὐδὲ γράμμα ἔσται.

In the same way prayer also has a twofold mode: 

Οὐκοῦν καὶ προσευχῆς διττὸς ὁ τρόπος,̈

[1] one active;

[2] the other contemplative. 

ὁ μέν τις πρακτικὸς,
ὁ δὲ θεωρητικὸς,

And it is the same with numbers: 

οὕτω καὶ ἀριθμοῦ,

[1] on the surface there is quantity;

[2] while the inner significance is quality

τὸ μὲν πρόχειρός ἐστι προσότης,
τὸ δὲ σημαινόμενον ποιότης·

 

 

Prl. 3. THEREFORE, in dividing my saying[s] on prayer into one hundred and fifty-three I am catering for you a ‘fish-[dinner]’ from the gospels (cf. Jn 21:13), to delight you with a symbolic number in which you will find both a triangular and a hexagonal form. [These] signify both:

εἰς ἑκατὸν οὖν πεντήκοντα τριῶν τὸν περὶ προσευχῆς λόγον διειληφόντες, εὐαγγελικὸν ὀψώνιόν σοι πεπόμφαμεν, ἵνα εὕρῃς συμβολικοῦ ἀριθμοῦ τερπνότητα καὶ σχῆμα τρίγωνον, καὶ ἐξάγωνον,

[2] reverent knowledge of the Trinity;

[1] and the boundaries of the orderly arrangement of the universe.

ὁμοῦ μὲν εὐσεβῆ γνῶσιν Τριάδος,
ὁμοῦ δὲ καὶ τῆσδε τῆς διακοσμήσεως τὴν περιγραφὴν ὑποφαῖνον.

  So, while the number one hundred by itself is ‘square’, fifty-three is a combination  of ‘triangular’ and ‘spherical’; because twenty-eight is triangular, and twenty-five is spherical (five times five equals twenty-five). 

'Αλλ' ὁ ἑκατὸν ἀριθμὸς καθ' ἑαυτὸν τετράγωνός ἐστιν, ὁ δὲ πεντήκοντα τρὶς, τρίγωνος, καὶ σφαιρικὸς· ὁ γὰρ εἰκοστὸς ὄγδοος μὲν τρίγωνος. Σφαιρικὸς δὲ ὁ εἰκοστὸς πεμπτος· πεντάκις γὰρ πέντε κεφάλαια.̈  

  So you not only have a square number, on account of the tetrad of the virtues; but also the wise knowledge of this age that resembles the number twenty-five because of the spherical nature of time.  

Οὐκοῦν ἔχεις τὸ τετράγωνον σχῆμα, οὐ μόνον διὰ τῆς τετρακτύος τῶν ἀρετῶν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῦδε τοῦ αιῶνος τὴν ἔνσοφον γνῶσιν τῷ εἰκοστῷ πέμπτῳ ἐοικυῖαν, διὰ τὸ σφαιρικὸν τῶν χρόνων. 

For week after week, month after month, year after year, [time] rolls on from season to season, as we see in the movements of sun and moon, spring and summer, and the rest.

 Ἑβδομὰς γὰρ ἐπὶ ἑβδομάδα, καὶ μὴν ἐπὶ μῆνα κινεῖται, καὶ ἐξ ἐνιαυτοῦ εἰς ἐνιααυτὸν ὁ χρόνος κυλινδεῖται καὶ καιρὸς  ἐπὶ καιρὸν, ὡς ἐπὶ κινήσεως ἡλίου, καὶ σελήνης, ἔαρος, καὶ τῶν ἑξῆς ὁρῶμεν.̈

 

 

Prl. 4.THE triang[ular number] you may take as signifying the knowledge of the Holy Trinity.

Τὸ δὲ τρίγωνον σημαίνει ἄν σοι τὴν τῆς ἁγίας Τριάδος γνῶσιν. 

Or else, if you obtain a  hundred and fifty-three by adding up many numbers, since it is a triangular number, consider it to mean: 

  Ἄλλως· εὶ δὲ διὰ τῆς πληθύος τῶν ἀριθμῶν κομίζῃ τὸν ἑκατοστὸν τρίτον τρίγωνον ὄντα, νοεῖν προσήκεϊ̈

[1] praktiké [asceticism],
[2] physiké [natural science], and
[3] theologiké [theology]; or

πρακτικὴν,
φυσικὴν,
θεολογικὴν, ἢ καὶ

[1] faith
[2] hope, and
[3] love; or

πίστεως,
ἐλπίδος, καὶ
ἀγάπης,

[1] gold
[2] silver, and
[3] precious stones

χρυσὸν,
ἄργυρον,
λίθους τιμίους.

 

 

Prl. 5. ENOUGH, then, of these numbers. The chapters themselves are humble, but you will not be contemptuous, since you have known both plenty and want; and you have certainly not forgotten him who, far from rejecting the widow’s two coins, welcomed then more than the wealth of the many.

'Αλλ' ὁ μὲν ἀριθμὸς τοιοῦτος, τῶν δὲ κεφαλαίων τὸ ταπεινὸν οὐ περιυβρίσειας, ὡς εἰδὼς καὶ χορτάζεσθαι, καὶ ὑστερεῖσθαι, ναὶ μὴν καὶ ὡς μεμνημένος τοῦ τὰ δύο τῆς χήρας λεπτὰ μὴ ἀποβεβληκότος, ἀλλὰ καὶ ὑπὲρ πλοῦτον πολλῶν ετέρων ἀποδεξαμένου· ]

  You know how to preserve the fruit of goodwill and love of your genuine brethren; so pray for me in my illness that I may be healed, and then take up my bed and walk (Mk. 2:11) by the grace of Christ [our true God, to whom be the glory unto the ages of ages.] Amen.

οὐκοῦν εὐνοίας, καὶ ἀγάπης καρπὸν εἰδὼς, φυλάξεις σοῖς γνησίοις ἀδελφοῖς ἐπιτρέπων προσεύχεσθαι ὑπὲρ τοῦ ἀρ̀ῥωστοῦντος, ὅπως ὑγιαίνῃ, καὶ ἑαυτοῦ τὸν κράββατον ἄρας, λοιπὸν πατήσῃ, χάριτι Χριστοῦ [τοῦ ἀληθινοῦ Θεοῦ ἡμῶν, ᾧ ἡ δόξα εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων.]   Ἀμήν.

 

 

ON  PRAYER     § 1 - 153

 

 

 

  1. IF one wishes to prepare fragrant incense, he should combine clear frankincense, cassia, onycha and oil [of myrrh] in equal amounts, according to the Law (Exod. 30:34-5). This signifies the tetrad of the virtues For if these four are fully [present] and equally balanced, the nous (intellect) will not be betrayed.

   Α´.  Εἴ τις βούλοιτο εὐῶδες θυμίαμα σκευάσαι, τὸν διαφανῆ λίβανον, καὶ τὴν κασσίαν καὶ τὸν ὄνυχα, καὶ τὴν στάκτην ἐξίσου συνθήσει κατὰ τὸν νόμον.  Ταῦτα δέ ὲστιν ἡ τετρὰς τῶν ἀρετῶν· ἐὰν γὰρ πληρέσταται, καὶ ἴσαι τυγχάνωσιν, οὐ προδοθήσεται ὁ νοῦς.

 

 

  2. A SOUL purified by the fullness of the virtues establishes the nous in an unshakable position, rendering it receptive of the stable state it desires.

      Β´.  Καθαρθεῖσα ψυχὴ διὰ τῆς τῶν ἀρετῶν πληρότηος ἀκλόνητον τὴν τάξιν τοῦ νοῦ κατασκευάζει, δεκτικὸν αὐτὸν ποιοῦσα τῆς ζητουμένης καταστάσεως.

 

 

  3. PRAYER is [intimate] conversation of the nous with God.  So then, what stable state must the nous possess to be able to stretch out unalterably toward its own Master and converse with him without any intermediary?

      Γ´. Ἡ προσευχὴ, ὁμιλία ἐστι νοῦ πρὸς Θεόν· ποίας οὖν δεῖται καταστάσεως ὁ νοῦς, ἵνα ἰσχυσῃἀμεταστρόφως ἐκταθῆναιπρὸς τὸν οἰκεῖον Δεσπότην, καὶ συνομιλεῖν αὐτῷ μηδενὸς μεσιτεύοντος;

 

 

  4. IF Moses was hindered when he attempted to approach the bush burning on earth, until he had taken off the shoes from [his] feet (Exod. 3:2-5); do you not think that if you wish to [both] see the One who is above every concept and perception and to converse with him, you should cast away from yourself every impassioned mental concept (noema)?

      Δ´.  Εἰ τῇ ἐπὶ γῆς βάτῳ φλεγομένῃ προσεγγίσαι πειράσας Μωϋσῆς κωλύεται ἄχρις οὗ λύσει τὸ ὑπόδημα τῶν ποδῶν, πῶς αὐτὸς τὸν ὑπὲρ πᾶσαν ἔννοιαν καὶ αἴσθησιν ἰδεῖν βουλόμενος, καὶ συνόμιλος αὐτῷ γενέσθαι, οὐ λύεις ἐκ σοῦ πὰν νόημα ἐμπαθές;

 

 

  10. WHEN the demons see that you are eager to truly pray, they insinuate mental concepts (noemata) of certain affairs that seem to demand attention; and within a short [time] they arouse the memory of these things and move the nous to seek them out. And failing to find them, it becomes very sorrowful and disheartened. Then when [the nous] stands for prayer, the demons remind it of the [matters] it had sought and remembered, so as to make it halfheartedly [seek] knowledge of them and thus lose the fruitfulness of  prayer.

      Ι´. Ὅταν ἴδωσιν οἱ δαίμονες προθυμούμενόν σε ἀληθῶς προσεύξασθαι, τότε ὑποτίθενται νοήματά τινων πραγμάτων δῆθεν ἀναγκαίων, καὶ μετὰ βραχὺ ἐπαίρουσι τὴν περὶ αὐτῶν μνήμην, κινοῦντες τὸν νοῦν πρὸς ζήτησιν αὐτῶν, καὶ ὡς μὴ εὑρίσκων σφόδρα λυπεῖται, καὶ ἀθυμεῖ· ἡνίκα δὲ στῇ εἰς προσευχὴν, ὑπομιμνήσκουσιν αὐτὸν τῶν ζητηθέντων, καὶ μνημονευθέντων, ἵνα χαυνωθεὶς ὁ νοῦς πρὸς γνῶσιν αὐτῶν ἀπολέσῃ τὴν εὐκαρπον προσευχήν.

 

 

 13. IF you take any [kind of] revenge on a brother who has wronged you, it will all become a stumbling block for you at the time of prayer.

      ΙΓ´. Ὅσα ἂν ποιήσῃς πρὸς ἄμυναν ἀδελφοῦ ἠδικηκότος σε, ἅπαντα εἰς σκάνδαλόν σοι γενήσεται ἐν καιρῷ προσευχῆς.

 

 

 14. PRAYER is an offshoot of gentleness and freedom from anger.

      ΙΔ´.  Προσευχή ἐστι πραότητος καὶ ἀοργησίας βλάστημα.

 

 

 15. PRAYER is the budding forth of joy and thankfulness.

      ΙΕ´.  Προσευχή ἐστι χαρᾶς καὶ εὐχαριστίας πρόβλημα.

 

 

 16. PRAYER is an antidote to sadness and despondency.

      Ιϟ´.  Προσευχή ἐστι λύπης καὶ ἀθυμίας ἀλέξημα.

 

 

 17. GO, sell what you possess and give [it] to the poor (Mk 10:21), and take up your cross  and deny yourself (cf. Mk 8:34) so that you will be able to pray without distraction.

      ΙΖ´. Ἀπελθὼν πώλησόν σου τὰ ὑπάρχοντα, καὶ δὸς πτωχοῖς, καὶ λαβὼν τὸν σταυρὸν, ἀπάρνησαι ἑαυτὸν, ἵνα δυνηθῇς ἀπερισπάστως προσεύχεσθαι.

 

 

 19. WHATEVER difficulty you patiently endure while carefully studying [it], you will discover bearing fruit at the time of prayer.

ΙΘ´. Ὅπερ ἄν χαλεπὸν ὑπομένων φιλοσοφήσῃς, τούτου τὸν καρπὸν κατὰ τὸν καιρὸν τῆς προσευχῆς εὑρήσεις.

 

 

 24. WHEN you pray suitably, you will come up against matters of the sort that make you to imagine it would be completely justifiable to use indignation [thumos]. But there is no such thing as justifiable indignation against your neighbor. If you investigate [this], you will discover that it is possible for the matter to be settled fairly without indignation . Employ every possible means to avoid exploding in indignation.

ΚΔ´.  Προσευχομένου σου δεόντως, τοιαῦτά σοι ἀπαντήσει πράγματα, ἵνα δόξῃς δίκαιον εἶναι πάντως τῷ θυμῷ χρήσασθαι· οὐκ ἔστι δὲ δίκαιος θυμὸς κατὰ τοῦ πέλας τὸ σύνολον· ἐὰν γὰρ ζητήσῃς, εὑρήσεις, ὅτι δυναντὸν, καὶ δίχα θυμοῦ καλῶς διατεθῆναι τὸ πρᾶγμα· πάσῃ οὖν μηχανῇ χρῆσαι πρὸς τὸ μὴ ῥῆξαι θυμόν.

 

 

25. SEE that you do not infect yourself while trying to heal another, and that you do not [thus] excise your own prayer.

ΚΕ´. Ὅρα μὴ δοκιῶν ἕτερον ἰᾶσθαι, αὐτὀς ἀνίατος ἔσῃ, καὶ δῷς ἐκκοπὴν τῇ προσευχῇ σου.

 

 

 35. UNDISTRACTED prayer is the highest noetic [activity] of the nous.

̈ΛΕ´. Ἀπερίσπαστος προσευχή ἐστιν, ἄκρα νόησις νοός.

 

 

 36. PRAYER is the ascent of the nous to God.

̈ΛΕ´.  Προσευχή ἐστιν ἀνάβασις νοῦ πρὸς Θεόν.

 

 

 

 

 45. WHEN you pray, keep powerful guard over your memory: in this way, instead of placing its own passions before you, it will, instead, move you to the knowledge that you stand [before God]. For the nous is easily,  naturally disarmed [and plundered] by the memory at the time of prayer.

̈ΜΔ´.  Προσευχόμενος, τὴν μνήμην σου δυνάμει φύλαττε, ἵνα μὴ τὰ οἰκεῖα πάθη  παράθηταί σοι, ἀλλὰ πρὸς τὴν γνῶσιν τῆς παραστάσεώς σε κινῇ· λίαν γὰρ πέφυκε συλᾶσθαι ὁ νοῦς ὑπ̀ο τῆς μνήμης κατ̀α τὸν καιρὸν τῆς προσευχῆς.

 

 

 46. WHEN you are praying the memory brings you fantasies of either:

[1] ancient issues;

[2] or new worries;

[3] or the face of one who has distressed you.

̈ΜΕ´̓̀Η παλαιῶν πραγμάτων̈

ἄγει σοι φαντασίας ἡ μνήμη προσευχομένῳ,

ἢ νέας φροντίδας,

ἢ πρόσωπον λελυπηκότος.

 

 

 47. THE demon is very malignant towards [any] person who prays, and it employs every means to defeat his purpose. It does not cease [1] moving thoughts (noemata) of matters through the memory and [2] stirring up all the passions through the flesh, so as to be able to impede his excellent course and his departure to God.

Μϟ´.  Λίαν βασκαίνει ὁ δαίμων ἀνθρώπῳ προσευχομένῳ, καὶ πάσῃ χρᾶται μηχανῇ, λυμήνασθαι τὸν τούτου σκοπόν· οὐ παύεται οὖν τὰ νοήματα κινῶν τῶν πραγμάτων διὰ τῆς μνήμης, και ̀ ὅλα τὰ πάθη ἀαμοχλεύων διὰ τῆς σαρκὸς, ἵνα ἐμποδίσαι δυνηθῇ τῷ ἀρίστῳ αὐτοῦ δρόμῳ, καὶ τῇ πρὸς Θεὸν ἐκδημίᾳ.

 

 

 48. WHEN, despite all his efforts, the malevolent demon is unable to hinder the prayer of one who is earnest, it lets up for a time and then takes its revenge when he  finishes praying. It either:

[1] enflames him with anger, [thus] ruining the excellent state that, through prayer, has been welded together in him;

[2] or it entices him to some irrational pleasure and so commits an outrage on the nous.

̈ ΜΖ´.  ̔́Οταν πολλὰ ποιήσας ὁ πονηρότατος δαίμων, μὴ δυνηθῆ ἐμποδίσαι τὴν τοῦ σπουδαίου προσευχὴν, μικρὸν ὑποχαλᾷ, καὶ μετέπειτα ἀμύνεται αὐτὸν προσευξάμενον·

ἢ γὰρ εἰς ὀργὴν ἐξάψας ἀφανίζει τὴν ἐκ τῆς εὐχῆς συγκροτουμένην ἀρίστην κατάστασιν ἐν ἑαυτῷ,

ἢ πρὸς ἡδονήν τινα ἄλογον ἐρεθίσας ὑβρίζει τὸν νοῦν.

 

 

 49. HAVING prayed properly, expect what is improper; and stand courageously to keep guard over your harvest.  Indeed from the beginning you were assigned this: namely, to work and keep guard (Gen. 2:15).  So do not leave your work unguarded after your labor,  otherwise you do not receive any benefit from praying.

̈ΜΗ´.  Προσευξάμενος ὡς δεῖ, προσδόκα ἂ μὴ δεῖ, καὶ στῆθι ἀνδρείως φυλάττων τὸν καρπόν σου· εἰς τοῦτο γὰρ ἐξ ἀρχῆς ἐτάχθης, ἐργάζεσθαι, καὶ φυλάττειν· μὴ οὖν ἐργασάμενος ἐάσῃς ἀφύλακτον τὸ πονηθέν· εἰ δὲ μήγε, οὐδὲν ὠφέλησας προσευχόμενος.

 

 

 50. THE whole war between us and the unclean demons concerns nothing other than spiritual prayer, because it is very hostile and burdensome to them, while it is salvific and very soothing for us.

10. [t 10]  Πας ὁ συγκροτούμενος πόλεμος μεταξὺ ἡμῶν τε καὶ τῶν ἀκαθάρτων δαιμόνων οὐ περὶ ἑτέρου γίνεται, ἢ περὶ πνευματικῆς προσευχῆς· λίαν γὰρ πολέμιος αὐτοῖς ἐστι, καὶ ἐπαχθεστάτη, ἡμῖν δὲ σωτήριος, καὶ προσηνεστάτη.

 

 

 

 

 55. ONE who loves God always converses with him as Father, turing away every impassioned thought (noema).

̈ΝΔ´̔Ο ἀγαπῶν τὸν Θεὸν, τούτῳ ὡς Πατρὶ ἀεὶ συνομιλεῖ, ἀποστρεφόμενος πᾶν νόημα ἐμπαθές.

 

 

 59. IF you wish to pray, you need God who gives prayer to the one who prays (1Sam 2:9). Therefore call upon him saying, Hallowed be your name, your kingdom come (Matt. 6:9-10), that is to say, your Holy Spirit and your only-begotten Son.  For He taught you this by saying, the Father is worshipped in spirit and truth (Jn 4:23-4).

̈ΝΗ´.  Εἰ προσεύξασθαι βούλει, Θεοῦ χρεία τοῦ διδόντος εὐχὴν τῷ εὐχομένῳ· οὐκοῦν ἐπικαλοῦ αὐτὸν λέγων, <Αγιασθήτω τὸ ὄνομά σου, ἐλθέτω ἡ βασιλεία σου,> τουτέστι τὸ ἅγιον Πνεῦμα, καὶ ὁ μονογενής σου Υἱός οὕτω γὰρ ἐδίδαξε, λέγων, ἐν Πνεύματι καὶ ἀληθείᾳ προσκυνεῖσθαι τὸν Θεὸν,

 

 

 60. THE one praying in spirit and truth (Jn 4:23-4) no longer honors the Creator because of [His] creatures, but instead praises Him for His own sake.

ΝΘ´.  Ο ἐν Πνεύματι καὶ ἀληθείᾳ προσευχόμενος οὐκέτι ἐκ τῶν κτισμάτων τὸν Δημιουργὸν γεραίρει, ἀλλ' ἐξ ἑαυτοῦ  αὐτὸν ἀνυμνεῖ.

 

 

 61. IF you are a theologian, you pray truly; and if you pray truly, you are a theologian.

̈Ξ´.  Εἰ θεολόγος εἶ, προσεύξῃ ἀληθῶς, καὶ εἰ άληθῶς προσεύξῃ, θεολόγος εἶ.

 

 

 67. DO not give [any] shape to the Divine in yourself when you pray, nor should you permit any form to stamp an impression on your nous: instead, approach immaterially what is immaterial; and you will understand.

̈Ξ´.  Μὴ σχημτίζῃς τὸ Θεῖον ἐν ἑαυτῷ προσευχόμενος, μηδὲ προς μορφήν τινα συγχωρήσῃς τυπωθῆναι σου τὸν νοῦν· αλλ' ἄϋλος τῷ ἀύ̈λῳ πρόσιθι καὶ συνή́σεις.

 

 

 73. ONCE the nous is praying purely unwaveringly, and truly, [completely] apart from the [passions], the demons no longer insinuate themselves from the left, but from the right.  They set before it the glory of God and shape it in the form of things beloved by the senses, so that [the nous] will believe it has perfectly achieved its goal concerning prayer. An admirable and knowledge-filled (gnostikos) man explained that this is caused by the passion of vainglory and by the demon that attaches itself to [a particular] place in the brain and makes the veins pulsate.

̈ΟΒ´.  ̓Επὰν καθαρῶς λοιπὸν ἀπλανῶς καὶ ἀληθῶς προσεύχηται ὁ νοῦς τὸ τηνικαῦτα, οὐκ ἔτι ἐκ τῶν ἀριστερῶν ὑπέρχονται οἱ δαίμονες, ἀλλ' ἐκ τῶν δεξιῶν· ὑποτίθενται γὰρ αὐτῷ δόξαν Θεοῦ, καὶ σχηματισμόν τινα τῶν τῇ αἰσθήσει φίλων, ὡς δοκεῖν τελείως τετεῦχθαι αὐτὸν τοῦ περὶ προσευχῆς σκοποῦ.  Τοῦτο δὲ, ἔφρασε θαυμαστὸς καὶ γνωστικὸς ἀνὴρ, ὑπὸ τοῦ τῆς κενοδοξίας πάθους γίνεσθαι, καὶ ὑπὸ τοῦ δαίμονος τοῦ ἁπτομένου[,] τοῦ κατὰ τὸν ἐγκέφαλον τόπου[,]  καὶ φλεψὶ πάλλοντος.

 

 

 74. I BELIEVE the demon touches that place [thus] manipulating the light surrounding the nous however he wishes; and in this way the passion of vainglory produces a [tempting-]thought (logismos) that shapes the nous so that it will lighheartedly [try to] localize the divine, essential knowledge.  This sort of person is not troubled by carnal and impure passions; rather he seems to stand purely before [God].  So he presumes there is no longer any opposing energy at work within him: and therefore he assumes he sees a divine apparition; one that [actually] comes from the demon who very cunningly  manipulates by means of the brain the light conjoined [to the nous], thus shaping [the nous], as we have said.

ΟΓ´.  Οἶμαι τὸν δαίμονα ἐφαπτόμενον τοῦ εἰρημένου τόπου τὸ περὶ τὸν νοῦν φῶς τρέπειν καθὼς βούλεται, καὶ οὕτω κινεῖσθαι τὸ τῆς κενοδοξίας πάθος, εὶς λογισμὸν μορφοῦντα τὸν νοῦν κοῦφον γνωμόνως πρὸς τὸν ἀναπλασμὸν τῆς θείας καὶ οὐσιώδους γνώσεως, μὴ ὀχλούμενος δὲ ὁ τοιοῦτος ὑπὸ σαρκικῶν, καὶ ἀκαθάρτων παθῶν, ἀλλὰ καθαρῶς δῆθεν παρεστηκὼς, δοκεῖ μηκέτι ἐνέργειάν τινα ἐναντίαν γίνεσθαι ἐν ἑαυτῷ, ὃθεν ὑποπτεύει θεῖαν εἷναι ἐπιθάνειαν τὴν γενομένην αὐτῷ ὑπὸ τοῦ δαίμονος,δεινότητι λίαν χρωμένου καὶ διὰ τοῦ ἐγκεφάλου τὸ συνεζευγμένον φῶς ἀλλοιοῦντος καὶ μορφοῦ͂ντος αὐτὸν, καθῶς προέφαμεν. [79.1183]

 

 

 75. THE angel of God comes and with a single word makes all the opposing activity within us cease, and moves the light of the nous to undeviating activity.

̈ΟΔ´.  ̔Ο τοῦ Θεοῦ ἄγγελος ἐπιστὰς λόγῳ μόνῳ ἅπασαν τὴν ἀντικειμένην ἐνέργειαν παύει ἐξ ἡμῶν, καὶ κινεῖ τὸ φῶς τοῦ νοῦ ἀπλανῶς ἐνεργεῖν.

 

 

 80. IF you pray truly, you will find very great assurance and angels will accompany you as they did Daniel (Dan 7:6); and they will enlighten you concerning the logoi of what has come into being.

Π´.  ̓Εὰν ἀληθῶς προσεύχῃ, πολλὴν πληροφορίαν εὑρήσεις, καὶ ἄγγελοι συνελεύσονταί σοι ὡς καὶ τῷ Δανιὴλ καὶ τοὺς λόγους τῶν γινομένων φωτιοῦσι.

 

 

97.  NOISES, crashes, voices, and tortured [screams] will he hear - the  person carefully attending to pure prayer: but he will not cave in or surrender his rationality, saying instead to God, ‘I will not fear evil things, for you are with me,’ (Ps. 22:4) and other similar [verses].

97.  Ψόφους μὲν καὶ κτύπους καὶ φωνὰς καὶ αἰκισμοὺς ἐκ δαιμόνων ἀκούσεται ὁ καθαρᾶς ἐπιμελούμενος προσευχῆς, ἀλλ' οὐ συμπεσεῖται, οὐδὲ προδώσει τὸν λογισμὸν λέγων πρὸς τὸν Θεόν· Οὐ φοβηθήσομαι κακὰ, ὅτι σὺ μετ' ἐμοῦ εἶ· καὶ τὰ ὅμοια.

 

 

98. IN the circumstance of these sorts of temptations, make use of a short, intense prayer.

98.  ̓Εν καιρῷ τῶν τοιούτων πειρασμῶν, βραχείᾳ καὶ ἐπιτεταμένῃ προσευχῇ κέχρησο.

 

 

101.   JUST as bread is nourishment for the body and virtue [is nourishment] for the soul, so spiritual prayer is the nourishment for the nous.

101.[Τ 19; 79.1189]  ̔́Ωσπερ ἄρτος τροφή ἐστι τῷ σώματι καὶ ἡ ἀρετὴ τῇ ψυχῇ, οὕτως καὶ τῷ νῷ ἡ πνευματικὴ προσευχὴ τροφὴ ὑπαρχει.

 

 

102. DO not pray like the Pharisee, but like the publican, in the holy place of prayer, so that you too will be justified by God (Luke 18:10-14).

ΡΒ´.  Μὴ φαρισαϊκῶς, ἀλλὰ τελωνικῶς προσεύχου ἐν τῷ ἱερῷ τόπῳ τῆς προσευχῆς, καὶ σὺ δικαιωθῇς ὑπὸ Κυρίου.

 

 

 

 

113.  A MONK becomes the equal of the angels through true prayer, desiring to see the face of the Father who is in heaven (Matt. 18:10).

113.   'Ισαγγελος γίνεται μοναχὸς διὰ τῆς ἀληθοῦς προσευχῆς, 'επιποθῶν ἰδεῖν τὸ πρόσωπον τοῦ Πατρὸς τοῦ ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς.

 

 

114.  DO not in any way seek to receive any form or shape or colour in the time of prayer.

ΠΙΔ´.  μὴ ζήτει παντελῶς μορφὴν, ἢ σχῆμα δέχεσθαι ἐν τῷ τῆς προσευχῆς καιρῷ·

 

 

115. DO not desire to see angels or powers or Christ visibly, in case you become completely mad, accepting a wolf instead of a shepherd and worshipping your enemies, the demons.

ΡΙΕ´.  Μὴ πόθει ἀγγέλους ἰδεῖν, ἢ δυνάμεις, ἢ Χριστὸν αἰσθητῶς, ἵνα μὴ τέλεον φρενιτικὸς γένῃ, λύκον ἀντὶ ποιμένος δεχόμενος καὶ προσκυνῶν τοῖς ἐχθροῖς δαίμοσιν.

 

 

116. THE beginning of deception in the nous is vainglory; it is this that stirs the nous to attempt to circumscribe the divine in some shape and form.

ΡΙϟ´.  ̓Αρχὴ πλάνης νοῦ, κενοδοξία, ἐξ ἧς κινούμενος ὁ νοῦς, ἐν σχήματι καὶ μορφαῖς περιγράφειν πειρᾶται τὸ Θεῖον.

 

 

117.  I SHALL say my piece - and I have already said it elsewhere: blessed is the nous that has attained perfect formlessness in the time of prayer.

ΡΙΖ´.  ̓Εγὼ τὸ ἐμὸν τοῦτο ἐρῶ ὃ καὶ εν ἑτέροις εἴρηκα· Μακάριος ὁ νοῦς ὃς κατὰ τὸν καιρὸν τῆς προσευχῆς τελείαν ἀμορφίαν ἐκτήσατο.

 

 

118. BLESSED is the nous that becomes immaterial and dispossessed of everything at the time of prayer.

ΡΙΗ´.  Μακάριός ἐστιν ὁ νοῦς, ὃς ἀπερισπάστως εὐχόμενος πλείονα πόθον ἀεὶ πρὸς Θεὸν προσλαμβάνει.

 

 

119. BLESSED is the nous that, praying without distraction, continually increases its desire.

ΡΙΘ´.  Μακάριός ἐστιν ὁ νοῦς, ὁ κατὰ τὸν καιρὸν τῆς προσευχῆς ἄϋλος καὶ ἀκτήμων γίνεται.

 

 

120. BLESSED sed is the nous that obtains perfect insensitivity at the time of prayer.

ΡΚ´.  Μακάριός ἐστιν ὁ νοῦς, ὁ κατὰ τὸν καιρὸν τῆς προσευχῆς τελείαν ἀναισθησίαν κτησάμενος.

 

 

121. BLESSED is the monk who regards himself as the offscouring of all  (1 Cor. 4:13)..

ΡΚΑ´.  Μακάριός ἐστι μοναχὸς, ὁ πάντων περίψημα ἑαυτὸν λογιζόμενος.

 

 

122. Blessed is the monk who regards every human being as God, after God.

ΡΚΓ´.  Μακάριός ἐστι μοναχὸς, ὁ πάντας ἀνθρώπους ὡς Θεὸν μετὰ Θεὸν λογιζόμενος.

 

 

123. BLESSED is the monk who sees the salvation and progress of all with perfect joy, as if it were his own.

ΡΚΒ´.  Μακάριός ἐστι μοναχὸς, ὁ πάντων τὴν σωτηρίαν, καὶ προκοπὴν, ὡς οἰκείαν μετὰ πάσης χαρᾶς ὁρῶν.

 

 

124.  A MONK is one who is both separated from all and yet united with all.

ΡΚΔ´.  Μοναχός ἐστιν, ὁ πάντων χωρισθεὶς, καὶ πᾶσι συνερμοσμένος.

 

 

125.  A MONK is one who thinks of himself as one with all, because he unceasingly thinks he sees himself in everyone.

ΡΚΕ´.  Μοναχός ἐστιν, ὁ ἕνα ἑαυτὸν μετὰ πάντων ἡγούμενος διὰ τὸ ἐν ἑκάστῳ ἑαυτὸν ἀπαραλείπτως δοκεῖν ὁρᾷν.

 

 

151. IT is not simply quantity that makes prayer praiseworthy, it is rather quality. This can be seen from the two men who went up to the Temple (Luke 18:10-14), and from the saying, ‘When you pray, do not babble on’ (Matt. 6:7) and other such texts.

      ΡΝΑ´.  Προσευχῆς ἔπαινος, οὐχ ἁπλῶς ἡ ποσότης, ἀλλ' ἡ ποιότης, καὶ τῦτο δηλοῦσιν οἱ ἀναβάντες εἰς τὸ ἱερὸν, καὶ τὸ, <Ὑμεῖς προσευχόμενοι, μὴ βαττολογήσητε·> καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς.

 

 

152. AS long as you are paying attention to the appropriateness  of your bodily stance, as long as your nous that is busying itself with looking after the attractiveness of the tabernacle, you have not yet seen the place of prayer; the blessed way of prayer is still far from you.

      ΝΒ´.Ἐφ' ὅσον τῇ ἀναλογίᾳ προσέχεις τοῦ σώματος, καὶ ὁ νοῦς σου τὰ τῆς σκηνῆς περιέπει τερπνὰ, οὐδέπω τῆς προσευχῆς ἑώρακας τόπον· ἀλλὰ μακρὰν ἀπὸ σοῦ ἡ μακαρία ταύτης ὁδὸς τυγχάνει.

 

 

153. WHEN you find more enjoyment in performing your service of prayer than in anything else, then you have truly found prayer

      ΡΝΓ´.  ῞οταν παριστάμενος εἰς προσευχὴν ὑπὲρ πᾶσαν ἄλλην χαρὰν γένῃ, τότε ἀληθῶς εὕρηκας προσευχήν.

 

 

 


 

[1] The best translation of De Oratione currently available, based on the most reliable manuscripts, is that of Sinkewicz: Evagrius Ponticus, The Greek Ascetic Corpus, (Oxford, 2003), pp. 183-209.Additional (older) English translations of de Oratione may be found in: [1] Early Fathers from the Philokalia (Faber); [2] The Philocalia, vol. 1 (Faber); and [3] J. E. Bamberger, O.C.S.O, tr., Evagrius Ponticus, Praktikos and Chapters on Prayer (Cistercian).  

  The translation provided on this webpage makes liberal use of the melifluous version of Simon Tugwell, O.P: Evagrius Ponticus Praktikos and Chapters on Prayer, Faculty of Theology, Oxford, 1987.The Greek text used in this translation is based principally on PG 79,1165-1200 and Philokalia I (Athens, 1957), pp. 176-189This Greek text incorporates textual emendations suggested by: [1] Hausherr, Le Traité de l’Oraison d’Evagre le Pontique in Rev.d’Asc.et Mys.v.15, 1934; pp. 34-93, 113-170; and [2] Tugwell, Evagrius Ponticus: De oratione (Oxford: Faculty of Theology, 1981), Greek text based on six MSS.

 

 

 

 


This Webpage was created for a workshop held at Saint Andrew's Abbey, Valyermo, California in 1990....x....  .