Peri Logismon - On Thoughts

(*Shepherd* *of an Inner World*)
^{[Ph 16]}17. THE concepts of this present world - these the Lord gave to man, like sheep to a good shepherd: for it is written, He has placed the world in his heart; (Eccl. 3:11) yoking to him indignation and desire for [his] support, so that with the first he may drive away the concepts of wolves, while with desire he may lovingly tend the sheep, assailed as he often is by the rain and winds.	^[79,1220b] ΚΕΦΑΛ.ΙΖ´. ^[p.208] 17. Τὰ νοήματα τοῦ αἰῶνος τούτου ὁ Κύριος καθάπερ [^p.210] πρόβατά τινα τῷ ἀγαθῷ ποιμένι τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ παρέδωκε· ̧ Κὰι γὰρ, φησί, σὺν τὸν αἰῶνα ἔδωκεν ἐν καρδίᾳ ἀυτοῦ ς, συζεύξας αὐτῷ θυμὸν κὰι επιθυμίαν πρὸς βοήθειαν, ἵνα, διὰ μὲν τοῦ θυμου, φευγαδεύῃ τὰ τῶν λύκων νοήματα, διὰ δε τῆς ἐπιθυμίας στέργῃ τὰ πρόβατα, καὶ ὑπὸ τῶν ὑετῶν καὶ ἀνέμων πολλάκις βαλλόμενος·
[On the light of the nous and its possible sources, including contemplation of beings (and worlds): cf. KG 1.35, 1.74; 1.81, 2.29; 3.44, 3.52, 5.15; Sch.258 on Prov. 23.22 ; Prak. 64; Gnost. 45; Prayer 75; Thoughts/Peri.Log. 39, 40, 42; Skem. 2, 4, 23, 25, 27; Letter 39.5; Antiret. 6.16.]
[God] also gave him pasture so that he may shepherd the sheep, as well as a verdant place and refreshing water (cf. Ps. 23: 2), [the] Psalter and a harp (kithara), a rod and a staff; so that from these sheep he is fed and clothed and gathers provender. For it is written, Does anyone feed a flock and not drink its milk? (l Cor. 9:7).	ἔδωκε πρὸς τούτοις καὶ νομὸν, ὅπως ποιμαίνῃ τὰ πρόβατα, καὶ τόπον χλόης, καὶ ὕδωρ ἀναπαύσεως καὶ ψαλτήριον καὶ κιθάραν καὶ ῥάβδον καὶ βακτηρίαν, ἵν' ἐκ ταύτης τῆς ποίμνης καὶ τραφῇ καὶ ἐνδύσηται καὶ χόρτον ὀρεινὸν συναγάγῃ· ̧ Τίς γὰρ, φησὶ, ποιμαίνει ποίμνην, καὶ ἐκ τοῦ γάλακτος τῆς ποίμνης οὐκ ἐσθίει; ς
It is therefore proper for the anchorite to guard this flock at night and by day, so that the concepts are neither caught by wild beasts nor fall into thieves’ hands: if this should happen in the wooded valley he must immediately snatch [it] from the mouth of the lion or the bear (cf. 1 Sam.: 7: 35).	Δεῖ οὖν τὸν ἀναχωροῦντα φυλάττειν νύκτωρ, καὶ μεθ´ η῾με´ραν τοῦτο τὸ ποίμνιον, μήτι τῶν νοημάτων γένηται θηριάλωτον, ἢ λῃσταῖς περιπέσῃ, εἰ δὲ ἄρα τι τοιοῦτο συμβαίη κατὰ τὴν νάπην, εὐθέως ἐξαρπάζειν ἐκ τοῦ στόματος τοῦ λέοντος ἢ τῆς ἄρκτου.
It is thus that the thought of a brother is caught by wild beasts - if it pastures what is within us with with hatred: with regard to a woman, if we turn aside to shameful desire; with regard to gold and silver, if we settle down with greed. And the concepts of the holy gifts [of God are caught by wild beasts] if we mentally graze on vainglory: and the same happens in the case of other concepts if they are plundered by the passions.	Γίνεται δὲ τὸ νόημα τὸ περὶ τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ θηριάλωτον, εἰ μετὰ μίσους νέμοι τὸ ἐν ἡμῖν, καὶ τὸ περὶ τῆς γυναικὸς, εἰ μετ' αἰσχρᾶς ἐπιθυμίας στρέφοιτο παρ' ἡμῖν, καὶ τὸ τοῦ ἀργυρίου, καὶ τοῦ χρυσίου, εἰ μετὰ πλεονεξίας αὐλίζοιτο. Καὶ τὰ νοήματα τῶν ἁγίων χαρισμάτων, ^[79,1220d]εἰ μετὰ κενοδοξίας κατὰ διάνοιαν βόσκοιτο· καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν ἄλλων δὲ νοημάτων ὡσαύτως συμβήσεται, κλεπτομένων τοῖς πάθεσιν.
It is fitting not only to protect this [flock] by day, but also to guard [it] by keeping vigil at night. For it happens that by fantasizing shamefully and wickedly one may lose what is one’s own; and this is what was said by holy Jacob: I did not bring you a sheep caught by wild beasts; from my own [resources] I made good the thefts by day and the thefts by night, and I was burned with heat by day, and with frost by night, and sleep departed from my eyes. (Gen. 31: 39-40.lxx)	^[79,1220d] ΚΕΦΑΛ.ΙΗ´. Οὐ μόνον δὲ ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ δεῖ ταῦτα τηρεῖν, ἀλλὰ καὶ νύκτωρ ἀγρυπνοῦντας φυλάττειν. Συμβαίνει γὰρ καὶ φανταζόμενον αἰσχρῶς, καὶ πονηρῶς, ἀπολέσαι τὸ ἴδιον· καὶ τοῦτό ἐστι τὸ ὑπὸ τοῦ ἁγίου λεγόμενον 'Ιακώβ· ̧ Οὐκ ἐνήνοχα σοι πρόβατον θηριάλωτον, απ´ ε᾿μαυτοῦ ἀπετίννουν κλέμματα ἡμέρας, καὶ κλέμματα ^[79.1221a] νυκτὸς, καὶ ἐγενόμην συγκαιόμενος τῷ καύσωνι τῆς ἡμέρας, καὶ τῷ παγετῷ τῆς νυκτὸς, καὶ ἀφίστατο ὁ ὕπνος ἀπὸ τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν μου; ς
And if, weary from our toil, a certain acedia overtakes us we should climb up a little onto the rock of knowledge and converse with the Psalter, (cf. Ps 48:5) plucking with the virtues the strings of knowledge: let us again tend our sheep as they pasture below Mount Sinai, so that the God of our fathers may also call to us out of the bush (cf. Exod. 3:1-6) and grant us the logoi of the signs and the wonders. (cf. Exod. 7:9, 11:9-10)	^{[p.212.17:32]} Εἰ δέ τίς ἐκ τοῦ καμάτου καὶ ἀκηδία ἡμῖν προσγένηται, μικρὸν ἀναδραμόντες ἐπὶ τὴν τῆς γνώσεως πέτραν τῷ ψαλτηρίῳ προσομιλήσωμεν, πλήσσοντες διὰ τῶν ἀρετῶν τῆς γνώσεως τὰς χορδὰς· βοσκήσωμεν δὲ πάλιν ὑπὸ τὸ Σιναῖον ὄρος τὰ πρόβατα, ἵνα ὁ θεὸς τῶν πατέρων ἡμῶν καὶ ἡμᾶς ἐκ τῆς βάτου ^{[p.214.17:38-39]} καλέσῃ, καὶ τοὺς λόγους τῶν σημείων, καὶ τῶν τεράτων καὶ ἡμῖν χαρίσηται.
*(Two Kinds of Demons)*	[Ph 19 - comes prior to PG 20]
18. OF the unclean demons, some tempt man in so far as he is man, while others disturb him in so far as he is a non-rational animal. The first, when they approach us, suggest to us notions of self-esteem, pride, envy or censoriousness, notions by which non-rational animals are not affected; whereas the second, when they approach, arouse incensive power and desire in a manner contrary to nature. For these passions are common to us and to animals, and lie concealed beneath our rational and spiritual nature. Hence the Holy Spirit says of the thoughts that come to men in so far as they are men: ‘I have said, you are gods, and all of you are children of the most High. But you shall die as men, and fall as one of the princes’ (Ps 82:6-7).	^[79.1224B] ΚΕΦΑΛ. ΚΑ' 18.^[p.214.]Τῶν ἀκαθάρτων δαιμόνων, οἱ μὲν τὸν ἄνθρωπον, ὡς ἄνθρωπον ἐκπειράζουσιν, οἱ δὲ τὸν ἀνθρωππον, ὡς ζῶον ἄλογον ἐκταράσσουσι, καὶ οἱ μὲν πρῶτοι παρβάλλοντες, κενοδοξίας, ἢ ὑπερηφανίας, ἢ φθόνου, ἠκατηγορίας ἡμῖν ἐμβάλλουσι νοήματα, ἅπερ οὐδενὸς ἅπτεται τῶν ἀλογων· οἱ δὲ δεύτεροι, προσεγγίζοντες, θυμὸν, ἢ ἐπιθυμίαν ^[79.1224c] παρὰ φύσιν κινοῦσι. Ταῦτα γὰρ τὰ πάθη κοινὰ ἡμῶν, καὶ τῶν ἀλόγων ζώων τυγχάνουσιν, ὑπὸ τῆς λογικῆς καλυπτόμενα φύσεως. Διὸ λέγει καὶ τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον, πρὸς μὲν τοῖς ἀνθρωπίνοις περιπίπτοντας λογισμοῖς, ̧ Ἐγὼ εἶπα· Θεοί ἐστε, καὶ οἱοὶ Ὑψίστου πάντες· ὑμεῖς δὲ ὡς ἄνθρωποι ἀποθνήσκετε, αὶ ὡς εἷς τῶν ἀρχόντων πίπτετε.ς
But what does He say of the thoughts which stir in men non-rationally ? `Do not be as the horse and mule, which have no understanding: whose mouth must be controlled with bit and bridle in case they attack you’ (Ps 32:9). Now if `the soul that sins shall die’ (Ezek. 18 :4), it is clear that in so far as we die as men we are buried by men, but in so far as we are slain or fall as non-rational animals, we are devoured by vultures and ravens whose young `cry’ to the Lord (Ps. 147:9) and `roll themselves in blood’ (Job 39:30. LXX). `He that has ears to hear, let him hear’ (Mt 11:15).	Πρὸς δὲ τοὺς κινουμένους ἀλόγως, τί φησι; ̧ Μὴ γίνεσθε ὡς ἵππος καὶ ἡμίονος, οἷς οὐκ ἔστι σύνεσις, ἐν κημῷ καὶ χαλινῷ τὰς σιαγόνας αὐτῶν ἀγξαι, τῶν μὴ ἐγγιζόντων πρὸς σέ.ς Ἡ δὲ ψυχὴ ἡ ἁμαρτάνουσα, αὕτη ἀποθανεῖται. Πρόδηλον, ὅτι οἱ μὲν ἄνθρωποι ὡς ἄνθρωποι ἀποθνήσκοντες, ὑπὸ ἀνθρώπων ταφήσονται, οἱ δὲ ὡς ἄλογοι θαντούμενοι, ἤτοι πίπτοντες, ὑπὸ γυπῶν, ἢ κοράκων βρωθήσονται, ὧν οἱ νεοσοὶ, οἱ ^[79.1224d] μὲν ἐπικαλοῦνται τὸν ύριον, οἱ δὲ φύρονται ἐν αἵμασιν. Ὁ ἔχων ὦτα ἀκούειν, ἀκουέτω.
19
*(Methods of Combat)*	*[Ph 20 - NB PhK* here inserts 19 = PG KA.(21); t**
19. r. LD] WHEN one of the enemies draws near to wound you, and you wish to turn back, as it is written (cf. Ps 37:15), his sword into his own heart, then do as we say: distinguish within yourself the hurled [tempting-] thought [into its parts]: what it is, of what [external] concerns is it composed, and what in it especially afflicts the intellect.	^[79.1221b] ΚΕΦΑΛ. ΙΘ ' 19. ^[p.216] Ὅταν τῶν ἐχθ͂ρῶν τρώσῃ σέ τις παραβαλὼν, καὶ βούλει τὴν ῥομφαίαν αὐτοῦ στρέψαι, κατὰ τὸ γεγραμμένον, ἐπὶ τὴν καρδίαν αὐτοῦ ποίησον οὕτως, ὡς λέγομεν. Δίελε κατὰ σαυτὸν τὸν ὑπ' αὐτοῦ βληθέντα λογισμὸν, ὅστις ποτέ εστι, καὶ ἐκ πόσων πραγμάτων συνέστηκε, καὶ ποῖον τοῦτό ἐστι μάλιστα τὸ θλίβον ^[79.1221c] τὸν νοῦν.
Let us say that this happens: when the [tempting-] thought of avarice is discharged at you you should distinguish between: [1] the intellect which has received it, [2] the idea of gold, [3] the gold itself, [4] and the passion of avarice.	Ο δὲ λέγω, τοιοῦτόν ἐστιν· Ἔστω πεμφθεὶς ὁ τῆς φιλαργυρίας ὑπ' αὐτου λογισμὸς, τοῦτον δίελε εἴς τε τὸν ὑποδεξάμενον αὐτὸν νοῦν, καὶ εἰς τὸ νόημα τοῦ χρυσίου, καὶ εἰς αὐτὸν τὸν χρυσὸν, καὶ εἰς τὸ φιλάργυρον πάθος·
And then ask in which of these lies the sin: [1] Is it the intellect? But how [can that be]? It is the image of God. [2] Is it the idea of gold? But who possessing an intellect would say that? [3] Then is gold itself the sin ? But why was it created ?	καὶ λοιπὸν ἐρώτα τί τούτων ἐστὶν ἁμαρτία, πότερον ὁ νοῦς; καὶ πῶς; ἔστιν εἰκὼν θεοῦ. 'Αλλὰ τὸ νόημα τοῦ χρυσοῦ; καὶ τοῦτο τίς ὰν εἰποι νοῦν ἕχων ποτέ; ἀλλ' αὐτὸς ὁ χρυσός ἐστιν ἁμαρτία; καὶ τίνος χάριν γεγένηται;
[4]It follows, therefore, that the cause of the sin is the fourth, which is neither a naturally subsisting [external] concern, nor the idea of an [external] concern, but a pleasure which hates humankind, born of free will, forcing the intellect to misuse God’s creatures. It is this [pleasure] that the law of God commands us to circumcise. (Cf. KG 4.12)	ἕπεται τοίνυν [τῆς ἁμαρτ́ιας εἶναι τὸ αἴτιον τὸ τέταρτον·] ^{^[2]}^[4] ὅπερ οὐκ ἔστι μὲν πρᾶγμα ὑφεστὼς κατ' οὐσίαν, οὐδὲ νόημα πράγματος, οὐδὲ νοῦς πάλιν ἀσώματος, ἀλλ' ἡδονή τις μισάνθρωπος, ἐκ τοῦ αὐτεξουσίου τικτομένη, καὶ κακῶς κεχρῆσθαι, τοῖς τοῦ Θεου῀κτίσμασι τὸν νοῦν ἀναγκάζουσα, ἣν καὶ περιτέμνειν ὁ τοῦ Θεοῦ νόμος ^[79.1221d] πεπίστευται.
And as you closely examine these things the [tempting-] thought will be destroyed, analyzed into its proper contemplation; and the demon will flee from you as your mind is equipped by this knowledge for the [spiritual] heights.	Καὶ ταῦτά σου διερευνωμένου, φθαρήσεται μὲν ὁ λογισμὸς εἰς τὴν ἰδίαν ἀναλυόμενος θεωρίαν, φεύξεται δὲ ἀπὸ σοῦ τὸ δαιμόνιον, τῆς διανοίας σου ὑπὸ ταύτης τῆς γνώσεως εἰς ὕψος ἀρθείσης.
But if you wish, before using his own sword you may desire first to use your sling against him. Then cast a stone from your shepherd’s fleece (cf. 1Sam 17) and seek the contemplation of this:	^[79.1221δ] ΚΕΦΑΛ. Κʹ. ^{[p.220 19:23]} Εἰ δὲ βούλη χρήσασθαι μὲν ^{^[3]}^[5] τῇ ἐκείνου ῥομφαίᾳ, ἐπιποθεῖς δὲ πρῶτον διὰ τῆς σῆς σφενδόνης τοῦτον χειρώσασθαι. Ἔκβαλλε καὶ σὺ λίθον ἐκ τοῦ ποιμενικοῦ σου κωδίου, [4][6] καὶ τούτου ζήτει τὴν θεωρίαν.
Now how is it that angels and demons approach our world, but we do not approach their worlds? For, we are not able to unite the angels more [closely] to God, nor could we plan [a way] to make the demons more impure. (Letter 57.2; KG 3.78)	Πῶς ἄγγελοι μὲν, καὶ δαίμονες τῷ ἡμετέρω παραβάλλουσι ^[79.1224a] κόσμῳ, ἡμεῖς δὲ τοῖς αὐτῶν κόσμοις οὐ παραβάλλομεν· οὔτε γὰρ ἀγγέλους Θεῷ συνάπτειν πλέον δυνάμεθα, οὔτε δαίμονας ἀκαθάρτους μᾶλλον ποιεῖν προαιρούμεθα.
And how was Lucifer, the morning star, cast down to the earth (cf Is 14:12), ‘making the deep boil like a brazen cauldron’ *(Job 41: 31. LXX),* disturbing all by his wickedness and seeking to rule over all?	Και πῶς ὁ Ἐωσφόρος ὁ πρωῒ ἀνατέλλων εἰς τὴν γῆν κατεῤῥίφη, καὶ ἥγηται μὲν τὴν θάλασσαν ὡς ἐξάλειπτρον, τὸν δὲ Τάρταρον τῆς ἀβύσσου ὥσπερ αἰχμάλωτον, ἀναζεῖ δὲ τὴν ἄβυσσον ὥσπερ χαλκίον, πάντας ἐκταράσσων διὰ τῆς κακίας αὐτοῦ, καὶ πάντων ἄρχειν βουλόμενος;
The contemplation of these [external] matters seriously wounds the demon and drives away all his troops. But this comes to pass only for those who have to some degree been purified and have seen something of the logoi of beings. For the impure cannot see the contemplation of these [things], and even if they have been taught by others how to outwit the enemy they will fail because of the great clouds of dust and the turmoil aroused by their passions during the battle. For all the troops of the foreigners must be made quiet, so only Goliath can face our David.	Τούτων γὰρ τῶν πραγμάτων ἡ θεωρία πάνυ τιτρώσκει τὸν δαίμονα, καὶ πᾶσαν αὐτοῦ τὴν παρεμβολὴν φυγαδεύει. Ἀλλὰ ταῦτα μὲν ^{^[5]}^[7] τῶν ἠρέμα κεκαθαρμένων μόνων ^{^[6]}^[8] συμβαίνει, καὶ βλεπόντων ποσῶς τοὺς λόγους ^{[p.222 19:40]} τῶν γεγονότων. Οἱ δὲ ἀκάθαρτοι τὴν θεωρίαν τούτων οὐκ ἴσασιν, οὐδὲ εἰ [7][9] μαθόντες παῤ ἑτέρων [79.1224b] κατεπᾴδοιεν ἀκουσθήσονται, πολλοῦ κονιορτοῦ, καὶ θορύβου διὰ τὰ πάθη συνισταμένου κατὰ τὸν πόλεμον. Δεῖ γὰρ πάντως τὴν παρεμβολὴν τῶν ἀλλοφύλων μικρὸν ἠρεμῆσαι, ἵνα μόνον ὁ Γολιὰθ ἀπαντήσῃ τῷ ἡμετέρῳ Δαβίδ.
Let us then in the battle act thus, and utilize both close examination and this [second] method against all unclean [tempting-] thoughts.	Ὡσαύτως δὲ καὶ τῇ διαιρέσει, καὶ τῷ εἴδει τούτῳ τοῦ πολέμου χρησώμεθα καὶ ἐπὶ πάντων ἀκαθάρτων λογισμῶν.
*(Two Explanations of Quick Victory Over Thoughts)*	̈
20. [Ph 21] WHENEVER unclean thoughts have been driven off quickly, we should try to find out why this has happened. Did the enemy fail to overpower us because there was no possibility of the thought becoming action ? Or was it because of the degree of dispassion we have attained? For example, if a solitary imagines himself entrusted with the spiritual rule of a city, he does not dwell on this thought for long because clearly it cannot be realized in practice.	^[1223d] ΚΕΦΑΛ. ΚΒ' ^[p.222] Ὅταν τινὲς τῶν ἀκαθαρτων λογισμῶν ταχέως φυγαδευθῶσιν, ζητήσωμεν τὴν αἰτίαν πόθεν τοῦτο συμβέβηκε· πότερον διὰ τὴν σπάνιν τοῦ πράγματος, τοῦ δυσπόριστον εἰναι τὴν προσοῦσαν ἡμῖ ἀπάθειαν οὐκ ἰσχυσαν καθ' ἡμῶν οἱ ἐχθροί; Οἷον, εἴ τις τῶν ἀναχωρούντων ἐνθυμηθείη ὑπὸ δαίμονος, ψτῆς πρώτης πόλεως πνευματικὴν κυβέρνησιν [79.1225a] πιστευθῆναι, οὗτος δῆλον, ὅτι οὐ χρονίσει λογισμὸν τοῦτον φανταζόμενος, καὶ ἡ αἰτία ἐκ τῶν λεγομένω γίνεται γνώριμος·
But if someone does become the spiritual guide of a city and yet remains unaffected, that means he is blessed with dispassion. The same criterion can be applied to other thoughts. We need to know these things in order to estimate our commitment and strength, and to perceive whether we have crossed the Jordan and are near the palm -trees, or are still in the wilderness and harassed by the enemy.	εἰ δέ τις πόλεως, καὶ τῆς τυχούσης γίνεται, καὶ ὁμοίως λογίζεται, οὗτος μακάριος τῆς ἀπαθείας ἐστίν. Ὁμοίως δὲ καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν ἄλλων λογισμῶν εὑρωθήσεται ὁ τοιοῦτός τρόπος ἐξεταζόμενος. Ταῦτα δὲ ἀναγκαῖον εἰδέναι πρὸς τὴν ἡμετέραν προθυμίαν, καὶ δύναμιν, ἵνα εἴδωμεν, πότερον ῆ̀ τὸν Ἰορδάνην παρήλθομεν, καὶ ἐγγύς ἐσμεν τῆς πόλεως τῶν Φοινίκων, ἢ ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ διάγομεν, καὶ ὑπὸ τῶν ἀλλοφύλων τυπτόμεθα.
*(Avarice Follows Vainglory and Anger)*	̈
21. THE demon of avarice, it seems to me, is extraordinarily complex and is baffling in his deceits. Often, when frustrated by the strictness of our renunciation, he immediately pretends to be a steward and a lover of the poor; he urges us to prepare a welcome for strangers who have not yet arrived or to send provisions to absent brethren. He makes us mentally visit prisons in the city and ransom those on sale as slaves. He suggests that we should attach ourselves to wealthy women, and advises us to be obsequious to others who have a full purse. And so, after deceiving the soul, little by little he engulfs it in avaricious thoughts and then hands it over to the demon of self-esteem.	^[p.226] 21. Πάνυ γὰρ ποικίλος μοι φαίνεται τῆς φιλαργυρίας ὁ δαίμων, καὶ πρὸς ἀπάτην εὐμήχανος, ὃς πολλάκις στενωθεὶς ὑπὸ τῆς ἄκρας ἀποταγῆς, τὸν οἰκονόμον εὐθὺς, καὶ φιλόπτωχον ὑποκρίνεται, καὶ τοὺς μηδέπω παρόντας ^[79.1225b] ὑποδέχεται ξένους γνησιώτερον, καὶ ἄλλοις λειπομένοις ἀποστέλλει διακονίαν, καὶ δεσμωτήρια πόλεως ἐπισκέπτεται, καὶ τοὺς πιπασκομένους δῆθεν ἐξαγοράζει, γυναιξί τε κολλᾶται πλουσίαις, καὶ ἄλλους πάλιν ἀποτάξασθαι νουθετεῖ βαλάντιον ἀδρὸν κεκτημένους, καὶ οὕτως ἐξαπατήσας κατὰ μικρὸν τὴν ψυχὴν, τῆς φιλαργυρίας αὐτὴν λογισμοῖς ὑποβάλλει, καὶ τῷ τῆς κενοδοξίας παραδίδωσι δαίμονι.
[23]. ^{[not Ph]}The latter calls up in our imagination crowds of admirers who praise the Lord for the works of mercy we have performed; he makes us picture people talking to one another about how we deserve to be ordained, and he suggests to us that the present priest is bound to die before long. So our wretched intellect, entangled by these thoughts, attacks anyone who (as it imagines) opposes the idea of our ordination, while on those who support the idea it lavishes gifts and flattery. Some of our critics we bring in our mind’s eye before the judges and demand their expulsion from the city.	^[79.1225c] ΚΕΦΑΛ. ΚΓ'' Ὡς πλῆθος εἰσάγει τῶν δοξαζόντων ἐπὶ ταῖς οἰκονομίαις ταύταις τὸν Κύριον, καί τινας κατ' ὀλίγον ^[79.1225c] περὶ ἱερωσύνης συλλαλοῦντας προβάλλων λοιπὸν προμαντεύεται ταχὴν θάνατον τοῦ ὄντος ἱερέως, καὶ ὡς οὐκ ἃν ἐκφύγῃ μυρία ποιήσας προστίθησι, καὶ οὕτως ὁ παλαίπωρος νοῦς ἐνδεθεὶς τούτοις τοῖς λογισμοῖς, τοῖς μὲν μὴ κατεξαμένοις τῶν ἀνθρώπων διαμάχεται, τοῖς δὲ τοῦτο καταδεξαμὲνοις, ἑτοίμως δῶρα χαρίζεται, καὶ τῆς εὐγνωμοσύνης αὐτοὺς ἀποδέχεται· τινὰς δὲ διστασιάζοντας, τοῖς δικαστασαῖς παραδίδωσι, καὶ τῆς πόλεως ἐξορίζεσθαι παραγγέλλει·
As these thoughts circle in our mind, the demon of pride suddenly appears, filling our cell with lightning and visions of terror and trying to make us mad. But let us call down destruction upon all such thoughts and thankfully live in poverty .`For we brought nothing into the world, and it is certain that we can take nothing out of it. Having food and raiment, let us be content with them’ (1Tim 6:7-8), remembering the words of St Paul: `Avarice is the root of all evil’ (1Tim 6:10).	τούτων δὲ λοιπὸν ἔνδον ὄντων, καὶ στρεφομένων τῶν λογισμῶν, εὐθὺς καὶ ὁ τῆς ὑπερηφανίας ἐφίσταται δαίμων, ἀστραπὰς συνεχεῖς κατὰ τὸν ἀέρα τῆς κέλλης τυπῶν, καὶ δράκοντας πτερωτοὺς ἐπιπέμπων, καὶ τὸ τελευταῖον κακὸν, στέρησιν φρενῶν ἐργαζόμενον, ἀλλ' ἡμεῖς τούτοις τοῖς λογισμοῖς ^[79.1225d] ἀπώλειαν ἐπευξάμενοι, μετ' εὐχαριστίας τῇ πενίᾳ συζήσωμεν, ̧ Οὐδὲν γὰρ εἰηνέγκαμεν εἰς τὸν κόσμον, οὐδὲ ἐξενεγκεῖν τι δῆλον ὅτι δυνάμεθα· ἔχοντες δὲ τροφὰς, καὶ σκεπάσματα, τούτοις ἀρκεσθησόμεθα, ς μεμνημένοι καὶ Παύλου, ῥίζαν πάντων τῶν κακῶν τὴν φιλαργυρίαν εἰπόντος.
*(The Disastrous Effect of Persistent Evil Thoughts)*	̈
22. ^{[Ph 22.]} ALL the impure thoughts that persist in us because of our passions bring the intellect down to ruin and perdition. Just as the idea of bread persists in a hungry man because of his hunger, and the idea of water in a thirsty man because of his thirst, so ideas of material things and of the shameful thoughts that follow a surfeit of food and drink persist in us because of the passions.	^[p.230] 22. Πάντες οἱ ἀκάθαρτοι λογισμοὶ διὰ τὰ πάθη χρονίζοντες ἐν ἡμῖν, κατάγουσι τὸν νοῦν εἰς ὄλεθρον, καὶ ἀπώλειαν· ὥσπερ γὰρ τὸ νόημα τοῦ ἄρτου χρονίζει ἐν τῷ πεινῶντι διὰ τὴν πεῖναν, καὶ τὸ νόημα τοῦ ὕδατος ἐν τῷ διψῶντι διὰ τὴν δίψαν, οὕτω καὶ τὰ νοήματα τῶν κτημάτων, καὶ τῶν χρημάτων, χρονίζει διὰ τὴν πλεονεξίαν, καὶ τὰ νοήματα τῶν βρωμάτων, καὶ τῶν [79.1228a] τικτομένων αἰσρῶν λογισμῶμ ἐκ τῶν βρωμάτων, χρονίζει διὰ τὰ πάθη.
The same is true about thoughts of self-esteem and other ideas. It is not possible for an intellect choked by such ideas to appear before God and receive the crown of righteousness. It is through being dragged down by such thoughts that the wretched intellect, like the man in the Gospels, declines the invitation to the supper of the knowledge of God (cf. Lk 14:18); and the man who was bound hand and foot and cast into outer darkness (cf. Mt. 22:13) was clothed in a garment woven of these thoughts, and so was judged by the Lord, who had invited him, not to be worthy of the wedding feast. For the true wedding garment is the dispassion of the deiform soul which has renounced worldly desires.	̓Αλλὰ καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν τῆς κενοδοξίας λογισῶν, καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν ἄλλων λογισμῶν ὁμοίως φανερωθήσεται. Οὐκ ἔστι δὲ νοῦν πνιγόμενν ὑπὸ τοιούτων παραστῆναι Θεῷ, καὶ τὸν τῆς δικαιοσύνης ἀναδήσασθαι στέφανον. ᾿κ τούτων γὰρ τῶν λογισμῶν κατασπώμενος καὶ ἐκεῖνος ὁ ἐν τοῖς Εὐαγγελίοις τρισάθλιος νοῦς, τὸ τῆς Χριστοῦ γνώσεως ἄριστον παρῃτήσατο· καὶ πάλιν ὁ δεσμούμενος χεῖρας, καὶ πόδας, καὶ εἰς τὸ ἐξώτερον σκότος βαλλόμενος ἐκ τούτων τῶν λογισμῶν καθυφασμένον εἶχε τὸ ἐνδυμα, ὅνπερ οὐκ ἄξιον τῶν τοιούτων γάμων ὁ καλέσας απεφήνατο εἰναι· διὸ ἔνδυμά ἐστι γαμικὸν απάθεια ψυχῆς λογικῆς κοσμικὰς ἀρνησαμένης ἐπιθυμίας.
In the texts On Prayer it is explained why dwelling on ideas of sensory objects destroys true knowledge of God.	Τίς δὲ ἡ αἰτία τοῦ τὰ νοήματα τῶν αἰσθητῶν πραγμάτων, ^[79.1228b]χρονίζοντα διαφθείρειν τὴν γνῶσιν εἴρηται ἐν τοῖς πρι προσευχῆς κεφαλαίοις.

[1] ENGLISH EDITIONS USED: “Texts on Discrimination in respect of Passions and Thoughts”, The Philokalia, the Complete Text, v.1 tr& ed. Palmer et. al. ( Faber & Faber, 1979), pp. 38-52 and ‘Abba Evagrius the Monk: 7. On Various Evil Thoughts’ in Early Fathers from the Philokalia , tr. by Kadloubovsky and Palmer (Faber & Faber, 1954) pp. 117-124.

GREEK TEXT: Critical Edition in Évagre le Pontique Sur Les Pensées, ed. P. Géhin, Claire Guillaumont and A. Guillaumont, SC 438, (Paris: Cerf, 1998) pp. 148-301. Versions used in this edition include: PG 79, 1200-1233 (=Suarès (1673); PG 40 1240-1244; Filokali/a I, Athens 1957 pp. 44-57; Chapters from Longer Recension (ch. 23-44) according to reconstruction of Muyldermans, “À Travers la Tradition Manuscrite d’ Èvagre le Pontique,” Bibliothèque du Muséon 3 (Louvain, 1933) 39-60. Note ch. 44 = Macarius Hom 25 in 50 Spir Hom.s.

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