X

The Dangers of Wrong-minded Solitude

^[SC,p.232]

Bless the Lord,  my soul,

never forget all his rewards,

who has compassion on your misdeeds,

who heals all your diseases,

who redeems your life from corruption,

who crowns you with mercies and compassion.
  (Ps. 102: 2-4).

Εὐλόγει ἡ ψυχή μου τὸν Κύριον, καὶ μὴ ἐπιλανθάνου πάσας τὰς ἀνταποδόσεις αὐτοῦ·

τὸν εὐιλατεύοντα πάσαις ταῖς ἀνομίαις σου, τὸν ἰώμενον πάσας τὰς νόσους σου·

τὸν λυτρούμενον ἐκ φθορᾶς τὴν ζωήν σου, τὸν στεφανοῦντά σε ἐν ἐλέει καὶ οἰκτιρμοῖςς. ^{[Ps 102.2-4]} 

These, then, are the type of words you should speak to this person, like a mother at festival seeking diligently for her child out of fear that some evil-doer seize him and carry him away. 

   ^[p48] Ταῦτα καὶ τὰ τοιαῦτα φθέγγου πρὸς αὐτὴν· καθάπερ μήτηρ ἐν πανηγύρει τὸ ἴδιον παιδίον ἐπιζητοῦσα πυκνότερον, μὴ τις αὐτὸ τῶν κακούργων ἁρπάσας ἀπέλθῃ·

X

(The Impossibility of Simultaneously Receiving Two Thoughts)

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 24.   The demons do not all tempt us, nor do they simultaneously instill their [tempting-]thoughts, because the mind is not naturally able to receive  the concepts (noemata) of two sensible objects at the same moment.  For we have said, in seventeenth chapter, that no impure thought arises in us without a sensible object. ^[Harmless] If, due to the fact of its very great speed of movement, our mind ties thoughts one to another, it is not necessary because of that to believe that these [thoughts] are formed all at the same time.  The spinning of the potter makes something of an analogy: he ties one to another two fixed pebbles in the extremities diametrically opposed to the turning [tour], and this because of the great rapidity of his removal [deplacement].  You can also form in yourself the face of your father and verify if one other face follows when he dies or if the second face is formed when the first disappears.  If it were possible to receive at the same time both the representation of gold and the representation of the person who has hurt us, it would happen to us necessarily to fall at the same moment both to the devil of greed and to that of anger—which is impossible, since, as I said, the mind cannot receive at the same moment both the representation of gold and that of the one who has hurt us.  It is necessary therefore, at the moment of temptations, to try to make the mind pass from an impure thought to a second representation, and from that to a third, and escape from this lying foremen [cf. Ex 5:6].  If the mind does not remove (from itself) nor release the object, it is submerged by the passion; it risks then making its way toward an enacted sin.  Such a mind has really need of much purification, by keeping vigil and by prayer.

 24. ^[SC,p.236]  Οὐ πάντες ἅμα πειράζουσιν ἡμᾶς οἱ δαίμονες, οὐδ' ἐν τῷ αὐτῷ χρόνῳ λογισμοὺς ἡμῖν ἐμβάλλουσι· διὰ τὸ μὴ πεφυκέναι τὸν νοῦν κατὰ τὸν ὐτὸν καιρὸν δύο πραγμάτων αἰσθητῶν δέχεσθαι τὰ νοήματα.  Εἴπομεν γὰρ, ἐν τῷ ἐπτακαιδεκάτῳ κεφαλαίῳ, χωρὶς πράγματος αἰσθητοῦ μὴ ἐπισυμβαίνειν ἡμῖν ἀκάθαρτον λογισμόν.  Εἰ δὲ ὀξύτατος ὢν, κατὰ τὴν κίνησιν ἡμῶν ὁ νοῦς ἀλλήλοις συνάπτει τοὺς λογισμοὺς, οὐ παρὰ τοῦτο δεῖ καὶ νομίζειν ἐ τῷ αὐτῷ χρόνῳ πάντας συνίστασθαι.  Τοιοῦτον γάρ τοι ποιεῖ καὶ ὁ τοῦ κεραμέως τροχὸς, συνάπτων δύο ψηφίδας ἀλλήλαις, πεπηγυίας ἐν τοῖς πέρασι μιᾶς τῆς ἐν τῷ τροχῷ διαμέτρου διὰ πολλὴν ὀξύτητα τῆς φρᾶς.   Ἔξεστι δέ [15] σοι καὶ μορφώσαντι ἐν σεαυτῷ τοῦ πατρός σου τὸ πρόσωπον δοκιμάσαι,  ποτερον τούτου μένοντος [φο 161ῃ] ἐπισυμβαίνει καὶ ἕτερον πρόσωπον.  Εἰ γὰρ ἐν τῷ αὐτῷ χρόνῳ δυνατὸν ἦν καὶ συνέβῃ κατὰ τὸν αὐτὸν καιρὸν καὶ τῷ τῆς φιλαργυρίας καὶ τῷ τῆς μνησικακίας περιπεσεῖν ἡμᾶς δαίμονι· ὅπερ τῶν ἀδυνάτων ἐστὶ, διὰ τὸ [*τῷ] τοῦ χρυσοῦ καὶ τὸ τοῦ λελυπηκότος δέξασθαι νόημα.  Δεῖ τοίνυν ἐν τοῖς καιροῖς τῶν πειρασμ͂ν πειράσθαι μεταφέρειν τὸν νοῦν ἀπὸ τοῦ ἀκαθάρτου λογισμοῦ ἐφ' ἕτερον νόημα, καὶ ἀπὸ τούτου ἐπ' ἄλλο, καὶ οὕτω διαφεύγειν τὸν κακὸν ἐκεῖνον ἐργοδιώκτην· εἰ δὲ μὴ μεταβαίνει ὁ νοῦς περιεχόμεονς τοῦ πράγματος, τῷ πάθει βεβάπτισται.  Καὶ πολλῆς ὁ τοιοῦτος ὄντως δεῖται καθάρσεως καὶ ἀγρυπνίας καὶ προσευχῆς· -

X

(The Appearance of Our Proper Body - Its Role in Evil Thoughts)

 25. ^[Harmless] All people who have contemplated from certain objects of the present realities in the natures have also produced their proofs from that which they had contemplated.  My proof to myself, in the most cases, is the heart of my reader, especially if he is intelligent and has experience of monastic life.  I say this because the natural object of contemplation which is not proposed to us and which is found confirmed by the reader from what takes place in the interior of himself.  It is necessary to begin by saying how the mind by nature receives the representations of all these sensible objects and an imprint conforms to them by intermediary of the instrument which our body is. 

 25. ^[SC,p.240]   Ὅσοι τῶν ἀνθρώπων τινὰ τῶν ἐν ταῖς φύσεσιν ἐθεώρησαν τῶν πραγμάτων, καὶ τὰς ἀποδείξεις ἐκ τῶν θεωρηθέντων παρέσχοντο.  Ἐμὴ δὲ ἀπόδειξις ἐν τοῖς πλείοσιν ἡ τοῦ ἀναγνώσκοντός ἐστι καρδία· καὶ τούτου εἰ συνετὴ εἴη καὶ τοῦ μοναδικοῦ βίου πεπειραμένη.  Τοῦτο δὲ λελάληκα διὰ τὸν νῦν προκείμενο ἡμῖν θεώρημα φυσικὸν, ἐκ τῶν κατὰ διάνοιαν γινομένων ὑπὸ τοῦ ἀναγνώσκοντος βεβαιούμενον. [49]  Ἀρκέον δὲ ἐντεῦθεν τοῦ λόγου, ὅπως ὁ νοῦς πάντων τῶν αἰσθητῶν πραγμάτων πέφυκε δέχεσθαι τὰ νοήματα καὶ τυποῦσθαι κατ' αὐτὰ διὰ τοῦὀργανικοῦ σώματος τούτου.

Whatever be the form of the object, such will necessarily be also the image which the mind receives; from that comes the fact that the representations of the objects are called copies—since they keep the same form as them.  So just as the mind receives the representations of all the sensible objects, so it receives those of its own organism—this falls also under the senses—the exception being, for sure, its own face, for it is in the incapability of forming it in itself, since it has never seen it.  It is therefore with this figure that our mind makes all interiorly, that it sits and moves, gives and receives in thought.  It makes and says all this that it wishes, thanks to the speed of the representations—as soon as it retains the figure of its own body and takes its hand in order to receive that which one gives to it, as soon as it has released this figure and reclothed it rapidly the form of the next, as if it were giving something of its own hands. 

  Ὁποία γὰρ ἂν εἴη τοῦ σώματος ἡ μορφὴ, τοιαύτην ανάγκη καὶ τὸν νοῦν δέξασθαι τὴναὐτὴν ἐκείνοις διασώζειν μορφήν.  Ὥσπερ οὖν πάντων ῾ο νοῦς τῶν αἰσθητῶν πραγμάτων δέχεται τὰ νοήματα οὕτω και τοῦ ἰδίου ὀργάνου· αἰσθητὸν γὰρ καὶ τοῦτο· χωρὶς δὲ πάντως τῆς ὄψεως· ταύτην γὰρ ἐν ἑαυτῷ μορφῶσαι ἀδυνατεῖ μηδέποτε θεασάμενος, καὶ μετὰ τούτου λοιπὸν ἔνδον τοῦ σχήματος ὁ νοῦς ἡμῶν πάντα πράττει καὶ ταῦτα ποιεῖ καὶ λέγει ὅσα καὶ βούλεται τῷ τάχει τῶν νοημάτων· ποτὲ μὲν τοῦ ἰδίου σώματος ἀναλαμβάνων τὸ σχῆμα, καὶ τὴν χεῖρα ἐκτείνων ἐπὶ τὸ δέξασθαί τι τῶν διδομένων· ποτὲ δὲ τοῦτ' ἀποβαλὼν τὸ σχῆμα, καὶ τὴν τοῦ πλησίον ἐν τάχει μορφὴν ἐνδυσάμενος, ὡς ἂν διδούς τι ταῖς ἰδίαις χερσίν·

Without forms of this sort, the mind will make nothing, since it is at the same time incorporeal and deprived of all similar movement.  It is necessary therefore that the anchorite surveys his mind at the moment of temptations, because it goes, from the demon who will present himself, to take hold of the figure of its own body and interiorly get involved in a quarrel with a brother or unite himself with a woman.  This is one that Christ in the Gospels had named ‘adulterer,’ because such a man was commiting already adultery in his heart with a woman of his neighbor.  But without this figure, the mind can never commit adultery, since it is incorporeal and which it cannot approach itself to an sensible object without representations of this sort; such is its error.  So be attentive to yourself and see how the mind reclothes the form of its own body with the face, when on the contrary it models interiorly the neighbor in his entirety, since it is entirely so, that it saw it from the outset  

ἄνευ δὲ τῶν τοιούτων μορφῶν οὐκ ἂν ποιήσοι τι νοῦς, ὢν καὶ ἀσώματος καὶ πάσης κινήσεως τοιαύτης ἐστερημένος. Δεῖ οὖν τὸν ἀναχωροῦντα τηρεῖν τὸν ἴδιον νοῦν κατὰ τὸν καιρὸν τῶν πειρασμῶν·  μέλλει γὰρ ἁρπάζειν εὐθὺς ἐπιστάντος τοῦ δαιμονος, σώματος τοῦ ἰδίου τὸ σχῆμα, καὶ σμπλέκειν ἔνδον πρὸς μάχην τῷ ἀδελφῷ, ἢ ἅπτεσθαι γυναικός· τοιοῦτον γὰρ καὶ τὸν μοιχὸν ἐν τοῖς Εὐαγγελίοις ὠνόμασεν ὁ Χριστός· ἤδη μοιχεύοντα ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ τὴν τοῦ πλησίον γυναῖκα. [cf.. Μτ 5·28]  Χωρὶς δὲ τούτου τοῦ σχήματος οὐκ ἂν νοῦς μοιχεύσοι ποτὲ, ἀσώματος ὢν καὶ ἄνευ τοιούτων νοημάτων ἐγγίσαι πράγματι αἰσθητῷ μὴ δυνάμενος· καὶ ταῦτά ἐστι τὰ παραπτώματα.  Πλὴν πρόσεχε σεαυτῶ πῶς ἄνευ τοῦ προσώπου τοῦ ἰδίου σώματος ὁ νοῦς ἐνδύεται τὴν μορφήν· τὸν δὲ πλησίον πάλιν ὅλον κατὰ διάνοιαν ἐκτυποῖ, ἐπειδὴ τοιοῦτον ὅλον προλαβὼν καὶ ἑώρακεν

But it is impossible to observe this during temptations, to see how it arrives and it is accomplished so fast in thought, unless the Lord does not rebuke the wind and the sea, reduce it nor restore complete calm, nor lead the navigator to land towards that which it was hurrying.  It is necessary therefore that the anchorite be attentive to himself in fashion ‘that it not have a hidden word in his heart which be impious’ (Deut 15:9), because the mind goes, at the moment of the temptations, when the demon will present himself, take hold of the figure of his own body.  Carried away by this contemplation, we have also exposed the nature of the impure thought.  The demonic thought is thus the image of the person perceptible by the senses constituted interiorly, an unfinished image, which which the mind—caught up passionately—speaks or acts lawlessly, in secret, in busying itself with phantoms which it forms one after another.

.   Ἀλλὰ ταῦτα ἐν τοῖς πειρασμοῖς ἀδύνατον ὠφθῆναι, πῶς τε γίνεται καὶ οὕτω ταχέως ἐπιτελεῖται κατὰ διάνοιαν, μὴ τοῦ Κυρίου ἐπιτιμῶντος τῷ ἀνέμῳ καὶ τῇ θαλάσσῃ, καὶ ποιοῦντος γαλήνην μεγάλην, καὶ ἀπάγοντος τὸνπλέοντα ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν ἐφ' ἧς ἔσπευδεν. [cf., Μτ 8·26]  Δεῖ οὖν τὸν ἀναχωροῦντα προσέχειν ἑαυτῷ μήποτε γένηται ῥῆμα κρυπτὸν ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ αὐτοῦ ἀνόμημα.  Μέλλει γὰρ ὁ νοῦς, κατὰ τὸν καιρὸν τῶν πειρασμῶν, ἐπιστάντος τοῦ δαίμονος, ἁρπάζειν τοῦ σώματος [SC,p.50] τοῦ ἰδίου τὸ σχῆμα,  Ἐκ ταύτης δὲ τῆς θεωρίας κινηθέντες, καὶ τοῦ ἀαθάρτου λογισμοῦ παρεθήκαμεν λογισμόν.  Λογισμὸς γὰρ δαιμονιώδης ἐστὶν εἰκὼν τοῦ αἰσθητοῦ ἀνθρώπου συνισταμένη κατὰ διάνοιαν ἀτελὴς, μεθ' ἧς ὁ νοῦς κινούμενος ἐμπαθῶς, λὲγει τι ἢ πράττει ἀνόμως ἐν τῷ κρυπτῷ πρὸς τὸ μορφούμενον ἐκ διαδοχῆς εἴδωλον ὑπ' αὐτοῦ.

26

(How to Acquire the Knowledge of Discernment)

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And it is a blessed thing to serve the knowledge of God, for it is truly dangerous not to do what [such knowledge] advises, and it is blessed to do all that it teaches.

Καὶ μακάριος δουλεῦσαι γνώσει Θεοῦ, ἐπικίνδυνον γὰρ ὄντως μὴ ποιοῦντα τὰ ὑπ' αὐτῆς προστασσόμενα· μακάριον δὲ εἰ πράττοι πάντα τὰ ὑπ' αὐτης διδασκόμενα. 

PERI. LOG. 26.15-17

The first renunciation is to voluntarily leave all worldly things for the knowledge of God; [=KG 1.78]

καὶ πρώτην ἀπόταξις, κατάλειψις κοσμικῶν πραγμάτων ἑκούσιους τῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ γνώσεως ἕνεκεν·

the second is the casting aside of evil which occurs through the grace of Christ our Savior and the zeal of the human person; [=KG 1.79]

δευτέρα δὲ ἀπόθεσις κακίας χάριτι τοῦ Σωτῆρος ἡμῶν Χριστοῦ καὶ σπουδῇ τῇ τοῦ ἀνθρώπου προσγενομένῃ·

the third renunciation is separation from ignorance concerning those things that are naturally manifested to people in accordance with their state[=KG 1.80]

 τρίτη δὲ ἀπόταξις χωρισμὸς ἀγνοίας ἐστὶ τῶν πεφυκότων ἐμφανίζεσθαι τοῖς ἀνθρώποις κατ' ἀναλογίαν τῆς καταστάσεως· -

X

(That Dreams Trouble the passible Part of the Soul)

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 27. 

 27. ^[SC,p.248] Οὕτω μὲν οἱ ἀναχωροῦντες μεθ' ἡμέραν ὑπὸ δαιμόνων πειράζονται, καὶ ποικίλοις περιπίπτουσι λογισμοῖς· νυκτωρ δὲ πάλιν καθ' ὕπνον ἀσπίσι μάχονται πτερωταῖς, καὶ ὑπὸ θηρίων σαρκοβόρων κυκλοῦνται, καὶ ὑπὸ ὄφεων ζώννυνται, καὶ ἀπὸ ὑψηλῶν ὀρέων κατακριμνίζονται.   Ἔστι  δ' ὅτε καὶ διυπνισθέντες ὑπὸ τῶν αὐτῶν αὖθις  κυκλοῦνται θηρίων καὶ τὴν κέλλαν διάπυρον καὶ καπνιζομένην ὁρῶσιν.  Καὶ ὅταν μὴ ἐνδῶσι πρὸς ταύτας τὰς φαντάσιας, μὴτη ρἰς δειλίαν προπέσωσιν, εὐθέως πάλιν εἰς γυναῖκας ὁρῶσι μεταβαλλομένους τοὺς δαίμονας, θρυπτομ́νας ἀσχήμως καὶ παίζειν ἐθελούσας αἰσχρῶς·-

 ΧΧ̄ΙΙ. Ταῦτα δὲ πάντα ἐπινοοῦσι, θυμὸν ἢ ἐπιθυμίαν συνταράξαι βουλόμενοι, ὅπως ὁ πρὸς τοὺς ἀναχωρητὰς γένηται πόλεμος.  Πάνυ γὰρ ὀξέως ἐν τῇ ἐπιούσῃ πειράζεται θυμὸς νύκτωρ προταραχθεὶς, καὶ δέχεται ῥαδίως ἐπιθυμία λογισμοὺς πορνικοὺς ἐν ταῖς καθ' ὕπνον φαντασίαις προκινηθεῖσα.  Ταῦτας δὲ τὰς φαντασίας ἐπάγουσιν ἑαυτοῖς, ὥσπερ ἔφην, ὁδοποιοῦντς εἰς τὴν ἑξῆς, ἢ προταραχθέντας αὐτοὺς τῇ προτέρᾳ· νύκτωρ ἐπὶ πλεῖστον ταπεινῶσαι βουλόμενοι καὶ τοῖς φοβεροῖς φάσμασι μᾶλλον οἱ ὀργίλοι τῶν ἀδελφῶν περιπίπτουσι καὶ θυμώδεις ταῖς δὲ αἰσχραῖς φαντασίαις οἱ ἀρτου [φ^ο 162ῃ] πλείονος καὶ ὕδατος ἐμορούμενοι.

But is proper for solitaries “to fast and pray, so that they do not enter into temptation” and to keep the heart completely guarded, quieting the thumos with gentleness and psalms, and quenching epithumia with hunger and thirst.

^{[SC,p.250.22-26]} Ἀλλὰ δεῖ οὖν τοὺς ἀναχωροῦντας ἀγρυπνεῖν καὶ προσεύχεσθαι ἵνα μὴ εἰσέλθωσιν εἰς πειρασμὸν [cf..Μτ 26·41; Μκ 14·38; Λκ 22·40] καὶ πάσῃ φυλακῇ τηρεῖν τὴν καρδίαν, [cf. Προῃ. 4·23] πραΰτητι μὲν καὶ ψαλμοῖς τὸν θυμὸ καταπαύοντας, λιμῷ δὲ καὶ δίψῃ τὴν ἐπιθυμίαν μαραίνοντας.

Πάνυ ὲ συβάλλται πρὸς τὰς τοιαῦτας φαντασίας εὐποιΐα καὶ ἒλεος· καὶ τοῦτο διδάσκει σαφῶς, ἐν ταῖς παροιμίαις, ὁ σοφὸς Σολομῶν·  ̧  Ἐὰν γὰρ κάθῃ, φησὶν, ἄφοβος ἔσῃ, ἐὰν δὲ καθεύδῃς ἡδέως ὑπνώσεις· καὶ οὐ φοβηθήσῃ πτόησιν ἐπελθοῦσαν, οὐδὲ ὁρμὰς ἀσεβῶν ἐπερχομένας· ὁ γὰρ Κύριν ἔσται ἐπὶ πασῶν ὁδῶν σου, καὶ ἐρείσει σὸν πόδα ἵνα μὴ σαλευθῇς· μὴ ἀπελθὼν ἐπάνηκε, καὶ αὔριον δώσω· οὐ γὰρ οἶδας τί τέξεται ἡ ἐπιοῦσα ς·-[Προῃ 3·24-28]

X

(The Dreams of Vainglory and Sadness)

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 28. 

 28. ^[SC,p.252]   Ὅταν θυμὸν ἢ ἐπιθυμίαν νύκτωρ συνταράξαι μὴ δυνηθῶσιν οἱ δαίμονες, τὸ τηνικαῦτα κενοδοξίας ἐνύπνια πλὰττουσι, καὶ εἰς βάραθρον λογισμῶν κατάγουσι τὴν ψυχήν.  Ἔστι δὲ αὐτῶν τὰ ἐνύπνια ὡς ἐν τύπῳ εἰπεῖν τοιαῦτα· πολλάκις ἑαυτόν τις ἑώρακεν  ἐπιτιμῶντα δαίμοσι καὶ πάθη τινὰ σωματικὰ θεραπεύοντα, ἢ σχῆμα ποιμαντικὸν περικείμενον καὶ νέμοντα ποίμνιον· καὶ διεγερθεὶς εὐθὺς ἱερωσύνης φαντασίαν λαμβάνει, καὶ τὰ ἐν ταύτῃ λοιπὸν πράγματα διαλογίζεται πανημέριον· ἢ ὡς μέλλοντος αὐτῷ δίδοσθαι χαρίσματος ἰαμάτων καὶ τὰ γινόμενα λοιπὸν σημεῖα προβλέπει καὶ ὅσοι ἐκ τῆς ὑπερορίας πρὸς αὐτὸν, ὑπὸ τῆς φήμης ἐλαυνόμενοι, παραγίνονται.  Πολλάκις δὲ εἰς λύπην ἀπαρηγόρητον τοὺς ἀναχωροῦντας ἐμβάλλουσι, δεικνύντες αὐτοῖς τινας τῶν ἰδίων νοσοῦντας κατὰ γῆν ἢ κατὰ θάλασσαν κινδυνεύοντας.  Ἔστι δὲ ὅτε καὶ αὐτοῖς τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς προμαντεύονται δι' ἐνυπνίων τοῦ μοναδικοῦ βίου ναυάγια, ἀπὸ ὑψηλῶν κλιμάκων ἀναβάντας αὐτοὺς καταστρέφοντες· καὶ τυφλοὺς πάλιν ποιοῦντες, ψηλαφῶντας τοὺς τοίχους.  Καὶ ἄλλα τινὰ μυρία τερατεύονται· ἤχοις τε τῶν ἀνέμωων συναποχρώενοι πρὸς ἐπιδημίαν δαιμόνων, ἢ ἀγρίων θηρίων· ἠ διηγήματα τινὰ διηγούμενοι πρὸς τὸ παραδραμεῖν τὰς τῶν συνάξεων ὥρας.  Οἷς οὐ δεῖ προσέχειν, ἀλλὰ νήφοντι τῷ λογισμῳ διελέγχειν αὐτοὺς πρὸς ἀπάτην καὶ πλάνην τῶν ψυχῶν ταῦτα ποιοῦντας.  Τὰ γὰρ ἐνύπνια τῶν ἀγγέλων οὔκ ἐστι τοιαῦτα, ἀλλὰ πολλὴν γαλήνην ἔχοντα τῆς ψυχῆς καὶ χαρὰν ἀνεκλάλητον καὶ στέρησιν μεθ' ἡμέραν λογισμῶν ἐμπαθῶν καὶ προσευχὴν καθαρὰν, καί τινας καὶ λόγους τῶν γεγονότων ἡμέρα ὑπὸ Κυρίου προκύπτοντας, καὶ τὴν τοῦ Κυρίου σοφίαν ἀποκαλύπτοντας·-

X

(That Dreams Enable Monks to Diagnose the State of the Soul)

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 29. IF one of the hermits is not disturbed by fantasies during sleep [or] by terrifying or lustful visions, but instead is angered by the shameful fantasies tempting him in dreams, and strikes at them, and also while [in dreams] touching women’s bodies as if to heal them - for the demons depict this too - if he then experiences no heat but rather counsels some of them concerning chastity, truly blessed is he for such a level of apatheia!

 29.^[SC,p.254]   Εἴ τις τῶν ἀναχωρούντων ἐν ταῖς καθ' ὕπνον φανασίαις ἐπι τοῖς φοβεροῖς ἢ πορνικοῖς μὴ ἐκταράσσοιτο φάσμασιν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ὀργίζοιτο ἐπὶ ταῖς αἰσχρῶς ἴουσαις {σιξ} αὐτῷ, καὶ τ' ἅπτοι {̣} ταύτας καὶ ἐφαπτόμενος πάλιν γυναικείων σωμάτων ἕνεκεν θεραπείας.  Δεικνύουσι γὰρ καὶ οὕτως οἱ δαίμονες, μὴ ἐκθερμαίνοιτο· τινὰς δὲ αὐτῶν μᾶλλον καὶ νουθετοίη περὶ σωφροσύνης.  Οὗτος ὄντως μακάριος τῆς τοιαύτης ἀπαθείας ἐστί. 

FOR the soul that has succeeded in asceticism (praktike) with God’s help and is [thus] released from the body, attains those places of knowledge where the wing of apatheia give it rest: then it will receive also the wings of that holy Dove and will take flight through the contemplation of all the ages and will find rest in the knowledge of the adorable Trinity. (KG 2.4 & 2.6)

X

(The Thoughts which are Obstacles to Good Deeds and Those which Pervert Them)

̈

 30. 

 30. ^[SC,p.256] Τῶν ἀκαθάρτν λογισμῶν οἱ μὲν θεωροῦνται ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ τῆς ἀρετῆς· οἱ δὲ παρὰ τὴν ὁδόν.  Καὶ ὅσοι μὲν τὰς ἐντολὰς τοῦ Θεοῦ γενέσθαι κωλύουσιν, οὗτοι παὰ τ̀ν ὁδὸν διατρίβουσιν· ὃσοι δ' αὖ πάλιν μὴ γενέσθαι μὲν αὐτὰς οὐ πείθουσι, γινομένας δὲ πρὸς τὸ φανῆναι τοῖς ἀνθρώποις ὑποβάλλουσι γίνεσθαι, οὗτοι πάντες ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ θεωροῦνται τὸν σκοπὸν ἡμῶν ἢ τὸν τρόπον καθ' ὃν δεῖ γνέσθαι τὴν ἐντολὴν διαφθείροντες.  Ὅθεν ἀνάγκη τὸν ποιοῦντα τὴν ἐντολὴν, διὰ τὸν Κύριον ποιεῖν, καὶ ἱλαρῶς αὐτὴν κτεργάζεσθαι·  ̧  Ὁ γὰρ ἐλεῶν, εἶπεν, ἐν ἱλαρότητι ς. [Ρομ 12·8] Τί γὰρ ὄφελος ἐὰν ἐκδύσωμαι τὸν τῆς πλεονεξίας λογισμὸν δι' εὐποιΐας, καὶ τὸν τῆς γαστριμαργίας δι' ἐγκρατείας· ἄλλους δὲ κενοδοξίας ἢ γογγυσμῶν ἐπενδύσωμαι λογισμούς;  Πάντως τοῦτό που πείσομαι κατὰ τὸν καιρὸν τῆς προσευχῆς καὶ ὑπὸ τούτων·  ὅπερ ἄν μοι καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν πρώτων ἐκείνων συνέβῃ λογισμῶν, τὸ ἐκπεσεῖν του φωτὸς τοῦ κατὰ τὸν καιρὸν τῆς προσευχῆς τὸν νοῦν περιλάμποντος .  Περὶ τούτων δὲ τῶν λογισμῶν καὶ ὁ μακάριος γράφει Δαυίδ· ̧  Ἐν ὁδῷ ταύτῃ ᾗ ἐπορευόμην ἔκρυψαν παγίδα μοι.ς  [Πσ 141·4] Κ αὶ πάλιν· ̧ Σχοινία διέτειναν παγίδα τοῖς ποσί μου· ἐχόμενα τρίβου σκάνδαλον ἔθεντό μοι. ς [Πσ 139·6]  τὸ γάρ ἐχόμενα, τὸ ἐγγὺς τῆς τρίβου σημαίνειν μοι φαίνεται·-

c31

Various Types of Thoughts and What Opposes Them

 ^{[40.1240α] ΞΕ'. [SC,p.260]}

 31.THERE are three thoughts [logismoi] opposed to the demonic thought [logismoi] that  cut it off when it lingers in the nous: [1] angelic [thought]; [2]  that which arises from our free choice when it inclines to what is better; and [3] that which is provided by human nature, according to which gentiles love their own children and show honor to their parents.

31. Τῷ δαιμονιώδει λογισμῷ τρεῖς ἀντίκεινται λογισμοὶ, τέμνοντες αὐτὸν ἐν τῇ διανοιᾳ χρονίζοντα, ὄ τε ἀγγελικὸς, καὶ ὁ ἐκ τῆς ἡμετέρας προαιρέσεως ῥεπούσης ἐπὶ τὸ κρεῖττον, καὶ ὁ ἐκ τῆς ἀνθρωπίνης ἀναδιδόμενος φύσεως, καθ' ὃν κινούμενοι καὶ ἐθνικοὶ ἀγαπῶσι τὰ ἴδια τέκνα, καὶ τοὺς ἑαυτῶν τιμῶσι γονεῖς. 

No evil [tempting-] thought originates from [our] nature, for we were not created evil in the beginning, if indeed the Lord sowed good seed in his own field (cf.Mt.13:24). For the fact that we are capable of something, does not necessarily mean that we we also have the power to do it: since although we are able to cease existing, we do not possess the power of non-existence, if indeed powers are qualities and non-existence is not a quality.

 Ἐκ δὲ τῆς φύσεως οὐδεὶς ἐξέρχεται λογισμὸς πονηρός.   ^[SC,p.262]  Οὐ γὰρ ἀπαρχῆς γεγόναμεν πονηροὶ, εἴπερ καλὸν σπέρμα ἔσπειρεν ὁ Κύριος ἐν τῷ ἰδίῳ ἀγρῷ.  Οὐ γὰρ εἴ τινος δεκτικοί ἐσμεν, τούτου πάντως καὶ τὴν δύναμιν ἔχομεν· ἐπεὶ καὶ μὴ εἶαι δυνάμενοι, τοῦ μὴ ὄντος οὐκ ἔχομεν δύναμιν, εἴπερ αἱ δυνάμεις ^[40.1240β] ποιότητές εἰσι, τὸ δὲ μὴ ὂν οὐκ ἔστι ποιότης. 

There was [a time] when evil did not exist, and there will be [a time] when it no longer exists: for the seeds of virtue are indestructible. And I am convinced by that rich man who was condemned to hell, and who felt compassion for his brothers (Luke 16:19-31). For to have pity is a very beautiful seed of virtue. [cf Sch 62 in Prov 5:14; KG 1.40 ; ]

Ην γὰρ ὅτε οὐκ ἧν κακία, καὶ ἔσται ὅτε οὐκ ἔσται.  Ἀνεξάλειπτα γὰρ τὰ σπέρματα τῆς ἀρετῆς·  πείθει δέ με καὶ ὁ πλούσιος ἐκεῖνος ἐν τοῖς Εὐαγγελίοις, κατὰ τὸν ᾅδην κρινόμενος, καὶ οἰκτείρων τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς, τὸ δὲ ἐλεεῖν, σπέρμα τυγχάνει τὸ κάλλιστον τῆς ἀρετῆς.

32

(Remain vigilantly opposed to functions which excite irritability)

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 32.  Very like somatic effects described in Antirrheticus

 32.  ^[SC,p.262] Εἴ τις καθαρᾶς ἐφίεται προσευχῆς καὶ νοῦν ἄνευ λογισμῶν προσάγειν Θεῷ, κρατείτω θυμοῦ καὶ τοὺς ἐκ τούτου γεννωμένους τηρείτω λογισμοὺς· λέγω δὴ τοὺς ἐξ ὑπονοίας καὶ μίσους καὶ μνησικακίας ἐπισυμβαίνοντας, οἵτινες μάλ ιστα τυφλοῦσι τὸν νοῦν, καὶ τὴν οὐράνιον αὐτοῦ κατάσατασιν διαφθείρουσι.  Τοῦτο γὰρ ἡμῖν καὶ ὁ ἅγιος Παϋλος παρῄνεσεν· ἐπαίρειν, φησὶ, πρὸς Κυρίον ὁσίους χεῖρας χῶρὶς ὀργῆς καὶ διαλογισμῶν.  [1Τιμ 2·8]  Ἀλλὰ κακὴ συνηθεια τοῖς ἀποτασσομένοις παρηκολούθησεν, καὶ οἱ μετὰ τῶν οἰκείων πολλάκις δικαζόμενοι μάχονται χρημάτων ἕνεκεν ἢ κτημάτων ὀφειλόντων  χορηγηθῆναι τοῖς πένησιν· [φο164ῃ] οὗτοι κατὰ τὸν ἡμέτερον λόγον ὑπὸ δαιμόνων ἐμπαίζονται, καὶ στενοτέραν αὐτοῖς τὴν ὁδὸν τοῦ μοναδικοῦ βίου κατασκευάζουσι, θυμὸν ὑπὲρ χρημάτων ἀναπτοντες καὶ αὖθις χηρ́μασι κατασβέσαι σπουδάζοντες, ὡς εἴ τις περόνη τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς ἔνυσσεν, ἵνα κολλύριον βάλοι.  Πωλῆσαι γὰρ τὰ ὑπάρχοντα καὶ δοῦναι πτωχοῖς ὁ Κύριος ἡμῶν προσέταξεν, [Μτ. 19·21] ἀλλ' οὐ μέντοι μετὰ μάχης καὶ δίκης.  Δοῦλον γὰρ Κυρίου οὐ δεῖ μάχεσθαι, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῷ θέλοντι ὑπὲρ τοῦ χιτῶνος αὐτῷ δικάσασθαι. [Μτ 5·40]  Χρὴ προσθῆναι καὶ τὴν ἑτέραν, καὶ σπουδάσαι λοιπὸν οὐχ ὅπως λαβὼν ἀπέλθῃ τὰ χρήματα, ἀλλ' ὅπως μὴ μνησικακίας λογισμοῖς περιπεσὼν ἀποθάνῃ εἴπερ ̧ ὁδοὶ μνησικάκων εἰς θάνατον ς [Προῃ 12·28] ἄγουσι κατὰ τὸν σοφὸν Σολομῶντα.  Πλὴν ἴστω πᾶς ὁ κατέχων τοιαῦτα χρήματα, ὅτι τυφλῶν καὶ χολῶν καὶ λεπρῶν ἥρπασε τροφὰς καὶ τὴν σκέπην καὶ λόγον ὀφείλει τῷ Κυρίῳ ἐν ἡμέρᾳ κρίσεως·-

X

(Demonic Activities with regard to Those who Read)

̈

It even attains to causing them to yawn in an abnormal manner and plunges them into a sleep very different from ordinary sleep. some of the brethren have imagined that it is a response to something indescribable [but] according to nature.

 ἔστι δ' ὅτε καὶ παρὰ τὴν συνήθειαν χασμᾶσθαι καταναγκάζοντες, καὶ ὔπνον βαρύτατον ἐπιβάλλοντες, πολὺ τοῦ συνήθους ἀλλότριον· ὡς μέν τινες τῶν ἀδελφῶν ἐφαντάσθησαν, κατα φυσικὴν ἀντίθεσιν ἄῤῥητον·

However, I have often observed and here is what I have understood:  they touch the eyelids and all the head, and cool it through contact with their own bodies; because the bodies of demons are extremely cold and similar to ice. (KG 6.25, cf.KG 2.51; KG 1.68; )

οὕτω δὲ ἐγὼ παρατηρήσας πολλάκις, κατέμαθον· ἐφαπτόμενοι τῶν βλεφάρων καὶ ὅλης τῆς κεφαλῆς, καὶ ταύτην τῷ οἰκείῳ σώματι καταψύχοντες· ψυχρὰ γὰρ λίαν τὰ τῶν δαιμόνων σώματα, καὶ κρυστάλλῳ παρεμφερῆ·

And nevertheless natural sleep reheats body regular and renders faces of well supporting people whole florissants, as one can to insure some by the experience

καίτοι ὁ φυσικὸς ὕπνος θερμαίνειν μὲν τὰ σώματα πέφυκε, καὶ τῶν ὑγιαινόντων τὰς ὄψεις ἀνθηρὰς ἀπεργάζεται, ὡς ἔστι καὶ ἀπ' αὐτῆς τῆς πειρας μαθεῖν τὰς δὲ παρὰ φύσιν καὶ διατεταμένας, χάσμα ποιοῦσι, λεπτύνοντες ἑαυτοὺς, καὶ τῶν ἔνδον τοῦ στόματος ἐφαπτόμενοι.

̓αλλὰ τοῦτο μὲν ἐγὼ μέχρι τῆς σήμερον οὐκ ἐνόησα, καίτοι πολλάκις αὐτὸ πεπονθώς· τοῦ δὲ ἁγίου Μακαρίου ἤκουσα τοῦτό μοι λελαληκότος, καὶ εἰς ἀπόδειξιν φέροντος, του σφραγίζειν τοὺς χασμωμένους τὸ στόμα, κατὰ ἀρχαίαν παράδοσιν ἄρῥητον.  Ταῦτα δὲ πάντα πάσχομεν, διὰ τὸ μὴ προσέχειν νηφόντως ἡμᾶς τῇ ἀναγώσει, μηδὲ μεμνὴσθαι, ὅτι λόγια ἅγια Θεοῦ ζῶντος ἀναγινώσκομεν.

X

(The Succession of Demons)

̈

 34 ^{[40.1241α].[SC,p.270]}    Ἐπειδὴ δὲ γίνονται καὶ διαδοχαὶ τῶν δαιμόνων, τοῦπρώτου κατὰ τὸν πόλεμον ἀσθενήσαντος, καὶ τὸ προσφιλὲς αὐτῷ πάθος κινῆσαι μὴ δυναμένου, ταύτας παρατηρήσαντες, εὑρίσκομεν οὕτως·   Ὅταν πάθους τινὸς ἐν χρόνῳ πολλῷ σπανίσωσι λογισμοὶ, καὶ γένηται αἰφνίδιος τούτου ζέσις καὶ κίνησις, ἡμῶν μηδεμίαν ἀφορμὴν δεδωκότων ἐξ ἀμελείας, τότε γινώσκομεν, ὅτι χαλεπτώτερος ἡμᾶς τοῦ προτέρου διεδέξατο δαίμων, καὶ τὸν τόπον τοῦ πεφευγότος οὗτος τηρῶν, οἰκειᾳ πονηριᾳ, προσανεπλήρωσεν,  Ἀλλὰ καὶ οὕτος τῆς ψυχῆς ἡμῶν πάνυ συνίησι, πολλῷ σφοδρότερον παρὰ τὴν συνήθειαν πολεμούμενος, καὶ τῶν χθὲς καὶ τρίτην ἡμέραν λογισμῶν ἀθρόως ἐκπεπτωκὼς, μηδεμιᾶς ἔξωθεν παρεμπεσούσης προφάσεως. 

Φευγέτω ^[SC,p.272] τοίνυν ὁ νοῦς ταῦτα θεώμενος πρὸς τὸν κύριον, τὴν περικεφαλαίαν τοῦ σωτηρίου δεξάμενος καὶ τὸν θώρακα τῆς δικαιοσύνης ἐνδυσάμενος καὶ τὴν μάχαιραν σπασάμενος τοῦ πνεύματος καὶ τὸν θυρεὸν κουφίσας τῆς πίστεως, λεγέτω εἰς τὸν οἰκεῖον μετὰ δακρύων οὐρανὸν ἀναβλέψας· ̧Κύριες Χριστέ, ̧δύναμις τῆς σωτηρίας μους, ̧κλῖνον πρός με τὸ οὖς σου, τάχυνον τοῦ ἐξελέσθαι με, γενοῦ μοι εἰς θεὸν ὑπερασπιστὴν καὶ εἰς τόπον καταφυγῆς τοῦ σῶσαί με.ς Μάλιστα δὲ νηστείαις καὶ ἀγρυπνίαις στιλβωσάτω τὴν μάχαιραν· ἐν ἑπτα' γὰρ ὅλαις ἡμέραις θλιβήσεται πολεμούμενος καὶ βαλλόμενος τοῖς πεπυρωμένοις βέλεσι τοῦ πονηροῦ, καὶ μετὰ τὴν ἑβδόμην γνώσεται αὐτὸν ὅμοιον κατ' ὀλίγον τ&͂ διαδεχθέντι γενόμενον καὶ παραμένοντα λοιπὸν ἐν ὅλ& ἐνιαυτ&͂, τὰ πολλὰ τιτρωσκόμενον μᾶλλον ἤπερ τιτρώσκοντα, μέχρις ἂν καὶ ὁτοῦτον διαδεχόμενος παραγένηται, εἴγε χρόνον τακτὸν κατὰ τὸν  Ἰὼβ πίπτομεν ὑπ' αὐτοὺς καὶ οἱ οἶκοι ἡμῶν ἐκπορθοῦνται ὑπὸ ἀνόμων.

35

(The Temptation to excessive asceticism)

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 35. 

 ^[79.1229β]  35. ^[SC,p.272]   Ὅταν ὁ τῆς γαστριμαργίας πολλὰ καὶ πολλάκις ἀγωνισάμενος αίμων μὴ ἰσχύσῃ διαθεῖραι τὴν τετυπωμένην ἐγκράτειαν, τότε εἰς ἐπιθυμίαν ἀσκήσεως ἀκροτάτης ἐμβάλλει τὸν νοῦν, ἐξ ὧν καὶ τὰ περὶ τὸν Δανιὴλ εἰς μέσον φέρει, τὴν πενιχρὰν ἐκείνην ζωὴν, καὶ τὰ σπέρματα, καί τινν ἅλλων ἀναχωρητῶν μνημονεύει βεβιωκότων διὰ παντὸς οὕτως, ἢ ἀρξαμένων, καὶ τούτων μιμητὴν γενέσθαι ^[79.1229ξ] καταναγκάζει· ἵνα τὴν ἅμετρον διώκων ἐγκράτειαν, ἀποτύχῃ καὶ τῆς συμμετρίας τοῦ σώματος μὴ ἐπαρκέσαντος διὰ καταρώμενος τῇ καρδίᾳ· ᾧ μὴ πείθεσθαι δίκαιον τούτους νομίζω, μηδὲ ἀπέχεσθαι ἄρτου, καὶ ἐλαιου, καὶ ὕδατος.  Ταύτην γὰρ τὴν δίαιταν πάνυ καλλίστην οἱ ἀδελφοὶ πεπειράκασι, καὶ τοῦτο οὐ πρὸς κόρον καὶ ἅπαξ εἰς τὴν ἡμέραν. 

Θαυμάζω γὰρ εἴ τις, ἄρτου καὶ ὕδατος κορεννύμενος, δυνήσεται τὸν τῆς ἀπαθείας ὑποδέξασθαι στέφανον.  Ἀπάθειαν δὲ λέγω, οὐ τὴν κατάλυσιν τῆς κατ̓ ἐνέργειαν ἁμαρτίας, αὕτη γὰρ ἐγκράτεια λέγεται, ἀλλὰ τὴν ατὰ διάνοιαν τοὺς ἐμπαθεῖς λογισμοὺς περικοπτουσαν, ἥντινα καὶ πνυματικὴν περιτομὴν τοῦ κρυπτοῦ  Ἰουδαίου ὁ ἅγιος Παῦλος ὠνόμασεν.  Εἰ δὲ ^[79.1229d] ἀθυμεῖ τις ἐπὶ τοῖς λεχθθεῖσι, μνημονευσάτω τοῦ σκεύους τῆς ἐκλογῆς,  Ἀποστόλου, ἐν λιμῷ καὶ δίψει τὸν δρόμον τελέσαντος.  Μιμεῖται δὲ καὶ ὁ της ἀληθείας ἀντίπαλος ὁ τῆς ἀκηδίας δαίμων τοῦτον τὸν δαίμονα, ἀκροτάτην ἀναχώρησιν τῷ καρτερικῷ ὑποβάλλων, εἰς ζῆλον προσκαλούμενος  Ἰωάννου τοῦ Βαπτιστοῦ, καὶ τῆς ἀπαρχῆς τῶν ἀναχωρητῶν  Ἀντωνίου, ἵνα, μὴ βαστάσας τὴν χρονίαν, καὶ ἀάνθρωπον ἀναχώρησιν, φύγῃ μετ' αἰσχύνης, τὸν τόπον καταλιπὼν, καὶ αὐτὸς λοιπὸν καυχώμενος εἴπῃ, ̧  Ἴσχυσα πρὸς αὐτόν. ς

X

(The Matter of Thoughts)

̈

 36.

 ^[79.1232α]  36. ^[SC,p.276]  Οἱ μὲν ἀκάθαρτοι λογισμοὶ εἰς αὔξησιν ὕλας εἰςδέχονται, καὶ πολλοῖς συμπαρεκτείνονται πράγμασι· καὶ γὰρ πελάγη κατὰ διάνοιαν περῶσι μεγάλα, καὶ μακρὰς ὁδοὺς ὁδεύειν οὐ παραιτοῦνται διὰ πολλὴν τοῦ πάθους θερμότητα· οἱ δὲ ὁπωσοῦν κεκαθαρμένοι, στενώτεροι τούτων μᾶλλόν εἰσι, συμπαρεκτείνεσθαι πράγμασι μὴ δυνάμενοι διὰ τὴν τοῦ πάθους ἀσθένειαν, ὅθεν καὶ παρὰ φύσιν μᾶλλον κινοῦνται, καὶ κατὰ τὸν σοφὸν Σολομῶντα, χρόνον τινὰ ἔξω ῥέμβοντες, καὶ καλάμην συνάγουσιν εἰς τὴν παράνομον πλινθουργίαν, ἵνα σώζωνται ὥσπερ δορκὰς ἐκ βρόχων, καὶ ὥσπερ ὄρνεον ἐκ παγίδος.  Ῥᾷον γὰρ ἀκάθαρτον καθάραι ψυχὴν, ἢ καθαρθεῖσαν, καὶ πάλιν ^[79.1232β] θραυματισθεῖσαν εἰς ὑγείαν αὖθις ἀνακαλέσασθαι, τοῦ δαίμονος τῆς λύπης μὴ συγχωροῦντος, ἀλλ' ἀεὶ ταῖς κόραις κατὰ τὸν καιρὸν τῆς προσευχῆς τὸ τῆς ἁμαρτίας προσφέροντος εἴδωλον.