x00_Prologuex

PROLOGUE

PG 79.1093.49  ΚΕΦΑΛ.  Αʹ.}

[1] THOSE who inhabit the heavenly country through their efforts are neither distracted by the stomach, nor intent on perishable goods,  like those who offer prayers for their own gain, imagining that piety is gain’ (1Tim. 6: 5). Instead, by means of a noetic vision they take part in a nourishing light from the highest realities, like the undefiled company surrounded by the radiance from the light of the  glory.

Οἱ τὸν οὐράνιον χῶρον νεμόμενοι τοῖς πόνοις, οὐ τῇ γαστρὶ, οὐδὲ τῇ μερίμνῃ τῶν φθαρτῶν ἀτενίζουσι·  ^79.1096  καθάπερ οἱ κέρδους ἕνεκα τὰς εὐχὰς ποιούμενοι νομίζοντες πορισμὸν εἶναι τὴν εὐσέβειαν, ἀλλὰ νοερᾷ ὁράσει τῆς τροφίμου τῶν ὑψηλῶν αὐγῆς μεταλαμβάνουσιν ὥς ἀκήρατοι θίασοι ἐκ τῆς δόξης τὸ φῶς περιλαμπόμενοι. 

Having restrained the wiles of the flesh with the sharp instrument of ascetic labours, you choose me to be the voice of your works against the flesh, and if it were not foolhardy to break an injunction of charity, I would refuse to sail on this voyage. But since it is all the more incumbent on me to be persuaded by those of like mind, rather than to oppose them, help me in those things which pertain to God that [i o96B] speech may be given me when I open my mouth (cf. Eph. 6: 19), and for my part I will assist you in the matters of obedience that it may be given to you to harvest the fruits of what you have sown.

, ὥσπερ τὰς μεθοδείας τῷ κέντρῳ τῶν πόνων κατειληφὼς, ἐμὲ προχειρίζῃ στόμα σῶν ἔργων κατ' αὐτῶν γενέσθαι, καὶ εἰ μὴ τολμηρὸν ἀγάπης ἐπίταγμα διαῤῥῆξαι, παρητησάμην ἂν τὴν τοιαύτην τοῦ πλοὸς ποντοπορίαν· ἐπειδὴ δὲ πείθεσθαι δεῖ μᾶλλον τοῖς ὁμοψύχοις, οὐκ ἀντιτάσσεσθαι· ἔσο μοι σὺ τὰ πρὸς τὸν  Θεὸν, ἵνα μοι δοθῇ λόγος ἐν ἀνοίξει τοῦ στόματός μου, κἀγώ σοι ἔσομαι τὰ τῆς ὑπακοῆς, ἵνα δοθῇ σοι τοῦ σπόρου τοὺς καρποὺς ἀμήσασθαι.

PART ONE
Monastic Life as a struggle Against Vice

o1

CHAPTER 1
Praise of Voluntary Exile

PG 79.1096.21 - 79.1097.9 ΚΕΦΑΛ.  Βʹ. 

   .4 For if in this way someone should find himself engaged in the most demanding competitions, preserving this exile safe and sound by the goal of perseverance, with the gilded wing of virtue he will take flight from his own familiar haunts and make haste to fly away towards heaven itself (cf. Ps. S4: 7).5  .6

ἔμπροσθεν τῶν λαμπρῶν ἑστηκὼς ἀγώνων· ἂν οὕτως ἄρξῃ κατὰ  Θεὸν εἰς ἀρχῆς ὁδὸν βαδίζων πίστει διαπύρῳ, καὶ  Πνεύματι θεϊκῷ, καὶ τῷ τέλει τῆς ὑπομονῆς σώαν ταύτην ἀποσώζων, πτέρυξιν ἀρετῆς ἔσται περικεχρυσωμένη ψυχὴ τῶν οἰκείων τόπων ἀφισταμένη, καὶ πρὸς αὐτὸν πτῆναι τὸν οὐρανὸν ἐπειγομένη.

But if all alone one should stand ready in the wrestling school of the desert and if the body should in some way happen to be impaired by ill­ness, then does the devil present voluntary exile to the soul as especially difficult, suggesting that the tasks of virtue can be performed not (merely) in a particular place, but by a manner of life, and that at home with the consolation of family it could attain the prizes of freedom from posses­sions with less weariness; there it would have a pleasant service [i o96D] for its weakness, and not misery and painful despondency as it now has, because the zeal for hospitality is especially lacking in the brotherhood.

 Εἰ δὲ κατὰ μόνας παρατάττοιτο ἐν τῇ τῆς ἐρημίας παλαίστρᾳ, καὶ τύχῃ τὸ σῶμα ὑπὸ ἀῤῥωστίας τρωθῆναι τοσούτῳ μᾶλλον χαλεπὴν ἐπιδείκνυσι τῇ ψυχῇ τὴν ξενιτείαν. οὐκ ἐν τόπῳ, ἀλλ' ἐν τρόπῳ κατορθοῦσθαι τὰ τῶν ἀρετῶν ὑποβάλλων, καὶ ὅτι παράκλησιν ἔχων οἴκοι τὴν ἀπὸ γένους, ἐκεῖσε τὰ τῆς ἀποτάξεως ἆθλα ἀκόπως εἶχε διασώζειν· ἔνθα καὶ τῆς ἀσθενείας προσηνὴς ὑπηρεσία, καὶ οὐχ ὡς νῦν κακουχία, καὶ ἐπώδυνος λειποθυμία· ἐν τῷ καὶ μάλιστα ἐκ τῆς ἀδελφότητος σπανίσαι τὴν τῆς φιλοξενίας σπουδήν· διὸ καὶ μάλιστα,

But he who is clothed in the purple of afflictions, that is, in persever­ance, in the battle line of voluntary exile, and is surrounded with faith in regard to hopes in ascetic labours, will with unceasing thanksgiving [i o97A] shake off the raindrops of these thoughts from his inner self; and the more they should compel the heart to turn back, all the more shall we still flee and chant against them: `Behold, I have fled far away, and taken lodging in the desert; I waited for God, who saves me from fainthearted­ness and tempest’ (Ps. S4: 8). For the thoughts bring on temptations, they coax (the heart) into turning back and they afflict it with reproaches so as to drain it of its resolution and to cut it off from its perseverance in thanksgiving; and so they then set their snares abroad with complete freedom beyond what is seemly. [1097131

. Ἀλλ' ὁ τὴν πορφύραν τῶν θλίψεων ἐν τῇ παρατάξει τῆς ξενιτείας περιβεβλημένος, καὶ τῶν κόπων τὰς ἐλπίδας περιεστεμμένος πίστει, ὑπομονῇ    79.1097 τῆς εὐχαριστίας τῶνδε τῶν λογισμῶν τὰς νιφάδας ἐκ τῶν ἐκτὸς ἐκτινάσσει, καὶ ὅσῳπερ ὑποστρέφειν τὴν καρδίαν διορύττουσι, τοσοῦτον ἔτι μᾶλλον καταψάλλωμεν αὐτῶν· "6̓Ιδοὺ ἐμάκρυνα φυγαδεύων, καὶ ηὐλίσθην ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ·"6 καὶ γὰρ ὀνειδίζοντες θλίβουσι, καὶ τραπῆναι κολακεύουσιν, ἵνα τῆς προθέσεως κενώσαντες, καὶ τῆς ἐν τῇ ὑπομονῇ εὐχαριστίας διακόψωσιν, καὶ οὕτω λοιπὸν τὰς πάγας μετὰ πολλῆς ἀδείας, καὶ ἐκ τῶν προσηκόντων εὐρύνωσι.

2

 CHAPTER 2 [3]
 Virtue Defined as Combat

PG 79.1097.13 - 79.1097.44. ΚΕΦΑΛ.  Γʹ.

2.[3]. For this reason the one beginning to lay hold of such virtue should calculate the combat declared against it, lest, surprisedwithout training, he does not bite the dust as one unprepared.

   Διὰ τοῦτο ὁ ἀρχόμενος ἀρετῆς ἐφάπτεσθαι, ψηφιζέτω καὶ τὸν κατ' αὐτῆς ἐπιόντα πόλεμον, ἵνα μὴ ἀγύμναστος ὀφθεὶς ὡς ἀνέτοιμος κατασπασθῇ.

Therefore, the practice of ascetic labours is praiseworthy when there is peace, but bravery in these is eminently praiseworthy when warfare arises.

Ἐπαινετὴ μὲν γὰρ τῆς ἀρετῆς ἡ ἀνδρεία καὶ εἰρήνης οὔσης, ὑπερεπαινετὴ δὲ ἡ ταύτης ἀνδραγαθία, καὶ πολέμου ἐπιστάντος·

Genuine virtue consists in bringing forth perseverance as one’s weapon, not only for those circumstances in the course of which one is engaged in ascetic labours, but also for those evils in the course of which one is engaged in warfare; for impassible is the person who through very many battles has conquered passion, but caught in the passions is the one who says he has acquired virtue without warfare. For the evil of the opposing forces is ranged against the battle line of the virtuous army of ascetic labours. The heart that does not have experience of warfare is deprived of the state of virtue, for `virtue’ (areté) is the name of the action that comes from the word `deeds of valour’ (atisteia).

τοῦτο γὰρ ἡ ἀρετὴ, οὐ δι' ὧν ἐργάζεται μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ δι' ὧν πολεμεῖται δεινῶν,ἀπαθὴς ὁ διὰ πλείστων πολέμων τὸ πάσχειν νικήσας, ἐμπαθὴς δὲ ὁ ἀρετὴν λέγων ἀπολέμητον κεκτῆσθαι· κατὰ τὴν παράταξιν γὰρ τῆς ἐναρέτου τῶν πόνων στρατηγίας, ἀντιπαρατάττεται καὶ ἡ τῶν ἐναντίων κακία· ἀφῄρηται τὸ εἶναι ἐν ἀρετῇ καρδία πόλεμον οὐκ ἔχουσα. Ἀρετὴ γὰρ ἐκ τῶν ἀριστείων πρακτικὸν ὄνομα κέκληται.

Virtue does not seek people’s plaudits, [1097q for it takes no delight in honour, the mother of evils. Human esteem then is the beginning of honour and its end is pride, for the person who demands honours exalts himself and such a one does not know how to bear contempt.

 Ἀρετὴ τὰς παρ' ἀνθρώπων εὐφημίας οὐ ζητεῖ, οὐ γὰρ τέρπεται τιμῇ, τῇ μητρὶ τῶν κακῶν. Ἀρχὴ γοῦν τιμῆς ἀνθρωπαρέσκεια, τὸ δὲ τέλος ταύτης, ὑπερηφανία. Ὁ γὰρ τιμὰς ἀπαιτῶν, ὑψοῖ ἑαυτὸν, καὶ ἐξουδένωσιν φέρειν ὁ τοιοῦτος οὐκ οἶδε·

3

CHAPTER 3
Vanity Engenders Anger - Mother of Vices

xx

He who wishes to be honoured envies the one who surpasses him in fame and by this jealousy he piles up hatred towards his neighbours; overcome by too many honours, he wishes no one to be honoured above himself and he snatches away the first prize, for fear that he appear inferior. He does not tolerate an esteemed man who is honoured when he is absent, and even in the ascetic labours of the latter he seeks to ridicule [io97D] his lowly esteem. An offence is a truly mortal wound for the person who loves esteem and he can find no escape at all from the wrath that comes of it.

 ὁ τιμᾶσθαι θέλων τῷ παρευδοκιμοῦντι φθονεῖ.  Καὶ τούτῳ τὸ μῖσος τῷ ζήλῳ σωρεύει ὁ ταῖς ἄγαν τιμαῖς ἡττηθεὶς, ἑαυτοῦ προτιμᾶσθαι οὐδένα θέλει, ἁρπάζει δὲ τὰ πρωτεῖα, μήπως ἥττων φανῇ, οὐ βαστάζει ἀπόντα τὸν εὐδοκιμοῦντα τιμᾷν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐν τοῖς αὐτοῦ πόνοις κομωδεῖ τὴν χαμαίζηλον δόξαν, ἡ ὕβρις τῷ φιλοδόξῳ ὀξυτάτη σφαγὴ, καὶ μῆνιν ἐκ ταύτης οὐ πάντως ἐκφεύγει.

 [4]

PG 79.1097.49 - 79.1100.31 ΚΕΦΑΛ.  Δʹ.

Such a person is the slave of a barbarian mistress and has been sold to many masters-pride, jealousy, envy, and the aforemen­tioned elite among the spirits, but he who thrashes the spirit of honour with humility will destroy the entire legion of the demons (cf. Mark 5: 9; Luke 8:30); he who by humility presents himself to all as a servant will become like to the one who humbled himself and [i i ooA] took the form of a servant (Phil. z: 7).

  Ὁ τοιοῦτος, βαρβάρῳ δεσποίνῃ δουλεύει καὶ πολλοῖς δεσπόταις μετεπράθη, ἐπάρσει, καὶ φθόνῳ, καὶ ζήλῳ καὶ ταῖς προῤῥηθείσαις τῶν πνευμάτων λογάσιν, ὁ δὲ τῆς τιμῆς τὸ πνεῦμα ταπεινώσει ῥάσσων, τὸν λεγεῶνα τῶν δαιμόνων ὅλον καθαιρήσει, ὁ τῇ ταπεινώσει δοῦλον ἑαυτὸν πᾶσι παρέχων, ἀφωμοιωμένος ἔσται τῷ ταπεινώσαντι ἑαυτὸν, καὶ μορφὴν    79.1100 δούλου λαβόντι.

If you measure yourself by the lowest measure, you will not compare your measure to another. The person who discloses the weakness of his soul by his lamentations will not hold a high opinion of the ascetic labours he undertakes for himself, nor will he even give his attention to the faults of others; rather, such a person must find assurance in a different way.

 Ἐὰν μετρῇς τῷ ἐλαχίστῳ μέτρῳ σεαυτὸν, οὐκ ἀντιμετρήσῃς σεαυτὸν ἑταίρῳ, καὶ ὁ τῆς ψυχῆς τὴν ἀσθένειαν θρήνοις ἐκκαλύπτων, οὐ μέγα ἐπὶ τοῖς ἐφ' ἑαυτοῦ πονουμένοις φρονήσει. 

4

CHAPTER 4
Positivity in the Face of Insults

xx

When David was outraged he did not contradict, rather he kept back Abishai’s decision (2 Sam. 16:5 -14). And you, when you are outraged, do not abuse in turn; but instead appease the one who decides against on you.

 Ὁ  Δαβὶδ ὑβριζόμενος οὐκ ἀντέλεγεν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὴν Ἀβεσσᾶ ἐκδικίαν κατέστελλε.  Καὶ σὺ ὑβριζόμενος μὴ ἀνθύβριζε, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸν ἐκδικοῦντά σε ὀρθῶς καταπράϋνε·

Make no reply whatever to those who threaten, so that your silence may stifle the burning lips.  Then, when you put a curb on your mouth, you will have influence over those who threaten you and give offence. For if you remain silent, you will not be eaten up by the offence, but the other person is all the more bitten by your silence when you bear patiently with the insults of the arrogant man.

 ἀποκριθήσῃ τοῖς ἀπειλοῦσιν οὐδ' ὅλως, ἵνα τῇ σιγῇ κοιμίσῃς τὰ καπνίζοντα χείλη, ἀπειλοῦντας τότε καὶ ὑβριστὰς ὀδυνήσεις ὅταν χαλινοὺς σαῖς σιαγόσι ἐπιθήσῃς.  Σὺ μὲν γὰρ σιγῶν, οὐ βρωθήσῃ τῇ ὕβρει, ὁ δὲ πολὺ μᾶλλον δάκνεται ὑπὸ τῆς σῆς σιωπῆς, ἐπὰν ὑβριστοῦ θάρσος μακροθύμως ὑπενέγκῃς·

Shake off the praise of people from your inner self that you may also get rid of the thought of ostentation that precedes it. Watch out also for the thought of self-satisfaction, especially in your practice of stillness, lest once it has exalted you above the arrogant person it should spurn him. No one then is able to deny that there are many different exhortations from the divine scriptures regarding the prohibition of vengeance, but for the sake of more precise instruction I will also set forth an example.

τὸν τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἔπαινον ἐκ τῶν ἐντὸς ἀποσείου, ἵνα τὸν φιλενδείκτην λογισμὸν πρὸ αὐτοῦ ἐκτινάξῃς. Ἐπιτήρει δὲ καὶ τὸ αὐτάρεσκον μάλιστα καθ' ἡσυχίαν, μή ποτέ σε μεγαλύναν ὑπὲρ τὸν θρασυθέντα ἐξουδενώσῃς ἐκεῖνον. 

One of the brothers, having endured insult and injustice from a pious person, went away divided between joy and sadness: in the case of the former, because he experienced injustice and insult and returned not opposition; in the case of the latter, because the pious person was deceived and in caus­ing his deceit he felt joy at his expense. But consider that the Deceiver” also experienced the two feelings: [t looC] because on the one hand he certainly troubled the one who was experiencing joy and because on the other hand he did not trouble also the one who was sorely grieved.

Τὶς τῶν ἀδελφῶν ὕβρισται παρὰ εὐλαβοῦς, καὶ ἀδικίαν ὑπομείνας ἀπῄει χαρᾷ τε μεριζόμενος, καὶ λύπῃ, τὸ μὲν ὅτι ἀδικούμενος ὑβρίσθη καὶ οὐκ ἀντεταράχθη, τὸ δὲ ὅτι ὁ εὐλαβὴς ἠπατήθη καὶ ἀπατήσας ἐχάρη.  Νόει δέ μοι καὶ τὸν ἀπατεῶνα τὰ δύο πεπονθέναι ἐφ' ᾧ μὲν ἐτάραξε πάντως χαρέντα, ἐφ' ᾧ οὐκ ἀντεταράχθη, μᾶλλον λυπηθέντα.

 [5]

PG 79.1100.35 - 79.1101.5ΚΕΦΑΛ.  Εʹ.

When the demons see that we have not been inflamed to the boiling point of offences, then rising up in a moment of stillness they pry open the ruling faculty so that we may treat impudently in their absence those whom we treated irenically in their presence. Therefore, whenever you have issued a rebuttal or offence in response to your brother, consider yourself as the one completely at fault, lest even in your stillness you dis­cover a battle of thoughts in your heart: one thought reproaches you for the manner of the offences, another [i iooD] in turn reproaches you for not having replied with terrible offences.

  Ὅταν ἴδωσιν ἡμᾶς οἱ δαίμονες εἰς τὸ αὐτὸ ξέσμα τῶν ὕβρεων μὴ ἐξαφθέντας, τότε καθ' ἡσυχίαν ἐπιστάντες, ἀναμοχλεύουσι τὸ ἡγεμονικὸν, ἵνα οἷς παροῦσιν εἰρηνεύσαμεν, τούτοις ἀπιοῦσι διαθρασυνώμεθα. Ἐπὰν οὖν ἀντιλογίαν, ἢ ὕβριν πρὸς τὸν ἀδελφὸν ἐκτελέσῃς, σεαυτὸν λογίζου σφαλέντα, ἵνα μὴ ἡσυχάζων μάχην λογισμῶν ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ σου εὕρης, τοῦ μὲν ἐπονειδίζοντος τῶν ὕβρεων τὸν τρόπον, τοῦ δὲ ἀντονειδίζοντος ὡς τὰ δεινὰ καὶ σοῦ μὴ ἀνθυβρίσαντος.

Whenever a violent dispute embitters the brothers in a community, then the thoughts suggest considering the solitary blessed in order to exhaust their patience and separate them from charity. He who overturns anger with patience and sadness with charity overturns by two forms of valour two evil beasts that fight with ferocity. He who entreats on bended knee the one who caused the irritation in order to drive away the anger drives away both beasts, because he who brings peace to those who are angry makes war on the spirit of anger. And this spirit will be wrathful with him, emboldening the anger of his fellows against him, because he took upon himself the fight of his neighbours. [t ioi A]

 Ὁπόταν παροξυσμὸς ἐκπικράνῃ τοὺς ἐν κοινοβίῳ ἀδελφοὺς, τότε οἱ λογισμοὶ τὸν μόνον μακαρίζειν εἰσβάλλουσιν, ἵνα τῆς μακροθυμίας κενώσαντες, καὶ τῆς ἀγάπης ἀφορίσωσιν. Ὁ δὲ μακροθυμίᾳ τὴν ὀργὴν, καὶ ἀγάπῃ τὴν λύπην ἀνατρέπων, πονηροὺς δύο θῆρας διτταῖς ἀνδραγαθίαις ἀνατρέπει θυμομαχοῦντας· ὁ παρακαλῶν, καὶ γονυπετῶν, ἵνα τὴν ὀργὴν ἀπελάσῃ, τὸν παροξύναντα, τοὺς ἀμφοτέρους ἐξ αὐτοῦ ἀπελαύνει, ὅτι τὸ πνεῦμα τῆς ὀργῆς ἐκπολεμεῖ ὁ τοὺς ὀργιζομένους εἰρηνεύων· μηνιάσει δὲ τούτῳ ὀργὴν ὁμογενῶν ἐπ' αὐτῷ ἐκθρασύνων, ὅτι τὴν τῶν πλησίον εἰς ἑαυτὸν ἐδέξατο τὴν μάχην,

5

CHAPTER 5
Joy of Monastic Life - Source of Peace

xx

 [6]

KEFAL. ϛʹ.

When you unify the bond of this trinity of yours by means of peace, then, unified by the commandment of the divine Trinity, you will hear: `Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called sons of God’ (Matt. 5: 9). For if you pacify with ascetic labours the flesh which lusts against the spirit (cf. Gal. 5: 17), you will possess the glory of the Beatitudes for eter­nity, because you have won the war which is waged in your body against the law of your mind and which holds you captive [i toiB] by the law of sin which is in your members (Rom. 7: 23). Great is the bond of peace in which has also been united the joy that enlightens the eye of the intellect for the contemplation of the superior goods.

Οταν γὰρ τῆς σῆς ταύτης τριάδος τὸν σύνδεσμον ἑνώσῃς τῇ εἰρήνῃ, τότε ὡς τῆς θείας  Τριάδος ἐντολῇ ἑνωθεὶς ἀκούεις· "6Μακάριοι οἱ εἰρηνοποιοὶ, ὅτι αὐτοὶ υἱοὶ  Θεοῦ κληθήσονται."6  Καὶ γὰρ ἂν τὴν ἀντεπίθυμον τοῦ πνεύματος σάρκα εἰρηνεύσης τοῖς πόνοις, κλέος ἕξεις τῶν μακαρισμῶν ἐπέκεινα αἰῶνος, νικήσας πόλεμον τὸν ἐν τῷ σώματί σου τὸν ἀντιστρατευόμενον τῷ νόμῳ τοῦ νοός σου, καὶ αἰχμαλωτίζοντά σε τῷ νόμῳ τῆς ἁμαρτίας τῷ ἐν τοῖς μέλεσί σου.  Μέγας ὁ τῆς εἰρήνης σύνδεσμος ἐν ᾧπερ ἥνωται καὶ ἡ χαρὰ φωτίζουσα τὸ ὄμμα τῆς διανοίας εἰς τὴν τῶν κρειττόνων θεωρίαν,

If indeed we acquire a peaceful joy in ascetic labours, we will thereby drive away subsequent difficulties with thanksgiving and we will not grant admittance to the bellowing demon of anger, who causes mutilations in the course of afflictions and attacks the soul especially and prepares the ground for the spirit of acedia so that they may (both) darken the soul and at the same time gather up its ascetic labours

εἴπερ οὖν ἐπικτησώμεθα τὴν εἰρηνικὴν ἐν τοῖς πόνοις χαρὰν, τὰ ἐπιόντα χαλεπὰ εὐχαρίστως δι' αὐτῆς ἀποκρουσόμεθα, καὶ τὸν τῆς λύπης δαίμονα μυκώμενον οὐκ εἰσδεξόμεθα, ὅστις, ἀκρωτηριάζων ἐν ταῖς θλίψεσι μάλιστα, τῇ ψυχῇ ἐφάλλεται, καὶ τῷ πνεύματι τῆς ἀκηδίας χώραν ἑτοιμάζεται ὅπως τὴν ψυχὴν σκοτίσωσι, καὶ ἅμα τοὺς πόνους ἀναλέξωσιν.

. Therefore, let the joy of peace be the law written on our heart, rooting out sadness, driving away hatred and destroying wrath, dissolving acedia; for hiding in peaceful forbearance [i ioiC] and thanksgiving and overflowing in perseverance, the joy of peace is a sea of virtues, drowning by the cross the resistance of the devil.

 Ἔστω τοίνυν νόμος ἡμῶν τῆς καρδίας ἔγγραφος ἡ τῆς εἰρήνης χαρὰ, καὶ τὴν λύπην καταποντίζουσα καὶ τὸ μῖσος ἀπελαύνουσα, καὶ τὴν μῆνιν ἀφανίζουσα, καὶ τὴν ἀκηδίαν καταλύουσα, καὶ τὴν λύπην ἀμείβουσα. Ἐν γὰρ τῇ εἰρηνικῇ μακροθυμίᾳ ἐμφωλεύουσα, καὶ τῇ εὐχαριστίᾳ, καὶ τῇ ὑπομονῇ ἐλλιμνάζουσα, πέλαγός ἐστιν ἀρετῶν τὴν ἀντιπαράταξιν τοῦ διαβόλου τῷ σταυρῷ καταποντίζουσα. 

6

CHAPTER 6
Distinctions Bewtween Joy and Sadness

xx

But note well that the contrary joy stands nearby with its troubling influence, lest, befuddled, you be deceived into mistaking one for the other. For the demons often take the form of spiritual charisms in order to lead the mind astray by obfuscation and make you lose your mindfulness.

Νόει δέ μοι τὴν ἐναντίαν χαρὰν τεταραγμένην ἐφίστασθαι, μή πως ἄλλην ἀντ' ἄλλης σκιασθεὶς ἀπατηθῇς κατέχειν.  Συσχηματίζονται γὰρ καὶ τοῖς πνευματικοῖς χαρίσμασιν οἱ δαίμονες ἵνα τῷ παρασκιάσματι τὸν νοῦν ἀποπλανήσαντες.

For demonic joy comes upon the heart when nothing stands in the way because it finds the guide to godly sadness distracted, and then it hands the soul over to the spirit of sadness because it has made it a captive of spiritual joy. [i ioiD]

τῶν φρενῶν ἀποστήσωσιν· ἐφίσταται γὰρ χαρὰ πνευματικὴ καρδίᾳ οὐδενὸς προκειμένου, ὅτι τὸν ἡγεμόνα τῆς κατὰ  Θεὸν λύπης μετέωρον εὐρίσκει, ἔπειτα δὲ, καὶ τῷ  Πνεύματι τῆς λύπης τὴν ψυχὴν παραδίδωσιν, ὅτι τῆς πνευματικῆς αὐτὴν χαρᾶς αἰχμάλωτον ἐποίησε.

[Sinc 7]  I say this as well, namely, as the experience of what we seek suggested to one of the brothers, that the destroyer introduces his own joy in place of joy in the Lord; and in place of godly sadness he tempts the mind with the contrary form of sadness in order to darken the soul with changes opposed to concern for superior goods.”

Φημὶ δὲ καὶ τοῦτο, ὡς ὑπηγόρευσέ τινι τῶν ἀδελφῶν ἡ πεῖρα τῶν ζητουμένων, ὅτι ἀντὶ μὲν τοῦ χαίρειν ἐν  Κυρίῳ, χαρὰν οἰκείαν ὁ ἀλάστωρ ἀντεισάγει. Ἀντὶ δὲ τῆς κατὰ  Θεὸν λύπης, τὴν ἐναντίαν τῷ νῷ παραπειράζει, ἵνα ταῖς ἀντιστρόφοις μεταβολαῖς τῆς τῶν κρειττόνων ἀκτῖνος μερίμναις τὴν ψυχὴν ἀμαυρώσῃ. 

There are two types of sadness arising from evil, which can be separated in each activity: one appears in the heart without any apparent cause for sadness, the other is force­fully begotten of unusual causes. [i io4A] Godly sadness calls the soul back with tears, refusing the joy and sadness of the opposing side, and it worries over approaching death and judgement; little by little it opens to accept this.

Διτταὶ τῆς κακίας αἱ λύπαι τυγχάνουσιν ἐν ἑκάστῃ ἐργασίᾳ ἐπιζευγμέναι, καὶ ἡ μὲν ἐφίσταται καρδίᾳ λυπηρᾶς αἰτίας οὐ βλεπομένης, ἡ δὲ τίκτεται ἐξ ἀλλοκότων αἰτιῶν ὠθουμένη, ἡ κατὰ  Θεὸν    79.1104 λύπη τοῖς δάκρυσι τὴν ψυχὴν ἀνακαλεῖται, τὴν ἀπεναντίας χαράν τε καὶ λύπην μὴ παραδεχομένη, τὸν δὲ ἐπιόντα θάνατον μεριμνᾷ, καὶ κρίσιν· καὶ τοῦτο κατ' ὀλίγον κέχηνε προσδεχομένη.

Frustrated desires produce plantings of sadness, but prayers and thanksgivings cause these to wither away.14 Sadness gets stirred up as an intermediary between angry persons. Therefore, if the first to regain sobriety recovers from the passion, he also gives his hand to the other in an apology, driving away the bitter sadness.’-’ Sadness is a disease of the soul and the flesh; it takes the former captive and it withers the latter on the spot.

̓Επιθυμίαι ἀποτυχοῦσαι φυτεύουσι λύπας· εὐχαὶ δὲ, καὶ εὐχαριστίαι μαραίνουσι ταύτας· μεταξὺ ὀργιζομένων μέση λύπη δονεῖται. Ὁ οὖν πρῶτος ἐκνήψας, ἐὰν τοῦ πάθους ἀναστῇ, καὶ τῷ ἑτέρῳ δώσῃ χεῖρα, ἀπολογίᾳ, τὴν πικρὰν λύπην ἀπελαύνει. 

Sadness is begotten of opposing forces; from sadness comes wrath, and from these is born madness and insults. If you want to trample under foot sadness and wrath, embrace perseverance in charity and wrap yourself in the joy of innocence.

Λύπη, ψυχῆς νόσος καὶ σαρκὸς τυγχάνει, καὶ τὴν μὲν αἰχμαλώτιδα αἵρει, τὴν δὲ ἐπὶ τόπῳ μαραίνει. Ἐξ ἐναντίων λύπη γεννᾶται, ἐκ δὲ λύπης μῆνις, τίκτεται δὲ ἐκ τούτων φρενῖτις, λοιδορία·

Let your joy [t 104B] not be sadness for another. He who rejoices in injustice will lament in good will,16 and he who endures sadness in suffering unjustly will experience a radiant glad­ness, for the future will be the opposite of the present.

λύπην καὶ μῆνιν εἰ θέλεις συμπατῆσαι, τὴν μακροθυμίαν τῆς ἀγάπης ἐναγκαλίζου, καὶ τὴν χαρὰν τῆς ἀκακίας περιβάλλου, ἡ σὴ χαρὰ ἑτέρῳ λύπη μὴ ἔστω· ἐπ' ἀδικίᾳ ὁ χαίρων ἐν εὐδοκίᾳ θρηνήσει, καὶ ὁ ὑποφέρων λύπας πάσχων ἀδίκως, λαμπρῶς ἀγαλλιάσεται· τὰ γὰρ μέλλοντα τοῖς παροῦσιν ἐναντία.

xx

CHAPTER 7 [7]
Acedia Attacks Psalmody & Prayer

ΚΕΦΑΛ. Η´. [1104B]

xx

In afflictions be especially thankful, because through them you will perceive more clearly the grace of assistance; for by thus shaking off with thanksgiving the afflictions that come upon you, you will not darken the most radiant beauty of perseverance. When the demon has cracked the whip against your flesh, it will be found to provide you with the greatest reward [t i o4C] if you accept the blow as a pretext for thanksgiving.

 Ἐν ταῖς θλίψεσιν εὐχάριστος ἔσο μάλιστα, ὅτι δι' αὐτῶν τῃς ἀντιλήψεως τὴν χάριν σαφέστερον αἰσθάνῃ. Οὕτω γὰρ τὰς ἐπιούσας θλίψεις εὐχαρίστως ἐκτινάσσων οὐκ ἀμαυρώσεις τῆς καρτερίας το λαμπρότατον κάλλος, ἐπάν σοι μάστιγα κατὰ σαρκὸς δαίμων καταῤῥάξῃ, μεγίστου σοι μισθοῦ πρόξενος εὑρέθη, ἐὰν ὑπόθεσιν εὐχαριστίας τὴν πληγὴν καταδέξῃ.

For in this way it will banish the demon himself from you. In order that your reward may rain upon you more abundantly through perseverance, let your perseverance serve as the commander through the course of all your counter-efforts of asceticism, because through every evil there is also ace­dia that commands the army opposing you, and spying out all your ascetic efforts it puts them to the test. And if it finds one that is not securely fixed to perseverance, it bears down upon it and overthrows it. But if the demon of acedia relents before the perseverance of your ascetic labours, then in turn the wild beast of presumption bites into your achievement. If therefore, apprehensive for your safety, you drive this away, you will drive away also the spirit of vainglory along with it.”

[1104C] Οὕτω γὰρ καὶ αὐτὸν ἐκ σοῦ φυγαδεύσεις. Ἵνα δὲ πλεῖον ὁ μισθός σου διὰ τῆς ὑπομονῆς ἐπομβρήσῃ, διόλων τῶν ἀνδρείων πόνων ἡ ὑπομονή σου στρατηγείτω, ὅτι διὰ πάσης κακίας, καὶ ἡ ἀκηδία ἀντιστρατηγεῖ σοι, καὶ κατασκοποῦσά σου τοὺς πόνους   ἅπαντας πειράζει, ὃν δὲ μὴ εὕρῃ τῇ ὑπομονῇ ἐνηλωμένον, τοῦτον καταβαρύνει ὑφ' ἑαυτὴν, καὶ κατακάμπτει, ἐὰν δὲ δαίμων τῆς ἀκηδίας πρὸς τὴν ὑπομονὴν τῶν πόνων ἀτονήσῃ, ἀπονοίας πάλιν ὁ θὴρ τὸ κατόρθωμα δάκνει· εἰ οὖν συνέσει τῆς ἀσφαλείας τοῦτο ἐλάσει, καὶ κενόδοξον πνεῦμα ἐν αὐτῷ ἐλάσεις. [1104C-D]

When the spirit of acedia assails you at the time of the synaxis it portrays to the soul that psalmody is burdensome and sets up hesitation as antagonist to eagerness, so that by a quick touch the flesh is given over to memory as if exhausted  for some reason

Ἐν καιρῷ συνάξεως  ἐπάν σοι τὸ τῆς ἀκηδίας ἐπιπέσῃ πνεῦμα, ὡς φορτικὴν ἐπιψηφίζει τῇ ψυχῇ τὴν ψαλμῳδίαν, καὶ τὸν ὄκνον ὡς ἀντίπαλον τῇ σπουδῇ παραβάλλει, [1104D] ἵνα ψαύσας τῷ τάχει τὴν σάρκα ἀνακλίνῃ τῇ μνήμῃ, ὡς κοπωθεῖσαν δῆθεν ἔκ τινος αἰτίας.

Therefore when we have kept watch by night, we should not give the synaxis [liturgical gathering] over to acedia, lest the demons come to gather [synaxosi] the weeds of the [tempting-]thoughts and sow them at once in the heart (cf. Mt 13.25).

 Ἐπὰν οὖν ἐγρηγορότες ὦμεν νυκτὸς μὴ τὴν σύναξιν τῇ ἀκηδίᾳ ἀνακλίνωμεν, ἵνα μὴ οἱ δαίμονες ἐπιστάντες τὰ ζιζάνια τῶν λογισμῶν συνάξωσι, καὶ ἅμα τῇ καρδίᾳ κατασπείρωσιν·

According to the deceits of the enemy it is proper for us, too, to transfigure ourselves  (cf 2Cor 11.4) for at times when acedia envelops the soul they suggest that we let let go of speech, while at other times when self-satisfaction hinders the soul they encourage us to melodious reading.

κατὰ γὰρ τὴν ἔνεδραν τοῦ ἐναντίου ἀνάγκη καὶ ἡμᾶς μεταμορφοῦσθαι, διότι ποτὲ μὲν ἐλαύνειν τὴν γλῶτταν ὑποτίθενται, τῆς ἀκηδίας τὴν ψυχὴν περιεχούσης, ποτὲ μελῳδεῖσθαι τὰς λέξεις ἐρεθίζουσι, τῆς αὐταπεσκείας τῇ ψυχῇ παρεμποδιζούσης.

When one arises for prayer the demon of acedia injects lethargy, but then when we pray or chant it disturbs us by pressing us to go faster: thus our souls are clouded and lack vigor for contemplation, especially when we arise in company with our enslaving [tempting-]thoughts and stand to make supplication together with them. [cf KG 4.47]

̔Ο τῆς ἀκηδίας δαίμων ἐν μὲν τῷ ἀνίστασθαι εἰς  ² προσευχὴν, ὄκνον ἐμποιεῖ· ἐν δὲ τῷ πάλιν προσεύχεσθαι ἢ ψαλμῳδεῖν, ³ κατεπήγων ταράττει· ἐντεῦθεν πρὸς τὴν θεωρίαν ὀφθαλμιῶσιν ἡμῶν ⁴ αἱ ψυχαὶ, καὶ ἄγωνοι καθίστανται μάλισθ' ὅτε συνόντες τῇ τῶν ⁵ λογισμῶν αἰχμαλωσίᾳ ἀνιστάμεθα, και μετ' αὐτῶν πρὸς ἱκεσίαν ⁶ παριστάμεθα. μ1 [Muyl-Evd.l.Vat. p.7]  (Fol. 108^V]

08

CHAPTER 8
Against Evil Thoughts

xx

But he who trains the soul in advance to be illumined with the most sublime thoughts cleanses beforehand the radiant monu­ment of prayer. He who strikes the heart with inappropriate thoughts stones the grape cluster of prayer with captivity.

Ὁ δὲ λογισμοῖς βελτίστοις τὴν ψυχὴν προγυμνάζων ⁷ ἐλλάμπεσθαι, τῆς εὐχῆς τὴν στήλην λαμπρὰν ἀποσμήχει· και ὁ ⁸ λογισμοῖς ἀτόποις τὴν καρδίαν πέων {πέσων̣}, τῆς εὐχης τὸν ⁹ βότρυν αἰχμαλωσίᾳ λιθάζει.^μ2

He who the more assidu­ously reflects the radiance of prayers takes captive the lower thoughts by means of the highest vision],22

Ὁ ἐκτενέστερον τὴν ἔλλαψιν τῶν ¹⁰ εὐχῶν ἐνοπτρίζομενος, τῇ ἀνωτάτω θέα τοὺς κάτω τούτους λογισμοὺς ¹¹ αἰχμαλωτίζει· ^μ3

as is the case when the intellectual eve receives as strength its nourishment from the light.For one who reaches out towards the vision of things on high will receive a more sharp-sighted eye, as Elisha the Prophet recounted (4 Kgs. z: 9-t z).

[resume PG] τοῦ νοεροῦ ὄμματος καθάπερ ἰσχὺν τὴν τροφὴν ἐκ τοῦ φωτὸς λαμβάνοντος . Ὁ γὰρ τῇ ὀπτασίᾳ τῷν ὑψηλῶν ἐπεκτεινόμενος ὀξυδερκέστερον ὄμμα λήψεται, κατὰ τὸ ὑπόδειγμα 'Ελισσαιέ.

Whenever a hostile thought comes upon your heart, do not seek to replace one thing with another through prayer, but rather, turn the sharpened sword of tears against your enemies, so that by rushing vigorously into battle you may the more quickly force him to withdraw from you.

Ὅταν λογισμός σου ἐπιστῇ καρδιᾳ πολέμιος, μὴ ἄλλα ἀντ' ἄλλων δι' εὐχῆς ἐπιζήτει, κατὰ δὲ τοῦ πολεμίου τὸ ξίφος τῶν δακρύων ἀκόνα· οὕτω γὰρ σφοδροτάτως ἂν τῇ μάχῃ προσρήξωμεν, θᾶττον αὐτὸν ἀφ' ἡμῶν ἀποστῆναι ποιήσομεν.

Cherish [t to5B] also in a special way alongside your manual labour the remembrance of prayer; for the former does not always have available a means of achieving the activity, but the latter offers a means continu­ously available. Do not delay in paying the debt of prayer when you hear a thought (that arises) by reason of the approach of work and do not make loud noises, troubling your body, during manual labour, lest you trouble as well the eye of the soul.

Φιλοκάλει [1105B] σὺν τῷ ἔργῳ τῶν χειρῶν, καὶ μάλα τῆς εὐχῆς τὴν μνήμην· τὸ μὲν γὰρ οὐ πάντοτε, τὸ δὲ ἀδιάλειπτον ἔχει τῆς ἐργασίας τὸν πόρον.  Μὴ ἀναβάλλου δοῦναι τῆς εὐχης τὸ χρέος, λογισμοῦ ἀκούων διὰ πρόσβασιν ἔργων, καὶ μὴ θορυβοῦ ἐν τῷ ἔργῳ ταράττων τὸ σῶμα, ἵνα μὴ συνταράξης καὶ εὐχῆς τὴν καρδίαν.

9

CHAPTER 9 [10]
Humility and Docility

xx

Just as our outward person works with its hands so as not to burden anyone (cf. t Thess. z: 9; a Thess. 3: 8), so have the inner person do its work with its mental faculties so that the mind may not be burdened. For the thoughts bring to the soul their opposing activity whenever they catch it unoccupied with godly considerations. Therefore, do the work of manual tasks for the love of humanity and the Work of the rational mind for the sake of the love of wisdom, in order that on the one hand there may be hospitality for guests [t t o 5 C] and a consuming fire for laziness, and on the other hand a guide to contemplation and a winnow­ing of thoughts.

  Ἑτοίμαζε σεαυτὸν πρᾶον εἶναι, καὶ μαχητὴν, τὸ μὲν τῷ ὁμοφύλῳ, τὸ δὲ τῷ πολεμίῳ· ἐν τούτῳ γὰρ ἡ χρῆσις τοῦ θυμοῦ, ἐν τῷ κατὰ τὴν ἔχθραν ἀντιμάχεσθαι τῷ ὄφει· ἐν δὲ τούτῳ καὶ τοῦ πράου τὸ ἐπιεικὲς, ἐν τῷ κατὰ τὴν ἀγάπην μακροθυμεῖν τῷ ἀδελφῷ, καὶ πολεμεῖν τῷ λογισμῷ.

11. Let us courageously rebuke the pleasures of flattering thoughts, turning upon them all our anger, lest in receiving with pleasure what arises from them we become on the contrary gentle towards them.” 10

Prepare yourself to be gentle and also a fighter, the first with respect to one of your own race24 and the second with respect to the enemy; for the usage of irascibility lies in this, namely, in fighting against the serpent with enmity (cf. Gen. 3: 15), but with gentleness and mildness exercising a charitable patience with one’s brother while doing battle with the thought.

 Ὁ πρᾶος οὖν ἔστω μαχητὴς διαιρουμένης τῆς πραότητος ἐκ τῶν δολοφρόνων λογισμῶν, καθάπερ καὶ τῆς μάχης ἐκ τῶν τῆς φύσεως ὁμογενῶν· μὴ ἀντιστρέψῃς τοῦ θυμοῦ τὴν χρῆσιν εἰς τὴν παρὰ φύσιν, ὥστε θυμοῦσθαι μὲν τῷ ἀδελφῷ, κατὰ τὴν ὁμοίωσιν τοῦ ὄφεως, φιλιοῦσθαι δὲ τῷ ὄφει κατὰ τὴν συγκατάθεσιν τῶν λογισμῶν.

 Ὁ πραῢς, κἂν πάσχῃ τὰ δεινὰ, τῆς ἀγάπης οὐκ ἐξίσταται· εἵνεκεν γὰρ ταύτης μακροθυμεῖ καὶ στέγει, χρηστεύεται καὶ ὑπομένει. Εἰ γὰρ τῆς ἀγάπης τὸ μακροθυμεῖν, οὐ τῆς ἀγάπης τὸ θυμομαχεῖν· θυμὸς γὰρ λύπην διεγείρει, καὶ μῆνιν, ἀγάπη δὲ τὰ τρία μειοῖ. 

If you have a firm foundation in charity, pay more attention to this than to the person who trips you up. Serve God with fear and love: in the first case as master and judge, [i io8A] in the second as one who loves and nurtures human beings. One who has acquired the virtues of love holds captive the wickedness of the passions; and he who holds from the Holy Trinity these three, namely, faith, hope, and love, shall be a triple-walled city fortified by the towers of the virtues.

10

CHAPTER 10
Charity Theough Renunciation

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It is not only because you refuse something from another that you are accounted charitable; rather it is because you have given unsparingly that you will be recognized as one who has renounced [the world]. When giving away material things, strive to sow pure seed, so that you do not reap nettles instead of wheat. (Mt 13.24-30)

 Οὐκ ἐν τῷ μὴ λαμβάνειν μόνον παρ' ἑτέρου ἀγαπητικὸς ἀναδειχθήσῃ, ἀλλ' ἐν τῷ διδόναι ἀφειδῶς ἀποτακτικὸς ἐπιγνωσθήσῃ, ἐν τῷ διδόναι σε τὴν ὕλην ἀγωνίζου τὰ σπέρματα καθαρὰ βάλλειν, ἵνα μὴ ἀντὶ πυροῦ, ἐξέλθῃ σοι κνίδη.

[cf. KG 1.24]

In what you offer, remember God who is both the giver and the receiver (cf. i Cor. 4: 7; Matt. 25: 40), so that with praises he may reckon to your account the rewards of renunciation. [i io8B]

Θεοῦ ἐν οἷς παρέχεις μνημόνευε, καὶ δότου, καὶ λήπτορος, ὅπως σοι μετ' ἐγκωμίων λογίσηται τοὺς τῆς ἀποτάξεως μισθούς.

[11]

^{PG 79.1108.15 - 79.1108.42 ΚΕΦΑΛ.  ΙΑʹ.}

The person without possessions enjoys the pleasure of a life free from cares, but the one attached to possessions has the distress of the rich person as his constant concern. When you do not give your heart to considerations of material things, at that moment you may drive away captive the crowd of thoughts. When you deny the desire of acquisitive­ness, at that moment you will bear also the cross without distraction. But the thought of material things will forebode for you old age, famines, and sicknesses in order to divide your hope in God among financial concerns .

  Ὁ ἀκτήμων ἀμέριμνον ἔχει τοῦ βίου τὴν ἡδονὴν, ὁ δὲ φιλοκτήμων μέριμναν ἔχει τὴν ὀδύνην τοῦ πλούτου διὰ παντός· τότε δῆμον λογισμῶν αἰχμάλωτον ἐλάσεις, ὅταν ταῖς φροντίσι τῶν ὑλῶν τὴν καρδίαν μὴ δῷς· τότε καὶ τὸν σταυρὸν ἀπερισπάστως βαστάσεις, ὅταν τοῦ κτᾶσθαι τὴν ἐπιθυμίαν ἀρνήσῃ, ἀλλ' ὁ τῆς ὕλης λογισμὸς γῆράς σοι μαντεύεται· καὶ νόσους, ἵνα σου τὴν εἰς  Θεὸν ἐλπίδα τοῖς χρήμασι μερίσῃ.

26 Let him who has chosen to practise the ascesis of renuncia­tion make for himself a wall of faith, a fortification of hope, and a secure grounding in love. For faith is not the abandonment but the substance of superior goods in the hope of perseverance and the love of life (cf. Heb. II: i).

 Ὁ τὴν ἀποταγὴν ἀσκεῖν προῃρημένος, πίστει τειχιζέσθω, καὶ ἀγάπῃ κραταιούσθω, καὶ ἐλπίδι βεβαιούσθω. Ἔστι γὰρ ἡ πίστις, οὐκ ἐγκατάλειψις, ἀλλὰ τῶν κρειττόνων ὑπόστασις ἐν ἐλπίδι τῆς ὑπομονῆς, καὶ τῇ ἀγάπῃ τῆς ζωῆς.

When, having renounced [i io8C] external material goods in free­dom from passion, you walk in the path of the superior goods, then the sword-like thoughts will watch out for an opportunity to make poverty and destitution reproachful to you, presenting you with degradation and dishonour, in order that the murderers may work with murderous cun­ning a change of mind from such a radiant virtue.

. Ὅταν ἀποτάξῃ ταῖς ἔξωθεν ὕλαις ἁπάσαις, πρόσεχε τοὺς ζοφεροὺς λογισμοὺς τὴν πενίαν ἐπονειδίζοντάς σοι, καὶ ἔνδειαν, καὶ εὐτέλειαν, καὶ ἀδοξίαν σοι προσφέροντας, ἵνα τῆς τοιαύτης λαμπρᾶς ἀρετῆς μετάγνωσιν οἱ φόνιοι δολοφρόνως ἐργάσωνται. . 

11

CHAPTER 11
Strategies of Thoughts

xx

Therefore, do not surrender in the battle with the interior thoughts, because it is not at the beginning of renunciation that the end is praised, but rather at the end of persever­ance the beginnings receive the crown. It is not only for bodily exercise that the contests receive applause, but the goal of the crown is also sought in the battle with the thoughts. [i io8D]

Μὴ οὖν τῇ πάλῃ τῶν ἐντὸς λογισμῶν ἐνδώσῃς, ὅτι οὐκ ἐν ἀρχῇ τῆς ἀποταγῆς τὸ τέλος εὐφημεῖται, ἀλλ' ἐν τῷ τέλει τῆς ὑπομονῆς αἱ ἀρχαὶ στεφανοῦνται, οὐδὲ ἐν τῇ σωματικῇ γυμνασίᾳ μόνον οἱ ἀγῶνες συγκροτοῦνται, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐν τῇ τῶν λογισμῶν πάλῃ τὸ περὶ στεφάνου ζητεῖται.

[13]

ΠΓ 79.1108.44 - 79.1109.20 ΚΕΦΑΛ.  ΙΒʹ.

Judge the thoughts in the tribunal of your heart so that, when the thieves are done away with, the chief thief may take fright; for one who is a rigorous examiner of his thoughts will also be truly a lover of the com­mandments.

Δίκαζε τοὺς λογισμοὺς ἐν τῷ βήματι τῆς καρδίας, ἵνα τῶν λῃστῶν ἀναιρουμένων, ὁ ἀρχιλῃστὴς φοβηθῇ· καὶ γὰρ ὁ ὢν ἀκριβὴς τῶν λογισμῶν ἐξεταστὴς, ἔστι καὶ ἀληθὴς τῶν ἐντολῶν ἐραστής.

But sometimes the demons suggest to the heart a thought that is appar­ently good and, immediately transforming themselves, they pretend to oppose it, so that from this opposition you may think that they know even the ideas of your heart .27 That is not their only purpose, but their intention is also to argue the case [i io9A] that with your conscience you passed judgement as one defeated by evil’s opposition to the good. And again, sometimes they give you hints of their trickery so that you might of your own accord think you are smart.

 Ἔστι δ' ὅταν οἱ δαίμονες λογισμὸν δῆθεν καλὸν ὑποβάλλοντες τῇ καρδίᾳ, καὶ παρευθὺ μεταμορφούμενοι ἐναντιοῦσθαι τούτῳ προσποιοῦνται, ἵνα ἐκ τῆς ἐναντιώσεως, νομίσῃς αὐτοὺς καὶ τὰς ἐνθυμήσεις τῆς καρδίας σου εἰδέναι· οὐ μόνον δὲ, ἀλλ' ἴνα δικάζωνται    79.1109 τὴν συνείδησίν σου κρίνειν, ὡς τῇ ἐναντιώσει τοῦ κακοῦ ἡττηθέντος τῷ καλῷ· ἔστι δὲ πάλιν ὅτε τὴν οἰκείαν σκευωρίαν ὑπεμφαίνουσί σοι ἵνα παρὰ σεαυτῷ δόξῃς φρόνιμος εἶναι.

12

CHAPTER 12
Persevering in Solitude

xx

The demon of lust sometimes suggests to the intellect licentious intertwinings with a virgin, and sometimes it offers dream fantasies of inter­twining with young girls, so that if one should incline towards pleasure at the memory of the scene that was fantasized, the demon could make use of the thoughts for warfare; but if one should not so incline but rather fight back, even when one feels the passion remembered by one’s nature, the thoughts of shame cannot join battle before they gain a foothold to converse with the soul; nor in turn would the soul be moved to engage in warfare before it learns that it is ranging itself against the opposing thoughts.

 Ὅταν λογισμοὶ μεταστήσωσί σε εἰς ὃν ὑπέβαλον ἐρᾷν ἡμᾶς τόπον, τότε μεταμελεῖσθαι πάλιν ποιοῦσιν ἵνα ἀστάτους ἡμᾶς ποιήσωσι πανταχόθεν, καὶ ἀκάρπους.  Διὸ μὴ πετάζωμεν ἑαυτοὺς ἀπὸ τόπων εἰς τόπους, ἀλλὰ καμπτώμεθα μᾶλλον εἰς ἡσυχίαν, καὶ κόπους, ὅτι ἐκ τῆς ἡμετέρας ῥᾳθυμίας λαμβάνουσιν καθ' ἡμῶν οἱ λογισμοὶ τὴν δύναμιν. Ὁ δὲ εἰδὼς λογισμοῦ πεῖραν ἐν ᾧ τόπῳ ἐκλήθη, ἐν τούτῳ μενέτω παρὰ  Θεῷ, ὁ δὲ μὴ εἰδὼς, ἐν ἀγῶνι ἔτι βαδίζει.

Sinc Inserts a section here - but not in SC

Let those who change locations from one place to another proceed towards those more conducive to spiritual attainments and not to those more conducive to rest. For perseverance, patience, [i io9B] and love are ever offering occasions of thanksgiving in the midst of afflictions, but acedia, levity, and selfishness rejoice in occasions of rest. He who does not preserve stillness brings warfare to his soul from the senses associated with sight, but the person who loves stillness guards the senses and makes war on thoughts.

 Ἡ τῶν τόπων μετάθεσις, ἤτω εἰς τὰ πνευματικώτερα, καὶ μὴ εἰς τὰ ἀναπαυστικώτερα· ὑπομονὴ γὰρ, καὶ μακροθυμία, καὶ ἀγάπη, ἐν ταῖς θλίψεσιν εὐχαριστεῖ· ἀκηδία δὲ, καὶ ἐλαφρία, καὶ φιλαυτία, ἐν ταῖς ἀναπαύσεσι χαίρει. Ἀνήσυχος διὰ τῶν περὶ τὰς ὄψεις αἰσθήσεων τὴν ψυχὴν πολεμεῖται, ὁ δὲ φιλήσυχος, τὰς αἰσθήσεις φυλάσσων, τοὺς λογισμοὺς πολεμεῖ.

 [13]Therefore, let your ruling faculty assemble the ranks of the senses under the edict of the law, lest by sight and by hearing you bring the scourges of the vices down upon your soul. [i io9C] Since you consist of two substances, be careful to allot to each its rank, in order that the one may prevail and the other not rebel. And do not give tribute to the tyrant, because when this one has been given over to the fire you will pay the last penny (Matt. 5: 26).

Τῷ οὖν διατάγματι τοῦ νόμου τῶν αἰσθήσεων τὴν τάξιν ὁ ἡγεμών σου συναγαγέτω, ἵνα μὴ βλέμματι, καὶ ἀκοῇ, μάστιγας κακῶν τῇ ψυχῇ σου ταράξῃς· ἐν δυσὶν οὐσίαις ὑπάρχων, ἑκάστῃ διανέμειν τὴν τάξιν φυλάττου, ἵνα ἡ μὲν ἀριστεύῃ, ἡ δὲ μὴ ἀντερῇ, καὶ τῷ τυράννῳ τὰ ἐπιτάγματα μὴ δίδου, ὅτι τῷ πυρὶ τούτου δοθέντος, καὶ τὸν ἔσχατον κοδράτην ἀποδώσεις.

13

CHAPTER 13
Dangers of Vainglory

xx

When you fight against the causes of the passions to put them to flight, do not at that moment let a thought exalt you in its treachery, lest perchance you put your confidence in a spirit of deceit and lose your mindfulness. Seek to scrutinize the suggested reasons for which you labour at ascesis, lest the goals of your attainments become corrupted through interior thoughts.

 Ὅταν τὰ αἴτια τῶν παθῶ ἀντιπολεμῶν τροποῦσαι, μή σε λογισμὸς μεγαλυνέτω πονηρὸς, μή πως πνεύματι πλάνης πιστεύσας, καὶ τῶν φρενῶν ἐκπλαγῇς· ἐπιζήτει δὲ λογιστεύειν τὰς ἐφ' οἷς πονεῖς ὑπερβολὰς, ὅπως τὰ τέλη τῶν κατορθωμάτων διὰ τῶν ἔνδον μὴ κλαπῇς. 

Some people, lauded for their achievements, in time neglected ascetic labours, and their fame passed away and their ascetic labours were undone. Others endured hardship on account of the burden of the vices and were highly regarded; their soul’s conscience was torn apart, the disease of fame spread abroad, the thoughts led the soul astray [i to9D] from its wounds and bore away its ascetic labours in the midst of praises. When those most practised in ascetic labours receive a wealth of human honours, then the demons devise and introduce dishonours, so that, dis­tanced from honours, they cannot bear dishonours nor can they tolerate offences.

Τινὲς ἐπὶ κατορθώμασιν εὐφημισθέντες, τῷ χρόνῳ τοὺς πόνους ἠκηδίασαν, καὶ ἡ μὲν εὐφημία διώδευσεν, οἱ δὲ πόνοι ἐλύθησαν.  Τινὲς δι' ὄγκον καλῶν σκληρουχούμενοι, μεγάλοι ἐνομίσθησαν καὶ τῆς μὲν ψυχῆς τὸ συνειδὸς ἡλκοῦτο, τῆς δὲ εὐφημίας ἡ νόσος ἐνευρύνετο, οἱ δὲ λογισμοὶ τῶν τραυμάτων τὴν ψυχὴν ἀποπλανῶντες ἐν ταῖς εὐφημίαις τοὺς πόνους ἀπέφερον. Ὁπηνίκα ταῖς παρὰ ἀνθρώπων τιμαῖς οἱ πονικώτατοι πλουτήσουσι, τὸ τηνικαῦτα καὶ τὰς ἀτιμίας οἱ δαίμονες σκευάσαντες ἐπάγουσιν, ἵνα, ἀπὸ τῶν τιμῶν ὄντες, τὰς ἀτιμίας μὴ φέρωσι, καὶ τὰς ὕβρεις μὴ βαστάσωσιν

Whenever you offer a great repentance for sins, then the thoughts, by magnifying the struggles of your ascetic efforts, make light of your sins and often conceal them with forgetfulness, or else they indicate that they are forgiven, so that, giving up on your ascetic labours, you do not take account of your failings so as to lament all the more over them.

 Ὅταν ἐφ' ἁμαρτίαις μεγάλην μετάνοιαν διδῷς, τότε οἱ λογισμοὶ τοὺς ἀγῶνας τῶν πόνων μεγαλύνοντες ἁμαρτίας σμικρύνουσιν, καὶ πολλάκις τῇ λήθῃ καλύπτουσιν, ἢ καὶ συγκεχωρῆσθαι ταύτας σημαίνουσιν, ἵνα ὑπενδοὺς τοῖς πόνοις, μὴ ἀναλογίζῃ τῶν πταισμάτων τοὺς θρήνους τοὺς κατ' αὐτῶν ὠρύεσθαι πλειόνως.

ΠΓ 79.1109.57 - 79.1112.39 ΚΕΦΑΛ.  ΙΔʹ.

[14] He who fights to cut off the passions that attack him [i i i zA] will bring to the battle armed soldiers more numerous than the passions. Do not forget that you have fallen, even if you have repented, but hold onto the memory of your sin as an occasion of compunction that leads to your humility, so that thus humbled you will by necessity disgorge your pride.

  Ὁ δὲ τὰ προσπεσόντα πάθη πυκτεύων ἐκκόψαι,    79.1112 πλείονας παθῶν ὁπλίτας ἐπιστρατηγήσει τῇ μάχῃ.  Μὴ ἀμνημόνει πταίσας, κἂν μετανοήσῃς, ἀλλὰ μνήμην ἔχε τῆς σῆς ἁμαρτίας τὸ πένθος πρὸς ταπείνωσίν σου, ὅπως, ταπεινωθεὶς, τὴν ὑπερηφανίαν ἀνάγκῃ ἐκκόψῃς. 

If a person who has committed crimes should wish to change his life for the better, let him stand against his adversarial actions by exchanging them for better ones. For indeed, he who in each deed of wickedness sets against it the opposite action shoots the dragon with arrows from the intelligible quiver of the virtues. But the sharpest weapon of the beast is vainglory, which shoots down ascetic labours; he who has seized this vice in advance by means of the hidden military resources of his works has got close enough to bring down the head of the devil completely.

Εἴ τις τῶν ἄθεσμα δρασάντων βούλοιτο μεταβιῶσαι ἀρίστως, κατ' ἄντικρυς τῶν πράξεων στήτω ἐναλλαγῇ τῶν κρειττόνων· καὶ γὰρ ὁ τὴν ἄντικρυς πρᾶξιν τῇ ἑκάστῃ πονηρίᾳ ἀνθιστῶν, τῇ συνετῇ τῶν ἀρετῶν βελοθήκῃ τοξεύει τὸν δράκοντα, τοῦ δὲ θηρὸς ὀξύτατον ὅπλον ἐστὶν ἡ κενοδοξία, τοὺς πόνους κατατοξεύουσα, ἥνπερ ὁ ταῖς κρυπταῖς τῶν ἔργων στρατηγίαις προκαταλαβὼν, ἤγγισεν ἅπασαν τὴν τοῦ διαβόλου κατενέγκαι κεφαλήν. 

14

CHAPTER 14
Attaining Humility

xx

Set the seal of silence on the spices of your ascetic labours, lest un­fastened by your tongue they be stolen by esteem. Conceal your tongue [iii 2B] in the practical means of ascesis, for by keeping silence you may have your ascetic labours as trustworthy companions to witness for your life.

Τὰ ἀρώματά σου τῶν πόνων σφράγισον τῇ σιγῇ, ἵνα μὴ γλώττῃ λυθέντα ὑπὸ δόξης κλαπῶσι· κρύπτε σου τὴν γλῶτταν ἐν τῷ πρακτικῷ τῆς ἀσκήσεως τρόπῳ· καὶ γὰρ σιγῶν, μάρτυρας σχοίης τοῦ βίου τοὺς ἀξιοπίστους συμβιώτας σου πόνους.

He who is unable to have testimony given as to whoever he may be on the basis of his present ascetic labours, let him not bear witness for him­self by his tongue.

 Ὁ μαρτυρεῖσθαι ἀπὸ τῶν παρόντων πόνων οὐκ ἔχων τίσι ποτὲ, ἑαυτῷ μὴ γλώττῃ μαρτυρείτω·

Some people who have removed themselves from the austerity of their ascetic labours put forward their actions of time past as a cover for their laziness, producing an unreliable presentation of foreign witnesses for works that do not now exist.

τινὲς γὰρ τῶν πόνων τῆς σκληρουχίας ἑαυτοὺς ἐκδύσαντες ὡς προκάλυμμα τῆς ῥᾳθυμίας τῶν ἀπελθόντων χρόνω τὰς πράξεις παραβάλλουσι μάρτυρας ἐκδήλους ἔργοις οὐ παροῦσιν ἀβεβαίως παρέχοντες.

As you conceal your sins from people, so too hide your ascetic labours from them; for when it comes to a counter-scheme for the secrets of your heart, hidden snares, and renewed struggles, you may offer resistance against them.

. Ὥσπερ ἐκ τῶν ἀνθρώπων κρύπτεις σου τὰς ἁμαρτίας, οὕτω καὶ τοὺς πόνους ἐξ αὐτῶν ἀπόκρυπτε· καὶ γὰρ τὸ ἀντίτεχνον τῶν κρυφίων τῆς καρδίας, σκελισμάτων τὰ κρυφῆ, καὶ τὰ ἀναπαλαίσματα, κατ' αὐτῶν ἀντιστηρίζουσι·

But if we securely hide our offences, but perilously reveal our labours against them, [i I 12C] we accomplish the opposite in both cases. Rather be ashamed of the public revelation of your shameful deeds, lest you make the misfortunes of your soul into a matter of disgrace and humiliation. Do you not fear also the display of your ascetic labours, lest by a fawning accusation you bring about the ruin of your soul? But if you show to God alone your shameful transgressions, do not show to men your struggles against them lest they think they already constitute the crowns of victory.

εἰ δὲ τὰ μὲν πλημμελήματα μετὰ ἀσφαλείας ἀποκρύπτομεν, τὰ δὲ κατ' αὐτῶν πονήματα σφαλερῶς ἀνακαλύπτομεν, καὶ τοῖς ἀμφοτέροις τὰ ἐναντία ἀναπραττόμεθα. Ἀλλ' ἐπαισχύνῃ τῶν αἰσχρῶν τὴν δημοσίευσιν, μήπως ὄνειδος, καὶ ἐξουδένωσιν ποιήσῃ τὰ τῆς ψυχῆς σου σύμφορα.  Φοβοῦ καὶ τῶν πόνων τὴν ἐπίδειξιν, μή πως ἔγκλημα ἀνθρωπάρεσκον κομίσῃ τὸν τῆς ψυχῆς ὄλεθρον· εἰ δὲ καὶ μόνῳ  Θεῷ ἐκφαίνεις τὰ τῆς αἰσχύνης παραπτώματα, μὴ ἀνθρώποις ἔκφαινε τὰ κατ' αὐτῶν ἀνταγωνίσματα ἵνα μὴ νομισθῶσι, νίκης εἶναι στεφανώματα.

 [15]

ΠΓ 79.1112.41 - 79.1113.15 ΚΕΦΑΛ.  ΙΕʹ.

As for those who have received from grace the strength for ascetic labours, [t i i 2D] let them not think that they possess this from their own power, for the word of the commandments is for us the cause of all good things, just as the Deceiver is for evil suggestions. For the good things you accomplish, therefore, offer thanksgiving to the cause of good things; as for the evil things that torment you, throw them back at their author.

Οἱ τὴν δύναμιν τῶν πόνων ἀπὸ τῆς χάριτος λαμβάνοντες μὴ ὡς ἐξ οἰκείας ἰσχύος ἔχειν ταύτην νομιζέτωσαν· αἴτιος γὰρ ἁπάντων τῶν καλῶν ἡμῖν ἐστιν ὁ τῶν ἐντολῶν λόγος, ὥσπερ καὶ τῶν κακῶν ὁ ἀποβολῶν ἀπατηλός. Ἅπερ οὖν διαπράττῃ καλὰ, τὴν εὐχαριστίαν τῷ αἰτίῳ τῶν καλῶν πρόσφερε· ἃ δὲ διοχλεῖ σοι κακὰ, τῷ ἀρχηγέτῃ τούτων πρόσριπτε. 

At the conclusion of every work dedicate your thanksgiving to the Good so that, with your offering made according to the law, evil may be put to shame. For he who has joined thanksgiving to action will possess inviol­ate the treasure of his heart, having fortified with towers its double wall against evil.

Πάσης πραγματείας τὸ τέλος πρόσνεμε εὐχαριστίαν τῷ κρείττονι, ἵνα τῆς προσφορᾶς σου νομικῶς προσενεχθείσης ἡ κακία καταισχύνηται. Ὁ γὰρ τῇ πράξει τὴν εὐχαριστίαν συνάψας, ἀπόρθητον ἕξει τὸν θησαυρὸν τῆς καρδίας, διπλοῦν κατὰ τῆς κακίας πυργώσας τὸ τεῖχος.

15

CHAPTER 15
Joining the Gnostike to the Praktike

xx

Praiseworthy is the person who has yoked the gnostic life to the practical life so that from both springs he might water unto virtue the land of the soul. For the gnostic life gives wings to the intellectual substance [i i i 3A] by the contemplation of the superior goods, and the practical life `puts to death the members that are upon earth: fornication, impurity, passion, vice, evil desire’ (Col. 3: 5). Therefore, those who through these two have put on the protection of full armour (cf. Eph. 6: i t, 13) will then easily overcome the wickedness of the demons.

 Ἐπαινετὸς οὗτος ἀνὴρ, ὁ τῇ πρακτικῇ τὴν γνωστικὴν συζεύξας, ἵνα ἐξ ἀμφοτέρων πηγῶν τὸ τῆς ψυχῆς χωρίον ἀρδεύοιτο πρὸς ἀρετήν· ἡ γὰρ γνωστικὴ πτεροῖ τὴν νοερὰν οὐσίαν    79.1113 τῇ τῶν κρειττόνων θεωρίᾳ, ἡ δὲ πρακτικὴ νεκροῖ τὰ μέλη τὰ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, πορνείαν, ἀκαθαρσίαν πάθος, κακίαν, ἐπιθυμίαν κακήν· οἱ οὖν διὰ τῶν ἀμφοτέρων τούτων τῇ πανοπλίᾳ περιπεφραγμένοι, εὐκόλως κατεπιβήσονται λοιπὸν τῆς τῶν δαιμόνων πονηρίας. 

The demons make war on the soul by means of thoughts and they are countered in turn with a more difficult warfare by means of perseverance; and in fear they then go to battle, regarding with suspicion the mighty commander of the match.

Οἱ δαίμονες διὰ τῶν λογισμῶν τῇ ψυχῇ πολεμοῦσι, κακεῖνοι χαλεπωτέρως διὰ τῆς ὑπομονῆς ἀντιπολεμοῦνται, καὶ δειλιῶντες προσίασι λοιπὸν τῇ μάχῃ κραταιὸν τὸν στρατηγὸν τῆς πυγμῆς ὑφορῶντες. 

If you wish to lead your army against the phalanx of the demons, bar the gates of your soul with stillness, listen acutely to the words of your spiritual father in order that you may then set fire to the thorns of the passions even more than those of the thoughts (cf. Luke 8: 14).

Εἰ βούλει στρατηγῆσαι κατὰ τῆς φάλαγγος τῶν δαιμόνων, ἡσυχίᾳ φράττε τὰς τῆς ψυχῆς σου πύλας, θίγε δὲ καὶ τὸ οὖς σου τοῖς τῆς πατροσύνης λόγοις, ἵνα τότε μᾶλλον λογισμῶν ἀκάνθας μαθὼν ἐμπρήσῃς, ἐπὰν πατρικῆς νουθεσίας ἀκροᾶσαι.  Μὴ τῶν ἔργων ἕσο δικαστὴς, ἀλλὰ τῶν ῥήσεων ἐξεταστής.

ΠΓ 79.1113.16 - 79.1113.45 ΚΕΦΑΛ.  Ιϛʹ.

Whenever you listen to the counsel of your father, be not a judge of his works, but an examiner of his words. [iii 3B] 16. It is usual for such thoughts to divert you to the practical asceticism of your counsellor in order to set you up as a severe judge of this man and distance you from his beneficial counsel. Do not refuse to receive counsel, even if you are a gnostic.  For if the practical life is separated from the gnostic life, there is need for one who can join the harmony of the virtues to the terrifying penalty of judgement. He who shakes his father’s command from his ear will be disobedient also to the command of the law.

  Ἔθος γὰρ τοῖς τοιούτοις λογισμοῖς εἰς τὸ πρακτικὸν τοῦ νουθετοῦντός σε ἀπάγειν, ἵνα δεινόν σε τούτου καταστήσαντες κριτὴν, τῆς ἐπωφελοῦς νουθεσίας ἀποστήσωσι.  Μὴ ἀπαναίνου νουθετούμενος, κἂν γνωστικὸς ὑπάρχῃς· ἐὰν γὰρ τὸ πρακτικὸν τῆς γνωστικῆς ἀποζευχθῇ, χρεία τοῦ ζευγνύντος τὴν ὁποτέρων τῶν ἀρετῶν ἁρμονίαν τῇ φρικτῇ τῆς κρίσεως δίκῃ. Ὁ τὴν πατρῴαν ἐντολὴν ἐκ τοῦ ὠτὸς ἐκτινάσσων, καὶ νομικῆς ἐντολῆς παρήκοος ἔσται,

Do not speak with delight only of the accomplishments of the fathers, but also require yourself to achieve these through the greatest ascetic effort. He who applies great ascetic effort to seeking which thought is countered by which ascetic labour [i t i 3C] finds himself an expert in the struggle against error. Among all your intellectual ascetic labours, if one is lacking, the one who plundered it slips into its place.

μὴ μόνον κατορθώματα  Πατέρων τερπόμενος λάλει, ἀλλὰ καὶ σεαυτὸν ἐργάτην τούτων πονικώτατον ἀπαίτει. Ὁ πονικώτερον ἐπιζητῶν οἷός τε οἵῳ πόνῳ λογισμὸς ἀντίκειται, τεχνίτης ἐν πάλῃ κατὰ τῆς πλάνης εὑρίσκεται, ἐν ὅλοις δὲ τοῖς νοεροῖς σου πόνοις, οἷς ἐὰν ἐλλείψῃ, ὁ τοῦτον συλήσας ἀντ' αὐτοῦ παρεισδύει. 

Remember to watch over the heart with the understanding of ascetic labours, lest forgetful­ness, having plundered it of its care for the superior goods, hand it over to the captivity of thoughts. Forgetfulness of captivity lunges towards vice in order that, with the mind purloined by forgetfulness, vice might readily slip in.

Μνημόνευε τῇ συνέσει τῶν πόνων συντηρεῖν τὴν καρδίαν, μήπως ἡ λήθη τῆς τῶν κρειττόνων μερίμνης ταύτην συλήσασα τῇ τῶν λογισμῶν αἰχμαλωσίᾳ παραδῷ· ἡ γὰρ λήθη τῆς αἰχμαλωσίας προσπηδᾷ τῇ κακίᾳ, ἵνα ὑπ' ἐκείνης τοῦ νοῦ κλαπέντος, ἑτοίμως αὕτη παρεισέλθοι,

xx

CHAPTER 16
Dangerous Taunts That Portend Envy

xx

A mind stolen away and alienated from God in its memory sins with indifference through the external senses, for such a person is unable to guide his hearing and speech because he has let go of the charm of external ascetic labours.

νοῦς κλεπτόμενος ἀπὸ  Θεοῦ, καὶ μνήμης μακρυνόμενος, καὶ διὰ τῶν ἐκτὸς αἰσθήσεων ἀδιαφόρως ἁμαρτάνει· ἀκοὴν γὰρ καὶ γλῶτταν ὁ τοιοῦτος ἀδυνατεῖ παιδαγωγῆσαι, ὅτι τὸ φίλτρον τῶν πόνων ἐκ τῶν ἐκτὸς ἐξαφῆκεν.

When one likes to listen to a person finding fault with someone, the two individuals are collaborating with two collaborator spirits; [i i 13D] for listening to slander is to be a collaborator with speaking slander, and they are in love with one another for the ruin of the heart.

[separately coded fragment]
Ὁ φιλῶν ἐξακούειν τοῦ ψέγοντος τὸν δεῖνα, δυσὶ συνεργοῖς πνεύμασι συνεργοῦσιν οἱ δύο· ἡ γὰρ κακηκοΐα τῆς κατηγορίας συνεργὸς τυγχάνει, καὶ ἐρῶσιν ἀλλήλων εἰς λύμην καρδίας.

[17] Block your ears from hearing malicious talk lest you commit a twofold transgression against the law with them: namely, accustoming yourself to a terrible pas­sion and not stopping them from prattling their gossip. The person who loves to ridicule steals the soul of better people, ruining an unsound hear­ing with calumnies. He who escapes a tongue abusive of his neighbour chases away his own abusive behaviour as well. He who lends an open ear to an abuser draws the venom of the beast into his ears.

  Ἐκ τῶν καταλαλιῶν τὰ ὦτά σου φράξον, ἵνα μὴ διττῶς σὺν αὐτοῖς ἀνομήσῃς, σαυτὸν μὲν δεινῷ πάθει ἐθίζων, γλωσσαλγεῖν δὲ ἐκείνους οὐκ ἀνακόπτων.  Ψυχὴν τῶν κρειττόνων ὁ φιλοσκώπτης λῃστεύει, σαθρὰν ἀκοὴν διαβολαῖς διορύττων· ὁ δὲ διαδρῶν τὴν τοῦ πέλας λοίδορον γλῶσσαν, καὶ τὴν οἰκείαν λοιδορίαν φυγαδεύει· ἡδεῖς ἀκοὰς ὁ τῷ λοιδόρῳ παρέχων, ἰὸν θηρὸς τοῖς ὠσὶν ἀμέλγει. 

Let your ear not partake [iii 6A] of such a bitter drug, lest perchance you impart such a mixture to another. Do not bewitch your ear with malicious gossip, lest, sold out to a passion, you become the slave of a multitude of passions, for once a single passion among many has found a place in you, it brings others along to the same sheep-fold. Then the ruling mind is enslaved to a multitude of vices when it has been yoked to a passion and has unyoked its ascetic labours.

Μὴ γευέσθω τὸ οὗς σου τῆς    79.1116 πικρᾶς ταύτης ἀντιδότου, μή πως τοιαύτην καὶ σὺ συγκεράσῃς ἑτέρῳ, μὴ γοητεύου καταλαλιαῖς τὸ οὗς σου, ἵνα μὴ πάθει πραθεὶς, πολυπαθείᾳ δουλεύσῃς· ἓν γὰρ τῶν πολλῶν πάθος τόπον ἐν σοὶ εὑρὼν, εἰς τὸν αὐτὸν σηκὸν καὶ ἄλλα συνεισφέρει· τότε πλήθει κακῶν ὁ ἡγεμὼν δουλοῦται, ὅταν πάθει ζευχθεὶς τοὺς πόνους ἀποζεύξῃ.

The person who tries to inquire into other people’s mockeries makes no real inquiry into his own actions. Do not deride a person who has passed away for having lived his life in negligence lest you become as though by habit a bitter judge of the living and of the dead. To those who commit faults pay no attention with an arrogant thought that holds you up as a judge, but attend to yourself (cf. Deut. 15: 9) with a watchful thought to scrutinize your actions.

 Ὁ τὰς ἑτέρων σκέψεις πειρώμενος ἐρευνᾷν, τὰς ἑαυτοῦ πράξεις ἕργῳ οὐκ ἐρευνᾷ, μὴ ὡς ἀμελῶς ζήσαντα, τὸν ἀποβιώσαντα σκῶπτε, ἵνα μὴ ὡς ἐκ συνηθείας τῶν ζώντων, καὶ τοῦ νεκροῦ γένῃ πικρὸς δικαστής· μὴ τοῖς πταίουσιν ἔπεχε λογισμῷ ἀλαζόνι ἐπαίροντί σε ὡς δικαστὴν, ἀλλὰ σαυτῷ πρόσεχε λογισμῷ νήφοντι, καὶ τῶν σῶν πράξεων δοκιμαστῇ. 

Lament when you commit a fault and do not get puffed up when you succeed in not being despised. Do not boast lest you put on evil [i i i 6B] as your adornment. Some people, in fact, who were unable to make themselves known for their piety strove eagerly to be so known even if it was for their vice. Others, exalted by jealousy, throw pretexts from on high and disparage to their fellows those who are stable in the virtues.

Στένε πταίων, καὶ μὴ φυσῶ κατορθῶν ἀκαταφρόνητος εἶναι μὴ μεγαλαύχει, ὅπως μὴ ὡς κόσμον τὸ κακὸν ἐνδύσῃ.  Τινὲς γὰρ ἀπὸ εὐλαβείας μὴ δυνάμενοι γνωσθῆναι, ἔσπευσαν, κἂν ἀπὸ κακίας οὕτω γνωσθῆναι· ἕτεροι δὲ αὐξηθέντες τῷ φθόνῳ, προφάσεις ἀκροβολοῦσι, τοὺς εὐσταθοῦντας ταῖς ἀρεταῖς ἐξουθενοῦσι τοῖς πέριξ.

17

CHAPTER 17
Dangerous Taunts That Portend Vainglory

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17. Some people, babbling over petty matters, dress themselves in a godly life not so as to mourn their faults with ascetic labours but to obscure the rumours of their censure.

Τινὲς εἰς φαῦλα θρυλλούμενοι, βίον σεμνὸν ἀμφιέννυνται, οὐχ ἵνα τὰ φαῦλα πταίσματα τοῖς πόνοις θρηνήσωσιν, ἀλλ' ἵνα τῶν ψόγων τὰς φήμας σκιάσωσιν.

On the contrary, do not make a display of yourself for the one who deceives you, nor rejoice at being deceived; for if you join yourself to the zealous for the sake of simple reputation, you practise your works not for God but for other people.

 Ἀλλὰ μὴ τῷ ἀπατῶντί σε καλλωπίζου, μηδὲ τῷ ἀπατᾶσθαι ἐναγάλλου· ἐὰν γὰρ δι' ὄνομα ψιλὸν τῶν σπουδαίων ἐφάπτῃ, οὐ  Θεῷ, ἀλλὰ ἀνθρώποις ἐργάζῃ,

[Sinc.17]Do not associate freely with one who lives without as[33]cetic labours, even if a great reputation ostentatiously escorts him; he is a friend for the sake of appearances, and time will become his accuser. [i i i 6C]

μὴ παῤῥησίαν ἄγε τῷ ἀπόνως βιοῦντι, κἂν ὄνομα τούτῳ μέγα πομπεύῃ· ἔστι φίλος πρὸς προσώπου χάριν, καὶ χρόνος κατήγορος τούτου γίνεται.

 [18] Acquire a friend who is afraid of a scoffer in order that you may find shelter from your failings, but hide what is to be envied in you especially from one who is envious. When your friend is made to feel inferior because of the praises you receive for your ascetic labours and is diverted into jealousy to the point of hurling words motivated by vainglory at your ascetic labours, even before those about him, so that with jests at your expense he may obscure the esteem circulating in your regard, then do not get stung by paying attention to his envy lest you draw a bitter venom into your soul.

 [18] Δεδοικότα φίλον σκώπτην κτῆσαι, ἵνα σκέπην εὕρῃς τῶν σῶν πταισμάτων, τὸ δὲ φθονούμενον ἐν σοὶ κρύπτε μᾶλλον τοῦ φθονοῦντος. Ὅταν ὁ σὸς φίλος ταῖς σαῖς τῶν πόνων εὐφημίαις ἐλαττούμενος εἰς φθόνον ἐκτραπῇ, ὡς καὶ τοῖς πέριξ ῥήματα κενοδοξίας ἀκοντίζειν σου τοῖς πόνοις, ὅπως τὴν διατρέχουσαν περὶ σοῦ δόξαν συσκιάσῃ τοῖς σοῖς σκώμμασι, τότε μὴ τῇ ἐκείνου βασκανίᾳ προσέχων δηχθῇς, ἵνα μὴ ἰὸν πικρὸν τῇ ψυχῇ σου σιφωνίσῃς. 

For it is the work of Satan to inflame him with jealousy and to consume you with bitterness. Instead, let us humble ourselves and let us be the first to render honour to such people, mollifying even through a meal their attitude which was driven wild [i i i 6D] by jealousy.”

Τοῦτο γὰρ ἔργον τοῦ  Σατανᾶ, ἵνα ἐκεῖνον μὲν τῷ φθόνῳ ἐκπυρώσῃ, σὲ δὲ πικρίᾳ ἀναλώσῃ.  Ταπεινώμεθα δὲ μᾶλλον, καὶ τῇ τιμῇ τοὺς τοιούτους προηγώμεθα ἐξημεροῦντες αὐτῶν, καὶ διὰ τραπέζης τὸ ἀγριωθὲν τῷ ζήλῳ φρόνημα. 

Out of jealousy do not blame your friend as though your blame of him were apparently coming from another’s mouth, in order to leave yourself innocent and hold yourself up as blameless. For this was the disguise of Satan who in the person of the serpent blamed the Most High in order to attribute his own jealousy to God by pretending it came from the mouth of another and to be considered free of jealousy himself (Gen. 3: 1-5).

Μὴ ὡς ἐξ ἑτέρου προσώπου ψέγε ζήλῳ τὸν φίλον, ἵνα ὡς ἐξ ἄλλου δῆθεν στόματος ψέγων ἐκεῖνον, σαυτὸν ὡς ἀθῶον ποιήσῃς, καὶ ὡς ἄψογον ὑψώσῃς.  Τοῦτο γὰρ μετασχημάτισμα τοῦ  Σατανᾶ, τοῦ ἐκ προσώπου ὄφεως τὸν Ὕψιστον ψέγοντος, ἵνα ὡς ἐξ ἑτέρου δῆθεν στόματος τὸν ἑαυτοῦ φθόνον τῷ  Θεῷ προσάψας, αὐτὸς ὡς ἄφθονος νομίζηται. 

Do not attempt to seize upon the faults of your brother, as though you wished to have him as your underling, lest you find yourself as Satan’s col­laborator. Let him who has committed a fault not attempt to blame others or cause them to stumble in order that he might not be the only one to fall [ i i 17A] into evil: this was also the work at the origin of the devil’s fall. Let him be repentant for the inappropriate works he committed, undertaking a lamentation of sorrow against them, and he will draw to himself the still­ness that presides over ascetic labours and reveals to him the many-eyed contemplation of the virtues.

Μὴ ὡς ὑπόδουλον θέλων ἔχειν τὸν ἀδελφὸν, πειρῶ τούτου πταῖσμα καταλαβεῖν, ἵνα μὴ συνεργὸς εὑρεθῇς τοῦ  Σατανᾶ. Ὁ πταίσας, καὶ ἑτέρους λέγειν, ἢ πταίειν μὴ ἐπιτηρείτω, ἵνα ὡς μὴ μόνος ᾖ συμπεσὼν    79.1117 τῷ κακῷ, ὅπερ τῆς ἐκπτώσεως τοῦ διαβόλου πρῶτον καὶ τοῦτο ἔργον ἐστίν. Ἔστω δὲ μεταμελούμενος ἐφ' οἷς ἀτόποις ἔπραξεν ἔργοις· τὸν τῆς λύπης θρῆνον κατ' αὐτῶν ἐπιγινώσκων, ἐπισπάσεται δὲ καὶ τὴν πρωτοστάτην τῶν πόνων ἡσυχίαν, φαίνουσαν αὐτῷ τὴν πολυόμματον τῶν ἀρετῶν θεωρίαν.

Let the person who practises stillness with his tongue act courageously against the thoughts, for courage of soul is demonstrated not in stillness of body alone, but also in bravery regarding thoughts and constancy in the face of insults and injustices. Thus are the terrible lashes of the devil applied indiscriminately in the midst of social contacts. [i i 1713]

 Ὁ ἡσυχάζων τῇ γλώττῃ, κατὰ τῶν λογισμῶν ἀνδριζέσθω· ἡ γὰρ τῆς ψυχῆς ἀνδρεία οὐκ ἐν τῇ ἡσυχίᾳ δείκνυται μόνον τοῦ στόματος, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐν τῇ τῶν λογισμῶν ἀνδραγαθίᾳ, καὶ τῇ τῶν ὕβρεων, καὶ ἀδικιῶν εὐσταθείᾳ· ἐντεῦθεν γὰρ αἱ δειναὶ μάστιγες τοῦ διαβόλου περιτινάσσονται .

 [19=18 Sinc.] During encounters take heed not only of the mouth but also of the heart. For the eye of the soul is blinded when the nous slackens beneath the spirit of convenience. [cf KG 4.47]

ἐν ταῖς συντυχίαις [19] Μὴ στόμα μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ καρδία τηρείσθω, τοτὲ γὰρ ἀμαυροῦται τῆς ψυχῆς τὸ ὄμμα τῷ τῆς ἀρεσκείας πνεύματι τοῦ νοῦ πασσομένου.

18

CHAPTER 18
Carnal Vices: Lust and Gluttony

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Now consider that there are two types of fornication, coupled together yet distinct, that of the body and that of the spirit, as the virgin too, `that she may be holy both in body and in spirit’ (i Cor. 7: 34).

Νόει δέ μοι, πορνείας εἶναι δύο ἐν διαιρέσει ἐζυγωμένας, τὴν τοῦ σώματος, καὶ τὴν τοῦ πνεύματος·

Torture the thoughts with abstinence from food that they may speak not out of fornication but out of hunger for prayer. Hold a vigil of tears that you may receive help for the warfare at hand. At the time of the war­fare of fornication, refuse the invitations of dinner hosts; and if a guest arrives, you shall offer him refreshment while serving him, but yourself you shall secretly fortify with abstinence. May your reward be double for both works when you assign to each one its practical exercise for the sake of virtue.

Αἴκιζε τοὺς λογισμοὺς ἀσιτίᾳ βρωμάτων, ἵνα μὴ πορνείᾳ, ἀλλὰ πείνῃ λαλῶσιν· εὐχῆς ἀγρυπνίᾳ στῆσον δάκρυον, ἵνα βοήθειαν λάβῃς του παρόντος πολέμου. Ἐν καιρῷ τοῦ τῆς πορνείας πολέμου τὰς κλήσεις τῶν ἑστιατόρων παραίτησαι, καὶ τὸν μὲν ξένον ἐπιστάντα ὑπηρετῶν ἀναπαύσεις, σεαυτὸν δὲ περικεκαλυμμένως, ἀσιτίᾳ περιφράξεις.  Διπλοῦς ἔστω σοι τῶν ἀμφοτέρων ἔργων ὁ μισθὸς ἑνὶ ἑκάστῳ τὸ πρακτικὸν δι' ἀρετὴν ἀπονέμοντι·

Do not eat with your brother for the sake of the belly, but for the sake of Christ dwell together with charity. A surfeit of foods feeds thoughts, and a drunkard waters his sleep with fantasies. [i i 17D] The pleasure of indulgence is dead after it has passed the throat and the lecher­ies of the stomach sleep in the grave. The ascetic works of austerity end in rest, but the ways of sensuality end in the fire. He who withers the flower of the flesh with ascesis daily practises his own death in the flesh.

μὴ ἕνεκεν γαστρὸς συνέσθιε τῷ ἀδελφῷ, ἀλλ' ἕνεκεν  Χριστοῦ συναυλίζου τῇ ἀγάπῃ.  Κόρος σιτίων λογισμοὺς σιτίζει, καὶ μέθυσος ὕπνον φαντασίας ποτίζει.  Τέθνηκε μετὰ τὸν φάραγγα τῆς τρυφῆς ἡδονὴ καὶ πνεῖ ἐν τῷ τάφῳ τὰ τῆς γαστρὸς λαγνεύματα.  Οἱ πόνοι τῆς κληρουχίας τελευτῶσιν εἰς ἀνάπαυσιν, οἱ δὲ τρόποι τῆς τρυφῆς τελευτῶσιν εἰς κατάκαυσιν. Ὁ τῆς σαρκὸς τὸ ἄνθος τῇ ἀσκήσει μαραίνων καθ' ἡμέραν ἐν τῇ σαρκὶ μελετᾷ τὴν ἑαυτοῦ τελευτήν. 

Let the accounting of the heart take the measure of the body, lest when the latter is struck the former too may grow weary. Let the flesh be satisfied with restraining the natural appetites. Let your bodily exercise be managed in the context of your morals in order that you may learn to work the heart and work the soul together in the labours of asceticism.

Καρδίας λογιστεία τὸ σῶμα συμμετρείτω, ἵνα μὴ τούτου πληγέντος, καὶ αὕτη κοπιάσῃ· ἀρκείσθω σὰρξ τὰ φυσικὰ περικόπτειν· ἡ σωματική σου γυμνασία ἐν τοῖς ἤθεσιν οἰκονομείσθω, ἵνα μάθῃς καρδίᾳ πονεῖν, καὶ ψυχῇ συμπονεῖν.

[20]

ΠΓ 79.1117.55 - 79.1120.36 ΚΕΦΑΛ.  Κʹ.

Those who in their ascesis have made the pallor of their faces shine, let them cast away people’s praise even before [t t zoA] it comes, throwing it off from their interior thought even prior to social contact. Whenever you abstain for some time from wine, oil, and superfluous foods, then the thoughts make you take into account the periods of time along with the praises; they harass you into giving way a little in the ascetic exercises you do for the sake of the body. Rightly then do you contradict the evil­minded calculators with counter-arguments to overturn their treachery.

Οἱ τοῦ προσώπου τὴν ὠχρείαν ἐν τῇ ἀσκήσει λάμποντες τὸν παρὰ τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἔπαινον καὶ πρὶν    79.1120 ἐλθεῖν ῥιπτέτωσαν, τοῦτον τοῦ λογισμοῦ, καὶ πρὸ τῆς συντυχίας ἔνδον ἐμβάλλοντος. Ὅταν χρονίσῃς ἀπεχόμενος οἴνου, καὶ ἐλαίου, καὶ τῶν περιττῶν, τότε οἱ λογισμοὶ τοὺς χρόνους σοι μετ' ἐγκωμίων ψηφίζουσιν ὑπενδοῦναί σε τοῖς πόνοις διὰ τὸ σῶμα γυμνάζουσι.  Εἰκότως οὖν τοῖς κακογνώμοσιν ἀντιφθέγξῃ διαψηφισταῖς, ὅσα πρὸς ἀνατροπὴν τῆς ἐκείνων σκαιωρίας ἀντίκεινται. 

19

CHAPTER 19
Conclusion on the Ascetical Life - Two anecdotes

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19. One of the brothers, when he was praised by the demons within for his ascetic labours, spoke the psalm verse: `Let them straightaway turn to flight in shame, those who say to me, “Well done, well done!”‘ (Ps. 69:4). Do not tolerate the thoughts that bring to you a cycle of many years in the solitary life, lest they make your ascetic works depend on their length of time, or lest you be captured and boast of your perseverance in the desert. Rather, in perseverance in your lowly estate [i 12 oB] remember that you are a useless servant (Luke 17: 10) .

Τίς τῶν ἀδελφῶν τοὺς πόνους κατὰ δαιμόνων, ὑπὸ τῶν ἔνδον ἐπαινούμενος ἔψαλλεν. "6̓Αποστραφήτωσαν παραυτίκα αἰσχυνόμενοι οἱ λέγοντές μοι·  Εὖγε„ εὖγε„"6  Μὴ τὸν λογισμὸν ἀνάσχῃ πολυετῆ σοι κύκλον ἐν τῷ μονήρει βίῳ φερόντων, ἵνα μή σου τοὺς πόνους τοῖς χρόνοις κρεμάσωσι, μηδὲ ἐν τῇ ὑπομονῇ τῆς ἐρημίας καυχήσει ζωγρηθῇς· ἀλλ' ἐν τῇ ὑπομονῇ τῆς εὐτελίας τοῦ δοῦλος ἀχρεῖος εἶναι μνήσθητι. 

Because of his advanced old age, someone used force to remove from the solitary life one of the steadfast, a solitary elder. But he said to him, `Stop forcing me, for, evil as I am, I have not yet been called back from exile.’ While I was seeking to learn the meaning of this teaching, he said: `First, seek arduously for the fear that is innate, and then you will find the word of fire within that teaches man knowledge.’ And when the same man was asked also about fear, he replied: `He who ever has a care for the remembrance of death is led also to the fear of judgement.

                1120b Διὰ γῆρας βαθύ τινα τῶν καρτερικῶν μονηρεμίτην πρεσβύτην ἐκ τῆς ἔρημίας αἴρειν ἐβιάζετό τις.  Ὁ δὲ πρὸς αὐτόν· Παῦσαι, φησὶ, βίας, οὔπω γὰρ τῆς ἐξορίας ὁ κακοῦργος ἀνακέκλημαι.  Ζητοῦντος δέ μου τοῦτον τῆς διδασκαλίας λόγον μαθεῖν, ἐφη·  Ζήτει, πρῶτον ἐμπόνως τὸν ἔμφυτον φόβον, καὶ τότε ἐνδον εὑρήσεις τὸν ἐμπειρον λόγον, τὸν διδάσκοντα ἄνθρωπον γνῶσιν. Ὁ μέριμναν ἔχων τοῦ θανάτου τὴν μνήμην, ὁδηγεῖται καὶ εἰς τὸν τῆς κρίσεως φόβον.

20

CHAPTER 20
Sayings on the Ascetical Life

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20. Out of fear become conversant with the divine scriptures on a daily basis, for by association with these you will drive away converse with thoughts. He who by meditation treasures the divine scriptures in his heart easily expels thoughts from it. [t 12,q In listening to the divine scriptures in the night-time reading at vigils, let us not render our hearing moribund by means of sleep, nor hand over our soul to the captivity of thoughts; rather, with the goad of the scriptures let us prod the heart, so that with the goading of diligence we may pierce through the opposing negligence. zt. Some people make friends with the pious for the sake of their own good repute and not for the sake of the care of their soul, in order to pro­cure credit for themselves without ascetic effort.

Φόβῳ τῶν θείων Γραφῶν καθ' ἑκάστην συνόμιλος γίνου· τῇ γὰρ τούτων συν συνουσίᾳ λογισμῶν ἐξοίσεις ὁμιλίας. Ὁ μελέτη τὰς θείας Γραφὰς θησαυρίζων ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ, τοὺς λογισμοὺς [1120c] ἐκ ταύτης ῥαδίως ἐκβάλλει. Ἀναγνώσει νυκτερινῇ ἐν ταῖς ἀγρυπνίαις τῶν θείων ἀκροώμενοι, μὴ τὰς ἀκοὰς τῷ ὕπνῳ νεκρώσωμεν, μηδὲ τῇ τῶν λογισμῶν αἰχμαλωσίᾳ τὴν ψυχὴν προδώσωμεν, ἀλλἀ τῷ κέντρῳ τῶν Γραφῶν τὴν καρδίαν κατανύξωμεν, ὅπως τῇ τῆς ἐπιμελείας κατανύξει τὴν ἀντίζυγον ἀμέλειαν διχοτμήσωμεν.

ΠΓ 79.1120.37 - 79.1121.18 ΚΕΦΑΛ.  ΚΑʹ.

The person who burns with charity through the remembrance of heavenly things purges the allurement of earthly things from his consideration. Your conscience bears witness for you [I t 2oD]: do not give it up to a thought that treats your fault lightly and coats it with honeyed words.

Τινὲς διὰ φήμην, καὶ οὐκ ἐπιμέλειαν ψυχῆς, τοῖς εὐλαβέσι φιλιοῦνται, ἵνα ἑαυτοῖς κόσμον περιποιήσωσιν ἀπόνως· ὁ δὲ διὰ μνήμην τῶν ἐπουρανίων, δι' ἀγάπην πυρούμενος, τὴν ἀρέσκειαν τῶν ἐπιγείων ἐκ τῆς ἐννοίας ἐκκαθαίρεται. 

Do not maintain a relationship with one who loves contention, in order that you may not wage war against passion with a passion and be found inferior in virtue. Do not exalt yourself with an arrogant thought that blows against the wind of an opposing spirit.

Τὸ διαμαρτυροῦν σοι συνειδὸς μὴ παραπέμπου λογισμῷ καταφρονοῦντι, καὶ γλυκολογοῦντι τὸ πταῖσμα, τῷ φιλονεικοῦντι μὴ συνδιατείνου, ἵνα μὴ πάθει πάθος στρατεύσας τῆς ἀρετῆς ἡττηθῇς, τῷ ὑπερηφάνῳ μὴ συνεπαίρου λογισμῷ ἀντιφυσῶντι εἰς ἀντάνεμον πνεῦμα. 

There is no praise for the tongue that speaks hurriedly, but there is honour for the lips that move with calm.

Οὐκ αἶνος γλώσσῃ τροχαλῶς φθεγγομένῃ, ἀλλὰ χείλεσι δόξα εὐσταθῶς κινουμένοις·

When you listen to a discourse, question your mind and then with dis­cernment you will cast your vote.

ἀκροώμενος λόγων, ἐρώτα τὸν νοῦν σου καὶ τότε διακρίνας τὸ ψήφισμα δώσεις·

Do not mislead your mind with ill-advised words, lest your Canaanite tongue should be thrown into the abyss.

μὴ παραλογίζου τὸν νοῦν σου ἀβουλίᾳ ῥημάτων, ἵνα μὴ κρημνησθείη ἡ χανανιτίς σου γλῶσσα. 

Do not let a garrulous spirit (cf. Job 8: 2) lead you astray, for treacher­ous deceit lurks within it. [Rather, arm yourself with a true word of wis­dom in order that you may make war on greatly inventive deceit.]

Μή σε πνεῦμα πολυῤῥῆμον πλανήσῃ, ἐν αὐτῷ γὰρ φωλεύει τὸ δόλιον ψεῦδος

The person stung by the insults of others, [t t z 1A] who does not hurl these at the devil, rouses the mob of his own thoughts against himself and provokes himself all the more to ready weapons, because his soul hap­pens to have been wounded through such as these. If you travel abroad for the sake of your office,35 do not expect to be hospitably entertained by everyone, reckoning yourself to be unworthy of the welcome so that you may in this way chase away the thought of insult, even if you think it speaks the truth.

 Ὁ ταῖς παρ' ἑτέρων λοιδορίαις 79.1121 δακνόμενος, καὶ μὴ ταύτας τῷ διαβόλῳ προσρίπτων. τὸν τῶν λογισμῶν αὐτοῦ δῆμον ἑαυτῷ ἐπεγείρει, καὶ εἰς ἑαυτὸν βέλη σκευάζειν ἔτι μᾶλλον ἐρεθίζει, ἐν τῷ τὴν ψυχὴν διὰ τῶν τοιούτων τιτρωσκομένην συμπίπτειν. Ἕνεκεν διακονίας ἐπ' ἀλλοδαπῆς ἐὰν βαδίσῃς, μὴ φιλοξενεῖσθαι παρὰ πάντων εὐτρεπίζου, ἀνάξιον σεαυτὸν τῆς δόξης καταλέγων ἵνα οὕτω τὸν τῆς λοιδορίας λογισμὸν φυγαδεύσῃς, κἂν λέγῃ τἀληθῆ. 

When charity is absent and you are insulted or wronged in the worst ways, you should not bear resentment but offer blessings instead. For he who bears resentment towards demons does not do so towards men, but the one who bears resentment towards his brother is at peace with the demons.

Νομίζω, ὡς, οὐκ οὔσης ἀγάπης, λοιδορούμενος τὰ μέγιστα, ἢ ἀδικούμενος, οὐ μνησικακήσεις, ἀλλ' εὐλογήσεις. Ὁ γὰρ δαίμοσι μνησικακῶν, ἀνθρώποις οὐ μνησικακεῖ· εἰρηνεύει δὲ μετὰ δαιμόνων, ὁ τῷ ἀδελφῷ μνησικακῶν. Ἐμπρησμὸς καρδίας μῆνις ἀντιλογίας, ψυχαὶ δὲ ἀμνησικάκων δροσίζονται πνευματικῶς·

The wrath of a quarrel is a conflagration of the heart, but souls that are free of resentment are covered with a spiritual dew. Coals give off sparks of fire, [i i 2 7 B] and so resentful souls give off evil thoughts.

Just as the strike of a scorpion produces a very sharp pain, so too the resentful soul produces a most bitter venom.

ἄνθρακες πυρὸς σπινθῆρας ἐρεύγονται, οὕτω καὶ μνησίκακοι ψυχαὶ λογισμοὺς πονηρούς· ὥσπερ πληγὴ σκορπίου δριμύτατον ἔχει τὸν πόνον, οὕτω καὶ μνησίκακος ψυχὴ πικρότατον ἔχει τὸν ἰόν.

PART TWO

PART TWO
Praktike in the Cenobium

xx

CHAPTER 21
Patterns of Vice and Virtue

xx

21. Bring your resentment to bear against the spirit of fornication and vainglory, two bitter demons opposed to one another; for the one flees from people, but the other rejoices in people. The demon of lust, after suddenly hurling its filth at the champion of ascesis, springs quickly away from the fiery torch of his ascetic labours, unable to bear the heat. [i 12 1 C] For little by little the demon plots against the person who has relaxed his abstinence due to the flattery of pleasures, in order to become the familiar of his heart, so that once ignited by converse with vice it may be captured and its hatred of sin come to an end.

Πνεύμασι πορνείας μνησικάκει καὶ κενοδοξίας, δυσὶ πικροῖς δαίμοσιν ἐναντίοις ἀλλήλων· ὁ μὲν γὰρ πρόσωπα φεύγει, ὁ δὲ προσώποις χαίρει.  Καὶ ὁ μὲν τῆς ἀσελγείας δαίμων τῷ τῆς ἀσκήσεως ἀγωνιστῇ τὰς ῥυπαρίας ἄφνω ἀκοντίσας ἐφάλλεται ὀξέως, τῆς διαπύρου τῶν πόνων δᾳδουχίας τὴν θέρμην μὴ φέρων, τῷ δὲ τῆς ἐγκρατείας χαυνωθέντι κολακείᾳ ἡδονῶν τὸ κατ' ὀλίγον ἐπιβατεύει συνομιλεῖν τῇ καρδίᾳ, ἵνα ἐξαφθεῖσα ταῖς κακίαις διαλεχθῇ καὶ αἰχμαλωτισθῇ, καὶ τὸ τῆς ἁμαρτίας μῖσος εἰς πέρας ἀγάγῃ.

The deceiver in vainglory, being addicted to popularity, surreptitiously lights upon the soul of those devoted to ascetic efforts, pursuing for himself the esteem which they earn through their ascetic labours.36

 Ὁ δὲ τῆς κενοδοξίας πλάνος δημοχαρὴς τυγχάνων παρεσκιασμένως ἐφίσταται τῇ ψυχῇ τῶν ἐθελοπόνων τὴν δι' ὧν πόνων ἐργάζονται δόξαν ἐν αὐτοῖς θηρώμενος. 

If therefore one should wish to pre­vail over these (two demons) with God’s help, let him waste the flesh to counter fornication and let him humble the soul to counter vainglory, for thus will we easily drive out the empty esteem of the one and be pleasing to God; and we shall blow away the impure fantasies of the other and render our heart pure of pleasures.

Εἴ τις οὗν βούλοιτο σὺν  Θεῷ τούτων περιγενέσθαι, λεπτυνέτω τὴν σάρκα κατὰ τῆς πορνείας, ταπεινούτω δὲ τὴν ψυχὴν κατὰ τῆς κενοδοξίας.  Οὕτω γὰρ ῥᾳδίως τοῦ μὲν τὴν ματαίαν δόξαν ἐξώσομεν, καὶ  Θεῷ εὐαρεστήσομεν, τοῦ δὲ τὰς ἀκαθάρτους φαντασίας φυσήσομεν, καὶ καθαρὰν ἡδονῶν τὴν καρδίαν ποιήσομεν. 

22

CHAPTER 22
Patterns of Vice and Virtue

xx

22. It is a very serious matter [I 121D] for the heart to be bound to a habit of pleasures, and much effort is needed to cut off completely the spread of evils. Therefore, do not accustom your thinking to a familiarity with the pleasures of the thoughts, for in the assemblage of evils there burns a fire. Giving you warmth in this way, they have you reckon that it is an effort to master the fire of one’s nature, and the time of perseverance is lengthy and the life of abstinence is burdensome; and they bring back to you memories of the shameful fantasies that they suggested during the night, forming before you burning images of error. Then, having ignited in your flesh an even more intense burning, they introduce within you by means of the law of sin the notion that so far as you do not have the strength to restrain the force of your nature, even if you sin today by necessity, tomorrow you will repent for the sake of the commandment (cf. Rom. 7: 23-5); for the law is humanitarian and forgives the iniquities of those who repent. And they present you with the example of certain people [1124A] who fell off in their abstinence and in turn repented, in order from these examples to render credible the counsel of their own deceit. Thus, after restoring the soul by a reverse repentance, they make the temple of chastity into a place of fornication. In this way, the double-tongued serpents of the thoughts hiss within the troubled workplace of the heart.

Χαλεπώτατόν ἐστι συνηθείᾳ ἡδονῶν συνθάπτεσθαι τὴν καρδίαν, καὶ πολλῶν χρεία κόπων τὴν νομὴν κακῶν εἰς ἄκρον ἐκκόψαι.  Μὴ οὖν ταῖς ἡδοναῖς τὸν λογισμὸν συνομιλεῖν ἐθίσῃς· ἐν γὰρ συλλόγῳ κακῶν ἐκκαίεται πῦρ οὕτω γὰρ ἐκθερμαίνοντές σε, λογίζεσθαι ποιοῦσι κόπον εἶναι τὴν πυρὰν τῆς φύσεως κρατῆσαι, καὶ ὅτι πολὺς ὁ τῆς ἐγκρατείας βίος, ἀναφέρουσι δέ σοι καὶ μνήμας ὧν σε νύκτωρ φαντάζουσιν αἰσχρῶν, μορφάζοντές σοι πυρωτικὰ τῆς πλάνης εἴδωλα, εἶτα καὶ σφοδρότερον ἐν τῇ σαρκὶ ἐξάψαντες τὸν πυρετὸν τῷ νόμῳ τῆς ἁμαρτίας γνωμοδοτοῦσί σοι ἔνδον, ὅτι οὐκ ἰσχύεις κατασχεῖν τὴν τῆς φύσεως βίαν, κἂν σήμερον ἁμαρτήσῃς δι' ἀνάγκην, ἀλλ' αὔριον μετανοήσεις διὰ τὴν ἐντολήν.  Φιλάνθρωπος γὰρ ὁ νόμος, καὶ συγχωρῶν ἁμαρτίαν τοῖς μετανοοῦσι.  Καὶ φέρουσί τινας τῶν μετ'    79.1124 ἐγκρατείας πταισάντων, καὶ πάλιν μετανοησάντων· ἵνα ἐκ τούτων πιθανοποιήσωσι τῆς ἑαυτῶν ἀπάτης τὴν συμβουλήν· ὅπως τῇ ἀντιστρόφῳ μετανοίᾳ ψυχὴν ἀνακαλέσαντες, τὸν ναὸν τῆς σωφροσύνης πορνεῖον ποιήσωσιν.  Οὕτως ὑποσυρίζουσιν οἱ δίγλωττοι τὸν λογισμὸν ὄφεις ἐν τῶ κινουμένῳ τῆς καρδίας ἐργαστηρίῳ.

ΠΓ 79.1124.12 - 79.1125.2 ΚΕΦΑΛ.  ΚΓʹ.

[23]You, man of abstinence, [i i 24B] do not get hooked on the bait of uncertain hopes under the pretext of a new repentance, for many have fallen and were immediately snatched away, and others were unable to recover, for they were bound by the habit of pleasures as though they were under a law. How do you know, fellow, whether you will live to repent, that you ascribe years of life to yourself? And here, in committing a fault, you indulge your flesh; rather grant yourself the remembrance of death and depict for your heart the terrifying penalty of judgement, (to see) if you should be able at all to extinguish the feverish mind of the flesh (cf. Rom. 8: 6).

                Σὺ δὲ, ὦ τῆς ἐγκρατείας ἄνθρωπε, μὴ προφάσει πάλιν μετανοίας δελεάζου ἐλπίσιν ἀδήλοις, πολοὶ γὰρ πεσόντες εὐθὺς ἀνηρπάγησαν, ἕτεροι δὲ ἀναστῆναι οὐκ ἴσχυσαν τῇ τῶν ἡδονῶν συνηθείᾳ ὡς ὑπὸ νόμον δεθέντες.  Τί γὰρ οἴδας, ἄνθρωπε, εἰ ζήσεις, ἵνα καὶ μετανοήσῃς, ὅτι χρόνους ζωῆς ἑαυτῷ ὑπογράφεις ; Κὰνταῦθα πταίων, τῇ σαρκι σου χαρίζῃ, δέον μᾶλλον χαρίσασθαι σεαυτῷ θανάτου τὴν φοβερὰν τῆς κρίσεως δίκην, εἴ πως δυνηθείης τὸ πυρεταῖνον τῆς σαρκὸς φρόνημα κατασβέσαι· οὐ γὰρ ἄλλως κατασβέσεις τὰ πάθη, πρὶν ἢ τῇ σαρκί σου συγκεράσης τοὺς τῆς ἀνασκευῆς αὐτῶν πόνους. 

Love possesses nothing of its own except God, for God is love itself (1Jn 4:8). [cf KG 3.86]

 Ἀγάπη ἔχει μὲν ἰδιον οὐδὲν πλὴν τοῦ Θεοῦ· αὔτη γάρ ἐστιν ὁ Θεός.

23

CHAPTER 23
Courage in Novitiate Combat

xx

23. As for one who has been recently admitted to the radiant assembly of monks, let him drive away the thoughts coming to him from his family that hold out praise as bait, in order that he might not seek people’s praise but the beatitude that comes from the commandments. Let him show courage against the demons who introduce their cowardice, `for you have not received a spirit of cowardice to fall again into fear’ (Rom. 8: 15). On this account let him not cower with fear because of the spirit of coward­ice, nor tremble at the nocturnal racket [i 124D] of the demons, when they do not even have authority over swine (Luke 8: 32).

 Ὁ εἰς τὴν φαιδρὰν τῶν μοναχῶν σύγκλητον νεοπαγὴς τυγχάνων, ἀπωθείσθω τοὺς λογισμοὺς τοὺς προσιόντας αὐτῷ εὐφημίας ἀπὸ τῆς συγγενείας, ἱνα μὴ τὸν ἐξ ἀνθρώπων ἐπαινον, ἀλλὰ τὸν ἐκ τῶν ἐντολῶν μακαρισμὸν ἐπιζητοίη.  Τῶν δὲ τὰς δειλίας εἰσβαλλόν των δαιμόνων καταθαρσείτω οὐ γὰρ ἐλάβετε πνεῦμα δειλίας πάλιν εἰς φόβον· πνεύματι δειλίας ἑαυτὸν [1124d] μὴ καταπτησσέτω, μήτε τοὺς νυκτερινοὺς κτύπους τῶν δαιμόνων τρεμέτω, ὁπόταν οὔτε κατὰ χοίρων ἔχωσιν ἐξουσίαν.

Thus when he has left his cell in the late evening hours, let him not cry out with fear and leap back in fright, as if the demons were running after him; rather, with knees bent in the spot where he takes fright, let him make a prayer, for they will not fall upon you even though they terrorize you in this way. And when you get up, encourage and exhort your heart with the psalm verse, saying: `You shall not fear the terror that comes by night nor the arrow that flies by day nor a thing that moves in the darkness, nor a chance event or the noonday demon’ (Ps. 9o: 5-6). For having acted thus once and for all, you shall more quickly drive from you the demon of cowardice. When they are unable to cause harm in deed, they terrify the soul with fantasies [i t z 5A] so that we will think that the weak and the feeble are strong and mighty.

 Ἐν ταῖς ὀψιναῖς οὐν ἐξελθὼν τῆς κέλλης, μὴ θροείσθω, καὶ φεύγων ἀνόπιν εἰσπηδάτω, ὡς τῶν δαιμόνων δῆθεν κατατρεχόντων, ἀλλὰ κλίνας τὰ γόνατα ἐν ᾧ τόπῳ δειλιᾷ εὐξάσθω, οὐ γάρ σοι ἐπιπεσοῦνται κἂν οὕτω σε θροήσωσιν· ἐπειδὰν δὲ ἀναστῇς θάῤῥυνε τὴν καρδίαν, παρακάλει τῇ ψαλμῳδίᾳ, { Οὐ φοβηθήσῃ [λέγων] ἀπὸ φόβου νυκτερίνοῦ, ἀπὸ βέλους πετομένου ἡμέρας, ἀπὸ πράγματος ἐν σκότει διαπορευομένου, ἀπὸ συμπτώματος, καὶ δαιμονίου μεσημβρινοῦ. }  Οὕτω γὰρ ἂπαξ καὶ πολλοστὸν ποιήσας, τὸν δαίμονα τῆς δειλίας θᾶττον ἀφ' ἑαυτοῦ ἀπελάσεις. Ἀδυνατοῦντες γὰρ ἔργῳ βλάπειν, ταῖς φαντασίαις τὴν ψυχὴν δειλοκοποῦσιν, ἵνα οἱ [1125α] ἄνθρωποι τοὺς ἀσθενεῖς, καὶ ἀδυνάτους, ἰσχυροὺς καὶ δυνατοὺς εἶναι νομίσωσι.

24

CHAPTER 24 [24]
The Praktike

ΠΓ 79.1125.6 - 79.1125.35 ΚΕΦΑΛ.  ΚΔʹ.

xx

24.[24]  Do not dress yourself in the finest clothes lest you quite blatantly put on the demon of vainglory, for the virtues are not born in the beauty of one’s clothes, but in the beauty of the soul ascetic works are worn as golden embroideries. Put on the fear of God for the punishments of judgement so that out of fear of the inextinguishable fire you may put on the indivisible robe of ascetic works (cf. John 19: z 3) and be more quickly endowed with wisdom against the evil artifice of the thoughts, for `fear is the beginning of wisdom’ (Ecclus. 1: 14).

Καλλίστοις ἱματίοις μὴ σεαυτὸν περιστολίσῃς, ἵνα μὴ τὸν τῆς κενοδοξίας δαίμονα προφανέστερον ἐνδύσῃ· οὐ γὰρ ἐν κάλλει ἱματίων αἱ ἀρεταὶ φοροῦνται, ἀλλ' ἐν κάλλει ψυχῆς οἱ πόνοι χρυσοφοροῦνται· τὸν δὲ τοῦ  Θεοῦ φόβον ἐπενδύου τῶν τῆς κρίσεως κολαστηρίων, ὅπως φόβῳ πυρὸς ἀκατάσβεστον τὴν θέρμην ἐπενδύσῃ, καὶ κατὰ τῆς κακοτεχνίας θᾶττον τῶν λογισμῶν σοφισθήσῃ, ἀρχὴ γάρ ἐστιν ὁ φόβος τῆς σοφίας.

He who through his experience makes known the error of the thoughts will not be recognized by all, except for those with experience, [i i z 5 B] for experience constitutes the path towards the gnostic life at this stage. The ground for both of them is the practical life; and if we lay hold of this with greater ascetic effort, we will come to know ourselves, we will pass judgement on thoughts and we will come to know God.

 Ὁ τῶν λογισμῶν τὴν πλάνην διὰ πείρας ἐξαγγέλλων, οὐ πᾶσιν εὔγνωστος ἔσται πλὴν τῶν ἐν πείρᾳ, ὁδὸς γὰρ τῆς ἐν τούτῳ τῷ μέρει γνωστικῆς ἡ πεῖρα καθέστηκεν· αἰτία γὰρ ἀμφοτέρων ἐστὶν ἡ πρακτικὴ, ἥνπερ πονικώτερον κατέχοντες, ἑαυτοὺς ἐπιγνωσόμεθα καὶ λογισμῶν καταγνωσόμεθα, καὶ  Θεὸν ἐπιγνωσόμεθα.

As for the person experienced in the emigration of the practical life and the homecoming of the gnostic life (cf. 2 Cor. 5: 8-9),38 who anoints the simple with the skill of the thoughts39-let him watch out, let him not boast about the gnostic life to make a show for his own glory. But if a thought steals in to exalt him, let him take for his assistance the newcomer Jethro who gave to Moses, the great prophet, a wise counsel and discerning judgement inspired by grace (Exod. 18: 13-27).

. Ὁ ἐκ πρακτικῆς ἐκδημίας, καὶ γνωστικῆς ἐνδημίας τῶν λογισμῶν τῇ τέχνῃ τοὺς ἀφελεῖς ἀλείφων, βλεπέτω μὴ εἰς ἔνδειξιν δόξης τὴν γνωστικὴν κομπάζῃ· εἰ δὲ λογισμὸς τούτων μεγαλύνων λῃστεύει, εἰς βοήθειαν λαβέτω τὸν Ἕλληνα Ἰοθὸρ,  Μωϋσῇ τῷ μεγάλῳ προφήτῃ τὴν ἀπὸ τῆς χάριτος σοφὴν συμβουλίαν διὰ κρίσιν ἐκδόντα.

Let the power of your words be constituted by your works. For acts to be done are dearer to wisdom than words to be said, as they also involve greater ascetic effort. Just as, when the practical life is present, words are dazzling bright, [I iz5C] so when works are absent, words do not flash forth with the power of works.

. Ἤτω σου τῶν λογισμῶν ἡ δύναμις τὰ ἔργα, τὰ γὰρ πρακτέα τῶν λεκτέων ἐστὶ φιλοσοφώτερα, καθάπερ, καὶ ἐπιπονώτερα· πράξεως παρούσης ὥσπερ οἱ λόγοι ἐξαστράπτουσιν, ἔργων δὲ μὴ παρόντων, οἱ λόγοι τῶν ἔργων δύναμιν οὐκ ἀστράπτουσι. 

25

CHAPTER 25
Hospitality and Community

ΠΓ 79.1125.36 - 79.1128.11 ΚΕΦΑΛ.  ΚΕʹ.

xx

 [25] Do not hunt for a saying that is untimely, lest you endure the same thing from those you would rather not. Avoid goading the tongue of your neighbour, in order that you too may escape the goading of the devil. Avoid rebuking your brother’s faults lest you be deprived of compassion as one of an alien race.”

Μὴ τὴν ἄκαιρον γλῶσσαν λεξιθήρει, ἵνα μὴ τὸ αὐτὸ ὑφ' ὧν οὐ θέλεις ὑπομείνῃς.  Φεῦγε πτερνίσαι τοῦ πλησίον τὴν γλῶτταν, ἵνα καὶ σὺ τοῦ διαβόλου τὸν πτερνισμὸν διαφύγῃς· φεῦγε ὀνειδίσαι ἀδελφοῦ σου τὸ πταῖσμα, ἵνα μὴ τῆς συμπαθείας ὡς ἀλλόφυλος ἐκπέσῃς.

 Let us not speak of the frequent visits of the brothers as disturbances, but rather let us trust their community as a helpful alliance against the phalanx of the adversary; for thus united by the charm of charity, we shall expel wickedness and transfer the works of manual labour into the treasury of hospitality. [i I z8A]

 Τὰς συνεχεῖς τῶν ἀδελφῶν ἐπιστασίας ὀχλήσεις εἶναι μὴ φάσκωμεν, συμμαχίαν δὲ μᾶλλον πέλειν· κατὰ τῆς φάλαγγος τοῦ ἀντιπάλου τὴν αὐτῶν χοροστασίαν ἐμπιστεύσωμεν.  Οὕτω γὰρ τῷ φίλτρῳ τῆς ἀγάπης ἑνωθέντες, τὴν κακίαν ἐξωθήσομεν, καὶ τὰ ἔργα τῶν χειρῶν εἰς τὸν τῆς φιλοξενίας θησαυρὸν μετακομίσομεν.  79.1128

Let us not welcome our brothers as though we were doing them a favour, but rather, let us treat them hospitably with supplication as though we were indebted to them by a loan, as Lot set the example (Gen. 19: z-3). Some people flatter themselves in a strange way with the role of the host, and whenever they invite a distinguished guest they do not implore him at all, but they amplify the message of invitation with their pride, and when an invitee refuses the invitation they censure him as they would one who had given insult.

Μὴ, ὡς χάριν παρέχοντες τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς, τούτους δεξιωσώμεθα, ἀλλ' ὡς ὑπόχρεοι ὄντες τῷ δανείσματι μεθ' ἱκεσίας ξενίζωμεν, καθὼς ὑπέδειξε  Λώτ.  Τινὲς ἐπὶ ξένῳ ἀξιώματι καὶ ξένως ἐπαίρονται, καὶ ὅταν μὲν ξένον καλῶσιν οὐδόλως παρακαλοῦσιν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸν τῆς κλήσεως λόγον τῷ τύφῳ πλατύνουσι, τὸν δὲ παραιτούμενον ὡς ἐφ' ὑβρικότα μέμφονται·

 From this great conceit is enkindled, for the [tempting-]thoughts pierce the eye of the soul, [thus] blinding it, so that we thereby use the very best of the commandments in the very worst way. [cf KG 4.47]

[26] When a thought hinders you from constraining [1128B] your brother over-much to share your table, through him it then makes a mockery of you because you did not have the impulse of your charity under control.41 For perhaps it suggests to you that your brother is one of the vagabonds-’Let him come and get his fill of bread!’; but to your brother it gives the notion that he had found no hospitality at all with you. For with an eye to effecting a change in his practical life, it (viz. the thought) gives to each heart a particular notion in order to undercut hospitality in one case and to produce insults in another.

If Abraham, seated in front of his tent, saw someone passing by he welcomed him by his deed and for those who lived in impiety he spread a table, and by receiving foreigners he did not miss the opportunity of meeting angels (Gen. 18: i-5; Heb. i3: z).42 (Matt. z 5 : 40).

^{ΠΓ 79.1128.12 - 79.1128.49 ΚΕΦΑΛ.  Κϛʹ.}
  Ὅταν λογισμὸς ἐγκόψῃ σε, μὴ ἄγαν βιάσασθαι τῇ τραπέζῃ τὸν ἀδελφὸν, τότε δι' αὐτοῦ κωμῳδεῖ σε, μὴ βεβιασμένην ἔχειν γλῶτταν εἰς τὴν βίαν τῆς ἀγάπης· σοὶ μὲν γὰρ ἴσως ὑποβάλλει τῶν κυκλευτῶν ἕνα τὸν ἀδελφὸν ὑπάρχειν, καὶ ὅτι ἄρτοις ἀρκεσθεὶς ἀφικέσθω, ἐκείνῳ δὲ ἐμβάλλει φιλοξενίαν παρὰ σοὶ τὸ παράπαν μὴ εὑρηκέναι· τῆς γὰρ πρακτικῆς αὐτοῦ μεταβολῆς τὸ ὄμμα βαστάζων, ἕνα τῷ ἑνὶ ἐν ταῖς καρδίαις ἐμβάλλει, ἵνα τοῦ μὲν τὴν φιλοξενίαν ὑπεκκόψῃ, τοῦ δὲ λοιδορίαν ἐκβλαστήσῃ. Ἀβραὰμ καθήμενος πρὸ τῆς σκηνῆς, εἰ που τινὰ τῶν παριόντων ἑώρα, ἔργῳ προσεδέχετο· ζῶσιν ἐν ἀσεβείᾳ ἐξήπλου τὴν τράπεζαν, βαρβάρους δεχόμενος, ἀγγέλων οὐκ ἀπέτυχεν.

All those who have lived abroad know the sweetness of hospitality and have been entertained by it as guests, when also a gentle word [1128C] prepares a sweet table for the heart. With great zeal then let us practise the kindness of hospitality that we may welcome not only angels but also God. For the Lord says, `As you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me’

 Ἴσασι τὴν τῆς φιλοξενίας γλυκύτητα ὅσοι ξενιτεύσαντες ὑπὸ ταύτην ἐξενίσθησαν, ὅτε καὶ λόγος προσηνὴς, [1128c] γλυκεῖαν ἀρτύει τὴν τράπεζαν τῇ καρδίᾳ.  Μετὰ πολλῆς οὖν σπουδῆς τὴν φιλοξενίαν χρηστοποιώμεθα, ἵνα μὴ μόνον ἀγγέλους, ἀλλὰ καὶ  Θεὸν ὑποδεξώμεθα. "6̓Εφ' ὅσον γὰρ, φησὶν, ἐποιήσατε ἑνὶ τούτων τῶν ἀδελφῶν μου τῶν ἐλαχίστων, ἐμοὶ ἐποιήσατε."6 

26

CHAPTER 26
Conclusion on Cenobitic Life - Three Apophthegms

xx

[on γνωστικώτερον cf Prak.50]

 The zeal of hospitality and a generous service rendered with enthusiasm usually destroy the fantasies of the demons that resound in the heart, if indeed one is free in some way at least of material concerns. When these things are done with humility and contrition of heart, they usually deliver more quickly one who suffers from fantasies.

 Τὰς ἐνηχούσας τῶν δαιμόνων ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ φαντασίας εἴωθεν ἐξαφανίζειν ἡ τῆς φιλοξενίας σπουδὴ, καὶ δαψιλὴς ὑπηρεσία προθύμως γινομένη, εἴπερ τις τῶν ὑλῶν ὁπωσδηποτοῦν ἀπήλλακται· ταῦτα δὲ γινόμενα μετὰ ταπεινώσεως, καὶ συντριβῆς καρδίας θᾶττον ἀπαλλάττειν τῶν φαντασιῶν τὸν κάμνοντα. 

The demons have a very great fear of humility, for they know that this was the garment of the Lord. One of the most experienced brothers offered a word about humility [1128D] and made this point. `A father,’ he said, `among the very experienced was struck on the cheek by a pos­sessed man, who was also deprived of his wits in a terrible way, and he immediately presented in exchange the other one ready to be struck. But the demon, struck in turn by the lightning-bolt of humility, cried out and suddenly leapt from the creature.

Σφόδρα γὰρ δεδοίκασι τὴν ταπείνωσιν οἱ δαίμονες, εἰδότες ταύτην δεσποτικὴν γεγενῆσθαι ἐντολήν.  Τίς τῶν δοκιμωτάτων περὶ ταπεινώσεως λόγον κινῶν, καὶ τοῦτο κατεμήνυσεν, ὅτι  Πατὴρ, φησὶ, τῶν πάνυ δοκίμων ὑπὸ δαιμονῶντος, καὶ δεινῶς ἀφραίνοντος τὴν σιαγόνα κρουσθεὶς, εὐθὺς ἐναλλάξας, καὶ τὴν ἄλλην ἑτοίμην παρέθηκεν, ὁ δὲ ὡς ὑπὸ ἀστραπῆς τῆς ταπεινώσεως ἀντικρουσθεὶς, καὶ κραυγάσας, ἀθρόως τοῦ πλάσματος ἀφήλλατο.

ΠΓ 79.1128.52 - 79.1129.31 ΚΕΦΑΛ.  ΚΖʹ.

[27] This account was given by the holy bishop Epiphanius.45 `It happened,’ he said, `that the son of a faithful widow was possessed by [1129A] the demon of Python and after some time in the affliction could not submit to healing.46 With his mother rendered humble by mourning, thanksgiving cooled the passion, and having suspended his soul from the cross, it cast the demon out of the child by means of her prayers. While the youth was wandering in the parts round about and his mother was at home praying, the demon crying out the woman’s name was plagued with torments. But when the woman heard of this, she did not run to the scene, binding the battle of nature to humility; but, drawn by others, she was led there against her will, and henceforth, the demon too was driven mad to the point of taking flight. Standing by, then, she embraced her child in tears and cast forth her thanksgiving and humility against the demon; and after she had wept bitterly, imploring Christ [i i z9B] and making the sign of the cross, the demon quickly ran away from her child before so many lashes of the whip.’

  Ἐπιφανίου τοῦ ἁγίου ἐπισκόπου καὶ οὗτος ὁ λόγος. Ἐγένετο ὅτι, φησὶ, χήρας πιστῆς υἱὸς ἕχων    79.1129 δαίμονα  Πύθωνος, ἐν τῇ πληγῇ χρονίσας θραπείαν οὐχ ὑφίστατο.  Τῆς δὲ τούτου μητρὸς ἐπιταπεινωθείσης τῷ πένθει, εὐχαριστία τὸ πάθος κατέψυξεν, ἤπερ ἐκ σταυροῦ τὴν ψυχὴν κρεμάσασα, τὸν δαίμονα τοῦ παιδὸς ταῖς εὐχαῖς ἀπέῤῥηξε· τοῦ γὰρ νέου ἐν τοῖς μέρεσι τοῖς πέριξ πλανωμένου καὶ τῆς μητρὸς οἴκοι εὐχομένης, τὸ ταύτης ὅνομα βοῶν ὁ δαίμων βασάνοις ἠλαύνετο· ἡ δὲ αὐτὸ τοῦτο ἀκούουσα, οὐκ ἐπέδραμε τῷ πράγματι τὴν μάχην τῆς φύσεως τῇ ταπεινώσει δεσμεύουσα, ἑλκομένη δὲ παρ' ἄλλων ἀβουλήτως ἀπήγετο, ἐπέκεινα δὲ καὶ ὁ δαίμων χρῆσθαι τῇ φυγῇ ἐμαίνετο. Ἡ μὲν οὖν ἐπιστᾶσα, καὶ τοῖς δάκρυσι τὸν παῖδα περιπτυξαμένη, τὴν εὐχαριστίαν, καὶ ταπείνωσιν κατὰ τοῦ δαίμονος προὐβάλλετο, πικρῶς δὲ κλαυσάσης, καὶ  Χριστὸν ἱκετευσάσης, καὶ τὸν σταυρὸν τυπωσάσης, πρὶν μαστίγων πολλῶν, θᾶττον τοῦ παιδὸς ὁ δαίμων ἀπέδρα. 

PART THREE
Against Anachoreses

27

CHAPTER 27
Spiritual Direction - School of Humility

xx

 27. The demons are very jealous of those who are scintilating in their submission to a father and they gnash their teeth against them, because to their submission they have yoked a renunciation free of cares. Formulating an accurate list of pretexts against them, they concoct vio­lent disputes and they engrave the memory with the resulting anger; then, little by little, they will bring to a boil hatred towards the father, as if he were punishing unjustly and showing partiality, in order to cause the soul agitation on all sides and in different ways and so separate it from the paternal embrace. Therefore, let him who is in submission to a (spiritual) father not be defeated by insults, let him gain the victory by humility, let him be tempered by patience, I I 129C] and when the thoughts murmur surreptitiously let him not resist the austerity of his father” and the bur­den of works and the insolence of the brothers.

Σϕόδρα  ζηλοῦσιν οἱ δαίμονες τοὺς ἐν ὑποταγῇ  Πατρὸς ἀστράπτοντας, καὶ τρίζουσι κατ' αὐτῶν τοὺς ὀδόντας, ὅτι ἐν τῇ ὑποταγῇ τὴν ἀποταγὴν ἀμερίμνως ἐζύγωσαν, καθ' ὧν καὶ προφάσεις ἀκριβολογοῦντες παροξυσμοὺς ἀρτύουσι, καὶ τῇ συμβαινούσῃ ὀργῇ, τὴν μῆνιν ἐγγλύφουσιν, ἔπειτα δὲ καὶ μῖσος πρὸς τὸν  Πατέρα κατ' ὀλίγον ἑψοῦσιν, ὡς ἅτε δῆθεν ἀδίκως ἐπιπλήττοντα, καὶ κατὰ πρόσωπον προσέχοντα· ἵνα ἐκ διαφόρων τρόπων τὴν ψυχὴν περιτινάξαντες, τῶν ἀγκαλῶν σκορπίσωσι τῶν πατρικῶν. Ὁ οὖν ἐν ὑποταγῇ  Πατρὸς ὑπάρχων, ὕβρεσιν ἡττάσθω, καὶ ταπεινώσει νικάτω, καὶ μακροθυμίᾳ ῥυθμιζέσθω, καὶ μὴ τῶν λογισμῶν ὑπογογγυζόντων ἀνεχέσθω πρὸς αὐστηρότητα, καὶ ἀδελφῶν θρασύτητα.

ΠΓ 79.1129.32 - 79.1132.10 ΚΕΦΑΛ.  ΚΗʹ.

28. For beyond this the demons insinuate in a special way that freedom is equivalent to wretched servitude so that by rendering the submissive person self-willed they can easily entangle him in material concerns.48 Some they are eager to separate from the direction of a spiritual father through these means, while for others they use other means. `Work, acquire possessions, entertain guests’, they chant within, `in order that you may acquire for yourself a fine reputation.’ For from these seeming good things, they sow bit by bit the weeds of wickedness (cf. Matt. 13: z 5).

Καὶ ὅτι μοχθηρᾶς δουλείας ἡ ἐλευθερία ἰσόζυγος οὐ τυγχάνει, εἰσβάλλουσι γὰρ μάλιστα, καὶ περαιτέρω τούτων, ἵνα αὐθάδη τὸν ὑπεξούσιον ποιήσαντες, εὐχερῶς εἰς τὰς ὕλας περιπείρωσι· τοὺς μὲν γὰρ καὶ διὰ τούτων τῆς πατροσύνης χωρίσαι σπουδάζουσι, τοὺς δὲ καὶ δι' ἑτέρων. Ἔργασαι, καὶ κτῆσαι, καὶ ξένισαι, ἔνδον ἐπᾴδοντες, ὅπως ὄνομα καλὸν σεαυτῷ περιποιήσῃ· ἀπὸ γὰρ τῶν δῆθεν καλῶν τὰ ζιζάνια τῆς πονηρίας τὸ κατὰ μέρος ἐνσπείρουσι,

In the beginning they allow the brother to enjoy the sweetness of vain­glory, [i i z9D] to be vigilant in continuous fasting, to rise enthusiastically for the prayers and offices, so that he will figure to himself that when he was in submission he was not such. For in the former situation there were insults, sorrows, and troubles, but here there is peace, tranquillity, and joy; in the former situation, the severity of a (spiritual) father, fear, and punishment, but here freedom from cares, fear, and punishment. And then, they steal and snatch away his mind in circumstances like these: emerging suddenly during excessive sleep, they sprinkle the soul with fear and hinder the offices with negligence and acedia; they remind him that the reception of guests is an annoyance; they introduce all the magic tricks of wickedness in order to cast acedia upon him and make life hateful for him, and after thus stripping him naked [i i 3zA] of the virtues they will make a show of him to the angels.

καὶ παρὰ μὲν τὰς ἀρχὰς ἀφιᾶσιν αὐτὸν τῇ κενοδοξίᾳ ἐγγλυκαίνεσθαι, καὶ νήφειν τῇ συνεχεῖ νηστείᾳ, καὶ προθύμως ἀνίστασθαι ἐν ταῖς προσευχαῖς, καὶ ἐν ταῖς συνάξεσιν, ὡς ἵνα λογίζηται, ὅτι Ὑπεξούσιος ὢν τοιοῦτος οὐκ ἐτύγχανον· ἐκεῖ γὰρ καὶ ὕβρεις, καὶ λύπαι, καὶ ταραχαὶ, ἐνταῦθα δὲ εἰρήνη, καὶ γαλήνη, καὶ χαρὰ, ἐκεῖ  Πατρὸς αὐστηρία, καὶ φόβος, καὶ ἐπιπληξία, ἐνταῦθα δὲ ἀμεριμνία, καὶ ἀφοβία, καὶ ἀπληξία.  Καὶ οὕτω ἐν τοῖς τοιούτοις κλέψαντες αὐτοῦ τὸν νοῦν ὑφαρπάζουσιν· ἄφνω δὲ ἐπιστάντες ὕπνῳ ὑπερορίῳ τὴν ψυχὴν φόβῳ ῥαντίζουσι, καὶ τὰς συνάξεις ἀμελείᾳ καὶ ἀκηδίᾳ ὑπεκκόπτουσι, καὶ τὴν ξενοδοχίαν ὄχλησιν εἶναι ὑπομνηματίζουσι, καὶ πάντα μάγγανα τῆς κακίας ἐπάγουσιν, ἵνα τὴν ἀκηδίαν αὐτῷ προσρίψαντες, καὶ πρὸς αὐτὸν τὸν βίον μῖσος ἐργάσωνται, καὶ οὕτω γυμνὸν αὐτὸν τῶν    79.1132 ἀρετῶν στήσαντες τοῖς ἀγγέλοις δειγματίσωσι. 

28

CHAPTER 28
Doctrine of Contraries

28. Sometimes the demons, through the thoughts, exalt ascetic efforts, but sometimes they belittle them for accomplishing nothing, in order to inspire presumption49 on the one hand and to sow despair on the other. For they exalt those who do not stoop to relax their ascetic efforts so as to inspire presumption, while on the other hand the demonic chants hint that those who are not persuaded to stoop to presumption accomplish nothing more besides their ascetic works, so that when they have caused them to become lax they can sow despair.

Ποτὲ μὲν οἱ δαίμονες διὰ τῶν λογισμῶν τοὺς πόνους μεγαλύνουσι, ποτὲ δὲ τούτους εὐτελίζουσιν ὡς μηδὲν ἀνύοντας, ἵνα ὅπου μὲν ἀπόνοιαν ἐνθήσωσιν, ὅπου δὲ ἀπόγνωσιν ἐνσπείρωσι.  Τοῖς γὰρ μὴ καμπτομένοις χαυνῶσαι, τοὺς πόνους μεγαλύνουσιν, ἵνα ἀπόνοιαν ἐνθήσωσι, τοῖς δὲ ἀπονοίᾳ κάμπτεσθαι μὴ πειθομένοις, οὐδὲν πλέον, ἀλλ' ἢ τοὺς πόνους ἐπᾴδουσιν ἀνύειν, ἵνα χαυνώσαντες, ἀπόγνωσιν ἐνσπείρωσιν.

 [Sinc 29]

ΠΓ 79.1132.13 - 79.1132.56 ΚΕΦΑΛ.  ΚΘʹ.

Therefore, when the thoughts exaggerate the value of ascetic efforts, spurning such thoughts, let us keep the soul in lowliness; but when [t 132B] in turn the thoughts make light of ascetic efforts for accomplishing nothing, let us, as far as we are able, exalt the mercies of Christ.

 Ὅταν οὖν οἱ λογισμοὶ τοὺς πόνους μεγαλύνωσι, τούτους ἀποπτύοντες, τὴν ψυχὴν εὐτελίζωμεν, ὅταν δὲ πάλιν τοὺς πόνους σμικρύνωσιν ὡς μηδὲν ἀνύοντας, ἡμεῖς, ὅση δύναμις, τὰ ἐλέη  Χριστοῦ μεγαλύνωμεν·

For the more you treat your body harshly, penetrate all the more your conscience. Learn to know yourself by perceiving the secret plunderings of the thoughts, lest perhaps, swept away unawares regarding their hid­den thieveries, we find ourselves in darkness to reap the virtues by aus­terity alone. For some people, afflicted in their imaginations in this way, have had their wits shaken loose, like locusts, when the demons deluded their imaginations and led their faculties of sight astray, sometimes even ravaging the soul with fear.

ὅσον γὰρ ἐπὶ πλεῖον σκληραγωγεῖς σου τὸ σῶμα, τοσοῦτον διερευνᾷς σου τὸ συνειδός. Ἐπίγνωθι σαυτὸν, ἐπαισθανόμενον τῶν ἐν κρυφῇ τῶν λογισμῶν διαρπαγῶν, μήπως ἀναισθήτως φερόμενοι περὶ τὰς κρυπτὰς αὐτῶν λῃστείας σκιασθῶμεν, μόνῃ τῇ σκληρουχίᾳ τρυγᾷν τὰς ἀρετάς.  Οὕτω γάρ τινες φαντασθέντες, τῶν φρενῶν ἐξετινάχθησαν ὡσεὶ ἀκρίδες, τῶν δαιμόνων φαντασιοκοπούντων, καὶ τὰς ὁράσεις παραφερόντων, ἐσθ' ὅτε δὲ, καὶ δειλίᾳ τὴν ψυχὴν διαρπαζόντων. 

29

CHAPTER 29
Personal Experience of Payer

29. While one of the brothers was keeping vigil at night, the demons formed for him terrifying fantasies, not only in his outward eye but also in his inner sight [t i 32C] so that during the following night, struggling with anxiety, he ran the risk of losing his wits, and for several nights the battle was waged against the soul. But the one at risk forced himself to restrain interiorly the ruling faculty of his mind, while having his soul depend on the giver of prayer; bringing forward against himself the actions of his faults, he struggled to gaze within himself. Then, divert­ing the soul’s attention to the fire of judgement, he instilled it with fear so that by striking fear with fear he might drive away his cowardice. And so it came about, just as the one who had experienced the warfare said.

Τινὶ τῶν ἀδελφῶν ἐγρηγορότι νύκτωρ φοβερὰς φαντασίας ἐξετύπουν οἱ δαίμονες, οὐ μόνον τῷ ἔξωθεν ὄμματι, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῷ ἔσωθεν βλέμματι, ὥστε μερίμνῃ τῆς ἐπιούσης νυκτὸς τὸν νοῦν ἀγωνιῶντα κινδυνεύειν τὴν τῶν φρενῶν διαρπαγὴν, καὶ ἐπὶ πλείους νύκτας ὁ πόλεμος τῇ ψυχῇ ἀφίπτατο, ὁ δὲ κινδυνεύων ἔνδον κατέχειν τὸν ἡγεμόνα τῶν φρενῶν ἐβιάζετο, τῷ τῆς εὐχῆς δοτῆρι τὴν ψυχὴν ἀποκρεμνῶν, καὶ τὰς πράξεις τῶν πταισμάτων καθ' ἑαυτοῦ προφέρων εἰσιδεῖν ἑαυτὸς ἠγωνίζετο· ἔπειτα καὶ τῇ πυρᾷ τῆς κρίσεως τὴν ψυχὴν περισπῶν ἐξεφόβει, ἵνα φόβῳ φόβον συγκρούσας τὴν δειλίαν ἀποκρούσηται, ὥσπερ οὖν καὶ γέγονεν, ὡς ἔφησεν ὁ πεπονθὼς τὸν πόλεμον. 

For while the demons were terrifying his soul in many ways, the sufferer besought God in prayer; and while they were distracting his soul with fantasies, he gathered up the mass of his faults and disclosed them to God who sees all. [i 13 zD] And in turn, when they tried to draw his eye from prayer, he countered with the fear of judgement and wiped out his fear of phantasms. For when one dimension of fear exceeded the other, it overcame error with the help of God. When the soul was humbled by the remembrance of its sins and awakened from sleep by the fear of judgement, it exhaled from its inward parts the terrors of the demons. But everything came from grace from above: driving away the terrors of the demons and sustaining the soul that was falling, for `The Lord upholds all those who are falling and sets aright all those who are cast down’ (Ps. 144:14). [1 13 3A]

Τῶν γὰρ δαιμόνων πολυτρόπως τὴν ψυχὴν ἐκφοβούντων, ὁ κάμνων τῇ εὐχῇ τὸν  Θεὸν ἐπεζήτει, ἐκείνων δὲ ταῖς φαντασίαι; τὴν ψυχὴν περισπώντων, οὗτος τῶν πταισμάτων τὸν ὄγκον ἀναλέγων, τῷ παντεπόπτῃ  Θεῷ ἐπεδείκνυε· τῶν δὲ πάλιν τῆς εὐχῆς τὸ ὄμμα κατασπώντων, ἐκεῖνος τὸν φόβον τῆς κρίσεως ἀνταμείψας, τὸν φόβον τῶν φαντασμάτων ἐξηφάνισε· τὸ γὰρ ἕτερον μέρος τοῦ φόβου πλεονάσαν τοῦ ἄλλου, τῆς πλάνης σὺν  Θεῷ περιεγένετο· τῇ γὰρ μνήμῃ τῶν ἁμαρτημάτων ἡ ψυχὴ ταπεινωθεῖσα καὶ τῷ φόβῳ τῆς κρίσεως διυπνισθεῖσα, τὰ φόβητρα τῶν δαιμόνων ἐκ τῶν ἐντὸς ἀπεφύσησε· τὸ δὲ πᾶν τῆς ἄνωθεν χάριτος γέγονε, τῶν μὲν δαιμόνων ἀπελάσαι τὰ φόβητρα, τὴν δὲ ψυχὴν καταπίπτουσαν ὑποστηρίξαι. "6̔Υποστηρίζει γὰρ  Κύριος πάντας τοὺς καταπίπτοντας, καὶ ἀνορθοῖ πάντας τοὺς κατεῤῥαγμένους."6   

ΚΕΦΑΛ. Λ́. [PG 79 1133A- 79.1133.39]

[33] Sometimes we exert ourselves to make our prayer pure, and we may perhaps be unable. But in turn it also happens that pure prayer arises in the soul when we are making no effort; for our weakness on the one hand and grace from above on the other call on us to ascend to purity of the soul, while at the same time through both means training us not to attribute the work to ourselves in the practice of pure prayer, but to acknowledge the one who bestows the gift: `For we do not know how to pray as we ought’ (Rom. 8: z6). Whenever then we make an effort to have our prayer purified and are unable, but find ourselves in the darkness, then, having drenched our cheeks with tears, let us beseech God for the night of warfare to be brought to an end and for the radiance of the soul to be illumined.

Εστιν ὅτε βιαζόμεθα καθαρὰαν τὴν εὐχὴν ποιῆσαι, καὶ ἴσως οὐ δυνάμεθα. Ἔστι δὲ καὶ πάλιν ὅτε, οὐ βιαζομένων ἡμῶν, καθαρᾷ τῇ προσευχῇ ἡ ψυχὴ ἐγγίνεται, ὅτι ἐγγίνεται, ὅτι τὸ μὲν τῆς ἡμῶν ἀσθενίας, τὸ δὲ τῆς ἄνωθεν χάριτος ἐκκαλουμένης ἡμᾶς ἐπανελθεῖν εἰς τὴν τῆς ψυχῆς καθαρότητα, ἅμα δὲ καὶ δἰ ἀμφοτέρων παιδευούσης ἡμᾶς μὴ ἑαυτηοῖς ἀποδιδόναι ἐν τῷ προσεύχεσθαι, ἀλλ̓ ἐπιγινώσκειν τὸν δωρούμενον.  Τὸ γὰρ τί προσευξόμεθα καθ̓ ὃ δεῖ, οὐκ οἴδαμεν. Ὅταν οὖν καθαρῆναι τὴν εὐχὴν βιαζώμεθα, καὶ οὐ δυνάμεθα, ἀλλ̓ ἐσκοτίσμεθα, τότε δάκρυσι τὰς παρειὰς καταβρέξαντες, Θεὸν ἰκετεύσωμεν ἐπὶ τῷ διαλυθῆναι τῆς ψυχῆς τὸ φέγγος.

30

CHAPTER 30

When for the sake of his office [i 13 3B] the brother who lives with you goes on a trip, renew his memory according to the custom of your prayers, but do not hold him in your imagination beyond measure, lest perhaps the demons seize from you the beginning of disquiet and sharpen it to an ever finer point, covering this brother with their darkness in your chant­ing of the psalms and forming images in the time of godly disquiet,50 in order to counter disquiet with disquiet and as captives to lead us away from the superior goods so we will not take into account the verse: `Cast your disquiet upon the Lord’ (Ps. 54: 23).

ἕνεκεν διακονίας [1134.Β] ἐπαν ὁ συμβιώτης ἀδελφὸς ἐκδημοίῃ, κατὰ τὸ ἔθος τῶν εὐχῶν, ἀνακαίνιζε τούτου τὴν μνήμην· πέρα δὲ τοῦ μέτρου τοῦτον μὴ φαντάζου, μήπως τὴν ἀρχὴν τῆς μερίμνης ἀπὸ σοῦ λαβόντες οἱ δαίμονες, ταύτην ἀκονῶντες ἐπὶ πλεῖον ἐποξύνωσι, σκιάζοντές σοι τοῦτον ἐν τῇ τῶν ψαλμῶν ὑμνῳδίᾳ, καὶ ὑστεροῦντες ἐν Θεῷ τῆς κατὰ Θεὸν μερίμνης, ἵνα μερίμνῃ μέριμναν ἀντικρούσαντες αἰχμαλώτους ἡμᾶς τῶν κρειττόνων ἀπαγάγωσιν, εἰς τὸ μὴ λογίζεσθαι τὸ, < Ἐπίῤῥιψον ἐπὶ Κύριον τὴν μέριμνάν σου.>

They know in fact that out of excessive concern about one’s brother they can shape feelings of sadness and so trouble the ruling faculty. Further, they quietly enkindle complaints of tardiness, as if the brother was neglectful regarding the urgency of his office, [t 133C] so that the much-disquieted yearning might perhaps even turn into hatred.

ἴσασι γὰρ, ὡς ἐκ τῆς περιττῆς περὶ τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ φροντίδος, ὅτι καὶ λύπας ἐντορνεύουσιν ὑποταράττοντες τὸ ἡγεμονικόν. ῎ετι δὲ καὶ μέμψεις βραδύτητος ὑφάπτουσιν, ὡς ὑς ὑπαμελησαντος τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ περὶ τῆς διακονίας σπουδὴν, ὅπως ὁ πολυμέριμνος πόθος ἴσως [1133Ξ] καὶ εἰς μῖσος ἐκτραπῇ.

In wor­ries concerning the traveller it is the custom of the demons to do this: on the day when they see him arriving, they show his image in a dream so that, when the dream has gone away, they may make of us on the occasion of absent travellers interpreters of dreams and have us accept once again those whom we must rather abandon and avoid at all costs for fear lest they divert the soul from these into other errors as well.

ἔθος δὲ ἐν ταῖς περὶ τὸν ἀπόδημον μερίμναις καὶ τοῦτο ποιεῖν τοῖς δαίμοσιν, ἐν ᾗ ἴδωσιν αὐτὸν παραγενόμενον ἡμέρᾳ κατόναρ τοῦτον ἐσοπτρίζειν, ἵνα ὡς ἐκ τοῦ ἀποβάντος ἐνυπνίου ποιήσωσιν ἡμᾶς ἐν καιρῷ τῶν ἀποδήμων τοὺς προφήτας τῶν ἐνυπνίων καὶ πάλιν προσέχεσθαι, οὕς ἀποστρέφεσθαι δεῖ μᾶλλον καὶ σφόδρα ἐκτρέπεσθαι, μήπως ἐκ τούτων καὶ εἰς ἕτερα τὴν ψυχὴν ἀποπλανήσωσιν.

ΠΓ 79.1133.39 - 79.1136.12 ΚΕΦΑΛ.  ΛΑʹ.

3 t. In fact, the demons know nothing in advance, but what they see happening, ‘[t 13 3D] this they make known and represent in the imagination. Often when we are practising in stillness and they see a brother coming to us, they foretell this through thoughts, which one must not trust even if they seem to be telling the truth. For through this supposed truth they are introducing deceit so that from these partial truths they may weave a patchwork of snares on the paths before us.

Προΐσασι γὰρ οὗτοι μὲν οὐδὲν, ἃ δὲ βλέπουσι γινόμενα, ταῦτα μηνίουσι, καὶ φαντάζουσι· πολλάκις γοῦν καθ' ἡσυχίαν ὄντων ἡμῶν, θεασάμενοι πρὸς ἡμᾶς ἀδελφὸν ἐρχόμενον, διὰ τῶν λογισμῶν προεσήμαναν, οἷς οὐ χρὴ πιστεύειν, κἂν λέγειν τ' ἀληθῆ νομίζωσι· διὰ γὰρ τῆς δῆθεν ἀληθείας τὸ ψεῦδος παρεισφέρουσιν, ἵνα ἐκ τοῦ κατὰ μέρος ταῖς ἔμπροσθεν ὁδοῖς τοὺς βρόχους ὑπογράφωσιν.

31

CHAPTER 31[33]
 Seven Comparisons With Monastic Progress

Just as unrefined gold cast in a smelting-furnace becomes more pure, so too a novice monk who refines his morals in a community is restored radiant in his practices of persevering abstinence. For through the brothers’ imposition of commands he works at learning obedience, and through the one who reprimands him he prepares his nature [I t 36A] to possess patience.

. Ὥσπερ ἀνέργαστος χρυσὸς, ἐν χωνευτηρίῳ βαλλόμενος, καθαρώτερος γίνεται, οὕτω καὶ νέηλυς μοναχὸς, ἐν κοινοβίῳ τὰ ἤθη ἀναχωνευόμενος, φαιδρὸς ταῖς καρτερίαις ἀποκαθίσταται· διὰ γὰρ τῆς ἐπιταγῆς τῶν ἀδελφῶν τὴν ὑπακοὴν μανθάνειν κατεργάζεται· διὰ δὲ τοῦ ἐπιπλήττοντος ἑτοιμάζεται τὴν φύσιν μακροθυμίαν 79.1136 ἔχειν

Therefore, whenever he accepts insults with joy and greets humiliation with lowliness, rising above the opposing passions, he struggles thenceforth to shine brightly with the virtues, as grace more and more grants him the strength. As those who go down to the roots of the earth dig up gold, so those who descend to golden humility bring back the virtues.

. Ὅταν οὖν χαρᾷ τὰς ὕβρεις καταδέχηται, καὶ εὐτελείᾳ τὴν ταπείνωσιν ἀσπάζηται, ἀνώτερος τῶν ἄντικρυς παθῶν γενόμενος, ἐπέκεινα στίλβειν ταῖς ἀρεταῖς ἐπαγωνίζεται, τῆς χάριτος αὐτῷ ἐπὶ πλεῖον τὴν δύναμιν δωρουμένης. Ὥσπερ οἱ τὰς ῥίζας τῆς γῆς κατιόντες τὸν χρυσὸν ἀνορύττουσιν, οὕτως οἱ εἰς τὴν χρυσῖτιν ταπείνωσιν καταβαίνοντες ἀρετὰς ἀναφέρουσι. 

Then the mind perceives rest, when, having cut off the causes of the passions, it occupies itself with contemplation, but before these are severed it perceives toil and misery, for in weakness it engages in battle with the adversaries. [1 136131

Τότε ὁ νοῦς ἀναπαύσεως αἰσθάνεται, ὁπότε τὰς τῶν παθῶν αἰτίας ἀποτεμὼν, περὶ θεωρίαν ἠσχόληται, πρὶν δὲ τῆς τούτων κοπῆς, κόπου, καὶ ταλαιπωρίας ἐπαισθάνεται, τῇ τῶν ἐναντίων μάχῃ ἀσθενῶς προσερχόμενος.

ΠΓ 79.1136.13 - 79.1137.2 ΚΕΦΑΛ.  ΛΒʹ.

The elders approve highly of an anachoresis that is undertaken by degrees, if indeed one has come to this after attaining a level of accom­plishment in the virtues in community. If one is able to make progress in anachoresis, let him prove himself; but if because of his inability he falls short of virtue, let him return to the community for fear that, being unable to counter the devices of the thoughts, he lose his wits.

Βαθμῷ τὴν ἀναχώρησιν γινομένην οἱ γέροντες ἄγαν ἀποδέχονται, εἴπερ τις τὰς ἐν κοινοβίῳ τελέσας ἀρετὰς εἰς τοῦτο παρελήλυθε· καὶ εἰ μὲν δύναιτο ἐν τῇ ἀναχωρήσει προκόπτειν, ἑαυτὸν δοκιμαζέτω.  Εἰ δὲ ἀδυνάτως ἔχων τῆς ἀρετῆς ἐλαττοῦται, εἰς τὸ κοινόβιον ἀνακαμπτέτω, μήπως ταῖς μηχαναῖς τῶν λογισμῶν μὴ δυνηθεὶς ἀπαντῆσαι, τῶν φρενῶν ἀποπέσῃ.

Just as sons are a consolation when a widow is in mourning, so too ascetic works are an encouragement when the soul has fallen, for they disperse the despair of thoughts, sow confidence in repentance, proclaim the mer­cies of Christ, and denounce the sins committed. Therefore, we ought not to labour at ascetic works as merely habitual, but rather [t t 36C] with an understanding of thanksgiving, in order that the soul might not be found stripped of such philosophy. If for each action we are aware of the one who brings ascetic efforts to their completion, we set the seal of thanks­giving on it.

 Ὥσπερ χήρας πενθούσης παραμύθιον οἱ υἱοὶ, οὕτω καὶ ψυχῆς πταισάσης παρηγορία πόνοι, οἵτινες τὴν ἀπόγνωσιν τῶν λογισμῶν σκορπίζουσι, καὶ τὴν πίστιν τῆς μετανοίας κατασπείρουσι, καὶ τὰ ἐλέη  Χριστοῦ ἀνακηρύττουσι, καὶ τὰ πραχθέντα ἁμαρτήματα ἀποκηρύττουσιν.  Οὐκ ὀφείλομεν οὖν ὡς ἐκ συνηθείας μόνον τοὺς πόνους ἐργάζεσθαι, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐν συνέσει εὐχαριστίας, ἵνα μὴ γυμνὴ τῆς τοιαύτης φιλοσοφίας ἡ ψυχὴ εὑρίσκοιτο· ἐὰν γὰρ ἐφ' ἑκάστῃ πράξει σύνισμεν τὸν διδόντα τὰ τέλη τῶν πόνων, εὐχαριστίᾳ σφραγίζωμεν

Just as a puppy almost from birth watches out for bread to snatch it, so an evil thought seeks to snatch understanding from the heart. Therefore let us not be silent while they deploy the evil of adverse works, lest we hand over the soul to be plundered by them. Just as the torch­bearing dance of the stars lights up the sky, so the lamp-bearing truth of words lights up the human person in order that we may bear the way of the truth upon the tongue because `the Lord gives the single-minded a house to dwell in’ (Ps. 67: 7).51 Just as violent lightning-flashes darting forth herald thunder, so too words delivered with precision proclaim faith. [i 13 6D] Let us hasten then to be faithful in the truth that we may advance in love towards the metropolis of the virtues.

 Ὥσπερ ἄρτον ἀπὸ βρέφους ἐνεδρεύει σκύλαξ ἐξαρπάσαι, οὕτω σύνεσιν ἀπὸ καρδίας λογισμὸς πονηρός.  Μὴ οὖν ἐννεάζωμεν τῶν ἐναντίων ἔργων τῇ κακίᾳ χρώμενοι, ἵνα μὴ εἰς διαρπαγὴν τούτοις τὴν ψυχὴν προεκδώσωμεν. Ὥσπερ ἡ τῶν ἀστέρων χορεία δᾳδουχοῦσα φαιδρύνει τὸν οὐρανὸν, οὕτως ἡ τῶν ῥημάτων ἀλήθεια λαμπαδουχοῦσα φαιδρύνει τὸν ἄνθρωπον. Ἕνα οὖν τῆς ἀληθείας τρόπον ἐπὶ γλώττης βαστάζωμεν, ὅτι  Κύριος κατοικίζει μονοτρόπους ἐν οἴκῳ. Ὥσπερ ἀστραπαὶ σφοδραὶ προσπηδῶσαι, προμηνύουσι βροντὴν, οὕτω καὶ ῥήσεις ἀκριβεῖς προσιοῦσαι, προσημαίνουσι πίστιν.  Πιστοὶ οὖν εἶναι τῇ ἀληθείᾳ σπουδάσωμεν, ἵνα καὶ εἰς τὴν μητρόπολιν τῶν ἀρετῶν τὴν ἀγάπην προκόψωμεν

As the sun smiles upon the entire earth with its gleaming golden rays, so love with its luminescent actions gives joy to the entire soul. If we have indeed acquired love, we have extinguished the passions and have let our light shine into the heavens. You shall undertake every ascetic work until you attain holy love, because if this is absent there is no value in your present activities. For in fact anger is provoked, morals are aggravated, and ascetic works executed with presumption are mingled with glory. Through humility of soul David fasted with mourning (z Kgs. i z: 16), [113 7A] and through fasting let us bring the soul to humility.

. Ὡς ἥλιος ταῖς χρυσαυγέσιν ἀκτίσιν ἁπάσῃ προσμειδιᾷ τῇ γῇ, οὕτως ἀγάπη ταῖς φωταυγέσι πράξεσιν ἁπάσῃ προσχαίρει ψυχῇ· ἥνπερ ἐὰν κατάσχωμεν, τὰ πάθη ἐσβέσαμεν, καὶ εἰς οὐρανοὺς ἐλάμψαμεν. Ἅπαντα πόνον ποιήσεις ἕως τῆς ὁσίας ἀγάπης ἐπιτεύξῃ, ὅτι, ταύτης ἀπούσης, ὅφελος τῶν παρόντων οὐδέν.  Καὶ γὰρ ὀργὴ ἀγριαίνεται, καὶ ἤθη χαλεπαίνεται, πόνοι ἀπονοούμενοι τῇ δόξῃ συμμίγνυνται.  Διὰ ψυχῆς ταπείνωσιν  Δαβὶδ μετὰ πένθους    79.1137 ἐνήστευσε, καὶ ἡμεῖς διὰ νηστείας τὴν ψυχὴν ταπεινώσωμεν.

32

CHAPTER 32 [33]
Third Vice of the Combat - Anger

ΠΓ 79.1137.3 - 79.1137.45 ΚΕΦΑΛ.  ΛΓʹ.

32.[33] He who engages in the training of bodily ascetic works with greater harshness, let him not engage in such work for reasons of praise nor let him put on airs for reasons of glory. For if the demons can make the soul conceited in these matters, they can fortify both the harshness and the ascesis of the body with glory and draw the soul on to the attainment of greater ascetic works with the result that it puts on even greater airs.

  Ὁ τοῖς σωματικοῖς πόνοις τραχυτέρως ἀσκούμενος, μηδὲ ἐπαίνῳ ἐργαζέσθω, μήτε δόξῃ ἐπαιρέσθω· εἰ γὰρ ἐν τούτοις οἱ δαίμονες ὀφρυώσουσι τὴν ψυχήν· καὶ τὴν τραχύτητα, καὶ τὴν ἄσκησιν τοῦ σώματος ἐνισχύσουσι τῇ δόξῃ, καὶ μειζόνων ἐφάπτεσθαι πόνων ἐφελκύσουσιν, ὡς ἵνα καὶ μειζόνως ἐπαίρηται·

They speak as it were from within, through tempting thoughts they introduce, such as: “Just as this or that person undertook harsh asceticism and became famous and was still spoken of after death, you too should ascend the very heights [Cf. KG 1.5] of ascetical attainment,

συλλαλοῦσι γὰρ ἔσωθεν διὰ τῶν λογισμῶν εἰσβάλλοντες ταῦτα, ὅτι  Καθὼς ὁ δεῖνα ἀποσκλήρως ἀσκήσας, καὶ ὁ δεῖνα μεγάλως ὠνομάσθη, καὶ θανὼν ἔτι λαλεῖται, οὕτω καὶ αὐτὸς εἰς ἀκρότατον ἐπασκήσεως ἀνάβηθι ὕψος,

Through the deceits worked in this manner, not only do they make war on your bodily ascetic efforts, but they also invite you to become their ally, because through these means they make contact with the soul in the greater hardships.

Διὰ δὴ τῶν οὕτως ἀπατηθέντων, οὐ μόνον τοῖς σωματικοῖς σου πολεμοῦσι πόνοις, ἀλλὰ καὶ μᾶλλον εἰς συμμαχίαν καλοῦσιν, ὅτι δι' αὐτῶν ἐν τοῖς χαλεπωτέροις ψαύουσι τὴν ψυχὴν,

And indeed, they elevate the monk even to the throne of the teaching office, so that on this account he might be acclaimed as holding first place among the great ascetics and gnostics.

καὶ γὰρ ἐνθρονίζουσιν αὐτὸν, καὶ εἰς τὸν διδασκαλικὸν ἐξυψοῦσι λόγον, ἵνα ὡς ἐκ τούτου τὰ πρῶτα τῶν μεγαλοπόνων τε καὶ γνωστικῶν ἔχειν εὐφημισθῇ. 

They incite him to be envious and jealous of those acclaimed for their achievements and whose ascetic practice is most admirable and whose gnosis is similar. Sometimes they deceptively put to sleep the burning of his flesh, hiding impure thoughts from his interior self, [i 137C] so that he might think that he has overcome the spirit of fornication by means of his austerity and sanctified his heart in the radiance of the saints (cf. Ps. 109: 3) and has ascended to the highest rank of holiness.

Ζηλοῦν δὲ καὶ φθονεῖν εἰσβάλλουσι τοῖς ἐπὶ κατορθώμασιν εὐφημουμένοις, καὶ ὧν θαυμαστὴ μᾶλλον ἡ πρᾶξις, καὶ γνῶσις γειτνιᾷ. Ἔσθ' ὅτε δὲ καὶ τῆς σαρκὸς αὐτοῦ τὴν πύρωσιν ἀποκοιμίζουσι δολερῶς τοὺς ἀκαθάρτους λογισμοὺς ἐκ τῶν ἐντὸς ἐκτοπίζοντες, ὡς ἵνα νομισθῇ τὸ πνεῦμα τῆς πορνείας τῇ κληρουχίᾳ νενικηκέναι, καὶ κατὰ τὴν λαμπρότητα τῶν ἁγίων τὴν καρδίαν ἡγνικέναι, καὶ εἰς τὴν τῆς ἀγιωσύνης ἁψῖδα ἀναβεβηκέναι. 

Both in these ascetic works and also in his abstention from foods and his prolonged fasts, they confirm for him their durations, in which he ought to take pride as one who stands out and to be arrogant towards the brotherhood as if it were of no account.

Περὶ δὲ ὧν τε, καὶ ὧν ἀπέσχετο βρωμάτων, καὶ συναπτῶν ἀσιτιῶν ἐπιψηφίζουσιν αὐτῷ τοὺς χρόνους ἐν οἷς ὀφείλει ὡς ἀριστεὺς ἐγκαυχᾶσθαι, καὶ τῆς ἀδελφότητος ὡς εὐτελοῦς κατεπαίρεσθαι·

And so they have him recount his struggles as if they had been accomplished by his strength alone: `I did this, I accomplished such and such ascetic works, I was maltreated’, while they stop his mouth from saying further-’It was not I, but the assistance that was in me.’ For they do not allow him to acknowledge God as his helper in the works they made him boast of, so that he might demand all the praises ^[1137D] due him for his contests as if he had accomplished the entirety of the struggles by his own supposed strength, with the result that he should be plunged into the depth of blasphemy, as he suggests through his insensibility that he can provide for his own assistance.”

οὕτω δὲ ἐκδιηγεῖσθαι ποιοῦσιν αὐτὸν τοὺς ἀγῶνας ὡς ἐκ μόνης τῆς αὐτοῦ ἰσχύος κατορθωθέντας, ὅτι Ἐποίησα τάδε, καὶ ἤσκησα τοιῶσδε, καὶ ἐκακουχήθην, ἀποστομοῦντες ἔτι τοῦτο λέγειν,  Οὐκ ἐγὼ δὲ, ἀλλ' ἡ ἐν ἐμοὶ βοήθεια.  Θεὸν γὰρ βοηθὸν ἐφ' οἷς μεγαλαυχεῖν αὐτὸν ποιοῦσιν ὁμολογεῖν οὐκ ἐῶσιν, ἵνα ὡς ἐξ οἰκείας δῆθεν ἰσχύος τὸ πᾶν τῶν ἀγώνων τελέσας, τοὺς ἐπαίνους τῶν ἄθλων ὁλοκλήρως ἀπαιτοίη, ὅπως καὶ εἰς τὸν τῆς βλασφημίας βυθὸν ποντωθείη, αὐτοβόηθον ἑαυτὸν ἀνεπαισθήτως παρεμφαίνων.

[sinc:34].

ΠΓ 79.1137.49 - 79.1140.15 ΚΕΦΑΛ.  ΛΔʹ.

 So then, when the heart resounds with the glory of the thoughts and there is no resistance, he will not escape madness in the secret of his mental faculties, for his ruling faculty risks being shaken loose from its senses, either through dreams which are given credence, or through forms that take shape during vigils, or through visions seen in a change of light, For 'Satan himself takes on the form of an angel of light' (2 Cor. n: 14) to deceive us: he indicates perhaps that he will grant charisms so you will fall down and worship him (cf. Matt. 4: 9); or he proclaims that he will take you up as a saint; or he promises to sanctify some of those who having received the faith missed the mark regarding the truth and became mentally deranged.

Οὕτω τοιγαροῦν τῆς καρδίας διὰ τῆς τῶν λογισμῶν δόξης ἐνηχουμένης, καὶ μὴ ἀντιταττομένης, οὐκ ἐκτὸς ἔσται τῆς ἐν ἀποκρύφῳ τῶν φρενῶν παραπληξίας, τοῦ ἡγεμόνος φρενῶν ἐκτιναχθῆναι κινδυνεύοντος, ἢ δι' ὀνειράτων πιστουμένων, ἢ ἐν ἀγρυπνίαις μεταμορφουμένων, ἢ ἐν μετασχηματισμῷ    ^79.1140 φωτὸς ὀπτανομένων.  Αὐτὸς γὰρ ὁ  Σατανᾶς μετασχηματίζεται εἰς ἄγγελον φωτὸς πρὸς ἀπάτην ἡμετέραν, ἴσως χαρίσματα δώσειν ἐνδεικνύμενος, ὡς ἵνα πεσὼν προσκυνήσῃς, ἢ ἀναλαμβάνειν ὡς ἄλλον Ἠλίαν εὐαγγελιζόμενος, ἢ ἁγιάζειν ὑπισχνούμενος, ὧν τινες τὴν πίστιν δεξάμενοι περὶ τὴν ἀλήθειαν ἠστόχησαν, καὶ φρενοβλαβεῖς ἐγενήθησαν. 

33_FINAL_EXHORTATION

FINAL EXHORTATION

You, therefore, who seek the aid of the Holy Trinity, knowing that for which you laboriously toil, preserve your heart with every care for fear that in attending to outward ascetic efforts alone you may choke on interior baits.

Σὺ οὖν, ὦ τῆς ἁγίας  Τριάδος ἱκέτα, εἰδὼς ταῦτα ἐν οἷς φιλοπονεῖς, πάσῃ φυλακῇ τήρει σὴν καρδίαν, μήπως τοῖς ἔξωθεν μόνον πόνοις προσέχων, τοῖς ἔσωθεν δολερῶς βροχισθῇς. 

My words were therefore addressed to you, and may your heart preserve what I said. Remember Christ who has kept guard over you and do not forget the worshipful and Holy Trinity.53

Οἱ ἐμοὶ οὖν λόγοι, ὦ τέκνον, εἴρηνται πρὸς σὲ, τὰ δὲ ῥήματά μου τηρείτω σὴ καρδία· μέμνησο  Χριστοῦ τοῦ φυλάσσοντός σε, καὶ μὴ ἐπιλάθῃ τῆς προσκυνητῆς καὶ ὁμοουσίου  Τριάδος, ᾗ δόξα εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας. Ἀμήν.   

Sincewisz Places these sections in Chapter however SC does not

When thoughts transport us to places which they have suggested we will like, then they in turn make us feel regret in order that they may render us completely unstable and unproductive. Therefore, let us not disperse ourselves from place to place, but rather let us bend ourselves to the practice of stillness and ascetic toils,

Let the gentle person then be a fighter, with his gentleness divorced from murderous [i io5D] thoughts, just as his fighting is separated from those of his natural kindred. Do not turn the usage of irascibility instead to one that is contrary to nature, so as to become irascible with your brother by imitating the serpent (cf. Ps. S7: 5) on the one hand and on the other hand to form a friendship with the serpent by consenting to thoughts. The gentle person, even if he suffers terrible things, does not abandon charity, for it is because of this that he exercises patience and forbearance, kindness and perseverance (cf. i Cor. 13: 3-7). If indeed the exercise of patience belongs to charity, angry contention has nothing to do with charity; for irascibility rouses hatred, jealousy, and wrath, but charity hates the three of them.

[Whenever the demons attempt to dislodge one’s thinking with shameful pleasures, then they introduce the warfare of gluttony, so that once they have fired the stomach beforehand they can the more effortlessly cast the soul into the pit of lust. In the laziness of the soul the demons are able to get hold of our rational mind and in the thoughts they disgorge the pleasures of evil. Sometimes the thoughts attract the pas­sions and sometimes the passions the thoughts, and then the thoughts through the passions make war on the soul.]”

When thoughts transport us to places which they have suggested we will like, then they in turn make us feel regret in order that they may render us completely unstable and unproductive. Therefore, let us not disperse ourselves from place to place, but rather let us bend ourselves to the practice of stillness and ascetic toils, because from our laziness the thoughts get power against us. He who knows the experience of warfare in the place where he was called remains there with God, but the person who does not know the experience proceeds as one still untried.

xx

CHAPTER 22
Patterns of Vice and Virtue

xx