Praktikos
THE NATURES of the EIGHT LOGISMOI  § 6-14

The Temptation of St. Antony
18th c.

[CONCERNING THE EIGHT [TEMPTING-] THOUGHTS]

Περὶ τῶν ὀκτὼ λογισμῶν

6. THERE are eight generic [tempting-] thoughts (logismoi), that contain within themselves every [tempting-]thought:

first is that of gluttony;

and with it, sexual immorality;

third, love of money;

πρῶτος ὁ τῆς γαστριμαργίας,

καὶ μετ' αὐτὸν ὁ τῆς πορνείας·

τρίτος ὁ τῆς φιλαργυρίας·

fourth, sadness;

fifth, anger;

sixth acedia;

τέταρτος ὁ τῆς λύπης·

πέμπτος ὁ τῆς ὀργῆς·

ἕκτος ὁ τῆς ἀκηδίας·

seventh, vainglory;

eighth, pride.

ἕβδομος ὁ τῆς κενοδοξίας·

ὄγδοος ὁ τῆς ὑπερηφανίς.

Whether these thoughts are able to disturb the soul or not is not up to us; but whether they linger or not, and whether they arouse passions or not; that is up to us.

Τούτους πάντας παρενοχλεῖν μὲν τῇ ψυχῇ ἢ μὴ παρενοχλεῖν͵ τῶν οὐκ ἐφ΄ ἡμῖν ἐστι· τὸ δὲ χρονίζειν αὐτοὺς ἢ μὴ χρονίζειν͵ ἢ πάθη κινεῖν ἢ μὴ κινεῖν͵ τῶν ἐφ΄ ἡμῖν.

7. THE [tempting]-thought of gluttony suggests to the monk the quick abandonment of his asceticism.  The stomach, liver, spleen, and [resultant] congestive heart failure are depicted, along with long sickness, lack of necessities, and unavailability of physicians.  It often leads him to recall those of the brethren who have suffered these things. Sometimes it even deceives those who have suffered from this kind of thing to go and visit [others] who are practicing self-control, to tell them all about their misfortunes and how this resulted from their asceticism.

   ζʹ.  (7) Ὁ μὲν τῆς γαστριμαργίας λογισμὸς ἔκπτωσιν ταχεῖαν τῷ μοναχῷ τῆς ἀσκήσεως ὑποβάλλει· στόμαχον καὶ ἧπαρ καὶ σπλῆνα καὶ ὕδρωπα διαγράφων͵ καὶ νόσον μακράν͵ καὶ σπάνιν τῶν ἐπιτηδείων͵ καὶ ἰατρῶν ἀπορίαν. Φέρει δὲ αὐτὸν πολλάκις καὶ εἰς μνήμην ἀδελφῶν τινων τούτοις περιπεσόντων τοῖς πάθεσιν. Ἔστι δὲ ὅτε καὶ αὐτοὺς ἐκείνους τοὺς πεπονθό τας παραβάλλειν ἀναπείθει τοῖς ἐγκρατευομένοις͵ καὶ τὰς ἑαυτῶν ἐκδιηγεῖσθαι συμφοράς͵ καὶ ὡς ἐκ τῆς ἀσκήσεως τοιοῦτοι γεγόνασιν.

8. THE demon of sexual immorality compels desiring for different bodies. Especially violently does it attack those who practice self-control, so that they will cease, as if achieving nothing.  Contaminating the soul, it bends it down towards these sorts of deeds: it makes it speak certain words and then hear them, as if the thing were actually there to be seen.

    η´. (8) Ὁ τῆς πορνείας δαίμων σωμάτων καταναγκάζει διαφόρων ἐπιθυμεῖν· καὶ σφοδρότερος τοῖς ἐγκρατευομένοις ἐφίσταται͵ ἵν΄ ὡς μηδὲν ἀνύοντες παύσωνται· καὶ τὴν ψυχὴν μιαίνων περὶ ἐκείνας κατακάμπτει τὰς ἐργασίας· λέγειν τε αὐτήν τινα ῥήματα καὶ πάλιν ἀκούειν ποιεῖ͵ ὡς ὁρωμένου δῆθεν καὶ παρόντος τοῦ πράγματος.

9. LOVE of money suggests: a long old age; hands powerless to work; hunger and disease yet to come; the bitterness of poverty; and the disgrace of receiving the necessities [of life] from others.

   θ´.  (9) Ἡ φιλαργυρία γῆρας μακρὸν ὑποβάλλει καὶ πρὸς ἐργασίαν ἀδυναμίαν χειρῶν͵ λιμούς τε ἐσομένους καὶ νόσους συμβησο μένας͵ καὶ τὰ τῆς πενίας πικρά͵ καὶ ὡς ἐπονείδιστον τὸ παρ΄ ἑτέρων λαμβάνειν τὰ πρὸς τὴν χρείαν.

10. SADNESS sometimes arises from frustrated desires; but sometimes it is the result of anger. When desires are frustrated it arises thus: certain [tempting-]thoughts first sieze the soul and remind it of home and parents and its former course of life. When they see the soul following them without resistance,  and dissipating itself in mental pleasures, they take and dunk [lit baptize] it in sadness, since it is the case that these earlier things are gone and cannot be recovered due to the [monk's] present way of life Then the miserable soul, having been dissipated by the first [tempting-]thought, is humiliated all the more by the second.

    ι´.   (10) Ἡ λύπη ποτὲ μὲν ἐπισυμβαίνει κατὰ στέρησιν τῶν ἐπιθυμιῶν͵ ποτὲ δὲ καὶ παρέπεται τῇ ὀργῇ. Κατὰ στέρησιν δὲ τῶν ἐπιθυμιῶν οὕτως ἐπισυμβαίνει· λογισμοί τινες προλαβόντες εἰς μνήμην ἄγουσι τὴν ψυχὴν οἴκου τε καὶ γονέων καὶ τῆς προτέρας διαγωγῆς. Καὶ ὅταν αὐτὴν μὴ ἀνθισταμένην ἀλλ΄ ἐπακολουθοῦσαν θεάσωνται καὶ διαχεο μένην ἐν ταῖς κατὰ διάνοιαν ἡδοναῖς͵ τότε λαμβάνοντες αὐτὴν ἐν τῇ λύπῃ βαπτίζουσιν ὡς οὐχ ὑπαρχόντων τῶν προ τέρων πραγμάτων οὐδὲ δυναμένων λοιπὸν διὰ τὸν παρόντα βίον ὑπάρξαι· καὶ ἡ ταλαίπωρος ψυχή͵ ὅσον διεχύθη ἐπὶ τοῖς προτέροις λογισμοῖς͵ τοσοῦτον ἐπὶ τοῖς δευτέροις συνεστάλη ταπεινωθεῖσα.

11. ANGER is the sharpest passion.  It is said to be a boiling up and movement of indignation (thumos) against a wrongdoer or a presumed wrongdoer:  it causes the soul to be savage all day long, but especially in prayers it siezes the nous, reflecting back the face of the distressing person.

   ιαʹ. (11) Ἡ ὀργὴ πάθος ἐστὶν ὀξύτατον· θυμοῦ γὰρ λέγεται ζέσις καὶ κίνησις κατὰ τοῦ ἠδικηκότος ἢ δοκοῦντος ἠδικηκέναι· ἥτις πανημέριον μὲν ἐξαγριοῖ τὴν ψυχὴν͵ μάλιστα δὲ ἐν ταῖς προσευχαῖς συναρπάζει τὸν νοῦν͵ τὸ τοῦ λελυπηκότος πρόσωπον ἐσοπτρίζουσα.

   Then sometimes it is lingering and is changed into rancor: [thus] it causes disturbances at night; bodily weakness and pallor; and attacks from poisonous beasts. These four things associated with rancor may be found to have been summoned up by many other tempting- thoughts.

Ἔστι δὲ ὅτε χρονίζουσα καὶ μετα βαλλομένη εἰς μῆνιν͵ ταραχὰς νύκτωρ παρέχει͵ τῆξίν τε τοῦ σώματος καὶ ὠχρότητα͵ καὶ θηρίων ἰοβόλων ἐπιδρομάς. Ταῦτα δὲ τὰ τέσσαρα μετὰ τὴν μῆνιν συμβαίνοντα͵ εὕροι ἄν τις παρακολουθοῦντα πλείοσι λογισμοῖς.

12. THE demon of acedia, which is also called the noonday demon, is the most burdensome of all the demons. It besets the monk at about the fourth hour (10 am) of the morning, encircling his soul until about the eighth hour (2 pm).

   ιβʹ (12) Ὁ τῆς ἀκηδίας δαίμων͵ ὃς καὶ μεσημβρινὸς καλεῖται͵ πάντων τῶν δαιμόνων ἐστὶ βαρύτατος· καὶ ἐφίσταται μὲν τῷ μοναχῷ περὶ ὥραν τετάρτην͵ κυκλοῖ δὲ τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ μέχρις ὥρας ὀγδόης.

[1] First it makes the sun seem to slow down or stop moving , so that the day appears to be fifty hours long.

Καὶ πρῶτον μὲν τὸν ἥλιον καθορᾶσθαι ποιεῖ δυσκίνητον ἢ ἀκίνητον͵ πεντηκοντάωρον τὴν ἡμέραν δεικνύς.

[2] Then it makes the monk keep looking out of his window and forces him to go bounding out of his cell to examine the sun to see how much longer it is to 3 o’clock, and to look round in all directions in case any of the brethren is there.  

 Ἔπειτα δὲ συνεχῶς ἀφορᾶν πρὸς τὰς θυρίδας καὶ τῆς κέλλης ἐκπηδᾶν ἐκβιάζεται͵ τῷ τε ἡλίῳ ἐνατενίζειν πόσον τῆς ἐνάτης ἀφέστηκε͵ καὶ περιβλέπεσθαι τῇδε κἀκεῖσε μή τις τῶν ἀδελφῶν.

[3] Then it makes him hate the place and his way of life and his manual work It makes him think that there is no charity left among the brethren; no one is going to come and visit him.

  Ἔτι δὲ μῖσος πρὸς τὸν τόπον ἐμβάλλει καὶ πρὸς τὸν βίον αὐτόν͵ καὶ πρὸς τὸ ἔργον τὸ τῶν χειρῶν· καὶ ὅτι ἐκλέλοιπε παρὰ τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς ἡ ἀγάπη καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν ὁ παρακαλῶν·

[4] If anyone has upset the monk recently, the demon throws this in too to increase his hatred

εἰ δὲ καί τις κατ΄ ἐκείνας τὰς ἡμέρας εἴη λυπήσας τὸν μοναχόν͵ καὶ τοῦτο εἰς αὔξησιν τοῦ μίσους ὁ δαίμων προστίθησιν.

[5] It makes him desire other places where he can easily find all that he needs and practice an easier, more convenient craft  After all, pleasing the Lord is not dependent on geography, the demon adds; God is to be worshipped everywhere. 

[6] It joins to this the remembrance of the monk’s family and his previous way of life, and suggests to him that he still has a long time to live, raising up before his eyes a vision of how burdensome the ascetic life is. 

Συνάπτει δὲ τούτοις καὶ μνήμην τῶν οἰκείων καὶ τῆς προτέρας διαγωγῆς· καὶ χρόνον τῆς ζωῆς ὑπογράφει μακρόν͵ τοὺς τῆς ἀσκήσεως πόνους φέρων πρὸ ὀφθαλμῶν·

καὶ πᾶσαν τὸ δὴ λεγόμενον κινεῖ μηχανὴν ἵνα καταλελοιπὼς ὁ μοναχὸς τὴν κέλλαν φύγῃ τὸ στάδιον.

No other demon follows on immediately after this one but after its struggle the soul bs taken over by a peaceful condition and by unspeakable joy

 Τούτῳ τῷ δαίμονι ἄλλος μὲν εὐθὺς δαί μων οὐχ ἕπεται· εἰρηνικὴ δέ τις κατάστασις καὶ χαρὰ ἀνεκλάλητος μετὰ τὸν ἀγῶνα τὴν ψυχὴν διαδέχεται.

13.   THE thought of vainglory is especially subtle and it easily infiltrates those whose lives are going well,

   ιγ'  (13) Ὁ τῆς κενοδοξίας λογισμὸς λεπτότατός τίς ἐστι καὶ παρυφίσταται τοῖς κατορθοῦσι ῥᾳδίως

[A] wanting to publish their efforts

[B] and go hunting for glory among men;

δημοσιεύειν αὐτῶν τοὺς ἀγῶνας βουλόμενος

 καὶ τὰς παρὰ τῶν ἀνθρώπων δόξας θηρώμενος͵

[1] it raises up a fantasy of demons shouting,

[2] and women being healed,

[3] and a crowd of people wanting to touch the monk’s clothes.

[4] It prophesies priesthood for him, and sets the stage with people thronging at his door, calling for him, and even though he resists he will be carried off under constraint.

δαίμονάς τε κράζοντας ἀναπλάττων
 

καὶ θεραπευόμενα γύναια
 

καὶ ὄχλον τινὰ τῶν ἱματίων ἐφαπτόμενον·
 

μαντεύεται δὲ αὐτῷ καὶ ἱερωσύνην λοιπὸν καὶ τοὺς ζητοῦντας αὐτὸν ταῖς θύραις ἐφίστησι· καὶ ὡς εἰ μὴ βούλοιτο δέσμιος ἀπαχθήσεται.

Then, having raised him up with empty hopes like this, it suddenly leaps away and leaves him, abandoning him to be tempted either by the demon of pride or by the demon of gloominess, which brings on thoughts contrary to the previous hopes

Καὶ οὕτως αὐτὸν μετέωρον ταῖς κεναῖς ἐλπίσι ποιήσας ἀφίπταται καταλιπὼν ἢ τῷ τῆς ὑπερηφανίας δαίμονι πειράζειν αὐτὸν ἢ τῷ τῆς λύπης͵ ὅστις ἐπάγει καὶ λογισμοὺς αὐτῷ ταῖς ἐλπίσιν ἐναντιουμένους·

[1] not to admit God’s help

[2] and to believe that the soul is responsible for its own achievements,

[3] and to disdain the brethren as fools because they do not all see this about it.

ἀναπείθει γὰρ αὐτὴν Θεὸν μὲν μὴ ὁμολογεῖν βοηθόν͵

ἑαυτὴν δὲ τῶν κατορθουμένων αἰτίαν εἶναι νομίζειν

καὶ φυσιοῦσθαι κατὰ τῶν ἀδελφῶν ὡς ἀνοήτων͵ διότι μὴ τοῦτο περὶ αὐτῆς πάντες ἐπίστανται.

[1] anger and

[2] sadness and the final evil,

[3] utter insanity and madness, and visions of mobs of demons in the air.

ὀργὴ καὶ

λύπη͵ καὶ τὸ τελευταῖον κακόν͵

ἔκστασις φρενῶν καὶ μανία καὶ δαιμόνων ἐν τῷ ἀέρι πλῆθος ὁρώμενον.

This demon is followed by anger and sadness and the final evil, utter insanity and madness, and visions of mobs of demons in the air.

  Παρακολουθεῖ δὲ ταύτῃ ὀργὴ καὶ λύπη͵ καὶ τὸ τελευταῖον κακόν͵ ἔκστασις φρενῶν καὶ μανία καὶ δαιμόνων ἐν τῷ ἀέρι πλῆθος ὁρώμενον.