they prevent the sick from giving thanks in their pain and from being patient in receiving their ministrations;

again they exhort the weak to fast

and those who are weighed down to sing psalms while standing.

καὶ γὰρ τοὺς ἀσθενοῦντας εὐχαριστεῖν μὲν ἐπὶ ταῖς ἀλγηδόσι καὶ μακροθυμεῖν ἐπὶ τοῖς ὑπηρετοῦσιν ἀποκωλύουσιν·

 ἀτονοῦντας δὲ πάλιν ἐγκρατεύεσθαι

καὶ βεβαρημένους ἑστῶτας ψάλλειν προτρέπονται.

41. WHEN we are obliged to spend time in towns or villages, we should particularly hold to our self-control at such times in consorting with worldly people, in case our mind coarsens and loses its habitual vigilance because of its actual situation and so becomes a fugitive, tossed around by the demons.

μα' Ὅταν ἐν πόλεσιν ἢ ἐν κώμαις ἐπ΄ ὀλίγον ἀναγκαζώμεθα διατρίβειν͵ τότε μάλιστα σφοδρότερον τῆς ἐγκρατείας ἐχόμε νοι τοῖς κοσμικοῖς συνεσόμεθα͵ μήποτε παχυνθεὶς ἡμῶν ὁ νοῦς καὶ τῆς συνήθους ἐπιμελείας διὰ τὸν παρόντα καιρὸν στερηθεὶς πράξῃ τι τῶν ἀβουλήτων καὶ γένηται φυγάς͵ ὑπὸ τῶν δαιμόνων βαλλόμενος.

42. DO not immediately pray when you are tempted; first speak some words with anger to the one pressuring you: for when your soul is acted upon by tempting-thoughts prayer cannot be pure. But if you speak with anger to them, you will confuse and banish the ideas that come from your enemies. This is the natural result of anger in the case of good notions too

μβʹ Οὐ πρότερον προσεύξῃ πειραζόμενος͵ πρὶν εἰπεῖν τινα ῥήματα μετ΄ ὀργῆς πρὸς τὸν θλίβοντα· τῆς γὰρ ψυχῆς σου πεποιωμένης τοῖς λογισμοῖς͵ συμβαίνει μηδὲ καθαρὰν γενέσθαι τὴν προσευχήν· ἐὰν δὲ μετ΄ ὀργῆς εἴπῃς τι πρὸς αὐτούς͵ συγχεῖς τε καὶ ἐξαφανίζεις τῶν ἀντικειμένων τὰ νοήματα. Τοῦτο γὰρ ἡ ὀργὴ καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν κρειττόνων νοημάτων ἐργάζεσθαι πέφυκεν.

43. IT is necessary to be aware of the differences between demons and to interpret their different occasions [opportunties]:

μγʹ Δεῖ δὲ καὶ τὰς διαφορὰς τῶν δαιμόνων ἐπιγινώσκειν͵ καὶ τοὺς καιροὺς αὐτῶν σημειοῦσθαι·

this we shall know from the [tempting-] thoughts,

εἰσόμεθα δὲ ἐκ τῶν λογισμῶν͵

and the [tempting-] thoughts from the objects [they depict;

thus knowing] which demons are less frequent and heavier,

which are more frequent and lighter,

and which leap suddenly and snatch the nous off to blasphemy.

These things it is necessary to know, so that when [tempting-] thoughts begin to move their own particular matter, and before we are driven too far from our proper state, we may speak out to them and indicate which one is present. For thus we shall with God’s help readily make progress, amazing them and forcing them to flee from us.

Ταῦτα δὲ ἀναγκαῖον εἰδέναι͵ ἵν΄ ὅταν ἄρξωνται οἱ λογισμοὶ τὰς ἰδίας ὕλας κινεῖν͵ πρὶν ἢ πολὺ τῆς οἰκείας ἐκβαλώμεθα καταστάσεως͵ φθεγγώμεθά τι πρὸς αὐτοὺς καὶ τὸν παρόντα σημαίνωμεν· οὕτω γὰρ ἂν αὐτοί τε ῥᾳδίως σὺν Θεῷ προκόπτωμεν͵ κἀκείνους θαυ μάζοντας ἡμᾶς καὶ ὀδυνωμένους ἀποπτῆναι ποιήσωμεν.

44. WHEN the demons are helpless in their conflict with monks, they retire for a while and watch to see which area of virtue they are neglecting in the mean time, and then suddenly rush in and devastate the poor soul

μδ' Ὅταν ἀγωνιζόμενοι πρὸς τοὺς μοναχοὺς ἀδυνατῶσιν οἱ δαίμονες͵ τότε μικρὸν ὑποχωρήσαντες ἐπιτηροῦσι ποία τῶν ἀρετῶν ἐν τῷ μεταξὺ παρημέληται͵ κἀκείνῃ αἰφνιδίως ἐπεισ ελθόντες͵ τὴν ἀθλίαν ψυχὴν διαρπάζουσιν.

45. MALICIOUS demons bring along even more malicious demons to help them. In their dispositions they are opposed to one another, but they all agree in seeking only the destruction of the soul.

με' Οἱ πονηροὶ δαίμονες τοὺς πονηροτέρους αὐτῶν δαίμονας εἰς βοήθειαν ἐπισπῶνται· καὶ κατὰ τὰς διαθέσεις ἀλλήλοις ἐναντιούμενοι͵ συμφωνοῦσιν ἐπ΄ ἀπωλείᾳ μόνον ψυχῆς.

48. THE demons prefer to fight worldly people by means of things, but monks for the most part they attack by means of thoughts (logismoi), because in the desert they are deprived of things. And in as much as it is easier to sin in intent than in deed, the inner war is proportionately harder than that which arises because of things. The mind is something which is easily moved, and hard to hold when it is faced with unlawful imaginings.

μη' Τοῖς μὲν κοσμικοῖς οἱ δαίμονες διὰ τῶν πραγμάτων μᾶλλον παλαίουσι͵ τοῖς δὲ μοναχοῖς ὡς ἐπὶ πλεῖστον διὰ τῶν λογισμῶν· πραγμάτων γὰρ διὰ τὴν ἐρημίαν ἐστέρηνται· καὶ ὅσον εὐκολώτερον τὸ κατὰ διάνοιαν ἁμαρτάνειν τοῦ κατ΄ ἐνέργειαν͵ τοσοῦτον χαλεπώτερος καὶ ὁ κατὰ διάνοιαν πόλεμος τοῦ διὰ τῶν πραγμάτων συνισταμένου· εὐκίνητον γάρ τι πρᾶγμα ὁ νοῦς καὶ πρὸς τὰς ἀνόμους φαντασίας δυσκάθεκτον.

49. WE are not commanded to work the whole time or to keep vigil the whole time or to fast the whole time, but there is a law that we should pray ceaselessly (1 Thes. 5:17). The first three, which heal the part of the soul in which the passions are, need the body for their practice, and it is congenitally too weak for such labours; but prayer makes the mind strong and pure for the struggle, since the mind is naturally made for prayer and it is natural to it to fight demons even without the body, on behalf of all the powers of the soul.

μθ' Ἐργάζεσθαι μὲν διὰ παντὸς καὶ ἀγρυπνεῖν καὶ νηστεύειν οὐ προστετάγμεθα͵ προσεύχεσθαι δὲ ἡμῖν ἀδιαλείπτως νενομοθέτηται· διότι ἐκεῖνα μὲν τὸ παθητικὸν μέρος τῆς ψυχῆς θεραπεύοντα καὶ τοῦ σώματος ἡμῶν εἰς τὴν ἐργασίαν προσδεῖται͵ ὅπερ δι΄ οἰκείαν ἀσθένειαν πρὸς τοὺς πόνους οὐκ ἐπαρκεῖ· ἡ δὲ προσευχὴ τὸν νοῦν ἐρρωμένον καὶ καθαρὸν πρὸς τὴν πάλην παρασκευάζει͵ πεφυκότα προσεύχεσθαι καὶ δίχα τούτου τοῦ σώματος καὶ ὑπὲρ πασῶν τῶν τῆς ψυχῆς δυνάμεων τοῖς δαίμοσι μάχεσθαι.

50. IF any monk wishes to experience of the savage demons and to become acquainted with their art, he should observe his [tempting-]thoughts and note [down]

καὶ τὰς ἐπιτάσεις σημειούσθω τούτων͵

καὶ τὰς ἀνέσεις͵

καὶ τὰς μετεμπλοκάς͵

 καὶ τοὺς χρόνους͵

 καὶ τίνες τῶν δαιμόνων οἱ τοῦτο ποιοῦντες͵

καὶ ποῖος ποίῳ δαίμονι ἀκολουθεῖ͵

καὶ τίς τίνι οὐχ ἕπεται·

51. THROUGH observation you will discover that two of the demons are the sharpest, so quick that they almost overtake the movement of your mind the demon of fornication and the one which drags us off to blaspheme God But the second does not last for long, while the first, provided it does not stir our thoughts (logismoi) with passion, will not impede our knowledge of God

ναʹ Δύο τῶν δαιμόνων ὀξυτάτους παρατηρήσας εὑρήσεις͵ καὶ σχεδὸν τὴν κίνησιν τοῦ νοὸς ἡμῶν παρατρέχοντας· τὸν δαί μονα τῆς πορνείας καὶ τὸν συναρπάζοντα ἡμᾶς πρὸς βλασφη μίαν Θεοῦ· ἀλλ΄ ὁ μὲν δεύτερός ἐστιν ὀλιγοχρόνιος͵ ὁ δὲ πρότερος͵ εἰ μὴ μετὰ πάθους κινοίη τοὺς λογισμούς͵ οὐκ ἐμποδίσει ἡμῖν πρὸς τὴν γνῶσιν τὴν τοῦ Θεοῦ.

52. TO separate the body from the soul belongs exclusively to him who united them; but to separate the soul from the body belongs to anyone who desires virtue The life of withdrawal has been called by the fathers a rehearsal for death and flight from the body.

νβʹ Σῶμα μὲν χωρίσαι ψυχῆς͵ μόνου ἐστὶ τοῦ συνδήσαντος· ψυχὴν δὲ ἀπὸ σώματος͵ καὶ τοῦ ἐφιεμένου τῆς ἀρετῆς. Τὴν γὰρ ἀναχώρησιν μελέτην θανάτου καὶ φυγὴν τοῦ σώματος οἱ Πατέρες ἡμῶν ὀνομάζουσιν.

53. THOSE who improperly cherish the flesh and take thought for it to satisfy its desires (Rom 13 14) should blame the selves, not it Those who have obtained passionlessness of the soul by means of the body and who, to some extent, attain the contemplation of beings, recognize the grace of the Creator.

νγ' Οἱ τὴν σάρκα κακῶς διατρέφοντες καὶ πρόνοιαν αὐτῆς εἰς ἐπιθυμίας ποιούμενοι͵ ἑαυτοὺς μὴ ταύτην καταμεμφέσθω σαν· ἴσασι γὰρ τὴν χάριν τοῦ Δημιουργοῦ οἱ τὴν τῆς ψυχῆς ἀπάθειαν διὰ τοῦ σώματος τούτου κτησάμενοι καὶ τῇ τῶν ὄντων θεωρίᾳ ποσῶς ἐπιβάλλοντες.

54. WHEN the demons, attacking the desiring part of the soul (epithumetikon) through dreams, show us things like meetings with friends, family feasts, women dancing and other such things which produce pleasure, and we run to meet them, then we are sick in the [desiring] part of [our soul] and passion prevails.

νδ' Ὅταν ἐν ταῖς καθ΄ ὕπνον φαντασίαις τῷ ἐπιθυμητικῷ μέρει πολεμοῦντες οἱ δαίμονες αὐτοὶ μὲν δεικνύωσιν͵ ἡμεῖς δὲ προστρέχωμεν͵ συντυχίας γνωρίμων καὶ συμπόσια συγγενῶν καὶ χοροὺς γυναικῶν καὶ ὅσα ἄλλα τοιαῦτα ἡδονῶν ἀποτελεστικά͵ ἐν τούτῳ τῷ μέρει νοσοῦμεν καὶ τὸ πάθος ἰσχύει.

55.  IF during sleep there are no [mental] images [accompanying] the natural movements of the body, then this shows that the soul is to some extent healthy: [since] the formation of images is  symptom of sickness.  Consider on the one hand undefined images to be [the sign of] an ancient passion, while defined images are the symbol of a fresh wound.

  νε' (55) Αἱ ἀνείδωλοι ἐν τοῖς ὕπνοις τοῦ σώματος φυσικαὶ κινήσεις ὑγιαίνειν ποσῶς μηνύουσι τὴν ψυχήν· πῆξις δὲ εἰδώλων ἀρρωστίας γνώρισμα· καὶ τὰ μὲν ἀόριστα πρόσωπα τοῦ παλαιοῦ πάθους͵ τὰ δὲ ὡρισμένα τῆς παραυτίκα πληγῆς σύμβολον νόμιζε.

[1] during the daytime by our [tempting-] thoughts; and

[2] at night by our dreams.

which is the only means by which we can normally be united with the holy powers, since our union with incorporeal [beings] naturally occurs because of the similarity of our disposition with theirs.

 ἥτις μόνη συνάπτειν ἡμᾶς ταῖς ἁγίαις δυνάμεσιν εἴωθεν· εἴπερ ἡ τῶν ἀσωμάτων συνάφεια ἐκ τῆς ὁμοίας διαθέσεως γίνεσθαι πέφυκεν.

[A] the first grows from natural seeds;

[B] while the other is engendered by the withdrawal of the demons

[1] humility, with

[2] compunction, and

[3] tears, and

[4] limitless longing (pothos) for God, and

[5] immeasurable eagerness for [our assigned] task.

 ταπεινοφροσύνη μετὰ

 κατανύξεως͵ καὶ

δάκρυον καὶ

πόθος πρὸς τὸ θεῖον ἄπειρος͵

καὶ σπουδὴ περὶ τὸ ἔργον ἀμέτρητος·

[1] vainglory with

[2] pride,

κενοδοξία μετὰ

ὑπερηφανίας

which capture the monk when the other demons go away.

One who perceives the beginnings of the first [peaceful] state will be even more sharply aware of the attacks of the demons.

Ὁ τοίνυν τηρῶν τὰ ὅρια τῆς προτέρας καταστάσεως͵ τὰς ἐπιδρομὰς τῶν δαιμόνων ὀξύτερον ἐπιγνώσεται.

58.  THE demon of vainglory opposes the demon of sexual impurity; and it is impossible for them both to attack the soul at the same time; for the former promises honor while the latter produces disgrace So [1] whichever of them comes and oppresses you, form within yourself the [tempting-]thoughts of the opposing demon. If you are able, as they say, to use a nail to drive out a nail, you can know that you are near to the borders of apatheia, because your nous is strong enough to employ human thoughts to obliterate demonic thoughts.

νη'  Ὁ τῆς κενοδοξίας δαίμων ἀντίκειται τῷ δαίμονι τῆς πορνείας͵ καὶ τούτους ἅμα προσβαλεῖν ψυχῇ τῶν οὐκ ἐνδεχομένων ἐστίν· εἴπερ ὁ μὲν τιμὰς ἐπαγγέλλεται͵ ὁ δὲ ἀτιμίας πρόξενος γίνεται· ὁπότερος τοίνυν τούτων ἐὰν προσεγγίσας πιέζῃ σε͵ τοὺς τοῦ ἀντικειμένου δαίμονος πλάττε δῆθεν ἐν σεαυτῷ λογισμούς· κἂν δυνηθῇς τὸ δὴ λεγόμενον ἥλῳ τὸν ἧλον ἐκκρούειν͵ γίνωσκε σεαυτὸν πλησίον ὄντα τῶν ὅρων τῆς ἀπαθείας· ἴσχυσε γάρ σου ὁ νοῦς λογισμοῖς ἀνθρωπίνοις λογισμοὺς ἀφανίσαι δαιμόνων.

59. THE more the soul progresses, the greater the opponents which take over In the battle against it I do not believe it is always the same demons waiting on it The people who know this best are the ones who attend most acutely to their temptations and who see the apatheia which they possess being battered by one demon after another

νθ'  Ὅσῳ προκόπτει ψυχή͵ τοσούτῳ μείζονες αὐτὴν ἀντα γωνισταὶ διαδέχονται· τοὺς γὰρ αὐτοὺς ἀεὶ δαίμονας αὐτῇ παραμένειν οὐ πείθομαι· καὶ τοῦτο ἴσασι μάλιστα οἱ ὀξύτερον τοῖς πειρασμοῖς ἐπιβάλλοντες͵ καὶ τὴν προσοῦσαν αὐτοῖς ἀπάθειαν ἐκμοχλευομένην ὑπὸ τῶν διαδεξαμένων ὁρῶντες.

60. PERFECT apatheia comes into being in the soul after it has defeated all the demons that oppose the praktikē perfect apatheia is relative to the force of the particular demon which is attacking at any given time

 ξ'   Ἡ μὲν τελεία τῇ ψυχῇ ἀπάθεια μετὰ τὴν νίκην τὴν κατὰ πάντων τῶν ἀντικειμένων τῇ πρακτικῇ δαιμόνων ἐγγίνεται· ἡ δὲ ἀτελὴς ἀπάθεια ὡς πρὸς τὴν δύναμιν τέως τοῦ παλαίοντος αὐτῇ λέγεται δαίμονος.

61. UNLESS it sets straight what we have inside us, the mind will not make progress or achieve the good exodus and enter the place of the incorporeals.  Its own domestic troubles habitually make it turn back to the place from which it had set out.

ξα'  Οὐκ ἂν προέλθοι ὁ νοῦς͵ οὐδὲ ἀποδημήσει τὴν καλὴν ἐκείνην ἀποδημίαν͵ καὶ ἐν τῇ χώρᾳ γένοιτο τῶν ἀσωμάτων͵ μὴ τὰ ἔνδον διορθωσάμενος· ἡ γὰρ ταραχὴ τῶν οἰκείων ἐπιστρέφειν αὐτὸν εἴωθε πρὸς τὰ ἀφ΄ ὧν ἐξελήλυθεν.

62. THE nous is blinded by both virtues and vices: the former keep it from seeing the vices; the latter keep it from glimpsing the virtues.

ξβ'  Τὸν νοῦν καὶ αἱ ἀρεταὶ καὶ αἱ κακίαι τυφλὸν ἀπεργάζονται· αἱ μέν͵ ἵνα μὴ βλέπῃ τὰς κακίας· αἱ δέ͵ ἵνα μὴ πάλιν ἴδῃ τὰς ἀρετάς.

63. WHEN the nous begins perform its prayers without distractions, then there commences an all-out battle day and night against the irascible part.

 ξγ´. Ὅταν ὁ νοῦς ἀπερισπάστως ἄρξηται ποιεῖσθαι τὰς προσευχάς, τότε περὶ τὸ θυμικὸν μέρος τῆς ψυχῆς νύκτωρ καὶ μεθ' ἡμέραν ὁ πᾶς συνίσταται πόλεμος.

ἀρξάμενος τὸ οἰκεῖον φέγγος ὁρᾶν,

και πρὸς τὰ καθ' ὕπνον φάσματα διαμένων ἥσυχος,

καὶ λεῖος βλέπων τὰ πράγματα.

65. THE nous is strong when it does not imagine any worldly thing at all during the time of its prayer.

 ξε' Ἔρρωται νοῦς μηδὲν τῶν τοῦ κόσμου τούτου παρὰ τὸν καιρὸν τῆς προσευχῆς φανταζόμενος.

66. A nous that has, with God’s help, accomplished the ascetical life (praktike) successfully and drawn near to knowledge, hardly if at all perceives the irrational part of the soul, because knowledge catches it up on high and separates it from perfectible things

 ξς' Νοῦς σὺν Θεῷ πρακτικὴν κατορθώσας καὶ προσπελάσας τῇ γνώσει ὀλίγον η]̀ οὐδ' ὅλως τοῦ ἀλόγου μέρους τῆς ψυχῆς ἐπαισθάνεται, τῆς γνώσεως αὐτὸν ἁρπαζούσης μετάρσιον καὶ χωριζούσης τῶν αἰσθητῶν.

67. THE soul possesses apatheia not when it is unmoved by matters, but when it remains undisturbed by the memory of them.

 ξζ´. Ἀπάθειαν ἔχει ψυχή, οὐχ ἡ μὴ πάσχουσα πρὸς τὰ πράγματα, ἀλλ' ἡ καὶ πρὸς τὰς μνήμας αὐτῶν ἀτάραχος διαμένουσα.

68. THE perfect [person] does not practise self-control, and one [who has attained] apatheia does not practise patient endurance, since endurance pertains to the vulnerable [person] and self-control to the troubled.

 ξη' Ὁ τέλειος οὐκ ἐγκρατεύεται, καὶ ὁ ἀπαθὴς οὐχ ὑπομένει, ἔπερ τοῦ πάσχοντος ἡ ὑπομονή, καὶ τοῦ ὀχλουμένου ἡ ἐγκράτεια.

69. A GREAT thing - to pray without distraction; a greater thing still - to sing psalms without distraction.

 ζθ´. Μέγα μὲν τὸ ἀπερισπάστως προσεύχεσθαι, μεῖζον δὲ τὸ καὶ ψάλλειν ἀπερισπάστως.

70. A MAN who has established the virtues in himself and is entirely permeated with them no longer remembers the law or the commandments or punishment. Rather, he says and does what [this] excellent condition suggests.

 ο´. Ὁ τὰς ἀρετας ἐν ἑαυτῷ καθιδρύσας, καὶ ταύταις ὅλος ἀνακραθείς, οὐκ ἔτι μέμνηται νόμου ἢ ἐντολῶν ἢ κολάσεως, ἀλλὰ ταῦτα λέγει καὶ πράττει ὁπόσα ἡ ἀρίστη ἕχις ὑπαγορεύει.

72. WRESTLERS are in the position of crushing and being crushed; the demons wrestle with us and as they crush us, they are crushed by us in return As it says, ‘I will crush them and they will not be able to rise’ (Ps 17 39) and ‘My enemies and those who were crushing me wearied and fell.’ (Ps 26 2)

 οβ' Εἰ οἱ παλαίοντες ἐν τῷ θλίβεσθαι καὶ ἀντιθλίβειν εἰσί, παλαίουσι δὲ ἡμῖν οἱ δαίμονες, καὶ αὐτοὶ ἄρα θλίβοντες ἡμᾶς ὑφ̓ ἡμῶν ἀντιθλίβονται. Ἐκθλιψω γὰρ αὐτούς, φησί, καὶ οἱ ἐχθροί μου αὐτοὶ ἠσθένησαν καὶ ἔπεσον.

73. REPOSE is connected with wisdom, toil with prudence It is impossible to win wisdom without fighting, and it is impossible to conduct the war well without prudence It is to prudence that the responsibility is given for withstanding the fury (thumos) of the demons, obliging the powers of the soul to work in accordance with their nature and preparing the way for wisdom.

 ογ' Ἀνάπαυσις μὲν τῇ σοφίᾳ, κόπος δὲ τῂ φρονήσει συνέζευκται· ου]κ ἔστι γὰρ σοφίαν κτήσασθαι ἄνευ πολέμου, καὶ οὐκ ἔστι κατορθῶσαι τὸν πόλεμον χωρὶς φρονήσεως· αὕτη γὰρ ἀνθίστασθαι τῷ θυμῷ τῶν δαιμόνων πεπίστευται, τὰς τῆς ψυχῆς δυνάμεις κατὰ φύσιν ἐνεργεῖν ἀναγκάζουσα, καὶ τὴν ὁδὸν τῆς σοφίας προευτρεπίζουσα.

74. THE monk’s temptation is in the form of a thought (logismos) which rises up through the passionate part of the soul and darkens the mind.

 οδ' Πειρασός ἐστι μοναχοῦ λογισμὸς διὰ τοῦ παθητικοῦ μέρους τῆς ψυχῆς ἀναβὰς καὶ σκοτίζων τὸν νοῦν.

75. THE monk’s sin is his consenting to the forbidden pleasure of a thought (logismos).

 οεʹ Ἁμαρτία ἐστὶ μοναχοῦ ἡ πρὸς τὴν ἀπηγορευμένην ἡδονὴν τοῦ λογισμοῦ συγκατάθεσις.

76. THE angels are glad when vice decreases the demons are glad when virtue decreases; the one are servants of mercy and charity, the others are attendants of anger and hatred. The former approach to fill us with spiritual contemplation, the latter to cast the soul into lewd fantasies.

 ος' Ἄγγελοι μὲν χαίρουσι μειουμένης κακίας, δαίμονες δὲ τῆς ἀρετῆς· οἱ μὲν γάρ εἰσιν ἐλέους καὶ ἀγάπης θεράποντες, οἱ δὲ ὀργῆς καὶ μίσους ὑπήκοοι· καὶ οἱ μὲν πρότεροι πλησιάζοντες πνευματικῆς θεωρίας ἡμᾶςπληροῦσιν, οἱ δὲ δεύτεροι προσεγγίζοντες εἰς αἰσχρὰς τὴν ψυχὴν φαντασίας ἐμβάλλουσιν.

77. THE virtues de not prevent the assault of demons, but they preserve us from being harmed.

 οζ' Αἱ ἀρεταὶ οὐ τὰς τῶν δαιμόνων ὁρμὰς ἀνακόπτουσιν, ἀλλ' ἡμᾶς ἀθῴους διαφυλάττουσιν.

78. ASCETICAL practice is a spiritual method purifying the passionate part of the soul.

 οηʹ Πρακτική ἐστι μέθοδος πνευματικὴ τὸ παθετικὸν μέρος τῆς ψυχῆς ἐκκαθαίρουσα.

79. THE effects of [keeping] the commandments are not sufficient to perfectly heal the powers of the soul, unless their [corresponding] contemplations succeed one other in the nous.

 οθʹ Οὐκ ἀρκοῦσιν αἱ ἐνέργειαι τῶν ἐντολῶν πρὸς τὸ τελείως ἰάσασθαι τὰς δυνάμεις τῆς ψυχῆς, ἐὰν μὴ καὶ κατάλληλοι ταύταις διαδέξωνται τὸν νοῦν θεωρίαι.

80. IT is not possible to resist all the thoughts (logismoi) suggested to us by the angels, but it is possible to reject all those suggested by demons. The former are followed by a state of peace, the latter by a state of turmoil.

 π' Οὐ πᾶσι μὲν τοῖς ὑπ' ἀγγέλων λογισμοῖς ἡμῖν ἐμβαλλομένοις δυνατὸν ἀντιστῆναι, πάντας δὲ τοὺς ὑπὸ δαιμόνων λογισμοὺς δυνατὸν ἀνατρέψαι· ἕπεται δὲ τοῖς μὲν προτέροις λογισμοῖς εἰρηνικὴ κατάστασις, τοῖς δὲ δευτέροις τεταραγμενη.

81. CHARITY is the offspring of apatheia; apatheia is the flower of the ascetical life (praktike). The ascetical life is constituted by keeping the commandments, and these are watched over by the fear of God, which is begotten by right belief. Belief is an indwelling good which exists naturally even in those who have not yet believed in God.

 πα' Ἀπαθείας ἔγγονον ἀγάπη· ἀπάθεια δέ ἐστιν ἄνθος τῆ πρακτικῆς· πρακτικὴν δὲ συνίστησιν ἡ τήρησις τῶν ἐντολῶν· τούτων δὲ φύλαξ ὁ φόβος τοῦ Θεοῦ, ὅστις γέννημα τῆς ὀρθ͂ς ἐστι πίστεως· πίστις δέ ἐστιν ἐνδιάθετον ἀγαθόν, ἥτις ἐνυπάρχειν πέφυκε καὶ τοῖς μηδέπω πεπιστευκόσι Θεῷ.

exercising its own proper activity [energeia],

recognizes its own powers

τάς τε δυνάμεις ἐπιγινώσκει τὰς ἑαυτοῦ

and by [understanding] the [demonic activity] that is interfering with it.

discovers the commandment that can heal its [own activity]

83. THE impassioned nous waging war will not be able to contemplate the logoi [purposes] of the war; it is like one fighting at night. But when it has obtained apatheia, it will easily recognise the wiles of the enemies.

 πγ' Ὁ νοῦς τὸν ἐμπαθ͂ πόλεμον πολεμῶν οὐ θεωρήσει τοὺς λόγους τοῦ πολέμου· τῷ γὰρ ἐν νυκτὶ μαχομένῳ ἔοικεν· ἀπάθειαν δὲ κτησάμενος, ῥᾳδίως ἐπιγνώσεται τὰς μεθοδείας τῶν πολεμίων.

84. THE end of the ascetical life (praktike) is charity; that of knowledge is theology. The beginning in each case is faith and natural contemplation. The demons which fasten on to the passionate part of the soul are said to oppose the ascetical life, those which disturb the reason are called enemies of all truth and opponents of contemplation.

 πδ' Πέρας μὲν πρακτικῆς ἀγάπη· γνώσεως δὲ θεολογία· ἀρχαὶ δὲ ἑκατέρων πίστις καὶ φυσικὴ θεωρία· καὶ ὅσοι μὲν τῶν δαιμόνων τοῦ παθητικοῦ μέρους ἐφάπτονται τῆς ψυχῆς, οὗτοι λέγονται ἀντικεῖσθαι τῇ πρακτικῇ· ὅσοι δ' αὖ πάλιν τῷ λογιστικῷ διοχλοῦσιν, ἐχθροὶ πάσης Ἀληθείας ὀνομάζονται καὶ ἐναντίοι τῇ θεωρίᾳ.

85. THE things which purify bodies never remain with them once they are clean; but the virtues both purify the soul and remain with it when it is clean.

 πε' Οὐδὲν τῶν καθαιρότων τὰ σώματα σύνεστι μετὰ τοῦτο τοῖς καθαρθεῖσιν· αἱ δὲ ἀρεταὶ ὁμοῦ τε καθαίρουσι τὴν ψυχὴν καὶ καθαρθείσῃ συμπαραμένουσιν.

86. THE rational soul operates (energei) according to nature (kata phusin) when:

 πς' Κατὰ φύσιν ἐνεργεῖ ψυχὴ λογικὴ ὅταν

τὸ μεν ἐπιθυμητικὸν αὐτῆς μέρος τῆς ἀρετῆς ἐφίεται,

its spirited part (thumikon) fights for virtue, and

τὸ δὲ θυμικὸν ὑπὲρ αὐτῆς ἀγωνίζεται,

its reasoning part (logistikon) applies itself to the contemplation of creatures.

τὸ δὲ λογιστικὸν ἐπιβάλλει τῇ θεωρίᾳ τῶν γεγονότων.

87. ANYONE who is making progress in the ascetical life (praktike) is reducing the passions, and anyone who is making progress in contemplation is reducing ignorance. There will one day be a complete destruction of the passions, but of ignorance there is in one sense an end, but in another sense there is no end, they say.

 πζ' Ὁ μὲν προκόπτων ἐν πρακτικῇ τὰ πάθη μειοῖ, ὁ δὲ ἐν θεωρίᾳ τὴν ἀγνωσίαν· καὶ τῶν μὲν παθῶν ἔσται τοτὲ καὶ φθορὰ παντελής, τῆς δὲ ἀγνωσίας τῆς μὲν εἶναι πέρας, τῆς δὲ μὴ εἶναί φασι.

88. THINGS which are good or bad depending on their use produce both virtues and vices; it is the task of prudence to use them one way or the other.

 πη' τὰ παρὰ τὴν χρῆσιν ἀγαθὰ καὶ κακὰ τῶν ἀρετῶν καὶ τῶν κακιῶν γίνεται ποιητικά· φρονήσεως δέ ἐστι λοιπὸν τὸ χρήσασθαι τούτοις πρὸς θάτερα.

ὅταν μὲν ἐν τῷ λογιστικῷ μέρει γένηται ἡ ἀρετή, καλεῖται
 φρόνησις καὶ
σύνεσις καὶ
σοφία.

ὄταν δὲ ἐν τῷ ἐπιθυμητικῷ,
 σωφροσύνη καὶ
ἀγάπη καὶ
ἐγκράτεια.

ὅταν δὲ ἐν τῷ θυμικῷ,
ἀνδρεία καὶ
ὑπομονή·

[4] But in the WHOLE of the SOUL [it] is justice.

ἐν ὅλῇ δὲ τῇ ψυχῇ, δικαιοσύνη

τὸ στρατηγεῖν πρὸς τὰς ἀντικειμένας δυνάμεἱς,

καὶ τῶν μὲν ἀρετῶν ὑπερασπίζειν,

 πρὸς δὲ τὰς κακίας παρατάττεσθαι,

τὰ δὲ μέσα πρὸς τοὺς καιροὺς διοικεῖν·

σωφροσύνης δὲ ἔργον τὸ βλέπειν ἀπαθῶς τὰ πράγματα τὰ κινοῦντα ἐν ἡμῖν φαντασίας ἀλόγους·

[4] JUSTICE effects a certain symphony and harmony among the [different] parts of the soul.

δικαιοσύνης δὲ τὸ συμφωνίαν τινὰ καὶ ἁρμονίαν τῶν τῆς ψυχῆς μερῶν κατεργάζεσθαι.

90. THE fruit of sowing is sheaves, and the fruit of the virtues is knowledge And as tears accompany sowing, so joy accompanies reaping (Ps 125:6)

Ϛ´. Καρπὸς μὲν σπερμάτων τὰ δράγματα, ἀρετῶν δὲ ἡ γνῶσις· καὶ ὡς ἕπεται τοῖς σπέρμασι δάκρυα, οὕτω τοῖς δράγμασιν ἡ χαρά.

 91. IT is necessary also to interrogate the paths of the monks who have travelled rightly before us and set ourselves right by reference to them There is much for us to discover that they spoke and did well For instance, one of them says that a monk is brought more quickly into the haven of apatheia by a relatively dry and regular diet, joined to love.

Ϛα´. Ἀναγκαῖον δὲ καὶ τὰς ὁδοὺς τῶν προοδευσάντων ὀρθῶς διερωτᾶν μοναχῶν καὶ πρὸς αὐτὰς κατορθοῦσθαι· πολλὰ γὰρ ἔστιν εὑρεῖν ὑπ΄ αὐτῶν ῥηθέντα τε καὶ πραχθέντα καλῶς· ἐν οἷς καὶ τοῦτό φησί τις αὐτῶν͵ τὴν ξηροτέραν καὶ μὴ ἀνώ μαλον δίαιταν ἀγάπῃ συζευχθεῖσαν θᾶττον εἰσάγειν τὸν μοναχὸν εἰς τὸν τῆς ἀπαθείας λιμένα.

 The same man freed one of the brethren who was being troubled by fantasies at night by bidding him serve the sick while fasting When asked, he said that such passions are extinguished by nothing so well as by mercy.

̔ Ὁ δ΄ αὐτὸς ταρασσό μενόν τινα νύκτωρ τῶν ἀδελφῶν τῶν φασμάτων ἀπήλλαξεν͵ ἀσθενοῦσι μετὰ νηστείας ὑπηρετῆσαι προστάξας· οὐδενὶ γὰρ οὕτως͵ ἐρωτηθεὶς ἔφη͵ ὡς ἐλέῳ τὰ τοιαῦτα κατασβέννυται πάθη.

 92. UNTO the just Anthony came one of the wise men of that time, saying, ‘How do you manage to survive, O father, without the comfort of books?’ He replied, ‘My book, philosopher, is the nature of beings, and it is there whenever I want to read the words (logoi) of God’.

Ϛβ Τῷ δικαίῳ Ἀντωνίῳ προσῆλθέ τις τῶν τότε σοφῶν καὶ πῶς διακαρτερεῖς͵ εἶπεν͵ ὦ πάτερ͵ τῆς ἐκ τῶν βιβλίων παραμυθίας ἐστερημένος; Ὁ δέ φησι· τὸ ἐμὸν βιβλίον͵ φιλό σοφε͵ ἡ φύσις τῶν γεγονότων ἐστί͵ καὶ πάρεστιν ὅτε βούλομαι τοὺς λόγους ἀναγινώσκειν τοὺς τοῦ Θεοῦ.

93. THAT vessel of election, Macarius, the Egyptian old man, asked me, ‘Why is it that we ruin the soul’s power of memory by brooding resentfully on men, but remain unharmed if we resent demons?’ I was at a loss for an answer, and asked him to explain it to me. He said, ‘It is because the first is contrary to nature (para phusin), while the second is in accordance with the nature (kata phusin) of anger (thumos)’.

Ϛγ´. Ἠρώτησέ με τὸ σκεῦος τῆς ἐκλογῆς ὁ Αἰγύπτιος γέρων Μακάριος· τί δήποτε μνησικακοῦντες μὲν τοῖς ἀνθρώποις τὴν μνημονευτικὴν δύναμιν τῆς ψυχῆς ἀφανίζομεν͵ δαίμοσι δὲ μνησικακοῦντες ἀβλαβεῖς διαμένομεν; Κἀμοῦ πρὸς τὴν ἀπό κρισιν ἀπορήσαντος καὶ παρακαλοῦντος τὸν λόγον μαθεῖν͵ διότι͵ φησὶν ἐκεῖνος͵ τὸ μὲν πρότερον παρὰ φύσιν͵ τὸ δὲ δεύτερον κατὰ φύσιν ἐστὶ τοῦ θυμοῦ.

94. I ONCE visited the holy father Macarius right in the full heat of the day, and I was burning with thirst and asked for some water to drink He said, ‘Make do with the shade; there are many people traveling or sailing at this very moment, and they lack even shade ‘ Then, when I rehearsed some remarks to him about self-control, he said, ‘Courage, child; for twenty years I have never taken all I wanted of bread or water or sleep I ate my bread by weight, drank my water by measure, and snatched a little sleep leaning against a wall’.

Ϛδ´. Παρέβαλον κατ΄ αὐτὴν τὴν σταθερὰν μεσημβρίαν τῷ ἁγίῳ πατρὶ Μακαρίῳ καὶ λίαν ὑπὸ τῆς δίψης φλεγόμενος ᾔτουν ὕδωρ πιεῖν· ὁ δέ φησιν· ἀρκέσθητι τῇ σκιᾷ· πολλοὶ γὰρ νῦν ὁδοιποροῦντες ἢ πλέοντες καὶ ταύτης ἐστέρηνται. Εἶτα λόγους μου πρὸς αὐτὸν περὶ ἐγκρατείας γυμνάζοντος· θάρσει͵ φησίν͵ ὦ τέκνον͵ ἐν ὅλοις ἔτεσιν εἴκοσι οὔτε ἄρτου͵ οὔτε ὕδατος͵ οὔτε ὕπνου κόρον εἴληφα· τὸν μὲν γὰρ ἄρτον μου ἤσθιον σταθμῷ͵ τὸ δὲ ὕδωρ ἔπινον μέτρῳ͵ τοῖς τοίχοις δὲ ἐμαυτὸν παρακλίνων μικρόν τι τοῦ ὕπνου μέρος ἀφήρπαζον.

95. ONE of the monks was told of the death of his father He said to the an who brought the news, ‘Stop blaspheming my father is immortal’.

Ϛε´. Ἐμηνύθη τινὶ τῶν μοναχῶν θάνατος τοῦ πατρός· ὁ δὲ πρὸς τὸν ἀπαγγείλαντα͵ παῦσαι͵ φησί͵ βλασφημῶν· ὁ γὰρ ἐμὸς πατὴρ ἀθάνατός ἐστιν.

96. ONE of the brethren asked one of the old men if he would bid him eat with his mother and sisters when he visited them at home He said, ‘Do not eat with a woman’.

Ϛς´. Ἐπύθετό τις τῶν ἀδελφῶν ἑνὸς τῶν γερόντων εἰ κελεύοι τῇ μητρὶ καὶ ταῖς ἀδελφαῖς συμφαγεῖν αὐτὸν παραβαλόντα τῷ οἴκῳ· ὁ δέ͵ μετὰ γυναικός͵ εἶπεν͵ οὐ βρώσῃ.

97. ONE of the brethren possessed just a copy of the gospels, and he sold it and gave the money to feed the hungry, saying something worth remembering ‘I have sold the book which told me, “Sell what you have and give to the poor “(Mt. 19:21)

Ϛζ´. Ἐκέκτητό τις τῶν ἀδελφῶν εὐαγγέλιον μόνον͵ καὶ τοῦτο πωλήσας ἔδωκεν εἰς τροφὴν τοῖς πεινῶσιν͵ ἄξιον μνήμης ἐπιφθεγξάμενος ῥῆμα· αὐτὸν γάρ͵ φησί͵ τὸν λόγον πεπώληκα τὸν λέγοντά μοι· πώλησόν σου τὰ ὑπάρχοντα καὶ δὸς πτωχοῖς.

98. THERE is an island near Alexandria, in the northern part of the lake called Maria, and a monk lives there, one of the most distinguished of the camp of the knowers (gnostikoi). He taught that all that is done by the monks is done for one of five reasons:

Ϛη´. Ἔστι δέ τις παρὰ τὴν Ἀλεξάνδρειαν νῆσος κατ΄ αὐτὸ τὸ βόρειον μέρος τῆς λίμνης κειμένη τῆς καλουμένης Μαρίας͵ προσοικεῖ δὲ αὐτῇ μοναχὸς τῆς παρεμβολῆς τῶν γνωστικῶν ὁ δοκιμώτατος· ὅστις ἀπεφήνατο πάντα τὰ πραττόμενα ὑπὸ τῶν μοναχῶν πράττεσθαι δι΄ αἰτίας πέντε·

99. ANOTHER monk said, ‘I cut down pleasure in order to cut out excuses for anger (thumos) I know that anger always fights on behalf of pleasures and disturbs my mind and chases away knowledge ‘ One of the old men said that charity does not know how to store up food or money And the same monk said, ‘I am not aware of ever having been taken in by the demons twice on the same point ‘

Ϛθ´. Ἄλλος δὲ πάλιν τῶν μοναχῶν· διὰ τοῦτο περιαιρῶ τὰς ἡδονάς͵ εἶπεν͵ ἵνα τὰς τοῦ θυμοῦ περικόψω προφάσεις· οἶδα γὰρ αὐτὸν ἀεὶ μαχόμενον ὑπὲρ τῶν ἡδονῶν καὶ ἐκταράσσοντά μου τὸν νοῦν καὶ τὴν γνῶσιν ἀποδιώκοντα. Ἔλεγε δέ τις τῶν γερόντων ὅτι ἡ ἀγάπη παραθήκας βρωμάτων ἢ χρημάτων τηρεῖν οὐκ ἐπίσταται. Ὁ δ΄ αὐτός· οὐκ οἶδα͵ φησίν͵ εἰς τὸ αὐτὸ δὶς ὑπὸ δαιμόνων ἀπατηθείς.

100. TO love all the brothers equally is not possible, but it is possible to meet them all dispassionately [by] being free from memory of evil and [from] hatred: priests are next after the Lord, because by means of the sacred mysteries they purify and pray for us; we are to revere the elders as the angels, for it is they who anoint us for our struggle and heal us when we are bitten by wild beasts.

ρ´. Πάντας μὲν ἐπ΄ ἴσης οὐ δυνατὸν τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς ἀγαπᾶν πᾶσι δὲ δυνατὸν ἀπαθῶς συντυγχάνειν μνησικακίας ὄντα καὶ μίσους ἐλεύθερον· τοὺς ἱερεῖς ἀγαπητέον μετὰ τὸν Κύριον τοὺς διὰ τῶν ἁγίων μυστηρίων καθαρίζοντας ἡμᾶς καὶ προσευχομένους ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν· τοὺς δὲ γέροντας ἡμῶν τιμητέον ὡς τοὺς ἀγγέλους· αὐτοὶ γάρ εἰσιν οἱ πρὸς τοὺς ἀγῶνας ἡμᾶς ἀλείφοντες καὶ τὰ τῶν ἀγρίων θηρίων δήγματα θεραπεύοντες.

LET that suffice now, my dear Anatolius, about practical science (praktike); this is what I have found, by the grace of the holy Spirit, gleaning ripening grapes from my crop but if the sun of righteousness (Mal 3:20) shines on us in his zenith and the grape becomes fully ripe, then we shall drink his wine, which makes glad the heart of man (Ps 103 13), at the prayers and intercession of the righteous Gregory who planted me, and at those of the holy fathers who now water me, and by the power of Jesus Christ our Lord who makes me grow (cf. ICor 3 6-7), to whom be glory and might for ever and ever.

Ἀλλὰ νῦν μέν μοι τοσαῦτα λελέχθω πρὸς σὲ περὶ πρακτικῆς͵ ποθεινότατε ἀδελφὲ Ἀνατόλιε͵ ὅσα χάριτι τοῦ ἁγίου Πνεύ ματος ἐν τῷ σπόρῳ περκαζούσης ἡμῶν τῆς σταφυλῆς ἐπιρωγολογούμενοι εὑρήκαμεν· εἰ δὲ σταθερὸς ἡμῖν ἐπιλάμψει τῆς δικαιοσύνης ὁ ἥλιος καὶ ὁ βότρυς πέπειρος γένηται͵ τότε καὶ τὸν οἶνον πιόμεθα αὐτοῦ τὸν εὐφραίνοντα καρδίαν ἀνθρώπου͵ εὐχαῖς καὶ πρεσβείαις τοῦ δικαίου Γρηγορίου τοῦ φυτεύσαντός με καὶ τῶν νῦν ὁσίων Πατέρων τῶν ποτιζόν των με͵ καὶ δυνάμει τῇ τοῦ αὐξάνοντός με Χριστοῦ Ἰησοῦ τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν͵ ᾧ ἡ δόξα καὶ τὸ κράτος εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν.