Sayings of the Desert Fathers (alphabetical collection) 1.1–1.38
Authorship disputed: Anonymous collection of sayings and stories of the Egyptian desert monks of the 4th and 5th centuries, arranged by the Greek alphabet of the monks' names and compiled in its present form in the late 5th or 6th century. The sayings are attributed to the named monks and were handed down orally and in smaller collections; the compiler is unknown.
Greek text: PG 65.English: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), public domain (CC0).
Chapter 1
1.1PG 65:75
Ὁ ἅγιος ἀββᾶς Ἀντώνιος καθεζόμενός ποτε ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ, ἐν ἀκηδίᾳ γέγονε καὶ πολλῇ σκοτώσει λογισμῶν· καὶ ἔλεγε πρὸς τὸν Θεόν Κύριε, θέλω σωθῆναι, καὶ οὐκ ἐῶσί με οἱ λογισμοί· τί ποιήσω ἐν τῇ θλίψει μου; πῶς σωθῶ; Καὶ μικρὸν διαναστὰς ἐπὶ τὰ ἔξω, θεωρεῖ τινα ὁ Ἀντώνιος ὡς ἑαυτὸν, καθεζόμενον καὶ ἐργαζόμενον, εἶτα ἀνιστάμενον ἀπὸ τοῦ ἔργου καὶ προσευχόμενον, καὶ πάλιν καθεζόμενον καὶ τὴν σειρὰν πλέκοντα, εἶτα πάλιν εἰς προσευχὴν ἀνιστάμενον ἦν δὲ ἄγγελος Κυρίου, ἀποσταλεὶς πρὸς διόρθωσιν καὶ ἀσφάλειαν Ἀντωνίου. Καὶ ἤκουσε τοῦ ἀγγέλου λέγοντος Οὕτως ποίει, καὶ σώζῃ. Ὁ δὲ τοῦτο ἀκούσας, πολλὴν χαρὰν ἔσχε καὶ θάρσος, καὶ οὕτως ποιῶν ἐσώζετο.
Ho hagios abbas Antōnios kathezomenos pote en tę̄ erēmǭ, en akēdią gegone kai pollę̄ skotōsei logismōn; kai elege pros ton Theon Kyrie, thelō sōthēnai, kai ouk eōsi me hoi logismoi; ti poiēsō en tę̄ thlipsei mou? pōs sōthō? Kai mikron dianastas epi ta exō, theōrei tina ho Antōnios hōs heauton, kathezomenon kai ergazomenon, eita anistamenon apo tou ergou kai proseuchomenon, kai palin kathezomenon kai tēn seiran plekonta, eita palin eis proseuchēn anistamenon ēn de angelos Kyriou, apostaleis pros diorthōsin kai asphaleian Antōniou. Kai ēkouse tou angelou legontos Houtōs poiei, kai sōzę̄. Ho de touto akousas, pollēn charan esche kai tharsos, kai houtōs poiōn esōzeto.
When the holy abba Antony was once sitting in the desert, he fell into listlessness and great darkness of thoughts, and he said to God, “Lord, I want to be saved, and my thoughts will not let me. What shall I do in my affliction? How shall I be saved?” And getting up a little and going outside, Antony sees someone like himself, sitting and working, then getting up from the work and praying, and again sitting and plaiting the rope, then again getting up to pray. It was an angel of the Lord, sent for Antony’s correction and safety. And he heard the angel saying, “Do this, and you will be saved.” When he heard this, he had great joy and courage, and by doing so he was saved.
Notes and citation
Summary: In a time of listlessness Antony is shown by an angel the rhythm of work and prayer that will save him.
- ἀκηδία is rendered “listlessness” (the monk’s weariness and restlessness, often “accidie”).
Topics: Prayer
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 1.1 (PG 65:75; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/1-1). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/1-1
BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-apophthegmata-alphabetica-1-1) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Cotelier's Greek text as printed in Migne PG 65 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
1.2PG 65:75
Ὁ αὐτὸς ἀββᾶς Ἀντώνιος, ἀτενίσας πρὸς τὸ βάθος τῶν τοῦ Θεοῦ κριμάτων, ἤτησε λέγων· Κύριε, πῶς τινες ὀλιγόβιοι ἀποθνήσκουσι, τινὲς δὲ ὑπεργηρῶσι; καὶ διατί τινὲς μὲν πένονται, ἄλλοι δὲ πλουτοῦσι καὶ πῶς ἄδικοι μὲν πλουτοῦσι, δίκαιοι δὲ πένονται; Ἦλθε δὲ αὐτῷ φωνή λέγουσα· Ἀντώνιε, σεαυτῷ πρόσεχε ταῦτα γὰρ κρίματα Θεοῦ εἰσι, καὶ οὐ συμφέρει σοι αὐτὰ μαθεῖν.
Ho autos abbas Antōnios, atenisas pros to bathos tōn tou Theou krimatōn, ētēse legōn; Kyrie, pōs tines oligobioi apothnēskousi, tines de hypergērōsi? kai diati tines men penontai, alloi de ploutousi kai pōs adikoi men ploutousi, dikaioi de penontai? Ēlthe de autǭ phōnē legousa; Antōnie, seautǭ proseche tauta gar krimata Theou eisi, kai ou sympherei soi auta mathein.
The same abba Antony, gazing into the depth of God’s judgments, asked, “Lord, how is it that some die after a short life while others reach extreme old age? And why are some poor and others rich? And how is it that the unjust are rich and the just are poor?” And a voice came to him, saying, “Antony, attend to yourself; for these are judgments of God, and it is not good for you to learn them.”
Rom 11:33 (echo, low confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Antony asks why life and wealth are unequally given and is told to attend to himself, not to God’s judgments.
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 1.2 (PG 65:75; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/1-2). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/1-2
BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-apophthegmata-alphabetica-1-2) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Cotelier's Greek text as printed in Migne PG 65 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
1.3PG 65:75
Ἠρώτησέ τις τὸν ἀββᾶν Ἀντώνιον, λέγων· φυλάξας τῷ Θεῷ εὐαρεστήσω; Καὶ ἀποκριθεὶς ὁ γέρων εἶπεν· "Α ἐντέλλομαί σοι φύλαξον· ὅπου δὲ ἂν ἀπέρχῃ, τὸν Θεὸν ἔχε πρὸ ὀφθαλμῶν σου πάντοτε καὶ ὅπερ ἂν πράττεις ἔχε ἐκ τῶν ἁγίων Γραφῶν τὴν μαρτυρίαν καὶ ἐν οἴῳ δ᾽ ἂν καθέζῃ τόπῳ, μὴ ταχέως κινοῦ. Τὰ τρία ταῦτα φύλαξον, καὶ σώζῃ. μᾶλλον δὲ κάτεργον. Τοῦτο γὰρ σαφῶς ἐπαίδευσεν ὁ νης ὁ πρόδρομος, καὶ ὁ θεολόγος Ἰωάννης πραότητος δὲ, Μωϋσῆς, καὶ Δαυΐδ· τῆς δὲ τῆς δὲ προσευχῆς, αὐτὸς ὁ Θεοῦ Λόγος, καὶ ὁ φανεὶς ἄγγελος Ἀντωνίῳ καὶ Παχωμίῳ.
Ērōtēse tis ton abban Antōnion, legōn; phylaxas tǭ Theǭ euarestēsō? Kai apokritheis ho gerōn eipen; "A entellomai soi phylaxon; hopou de an aperchę̄, ton Theon eche pro ophthalmōn sou pantote kai hoper an pratteis eche ek tōn hagiōn Graphōn tēn martyrian kai en oiǭ d᾽ an kathezę̄ topǭ, mē tacheōs kinou. Ta tria tauta phylaxon, kai sōzę̄. mallon de katergon. Touto gar saphōs epaideusen ho nēs ho prodromos, kai ho theologos Iōannēs praotētos de, Mōÿsēs, kai Dauïd; tēs de tēs de proseuchēs, autos ho Theou Logos, kai ho phaneis angelos Antōniǭ kai Pachōmiǭ.
Someone asked abba Antony, “What must I keep in order to please God?” And the old man answered, “Keep what I command you: wherever you go, always have God before your eyes; whatever you do, have the testimony for it from the holy Scriptures; and in whatever place you live, do not leave it quickly. Keep these three things, and you will be saved.” … rather … For this was clearly taught by John the Forerunner and John the Theologian; meekness by Moses and David; and prayer by the Word of God himself and by the angel who appeared to Antony and Pachomius.
Notes and citation
Summary: Antony gives three rules: keep God before your eyes, act on the testimony of Scripture, and do not leave your place quickly.
- The saying ends with “you will be saved.” The words that follow in the scan (from “rather”) are garbled and incomplete; they appear to be a scholion or note printed with the text, not part of Antony’s saying, and are translated by sense with “…” where words are lost. The opening question lacks its interrogative (probably “What”) in the scan; translated by sense.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR: word split): ὁ γέ ρων → ὁ γέρων.
Topics: Scripture and canon
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 1.3 (PG 65:75; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/1-3). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/1-3
BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-apophthegmata-alphabetica-1-3) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Cotelier's Greek text as printed in Migne PG 65 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
1.4PG 65:77
Εἶπεν ὁ ἀββᾶς Ἀντώνιος τῷ ἀββᾷ Ποιμένι, ὅτι Αὕτη ἐστὶν ἡ μεγάλη ἐργασία τοῦ ἀνθρώπου, ἵνα τὸ σφάλμα ἑαυτοῦ ἐπάνω ἑαυτοῦ βάλῃ ἐνώπιον τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ προσδοκήσῃ πειρασμὸν ἕως ἐσχάτης ἀναπνοῆς.
Eipen ho abbas Antōnios tǭ abbą Poimeni, hoti Hautē estin hē megalē ergasia tou anthrōpou, hina to sphalma heautou epanō heautou balę̄ enōpion tou Theou, kai prosdokēsę̄ peirasmon heōs eschatēs anapnoēs.
Abba Antony said to abba Poemen, “This is the great work of a man: to lay his fault upon himself before God, and to expect temptation until his last breath.”
Notes and citation
Summary: Antony tells Poemen that the great work is to take the blame for one’s own fault and expect temptation to the end.
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 1.4 (PG 65:77; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/1-4). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/1-4
BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-apophthegmata-alphabetica-1-4) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Cotelier's Greek text as printed in Migne PG 65 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
1.5PG 65:77
Ὁ αὐτὸς εἶπεν· Οὐδεὶς ἀπείραστος δυνήσεται εἰσελθεῖν εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν τῶν οὐρανῶν. Ἔπαρον γὰρ, φησὶ, τοὺς πειρασμοὺς, καὶ οὐδεὶς ὁ σωζόμενος.
Ho autos eipen; Oudeis apeirastos dynēsetai eiselthein eis tēn basileian tōn ouranōn. Eparon gar, phēsi, tous peirasmous, kai oudeis ho sōzomenos.
The same said, “No one who has not been tempted will be able to enter the kingdom of heaven. For take away temptations,” he says, “and no one is saved.”
Notes and citation
Summary: Antony teaches that temptation is necessary for salvation.
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 1.5 (PG 65:77; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/1-5). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/1-5
BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-apophthegmata-alphabetica-1-5) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Cotelier's Greek text as printed in Migne PG 65 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
1.6PG 65:77
Ἠρώτησεν ὁ ἀββᾶς Παμβὼ τὸν ἀββᾶν Ἀντώνιον· Τί ποιήσω; Λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ γέρων· Μὴ ἔσο πεποιθὼς τῇ δικαιοσύνῃ σου, μηδὲ μεταμελοῦ ἐπὶ πράγματι παρελθόντι, καὶ ἐγκρατὴς γενοῦ γλώσσης καὶ κοιλίας.
Ērōtēsen ho abbas Pambō ton abban Antōnion; Ti poiēsō? Legei autǭ ho gerōn; Mē eso pepoithōs tę̄ dikaiosynę̄ sou, mēde metamelou epi pragmati parelthonti, kai enkratēs genou glōssēs kai koilias.
Abba Pambo asked abba Antony, “What shall I do?” The old man says to him, “Do not trust in your own righteousness, do not regret a thing that is past, and be master of your tongue and your belly.”
Notes and citation
Summary: Antony counsels Pambo not to trust his righteousness, not to regret the past, and to control tongue and belly.
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 1.6 (PG 65:77; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/1-6). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/1-6
BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-apophthegmata-alphabetica-1-6) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Cotelier's Greek text as printed in Migne PG 65 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
1.7PG 65:77
Εἶπεν ὁ ἀββᾶς Ἀντώνιος Εἶδον πάσας τὰς παγίδας τοῦ ἐχθροῦ ἡπλωμένας ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς· καὶ στενάξας εἶπον· Τίς ἄρα παρέρχεται ταύτας; Καὶ ἤκουσα φωνῆς λεγούσης μοι· Ἡ ταπεινοφροσύνη.
Eipen ho abbas Antōnios Eidon pasas tas pagidas tou echthrou hēplōmenas epi tēs gēs; kai stenaxas eipon; Tis ara parerchetai tautas? Kai ēkousa phōnēs legousēs moi; Hē tapeinophrosynē.
Abba Antony said, “I saw all the snares of the enemy spread out over the earth, and I groaned and said, ‘Who then gets past these?’ And I heard a voice saying to me, ‘Humility.’”
Notes and citation
Summary: Antony sees the devil’s snares over the earth and learns that humility passes them.
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 1.7 (PG 65:77; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/1-7). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/1-7
BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-apophthegmata-alphabetica-1-7) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Cotelier's Greek text as printed in Migne PG 65 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
1.8PG 65:77
Εἶπε πάλιν, ὅτι Εἰσί τινες κατατρίψαντες τὰ ἑαυτῶν σώματα ἐν ἀσκήσει, καὶ διὰ τὸ μὴ ἐσχηκέναι αὐτοὺς διάκρισιν, μακρὰν τοῦ Θεοῦ γεγόνασιν.
Eipe palin, hoti Eisi tines katatripsantes ta heautōn sōmata en askēsei, kai dia to mē eschēkenai autous diakrisin, makran tou Theou gegonasin.
He also said, “There are some who have worn out their bodies in ascetic practice, and because they did not have discernment, they have become far from God.”
Notes and citation
Summary: Asceticism without discernment leads away from God.
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 1.8 (PG 65:77; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/1-8). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/1-8
BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-apophthegmata-alphabetica-1-8) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Cotelier's Greek text as printed in Migne PG 65 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
1.9PG 65:77
Εἶπεν πάλιν, ὅτι Ἐκ τοῦ πλησίον ἐστὶν ἡ ζωή καὶ ὁ θάνατος. Ἐὰν γὰρ κερδήσωμεν τὸν ἀδελφὸν, τὸν Θεὸν κερδαίνομεν· ἐὰν δὲ σκανδαλίσωμεν τὸν ἀδελφὸν, εἰς Χριστὸν ἁμαρτάνομεν.
Eipen palin, hoti Ek tou plēsion estin hē zōē kai ho thanatos. Ean gar kerdēsōmen ton adelphon, ton Theon kerdainomen; ean de skandalisōmen ton adelphon, eis Christon hamartanomen.
He also said, “Life and death come from our neighbor. For if we gain our brother, we gain God; but if we cause our brother to stumble, we sin against Christ.”
Matt 18:15 (echo, low confidence) · 1 Cor 8:12 (allusion, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Antony teaches that life and death depend on how we treat our neighbor.
Topics: Ethics
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 1.9 (PG 65:77; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/1-9). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/1-9
BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-apophthegmata-alphabetica-1-9) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Cotelier's Greek text as printed in Migne PG 65 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
1.10PG 65:77
Εἶπε πάλιν· Ὥσπερ οἱ ἰχθύες ἐγχρονίζοντες τῇ ξηρᾷ τελευτῶσιν, οὕτως καὶ οἱ μοναχοί, βραδύνοντες ἔξω τοῦ κελλίου, ἢ μετὰ κοσμικῶν διατρίβοντες, πρὸς τὸν τῆς ἡσυχίας τόνον ἐκλύονται. Δεῖ οὖν, ὥσπερ τὸν ἰχθὺν εἰς τὴν θάλασσαν, οὕτως καὶ ἡμᾶς εἰς τὸ κελλίον ἐπείγεσθαι, μήποτε βραδύνοντες ἔξω ἐπιλαθώμεθα τῆς ἔνδον φυλακῆς.
Eipe palin; Hōsper hoi ichthyes enchronizontes tę̄ xērą teleutōsin, houtōs kai hoi monachoi, bradynontes exō tou kelliou, ē meta kosmikōn diatribontes, pros ton tēs hēsychias tonon eklyontai. Dei oun, hōsper ton ichthyn eis tēn thalassan, houtōs kai hēmas eis to kellion epeigesthai, mēpote bradynontes exō epilathōmetha tēs endon phylakēs.
He also said, “Just as fish that stay long on dry land die, so monks who linger outside the cell or spend time with people of the world lose the tension of stillness. So, as the fish hurries to the sea, we too must hurry to the cell, lest by lingering outside we forget the watch within.”
Notes and citation
Summary: Like fish out of water, monks who linger outside the cell lose their stillness.
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 1.10 (PG 65:77; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/1-10). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/1-10
BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-apophthegmata-alphabetica-1-10) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Cotelier's Greek text as printed in Migne PG 65 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
1.11PG 65:77
Εἶπε πάλιν, ὅτι Ὁ καθήμενος ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ καὶ ἡσυχάζων, τριῶν ἀπαλλάττεται πολέμων, τῆς ἀκοῆς, καὶ τῆς λαλιᾶς, καὶ τοῦ βλέπειν· πρὸς ἕνα μόνον ἔχει, τὸν τῆς πορνείας
Eipe palin, hoti Ho kathēmenos en tę̄ erēmǭ kai hēsychazōn, triōn apallattetai polemōn, tēs akoēs, kai tēs lalias, kai tou blepein; pros hena monon echei, ton tēs porneias
He also said, “The one who sits in the desert in stillness is delivered from three wars: of hearing, of speaking, and of seeing. He has only one to fight: that of sexual immorality.”
Notes and citation
Summary: The hermit escapes the wars of hearing, speech, and sight, but still fights sexual temptation.
- The last word of the saying (“war”) is missing at the end of the line in the scan; the sense is clear.
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 1.11 (PG 65:77; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/1-11). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/1-11
BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-apophthegmata-alphabetica-1-11) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Cotelier's Greek text as printed in Migne PG 65 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
1.12PG 65:77
Ἀδελφοί τινες παρέβαλον τῷ ἀββᾷ Ἀντωνίῳ, ἀναγγείλαι αὐτῷ φαντασίας ἃς ἔβλεπον, καὶ μαθεῖν παρ᾿ αὐτοῦ εἰ ἀληθιναί εἰσιν, ἢ ἀπὸ δαιμόνων. Εἶχον δὲ ὄνον, καὶ ἀπέθανεν ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ. Ὡς οὖν ἦλθον πρὸς τὸν γέροντα, προλαβὼν εἶπεν αὐτοῖς· Πῶς ἀπέθανεν ὁ μικρὸς ὄνος ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ; Λέγουσιν αὐτῷ· Πόθεν οἶδας, ἀββᾶ; Ὁ δὲ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς· Οἱ δαίμονες ἔδειξάν μοι. Καὶ λέγουσιν αὐτῷ· Ἡμεῖς διὰ τοῦτο ἤλθομεν έρωτῆσαί σε, ὅτι βλέπομεν φαντασίας, καὶ πολλάκις γίνονται ἀληθιναὶ, μήπως πλανώμεθα. Καὶ ἐπληροφόρησεν αὐτοὺς ὁ γέρων ἐκ τοῦ κατὰ τὸν ὄνον ἀποδείγματος, ὅτι ἀπὸ δαιμόνων εἰσίν.
Adelphoi tines parebalon tǭ abbą Antōniǭ, anangeilai autǭ phantasias has eblepon, kai mathein par᾿ autou ei alēthinai eisin, ē apo daimonōn. Eichon de onon, kai apethanen en tę̄ hodǭ. Hōs oun ēlthon pros ton geronta, prolabōn eipen autois; Pōs apethanen ho mikros onos en tę̄ hodǭ? Legousin autǭ; Pothen oidas, abba? Ho de eipen autois; Hoi daimones edeixan moi. Kai legousin autǭ; Hēmeis dia touto ēlthomen erōtēsai se, hoti blepomen phantasias, kai pollakis ginontai alēthinai, mēpōs planōmetha. Kai eplērophorēsen autous ho gerōn ek tou kata ton onon apodeigmatos, hoti apo daimonōn eisin.
Some brothers came to abba Antony to tell him about visions they were seeing and to learn from him whether they were true or from demons. They had a donkey, and it died on the way. When they came to the old man, he spoke first and said to them, “How did the little donkey die on the way?” They say to him, “How do you know, abba?” He said to them, “The demons showed me.” And they say to him, “That is why we came to ask you: we see visions, and often they come true; we fear we are being deceived.” And the old man convinced them from the example of the donkey that they were from demons.
Notes and citation
Summary: Antony shows brothers by the example of their dead donkey that visions which come true may still be from demons.
- A neutral note: the saying assumes that demons can know and reveal distant events, and teaches that such knowledge does not prove a vision is from God.
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 1.12 (PG 65:77; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/1-12). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/1-12
BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-apophthegmata-alphabetica-1-12) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Cotelier's Greek text as printed in Migne PG 65 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
1.13PG 65:77–79
ὧν δὲ τις κατὰ τὴν ἔρημον θηρεύων ἄγρια ζῶα, καὶ εἶδε τὸν ἀββᾶν Ἀντώνιον χαριεντιζόμενον μετὰ τῶν ἀδελφῶν ὁ. Θέλων δὲ αὐτὸν πληροφορῆσαι ὁ γέρων, ὅτι χρὴ μίαν συγκαταβαίνειν τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς, λέγει αὐτῷ· Βάλε βέλος εἰς τὸ τόξον σου, καὶ τεῖνον καὶ ἐποίησεν οὕτως. Λέγει αὐτῷ· Πάλιν τεῖνον καὶ ἔτεινεν. Καὶ πάλιν φησί· Τεῖνον. Λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ θηρευτής Ἐὰν ὑπὲρ τὸ μέτρον τείνω, κλᾶται τὸ τόξον. Λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ γέρων· Οὕτως καὶ εἰς τὸ ἔργον τοῦ Θεοῦ· ἐὰν πλεῖον τοῦ μέτρου τείνωμεν κατὰ τῶν ἀδελφῶν, ταχὺ προσρήσσουσι. Χρὴ οὖν μίαν μίαν συγκαταβαίνειν τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς. Ταῦτα ἀκούσας ὁ θηρευτής, κατενύγη, καὶ πολλὰ ὠφεληθεὶς παρὰ τοῦ γέροντος, ἀπῆλθε καὶ οἱ ἀδελφοὶ στηριχθέντες ἀνεχώρησαν εἰς τὸν τόπον αὐτῶν.
hōn de tis kata tēn erēmon thēreuōn agria zōa, kai eide ton abban Antōnion charientizomenon meta tōn adelphōn ho. Thelōn de auton plērophorēsai ho gerōn, hoti chrē mian synkatabainein tois adelphois, legei autǭ; Bale belos eis to toxon sou, kai teinon kai epoiēsen houtōs. Legei autǭ; Palin teinon kai eteinen. Kai palin phēsi; Teinon. Legei autǭ ho thēreutēs Ean hyper to metron teinō, klatai to toxon. Legei autǭ ho gerōn; Houtōs kai eis to ergon tou Theou; ean pleion tou metrou teinōmen kata tōn adelphōn, tachy prosrēssousi. Chrē oun mian mian synkatabainein tois adelphois. Tauta akousas ho thēreutēs, katenygē, kai polla ōphelētheis para tou gerontos, apēlthe kai hoi adelphoi stērichthentes anechōrēsan eis ton topon autōn.
There was a man hunting wild animals in the desert, and he saw abba Antony joking with the brothers, … The old man, wanting to convince him that one must sometimes come down to the brothers’ level, says to him, “Put an arrow in your bow and draw it.” And he did so. He says to him, “Draw it again,” and he drew it. And again he says, “Draw.” The hunter says to him, “If I draw beyond measure, the bow breaks.” The old man says to him, “So it is also in the work of God: if we stretch the brothers beyond measure, they quickly break. So one must sometimes come down to the brothers’ level.” When the hunter heard this, he was pierced to the heart, and having been greatly helped by the old man he went away; and the brothers, strengthened, went back to their place.
Notes and citation
Summary: Antony uses a hunter’s bow to show that brothers must not be stretched beyond measure.
- The scan has “ὧν” for “Ἦν” (“There was”) and a stray “ὁ.” where a few words are lost (probably “and he was offended”); not supplied. μίαν (μίαν) συγκαταβαίνειν is taken as “sometimes come down to their level”.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR: word split): ἀδελ φοῖς → ἀδελφοῖς.
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 1.13 (PG 65:77–79; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/1-13). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/1-13
BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-apophthegmata-alphabetica-1-13) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Cotelier's Greek text as printed in Migne PG 65 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
1.14PG 65:79
Ἤκουσεν ὁ ἀββᾶς Ἀντώνιος περί τινος νεωτέρου μοναχοῦ, ποιήσαντος σημεῖον ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ· ὡς τούτου ἑωρακότος γέροντάς τινας ὁδεύοντας καὶ κάμνοντας ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ, καὶ ὀνάγρους ἐπιτάξαντος ἐλθεῖν καὶ βαστάσαι τοὺς γέροντας, ἕως οὗ φθάσωσι πρὸς Ἀντώνιον. Οἱ οὖν γέροντες ἀνήγγειλαν τῷ ἀββα Ἀντωνίῳ ταῦτα. Καὶ λέγει αὐτοῖς· Ἔοικέ μοι ὁ μοναχὸς οὗτος πλοῖον εἶναι μεστὸν ἀγαθῶν, οὐκ οἶδα δὲ εἰ ἥξει εἰς τὸν λιμένα. Καὶ μετὰ χρόνον ἄρχεται ἐξαίφνης ὁ ἀββᾶς Ἀντώνιος κλαίειν καὶ τίλλειν τὸς τρίχας αὐτοῦ καὶ ὀδύρεσθαι. Λέγουσιν αὐτῷ οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ· Τί κλαίεις, ἀββᾶ; Καὶ εἶπεν ὁ γέρων Μέγας στύλος τῆς Ἐκκλησίας ἄρτι ἔπεσεν (ἔλεγε δὲ περὶ τοῦ νεωτέρου μοναχοῦ)· ἀλλὰ ἀπέλθετε, φησὶν, ἕως αὐτοῦ, καὶ βλέπετε τὸ γεγονός. Ἀπέρχονται οὖν οἱ μαθηταὶ, καὶ εὑρίσκουσι τὸν μοναχὸν ἐπὶ ψιαθίου καθήμενον, καὶ κλαίοντα τὴν ἁμαρτίαν ἣν εἰργάσατο. Ἑωρακὼς δὲ τοὺς μαθητὰς τοῦ γέροντος, λέγει· Εἴπατε τῷ γέροντι ἵνα παρακαλέσῃ τὸν Θεὸν, δέκα μόνας ἡμέρας ἐνδοῦναι μοι, καὶ ἐλπίζω ἀπολογήσασθαι. Καὶ ἐντὸς ἡμερῶν πέντε ἐτελεύτησεν.
Ēkousen ho abbas Antōnios peri tinos neōterou monachou, poiēsantos sēmeion en tę̄ hodǭ; hōs toutou heōrakotos gerontas tinas hodeuontas kai kamnontas en tę̄ hodǭ, kai onagrous epitaxantos elthein kai bastasai tous gerontas, heōs hou phthasōsi pros Antōnion. Hoi oun gerontes anēngeilan tǭ abba Antōniǭ tauta. Kai legei autois; Eoike moi ho monachos houtos ploion einai meston agathōn, ouk oida de ei hēxei eis ton limena. Kai meta chronon archetai exaiphnēs ho abbas Antōnios klaiein kai tillein tos trichas autou kai odyresthai. Legousin autǭ hoi mathētai autou; Ti klaieis, abba? Kai eipen ho gerōn Megas stylos tēs Ekklēsias arti epesen (elege de peri tou neōterou monachou); alla apelthete, phēsin, heōs autou, kai blepete to gegonos. Aperchontai oun hoi mathētai, kai heuriskousi ton monachon epi psiathiou kathēmenon, kai klaionta tēn hamartian hēn eirgasato. Heōrakōs de tous mathētas tou gerontos, legei; Eipate tǭ geronti hina parakalesę̄ ton Theon, deka monas hēmeras endounai moi, kai elpizō apologēsasthai. Kai entos hēmerōn pente eteleutēsen.
Abba Antony heard about a young monk who had worked a sign on the road: seeing some old men traveling and growing tired on the road, he commanded wild asses to come and carry the old men until they reached Antony. So the old men told abba Antony about this. And he says to them, “This monk seems to me like a ship full of goods; but I do not know whether it will reach harbor.” And after a time abba Antony suddenly begins to weep, tear his hair, and lament. His disciples say to him, “Why are you weeping, abba?” And the old man said, “A great pillar of the church has just fallen” (he meant the young monk); “but go to him,” he says, “and see what has happened.” So the disciples go, and they find the monk sitting on a mat and weeping over the sin he had committed. When he saw the old man’s disciples, he says, “Tell the old man to ask God to grant me only ten days, and I hope to make my defense.” And within five days he died.
Notes and citation
Summary: A young monk who worked a wonder falls into sin; Antony grieves, and the monk dies repentant within five days.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR: margin letter inside a split word; OCR: margin letter inside a word; OCR: word split): νεωτέΒρου → νεωτέρου; ψιαΟ θίου → ψιαθίου; εἰρ γάσατο → εἰργάσατο.
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 1.14 (PG 65:79; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/1-14). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/1-14
BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-apophthegmata-alphabetica-1-14) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Cotelier's Greek text as printed in Migne PG 65 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
1.15PG 65:79
Ἐπηνέθη τις μοναχὸς ὑπὸ τῶν ἀδελφῶν πρὸς τὸν ἀββᾶν Ἀντώνιον. Ὁ δὲ παραβαλόντα αὐτὸν ἐπείρασεν, εἰ φέρει ἀτιμίαν· καὶ εὑρὼν ὅτι οὐ βαστάζει, εἶπεν αὐτῷ· Ἔοικας κώμῃ, τὰ ἔμπροσθεν κεκαλλωπισμένῃ, τὰ δὲ ὄπισθεν ὑπὸ λῃστῶν συλουμένῃ.
Epēnethē tis monachos hypo tōn adelphōn pros ton abban Antōnion. Ho de parabalonta auton epeirasen, ei pherei atimian; kai heurōn hoti ou bastazei, eipen autǭ; Eoikas kōmę̄, ta emprosthen kekallōpismenę̄, ta de opisthen hypo lę̄stōn syloumenę̄.
A certain monk was praised by the brothers to abba Antony. When he came to visit, Antony tested him to see whether he could bear dishonor; and finding that he could not bear it, he said to him, “You are like a village beautifully adorned in front but plundered by robbers behind.”
Notes and citation
Summary: Antony likens a praised monk who cannot bear dishonor to a village adorned in front and robbed behind.
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 1.15 (PG 65:79; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/1-15). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/1-15
BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-apophthegmata-alphabetica-1-15) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Cotelier's Greek text as printed in Migne PG 65 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
1.16PG 65:79
Ἀδελφὸς εἶπε τῷ ἀββᾷ Ἀντωνίῳ· Εὔξαι ὑπὲρ ἐμοῦ. Λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ γέρων· Οὐδὲ ἐγώ σε ἐλεῶ, οὐδὲ ὁ Θεὸς, ἐὰν μὴ σὺ αὐτὸς σπουδάσῃς, καὶ αἰτήσῃ τὸν Θεόν.
Adelphos eipe tǭ abbą Antōniǭ; Euxai hyper emou. Legei autǭ ho gerōn; Oude egō se eleō, oude ho Theos, ean mē sy autos spoudasę̄s, kai aitēsę̄ ton Theon.
A brother said to abba Antony, “Pray for me.” The old man says to him, “Neither I nor God will have mercy on you, unless you yourself make an effort and ask God.”
Notes and citation
Summary: Antony tells a brother that another’s prayer is useless unless he himself strives and prays.
Topics: Prayer
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 1.16 (PG 65:79; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/1-16). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/1-16
BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-apophthegmata-alphabetica-1-16) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Cotelier's Greek text as printed in Migne PG 65 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
1.17PG 65:79
Παρέβαλόν ποτε γέροντες τῷ ἀββᾷ Ἀντωνίῳ, καὶ ἦν ὁ ἀββᾶς Ἰωσὴφ μετ᾿ αὐτῶν. Καὶ θέλων ὁ γέρων δοκιμάσαι αὐτοὺς, προεβάλετο ῥῆμα ἐκ τῆς Γραφῆς, καὶ ἤρξατο ἐρωτῶν ἀπὸ τῶν μικροτέρων, τί ἐστι τὸ ῥῆμα τοῦτο. Καὶ ἕκαστος ἔλεγε κατὰ τὴν ἰδίαν δύναμιν. Ὁ δὲ γέρων ἑκάστῳ ἔλεγεν· Οὔπω εὗρες. Ὕστερον ὅλων λέγει τῷ ἀββᾷ Ἰωσήφ· Σὺ πῶς λέγεις εἶναι τὸν λόγον τοῦτον Ἀποκρίνεται Οὐκ οἶδα. Λέγει οὖν ὁ ἀββᾶς Ἀντώνιος· Πάντως ἀββᾶς Ἰωσὴφ εὗρε τὴν ὁδὸν, ὅτι εἶπεν, Οὐκ οἶδα.
Parebalon pote gerontes tǭ abbą Antōniǭ, kai ēn ho abbas Iōsēph met᾿ autōn. Kai thelōn ho gerōn dokimasai autous, proebaleto rhēma ek tēs Graphēs, kai ērxato erōtōn apo tōn mikroterōn, ti esti to rhēma touto. Kai hekastos elege kata tēn idian dynamin. Ho de gerōn hekastǭ elegen; Oupō heures. Hysteron holōn legei tǭ abbą Iōsēph; Sy pōs legeis einai ton logon touton Apokrinetai Ouk oida. Legei oun ho abbas Antōnios; Pantōs abbas Iōsēph heure tēn hodon, hoti eipen, Ouk oida.
Once some old men visited abba Antony, and abba Joseph was with them. Wishing to test them, the old man put forward a word from Scripture and began asking, starting with the youngest, what this word meant. Each spoke according to his own ability. But the old man said to each one, “You have not found it yet.” Last of all he says to abba Joseph, “How do you say this word is to be understood?” He answers, “I do not know.” So abba Antony says, “Truly abba Joseph has found the way, because he said, ‘I do not know.’”
Notes and citation
Summary: Antony praises abba Joseph for answering a question on Scripture with “I do not know.”
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR: stray letters): Ἀντωνίῳ, Τι, καὶ → Ἀντωνίῳ, καὶ.
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 1.17 (PG 65:79; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/1-17). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/1-17
BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-apophthegmata-alphabetica-1-17) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Cotelier's Greek text as printed in Migne PG 65 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
1.18PG 65:81
Ἀδελφοὶ παρέβαλον τῷ ἀββᾷ Ἀντωνίῳ ἀπὸ Σκήτεως, καὶ ἐμβάντες εἰς πλοῖον ἀπελθεῖν πρὸς αὐτὸν, εὗρον γέροντα θέλοντα καὶ αὐτὸν ἀπελθεῖν ἐκεῖ. Ἡγνόουν δὲ αὐτὸν οἱ ἀδελφοί. Καὶ καθήμενοι ἐν τῷ πλοίῳ ἐλάλουν λόγους Πατέρων, καὶ ἐκ τῆς Γραφῆς, καὶ πάλιν περὶ ἐργοχείρων ἑαυτῶν. Ὁ δὲ γέρων ἐσιώπα. Ἐλθόντων δὲ αὐτῶν ἐπὶ τοῦ ὅρμου, εὑρέθη καὶ ὁ γέρων ὑπάγων πρὸς τὸν ἀββᾶν Ἀντώνιον. Ὡς δὲ ἦλθον πρὸς αὐτὸν, λέγει αὐτοῖς· Καλὴν συνοδίαν εὔρετε, τὸν γέροντα τοῦτον. Εἶπε δὲ καὶ τῷ γέροντι Καλοὺς ἀδελφοὺς εὗρες μετὰ σοῦ, ἀββᾶ. Λέγει ὁ γέρων· Καλοὶ μέν εἰσιν, ἀλλ᾽ ἡ αὐλὴ αὐτῶν οὐκ ἔχει θύραν, καὶ ὁ θέλων εἰσέρχεται εἰς τὸν σταῦλον, καὶ λύει τὸν ὄνον. Τοῦτο δὲ ἔλεγεν, ὅτι τὰ ἐρχόμενα εἰς τὸ στόμα αὐτῶν λαλοῦσιν
Adelphoi parebalon tǭ abbą Antōniǭ apo Skēteōs, kai embantes eis ploion apelthein pros auton, heuron geronta thelonta kai auton apelthein ekei. Hēgnooun de auton hoi adelphoi. Kai kathēmenoi en tǭ ploiǭ elaloun logous Paterōn, kai ek tēs Graphēs, kai palin peri ergocheirōn heautōn. Ho de gerōn esiōpa. Elthontōn de autōn epi tou hormou, heurethē kai ho gerōn hypagōn pros ton abban Antōnion. Hōs de ēlthon pros auton, legei autois; Kalēn synodian eurete, ton geronta touton. Eipe de kai tǭ geronti Kalous adelphous heures meta sou, abba. Legei ho gerōn; Kaloi men eisin, all᾽ hē aulē autōn ouk echei thyran, kai ho thelōn eiserchetai eis ton staulon, kai lyei ton onon. Touto de elegen, hoti ta erchomena eis to stoma autōn lalousin
Brothers from Scetis were going to visit abba Antony, and when they boarded a boat to go to him, they found an old man who also wanted to go there. The brothers did not know him. Sitting in the boat, they talked about sayings of the Fathers and about Scripture, and again about their own handiwork. But the old man was silent. When they came to the landing place, it turned out that the old man too was going to abba Antony. When they came to him, he says to them, “You found a good traveling companion in this old man.” And he said also to the old man, “You found good brothers with you, abba.” The old man says, “They are good, but their courtyard has no door, and whoever wishes goes into the stable and unties the donkey.” He said this because they spoke whatever came into their mouths.
Notes and citation
Summary: A silent old man compares chattering brothers to a courtyard without a door.
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 1.18 (PG 65:81; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/1-18). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/1-18
BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-apophthegmata-alphabetica-1-18) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Cotelier's Greek text as printed in Migne PG 65 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
1.19PG 65:81
Παρέβαλον ἀδελφοὶ τῷ ἀββᾷ Ἀντωνίῳ, καὶ λέγουσιν αὐτῷ· Εἰπὲ ἡμῖν λόγον, πῶς σωθῶμεν Λέγει αὐτοῖς ὁ γέρων· Ἠκούσατε τὴν Γραφήν; καλῶς ὑμῖν ἔχει. Οἱ δὲ εἶπον· Καὶ παρὰ σοῦ θέλομεν ἀκοῦσαι, Πάτερ. Εἶπε δὲ αὐτοῖς ὁ γέρων Λέγει τὸ Εὐαγγέλιον· Ἐὰν τις σε ῥαπίσῃ εἰς τὴν δεξιὰν σιαγόνα, στρέψον αὐτῷ καὶ τὴν ἄλλην. Λέγουσιν αὐτῷ Οὐ δυνάμεθα τοῦτο ποιῆσαι. Λέγει αὐτοῖς ὁ γέρων· Εἰ μὴ δύνασθε στρέψαι καὶ τὴν ἄλλην, κἂν τὴν μίαν ὑπομείνατε. Λέγουσιν αὐτῷ· Οὐδὲ τοῦτο δυνάμεθα. Λέγει ὁ γέρων Εἰ οὐδὲ τοῦτο δύνασθε, μὴ δότε ἀνθ' οὗ ἐλάβετε. Καὶ εἶπον· Οὐδὲ τοῦτο δυνάμεθα. Λέγει οὖν ὁ γέρων τῷ μαθητῇ αὐτοῦ· Ποίησον' αὐτοῖς μικρὰν ἀθήραν· ἀσθενοῦσι γάρ. Εἰ τοῦτο οὐ δύνασθε, κἀκεῖνο οὐ θέλετε, τί ὑμῖν ποιήσω; Εὐχῶν χρεία.
Parebalon adelphoi tǭ abbą Antōniǭ, kai legousin autǭ; Eipe hēmin logon, pōs sōthōmen Legei autois ho gerōn; Ēkousate tēn Graphēn? kalōs hymin echei. Hoi de eipon; Kai para sou thelomen akousai, Pater. Eipe de autois ho gerōn Legei to Euangelion; Ean tis se rhapisę̄ eis tēn dexian siagona, strepson autǭ kai tēn allēn. Legousin autǭ Ou dynametha touto poiēsai. Legei autois ho gerōn; Ei mē dynasthe strepsai kai tēn allēn, kan tēn mian hypomeinate. Legousin autǭ; Oude touto dynametha. Legei ho gerōn Ei oude touto dynasthe, mē dote anth' hou elabete. Kai eipon; Oude touto dynametha. Legei oun ho gerōn tǭ mathētę̄ autou; Poiēson' autois mikran athēran; asthenousi gar. Ei touto ou dynasthe, kakeino ou thelete, ti hymin poiēsō? Euchōn chreia.
Brothers visited abba Antony and say to him, “Tell us a word: how may we be saved?” The old man says to them, “You have heard the Scripture? That is good for you.” But they said, “We want to hear from you too, father.” The old man said to them, “The Gospel says, ‘If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other to him as well.’” They say to him, “We cannot do that.” The old man says to them, “If you cannot turn the other also, at least bear the one blow.” They say to him, “We cannot do that either.” The old man says, “If you cannot do even that, do not repay what you have received.” And they said, “We cannot do that either.” So the old man says to his disciple, “Make them a little gruel, for they are weak.” “If you cannot do this, and do not want that, what shall I do for you? Prayers are needed.”
Matt 5:39 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Antony steps down from the Gospel’s command to weaker counsels for brothers who refuse each, and ends by saying they need prayer.
- Quotation of Matt 5:39 in Antony’s own wording.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR: word split with stray mark): σια· γόνα → σιαγόνα.
Topics: Ethics
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 1.19 (PG 65:81; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/1-19). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/1-19
BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-apophthegmata-alphabetica-1-19) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Cotelier's Greek text as printed in Migne PG 65 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
1.20PG 65:81
Ἀδελφὸς ἀποταξάμενος τῷ κόσμῳ καὶ διαδοὺς τὰ ὑπάρχοντα αὐτοῦ πτωχοῖς, παρακατασχὼν δὲ ὀλίγα εἰς λόγον ἑαυτοῦ, παρέβαλε τῷ ἀββᾷ Ἀντωνίῳ. Καὶ τοῦτο μαθὼν, λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ γέρων· Εἰ θέλεις μοναχὸς γενέσθαι, ἄπελθε εἰς τήνδε τὴν κώμην, καὶ ἀγόρασον κρέας, καὶ περίθες τῷ σώματί σου γυμνῷ, καὶ οὕτως ἐλθὲ ἐνταῦθα. Καὶ ποιήσαντος οὕτως τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ, οἱ κύνες καὶ τὰ ὄρνεα τὸ σῶμα αὐτοῦ κατέτεμνον. Απαντήσαντος δὲ αὐτοῦ πρὸς τὸν γέροντα, ἐπύθετο εἰ γέγονεν ὡς συνεβούλευσεν. Ἐκείνου δὲ ἐπιδεικνυμένου τὸ σῶμα διεσπαραγμένον, λέγει ὁ ἅγιος Ἀντώνιος Οἱ ἀποταξάμενοι τῷ κόσμῳ, καὶ θέλοντες ἔχειν χρήματα, οὕτως ἀπὸ τῶν δαιμόνων κατακόπτονται πολεμούμενοι.
Adelphos apotaxamenos tǭ kosmǭ kai diadous ta hyparchonta autou ptōchois, parakataschōn de oliga eis logon heautou, parebale tǭ abbą Antōniǭ. Kai touto mathōn, legei autǭ ho gerōn; Ei theleis monachos genesthai, apelthe eis tēnde tēn kōmēn, kai agorason kreas, kai perithes tǭ sōmati sou gymnǭ, kai houtōs elthe entautha. Kai poiēsantos houtōs tou adelphou, hoi kynes kai ta ornea to sōma autou katetemnon. Apantēsantos de autou pros ton geronta, epytheto ei gegonen hōs synebouleusen. Ekeinou de epideiknymenou to sōma diesparagmenon, legei ho hagios Antōnios Hoi apotaxamenoi tǭ kosmǭ, kai thelontes echein chrēmata, houtōs apo tōn daimonōn katakoptontai polemoumenoi.
A brother renounced the world and gave his possessions to the poor, but kept back a little for himself, and he visited abba Antony. When the old man learned this, he says to him, “If you want to become a monk, go to this village, buy meat, put it around your naked body, and come here like that.” When the brother did so, the dogs and the birds tore at his body. When he met the old man again, he asked whether it had happened as he had advised. As he showed his torn body, holy Antony says, “Those who renounce the world and want to keep money are torn to pieces like this by the demons who make war on them.”
Notes and citation
Summary: Antony teaches a monk who kept back money that such renunciation leaves him torn by demons.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR: word split; OCR: τ for σ): ὀλί γα → ὀλίγα; τὸ τῶμα → τὸ σῶμα.
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 1.20 (PG 65:81; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/1-20). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/1-20
BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-apophthegmata-alphabetica-1-20) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Cotelier's Greek text as printed in Migne PG 65 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
1.21PG 65:81–83
Ἀδελφῷ ποτε συνέβη πειρασμὸς εἰς τὸ κοινόβιον τοῦ ἀββᾶ Ἠλίτ καὶ διωχθεὶς ἐκεῖθεν ἀπῆλθεν εἰς ὄρος πρὸς τὸν ἀββᾶν Ἀντώνιον. Καὶ μείναντος τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ χρόνον πρὸς αὐτὸν, ἀπέστειλεν αὐτὸν εἰς τὸ κοινόβιον ὅθεν ἐξέβη. Οἱ δὲ ἰδόντες αὐτὸν, πάλιν ἐδίωξαν· ὁ δὲ ἀνέκαμψε πρὸς τὸν ἀββᾶν Ἀντώνιον, λέγων· Οὐκ ἠθέλησάν με δέξασθαι, Πάτερ. Ἀπέστειλεν οὖν ὁ γέρων λέγων· Πλοῖον ἐναυάγησεν ἐν τῷ πελάγει, καὶ ἀπώλεσε τὸν γόμον, καὶ μετὰ καμάτου ἐσώθη ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν· ὑμεῖς δὲ τὰ σωθέντα ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν θέλετε καταποντίσαι. Οἱ δὲ ἀκούσαντες ὅτι ὁ ἀββᾶς Ἀντώνιος αὐτὸν ἀπέστειλεν, εὐθέως ἐδέξαντο αὐτόν.
Adelphǭ pote synebē peirasmos eis to koinobion tou abba Ēlit kai diōchtheis ekeithen apēlthen eis oros pros ton abban Antōnion. Kai meinantos tou adelphou chronon pros auton, apesteilen auton eis to koinobion hothen exebē. Hoi de idontes auton, palin ediōxan; ho de anekampse pros ton abban Antōnion, legōn; Ouk ēthelēsan me dexasthai, Pater. Apesteilen oun ho gerōn legōn; Ploion enauagēsen en tǭ pelagei, kai apōlese ton gomon, kai meta kamatou esōthē epi tēn gēn; hymeis de ta sōthenta epi tēn gēn thelete katapontisai. Hoi de akousantes hoti ho abbas Antōnios auton apesteilen, eutheōs edexanto auton.
Once a brother fell into temptation in the community of abba Elias, and having been driven out from there he went to the mountain to abba Antony. After the brother had stayed with him for a time, Antony sent him back to the community he had come from. But when they saw him, they drove him out again; and he returned to abba Antony, saying, “They would not receive me, father.” So the old man sent them a message, saying, “A ship was wrecked at sea and lost its cargo, and with great labor it was brought safe to land; and you want to sink what has been saved on land.” When they heard that abba Antony had sent him, they received him at once.
Notes and citation
Summary: Antony persuades a community to take back a brother who had fallen, by the image of a wrecked ship brought to land.
- The scan reads Ἠλίτ for the name, probably Ἠλία (Elias).
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 1.21 (PG 65:81–83; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/1-21). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/1-21
BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-apophthegmata-alphabetica-1-21) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Cotelier's Greek text as printed in Migne PG 65 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
1.22PG 65:83
Εἶπεν ὁ ἀββᾶς Ἀντώνιος Λογίζομαι ὅτι ἔχει τὸ σῶμα κίνησιν φυσικὴν συναναφυρεῖσαν αὐτῷ· ἀλλ᾿ οὐκ ἐνεργεῖ, μὴ θελούσης τῆς ψυχῆς· μόνον δὲ σημαίνει ἐν τῷ σώματι ἀπαθῆ κίνησιν. Ἔστι δὲ καὶ ἄλλη κίνησις, ἐκ τοῦ τρέφειν καὶ θάλπειν τὸ σῶμα βρώμασι καὶ πόμασιν· ἐξ ὧν ἡ θέρμη τοῦ αἵματος διεγείρει τὸ σῶμα πρὸς ἐνέργειαν. Διὸ καὶ ἔλεγεν ὁ Ἀπόστολος· Μὴ μεθύσκεσθε οἴνῳ, ἐν ᾧ ἐστιν ἀσωτία. Καὶ πάλιν ὁ Κύριος ἐν τῷ Εὐαγγελίῳ τοῖς μαθηταῖς ἐντελλόμενος εἶπε· Βλέπετε μήποτε βαρηθῶσιν ὑμῶν αἱ καρδίαι ἐν κραιπάλῃ καὶ μέθῃ. Ἔστι δέ τις καὶ ἑτέρα κίνησις τοῖς ἀγωνιζομένοις, ἐξ ἐπιβουλῆς καὶ φθόνου δαιμόνων ἐπιγινομένη, ὥστε εἰδέναι δεῖ, ὅτι τρεῖς εἰσι σωματικαὶ κινήσεις μία μὲν φυσικὴ, ἑτέρα δὲ ἐξ ἀδιαφορίας τροφῶν ἡ δὲ τρίτη ἀπὸ δαιμόνων.
Eipen ho abbas Antōnios Logizomai hoti echei to sōma kinēsin physikēn synanaphyreisan autǭ; all᾿ ouk energei, mē thelousēs tēs psychēs; monon de sēmainei en tǭ sōmati apathē kinēsin. Esti de kai allē kinēsis, ek tou trephein kai thalpein to sōma brōmasi kai pomasin; ex hōn hē thermē tou haimatos diegeirei to sōma pros energeian. Dio kai elegen ho Apostolos; Mē methyskesthe oinǭ, en hǭ estin asōtia. Kai palin ho Kyrios en tǭ Euangeliǭ tois mathētais entellomenos eipe; Blepete mēpote barēthōsin hymōn hai kardiai en kraipalę̄ kai methę̄. Esti de tis kai hetera kinēsis tois agōnizomenois, ex epiboulēs kai phthonou daimonōn epiginomenē, hōste eidenai dei, hoti treis eisi sōmatikai kinēseis mia men physikē, hetera de ex adiaphorias trophōn hē de tritē apo daimonōn.
Abba Antony said, “I think that the body has a natural movement mixed into it, but it does not act unless the soul wills; it only signals in the body a movement without passion. There is also another movement, from feeding and warming the body with food and drink, from which the heat of the blood stirs the body to action. That is why the Apostle said, ‘Do not get drunk with wine, in which is debauchery.’ And again the Lord in the Gospel, commanding his disciples, said, ‘Take care that your hearts are not weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness.’ There is also yet another movement in those who strive, which comes from the scheming and envy of demons. So one must know that there are three bodily movements: one natural, another from careless eating, and the third from demons.”
Eph 5:18 (quotation, high confidence) · Luke 21:34 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Antony distinguishes three sources of bodily (sexual) arousal: nature, overeating, and demons.
- Quotations of Eph 5:18 and Luke 21:34.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR: word split): ἄλ λη → ἄλλη; διεγεί ρει → διεγείρει.
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 1.22 (PG 65:83; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/1-22). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/1-22
BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-apophthegmata-alphabetica-1-22) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Cotelier's Greek text as printed in Migne PG 65 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
1.23PG 65:83
Εἶπε πάλιν, ὅτι ὁ Θεὸς οὐκ ἀφίει τοὺς πολέμους ἐπὶ τὴν γενεὰν ταύτην, ὥσπερ ἐπὶ τῶν ἀρχαίων. Οἶδε γὰρ ὅτι ἀσθενεῖς εἰσι καὶ οὐ βαστάζουσιν.
Eipe palin, hoti ho Theos ouk aphiei tous polemous epi tēn genean tautēn, hōsper epi tōn archaiōn. Oide gar hoti astheneis eisi kai ou bastazousin.
He also said, “God does not permit wars against this generation as he did against the ancients. For he knows that they are weak and cannot bear them.”
Notes and citation
Summary: God spares the present generation the trials of the ancients because of its weakness.
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 1.23 (PG 65:83; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/1-23). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/1-23
BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-apophthegmata-alphabetica-1-23) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Cotelier's Greek text as printed in Migne PG 65 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
1.24PG 65:83
Τῷ ἀββᾷ Ἀντωνίῳ ἀπεκαλύφθη ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ, ὅτι Ἐν τῇ πόλει ἐστί τις ὅμοιός σοι, ἰατρὸς τὴν ἐπιστήμην, τὴν περισσείαν αὐτοῦ διδοὺς τοῖς χρείαν ἔχουσι, καὶ πᾶσαν τὴν ἡμέραν τὸ Τρισάγιον ψάλλων μετὰ τῶν ἀγγέλων.
Tǭ abbą Antōniǭ apekalyphthē en tę̄ erēmǭ, hoti En tę̄ polei esti tis homoios soi, iatros tēn epistēmēn, tēn perisseian autou didous tois chreian echousi, kai pasan tēn hēmeran to Trisagion psallōn meta tōn angelōn.
It was revealed to abba Antony in the desert: “In the city there is someone like you, a physician by profession, who gives his surplus to those in need and all day long sings the Trisagion with the angels.”
Isa 6:3 (echo, low confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Antony learns that a city physician who gives to the needy and praises God equals him.
- The Trisagion is the hymn “Holy, holy, holy” (cf. Isa 6:3).
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 1.24 (PG 65:83; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/1-24). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/1-24
BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-apophthegmata-alphabetica-1-24) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Cotelier's Greek text as printed in Migne PG 65 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
1.25PG 65:83
Εἶπεν ὁ ἀββᾶς Ἀντώνιος, ὅτι Ἔρχεται καιρὸς, ἵνα οἱ ἄνθρωποι μανῶσι, καὶ ἐπὰν ἴδωσί τινα μὴ μαινόμενον, ἐπαναστήσονται αὐτῷ λέγοντες, ὅτι Σὺ μαίνῃ, διὰ τὸ μὴ εἶναι ὅμοιον αὐτοῖς.
Eipen ho abbas Antōnios, hoti Erchetai kairos, hina hoi anthrōpoi manōsi, kai epan idōsi tina mē mainomenon, epanastēsontai autǭ legontes, hoti Sy mainę̄, dia to mē einai homoion autois.
Abba Antony said, “A time is coming when people will go mad, and when they see someone who is not mad, they will rise up against him, saying, ‘You are mad,’ because he is not like them.”
Notes and citation
Summary: Antony foretells a time when the mad will call the sane mad.
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 1.25 (PG 65:83; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/1-25). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/1-25
BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-apophthegmata-alphabetica-1-25) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Cotelier's Greek text as printed in Migne PG 65 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
1.26PG 65:83
Ἀδελφοὶ παρέβαλον τῷ ἀββᾷ Ἀντωνίῳ, καὶ εἶπον αὐτῷ ῥῆμα τοῦ Λευϊτικοῦ. Ἐξῆλθεν οὖν ὁ γέρων εἰς τὴν ἔρημον, καὶ ἠκολούθησεν αὐτῷ ἀββᾶς Αμμωνᾶς κρυφῆ, εἰδὼς τὴν συνήθειαν αὐτοῦ. Καὶ μακρύνας πολὺ ὁ γέρων, στὰς εἰς προσευχὴν ἔκραξε φωνῇ μεγάλῃ· Ὁ Θεὸς, ἀπόστειλον τὸν Μωϋσῆν, καὶ διδάξει με τὸ ῥῆμα τοῦτο. Καὶ ἦλθεν αὐτῷ φωνή λαλοῦσα μετ' αὐτοῦ. Εἶπεν οὖν ὁ ἀββᾶς Αμμωνᾶς, ὅτι Τὴν μὲν φωνὴν ἤκουσα τὴν λαλοῦσαν μετ᾿ αὐτοῦ, τὴν δὲ δύναμιν τοῦ λόγου οὐκ ἔμαθον.
Adelphoi parebalon tǭ abbą Antōniǭ, kai eipon autǭ rhēma tou Leuïtikou. Exēlthen oun ho gerōn eis tēn erēmon, kai ēkolouthēsen autǭ abbas Ammōnas kryphē, eidōs tēn synētheian autou. Kai makrynas poly ho gerōn, stas eis proseuchēn ekraxe phōnę̄ megalę̄; Ho Theos, aposteilon ton Mōÿsēn, kai didaxei me to rhēma touto. Kai ēlthen autǭ phōnē lalousa met' autou. Eipen oun ho abbas Ammōnas, hoti Tēn men phōnēn ēkousa tēn lalousan met᾿ autou, tēn de dynamin tou logou ouk emathon.
Brothers visited abba Antony and told him a word from Leviticus. So the old man went out into the desert, and abba Ammonas followed him secretly, knowing his custom. Having gone a long way off, the old man stood to pray and cried with a loud voice, “O God, send Moses, and he will teach me this word.” And a voice came to him, speaking with him. Abba Ammonas said, “I heard the voice that spoke with him, but I did not learn the meaning of the word.”
Notes and citation
Summary: Antony prays for Moses to explain a passage of Leviticus, and a voice speaks to him.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR: word split): ὁ γέ ρων εἰς → ὁ γέρων εἰς.
Topics: Scripture and canon
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 1.26 (PG 65:83; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/1-26). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/1-26
BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-apophthegmata-alphabetica-1-26) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Cotelier's Greek text as printed in Migne PG 65 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
1.27PG 65:83
Τρεῖς τῶν Πατέρων εἶχον ἔθος κατ' ἐνιαυτὸν ὑπάγειν προς τὸν μακάριον Ἀντώνιον· καὶ οἱ μὲν δύο ἠρώτων αὐτὸν περὶ λογισμῶν καὶ σωτηρίας ψυχῆς· ὁ δὲ εἷς πάντα ἐσιώπα μηδὲν ἐρωτῶν. Μετὰ δὲ πολὺν χρόνον λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ ἀββᾶς Ἀντώνιος· Ἰδοὺ τοσοῦτον χρόνον ἔχεις ἐρχόμενος ὧδε, καὶ οὐδὲν ἐρωτᾷς με. Καὶ ἀποκριθεὶς εἶπεν αὐτῷ· Ἀρκεῖ μοι μόνον τοῦ βλέπειν σε, Πάτερ.
Treis tōn Paterōn eichon ethos kat' eniauton hypagein pros ton makarion Antōnion; kai hoi men dyo ērōtōn auton peri logismōn kai sōtērias psychēs; ho de heis panta esiōpa mēden erōtōn. Meta de polyn chronon legei autǭ ho abbas Antōnios; Idou tosouton chronon echeis erchomenos hōde, kai ouden erōtąs me. Kai apokritheis eipen autǭ; Arkei moi monon tou blepein se, Pater.
Three of the Fathers had the custom of going to blessed Antony every year; two of them would ask him about thoughts and the salvation of the soul, but the third was always silent and asked nothing. After a long time abba Antony says to him, “Look, you have been coming here for so long, and you ask me nothing.” And he answered him, “It is enough for me just to see you, father.”
Notes and citation
Summary: A father who never asks Antony anything says that seeing him is enough.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR: letter slips): Ἀρχεῖ μοι κόνον → Ἀρκεῖ μοι μόνον.
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 1.27 (PG 65:83; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/1-27). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/1-27
BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-apophthegmata-alphabetica-1-27) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Cotelier's Greek text as printed in Migne PG 65 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
1.28PG 65:83–85
Ἔλεγον, ὅτι τις τῶν γερόντων ἠρώτησε τὸν Θεὸν ἰδεῖν τοὺς Πατέρας καὶ εἶδεν αὐτοὺς χωρὶς τοῦ ἀββᾶ Ἀντωνίου. Λέγει οὖν τῷ δεικνύοντι αὐτῷ· Ποῦ ἐστιν ὁ ἀββᾶς Ἀντώνιος; Ὁ δὲ εἶπεν αὐτῷ, ὅτι εἰς τὸν τόπον ὅπου ὁ Θεὸς, ἐκεῖ ἐστιν.
Elegon, hoti tis tōn gerontōn ērōtēse ton Theon idein tous Pateras kai eiden autous chōris tou abba Antōniou. Legei oun tǭ deiknyonti autǭ; Pou estin ho abbas Antōnios? Ho de eipen autǭ, hoti eis ton topon hopou ho Theos, ekei estin.
They said that one of the old men asked God to see the Fathers, and he saw them without abba Antony. So he says to the one who was showing him, “Where is abba Antony?” And he said to him, “He is in the place where God is.”
Notes and citation
Summary: In a vision of the Fathers, Antony is said to be where God is.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (leaked variant notes (“Al.”) from Migne’s apparatus; OCR slip in ἀββᾶ): ΑΙ. βαρυνθῶσιν. ΑΙ. πάντοτε. ΑΙ. τό. αὐβᾶ → ἀββᾶ.
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 1.28 (PG 65:83–85; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/1-28). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/1-28
BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-apophthegmata-alphabetica-1-28) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Cotelier's Greek text as printed in Migne PG 65 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
1.29PG 65:85
Ἐσυκοφαντήθη ἀδελφὸς εἰς κοινόβιον περὶ πορνείας, καὶ ἀναστὰς ἦλθε πρὸς τὸν ἀββᾶν Ἀντώνιον· καὶ ἦλθον οἱ ἀδελφοὶ ἀπὸ τοῦ κοινοβίου θεραπεῦσαι αὐτὸν καὶ λαβεῖν· καὶ ἤρξαντο ἐλέγχειν ὅτι Οὕτως ἐποίησας. Ὁ δὲ ἀπελογεῖτο ὅτι Οὐδὲν τοιοῦτον ἐποίησα. Εὐκαίρησε δὲ ἐκεῖ ὁ ἀββᾶς Παφνούτιος ὁ Κεφαλᾶς, καὶ εἶπε παραβολὴν τοιαύτην· Εἶδον εἰς τὴν ὄχθαν τοῦ ποταμοῦ ἄνθρωπον βληθέντα εἰς βόρβορον ἕως τῶν γονάτων αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐλθόντες τινὲς δοῦναι αὐτῷ χεῖρα κατεπόντισαν αὐτὸν ἕως τοῦ τραχήλου. Καὶ λέγει αὐτοῖς ὁ ἀββᾶς Ἀντώνιος περὶ τοῦ ἀββᾶ Παφνουτίου· Ἰδοὺ ἄνθρωπος ἀληθινὸς, δυνάμενος θεραπεῦσαι καὶ σῶσαι ψυχάς. Κατανυγέντες οὖν τῷ λόγῳ τῶν γερόντων, ἔβαλον μετάνοιαν τῷ ἀδελφῷ. Καὶ παρακληθέντες ὑπὸ τῶν Πατέρων ἕλαον τὸν ἀδελφὸν εἰς τὸ κοινόβιον.
Esykophantēthē adelphos eis koinobion peri porneias, kai anastas ēlthe pros ton abban Antōnion; kai ēlthon hoi adelphoi apo tou koinobiou therapeusai auton kai labein; kai ērxanto elenchein hoti Houtōs epoiēsas. Ho de apelogeito hoti Ouden toiouton epoiēsa. Eukairēse de ekei ho abbas Paphnoutios ho Kephalas, kai eipe parabolēn toiautēn; Eidon eis tēn ochthan tou potamou anthrōpon blēthenta eis borboron heōs tōn gonatōn autou, kai elthontes tines dounai autǭ cheira katepontisan auton heōs tou trachēlou. Kai legei autois ho abbas Antōnios peri tou abba Paphnoutiou; Idou anthrōpos alēthinos, dynamenos therapeusai kai sōsai psychas. Katanygentes oun tǭ logǭ tōn gerontōn, ebalon metanoian tǭ adelphǭ. Kai paraklēthentes hypo tōn Paterōn helaon ton adelphon eis to koinobion.
A brother in a community was falsely accused of sexual immorality, and he got up and went to abba Antony. And the brothers from the community came to restore him and take him back, and they began to accuse him: “You did this.” But he defended himself: “I did nothing of the kind.” Abba Paphnutius Cephalas happened to be there, and he told this parable: “I saw on the bank of the river a man who had sunk into the mud up to his knees; and some people came to give him a hand and sank him up to his neck.” And abba Antony says to them about abba Paphnutius, “Here is a true man, able to heal and save souls.” Pierced to the heart by the word of the old men, they made a prostration of repentance to the brother. And, urged by the Fathers, they took the brother back to the community.
Notes and citation
Summary: Paphnutius’s parable of the man pushed deeper into the mud shames brothers who had falsely accused one of their own.
- The scan has ἕλαον for ἔλαβον (“took”).
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 1.29 (PG 65:85; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/1-29). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/1-29
BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-apophthegmata-alphabetica-1-29) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Cotelier's Greek text as printed in Migne PG 65 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
1.30PG 65:85
Ἔλεγόν τινες περὶ τοῦ ἀββᾶ Ἀντωνίου, ὅτι γέγονε Πνευματοφόρος, ἀλλ᾿ οὐκ ἤθελε λαλεῖν διὰ τοὺς ἀνθρώπους· καὶ γὰρ τὰ γινόμενα ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ καὶ τὰ μέλλοντα ἐλθεῖν ἐμήνυεν.
Elegon tines peri tou abba Antōniou, hoti gegone Pneumatophoros, all᾿ ouk ēthele lalein dia tous anthrōpous; kai gar ta ginomena en tǭ kosmǭ kai ta mellonta elthein emēnyen.
Some said of abba Antony that he had become Spirit-bearing, but that he did not want to speak because of people; for he used to disclose what was happening in the world and what was going to come.
Notes and citation
Summary: Antony is said to have been Spirit-bearing and to have known present and future events.
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 1.30 (PG 65:85; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/1-30). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/1-30
BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-apophthegmata-alphabetica-1-30) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Cotelier's Greek text as printed in Migne PG 65 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
1.31PG 65:85
Ποτὲ ὁ ἀββᾶς Ἀντώνιος ἐδέξατο Κωνσταντίου τοῦ βασιλέως γράμματα, ἵνα ἔλθῃ εἰς Κωνσταντινούπολιν· καὶ ἐσκόπει τί ποιῆσαι. Λέγει οὖν τῷ ἀββᾷ Παύλῳ τῷ μαθητῇ αὐτοῦ· Ωφειλον ἀπελθεῖν; Καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ· Ἐὰν ἀπέλθῃς, Ἀντώνιος λέγῃ· εἰ δὲ μὴ ἀπέλθῃς, ἀββᾶς Ἀντώνιος.
Pote ho abbas Antōnios edexato Kōnstantiou tou basileōs grammata, hina elthę̄ eis Kōnstantinoupolin; kai eskopei ti poiēsai. Legei oun tǭ abbą Paulǭ tǭ mathētę̄ autou; Ōpheilon apelthein? Kai legei autǭ; Ean apelthę̄s, Antōnios legę̄; ei de mē apelthę̄s, abbas Antōnios.
Once abba Antony received letters from the emperor Constantius asking him to come to Constantinople, and he was considering what to do. So he says to abba Paul, his disciple, “Should I go?” And he says to him, “If you go, you will be called Antony; but if you do not go, abba Antony.”
Notes and citation
Summary: Antony’s disciple advises him not to answer the emperor’s summons to Constantinople.
- Some witnesses name Constantine rather than Constantius (cf. Athanasius, Life of Antony 81).
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR: stray mark): γράμματα", → γράμματα,.
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 1.31 (PG 65:85; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/1-31). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/1-31
BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-apophthegmata-alphabetica-1-31) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Cotelier's Greek text as printed in Migne PG 65 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
1.32PG 65:85
Εἶπεν ὁ ἀββᾶς Ἀντώνιος· Ἐγὼ οὐκέτι φοβοῦμαι τὸν Θεὸν ἀλλ᾿ ἀγαπῶ αὐτόν Ἡ γὰρ ἀγάπη ἔξω βάλλει τὸν φόβον.
Eipen ho abbas Antōnios; Egō ouketi phoboumai ton Theon all᾿ agapō auton Hē gar agapē exō ballei ton phobon.
Abba Antony said, “I no longer fear God, but I love him. For love casts out fear.”
1 John 4:18 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Antony says that he no longer fears God but loves him.
- Quotation of 1 John 4:18.
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 1.32 (PG 65:85; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/1-32). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/1-32
BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-apophthegmata-alphabetica-1-32) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Cotelier's Greek text as printed in Migne PG 65 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
1.33PG 65:85
Ὁ αὐτὸς εἶπε· Πρὸ ὀφθαλμῶν ἔχε πάντοτε τὸν φόβον τοῦ Θεοῦ. Μνημόνευε τοῦ θανατοῦντος καὶ ζωογονοῦντος. Μισήσατε τὸν κόσμον καὶ πάντα τὰ ἐν αὐτῷ. Μισήσατε πᾶσαν σαρκικὴν ἀνάπαυσιν. Ἀποτάξασθε τῇ ζωῇ ταύτῃ, ἵνα ζήσητε τῷ Θεῷ. Μνημονεύετε τί ἐπηγγείλασθε τῷ Θεῷ· ζητεῖ γὰρ αὐτὸ παρ᾽ ὑμῶν ἐν ἡμέρᾳ κρίσεως. Πεινάσατε, διψήσατε, γυμνητεύσατε, ἀγρυπνήσατε, πενθήσατε, κλαύσατε, στενάξατε τῇ καρδίᾳ ὑμῶν· δοκιμάσατε εἰ ἄξιοί ἐστε τοῦ Θεοῦ· καταφρονήσατε τῆς σαρκὸς, ἵνα σώσητε ὑμῶν τὰς ψυχάς.
Ho autos eipe; Pro ophthalmōn eche pantote ton phobon tou Theou. Mnēmoneue tou thanatountos kai zōogonountos. Misēsate ton kosmon kai panta ta en autǭ. Misēsate pasan sarkikēn anapausin. Apotaxasthe tę̄ zōę̄ tautę̄, hina zēsēte tǭ Theǭ. Mnēmoneuete ti epēngeilasthe tǭ Theǭ; zētei gar auto par᾽ hymōn en hēmerą kriseōs. Peinasate, dipsēsate, gymnēteusate, agrypnēsate, penthēsate, klausate, stenaxate tę̄ kardią hymōn; dokimasate ei axioi este tou Theou; kataphronēsate tēs sarkos, hina sōsēte hymōn tas psychas.
The same said, “Always have the fear of God before your eyes. Remember the one who puts to death and gives life. Hate the world and all that is in it. Hate all bodily comfort. Renounce this life, so that you may live to God. Remember what you promised God; for he will require it of you on the day of judgment. Hunger, thirst, go naked, keep vigil, mourn, weep, groan in your heart; test whether you are worthy of God; despise the flesh, so that you may save your souls.”
1 Sam 2:6 (echo, low confidence) · 1 John 2:15 (echo, low confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Antony urges the fear of God, hatred of the world, and a life of hunger, vigil, and mourning.
Topics: Eschatology
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 1.33 (PG 65:85; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/1-33). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/1-33
BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-apophthegmata-alphabetica-1-33) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Cotelier's Greek text as printed in Migne PG 65 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
1.34PG 65:85–87
Παρέβαλέ ποτε ὁ ἀββᾶς Ἀντώνιος τῷ ἀββᾷ Ἀμοῦν εἰς τὸ ὄρος τῆς Νιτρίας, καὶ μετὰ τὸ συντυχεῖν ἀλλήλοις, λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ ἀββᾶς Ἀμοῦν· Ἐπειδὴ διὰ τῶν εὐχῶν σου ἐπληθύνθησαν οἱ ἀδελφοὶ, καὶ θέλουσί τινες αὐτῶν οἰκοδομῆσαι κελλία μακρὰν ἵνα ἡσυχάσωσι, πόσον κελεύεις ἵνα ἀπέχῃ διάστημα τὰ κτιζόμενα κελλία τῶν ἐνταῦθα; Ὁ δὲ εἶπε· Γευσώμεθα ὥραν ἐνάτην, καὶ ἐξέλθωμεν, καὶ διακινήσωμεν τὴν ἔρημον, καὶ σκοποῦμεν τὸν τόπον. Ὡς δὲ ὧδευσαν τὴν ἔρημον ἕως οὗ ἐλθεῖν δῦναι τὸν ἥλιον, λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ ἀββᾶς Ἀντώνιος· Ποιήσωμεν εὐχὴν καὶ στήσωμεν ὧδε σταυρὸν ἵνα ὧδε κτίσωσιν οἱ θέλοντες κτίσαι, ἵνα καὶ οἱ ἐκεῖθεν, ὅταν παραβάλωσι τούτοις, γευσάμενοι τὸ μικρὸν βουκὶν αὐτῶν ὥραν ἐνάτην, οὕτως παραβάλωσι, καὶ οἱ ἔνθεν ἀπερχόμενοι, τὸ αὐτὸ ποιοῦντες, ἀπερίσπαστοι μένωσιν ἐν τῷ παραβάλλειν ἀλλήλοις. Ἔστι δὲ τὸ διάστημα σημεία δεκαδύο.
Parebale pote ho abbas Antōnios tǭ abbą Amoun eis to oros tēs Nitrias, kai meta to syntychein allēlois, legei autǭ ho abbas Amoun; Epeidē dia tōn euchōn sou eplēthynthēsan hoi adelphoi, kai thelousi tines autōn oikodomēsai kellia makran hina hēsychasōsi, poson keleueis hina apechę̄ diastēma ta ktizomena kellia tōn entautha? Ho de eipe; Geusōmetha hōran enatēn, kai exelthōmen, kai diakinēsōmen tēn erēmon, kai skopoumen ton topon. Hōs de hōdeusan tēn erēmon heōs hou elthein dynai ton hēlion, legei autǭ ho abbas Antōnios; Poiēsōmen euchēn kai stēsōmen hōde stauron hina hōde ktisōsin hoi thelontes ktisai, hina kai hoi ekeithen, hotan parabalōsi toutois, geusamenoi to mikron boukin autōn hōran enatēn, houtōs parabalōsi, kai hoi enthen aperchomenoi, to auto poiountes, aperispastoi menōsin en tǭ paraballein allēlois. Esti de to diastēma sēmeia dekadyo.
Once abba Antony visited abba Amoun on the mountain of Nitria, and after they had met, abba Amoun says to him, “Since through your prayers the brothers have multiplied, and some of them want to build cells far off so as to live in stillness, how far do you direct that the cells being built should be from the ones here?” He said, “Let us eat at the ninth hour, go out, walk through the desert, and look at the place.” They walked through the desert until the sun was about to set, and abba Antony says to him, “Let us pray and set up a cross here, so that those who want to build may build here, so that when those from there visit these, after eating their little bit of bread at the ninth hour they may come over, and those going from here may do the same, and so they may remain undistracted in visiting one another.” The distance is twelve miles.
Notes and citation
Summary: Antony and Amoun fix the site of the Cells at a day’s walk from Nitria.
- The Cells (Kellia) lay south of Nitria. βουκίον is a small piece of bread.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR: word split; leaked variant notes (“Al.”) from Migne’s apparatus inside a word): ὧδευΑΙ. γράμμα βασιλικόν. ΑΙ. σαν → ὧδευσαν; θέλον τες → θέλοντες; τού τοις → τούτοις; ἀπερχόμε νοι → ἀπερχόμενοι.
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 1.34 (PG 65:85–87; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/1-34). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/1-34
BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-apophthegmata-alphabetica-1-34) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Cotelier's Greek text as printed in Migne PG 65 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
1.35PG 65:87
Εἶπεν ὁ ἀββᾶς Ἀντώνιος· Ὁ τύπτων τὸ μαζὶν τοῦ σιδήρου, πρῶτον σκοπεῖ τὸν λογισμὸν τί μέλλει ποιεῖν, δρέπανον, μάχαιραν, πέλυκα. Οὕτως καὶ ἡμεῖς ὀφείλομεν λογίζεσθαι ποίαν ἀρετὴν μετερχόμεθα, ἵνα μὴ εἰς κενὸν κοπιάσωμεν.
Eipen ho abbas Antōnios; Ho typtōn to mazin tou sidērou, prōton skopei ton logismon ti mellei poiein, drepanon, machairan, pelyka. Houtōs kai hēmeis opheilomen logizesthai poian aretēn meterchometha, hina mē eis kenon kopiasōmen.
Abba Antony said, “The one who hammers a lump of iron first considers in his mind what he is going to make: a sickle, a sword, or an axe. So we too must consider what virtue we are pursuing, so that we do not labor in vain.”
Notes and citation
Summary: As a smith plans what he will forge, a monk must decide which virtue he pursues.
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 1.35 (PG 65:87; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/1-35). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/1-35
BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-apophthegmata-alphabetica-1-35) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Cotelier's Greek text as printed in Migne PG 65 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
1.36PG 65:87
Εἶπε πάλιν, ὅτι ἡ ὑποταγὴ μετὰ ἐγκρατείας ὑποτάσσει θηρία.
Eipe palin, hoti hē hypotagē meta enkrateias hypotassei thēria.
He also said, “Obedience joined with self-control subdues wild beasts.”
Notes and citation
Summary: Obedience with self-control tames wild beasts.
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 1.36 (PG 65:87; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/1-36). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/1-36
BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-apophthegmata-alphabetica-1-36) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Cotelier's Greek text as printed in Migne PG 65 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
1.37PG 65:87
Εἶπε πάλιν· Οἶδα μοναχοὺς μετὰ πολλοὺς κόπους πεσόντας, καὶ εἰς ἔκστασιν φρενῶν ἐλθόντας, διὰ τὸ ἡλπικέναι ἐπὶ τὸ ἔργον αὐτῶν, καὶ παραλογισαμένους τὴν ἐντολὴν τοῦ εἰπόντος· Ἐπερώτησον τὸν πατέρα σου, καὶ ἀναγγελεῖ σοι.
Eipe palin; Oida monachous meta pollous kopous pesontas, kai eis ekstasin phrenōn elthontas, dia to hēlpikenai epi to ergon autōn, kai paralogisamenous tēn entolēn tou eipontos; Eperōtēson ton patera sou, kai anangelei soi.
He also said, “I know monks who fell after many labors and came to derangement of mind, because they had put their hope in their own work and had disregarded the commandment of the one who said, ‘Ask your father, and he will tell you.’”
Deut 32:7 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Monks who trust their own labors and do not seek counsel fall into delusion.
- Quotation of Deut 32:7.
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 1.37 (PG 65:87; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/1-37). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/1-37
BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-apophthegmata-alphabetica-1-37) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Cotelier's Greek text as printed in Migne PG 65 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
1.38PG 65:87
Εἶπε πάλιν· Εἰ δυνατὸν, ὅσα βήματα βάλλει ὁ μοναχὸς, ἢ ὅσας σταγόνας πίνει εἰς τὸ κελλίον αὐτοῦ, ὀφείλει θαῤῥεῖν τοῖς γέρουσιν, εἱ ἄρα οὐ πταίει ἐν αὐτοῖς.
Eipe palin; Ei dynaton, hosa bēmata ballei ho monachos, ē hosas stagonas pinei eis to kellion autou, opheilei tharrhein tois gerousin, hei ara ou ptaiei en autois.
He also said, “If possible, a monk ought to entrust to the old men how many steps he takes, or how many drops he drinks in his cell, in case he is going wrong in them.”
Notes and citation
Summary: A monk should disclose even the smallest details of his life to the elders.
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 1.38 (PG 65:87; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/1-38). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/1-38
BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-apophthegmata-alphabetica-1-38) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Cotelier's Greek text as printed in Migne PG 65 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.