Sayings of the Desert Fathers (alphabetical collection) 109.1–124.1
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 109
109.1PG 65:413
Εἶπεν ὁ ἀββᾶς Σαρματᾶς Θέλω ἄνθρωπον ἁμαρτήσαντα, εἰ οἶδεν ὅτι ἥμαρτε, καὶ μετανοεῖ, ὑπὲρ ἄνθρωπον μὴ ἁμαρτήσοντα, καὶ ἔχοντα ἑαυτὸν ὡς δικαιοσύνην ποιοῦντα.
Eipen ho abbas Sarmatas Thelō anthrōpon hamartēsanta, ei oiden hoti hēmarte, kai metanoei, hyper anthrōpon mē hamartēsonta, kai echonta heauton hōs dikaiosynēn poiounta.
Abba Sarmatas said, “I prefer a man who has sinned, if he knows that he has sinned and repents, to a man who has not sinned and regards himself as doing righteousness.”
Luke 18:14 (echo, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: A repentant sinner is better than a self-righteous man who has not sinned.
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 109.1 (PG 65:413; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/109-1). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/109-1
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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.
109.2PG 65:413
Ἔλεγον περὶ τοῦ ἀββᾶ Σαρματᾶ, ὅτι πολλάκις ἐλάμβανε τεσσαράκοντα ἡμέρας τῇ βουλῇ τοῦ ἀββᾶ Ποιμένος· καὶ ὡς οὐδὲν ἐπληροῦντο αἱ ἡμέραι ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ. Ἦλθεν οὖν ὁ ἀββᾶς Ποιμὴν πρὸς αὐτὸν, καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ· Εἰπέ μοι, τί ἑώρακας ποιῶν τὸν τοσοῦτον κόπον; Ὁ δὲ πρὸς αὐτὸν ἔλεγεν· Οὐδὲν πλέον. Λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ ἀββᾶς Ποιμήν· Οὐκ ἀφῶ σε, ἐὰν μὴ μοι εἴπῃς. Ὁ δὲ εἶπεν· Ἕν μόνον εὗρον, ὅτι ἐὰν εἴπω τῷ ὕπνῳ, Ὕπαγε, ὑπάγει, καὶ ἐὰν εἴπω, Ἐλθὲ, ἔρχεται.
Elegon peri tou abba Sarmata, hoti pollakis elambane tessarakonta hēmeras tę̄ boulę̄ tou abba Poimenos; kai hōs ouden eplērounto hai hēmerai enōpion autou. Ēlthen oun ho abbas Poimēn pros auton, kai legei autǭ; Eipe moi, ti heōrakas poiōn ton tosouton kopon? Ho de pros auton elegen; Ouden pleon. Legei autǭ ho abbas Poimēn; Ouk aphō se, ean mē moi eipę̄s. Ho de eipen; Hen monon heuron, hoti ean eipō tǭ hypnǭ, Hypage, hypagei, kai ean eipō, Elthe, erchetai.
They said of abba Sarmatas that he often spent forty days on the counsel of abba Poemen, and the days were completed as nothing before him. So abba Poemen came to him and says to him, “Tell me, what have you seen from doing so much labor?” He said to him, “Nothing more.” Abba Poemen says to him, “I will not let you go unless you tell me.” And he said, “One thing only I have found: that if I say to sleep, ‘Go,’ it goes; and if I say, ‘Come,’ it comes.”
Notes and citation
Summary: Sarmatas’ long fasts have given him only mastery over sleep.
- The forty days are probably forty-day fasts or periods of seclusion.
Topics: Fasting
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 109.2 (PG 65:413; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/109-2). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/109-2
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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.
109.3PG 65:413
Ἀδελφὸς ἡρώτησε τὸν ἀββᾶν Σαρματᾶν, λέγων· Οἱ λογισμοὶ λέγουσί μοι· Μὴ ἐργάσῃ, ἀλλὰ φάγε, πίε, κοιμῶ. Λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ γέρων· Ὅτε πεινᾶς, φάγε· ὅτε διψᾶς, πίε· ὅτε νυστάζεις, κοιμῶ. Ἄ̓́λλος δὲ γέρων κατ' εὐκαιρίαν ἦλθε πρὸς τὸν ἀδελ– φόν· καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ ὁ ἀδελφὸς ἃ εἶπεν ὁ ἀββᾶς Σαρματᾶς. Λέγει οὖν αὐτῷ ὁ γέρων· Τοῦτό ἐστιν ὅ εἶπέ σοι ὁ ἀββᾶς Σαρματᾶς· Ὅταν πεινᾷς τόνῳ, καὶ διψήσῃς ἕως μηκέτι δυνηθῇς, φάγε τότε καὶ πίε• καὶ ὅταν ἀγρυπνήσῃς πάνυ πολὺ καὶ νυστάξῃς, κοιμῶ. Τοῦτό ἐστιν ὁ ἔλεγέ σοι γέρων.
Adelphos hērōtēse ton abban Sarmatan, legōn; Hoi logismoi legousi moi; Mē ergasę̄, alla phage, pie, koimō. Legei autǭ ho gerōn; Hote peinas, phage; hote dipsas, pie; hote nystazeis, koimō. Allos de gerōn kat' eukairian ēlthe pros ton adel– phon; kai eipen autǭ ho adelphos ha eipen ho abbas Sarmatas. Legei oun autǭ ho gerōn; Touto estin ho eipe soi ho abbas Sarmatas; Hotan peinąs tonǭ, kai dipsēsę̄s heōs mēketi dynēthę̄s, phage tote kai pie• kai hotan agrypnēsę̄s pany poly kai nystaxę̄s, koimō. Touto estin ho elege soi gerōn.
A brother asked abba Sarmatas, saying, “My thoughts tell me, ‘Do not work, but eat, drink, and sleep.’” The old man says to him, “When you are hungry, eat; when you are thirsty, drink; when you are sleepy, sleep.” Another old man happened to come to the brother; and the brother told him what abba Sarmatas had said. So the old man says to him, “This is what abba Sarmatas told you: when you are intensely hungry and thirsty until you can bear it no longer, then eat and drink; and when you have kept vigil very long and are sleepy, sleep. This is what the old man told you.”
Notes and citation
Summary: Another elder explains that Sarmatas meant to eat and sleep only at the limit of need.
Topics: Fasting
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 109.3 (PG 65:413; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/109-3). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/109-3
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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.
109.4PG 65:413
Ἠρώτησε πάλιν ὁ αὐτὸς ἀδελφὸς τὸν ἀββᾶν Σαρματᾶν, λέγων· Οἱ λογισμοὶ λέγουσί μοι· Ὕπαγε ἕξω, καὶ παράβαλε τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς. Καὶ λέγει ὁ γέρων· Τοῦτο μὴ ἀκούσῃς αὐτῶν, ἀλλ᾽ εἰπέ Ἰδοὺ ἤκουσά σου τὸ πρῶτον, τοῦτο δὲ οὐ δύναμαί σου ἀκοῦσαι.
Ērōtēse palin ho autos adelphos ton abban Sarmatan, legōn; Hoi logismoi legousi moi; Hypage hexō, kai parabale tois adelphois. Kai legei ho gerōn; Touto mē akousę̄s autōn, all᾽ eipe Idou ēkousa sou to prōton, touto de ou dynamai sou akousai.
The same brother again asked abba Sarmatas, saying, “My thoughts tell me, ‘Go out and visit the brothers.’” And the old man says, “Do not listen to them in this, but say, ‘Look, I listened to you the first time, but this I cannot listen to.’”
Notes and citation
Summary: Sarmatas tells a brother to refuse his thoughts urging him to go out.
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 109.4 (PG 65:413; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/109-4). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/109-4
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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.
Chapter 110
110.1PG 65:413–415
Ἦλθέ ποτε ὁ ἀββᾶς Σεραπίων παρερχόμενος διὰ κώμης τινὸς τῆς Αἰγύπτου· καὶ εἶδέ τινα πόρνην ἑστῶσαν εἰς τὸ κελλίον αὐτῆς· καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῇ ὁ γέρων· Προσδόκησόν με ὀψέ· θέλω γὰρ ἐλθεῖν πρὸς σὲ, καὶ ποιῆσαι τὴν νύκτα ταύτην ἔγγιστά σου. Ἡ δὲ ἀποκριθεῖσα, εἶπε· Καλῶς, ἀββᾶ. Καὶ ἡτοιμάσθη, καὶ ἔστρωσε τὴν κλίνην Οψίας δὲ γενομένης, ἦλθεν ὁ γέρων πρὸς αὐτὴν καὶ εἰσελθὼν εἰς τὸ κελλίον, λέγει αὐτῇ· Ἡτοίμασας τὴν κλίνην; Ἡ δὲ εἶπε· Ναὶ, ἀββᾶ. Καὶ ἔκλεισε τὴν θύραν, καὶ λέγει αὐτῇ Μεῖνον ὀλίγον, ἐπειδὴ νόμον ἔχομεν, ἕως οὗ ποιήσω αὐτόν. Καὶ ἤρξατο ὁ γέρων τῆς συνάξεως αὐτοῦ· καὶ ἀρξάμενος τὸ ψαλτήριον, κατὰ ψαλμὸν ἐποίει εὐχὴν, δεόμενος τοῦ Θεοῦ ὑπὲρ αὐτῆς, ὅπως μετανοήσῃ καὶ σωθῇ. Καὶ εἰσήκουσεν αὐτοῦ ὁ Θεός. Καὶ ἕστηκεν ἡ γυνὴ τρέμουσα καὶ εὐχομένη ἐγγὺς τοῦ γέροντος. Καὶ ὡς ἐτέλεσεν ὁ γέρων ὅλον τὸ ψαλτήριον, ἔπεσεν ἡ γυνὴ χαμαί. Ὁ δὲ γέρων ἀρξάμενος τοῦ Ἀποστόλου, εἶπε πολὺ ἐξ αὐτοῦ· καὶ οὕτως ἐπλήρωσε τὴν σύναξιν. Κατανυγεῖσα οὖν ἡ γυνὴ, καὶ νοήσασα ὅτι οὐ δι᾽ ἁμαρτίαν ἦλθε πρὸς αὐτὴν, ἀλλ᾽ ἵνα σώσῃ αὐτῆς τὴν ψυχὴν, προσέπεσεν αὐτῷ, λέγουσα· Ποίησον ἀγάπην, ἀββᾶ, καὶ ὅπου δύναμαι εὐαρεστῆσαι τῷ Θεῷ, ὀδήγησόν με. Τότε ὁ γέρων ὡδήγησεν αὐτὴν εἰς μοναστήριον παρθένων, καὶ παρέδωκεν αὐτὴν τῇ Ἀμμᾷ, καὶ εἶπε· Λάβε τὴν ἀδελφὴν ταύτην, καὶ μὴ θήσεις αὐτῇ ζυγὸν ἢ ἐντολὴν ὡς ταῖς ἀδελφαῖς· ἀλλ᾽ εἴ τι θέλει, δὸς αὐτῇ· καὶ ὡς θέλει, συγχώρησον αὐτῇ πορεύεσθαι. Καὶ ὡς ἐποίησεν ὀλίγας ἡμέρας, εἶπεν· Ἐγὼ ἁμαρτωλός είμι, θέλω διὰ δύο ἐσθίειν. Καὶ μετ' ὀλίγας ἡμέρας εἶπεν· Ἐγὼ πολλὰς ἁμαρτίας ἔχω, θέλω διὰ τεσσάρων ἡμερῶν ἐσθίειν. Καὶ μετ' ὀλίγας ἡμέρας παρεκάλεσε τὴν Ἀμμᾶν λέγουσα· Ἐπειδὴ πολλὰ ἐλύπησα τὸν Θεὸν ἐν ταῖς ἀνομίαις μου, ποίησον ἀγάπην, καὶ βάλε με εἰς κελλίον, καὶ ἀνάφραξον αὐτὸ, καὶ δι᾽ ὀπῆς δίδου μοι μικρὸν ἄρτον καὶ τὸ ἐργόχειρον. Καὶ ἐποίησεν αὐτῇ ἡ Ἀμμᾶς οὕτως. Καὶ εὐηρέστησε τῷ Θεῷ τὸν ἐπίλοιπον χρόνον τῆς ζωῆς αὐτῆς.
Ēlthe pote ho abbas Serapiōn parerchomenos dia kōmēs tinos tēs Aigyptou; kai eide tina pornēn hestōsan eis to kellion autēs; kai eipen autę̄ ho gerōn; Prosdokēson me opse; thelō gar elthein pros se, kai poiēsai tēn nykta tautēn engista sou. Hē de apokritheisa, eipe; Kalōs, abba. Kai hētoimasthē, kai estrōse tēn klinēn Opsias de genomenēs, ēlthen ho gerōn pros autēn kai eiselthōn eis to kellion, legei autę̄; Hētoimasas tēn klinēn? Hē de eipe; Nai, abba. Kai ekleise tēn thyran, kai legei autę̄ Meinon oligon, epeidē nomon echomen, heōs hou poiēsō auton. Kai ērxato ho gerōn tēs synaxeōs autou; kai arxamenos to psaltērion, kata psalmon epoiei euchēn, deomenos tou Theou hyper autēs, hopōs metanoēsę̄ kai sōthę̄. Kai eisēkousen autou ho Theos. Kai hestēken hē gynē tremousa kai euchomenē engys tou gerontos. Kai hōs etelesen ho gerōn holon to psaltērion, epesen hē gynē chamai. Ho de gerōn arxamenos tou Apostolou, eipe poly ex autou; kai houtōs eplērōse tēn synaxin. Katanygeisa oun hē gynē, kai noēsasa hoti ou di᾽ hamartian ēlthe pros autēn, all᾽ hina sōsę̄ autēs tēn psychēn, prosepesen autǭ, legousa; Poiēson agapēn, abba, kai hopou dynamai euarestēsai tǭ Theǭ, odēgēson me. Tote ho gerōn hōdēgēsen autēn eis monastērion parthenōn, kai paredōken autēn tę̄ Ammą, kai eipe; Labe tēn adelphēn tautēn, kai mē thēseis autę̄ zygon ē entolēn hōs tais adelphais; all᾽ ei ti thelei, dos autę̄; kai hōs thelei, synchōrēson autę̄ poreuesthai. Kai hōs epoiēsen oligas hēmeras, eipen; Egō hamartōlos eimi, thelō dia dyo esthiein. Kai met' oligas hēmeras eipen; Egō pollas hamartias echō, thelō dia tessarōn hēmerōn esthiein. Kai met' oligas hēmeras parekalese tēn Amman legousa; Epeidē polla elypēsa ton Theon en tais anomiais mou, poiēson agapēn, kai bale me eis kellion, kai anaphraxon auto, kai di᾽ opēs didou moi mikron arton kai to ergocheiron. Kai epoiēsen autę̄ hē Ammas houtōs. Kai euērestēse tǭ Theǭ ton epiloipon chronon tēs zōēs autēs.
Once abba Serapion was passing through a village of Egypt; and he saw a prostitute standing in her room; and the old man said to her, “Expect me this evening; for I want to come to you and spend this night near you.” She answered, “Very well, abba.” And she got ready and made the bed. When evening came, the old man came to her, and going into the room he says to her, “Have you made the bed?” She said, “Yes, abba.” And he shut the door and says to her, “Wait a little, since we have a rule, until I fulfill it.” And the old man began his office; and beginning the Psalter, at each psalm he prayed, entreating God for her, that she might repent and be saved. And God heard him. And the woman stood trembling and praying near the old man. And when the old man had finished the whole Psalter, the woman fell to the ground. And the old man, beginning the Apostle, recited much of it; and so he completed the office. Pierced to the heart, and understanding that he had not come to her for sin but to save her soul, the woman fell down before him, saying, “Do me a kindness, abba, and lead me where I can please God.” Then the old man led her to a monastery of virgins and handed her over to the amma, and said, “Take this sister, and do not put a yoke or a commandment on her as on the sisters; but whatever she wants, give her; and as she wishes, let her go about.” After she had spent a few days, she said, “I am a sinner; I want to eat every two days.” And after a few days she said, “I have many sins; I want to eat every four days.” And after a few days she begged the amma, saying, “Since I have grieved God much by my iniquities, do me a kindness and put me in a cell and wall it up, and give me a little bread and my handiwork through a hole.” And the amma did so for her. And she pleased God for the rest of her life.
Notes and citation
Summary: Serapion converts a prostitute by spending the night praying the whole Psalter for her; she becomes a recluse.
- The story is told as written. “The Apostle” is the Pauline epistles.
Topics: Prayer
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 110.1 (PG 65:413–415; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/110-1). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/110-1
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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.
110.2PG 65:415
Ἀδελφὸς ἡρώτησε τὸν ἀββᾶν Σαραπίωνα, λέγων· Εἰπέ μοι λόγον. Λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ γέρων· Τί σοι ἔχω εἰπεῖν; ὅτι ἔλαβες τὰ τῶν χηρῶν καὶ ὀρφανῶν, καὶ ἔθηκας εἰς τὴν θυρίδα ταύτην· εἶδε γὰρ αὐτὴν μεστὴν βιβλίων.
Adelphos hērōtēse ton abban Sarapiōna, legōn; Eipe moi logon. Legei autǭ ho gerōn; Ti soi echō eipein? hoti elabes ta tōn chērōn kai orphanōn, kai ethēkas eis tēn thyrida tautēn; eide gar autēn mestēn bibliōn.
A brother asked abba Serapion, saying, “Tell me a word.” The old man says to him, “What have I to tell you? You have taken the goods of widows and orphans and put them on this shelf”; for he saw it full of books.
Notes and citation
Summary: Serapion rebukes a brother whose shelf of books could have fed widows and orphans.
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 110.2 (PG 65:415; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/110-2). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/110-2
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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.
110.3PG 65:415
Εἶπεν ὁ ἀββᾶς Σαραπίων, ὅτι "Ωσπερ οἱ στρατιῶται τοῦ βασιλέως οὐ δύνανται ἱστάμενοι δεξιὰ ἢ ἀριστερὰ προσέχειν· οὕτως καὶ ὁ ἄνθρωπος, ἐὰν ἵσταται ἐνώπιον τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ προσέχῃ ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ ἐν φόβῳ πάσῃ ὥρᾳ, οὐδὲν τοῦ ἐχθροῦ δύναται αὐτὸν ἐκφοβῆσαι.
Eipen ho abbas Sarapiōn, hoti "Ōsper hoi stratiōtai tou basileōs ou dynantai histamenoi dexia ē aristera prosechein; houtōs kai ho anthrōpos, ean histatai enōpion tou Theou, kai prosechę̄ enōpion autou en phobǭ pasę̄ hōrą, ouden tou echthrou dynatai auton ekphobēsai.
Abba Serapion said, “As the emperor’s soldiers standing at attention cannot look to right or left, so too a man, if he stands before God and attends to him in fear at every hour, nothing of the enemy can frighten him.”
Notes and citation
Summary: One who stands attentively before God, like a soldier at attention, cannot be frightened by the enemy.
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 110.3 (PG 65:415; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/110-3). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/110-3
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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.
110.4PG 65:415–417
Παρέβαλεν ἀδελφὸς τῷ ἀββᾷ Σαραπίωνι· προετρέπετο δὲ αὐτὸν ὁ γέρων εὐχὴν ποιῆσαι κατὰ τὴν συνήθειαν. Ὁ δὲ ἁμαρτωλὸν ἑαυτὸν λέγων, καὶ αὐτοῦ τοῦ μοναχικοῦ σχήματος ἀνάξιον, οὐκ ἐπείθετο. Ἠθέλησε δὲ καὶ τοὺς πόδας αὐτοῦ νίψαι· καὶ τοῖς αὐτοῖς πάλιν χρώμενος λόγοις, οὐκ ἠνέσχετο. Ἐποίησε δὲ αὐτὸν γεύσασθαι· ἐσθίειν δὲ ἤρξατο καὶ ὁ γέρων. Καὶ ἐνουθέτει αὐτὸν, λέγων· Τέκνον, εἰ θέλεις ὠφεληθῆναι, καρτέρησον ἐν τῷ κελλίῳ σου, καὶ πρόσεχε σεαυτῷ καὶ τῷ ἐργοχείρῳ σου· οὐ γὰρ φέρει σοι τὸ προέρχεσθαι τοιαύτην ὠφέλειαν, ὅσον τὸ καθέζεσθαι. Ὁ δὲ ταῦτα ἀκούσας, ἐπικράνθη, καὶ ἠλλοιώθη τῇ μορφῇ, ὥστε μηδὲ δυνηθῆναι λαθεῖν τὸν γέροντα. Εἶπεν οὖν αὐτῷ ὁ ἀββᾶς Σαραπίων· Μέχρι τοῦ νῦν ἔλεγες, Ἁμαρτωλός εἰμι, καὶ κατηγόρεις ἑαυτοῦ καὶ τοῦ ζῇν ἀνάξιον εἶναι· καὶ ἐπειδὴ μετὰ ἀγάπης ὑπέμνησά σε, τοσοῦτον ἐθηριώθης; Ἐὰν οὖν θέλῃς ταπεινὸς εἶναι, τὰ παρ᾿ ἄλλων ἐπαγόμενά σοι μάθε φέρειν γενναίως, καὶ μὴ ῥήματα ἀργὰ κάτεσχε σεαυτῷ Ταῦτα ἀκούσας ὁ ἀδελφὸς μετενόησε τῷ γέροντι, καὶ πολλὰ ὠφεληθεὶς ἀνεχώρησεν.
Parebalen adelphos tǭ abbą Sarapiōni; proetrepeto de auton ho gerōn euchēn poiēsai kata tēn synētheian. Ho de hamartōlon heauton legōn, kai autou tou monachikou schēmatos anaxion, ouk epeitheto. Ēthelēse de kai tous podas autou nipsai; kai tois autois palin chrōmenos logois, ouk ēnescheto. Epoiēse de auton geusasthai; esthiein de ērxato kai ho gerōn. Kai enouthetei auton, legōn; Teknon, ei theleis ōphelēthēnai, karterēson en tǭ kelliǭ sou, kai proseche seautǭ kai tǭ ergocheirǭ sou; ou gar pherei soi to proerchesthai toiautēn ōpheleian, hoson to kathezesthai. Ho de tauta akousas, epikranthē, kai ēlloiōthē tę̄ morphę̄, hōste mēde dynēthēnai lathein ton geronta. Eipen oun autǭ ho abbas Sarapiōn; Mechri tou nyn eleges, Hamartōlos eimi, kai katēgoreis heautou kai tou zę̄n anaxion einai; kai epeidē meta agapēs hypemnēsa se, tosouton ethēriōthēs? Ean oun thelę̄s tapeinos einai, ta par᾿ allōn epagomena soi mathe pherein gennaiōs, kai mē rhēmata arga katesche seautǭ Tauta akousas ho adelphos metenoēse tǭ geronti, kai polla ōphelētheis anechōrēsen.
A brother visited abba Serapion; and the old man urged him to say a prayer as was customary. But calling himself a sinner and unworthy even of the monastic habit, he would not. He also wanted to wash his feet; and using the same words again, he would not allow it. He made him eat; and the old man too began to eat. And he admonished him, saying, “Child, if you want to be helped, persevere in your cell and attend to yourself and to your handiwork; for going out does not bring you as much benefit as staying.” Hearing this, he was embittered, and his face changed, so that it could not escape the old man. So abba Serapion said to him, “Until now you said, ‘I am a sinner,’ and accused yourself of being unworthy even to live; and because I reminded you with love, you have become so savage? If you want to be humble, learn to bear nobly what others bring upon you, and do not hold empty words for yourself.” Hearing this, the brother made a prostration to the old man and went away greatly helped.
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
Notes and citation
Summary: Serapion exposes a brother’s false humility when he bristles at a gentle correction.
- A garbled line and variant notes inside the sentence are removed.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR: word split; garbled line and variant notes (“Al.”) from Migne’s apparatus inside the sentence): καὶ προσεδόκησε τὸν γέροντα μετὰ χρειῶν. λαις. ΑΙ. μιᾶς ἡμέρας. τοῦ μοναστηρίου. → ; ἀδελ φὸς → ἀδελφὸς.
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 110.4 (PG 65:415–417; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/110-4). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/110-4
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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.
Chapter 111
111.1PG 65:417
Ἔλεγον περὶ τοῦ ἀββᾶ Σερίνου, ὅτι πολλὰ εἰργάζετο, καὶ δύο παξαμάτια ἤσθιε διαπαντός. Καὶ ἐλθὼν πρὸς αὐτὸν ὁ ἀββᾶς Ἰὼβ ὁ συμφωνητὴς αὐτοῦ, καὶ αὐτὸς δὲ μέγας ἀσκητὴς, εἶπεν αὐτῷ, ὅτι Εἰς τὸ κελλίον μου φυλάττω τὴν πρᾶξίν μου· ἐὰν δὲ ἐξέλθω, συγκαταβαίνω τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς. Καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ ἀββᾶς Σερῖνος· Οὐκ ἔστιν αὕτη μεγάλη ἀρετὴ, ὅταν ἐν τῷ κελλίῳ σου φυλάττῃς τὴν τάξιν σου, ἀλλ᾽ ὅταν ἐκ τοῦ κελλίου σου μᾶλλον ἐξέλθῃς.
Elegon peri tou abba Serinou, hoti polla eirgazeto, kai dyo paxamatia ēsthie diapantos. Kai elthōn pros auton ho abbas Iōb ho symphōnētēs autou, kai autos de megas askētēs, eipen autǭ, hoti Eis to kellion mou phylattō tēn praxin mou; ean de exelthō, synkatabainō tois adelphois. Kai legei autǭ ho abbas Serinos; Ouk estin hautē megalē aretē, hotan en tǭ kelliǭ sou phylattę̄s tēn taxin sou, all᾽ hotan ek tou kelliou sou mallon exelthę̄s.
They said of abba Serenus that he worked a great deal and always ate two biscuits. And abba Job, his companion, also a great ascetic, came to him and said to him, “In my cell I keep my practice; but if I go out, I accommodate myself to the brothers.” And abba Serenus says to him, “It is not great virtue when you keep your rule in your cell, but rather when you go out of your cell.”
Notes and citation
Summary: Serenus says the real test is keeping one’s rule outside the cell.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR: stray letters): παξαμάτια σο ἤσθιε → παξαμάτια ἤσθιε.
Topics: Fasting
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 111.1 (PG 65:417; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/111-1). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/111-1
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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.
111.2PG 65:417
Εἶπεν ὁ ἀββᾶς Σερῖνος, ὅτι Ἐποίησα τὸν χρόνον μου, θερίζων, καταῤῥάπτων, πλέκων· καὶ ἐν τούτοις πᾶσιν, εἰ μὴ ἡ χεὶρ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐχόρτασέ με, οὐκ ἠδυνήθην χορτασθῆναι.
Eipen ho abbas Serinos, hoti Epoiēsa ton chronon mou, therizōn, katarrhaptōn, plekōn; kai en toutois pasin, ei mē hē cheir tou Theou echortase me, ouk ēdynēthēn chortasthēnai.
Abba Serenus said, “I have spent my time reaping, sewing, and plaiting; and in all these, if the hand of God had not fed me, I could not have been fed.”
Notes and citation
Summary: Serenus credits God, not his labor, with feeding him.
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 111.2 (PG 65:417; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/111-2). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/111-2
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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.
Chapter 112
112.1PG 65:417
Περὶ δὲ Σπυρίδωνος, τοσαύτη τῷ ποιμένι προσῆν ὁσιότης, ὡς ἀξιωθῆναι αὐτὸν καὶ ἀνθρώπων ποιμένα γενέσθαι. Μιᾶς γὰρ τῶν ἐν Κύπρῳ πόλεων, ὀνόματι Τριμιθούντων, οὗτος τὴν ἐπισκοπὴν ἐκεκλήρωτο· διὰ δὲ ἀτυφίαν πολλὴν, ἐχόμενος τῆς ἐπισκοπῆς, ἐποίμαινε καὶ τὰ πρόβατα. Μεσούσης δὲ τῆς νυκτὸς, κλέπται τῇ μάνδρᾳ τῶν προβάτων λαθραίως ἐπελθόντες, κλέψαι τῶν προβάτων ἐσπούδαζον. Ὁ δὲ Θεὸς ὁ τὸν ποιμένα σώζων, καὶ τὰ πρόβατα ἔσωζεν• οἱ γὰρ κλέπται ἀοράτῳ δυνάμει παρὰ τὴν μάνδραν ἐδέδεντο. Ὄρθρος δὲ ἦν· καὶ ἦκεν ὁ ποιμὴν πρὸς τὰ πρόβατα. Ὡς δὲ εὗρεν ὀπίσω τὰς χεῖρας ἔχοντας, ἔγνω τὸ γεγονός· καὶ εὐξάμενος λύει τοὺς κλέπτας. Πολλὰ δὲ νουθετήσας καὶ παραινέσας αὐτοῖς, ἐκ δικαίων πόνων σπουδάζειν μᾶλλον καὶ μὴ ἐξ ἀδικίας ζῇν, ἕνα κριὸν αὐτοῖς χαρισάμενος ἀπέλυσεν, καὶ χαριέντως ἐπιφθεγξάμενος εἶπεν· ἵνα μὴ μάτην ἠγρυπνηκότες φανῆτε.
Peri de Spyridōnos, tosautē tǭ poimeni prosēn hosiotēs, hōs axiōthēnai auton kai anthrōpōn poimena genesthai. Mias gar tōn en Kyprǭ poleōn, onomati Trimithountōn, houtos tēn episkopēn ekeklērōto; dia de atyphian pollēn, echomenos tēs episkopēs, epoimaine kai ta probata. Mesousēs de tēs nyktos, kleptai tę̄ mandrą tōn probatōn lathraiōs epelthontes, klepsai tōn probatōn espoudazon. Ho de Theos ho ton poimena sōzōn, kai ta probata esōzen• hoi gar kleptai aoratǭ dynamei para tēn mandran ededento. Orthros de ēn; kai ēken ho poimēn pros ta probata. Hōs de heuren opisō tas cheiras echontas, egnō to gegonos; kai euxamenos lyei tous kleptas. Polla de nouthetēsas kai parainesas autois, ek dikaiōn ponōn spoudazein mallon kai mē ex adikias zę̄n, hena krion autois charisamenos apelysen, kai charientōs epiphthenxamenos eipen; hina mē matēn ēgrypnēkotes phanēte.
As for Spyridon, the shepherd had such holiness that he was counted worthy to become a shepherd of men too. For he was allotted the bishopric of one of the cities of Cyprus, called Trimithous; but out of great freedom from pride, while holding the bishopric he also pastured the sheep. In the middle of the night thieves secretly came upon the sheepfold and set about stealing some of the sheep. But God, who saved the shepherd, saved the sheep too; for the thieves were bound by an invisible power beside the fold. It was dawn; and the shepherd came to the sheep. When he found them with their hands behind them, he knew what had happened; and having prayed he set the thieves free. And having admonished and exhorted them at length to strive rather to live by just labors and not by wrongdoing, he gave them one ram and let them go, saying with a smile, “So that you may not seem to have stayed awake for nothing.”
Notes and citation
Summary: Bishop Spyridon finds thieves miraculously bound at his sheepfold, frees them, and gives them a ram.
- Spyridon was bishop of Trimithous in Cyprus in the early fourth century; the story is also told by Rufinus and Socrates.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR: letter slip): ἀυράτῳ → ἀοράτῳ.
Topics: Church office
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 112.1 (PG 65:417; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/112-1). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/112-1
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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.
112.2PG 65:417–419
Ἔλεγον πάλιν, ὅτι θυγάτριον ἦν αὐτῷ παρθένος, τῆς τοῦ πατρὸς εὐλαβείας μετέχουσα, τοὔνομα Εἰρήνη. Ταύτῃ γνώριμός τις πολύτιμον παρέθετο κόσμιον. Ἡ δὲ ἀσφαλέστερον ποιοῦσα, γῇ τὴν παραθήκην ἔκρυψε· μετ᾿ ὀλίγον δὲ τὸν βίον ἀπέλιπεν. Ἦλθε δὲ μετὰ χρόνον ὁ παραθέμενος καὶ μὴ εὑρὼν τὴν παρθένον, ἔπλεκε τῷ πατρὶ αὐτῆς τῷ ἀββᾷ Σπυρίδωνι, νῦν μὲν ἔλκων, πάλιν δὲ παρακαλῶν. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ συμφορὰν ἐποιεῖτο τὴν τοῦ παραθεμένου ζημίαν ὁ γέρων, ἐλθὼν ἐπὶ τὸ μνημεῖον τῆς θυγατρὸς, ἐπεκαλεῖτο τὸν Θεὸν, πρὸ καιροῦ δεῖξαι αὐτῷ τὴν ἐπηγγελμένην ἀνάστασιν· καὶ δὴ τῆς ἐλπίδος οὐχ ἥμαρτε. Ζῶσα γὰρ αὖθις ἡ παρθένος φαίνεται τῷ πατρί· καὶ τόπον σημάνασα ἔνθα τὸ κόσμιον ἔκειτο αὖθις ἀπεχώρει. Καὶ λαβὼν τὴν παραθήκην ὁ γέρων ἔδωκεν αὐτήν.
Elegon palin, hoti thygatrion ēn autǭ parthenos, tēs tou patros eulabeias metechousa, tounoma Eirēnē. Tautę̄ gnōrimos tis polytimon paretheto kosmion. Hē de asphalesteron poiousa, gę̄ tēn parathēkēn ekrypse; met᾿ oligon de ton bion apelipen. Ēlthe de meta chronon ho parathemenos kai mē heurōn tēn parthenon, epleke tǭ patri autēs tǭ abbą Spyridōni, nyn men elkōn, palin de parakalōn. Epeidē de symphoran epoieito tēn tou parathemenou zēmian ho gerōn, elthōn epi to mnēmeion tēs thygatros, epekaleito ton Theon, pro kairou deixai autǭ tēn epēngelmenēn anastasin; kai dē tēs elpidos ouch hēmarte. Zōsa gar authis hē parthenos phainetai tǭ patri; kai topon sēmanasa entha to kosmion ekeito authis apechōrei. Kai labōn tēn parathēkēn ho gerōn edōken autēn.
They also said that he had a little daughter, a virgin, who shared her father’s piety, named Irene. An acquaintance entrusted a costly ornament to her. To keep it more safely, she hid the deposit in the ground; and a little later she departed this life. After a time the one who had deposited it came and, not finding the virgin, pressed her father, abba Spyridon, now dragging him, now pleading. Since the old man counted the depositor’s loss a misfortune, he went to his daughter’s tomb and called on God to show him before its time the promised resurrection; and indeed he was not disappointed in his hope. For the virgin appeared alive again to her father; and having shown the place where the ornament lay, she departed again. And taking the deposit, the old man gave it back.
Notes and citation
Summary: Spyridon raises his dead daughter long enough for her to reveal where she hid a deposit.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR: breathing lost; OCR: stray letters): Είρήνη → Εἰρήνη; έκρυψε → ἔκρυψε; εὑρὼν Αἱ τὴν → εὑρὼν τὴν.
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 112.2 (PG 65:417–419; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/112-2). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/112-2
BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-apophthegmata-alphabetica-112-2) · 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.
Chapter 113
113.1PG 65:419
Ἔλεγον περὶ τοῦ ἀββᾶ Σαϊὼ, καὶ τοῦ ἀββᾶ Μούη, ὅτι ἔμειναν μετ᾿ ἀλλήλων. Εἶχε δὲ πολλὴν ὑπακοὴν ὁ ἀββᾶς Σαϊὼ, σκληρὸς δὲ ἦν πάνυ. Καὶ ἔλεγεν αὐτῷ ὁ γέρων πειράζων· Ὕπαγε, σύλησον. Καὶ ὑπῆγε, καὶ ἐσύλα τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς διὰ τὴν ὑπακοὴν, εὐχαριστῶν τῷ Κυρίῳ ἐπὶ πᾶσιν. Ὁ δὲ γέρων ἦρεν αὐτὰ, καὶ παρείχε κρυφίως. Ποτὲ οὖν ὁδευόντων αὐτῶν, ἡτόνησε, καὶ ἀφῆκεν αὐτὸν ὁ ἀββᾶς συντετριμμένον· καὶ ἐλθὼν, εἶπε τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς· Ὑπάγετε, φέρετε τὸν Σαϊὼ, ὅτι κεκλασμένος κεῖται. Καὶ ἀπελθόντες, ἤγαγον αὐτόν.
Elegon peri tou abba Saïō, kai tou abba Mouē, hoti emeinan met᾿ allēlōn. Eiche de pollēn hypakoēn ho abbas Saïō, sklēros de ēn pany. Kai elegen autǭ ho gerōn peirazōn; Hypage, sylēson. Kai hypēge, kai esyla tous adelphous dia tēn hypakoēn, eucharistōn tǭ Kyriǭ epi pasin. Ho de gerōn ēren auta, kai pareiche kryphiōs. Pote oun hodeuontōn autōn, hētonēse, kai aphēken auton ho abbas syntetrimmenon; kai elthōn, eipe tois adelphois; Hypagete, pherete ton Saïō, hoti keklasmenos keitai. Kai apelthontes, ēgagon auton.
They said of abba Saio and abba Mouë that they lived together. Abba Saio had great obedience, but he was very harsh. And the old man would say to him, testing him, “Go, steal.” And he went and stole from the brothers out of obedience, giving thanks to the Lord for everything. But the old man took the things and gave them back secretly. Once as they were traveling, he grew weak, and the abba left him exhausted; and coming, he said to the brothers, “Go, bring Saio, for he is lying worn out.” And they went and brought him.
Notes and citation
Summary: Saio obeys even an order to steal, while his elder secretly returns the goods.
- The test of obedience by a command to steal (secretly undone) is translated as written.
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 113.1 (PG 65:419; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/113-1). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/113-1
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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.
Chapter 114
114.1PG 65:419
Διηγήσαντο περὶ τῆς ἀμμᾶς Σάῤῥας, ὅτι ἔμεινε δεκατρία ἔτη πολεμουμένη κραταιῶς ὑπὸ τοῦ δαίμονος τῆς πορνείας, καὶ οὐδέποτε ηὔξατο ἀποστῆναι τὸν πόλεμον, ἀλλὰ μᾶλλον ἔλεγεν Ὁ Θεὸς, δός μοι ἰσχύν.
Diēgēsanto peri tēs ammas Sarrhas, hoti emeine dekatria etē polemoumenē krataiōs hypo tou daimonos tēs porneias, kai oudepote ēuxato apostēnai ton polemon, alla mallon elegen Ho Theos, dos moi ischyn.
They related of amma Sarah that she remained thirteen years fiercely attacked by the demon of sexual immorality, and she never prayed for the war to depart, but rather said, “O God, give me strength.”
Notes and citation
Summary: For thirteen years Sarah prayed not to be freed from temptation but for strength in it.
Topics: Prayer
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 114.1 (PG 65:419; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/114-1). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/114-1
BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-apophthegmata-alphabetica-114-1) · 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.
114.2PG 65:419
Ἐπέθετο αὐτῇ ποτε σφοδρότερον τὸ αὐτὸ πνεῦμα τῆς πορνείας, ὑποβάλλον αὐτῇ τὰ τοῦ κόσμου μάταια. Ἡ δὲ μὴ ἐνδοῦσα τῷ τοῦ Θεοῦ φόβῳ καὶ τῇ ἀσκήσει, ἀνῆλθεν ἐν μιᾷ εἰς τὸ δωμάτιον αὐτῆς προσεύξασθαι. Καὶ ὤφθη αὐτῇ σωματικῶς τὸ πνεῦμα τῆς πορνείας, καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῇ· Σύ με ἐνίκησας, Σάῤῥα. Ἡ δὲ εἶπεν· Οὐκ ἐνίκησά σε ἐγὼ, ἀλλ᾽ ὁ Δεσπότης μου Χριστός.
Epetheto autę̄ pote sphodroteron to auto pneuma tēs porneias, hypoballon autę̄ ta tou kosmou mataia. Hē de mē endousa tǭ tou Theou phobǭ kai tę̄ askēsei, anēlthen en mią eis to dōmation autēs proseuxasthai. Kai ōphthē autę̄ sōmatikōs to pneuma tēs porneias, kai eipen autę̄; Sy me enikēsas, Sarrha. Hē de eipen; Ouk enikēsa se egō, all᾽ ho Despotēs mou Christos.
Once the same spirit of sexual immorality attacked her more violently, suggesting to her the vanities of the world. But she did not give in, through the fear of God and asceticism, and one day she went up to her little roof to pray. And the spirit of sexual immorality appeared to her bodily and said to her, “You have overcome me, Sarah.” But she said, “It is not I who have overcome you, but my Master, Christ.”
Notes and citation
Summary: Sarah answers the defeated spirit of lust that Christ, not she, has conquered it.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR: word split): πνεῦ μα τῆς → πνεῦμα τῆς.
Topics: Prayer
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 114.2 (PG 65:419; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/114-2). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/114-2
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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.
114.3PG 65:419
Ἔλεγον περὶ αὐτῆς, ὅτι ἐπάνω τοῦ ποταμοῦ ἔμεινεν ἐξήκοντα ἔτη οἰκοῦσα, καὶ οὐ παρέκυψεν ἰδεῖν αὐτόν.
Elegon peri autēs, hoti epanō tou potamou emeinen exēkonta etē oikousa, kai ou parekypsen idein auton.
They said of her that she lived sixty years beside the river and never looked out to see it.
Notes and citation
Summary: Sarah lived sixty years by the river without looking at it.
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 114.3 (PG 65:419; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/114-3). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/114-3
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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.
114.4PG 65:419
"Αλλοτε ἦλθον δύο γέροντες ἀναχωρηταὶ μεγάλοι ἀπὸ τῶν μερῶν τοῦ Πηλουσίου πρὸς αὐτήν· καὶ ἀπερχόμενοι ἔλεγον πρὸς ἀλλήλους Ταπεινώσωμεν τὴν γραΐδα ταύτην. Καὶ λέγουσιν αὐτῇ Βλέπε μὴ ἐπαρθῇ ὁ λογισμός σου, καὶ εἴπῃς, ὅτι Ἰδοὺ οἱ ἀναχωρηταὶ πρὸς μὲ ἔρχονται γυναῖκα οὖσαν. Λέγει αὐτοῖς ἡ ἀμμᾶς Σάῤῥα· Τῇ μὲν φύσει γυνή εἰμι, ἀλλ᾽ οὐ τῷ λογισμῷ.
"Allote ēlthon dyo gerontes anachōrētai megaloi apo tōn merōn tou Pēlousiou pros autēn; kai aperchomenoi elegon pros allēlous Tapeinōsōmen tēn graïda tautēn. Kai legousin autę̄ Blepe mē eparthę̄ ho logismos sou, kai eipę̄s, hoti Idou hoi anachōrētai pros me erchontai gynaika ousan. Legei autois hē ammas Sarrha; Tę̄ men physei gynē eimi, all᾽ ou tǭ logismǭ.
Another time two great old anchorites came to her from the region of Pelusium; and on the way they said to one another, “Let us humble this old woman.” And they say to her, “See that your thought is not puffed up and you say, ‘Look, the anchorites are coming to me, a woman.’” Amma Sarah says to them, “By nature I am a woman, but not in my thoughts.”
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
Notes and citation
Summary: Sarah answers anchorites who came to humble her that she is a woman by nature but not in her thoughts.
- A variant note is removed. Sarah’s reply reflects the ancient association of “manly” resolve with virtue; translated as written.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (variant note inside a split word): Βλέ Α. ἐνεκέκρυπτο. πε → Βλέπε.
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 114.4 (PG 65:419; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/114-4). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/114-4
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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.
114.5PG 65:419–421
Εἶπεν ἡ ἀμμᾶς Σάῤῥα Ἐὰν εὔξωμαι τῷ Θεῷ, ἵνα πάντες οἱ ἄνθρωποι πληροφορῶνται εἰς ἐμὲ, εὑρεθήσομαι εἰς τὴν θύραν ἑκάστου μετανοοῦσα ἀλλὰ μᾶλλον εὔξομαι τὴν καρδίαν μου ἁγνὴν εἶναι μετὰ πάντων. Εἶπε πάλιν, ὅτι Βάλλω τὸν πόδα μου ἐπὶ τὴν κλίμακα ἀναβῆναι, καὶ τιθῶ τὸν θάνατον πρὸ ὀφθαλμῶν μου πρὸ τοῦ ἀναβῆναί με εἰς αὐτήν
Eipen hē ammas Sarrha Ean euxōmai tǭ Theǭ, hina pantes hoi anthrōpoi plērophorōntai eis eme, heurethēsomai eis tēn thyran hekastou metanoousa alla mallon euxomai tēn kardian mou hagnēn einai meta pantōn. Eipe palin, hoti Ballō ton poda mou epi tēn klimaka anabēnai, kai tithō ton thanaton pro ophthalmōn mou pro tou anabēnai me eis autēn
Amma Sarah said, “If I pray to God that all people may be pleased with me, I shall be found at the door of each, apologizing; but rather I will pray that my heart may be pure toward all.” [6] She also said, “I put my foot on the ladder to go up, and I set death before my eyes before going up it.”
Notes and citation
Summary: Sarah prays for a pure heart rather than to please all, and keeps death before her eyes at every step.
- The scan runs Sarah 6 into this saying without its numeral; marked [6].
Topics: Prayer
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 114.5 (PG 65:419–421; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/114-5). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/114-5
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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.
114.7PG 65:421
Εἶπε πάλιν, ὅτι καλόν ἐστι καὶ δι᾿ ἀνθρώπους ποιεῖν ἐλεημοσύνην. Εἰ γὰρ καὶ δι' ἀνθρωπαρεσκίαν, ἀλλ᾽ ἔρχεται πάλιν εἰς Θεοῦ ἀρέσκειαν
Eipe palin, hoti kalon esti kai di᾿ anthrōpous poiein eleēmosynēn. Ei gar kai di' anthrōpareskian, all᾽ erchetai palin eis Theou areskeian
She also said, “It is good to give alms even for men’s sake. For even if it is done to please men, it comes round again to pleasing God.”
Notes and citation
Summary: Even almsgiving done for human approval comes round to pleasing God.
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 114.7 (PG 65:421; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/114-7). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/114-7
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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.
114.8PG 65:421
Παρέβαλόν ποτε Σκητιῶται τῇ ἀμμᾷ Σάῤῥᾳ. Ἡ δὲ παρέθηκεν αὐτοῖς κανίσκιν Οἱ δὲ ἀφέντες τὰ καλὰ, ἔφαγον τὰ σαπρά. Καὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς· Όντως Σκητιῶταί ἐστε.
Parebalon pote Skētiōtai tę̄ ammą Sarrhą. Hē de parethēken autois kaniskin Hoi de aphentes ta kala, ephagon ta sapra. Kai eipen autois; Ontōs Skētiōtai este.
Once some monks of Scetis visited amma Sarah. And she set before them a small basket of fruit. And they left the good fruit and ate the rotten. And she said to them, “Truly you are monks of Scetis.”
Notes and citation
Summary: Sarah recognizes Scetis monks by their choosing the rotten fruit.
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 114.8 (PG 65:421; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/114-8). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/114-8
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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.
Chapter 115
115.1PG 65:421
Εἶπεν ἡ ἀμμᾶς Συγκλητική· Ἀγών ἐστι καὶ κόπος πολὺς τοῖς προσερχομένοις τῷ Θεῷ, τὰ πρῶτα· ἔπειτα δὲ, χαρὰ ἀνεκλάλητος. Ωσπερ γὰρ οἱ πῦρ ἐξάψαι βουλόμενοι, πρῶτον καπνίζονται καὶ δακρύουσι, καὶ οὕτως τοῦ ζητουμένου ἐπιτυγχάνουσι (καὶ γάρ φησιν, Ὁ Θεὸς ἡμῶν πῦρ καταναλίσκον ἐστίν)· οὕτως δεῖ καὶ ἡμᾶς εἰς ἑαυτοὺς τὸ θεῖον ἐξάψαι πῦρ μετὰ δακρύων καὶ πόνων
Eipen hē ammas Synklētikē; Agōn esti kai kopos polys tois proserchomenois tǭ Theǭ, ta prōta; epeita de, chara aneklalētos. Ōsper gar hoi pyr exapsai boulomenoi, prōton kapnizontai kai dakryousi, kai houtōs tou zētoumenou epitynchanousi (kai gar phēsin, Ho Theos hēmōn pyr katanaliskon estin); houtōs dei kai hēmas eis heautous to theion exapsai pyr meta dakryōn kai ponōn
Amma Syncletica said, “There is struggle and much labor at first for those who come to God; but afterward, unspeakable joy. For as those who want to light a fire are first smoked and weep, and so obtain what they seek (for it says, ‘Our God is a consuming fire’), so we too must kindle the divine fire in ourselves with tears and labors.”
Heb 12:29 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Syncletica compares the hard beginning of the spiritual life to the smoke before a fire catches.
- Quotation of Heb 12:29.
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 115.1 (PG 65:421; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/115-1). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/115-1
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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.
115.2PG 65:421
Εἶπε πάλιν, ὅτι Δεῖ ἡμᾶς τοὺς τὸ ἐπάγγελμα τοῦτο ἐπανῃρημένους, σωφροσύνην τὴν εἰς ἄκρον κατέχειν. Καὶ γὰρ παρὰ τοῖς κοσμικοῖς σωφροσύνη δοκεῖ πολιτεύεσθαι, ἀλλὰ συμπάρεστιν αὐτῇ καὶ ἀφροσύνη, διὰ τὸ ταῖς ἄλλαις πάσαις αἰσθήσεσιν ἁμαρτάνειν. Καὶ γὰρ ὁρῶσιν ἀπρεπῶς, καὶ γελῶσιν ἀτάκτως.
Eipe palin, hoti Dei hēmas tous to epangelma touto epanę̄rēmenous, sōphrosynēn tēn eis akron katechein. Kai gar para tois kosmikois sōphrosynē dokei politeuesthai, alla symparestin autę̄ kai aphrosynē, dia to tais allais pasais aisthēsesin hamartanein. Kai gar horōsin aprepōs, kai gelōsin ataktōs.
She also said, “We who have taken up this profession must keep chastity to the utmost. For among people of the world chastity seems to be practiced, but folly is present alongside it, because they sin with all the other senses. For they look improperly and laugh immoderately.”
Notes and citation
Summary: Monastic chastity must govern all the senses, not the body alone.
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 115.2 (PG 65:421; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/115-2). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/115-2
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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.
115.3PG 65:421
Εἶπε πάλιν· Ὥσπερ τὰ ἰοβόλα θηρία τὰ δριμύτερα τῶν φαρμάκων ἀπελαύνει· οὕτως καὶ λογισμὸν πονηρὸν εὐχὴ μετὰ νηστείας ἀπελαύνει
Eipe palin; Hōsper ta iobola thēria ta drimytera tōn pharmakōn apelaunei; houtōs kai logismon ponēron euchē meta nēsteias apelaunei
She also said, “As the harsher drugs drive away venomous beasts, so prayer with fasting drives away an evil thought.”
Mark 9:29 (echo, low confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Prayer with fasting drives out evil thoughts like strong drugs repel venomous beasts.
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 115.3 (PG 65:421; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/115-3). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/115-3
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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.
115.4PG 65:421
Εἶπε πάλιν· Μή σε δελεάσῃ τῶν κοσμικῶν πλουσίων τρυφή, ὡς χρήσιμόν τι ἔχουσα, ἡδονῆς κενῆς σε ἕνεκεν. Ἐκεῖνοι τὴν ὀψαρτυτικὴν τιμῶσι τέχνην· νηστείᾳ καὶ αὐτὸς διὰ τῶν εὐτελῶν τὴν ἐκείνων εὐπορίαν τῶν τροφῶν ὑπερβάλλεις Φησὶ γάρ· Ψυχὴ ἐν τρυφῇ οὖσα κηρίοις ἐμπαίζει. Μὴ κορεσθῇς ἄρτου, καὶ οὐκ ἐπιθυμήσεις οἴνου.
Eipe palin; Mē se deleasę̄ tōn kosmikōn plousiōn tryphē, hōs chrēsimon ti echousa, hēdonēs kenēs se heneken. Ekeinoi tēn opsartytikēn timōsi technēn; nēsteią kai autos dia tōn eutelōn tēn ekeinōn euporian tōn trophōn hyperballeis Phēsi gar; Psychē en tryphę̄ ousa kēriois empaizei. Mē koresthę̄s artou, kai ouk epithymēseis oinou.
She also said, “Do not let the luxury of the rich of the world lure you as though it had something useful, for the sake of empty pleasure. They honor the art of cookery; but you, by fasting and through cheap food, surpass their abundance of food. For it says, ‘A soul in luxury mocks at honeycombs.’ Do not have your fill of bread, and you will not desire wine.”
Prov 27:7 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Syncletica warns against the luxury of the rich, whose surfeit makes even honey tasteless.
- Prov 27:7 (LXX).
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR: breathing lost): οίνου → οἴνου.
Topics: Fasting
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 115.4 (PG 65:421; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/115-4). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/115-4
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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.
115.5PG 65:421
Ἠρωτήθη ἡ μακαρία Συγκλητική, εἰ τέλειον ἀγαθὸν ἡ ἀκτημοσύνη. Ἡ δὲ εἶπε· Πάνυ τέλειον τοῖς δυναμένοις Οἱ γὰρ ὑπομένοντες τοῦτο, θλίψιν μὲν ἔχουσι τῇ σαρκὶ, τῇ δὲ ψυχῇ ἀνάπαυσιν. Ωσπερ γὰρ τὰ στερεὰ ἱμάτια, πατούμενα καὶ βιαίως στρεφόμενα, πλύνεται οὕτως καὶ ψυχὴ ἰσχυρὰ, διὰ τῆς ἑκουσίου πενίας, ἐπὶ πλεῖον κρατύνεται.
Ērōtēthē hē makaria Synklētikē, ei teleion agathon hē aktēmosynē. Hē de eipe; Pany teleion tois dynamenois Hoi gar hypomenontes touto, thlipsin men echousi tę̄ sarki, tę̄ de psychę̄ anapausin. Ōsper gar ta sterea himatia, patoumena kai biaiōs strephomena, plynetai houtōs kai psychē ischyra, dia tēs hekousiou penias, epi pleion kratynetai.
Blessed Syncletica was asked whether poverty is a perfect good. And she said, “Very perfect for those who are able. For those who endure it have affliction in the flesh but rest in the soul. For as strong garments are washed by being trodden and forcefully wrung, so too a strong soul is strengthened all the more by voluntary poverty.”
Notes and citation
Summary: Voluntary poverty is a perfect good for the able, strengthening the soul as washing strengthens cloth.
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 115.5 (PG 65:421; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/115-5). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/115-5
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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.
115.6PG 65:421–423
Εἶπε πάλιν· Ἐὰν ἐν κοινοβίῳ τυγχάνῃς, μὴ μεταλλάξῃς τὸν τόπον· βλαβήσῃ γὰρ μεγάλως. Ὥσπερ γὰρ ὄρνις, ἐξανισταμένη τῶν ὠῶν, οὔρια ταῦτα καὶ ἄγονα παρασκευάζει· οὕτως καὶ μοναχὸς ἢ παρθένος ψύγεται καὶ νεκροῦται τῆς πίστεως, τόπον ἐκ τόπου περιερχόμενος.
Eipe palin; Ean en koinobiǭ tynchanę̄s, mē metallaxę̄s ton topon; blabēsę̄ gar megalōs. Hōsper gar ornis, exanistamenē tōn ōōn, ouria tauta kai agona paraskeuazei; houtōs kai monachos ē parthenos psygetai kai nekroutai tēs pisteōs, topon ek topou perierchomenos.
She also said, “If you happen to be in a community, do not change your place; for you will be greatly harmed. For as a bird that leaves her eggs makes them addled and infertile, so too the monk or virgin grows cold and dead in faith by going from place to place.”
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
Notes and citation
Summary: A monk or nun who moves from place to place grows cold like eggs abandoned by the bird.
- Variant notes are removed.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (variant notes (“Al.”) from Migne’s apparatus): ΑΙ. ζῶα. ῥυπαρόν. ΑΙ. ἐκδιώκει. σε ΑΙ. ἡ τῶν κατὰ κόσμον. ΑΙ. ὑπερβαλοῦ. πλησμονῇ τροφῶν. ΑΙ. ὑπομένουσιν. ΑΙ. → .
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 115.6 (PG 65:421–423; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/115-6). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/115-6
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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.
115.7PG 65:423
Εἶπε πάλιν· Πολλὰ τοῦ διαβόλου τὰ ἔνεδρα. Διὰ πενίας οὐ μετεκίνησε ψυχήν; πλοῦτον προσάγει δέλεαρ. Δι' ὕβρεων καὶ ὀνειδισμῶν οὐκ ἴσχυσεν; ἑπαίνους καὶ δόξαν προβάλλεται. Διὰ τῆς ὑγείας ἡττηθεὶς, νοσοποιεῖ τὸ σῶμα Ταῖς γὰρ ἡδοναῖς μὴ δυνηθεὶς ἀπατῆσαι, διὰ τῶν ἀκουσίων πόνων τὴν παρατροπὴν ποιῆσαι πειρᾶται. Νόσους γάρ τινας βαρυτάτας ἐξ αἰτήσεως, πρὸς τὸ διὰ τούτων ὀλιγωρήσαντας ἐπιθολῶσαι αὐτῶν τὴν πρὸς Θεὸν ἀγάπην, προσάγει. Ἀλλὰ καὶ κατατέμνεται τὸ σῶμα πυρετοῖς σφοδροτάτοις, καὶ δίψει ἀσχέτῳ ἀνιᾶται. Εἰ μὲν ἁμαρτωλὸς ὢν ταῦτα ὑφίστασαι, ὑπομνήσθητι καὶ τῆς μελλούσης κολάσεως, καὶ τοῦ αἰωνίου πυρὸς, καὶ τῶν δικαστικῶν τιμωριῶν, καὶ οὐ μὴ ὀλιγωρήσῃς πρὸς τὰ παρόντα. Χαῖρε ὅτι ἐπεσκόπησέ σε ὁ Θεός· καὶ τὸ εὔφημον δὲ ἐκεῖνο ῥητὸν ἐπὶ τῆς γλώττης ἔχε, ὡς Παιδεύων ἐπαίδευσέ με ὁ Κύριος, καὶ τῷ θανάτῳ οὐ παρέδωκέ με. Σίδηρος ἐτύγχανες· ἀλλὰ διὰ τοῦ πυρὸς τὸν ἰὸν ἀποβάλλεις. Εἰ δὲ καὶ δίκαιος ὢν ἀῤῥωστεῖς, ἀπὸ τῶν μεγάλων ἐπὶ τὰ μείζονα προκόπτεις. Χρυσὸς εἶ; ἀλλὰ διὰ τοῦ πυρὸς δοκιμώτερος γίνῃ. Ἐδόθη σοι ἄγγελος τῇ σαρκί; ἀγαλλιῶ· βλέπε τίνι ὅμοιος γέγονας· τῆς γὰρ Παύλου μερίδος ἠξιώθης. Διὰ τοῦ πυρετοῦ δοκιμάζῃ; διὰ ῥίγους παιδεύῃ; ἀλλά φησιν ἡ Γραφή· Διήλθομεν διὰ πυρὸς καὶ ὕδατος, καὶ ἐξήγαγες ἡμᾶς εἰς ἀναψυχήν. Ἔτυχες τοῦ πρώτου; προσδόκα τὸ δεύτερον. Πράττων τὴν ἀρετὴν, βόα τὰ τοῦ ἁγίου ῥήματα· φησὶ γάρ· Πτωχὸς καὶ ἀλγῶν εἰμι ἐγώ. Τέλειος γενήσῃ διὰ ταύτης τῶν θλίψεων τῆς δυάδος· φησὶ γὰρ· Ἐν θλίψει ἐπλάτυνάς με. Ἐν τούτοις μᾶλλον τοῖς γυμνασίοις τὰς ψυχὰς ἀσκηθῶμεν· ἐπ᾿ ὀφθαλμῶν γὰρ ὁρῶμεν τὸν ἀντίπαλον.
Eipe palin; Polla tou diabolou ta enedra. Dia penias ou metekinēse psychēn? plouton prosagei delear. Di' hybreōn kai oneidismōn ouk ischysen? hepainous kai doxan proballetai. Dia tēs hygeias hēttētheis, nosopoiei to sōma Tais gar hēdonais mē dynētheis apatēsai, dia tōn akousiōn ponōn tēn paratropēn poiēsai peiratai. Nosous gar tinas barytatas ex aitēseōs, pros to dia toutōn oligōrēsantas epitholōsai autōn tēn pros Theon agapēn, prosagei. Alla kai katatemnetai to sōma pyretois sphodrotatois, kai dipsei aschetǭ aniatai. Ei men hamartōlos ōn tauta hyphistasai, hypomnēsthēti kai tēs mellousēs kolaseōs, kai tou aiōniou pyros, kai tōn dikastikōn timōriōn, kai ou mē oligōrēsę̄s pros ta paronta. Chaire hoti epeskopēse se ho Theos; kai to euphēmon de ekeino rhēton epi tēs glōttēs eche, hōs Paideuōn epaideuse me ho Kyrios, kai tǭ thanatǭ ou paredōke me. Sidēros etynchanes; alla dia tou pyros ton ion apoballeis. Ei de kai dikaios ōn arrhōsteis, apo tōn megalōn epi ta meizona prokopteis. Chrysos ei? alla dia tou pyros dokimōteros ginę̄. Edothē soi angelos tę̄ sarki? agalliō; blepe tini homoios gegonas; tēs gar Paulou meridos ēxiōthēs. Dia tou pyretou dokimazę̄? dia rhigous paideuę̄? alla phēsin hē Graphē; Diēlthomen dia pyros kai hydatos, kai exēgages hēmas eis anapsychēn. Etyches tou prōtou? prosdoka to deuteron. Prattōn tēn aretēn, boa ta tou hagiou rhēmata; phēsi gar; Ptōchos kai algōn eimi egō. Teleios genēsę̄ dia tautēs tōn thlipseōn tēs dyados; phēsi gar; En thlipsei eplatynas me. En toutois mallon tois gymnasiois tas psychas askēthōmen; ep᾿ ophthalmōn gar horōmen ton antipalon.
She also said, “Many are the snares of the devil. Did he not move the soul through poverty? He brings wealth as a bait. Did he not prevail through insults and reproaches? He puts forward praise and glory. Defeated through health, he makes the body sick. For being unable to deceive through pleasures, he tries to bring about a turning aside through involuntary sufferings. For he brings very grievous illnesses by request, so as by these to cloud the love toward God of those who lose heart. But the body is also cut by the most violent fevers and tormented by unquenchable thirst. If you are a sinner and suffer these things, remember the punishment to come, and the eternal fire, and the judicial punishments, and you will not lose heart at the present things. Rejoice that God has visited you; and keep on your tongue that auspicious saying, ‘The Lord has disciplined me severely, but he has not given me over to death.’ You were iron; but through the fire you cast off the rust. If you are righteous and are ill, you advance from great things to greater. Are you gold? But through the fire you become more proven. Has an angel been given you in the flesh? Rejoice; see whom you have become like; for you have been counted worthy of the portion of Paul. Are you tested by fever? Disciplined by cold? But the Scripture says, ‘We went through fire and water, and you brought us out into refreshment.’ Have you received the first? Expect the second. Doing virtue, cry out the words of the saint; for he says, ‘I am poor and in pain.’ You will become perfect through this pair of afflictions; for he says, ‘In affliction you enlarged me.’ Let us rather train our souls in these exercises; for we see the adversary before our eyes.”
Ps 118:18 (117:18 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Cor 12:7 (allusion, high confidence) · Ps 66:12 (65:12 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 69:29 (68:30 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 4:1 (4:2 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Job 2:6 (echo, low confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Syncletica teaches that the devil’s trials, especially illness, purify sinners and perfect the righteous.
- “By request” (ἐξ αἰτήσεως) is taken as the devil asking leave to try them (cf. Job 2). Quotations: Ps 118:18 (LXX 117:18); Ps 66:12 (LXX 65:12); Ps 69:29 (LXX 68:30); Ps 4:1 (LXX 4:2); the “angel” in the flesh: 2 Cor 12:7.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR: breathing lost; OCR: breathings lost; OCR: stray letter): προβάλλεται. Τ Διὰ → προβάλλεται. Διὰ; όλιγωρήσαντας → ὀλιγωρήσαντας; Εἱ μὲν άμαρτωλὸς → Εἰ μὲν ἁμαρτωλὸς.
Topics: Eschatology
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 115.7 (PG 65:423; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/115-7). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/115-7
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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.
115.8PG 65:423
Εἶπε πάλιν· Ἐὰν ἀσθένεια ὀχλῇ ἡμῖν, μὴ λυπηθῶμεν, ὡς διὰ τὴν ἀσθένειαν καὶ τὴν πληγὴν τοῦ σώματος μὴ δυνάμενοι ψάλλειν μετὰ φωνῆς· ταῦτα γὰρ πάντα ἡμῖν ἡνύετο, πρὸς καθαίρεσιν ἐπιθυμιῶν. Καὶ γὰρ ἡ νηστεία καὶ ἡ χαμευνία διὰ τὰς ἡδονὰς ἡμῖν νενομοθέτηται. Εἰ οὖν ἡ νόσος ταύτας ἤμβλυνε, περιττὸς ὁ λόγος. Αὕτη γάρ ἐστιν ἡ μεγάλη ἄσκησις, τὸ ἐν τοῖς νόσοις ἐγκαρτερεῖν, καὶ εὐχαριστηρίους ὕμνους ἀναπέμπειν τῷ Θεῷ.
Eipe palin; Ean astheneia ochlę̄ hēmin, mē lypēthōmen, hōs dia tēn astheneian kai tēn plēgēn tou sōmatos mē dynamenoi psallein meta phōnēs; tauta gar panta hēmin hēnyeto, pros kathairesin epithymiōn. Kai gar hē nēsteia kai hē chameunia dia tas hēdonas hēmin nenomothetētai. Ei oun hē nosos tautas ēmblyne, perittos ho logos. Hautē gar estin hē megalē askēsis, to en tois nosois enkarterein, kai eucharistērious hymnous anapempein tǭ Theǭ.
She also said, “If illness troubles us, let us not be grieved, as though because of the illness and the wounding of the body we could not sing psalms aloud; for all these things were accomplished for us for the destruction of desires. For fasting and sleeping on the ground were prescribed for us because of the pleasures. So if illness has blunted them, the reason is superfluous. For this is the great asceticism: to persevere in illnesses and send up hymns of thanksgiving to God.”
Notes and citation
Summary: Illness does the work of fasting; enduring it with thanksgiving is the great asceticism.
Topics: Fasting
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 115.8 (PG 65:423; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/115-8). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/115-8
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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.
115.9PG 65:423–425
Εἶπε πάλιν Νηστεύων μὴ προφασίση νόσον· καὶ γὰρ οἱ μὴ νηστεύοντες τοῖς αὐτοῖς πολλάκις περιέπεσον νοσήμασιν. Ἤρξω τοῦ καλοῦ; μὴ ἀναχαιτίσῃς τοῦ ἐχθροῦ σε ἐκκόψαντος· αὐτὸς γὰρ τῇ ὑπομονῇ σου καταργεῖται. Καὶ γὰρ οἱ πλεῖν ἀρχόμενοι πρῶτον μὲν δεξιοῦ πνεύματος τυγχάνουσιν· ἁπλώσαντες δὲ τὰ ἱστία, αὖθις ἐναντίῳ ἀπαντῶσιν ἀνέμῳ, ἀλλ᾽ οἱ ναῦται διὰ τὸ παρεμπεσὸν πνεῦμα οὐκ ἀποσκευάζουσι τὴν ναῦν· μικρὸν δὲ ἡσυχάσαντες ἢ καὶ ἀπομαχησάμενοι τῇ ζάλῃ, πάλιν τὸν πλοῦν ποιοῦνται. Οὕτω καὶ ἡμεῖς, ἐναντίου πνεύματος προσπεσόντος, τὸν σταυρὸν ἀντὶ ἱστίου τανύσαντες, ἀδεῶς τὸν πλοῦν ἐκτελέσωμεν.
Eipe palin Nēsteuōn mē prophasisē noson; kai gar hoi mē nēsteuontes tois autois pollakis periepeson nosēmasin. Ērxō tou kalou? mē anachaitisę̄s tou echthrou se ekkopsantos; autos gar tę̄ hypomonę̄ sou katargeitai. Kai gar hoi plein archomenoi prōton men dexiou pneumatos tynchanousin; haplōsantes de ta histia, authis enantiǭ apantōsin anemǭ, all᾽ hoi nautai dia to parempeson pneuma ouk aposkeuazousi tēn naun; mikron de hēsychasantes ē kai apomachēsamenoi tę̄ zalę̄, palin ton ploun poiountai. Houtō kai hēmeis, enantiou pneumatos prospesontos, ton stauron anti histiou tanysantes, adeōs ton ploun ektelesōmen.
She also said, “When you fast, do not make illness an excuse; for those who do not fast often fall into the same illnesses. Have you begun the good? Do not turn back when the enemy cuts you off; for he is brought to nothing by your endurance. For those who begin to sail first have a favorable wind; then, having spread the sails, they meet a contrary wind; but the sailors do not unload the ship because of the wind that has struck, but after waiting a little or fighting the storm, they sail on again. So we too, when a contrary wind strikes, spreading the cross for a sail, let us complete the voyage fearlessly.”
Notes and citation
Summary: Persevere through opposition like sailors who hold course, spreading the cross for a sail.
Topics: Fasting
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 115.9 (PG 65:423–425; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/115-9). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/115-9
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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.
115.10PG 65:425
Εἶπε πάλιν· Οἱ μὲν τὸν αἰσθητὸν πλοῦτον ἐκ κόπων καὶ κινδύνων θαλάσσης συνάγοντες, πολλὰ κερδήσαντες, τῶν πλειόνων ἐφίενται· καὶ τὰ μὲν παρόντα ὡς οὐδὲν ἡγοῦνται· πρὸς δὲ τὰ μὴ παρόντα ἐπεκτείνονται. Ἡμεῖς δὲ καὶ τῶν ζητουμένων μηδὲν ἔχοντες, οὐδὲν θέλομεν κτήσασθαι διὰ τὸν φόβον τοῦ Θεοῦ.
Eipe palin; Hoi men ton aisthēton plouton ek kopōn kai kindynōn thalassēs synagontes, polla kerdēsantes, tōn pleionōn ephientai; kai ta men paronta hōs ouden hēgountai; pros de ta mē paronta epekteinontai. Hēmeis de kai tōn zētoumenōn mēden echontes, ouden thelomen ktēsasthai dia ton phobon tou Theou.
She also said, “Those who gather visible wealth through labors and the dangers of the sea, having gained much, desire more; and they count what they have as nothing and strain toward what they do not have. But we, who have nothing of what we seek, want to acquire nothing, because of the fear of God.”
Notes and citation
Summary: Merchants always want more; monks, owning nothing, want nothing for fear of God.
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 115.10 (PG 65:425; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/115-10). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/115-10
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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.
115.11PG 65:425
Εἶπε πάλιν· Μίμησαι τὸν Τελώνην ἵνα μὴ τῷ Φαρισαίῳ συγκατακριθῇς· καὶ Μωσέως τὸ πρᾶον ἐπίλεξαι, ἵνα τὴν καρδίαν σου ἀκρότομον οὖσαν εἰς πηγὰς ὑδάτων μεταβάλης.
Eipe palin; Mimēsai ton Telōnēn hina mē tǭ Pharisaiǭ synkatakrithę̄s; kai Mōseōs to praon epilexai, hina tēn kardian sou akrotomon ousan eis pēgas hydatōn metabalēs.
She also said, “Imitate the tax collector, so that you may not be condemned with the Pharisee; and choose the meekness of Moses, so that you may change your heart, which is a rock, into springs of water.”
Luke 18:13 (allusion, high confidence) · Num 12:3 (allusion, medium confidence) · Ps 114:8 (113:8 LXX) (allusion, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Imitate the humble tax collector and meek Moses so that the rock of the heart becomes a spring.
- Luke 18:10–14; Num 12:3; Ps 114:8 (LXX 113:8).
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR: wrong breathing): ἀκρότομον οὗσαν → ἀκρότομον οὖσαν.
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 115.11 (PG 65:425; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/115-11). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/115-11
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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.
115.12PG 65:425
Εἶπε πάλιν· Ἐπικίνδυνον, τὸν μὴ διὰ τοῦ πρακτικοῦ βίου ἀναχθέντα διδάσκειν. "Ωσπερ γὰρ ἐὰν ᾗ τις οἰκίαν ἔχων σαθρὰν, ξένους ὑποδεξάμενος, βλάψει τῇ πτώσει τοῦ οἰκήματος, οὕτως καὶ οὗτοι, μὴ πρότερον ἑαυτοὺς οἰκοδομήσαντες, καὶ τοὺς προσελθόντας αὐτοῖς ἀπώλεσαν· τοῖς μὲν γὰρ λόγοις συνεκάλεσαντο εἰς σωτηρίαν, τῇ δὲ τοῦ τρόπου κακίᾳ τοὺς ἀθλητὰς μᾶλλον ἠδίκησαν.
Eipe palin; Epikindynon, ton mē dia tou praktikou biou anachthenta didaskein. "Ōsper gar ean hę̄ tis oikian echōn sathran, xenous hypodexamenos, blapsei tę̄ ptōsei tou oikēmatos, houtōs kai houtoi, mē proteron heautous oikodomēsantes, kai tous proselthontas autois apōlesan; tois men gar logois synekalesanto eis sōtērian, tę̄ de tou tropou kakią tous athlētas mallon ēdikēsan.
She also said, “It is dangerous for one not formed by the practical life to teach. For as someone who has a rotten house, if he receives guests, harms them by the collapse of the building, so too these, not having first built themselves up, have destroyed those who came to them; for by their words they called them to salvation, but by the wickedness of their way of life they rather wronged the contestants.”
Notes and citation
Summary: Teaching without first living the practical life ruins one’s hearers like a collapsing house.
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 115.12 (PG 65:425; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/115-12). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/115-12
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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.
115.13PG 65:425
Εἶπε πάλιν Καλὸν τὸ μὴ ὀργίζεσθαι· εἰ δὲ καὶ γένηται, οὐδὲ μέτρον σοι ἡμέρας πρὸς τὸ πάθος συνεχώρησεν, εἰπών· Μὴ ἐπιδυέτω ὁ ἥλιος. Σὺ οὖν ἐκδέχῃ ἕως πᾶς ὁ χρόνος σου δύῃ. Τί μισεῖς τὸν λυπήσαντα ἄνθρωπον; οὐκ αὐτός ἐστιν ὁ ἀδικήσας, ἀλλ᾿ ὁ διάβολος. Μίσησον τὴν νόσον, καὶ μὴ τὸν νοσοῦντα.
Eipe palin Kalon to mē orgizesthai; ei de kai genētai, oude metron soi hēmeras pros to pathos synechōrēsen, eipōn; Mē epidyetō ho hēlios. Sy oun ekdechę̄ heōs pas ho chronos sou dyę̄. Ti miseis ton lypēsanta anthrōpon? ouk autos estin ho adikēsas, all᾿ ho diabolos. Misēson tēn noson, kai mē ton nosounta.
She also said, “It is good not to get angry; but if it happens, he has not allowed you even the span of a day for the passion, saying, ‘Let not the sun go down.’ Do you wait until your whole time goes down? Why do you hate the man who grieved you? It is not he who wronged you, but the devil. Hate the sickness, and not the sick man.”
Eph 4:26 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Do not let anger outlast the day; hate the devil’s sickness, not the person.
- Quotation of Eph 4:26.
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 115.13 (PG 65:425; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/115-13). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/115-13
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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.
115.14PG 65:425
Εἶπε πάλιν Ὅσον προκόπτουσιν οἱ ἀθληταὶ, τοσοῦτον συνάπτουσι ἀνταγωνιστῇ μείζονι.
Eipe palin Hoson prokoptousin hoi athlētai, tosouton synaptousi antagōnistę̄ meizoni.
She also said, “The more athletes advance, the greater the opponent they engage.”
Notes and citation
Summary: The more one advances, the stronger the opponent.
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 115.14 (PG 65:425; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/115-14). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/115-14
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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.
115.15PG 65:425
Εἶπε πάλιν· Ἔστι καὶ ἐκ τοῦ ἐχθροῦ ἐπιτεταμένη ἄσκησις· καὶ γὰρ οἱ αὐτοῦ μαθηταὶ τοῦτο ποιοῦσι. Πῶς οὖν διακρίνωμεν τὴν θείαν καὶ βασιλικὴν ἄσκησιν, τῆς τυραννικῆς καὶ δαιμονιώδους; δῆλον ὡς ἀπὸ τῆς συμμετρίας "Απας σοι ὁ χρόνος εἷς κανὼν νηστείας ὑπαρχέτω. Μὴ τέσσαρας ἢ πέντε νηστεύσῃς, καὶ τὴν ἄλλην ἐν πλήθει τροφῶν καταλύσῃς· πανταχοῦ γὰρ ἡ ἀμετρία φθοροποιός τυγχάνει. Νέος ὢν καὶ ὑγιὴς νήστευσον· ἤξει γὰρ τὸ γῆρας μετὰ ἀσθενείας. Ὡς δύνῃ οὖν θησαύρισον τροφὰς, ἵνα ὅταν μὴ δύνῃ εὕρῃς ἀνάπαυσιν.
Eipe palin; Esti kai ek tou echthrou epitetamenē askēsis; kai gar hoi autou mathētai touto poiousi. Pōs oun diakrinōmen tēn theian kai basilikēn askēsin, tēs tyrannikēs kai daimoniōdous? dēlon hōs apo tēs symmetrias "Apas soi ho chronos heis kanōn nēsteias hyparchetō. Mē tessaras ē pente nēsteusę̄s, kai tēn allēn en plēthei trophōn katalysę̄s; pantachou gar hē ametria phthoropoios tynchanei. Neos ōn kai hygiēs nēsteuson; ēxei gar to gēras meta astheneias. Hōs dynę̄ oun thēsaurison trophas, hina hotan mē dynę̄ heurę̄s anapausin.
She also said, “There is also an intensified asceticism from the enemy; for his disciples do this too. How then shall we distinguish the divine and royal asceticism from the tyrannical and demonic? Clearly by its balance. Let all your time be one rule of fasting. Do not fast four or five days and break it on the next with a quantity of food; for everywhere lack of measure is destructive. While you are young and healthy, fast; for old age will come with weakness. So, as far as you can, store up food, so that when you cannot, you may find rest.”
Notes and citation
Summary: Syncletica distinguishes true from demonic asceticism by its balance and steadiness.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR: word split): τυγχά νει → τυγχάνει.
Topics: Fasting
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 115.15 (PG 65:425; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/115-15). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/115-15
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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.
115.16PG 65:425–427
Εἶπε πάλιν Ἐν κοινοβίῳ ὄντες, τὴν ὑπακοὴν τῆς ἀσκήσεως μᾶλλον προκρίνωμεν ἡ μὲν γὰρ ὑπεροψίαν διδάσκει, ἡ δὲ ταπεινοφροσύνην.
Eipe palin En koinobiǭ ontes, tēn hypakoēn tēs askēseōs mallon prokrinōmen hē men gar hyperopsian didaskei, hē de tapeinophrosynēn.
She also said, “Being in a community, let us prefer obedience to asceticism; for the one teaches arrogance, the other humility.”
Notes and citation
Summary: In community, obedience is better than asceticism.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR: stray letters): ταπεινοφροσύνην το. → ταπεινοφροσύνην..
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 115.16 (PG 65:425–427; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/115-16). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/115-16
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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.
115.17PG 65:427
Εἶπε πάλιν· Δεῖ ἡμᾶς τῇ διακρίσει κυβερνᾶν τὴν ψυχήν· καὶ ἐν κοινοβίῳ ὄντας, μὴ τὰ ἑαυτῶν ζητεῖν, μήτε μὴν οἰκείᾳ δουλεύειν γνώμῃ, ἀλλὰ τῷ κατὰ πίστιν πατρὶ πειθαρχεῖν.
Eipe palin; Dei hēmas tę̄ diakrisei kybernan tēn psychēn; kai en koinobiǭ ontas, mē ta heautōn zētein, mēte mēn oikeią douleuein gnōmę̄, alla tǭ kata pistin patri peitharchein.
She also said, “We must steer the soul with discernment; and being in a community, not seek our own things, nor serve our own opinion, but obey our father in the faith.”
1 Cor 13:5 (echo, low confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: In community, steer by discernment and obey one’s spiritual father.
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 115.17 (PG 65:427; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/115-17). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/115-17
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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.
115.18PG 65:427
Εἶπε πάλιν Γέγραπται, ὅτι Γίνεσθε φρόνιμοι ὡς οἱ ὄφεις καὶ ἀκέραιοι ὡς αἱ περιστεραί. Τὸ μὲν γὰρ γίνεσθαι ὡς οἱ ὄφεις εἴρηται, πρὸς τὸ μὴ λανθάνειν ἡμᾶς τὰς ὁρμὰς καὶ τὰς μεθοδείας τοῦ διαβόλου τὸ γὰρ ὅμοιον ἐκ τοῦ ὁμοίου ταχίστην ἔχει τὴν διάγνωσιν· τὸ δὲ ἀκέραιον τῆς περιστερᾶς δείκνυσι τὸ καθαρὸν τῆς πράξεως.
Eipe palin Gegraptai, hoti Ginesthe phronimoi hōs hoi opheis kai akeraioi hōs hai peristerai. To men gar ginesthai hōs hoi opheis eirētai, pros to mē lanthanein hēmas tas hormas kai tas methodeias tou diabolou to gar homoion ek tou homoiou tachistēn echei tēn diagnōsin; to de akeraion tēs peristeras deiknysi to katharon tēs praxeōs.
She also said, “It is written, ‘Be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.’ To be like serpents is said so that the attacks and wiles of the devil may not escape us; for like is most quickly recognized by like; and the innocence of the dove shows the purity of action.”
Matt 10:16 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Syncletica explains the serpent’s wisdom and dove’s innocence.
- Quotation of Matt 10:16.
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 115.18 (PG 65:427; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/115-18). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/115-18
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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.
Chapter 116
116.1PG 65:427
Ἔλεγον περὶ τοῦ ἀββᾶ Τιθόη, ὅτι εἰ μὴ ταχέως κατέφερε τὰς χεῖρας αὐτοῦ ὅτε ἴστατο εἰς προσευχὴν, ἡρπάζετο ὁ νοῦς αὐτοῦ ἄνω. Εἰ οὖν συνέβη ἀδελφοὺς συνεύχεσθαι αὐτῷ, ἐσπούδαζε ταχέως καταφέρειν τὰς χεῖρας, ἵνα μὴ ἁρπαγῇ ὁ νοῦς αὐτοῦ καὶ χρονίσῃ.
Elegon peri tou abba Tithoē, hoti ei mē tacheōs katephere tas cheiras autou hote istato eis proseuchēn, hērpazeto ho nous autou anō. Ei oun synebē adelphous syneuchesthai autǭ, espoudaze tacheōs katapherein tas cheiras, hina mē harpagę̄ ho nous autou kai chronisę̄.
They said of abba Tithoes that unless he quickly lowered his hands when he stood to pray, his mind was carried away upward. So if it happened that brothers prayed with him, he hastened to lower his hands quickly, so that his mind might not be carried away and linger.
Notes and citation
Summary: Tithoes lowered his hands quickly in prayer lest he be rapt in ecstasy before others.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR: stray accent; OCR: word split): προσεύχὴν → προσευχὴν; και ταφέρειν → καταφέρειν.
Topics: Prayer
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 116.1 (PG 65:427; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/116-1). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/116-1
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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.
116.2PG 65:427
Εἶπεν ὁ ἀββᾶς Τιθόης, ὅτι ξενητεία δε ἐστὶ τὸ κρατῆσαι ἄνθρωπον τὸ ἑαυτοῦ στόμα.
Eipen ho abbas Tithoēs, hoti xenēteia de esti to kratēsai anthrōpon to heautou stoma.
Abba Tithoes said that exile is for a man to control his own mouth.
Notes and citation
Summary: True exile is controlling one’s mouth.
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 116.2 (PG 65:427; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/116-2). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/116-2
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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.
116.3PG 65:427
Ἀδελφὸς ἡρώτησε τὸν ἀββᾶν Τιθόην ὅτι Πῶς φυλάξω τὴν καρδίαν μου; Λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ γέρων· Πῶς φυλάξομεν τὴν καρδίαν ἡμῶν, ἀνεωγμένης τῆς γλώσσης ἡμῶν καὶ τῆς κοιλίας;
Adelphos hērōtēse ton abban Tithoēn hoti Pōs phylaxō tēn kardian mou? Legei autǭ ho gerōn; Pōs phylaxomen tēn kardian hēmōn, aneōgmenēs tēs glōssēs hēmōn kai tēs koilias?
A brother asked abba Tithoes, “How shall I guard my heart?” The old man says to him, “How shall we guard our heart, when our tongue and our belly are open?”
Notes and citation
Summary: The heart cannot be guarded while tongue and belly are unguarded.
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 116.3 (PG 65:427; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/116-3). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/116-3
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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.
116.4PG 65:427
Ἔλεγεν ὁ ἀββᾶς Ματόης περὶ τοῦ ἀββᾶ Τιθόη, ὅτι Οὐχ εὑρίσκει ἄνθρωπος ἀνοῖξαι τὸ στόμα αὐτοῦ ἔν τινι πράγματι εἰς αὐτόν· ἀλλ' ὥσπερ τὸ καθαρὸν χρυσίον ἵσταται ἐν ζυγῷ, οὕτως καὶ ὁ ἀββᾶς Τιθόης.
Elegen ho abbas Matoēs peri tou abba Tithoē, hoti Ouch heuriskei anthrōpos anoixai to stoma autou en tini pragmati eis auton; all' hōsper to katharon chrysion histatai en zygǭ, houtōs kai ho abbas Tithoēs.
Abba Matoes said of abba Tithoes, “No one finds occasion to open his mouth against him in any matter; but as pure gold stands in the balance, so does abba Tithoes.”
Notes and citation
Summary: Tithoes was blameless, like pure gold in the scales.
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 116.4 (PG 65:427; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/116-4). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/116-4
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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.
116.5PG 65:427
Καθήμενός ποτε ὁ ἀββᾶς Τιθόης εἰς τὸ Κλύσμα, νοῶν καὶ φρονῶν λέγει τῷ μαθητῇ αὐτοῦ· Ἀπόλυσον τὸ ὕδωρ εἰς τοὺς φοίνικας, τέκνον. Ὁ̔ δὲ εἶπεν· Εἰς τὸ Κλύσμα ἐσμὲν, ἀββᾶ. Λέγει ὁ γέρων Εἰς τὸ Κλύσμα τί ποιῶ; ἆρόν με πάλιν εἰς τὸ ὄρος.
Kathēmenos pote ho abbas Tithoēs eis to Klysma, noōn kai phronōn legei tǭ mathētę̄ autou; Apolyson to hydōr eis tous phoinikas, teknon. Ho de eipen; Eis to Klysma esmen, abba. Legei ho gerōn Eis to Klysma ti poiō? aron me palin eis to oros.
Once when abba Tithoes was living at Clysma, though fully aware and in his right mind, he says to his disciple, “Let out the water for the palm trees, child.” He said, “We are at Clysma, abba.” The old man says, “What am I doing at Clysma? Take me back to the mountain.”
Notes and citation
Summary: Tithoes, his mind still on his desert home, asks to be taken back to the mountain.
- νοῶν καὶ φρονῶν (“aware and in his right mind”) stresses that his forgetting was not senility.
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 116.5 (PG 65:427; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/116-5). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/116-5
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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.
116.6PG 65:427
Καθημένου ποτὲ τοῦ ἀββᾶ Τιθόη, ἦν ἀδελφὸς ἐγγὺς αὐτοῦ· καὶ μὴ εἰδὼς ἐστέναξε· καὶ οὐκ ἐνόησεν ὅτι ἦν ἀδελφὸς ἐγγὺς αὐτοῦ· ἦν γὰρ ἐν ἐκστάσει. Καὶ ποιήσας μετάνοιαν, ἔλεγε Συγχώρησόν μοι, ἀδελφὲ, ὅτι οὔπω γέγονα μοναχὸς, ὅτι ἐστέναξα ἔμπροσθέν σου.
Kathēmenou pote tou abba Tithoē, ēn adelphos engys autou; kai mē eidōs estenaxe; kai ouk enoēsen hoti ēn adelphos engys autou; ēn gar en ekstasei. Kai poiēsas metanoian, elege Synchōrēson moi, adelphe, hoti oupō gegona monachos, hoti estenaxa emprosthen sou.
Once when abba Tithoes was sitting, a brother was near him; and not knowing it, he groaned; and he did not realize that a brother was near him, for he was in ecstasy. And making a prostration, he said, “Forgive me, brother, for I have not yet become a monk, since I groaned in front of you.”
Notes and citation
Summary: Tithoes apologizes for groaning in ecstasy before a brother.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR: stray letter; stray Latin letters inside a split word): μοι, ῃ ἀδελφὲ → μοι, ἀδελφὲ; ἔμιngεmυε-προσθέν σου → ἔμπροσθέν σου.
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 116.6 (PG 65:427; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/116-6). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/116-6
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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.
116.7PG 65:427–429
Ἀδελφὸς ἠρώτησε τὸν ἀββᾶν Τιθόην λέγων· Ποία ἐστὶν ἡ ὁδὸς ἡ ἀπάγουσα εἰς τὴν ταπείνωσιν Λέγει ὁ γέρων· Ἡ ὁδὸς τῆς ταπεινώσεως αὕτη ἐστὶν, ἐγκράτεια, καὶ εὐχὴ, καὶ τὸ ἔχειν ἑαυτὸν ὑποκάτω πάσης τῆς κτήσεως.
Adelphos ērōtēse ton abban Tithoēn legōn; Poia estin hē hodos hē apagousa eis tēn tapeinōsin Legei ho gerōn; Hē hodos tēs tapeinōseōs hautē estin, enkrateia, kai euchē, kai to echein heauton hypokatō pasēs tēs ktēseōs.
A brother asked abba Tithoes, saying, “What is the road that leads to humility?” The old man says, “The road of humility is this: self-control, prayer, and holding oneself beneath all creation.”
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
Notes and citation
Summary: Tithoes names self-control, prayer, and self-abasement as the road to humility.
- A variant form of saying 3 (on guarding the heart, ascribed in a variant to Sisoes), printed here in the scan, is removed.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (variant note (“Al.”) and a variant form of another saying from Migne’s notes): ΑΙ. Σισώην. τὸν ἀββᾶν Σισώην, λέγων· Θέλω τὴν καρδίαν μου τηρῆσαι, καὶ οὐ δύναμαι. Λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ γέρων Πῶς τὴν καρδίαν τηρήσαιμεν, τῆς γλώττης ἡμῶν τῆς θύρας ροντα, λέγων· Θέλω τὴν ψυχήν μου τηρῆσαι. Καὶ λέγει ὁ γέρων· Πῶς τὴν ψυχὴν τηρήσωμεν, τῆς γλώσσης ἡμῶν τὴν θύραν ἀνεωγμένην ἐχούσης → .
Topics: Prayer
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 116.7 (PG 65:427–429; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/116-7). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/116-7
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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.
Chapter 117
117.1PG 65:429
Ἠρώτησεν ὁ ἀββᾶς Τιμόθεος ὁ πρεσβύτερος τὸν ἀββᾶν Ποιμένα, λέγων· Ἔστι γυνή τις ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ, ἥτις πορνεύει, καὶ τὸν μισθὸν αὐτῆς διδεῖ ἐλεημοσύνην. Καὶ εἶπεν ὁ ἀββᾶς Ποιμήν· Οὐ μενεῖ ἐν τῇ πορνείᾳ· φαίνεται γὰρ ἐν αὐτῇ καρπὸς πίστεως. Ἐγένετο δὲ ἐλθεῖν τὴν μητέρα τοῦ πρεσβυτέρου Τιμοθέου πρὸς αὐτόν. Καὶ ἠρώτησεν αὐτὴν, λέγων· Ἐκείνη ἡ γυνὴ ἔμεινε πορνεύουσα; Ἡ δὲ λέγει· Ναί· καὶ προσέθηκε τοὺς ἐραστὰς αὐτῆς· πλὴν καὶ εἰς τὴν ἐλεημοσύνην. Καὶ ἀνήγγειλεν ὁ ἀββᾶς Τιμόθεος τῷ ἀββᾷ Ποιμένι. Ὁ δὲ εἶπεν Οὐ μενεῖ ἐν τῇ πορνείᾳ. Ἐλθοῦσα δὲ πάλιν ἡ μήτηρ τοῦ ἀββᾶ Τιμοθέου, εἶπεν αὐτῷ· Οἶδας ὅτι ἡ πόρνη ἐκείνη ἐζήτει ἐλθεῖν μετ᾿ ἐμοῦ, ἵνα εὔξῃ ὑπὲρ αὐτῆς Ὁ δὲ ἀκούσας ἀνήγγειλε τῷ ἀββᾷ Ποιμένι. Λέγει αὐτῷ· Μᾶλλον σὺ ἄπελθε, καὶ σύντυχε αὐτῇ. Καὶ ἀπῆλθεν ὁ ἀββᾶς Τιμόθεος, καὶ συνέτυχεν αὐτῇ. Ἡ δὲ ἰδοῦσα αὐτὸν, καὶ ἀκούσασα παρ᾿ αὐτοῦ τὸν λόγον τοῦ Θεοῦ, κατενύγη, καὶ ἔκλαυσε, καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ· Ἐγὼ ἀπὸ τῆς σήμερον προσκολλῶμαι τῷ Θεῷ, καὶ οὐ προσθήσω ἔτι τοῦ πορνεύειν. Καὶ εὐθέως εἰσελθοῦσα εἰς μοναστήριον εὐηρέστησε τῷ Θεῷ.
Ērōtēsen ho abbas Timotheos ho presbyteros ton abban Poimena, legōn; Esti gynē tis en Aigyptǭ, hētis porneuei, kai ton misthon autēs didei eleēmosynēn. Kai eipen ho abbas Poimēn; Ou menei en tę̄ porneią; phainetai gar en autę̄ karpos pisteōs. Egeneto de elthein tēn mētera tou presbyterou Timotheou pros auton. Kai ērōtēsen autēn, legōn; Ekeinē hē gynē emeine porneuousa? Hē de legei; Nai; kai prosethēke tous erastas autēs; plēn kai eis tēn eleēmosynēn. Kai anēngeilen ho abbas Timotheos tǭ abbą Poimeni. Ho de eipen Ou menei en tę̄ porneią. Elthousa de palin hē mētēr tou abba Timotheou, eipen autǭ; Oidas hoti hē pornē ekeinē ezētei elthein met᾿ emou, hina euxę̄ hyper autēs Ho de akousas anēngeile tǭ abbą Poimeni. Legei autǭ; Mallon sy apelthe, kai syntyche autę̄. Kai apēlthen ho abbas Timotheos, kai synetychen autę̄. Hē de idousa auton, kai akousasa par᾿ autou ton logon tou Theou, katenygē, kai eklause, kai eipen autǭ; Egō apo tēs sēmeron proskollōmai tǭ Theǭ, kai ou prosthēsō eti tou porneuein. Kai eutheōs eiselthousa eis monastērion euērestēse tǭ Theǭ.
Abba Timothy the presbyter asked abba Poemen, saying, “There is a woman in Egypt who practices prostitution and gives her wages as alms.” And abba Poemen said, “She will not remain in prostitution; for a fruit of faith appears in her.” It happened that the mother of the presbyter Timothy came to him. And he asked her, saying, “Has that woman remained a prostitute?” She says, “Yes; and she has increased her lovers; but also her almsgiving.” And abba Timothy told abba Poemen. He said, “She will not remain in prostitution.” When abba Timothy’s mother came again, she said to him, “Do you know that that prostitute wanted to come with me so that you might pray for her?” Hearing this, he told abba Poemen. He says to him, “Rather go yourself and meet her.” And abba Timothy went and met her. Seeing him and hearing from him the word of God, she was pierced to the heart and wept, and said to him, “From today I cling to God, and I will no longer practice prostitution.” And at once she entered a monastery and pleased God.
Notes and citation
Summary: Poemen foresees that a prostitute who gives alms will repent, and she does when Timothy speaks to her.
- The story is told as written.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR: iota subscript lost): Αἰγύπτω → Αἰγύπτῳ.
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 117.1 (PG 65:429; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/117-1). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/117-1
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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.
Chapter 118
118.1PG 65:429
Εἶπεν ὁ ἀββᾶς Ὑπερέχιος Ωσπερ ὁ λέων φοβερός ἐστι τοῖς ὀνάγροις, οὕτως ὁ δόκιμος μοναχὸς λογισμοῖς ἐπιθυμίας
Eipen ho abbas Hyperechios Ōsper ho leōn phoberos esti tois onagrois, houtōs ho dokimos monachos logismois epithymias
Abba Hyperechius said, “As the lion is fearsome to the wild asses, so is the proven monk to thoughts of desire.”
Notes and citation
Summary: A proven monk terrifies lustful thoughts as a lion terrifies wild asses.
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 118.1 (PG 65:429; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/118-1). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/118-1
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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.
118.2PG 65:429
Εἶπε πάλιν· Ἡ νηστεία χαλινός ἐστι τῷ μοναχῷ μετὰ τῆς ἁμαρτίας. Ὁ ῥίπτων αὐτὴν, ἵππος θηλυμανὴς εὑρίσκεται.
Eipe palin; Hē nēsteia chalinos esti tǭ monachǭ meta tēs hamartias. Ho rhiptōn autēn, hippos thēlymanēs heurisketai.
He also said, “Fasting is the monk’s bridle against sin. One who throws it off becomes like a lustful horse.”
Jer 5:8 (echo, low confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Fasting bridles the monk; without it he is like a lustful horse.
- Cf. Jer 5:8.
Topics: Fasting
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 118.2 (PG 65:429; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/118-2). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/118-2
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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.
118.3PG 65:429
Εἶπε πάλιν· Ὁ μὴ κρατῶν γλώσσης αὐτοῦ ἐν καιρῷ ὀργῆς, οὐδὲ παθῶν κρατήσει ὁ τοιοῦτος.
Eipe palin; Ho mē kratōn glōssēs autou en kairǭ orgēs, oude pathōn kratēsei ho toioutos.
He also said, “One who does not control his tongue in a time of anger will not control the passions either.”
Notes and citation
Summary: One who cannot curb his tongue in anger cannot master the passions.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR: letter slip): ἐν ταιρῷ ὀργῆς → ἐν καιρῷ ὀργῆς.
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 118.3 (PG 65:429; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/118-3). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/118-3
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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.
118.4PG 65:429
Εἶπε πάλιν· Καλὸν φαγεῖν κρέα καὶ πιεῖν οἶνον, καὶ μὴ φαγεῖν ἐν καταλαλιαῖς σάρκας ἀδελφῶν.
Eipe palin; Kalon phagein krea kai piein oinon, kai mē phagein en katalaliais sarkas adelphōn.
He also said, “It is better to eat meat and drink wine than to eat the flesh of one’s brothers in slander.”
Gal 5:15 (echo, low confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Better to eat meat than to devour brothers by slander.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR: letter slip): πιεῖν εἶνον → πιεῖν οἶνον.
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 118.4 (PG 65:429; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/118-4). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/118-4
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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.
118.5PG 65:429
Εἶπε πάλιν· Ψιθυρίσας ὁ ὄφις τὴν Εὔαν τοῦ παραδείσου ἐξέβαλε. Τούτου οὖν ὅμοιος ἔσται καὶ ὁ καταλαλῶν τοῦ πλησίον· τὴν γὰρ ψυχὴν τοῦ ἀκούοντος ἀπολλύει, καὶ τὴν ἑαυτοῦ οὐ διασώζει.
Eipe palin; Psithyrisas ho ophis tēn Euan tou paradeisou exebale. Toutou oun homoios estai kai ho katalalōn tou plēsion; tēn gar psychēn tou akouontos apollyei, kai tēn heautou ou diasōzei.
He also said, “By whispering, the serpent drove Eve out of paradise. So the one who slanders his neighbor will be like him; for he destroys the soul of the hearer and does not save his own.”
Gen 3:4 (allusion, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: The slanderer is like the whispering serpent, ruining the hearer and himself.
- Gen 3.
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 118.5 (PG 65:429; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/118-5). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/118-5
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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.
118.6PG 65:429
Εἶπε πάλιν· Θησαυρός ἐστι μοναχοῦ ἡ ἑκούσιος ἀκτημοσύνη. Θησαύρισον, ἀδελφὲ, ἐν οὐρανῷ ἀπέραντοι γὰρ τῆς ἀναπαύσεως οἱ αἰῶνες.
Eipe palin; Thēsauros esti monachou hē hekousios aktēmosynē. Thēsaurison, adelphe, en ouranǭ aperantoi gar tēs anapauseōs hoi aiōnes.
He also said, “The monk’s treasure is voluntary poverty. Lay up treasure, brother, in heaven; for the ages of rest are endless.”
Matt 6:20 (echo, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Voluntary poverty is the monk’s treasure in heaven.
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 118.6 (PG 65:429; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/118-6). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/118-6
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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.
118.7PG 65:429–431
Εἶπε πάλιν· Ἡ ἐνθύμησίς σου διαπαντὸς ἔστω ἐν τῇ βασιλείᾳ τῶν οὐρανῶν· καὶ ἐν τάχει κληρονομήσεις αὐτήν.
Eipe palin; Hē enthymēsis sou diapantos estō en tę̄ basileią tōn ouranōn; kai en tachei klēronomēseis autēn.
He also said, “Let your meditation be always on the kingdom of heaven; and you will soon inherit it.”
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
Notes and citation
Summary: Meditate always on the kingdom of heaven and you will soon inherit it.
- Variant notes are removed.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR: margin letter inside a split word; variant notes (“Al.”) from Migne’s apparatus): ἔστω ΑΙ. ἡδυπαθείας. ἐστιν. ΑΙ. καταλαλιᾷ. ΑΙ. ἐν τῇ βασιλείᾳ → ἔστω ἐν τῇ βασιλείᾳ; κληρονοΦ. μήσεις → κληρονομήσεις.
Topics: Eschatology
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 118.7 (PG 65:429–431; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/118-7). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/118-7
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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.
118.8PG 65:431
Εἶπε πάλιν· Κειμήλιόν ἐστι τοῦ μοναχοῦ ἡ ὑπακοή. Ὁ κεκτημένος αὐτὴν εἰσακουσθήσεται ὑπὸ τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ μετὰ παῤῥησίας τῷ σταυρωθέντι παραστήσεται· ὁ γὰρ σταυρωθεὶς Κύριος ὑπήκοος γέγονε μέχρι θανάτου.
Eipe palin; Keimēlion esti tou monachou hē hypakoē. Ho kektēmenos autēn eisakousthēsetai hypo tou Theou, kai meta parrhēsias tǭ staurōthenti parastēsetai; ho gar staurōtheis Kyrios hypēkoos gegone mechri thanatou.
He also said, “Obedience is the monk’s treasure. One who has acquired it will be heard by God and will stand with confidence before the Crucified; for the crucified Lord became obedient unto death.”
Phil 2:8 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Obedience gives the monk boldness before the crucified Lord, who was obedient unto death.
- Quotation of Phil 2:8.
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 118.8 (PG 65:431; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/118-8). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/118-8
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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.
Chapter 119
119.1PG 65:431–433
Ἔλεγεν ὁ ἀββᾶς Φωκᾶς ὁ τοῦ κοινοβίου τοῦ ἀββᾶ Θεογνίου τοῦ πρώτου Ἱεροσολυμίτου, ὅτι Καθημένου μου ἐν Σκήτει, γέγονέ τις ἀββᾶς Ἰάκωβος νεώτερος ἐν τοῖς Κελλίοις, ἔχων καὶ πατέρα τὸν αὐτὸν σαρκικὸν ἅμα καὶ πνευματικόν. Ἔχει δὲ τὰ Κελλία ἐκκλησίας δύο· μίαν τῶν ὀρθοδόξων, ἔνθα καὶ ἑκοινώνει, καὶ μίαν τῶν ἀποσχιστῶν. Ἐπεὶ οὖν εἶχεν ὁ ἀββᾶς Ἰάκωβος τὴν χάριν τῆς ταπεινοφροσύνης, ἡγαπᾶτο παρὰ πάντων, καὶ τῶν ἐκκλησιαστικῶν, καὶ τῶν ἀποσχιστῶν. Ἔλεγον οὖν αὐτῷ οἱ ὀρθόδοξοι Βλέπε, ἀββᾶ Ἰάκωβε, μὴ ἀπατήσωσί σε οἱ ἀποσχίσται καὶ ἑλκύσωσί σε εἰς τὴν κοινωνίαν αὐτῶν. Ὁμοίως δὲ καὶ οἱ ἀποσχίσται ἔλεγον αὐτῷ· Ἵνα οἶδας, ἀββᾶ Ἰάκωβε, ὅτι μετὰ τῶν Διφυσιτῶν κοινωνῶν, ἀπόλλεις τὴν ψυχήν σου· Νεστοριανοὶ γάρ εἰσι, καὶ συκοφαντοῦσι τὴν ἀλήθειαν. Ὁ δὲ ἀββᾶς Ἰάκωβος ἀκέραιος ὢν, καὶ στενωθεὶς ἐκ τῶν λεγομένων αὐτῷ ἐξ ἀμφοτέρων, καὶ ἀπορηθεὶς, ἦλθεν ἐπὶ τὸ παρακαλέσαι τὸν Θεόν. Καὶ δὴ ἀπέκρυψεν ἑαυτὸν ἐν κελλίῳ ἔξω τῆς λαύρας ἡσυχάζοντι, ἐνδυσάμενος τὰ ἐντάφια αὐτοῦ, ὡς μέλλων ἀποθνήσκειν. Ἔχουσι γὰρ ἔθος οἱ Αἰγύπτιοι Πατέρες, τὸν λεβίτωνα εἰς ὃν λαμβάνουσι τὸ ἅγιον σχῆμα, καὶ τὸ κουκούλιον, φυλάττειν ἕως θανάτου, καὶ ἐν αὐτοῖς ἐνταφιάζεσθαι, κατὰ Κυριακὴν μόνον εἰς τὴν ἁγίαν κοινωνίαν φοροῦντες αὐτὰ, καὶ εὐθέως συστέλλοντες. Ἀπελθὼν οὖν ἐν τῷ κελλίῳ ἐκείνῳ, παρακαλῶν τὸν Θεὸν, καὶ ἐξατονήσας τῇ νηστείᾳ, ἔπεσεν εἰς τὸ ἔδαφος, καὶ ἔμεινε κείμενος. Πολλὰ δὲ ἔλεγε πεπονθέναι ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις ἐκείναις ὑπὸ τῶν δαιμόνων, μάλιστα κατὰ διάνοιαν. Τεσσαράκοντα δὲ ἡμερῶν διελθουσῶν, ὁρᾷ παιδίον εἰσελθὸν πρὸς αὐτὸν περιχαρὲς, καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ· Ἀ̓ββᾶ Ἰάκωβε, τί ποιεῖς ὧδε Παραχρῆμα δὲ φωτισθεὶς, καὶ λαβὼν δύναμιν ἐκ τῆς αὐτοῦ θέας, εἶπεν αὐτῷ· Δέσποτα, σὺ γινώσκεις τί ἔχω. Ἐκεῖνοι λέγουσί μοι, Μὴ ἀφῆς τὴν Ἐκκλησίαν· καὶ οἱ ἄλλοι λέγουσί μοι, Πλανῶσί σε οἱ Διφυσῖται κἀγὼ ἀπορούμενος, καὶ μὴ εἰδὼς τί δράσω, ἦλθον εἰς τὸ πρᾶγμα τοῦτο. Αποκρίνεται αὐτῷ ὁ Κύριος· Ὅπου εἶ, καλῶς εἶ. Καὶ εὐθέως σὺν τῷ λόγῳ, εὑρέθη πρὸ τῶν θυρῶν τῆς ἁγίας Ἐκκλησίας τῶν ὀρθοδόξων τῶν συνοδικῶν
Elegen ho abbas Phōkas ho tou koinobiou tou abba Theogniou tou prōtou Hierosolymitou, hoti Kathēmenou mou en Skētei, gegone tis abbas Iakōbos neōteros en tois Kelliois, echōn kai patera ton auton sarkikon hama kai pneumatikon. Echei de ta Kellia ekklēsias dyo; mian tōn orthodoxōn, entha kai hekoinōnei, kai mian tōn aposchistōn. Epei oun eichen ho abbas Iakōbos tēn charin tēs tapeinophrosynēs, hēgapato para pantōn, kai tōn ekklēsiastikōn, kai tōn aposchistōn. Elegon oun autǭ hoi orthodoxoi Blepe, abba Iakōbe, mē apatēsōsi se hoi aposchistai kai helkysōsi se eis tēn koinōnian autōn. Homoiōs de kai hoi aposchistai elegon autǭ; Hina oidas, abba Iakōbe, hoti meta tōn Diphysitōn koinōnōn, apolleis tēn psychēn sou; Nestorianoi gar eisi, kai sykophantousi tēn alētheian. Ho de abbas Iakōbos akeraios ōn, kai stenōtheis ek tōn legomenōn autǭ ex amphoterōn, kai aporētheis, ēlthen epi to parakalesai ton Theon. Kai dē apekrypsen heauton en kelliǭ exō tēs lauras hēsychazonti, endysamenos ta entaphia autou, hōs mellōn apothnēskein. Echousi gar ethos hoi Aigyptioi Pateres, ton lebitōna eis hon lambanousi to hagion schēma, kai to koukoulion, phylattein heōs thanatou, kai en autois entaphiazesthai, kata Kyriakēn monon eis tēn hagian koinōnian phorountes auta, kai eutheōs systellontes. Apelthōn oun en tǭ kelliǭ ekeinǭ, parakalōn ton Theon, kai exatonēsas tę̄ nēsteią, epesen eis to edaphos, kai emeine keimenos. Polla de elege peponthenai en tais hēmerais ekeinais hypo tōn daimonōn, malista kata dianoian. Tessarakonta de hēmerōn dielthousōn, horą paidion eiselthon pros auton perichares, kai legei autǭ; Abba Iakōbe, ti poieis hōde Parachrēma de phōtistheis, kai labōn dynamin ek tēs autou theas, eipen autǭ; Despota, sy ginōskeis ti echō. Ekeinoi legousi moi, Mē aphēs tēn Ekklēsian; kai hoi alloi legousi moi, Planōsi se hoi Diphysitai kagō aporoumenos, kai mē eidōs ti drasō, ēlthon eis to pragma touto. Apokrinetai autǭ ho Kyrios; Hopou ei, kalōs ei. Kai eutheōs syn tǭ logǭ, heurethē pro tōn thyrōn tēs hagias Ekklēsias tōn orthodoxōn tōn synodikōn
Abba Phocas, of the community of abba Theognius, the first of Jerusalem, said, “When I was living at Scetis, there was a young abba James at the Cells, whose father was both his father according to the flesh and his spiritual father. The Cells have two churches: one of the orthodox, where he communicated, and one of the schismatics. Since abba James had the grace of humility, he was loved by all, both by the church party and by the schismatics. So the orthodox said to him, ‘Watch out, abba James, that the schismatics do not deceive you and draw you into their communion.’ Likewise the schismatics said to him, ‘You should know, abba James, that by communicating with the Diphysites you are destroying your soul; for they are Nestorians and slander the truth.’ Abba James, being guileless, was distressed by what both sides told him, and at a loss he turned to entreat God. And he hid himself in a cell outside the laura, in stillness, having put on his burial garments as one about to die. For the Egyptian Fathers have the custom of keeping until death the tunic in which they receive the holy habit and the hood, and of being buried in them, wearing them only on Sundays for holy communion and putting them away at once. So going into that cell, entreating God, and exhausted by fasting, he fell to the ground and remained lying there. He said that he suffered much in those days from the demons, especially in his mind. When forty days had passed, he sees a child come in to him, full of joy, and it says to him, ‘Abba James, what are you doing here?’ At once enlightened and taking strength from the sight of him, he said to him, ‘Master, you know what is wrong with me. Those say to me, “Do not leave the Church”; and the others say to me, “The Diphysites are deceiving you”; and being at a loss and not knowing what to do, I came to this.’ The Lord answers him, ‘Where you are, you are well.’ And at once, with the word, he found himself before the doors of the holy church of the orthodox who hold to the council.”
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
Notes and citation
Summary: A monk torn between Chalcedonians and their opponents fasts forty days until the Lord tells him he is right where he is, with the orthodox.
- The saying is told from the Chalcedonian (“orthodox who hold to the council”) side; the opponents call the Chalcedonians “Diphysites” and “Nestorians.” Translated as written. Variant notes and a running head are removed.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR: word split; variant notes (“Al.”) and the running head of the scan): ἀποσχί σται → ἀποσχίσται; αὐ τῶν → αὐτῶν; ἀβα βᾶς → ἀββᾶς; ἐνδυ σάμενος → ἐνδυσάμενος; ἀποθνή σκειν → ἀποθνήσκειν; ΑΙ. ἀπολεῖς. ΑΙ. ἱμάτια. ΑΙ. Διφυσίτα. ΑΡΟΡΗΤΗΕGΜΑΤΑ → .
Topics: Christology, Heresy, Eucharist
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 119.1 (PG 65:431–433; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/119-1). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/119-1
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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.
119.2PG 65:433
Εἶπε πάλιν ὁ ἀββᾶς Φωκᾶς, ὅτι Μετελθὼν εἰς Σκῆτιν ὁ ἀββᾶς Ἰάκωβος, ἐπολεμήθη κραταίως ὑπὸ τοῦ δαίμονος τῆς πορνείας καὶ ἐγγὺς ὢν τοῦ κινδυνεῦσαι, ἦλθε πρὸς μὲ, καὶ ἀνέθετο τὰ καθ᾽ ἑαυτὸν, καὶ λέγει μοι· Εἰς τόδε τὸ σπήλαιον ἀπέρχομαι ἀπὸ τῆς δευτέρας· παρακαλῶ δέ σε διὰ τὸν Κύριον, μηδενὶ εἰπεῖν, μηδὲ τῷ πατρί μου· ἀλλὰ μέτρησον τεσσαράκοντα ἡμέρας, καὶ ὅταν πληρωθῶσι, ποίησον ἀγάπην, καὶ δεῦρο πρὸς μὲ βαστάζων τὴν ἁγίαν κοινωνίαν. Καὶ εἰ μὲν εὕρῃς με θανόντα, θάψον με· εἰ δὲ ἔτι ζῶντα, ἵνα μεταλάβω τῆς ἁγίας κοινωνίας. Ταῦτα οὖν ἀκούσας ἐγὼ παρ᾿ αὐτοῦ, πληρωθείσης τῆς τεσσαρακοστῆς, λαβὼν τὴν ἁγίαν κοινωνίαν, καὶ ἄρτον κοινὸν καθαρὸν μετὰ ὀλίγου οἴνου, ἀπῆλθον πρὸς αὐτόν· καὶ ὡς μόνον ἐπλησίασα τῷ σπηλαίῳ, δυσωδίας πολλῆς ὠσφράνθην, ἥτις ἐγένετο ἐκ τοῦ στόματος αὐτοῦ. Καὶ εἶπον ἐν ἑαυτῷ, ὅτι Ἀνεπάη ὁ μακάριος. Εἰσελθὼν δὲ πρὸς αὐτὸν, εὗρον αὐτὸν ἡμιθανῆ. Καὶ ὡς εἶδέ με, κινήσας τὴν δεξιὰν χεῖρα ὀλίγον, ὅσον ἡδύνατο, ἐσήμανε διὰ τοῦ σχήματος τῆς χειρὸς περὶ τῆς ἁγίας κοινωνίας. Ἐγὼ δὲ εἶπον· Ἔχω. Ἠθέλησα οὖν ἀνοῖξαι τὸ στόμα αὐτοῦ, καὶ εὑρέθη σφηνωθέν· καὶ ἀπορῶν τί ποιῆσαι, ἐξῆλθον εἰς τὴν ἔρημον, καὶ εὗρον ξυλάριον ἀπὸ θάμνου· καὶ πολλὰ κοπιάσας, μόλις ἠδυνήθην ἀνοῖξαι τὸ στόμα αὐτοῦ μικρόν. Καὶ ἐνέχεα τοῦ τιμίου σώματος καὶ αἵματος, ὅσον ἐνδέχεται καταλεπτύνας αὐτό. Καὶ ἔλαβε δύναμιν ἐκ τῆς μεταλήψεως τῆς ἁγίας κοινωνίας. Καὶ μετ᾿ ὀλίγον βρέξας ὀλίγα ψιχία ἐκ τοῦ κοινοῦ ἄρτου, προσήνεγκα αὐτῷ· καὶ μετ᾿ ὀλίγον πάλιν ἄλλα, καθ' ὁ ἡδύνατο λαβεῖν. Καὶ οὕτως διὰ τῆς χάριτος τοῦ Θεοῦ μετὰ μίαν ἡμέραν σὺν ἐμοὶ ἦλθεν, ὀδεύων ἐπὶ τὸ ἴδιον κελλίον, ἀπαλλαγεὶς σὺν Θεῷ τοῦ ὀλεθρίου πάθους τῆς πορνείας.
Eipe palin ho abbas Phōkas, hoti Metelthōn eis Skētin ho abbas Iakōbos, epolemēthē krataiōs hypo tou daimonos tēs porneias kai engys ōn tou kindyneusai, ēlthe pros me, kai anetheto ta kath᾽ heauton, kai legei moi; Eis tode to spēlaion aperchomai apo tēs deuteras; parakalō de se dia ton Kyrion, mēdeni eipein, mēde tǭ patri mou; alla metrēson tessarakonta hēmeras, kai hotan plērōthōsi, poiēson agapēn, kai deuro pros me bastazōn tēn hagian koinōnian. Kai ei men heurę̄s me thanonta, thapson me; ei de eti zōnta, hina metalabō tēs hagias koinōnias. Tauta oun akousas egō par᾿ autou, plērōtheisēs tēs tessarakostēs, labōn tēn hagian koinōnian, kai arton koinon katharon meta oligou oinou, apēlthon pros auton; kai hōs monon eplēsiasa tǭ spēlaiǭ, dysōdias pollēs ōsphranthēn, hētis egeneto ek tou stomatos autou. Kai eipon en heautǭ, hoti Anepaē ho makarios. Eiselthōn de pros auton, heuron auton hēmithanē. Kai hōs eide me, kinēsas tēn dexian cheira oligon, hoson hēdynato, esēmane dia tou schēmatos tēs cheiros peri tēs hagias koinōnias. Egō de eipon; Echō. Ēthelēsa oun anoixai to stoma autou, kai heurethē sphēnōthen; kai aporōn ti poiēsai, exēlthon eis tēn erēmon, kai heuron xylarion apo thamnou; kai polla kopiasas, molis ēdynēthēn anoixai to stoma autou mikron. Kai enechea tou timiou sōmatos kai haimatos, hoson endechetai kataleptynas auto. Kai elabe dynamin ek tēs metalēpseōs tēs hagias koinōnias. Kai met᾿ oligon brexas oliga psichia ek tou koinou artou, prosēnenka autǭ; kai met᾿ oligon palin alla, kath' ho hēdynato labein. Kai houtōs dia tēs charitos tou Theou meta mian hēmeran syn emoi ēlthen, odeuōn epi to idion kellion, apallageis syn Theǭ tou olethriou pathous tēs porneias.
Abba Phocas also said, “When abba James moved to Scetis, he was fiercely attacked by the demon of sexual immorality; and being near to danger, he came to me and told me about himself, and says to me, ‘I am going to such-and-such a cave from Monday; and I beg you for the Lord’s sake to tell no one, not even my father; but count forty days, and when they are completed, do me a kindness and come to me bringing holy communion. If you find me dead, bury me; and if still alive, so that I may partake of holy communion.’ Having heard this from him, when the forty days were completed, I took holy communion and ordinary clean bread with a little wine and went to him; and as soon as I approached the cave, I smelled a great stench, which came from his mouth. And I said to myself, ‘The blessed one has gone to rest.’ But going in to him, I found him half dead. And when he saw me, moving his right hand a little, as far as he could, he signaled by the gesture of his hand about holy communion. And I said, ‘I have it.’ So I wanted to open his mouth, and it was found locked; and not knowing what to do, I went out into the desert and found a little stick from a bush; and with great labor I was barely able to open his mouth a little. And I poured in of the precious body and blood as much as it would take, having crumbled it. And he received strength from partaking of holy communion. And after a little, moistening a few crumbs of the ordinary bread, I offered them to him; and after a little, more again, as he was able to take. And so by the grace of God after one day he came with me, walking to his own cell, set free with God’s help from the deadly passion of sexual immorality.”
Notes and citation
Summary: James fasts forty days in a cave against lust and is revived by holy communion brought by Phocas.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR: word split; OCR: wrong diacritic): ὀλί γον → ὀλίγον; ἀπορῶν τἱ ποιῆσαι → ἀπορῶν τί ποιῆσαι.
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 119.2 (PG 65:433; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/119-2). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/119-2
BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-apophthegmata-alphabetica-119-2) · 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.
Chapter 120
120.1PG 65:433
Παρέβαλον ἀδελφοὶ πρὸς τὸν ἀββᾶν Φίλικα, ἔχοντες μεθ' ἑαυτῶν κοσμικούς· καὶ παρεκάλεσαν αὐτὸν, ἵνα εἴπῃ αὐτοῖς λόγον. Ὁ δὲ γέρων ἐσιώπα. Ἐπὶ πολὺ δὲ παρακαλούντων αὐτῶν, εἶπεν αὐτοῖς Λόγον θέλετε ἀκοῦσαι; Λέγουσιν αὐτῷ· Ναὶ, ἀββᾶ. Εἶπεν οὖν ὁ γέρων· Ἄ̓́ρτι οὐκ ἔνι λόγος. Ὅτε ἠρώτων οἱ ὁ Θεὸς ἐπεχορήγει τὸ πῶς λαλῆσαι. Νῦν δὲ, ἐπειδὴ ἐρωτῶσι μὲν, οὐ ποιοῦσι δὲ ἃ ἀκούουσιν, ἦρεν ὁ Θεὸς τὴν χάριν τοῦ λόγου ἀπὸ τῶν γερόντων· καὶ οὐχ εὑρίσκουσι τί λαλῆσαι, ἐπειδὴ οὐκ ἔστιν ὁ ἐργαζόμενος. Καὶ ἀκούσαντες οἱ ἀδελφοὶ ταῦτα, ἐστέναξαν, λέγοντες· Εὖξαι ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν, ἀββᾶ.
Parebalon adelphoi pros ton abban Philika, echontes meth' heautōn kosmikous; kai parekalesan auton, hina eipę̄ autois logon. Ho de gerōn esiōpa. Epi poly de parakalountōn autōn, eipen autois Logon thelete akousai? Legousin autǭ; Nai, abba. Eipen oun ho gerōn; Arti ouk eni logos. Hote ērōtōn hoi ho Theos epechorēgei to pōs lalēsai. Nyn de, epeidē erōtōsi men, ou poiousi de ha akouousin, ēren ho Theos tēn charin tou logou apo tōn gerontōn; kai ouch heuriskousi ti lalēsai, epeidē ouk estin ho ergazomenos. Kai akousantes hoi adelphoi tauta, estenaxan, legontes; Euxai hyper hēmōn, abba.
Brothers visited abba Felix, bringing some laymen with them; and they begged him to tell them a word. But the old man kept silent. When they had begged him a long time, he said to them, “You want to hear a word?” They say to him, “Yes, abba.” So the old man said, “Now there is no word. When [the brothers] asked [the old men and did what they heard], God supplied how to speak. But now, since they ask but do not do what they hear, God has taken away the grace of the word from the old men; and they do not find what to say, since there is no one to do it.” Hearing this, the brothers groaned, saying, “Pray for us, abba.”
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
Jas 1:22 (echo, low confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Felix says God has taken the gift of the word from the elders because hearers no longer practice it.
- Words are lost in the scan after “When” (in other copies: “the brothers asked the old men and did what they told them”); the bracketed words make the sense clear and are not in the Greek. A stray line at the end (from another saying) is removed.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (stray line from another passage): Ὀφείλων ἢ πεῖσαι γενέσθαι συνοδίτην, ἢ καθελεῖν → .
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 120.1 (PG 65:433; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/120-1). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/120-1
BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-apophthegmata-alphabetica-120-1) · 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.
Chapter 121
121.1PG 65:435
Φιλάγριος ἦν τις τῶν ἁγίων λεγόμενος, οἰκῶν δὲ ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ Ἱεροσολύμων, καὶ ἐργαζόμενος κόπῳ ἵνα ποιήσῃ τὸν ἴδιον ἄρτον. Καὶ ὡς ἵστατο ἐν τῇ ἀγορᾶ τιον χιλίων νομισμάτων· καὶ εὑρὼν αὐτὸ ὁ γέρων ἔστη ἐπὶ τοῦ τόπου, λέγων· Δεῖ τὸν ἀπολέσαντα ἐλθεῖν καὶ ἰδοὺ ἔρχεται κλαίων. Καὶ λαβὼν αὐτὸν κατ' ἰδίαν ὁ γέρων ἔδωκεν αὐτῷ. Καὶ ἐκράτει αὐτὸν ἐκεῖνος, θέλων αὐτῷ παρασχεῖν μέρος τι. Καὶ ὁ γέρων οὐκ ἠθέλησεν. Καὶ ἔβαλε κράζειν· Δεῦτε, ἴδετε ἄνθρωπον τοῦ Θεοῦ, τί ἐποίησεν. Ὁ δὲ γέρων λάθρα φυγὼν ἐξῆλθεν ἐκ τῆς πόλεως, ἵνα μὴ δοξασθῇ.
Philagrios ēn tis tōn hagiōn legomenos, oikōn de en tę̄ erēmǭ Hierosolymōn, kai ergazomenos kopǭ hina poiēsę̄ ton idion arton. Kai hōs histato en tę̄ agora tion chiliōn nomismatōn; kai heurōn auto ho gerōn estē epi tou topou, legōn; Dei ton apolesanta elthein kai idou erchetai klaiōn. Kai labōn auton kat' idian ho gerōn edōken autǭ. Kai ekratei auton ekeinos, thelōn autǭ paraschein meros ti. Kai ho gerōn ouk ēthelēsen. Kai ebale krazein; Deute, idete anthrōpon tou Theou, ti epoiēsen. Ho de gerōn lathra phygōn exēlthen ek tēs poleōs, hina mē doxasthę̄.
There was one of the saints called Philagrius, living in the desert of Jerusalem and working with toil to make his own bread. And as he stood in the market … [a purse] of a thousand coins; and finding it, the old man stood on the spot, saying, “The one who lost it must come.” And look, he comes weeping. And taking him aside, the old man gave it to him. And he held on to him, wanting to give him some part. But the old man would not. And he began to shout, “Come, see what a man of God has done!” But the old man fled secretly and went out of the city, so as not to be glorified.
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
Notes and citation
Summary: Philagrius returns a lost purse of a thousand coins, refuses a reward, and flees praise.
- Words are lost in the scan (in other copies: “to sell his handiwork, someone dropped a purse”); not supplied.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR: breathing lost): έλθεῖν → ἐλθεῖν.
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 121.1 (PG 65:435; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/121-1). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/121-1
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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.
Chapter 122
122.1PG 65:435
Εἶπεν ὁ ἀββᾶς Φορτᾶς· Εἰ θέλει με ὁ Θεὸς ζῇν οἶδεν πῶς οἰκονομήσει με· εἰ δὲ οὐ θέλει, ἵνα τί μοι τὸ ζῇν; Οὐ γὰρ παρὰ πάντων ἐδέχετό τι, καίτοι κλινήρης ὧν· ἔλεγε γάρ· Ἐὰν προσφέρῃ μοί τις τί ποτε, καὶ οὐχὶ διὰ τὸν Θεὸν, οὔτε ἐγὼ ἔχω τι δοῦναι αὐτῷ, οὔτε παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ λαμβάνει μισθόν· οὐ γὰρ διὰ τὸν Θεὸν προσήνεγκε καὶ ἀδικεῖται ὁ προσενέγκας. Δεῖ γὰρ τοὺς ἀνακειμένους τῷ Θεῷ, καὶ πρὸς αὐτὸν βλέποντας μόνον, οὕτως εὐλαβῶς διακεῖσθαι, ὡς μήτε ὕβριν τινὰ ἡγεῖσθαι, κἂν μυριάκις ἀδικούμενοι τύχοιεν.
Eipen ho abbas Phortas; Ei thelei me ho Theos zę̄n oiden pōs oikonomēsei me; ei de ou thelei, hina ti moi to zę̄n? Ou gar para pantōn edecheto ti, kaitoi klinērēs hōn; elege gar; Ean prospherę̄ moi tis ti pote, kai ouchi dia ton Theon, oute egō echō ti dounai autǭ, oute para tou Theou lambanei misthon; ou gar dia ton Theon prosēnenke kai adikeitai ho prosenenkas. Dei gar tous anakeimenous tǭ Theǭ, kai pros auton blepontas monon, houtōs eulabōs diakeisthai, hōs mēte hybrin tina hēgeisthai, kan myriakis adikoumenoi tychoien.
Abba Phortas said, “If God wants me to live, he knows how to provide for me; and if he does not want it, why should I live?” For he did not accept anything from everyone, though he was bedridden; for he said, “If someone offers me something, and not for God’s sake, I have nothing to give him, nor does he receive a reward from God; for he did not offer it for God’s sake, and the one who offered is wronged. For those dedicated to God and looking to him alone must be so devoutly disposed that they do not count anything an insult, even if they are wronged ten thousand times.”
Notes and citation
Summary: Phortas, though bedridden, refuses gifts not given for God’s sake and leaves his life to God.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR: wrong diacritic): τἱ ποτε → τί ποτε.
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 122.1 (PG 65:435; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/122-1). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/122-1
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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.
Chapter 123
123.1PG 65:435
Ἔλεγον περὶ τοῦ ἀββᾶ Χομαὶ, ὅτι μέλλων τελευτᾶν εἶπε τοῖς υἱοῖς αὐτοῦ· Μὴ οἰκήσητε μετὰ αἱρετικῶν, μηδὲ σχῆτε γνῶσιν μετὰ ἀρχόντων, μηδὲ ἔστωσαν αἱ χεῖρες ὑμῶν ἡπλωμέναι εἰς τὸ συνάγειν, ἀλλ᾽ ἔστωσαν μᾶλλον ἡπλωμέναι εἰς τὸ διδόναι.
Elegon peri tou abba Chomai, hoti mellōn teleutan eipe tois huiois autou; Mē oikēsēte meta hairetikōn, mēde schēte gnōsin meta archontōn, mēde estōsan hai cheires hymōn hēplōmenai eis to synagein, all᾽ estōsan mallon hēplōmenai eis to didonai.
They said of abba Chomai that when he was about to die he said to his sons, “Do not live with heretics, nor have acquaintance with magistrates, nor let your hands be stretched out to gather, but rather stretched out to give.”
Notes and citation
Summary: Dying, Chomai warns against heretics and officials and urges giving over gathering.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR: word split): τελευ τᾶν → τελευτᾶν.
Extrabiblical texts: Sir 4:31 (Sirach [in RC, EO, ETH canons]; echo)
Topics: Heresy
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 123.1 (PG 65:435; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/123-1). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/123-1
BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-apophthegmata-alphabetica-123-1) · 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.
Chapter 124
124.1PG 65:435
Ἔλεγον περὶ τοῦ ἀββᾶ Χαιρέμωνος εἰς Σκῆτιν, ὅτι ἀπεῖχε τὸ σπήλαιον αὐτοῦ ἀπὸ τῆς ἐκκλησίας μίλια τεσσαράκοντα, ἀπὸ δὲ τοῦ ἕλους καὶ τοῦ ὕδατος μίλια δώδεκα καὶ οὕτως εἰσέφερε τὸ ἐργόχειρον αὐτοῦ εἰς τὸ σπήλαιον αὐτοῦ, καὶ δύο λαγύνια ἓν παρ' ἓν βαστάζων, καὶ ἐκαθέζετο, καὶ ἡσύχαζεν.
Elegon peri tou abba Chairemōnos eis Skētin, hoti apeiche to spēlaion autou apo tēs ekklēsias milia tessarakonta, apo de tou helous kai tou hydatos milia dōdeka kai houtōs eisephere to ergocheiron autou eis to spēlaion autou, kai dyo lagynia hen par' hen bastazōn, kai ekathezeto, kai hēsychazen.
They said of abba Chaeremon at Scetis that his cave was forty miles from the church and twelve miles from the marsh and the water; and so he brought his handiwork into his cave, and carrying two jars one after the other, he sat and kept stillness.
Notes and citation
Summary: Chaeremon lived far from church and water, carrying his supplies himself.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR: word split): ἡσύ χαζεν → ἡσύχαζεν.
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 124.1 (PG 65:435; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/124-1). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/124-1
BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-apophthegmata-alphabetica-124-1) · 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.