Sayings of the Desert Fathers (alphabetical collection) 3.1–6.3
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 3
3.1PG 65:107–109
Εἶπεν ὁ ἀββᾶς Πέτρος ὁ τοῦ ἀββᾶ Λὼτ, ὅτι Ἐν τῷ κελλίῳ τοῦ ἀββᾶ Ἀγάθωνος ἤμην ποτὲ, καὶ ἦλθε πρὸς αὐτὸν ἀδελφὸς λέγων· Θέλω οἰκῆσαι μετὰ ἀδελφῶν· εἶπόν μοι πῶς μετ᾿ αὐτῶν οἰκήσω. Λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ γέρων· Ὡς ἐν τῇ πρώτῃ ἡμέρᾳ ὅτε εἰσέρχῃ πρὸς αὐτοὺς, οὕτως φύλαξον τὴν ξενιτείαν σου πάσας τὰς ἡμέρας τῆς ζωῆς σου, ἵνα μὴ παῤῥησιασθῇς μετ' αὐτῶν. Λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ ἀββᾶς Μακάριος Τί γὰρ ποιεῖ ἡ παρρησία; Λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ γέρων· Ἔοικεν ἡ παρῥησία καύσωνι μεγάλῳ ὃς ὅταν γένηται, πάντες φεύγουσιν ἀπὸ προσώπου αὐτοῦ, καὶ τῶν δένδρων τὸν καρπὸν διαφθείρει. Λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ ἀββᾶς Μαχάριος Οὕτως χαλεπή ἐστιν ἡ παῤῥησία; Καὶ εἶπεν ὁ ἀββᾶς Ἀγάθων· Οὐκ ἔστιν ἕτερον πάθος χαλεπώτερον τῆς παῤῥησίας· γεννήτρια γάρ ἐστι πάντων τῶν παθῶν. Πρέπει δὲ τῷ ἐργάτῃ μὴ παρρησιάζεσθαι, κἂν μόνος ᾗ ἐν τῷ κελλίῳ. Οἶδα γὰρ ὅτι ἀδελφὸς ποιήσας χρόνον ἐν τῷ κελλίῳ οἰκῶν, ἔχων τι κοιτωνάριον, εἶπεν, ὅτι Μετέβην ἐκ τοῦ κελλίου, μὴ γνοὺς αὐτὸ τὸ κοιτωνάριον, εἰ μὴ ἕτερός μοι εἶπεν. Ὁ τοιοῦτος ἐργάτης ἐστὶ καὶ πολεμιστής. ἐάσαι τὴν συνείδησιν αὐτοῦ κατηγορῆσαι αὐτοῦ εἰς οἰονδήποτε πρᾶγμα.
Eipen ho abbas Petros ho tou abba Lōt, hoti En tǭ kelliǭ tou abba Agathōnos ēmēn pote, kai ēlthe pros auton adelphos legōn; Thelō oikēsai meta adelphōn; eipon moi pōs met᾿ autōn oikēsō. Legei autǭ ho gerōn; Hōs en tę̄ prōtę̄ hēmerą hote eiserchę̄ pros autous, houtōs phylaxon tēn xeniteian sou pasas tas hēmeras tēs zōēs sou, hina mē parrhēsiasthę̄s met' autōn. Legei autǭ ho abbas Makarios Ti gar poiei hē parrēsia? Legei autǭ ho gerōn; Eoiken hē parrhēsia kausōni megalǭ hos hotan genētai, pantes pheugousin apo prosōpou autou, kai tōn dendrōn ton karpon diaphtheirei. Legei autǭ ho abbas Macharios Houtōs chalepē estin hē parrhēsia? Kai eipen ho abbas Agathōn; Ouk estin heteron pathos chalepōteron tēs parrhēsias; gennētria gar esti pantōn tōn pathōn. Prepei de tǭ ergatę̄ mē parrēsiazesthai, kan monos hę̄ en tǭ kelliǭ. Oida gar hoti adelphos poiēsas chronon en tǭ kelliǭ oikōn, echōn ti koitōnarion, eipen, hoti Metebēn ek tou kelliou, mē gnous auto to koitōnarion, ei mē heteros moi eipen. Ho toioutos ergatēs esti kai polemistēs. easai tēn syneidēsin autou katēgorēsai autou eis oiondēpote pragma.
Abba Peter, the disciple of abba Lot, said, “Once I was in the cell of abba Agathon, and a brother came to him, saying, ‘I want to live with brothers; tell me how I should live with them.’ The old man says to him, ‘As on the first day when you come in among them, so keep your stranger’s status all the days of your life, so that you do not become too free with them.’ Abba Macarius says to him, ‘And what does freedom of speech do?’ The old man says to him, ‘Freedom of speech is like a great scorching wind: when it comes, everyone flees before it, and it destroys the fruit of the trees.’ Abba Macarius says to him, ‘Is freedom of speech so harmful?’ And abba Agathon said, ‘There is no passion more harmful than freedom of speech; for it is the mother of all the passions. It is fitting for the worker not to be too free, even if he is alone in his cell. For I know a brother who spent a long time living in a cell that had a little sleeping place, and he said, “I moved out of the cell without knowing of the sleeping place, until someone else told me.” Such a one is a worker and a warrior.’” [2] … to let his conscience accuse him in anything.
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
Notes and citation
Summary: Agathon warns that familiar freedom of speech is the mother of all passions.
- παρρησία here is over-familiar freedom of speech. A stray line (“water and a few dates, of which he had …”) is removed. The last words belong to Agathon 2, whose beginning (in other copies: “A monk ought not …”) is lost in the scan; not supplied.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (stray line from another passage merged into the Greek): ἦλθε τοῦ, ὕδωρ καὶ μικροὶ φοίνικες, ἐξ ὧν εἶχεν καὶ τὰ πρὸς αὐτὸν → ἦλθε πρὸς αὐτὸν.
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 3.1 (PG 65:107–109; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/3-1). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/3-1
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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.
3.3PG 65:109
Εἶπε πάλιν, ὅτι ἄνευ φυλακῆς τῶν θείων ἐντολῶν οὐ προβαίνει ἄνθρωπος οὐδὲ εἰς μίαν ἀρετήν.
Eipe palin, hoti aneu phylakēs tōn theiōn entolōn ou probainei anthrōpos oude eis mian aretēn.
He also said, “Without keeping the divine commandments a man does not advance in even one virtue.”
Notes and citation
Summary: No virtue grows without keeping God’s commandments.
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 3.3 (PG 65:109; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/3-3). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/3-3
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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.
3.4PG 65:109
Εἶπε πάλιν, ὅτι Οὐδέποτε ἐκοιμήθην ἔχων κατά τινος οὐδὲ ἀφῆκά τινα κοιμηθῆναι ἔχοντα κατ' ἐμοῦ, κατὰ τὴν δύναμίν μου.
Eipe palin, hoti Oudepote ekoimēthēn echōn kata tinos oude aphēka tina koimēthēnai echonta kat' emou, kata tēn dynamin mou.
He also said, “I have never gone to sleep holding something against anyone, nor, as far as I could, have I let anyone go to sleep holding something against me.”
Eph 4:26 (echo, low confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Agathon never went to sleep in a quarrel.
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 3.4 (PG 65:109; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/3-4). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/3-4
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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.
3.5PG 65:109–111
Ἔλεγον περὶ τοῦ ἀββᾶ Ἀγάθωνος, ὅτι ἀπῆλθόν τινες πρὸς αὐτὸν, ἀκούσαντες ὅτι μεγάλην διάκρισιν ἔχει· καὶ θέλοντες δοκιμάσαι εἰ ὀργίζεται, λέγουσιν αὐτῷ Σὺ εἶ Ἀγάθων; ἀκούομεν περὶ σοῦ ὅτι πόρνος εἶ, καὶ ὑπερήφανος. Ὁ δὲ εἶπεν· Ναὶ, οὕτως ἔχει. Καὶ λέγουσιν αὐτῷ· Σὺ εἶ Ἀγάθων ὁ φλύαρος καὶ κατάλαλος; Ὁ δὲ εἶπεν· Ἐγώ εἰμι. Λέγουσι πάλιν· Σὺ εἶ Ἀγάθων ὁ αἱρετικός; Καὶ ἀπεκρίθη· Οὐκ εἰμὶ αἱρετικός. Καὶ παρεκάλεσαν αὐτὸν, λέγοντες· Εἰπὲ ἡμῖν διατί τοσαῦτα εἴπομέν σοι, καὶ κατεδέξω, τὸν δὲ λόγον τοῦτον οὐκ ἐβάστασας; Λέγει αὐτοῖς· Τὰ πρῶτα ἐμαυτῷ ἐπιγράφω ὄφελος γὰρ ἐστι τῇ ψυχῇ μου· τὸ δὲ αἱρετικός, χωρισμός ἐστιν ἀπὸ τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ οὐ θέλω χωρισθῆναι ἀπὸ Θεοῦ. Οἱ δὲ ἀκούσαντες, ἐθαύμασαν τὴν διάκρισιν αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἀπῆλθον οἰκοδομηθέντες. σ'. Διηγήσαντο περὶ τοῦ ἀββᾶ Ἀγάθωνος, ὅτι ἔμεινε χρόνον ἱκανὸν οἰκοδομῶν κελλίον μετὰ τῶν μαθητῶν αὐτοῦ· καὶ τελειωσάντων αὐτῶν τὸ κελλίον, ἦλθον λοιπὸν τοῦ καθίσαι. Εἶδε δὲ εἰς τὴν πρώτην ἑβδομάδα πρᾶγμα μὴ ὠφελοῦν αὐτὸν, καὶ λέγει τοῖς μαθηταῖς αὐτοῦ Ἐγείρεσθε, ἄγωμεν ἐντεῦθεν. Ἐταράχθησαν δὲ σφόδρα, λέγοντες· Εἰ΄ ὅλως λογισμὸν εἶχες τοῦ μεταβῆναι, τί τοσοῦτον κόπον ὑπεμείναμεν οἰκοδομήσαντες τὸ κελλίον; καὶ μέλλουσι πάλιν οἱ ἄνθρωποι, σκανδαλισθέντες εἰς ἡμᾶς, λέγειν Ἰδοὺ μετέβησαν πάλιν οἱ ἀκάθιστοι. Ἰδὼν δὲ αὐτοὺς ὀλιγοψυχοῦντας, λέγει αὐτοῖς· Εἰ καὶ σκανδαλίζονταί τινες, ἀλλὰ πάλιν οἰκοδομηθήσονται ἕτεροι, λέγοντες Μακάριοι οἱ τοιοῦτοι, ὅτι διὰ τὸν Θεὸν μετέβησαν, καὶ πάντων κατεφρόνησαν. Πλὴν ὁ θέλων ἐλθεῖν, ἔλθῃ, ἐγὼ τέως ὑπάγω. Ἔβαλον οὖν ἑαυτοὺς εἰς τὸ ἔδαφος, ἀξιοῦντες, ἕως οὗ συγχωρηθῶσιν σὺν αὐτῷ ὁδεῦσαι.
Elegon peri tou abba Agathōnos, hoti apēlthon tines pros auton, akousantes hoti megalēn diakrisin echei; kai thelontes dokimasai ei orgizetai, legousin autǭ Sy ei Agathōn? akouomen peri sou hoti pornos ei, kai hyperēphanos. Ho de eipen; Nai, houtōs echei. Kai legousin autǭ; Sy ei Agathōn ho phlyaros kai katalalos? Ho de eipen; Egō eimi. Legousi palin; Sy ei Agathōn ho hairetikos? Kai apekrithē; Ouk eimi hairetikos. Kai parekalesan auton, legontes; Eipe hēmin diati tosauta eipomen soi, kai katedexō, ton de logon touton ouk ebastasas? Legei autois; Ta prōta emautǭ epigraphō ophelos gar esti tę̄ psychę̄ mou; to de hairetikos, chōrismos estin apo tou Theou, kai ou thelō chōristhēnai apo Theou. Hoi de akousantes, ethaumasan tēn diakrisin autou, kai apēlthon oikodomēthentes. s'. Diēgēsanto peri tou abba Agathōnos, hoti emeine chronon hikanon oikodomōn kellion meta tōn mathētōn autou; kai teleiōsantōn autōn to kellion, ēlthon loipon tou kathisai. Eide de eis tēn prōtēn hebdomada pragma mē ōpheloun auton, kai legei tois mathētais autou Egeiresthe, agōmen enteuthen. Etarachthēsan de sphodra, legontes; Ei΄ holōs logismon eiches tou metabēnai, ti tosouton kopon hypemeinamen oikodomēsantes to kellion? kai mellousi palin hoi anthrōpoi, skandalisthentes eis hēmas, legein Idou metebēsan palin hoi akathistoi. Idōn de autous oligopsychountas, legei autois; Ei kai skandalizontai tines, alla palin oikodomēthēsontai heteroi, legontes Makarioi hoi toioutoi, hoti dia ton Theon metebēsan, kai pantōn katephronēsan. Plēn ho thelōn elthein, elthę̄, egō teōs hypagō. Ebalon oun heautous eis to edaphos, axiountes, heōs hou synchōrēthōsin syn autǭ hodeusai.
They said of abba Agathon that some people went to him, having heard that he had great discernment; and wanting to test whether he would get angry, they say to him, “Are you Agathon? We hear about you that you are a fornicator and proud.” He said, “Yes, it is so.” And they say to him, “Are you Agathon the chatterer and slanderer?” He said, “I am.” Again they say, “Are you Agathon the heretic?” And he answered, “I am not a heretic.” And they begged him, saying, “Tell us why you accepted all the things we said to you but did not bear this word.” He says to them, “The first things I ascribe to myself, for it is profitable for my soul; but ‘heretic’ is separation from God, and I do not want to be separated from God.” When they heard this, they marveled at his discernment and went away edified. [6] They related of abba Agathon that he spent a long time building a cell with his disciples; and when they had finished the cell, they came to settle in it. But in the first week he saw something that did not profit him, and he says to his disciples, “Get up, let us go from here.” They were very troubled, saying, “If you had any thought at all of moving, why did we bear so much labor building the cell? And people, offended at us, will say again, ‘Look, the restless ones have moved again.’” Seeing them faint-hearted, he says to them, “Even if some are offended, others again will be edified, saying, ‘Blessed are such people, because they moved for God’s sake and despised everything.’ But whoever wants to come, let him come; I for my part am going.” So they threw themselves on the ground, begging until they were allowed to travel with him.
Notes and citation
Summary: Agathon accepts every insult except “heretic”; then (saying 6) he abandons a new cell for God’s sake.
- The scan runs Agathon 6 (numbered σʹ in the print) into this saying; it is translated here, marked [6].
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR: word split): λέ γειν → λέγειν.
Topics: Heresy
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 3.5 (PG 65:109–111; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/3-5). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/3-5
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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.
3.7PG 65:111
Εἶπον πάλιν περὶ αὐτοῦ, ὅτι πολλάκις μετέβη ἔχων τὴν σμίλαν ἑαυτοῦ μόνην εἰς τὸ μαννάδιν
Eipon palin peri autou, hoti pollakis metebē echōn tēn smilan heautou monēn eis to mannadin
They also said of him that he often moved, having only his small knife in his basket.
Notes and citation
Summary: Agathon often moved with nothing but a small knife.
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 3.7 (PG 65:111; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/3-7). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/3-7
BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-apophthegmata-alphabetica-3-7) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Cotelier's Greek text as printed in Migne PG 65 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
3.8PG 65:111
Ἠρωτήθη ὁ ἀββᾶς Ἀγάθων, τί μεῖζον, ὁ σωματικὸς κόπος, ἢ ἡ φυλακὴ τῶν ἔνδον. Εἶπε δὲ ὁ γέρων· Ἔοικε δένδρῳ ὁ ἄνθρωπος· ὁ τοίνυν σωματικὸς κόπος φύλλα ἐστίν· ἡ δὲ τῶν ἔνδον φυλακὴ ὁ καρπός ἐστιν. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ κατὰ τὸ γεγραμμένον, Πᾶν δένδρον μὴ ποιοῦν καρπὸν καλὸν ἐκκόπτεται, καὶ εἰς πῦρ βάλλεται, φανερόν ἐστιν ὅτι διὰ τὸν καρπόν ἐστιν ἡμῶν ἡ σπουδὴ πᾶσα, τουτέστι τὴν τοῦ νοὸς φυλακήν. Χρεία δὲ ἐστι καὶ τῆς ἐκ τῶν φύλλων σκέπης καὶ εὐκοσμίας, ἅτινά ἐστιν ὁ σωματικὸς κόπος.
Ērōtēthē ho abbas Agathōn, ti meizon, ho sōmatikos kopos, ē hē phylakē tōn endon. Eipe de ho gerōn; Eoike dendrǭ ho anthrōpos; ho toinyn sōmatikos kopos phylla estin; hē de tōn endon phylakē ho karpos estin. Epeidē de kata to gegrammenon, Pan dendron mē poioun karpon kalon ekkoptetai, kai eis pyr balletai, phaneron estin hoti dia ton karpon estin hēmōn hē spoudē pasa, toutesti tēn tou noos phylakēn. Chreia de esti kai tēs ek tōn phyllōn skepēs kai eukosmias, hatina estin ho sōmatikos kopos.
Abba Agathon was asked which is greater, bodily labor or guarding what is within. The old man said, “Man is like a tree: bodily labor is the leaves, and guarding what is within is the fruit. Since, as it is written, ‘Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire,’ it is clear that all our effort is for the fruit, that is, the guarding of the mind. But there is need also of the shelter and adornment of the leaves, which is bodily labor.”
Matt 3:10 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Agathon compares bodily labor to leaves and inner watchfulness to fruit.
- Quotation of Matt 3:10 (= 7:19).
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR: word split): σω ματικὸς → σωματικὸς; φύλ λων → φύλλων.
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 3.8 (PG 65:111; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/3-8). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/3-8
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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.
3.9PG 65:111
Ἠρώτησαν αὐτὸν πάλιν οἱ ἀδελφοὶ λέγοντες Ποία ἀρετή ἐστι, Πάτερ, ἐν ταῖς πολιτείαις, ἔχουσα πλείονα κάματον; Λέγει αὐτοῖς· Συγχωρήσατέ μοι, λογίζομαι ὅτι οὐκ ἔστιν ἕτερος κάματος, ὡς τὸ εὔξασθαι τῷ Θεῷ. Πάντοτε γὰρ ὅτε θέλῃ ὁ ἄνθρωπος προσεύξασθαι, βούλονται οἱ ἐχθροὶ ἐκκόψαι αὐτόν οἴδασι γὰρ ὅτι οὐδαμόθεν ἐμποδίζονται, εἰ μὴ ἀπὸ τοῦ εὔξασθαι τῷ Θεῷ. Καὶ πᾶσαν δὲ πολιτείαν ἣν ἂν μετέλθῃ κι ἄνθρωπος, ἐγκαρτερῶν ἐν αὐτῇ, κτᾶται ἀνάπαυσιν· τὸ δὲ εὔξασθαι, ἕως ἐσχάτης ἀναπνοῆς ἀγῶνος χρήζει Ἦν δὲ ὁ ἀββᾶς Ἀγάθων σοφὸς ἐν τῷ διανοητικῷ, καὶ ἄοκνος ἐν τῷ σωματικῷ, καὶ αὐτάρκης ἐν πᾶσιν, ἔν τε τῷ ἐργοχείρῳ καὶ τῇ τροφῇ καὶ τῇ ἐσθῆτι.
Ērōtēsan auton palin hoi adelphoi legontes Poia aretē esti, Pater, en tais politeiais, echousa pleiona kamaton? Legei autois; Synchōrēsate moi, logizomai hoti ouk estin heteros kamatos, hōs to euxasthai tǭ Theǭ. Pantote gar hote thelę̄ ho anthrōpos proseuxasthai, boulontai hoi echthroi ekkopsai auton oidasi gar hoti oudamothen empodizontai, ei mē apo tou euxasthai tǭ Theǭ. Kai pasan de politeian hēn an metelthę̄ ki anthrōpos, enkarterōn en autę̄, ktatai anapausin; to de euxasthai, heōs eschatēs anapnoēs agōnos chrēzei Ēn de ho abbas Agathōn sophos en tǭ dianoētikǭ, kai aoknos en tǭ sōmatikǭ, kai autarkēs en pasin, en te tǭ ergocheirǭ kai tę̄ trophę̄ kai tę̄ esthēti.
The brothers also asked him, saying, “Father, which virtue in the monastic life has the most labor?” He says to them, “Forgive me, I think there is no labor like praying to God. For whenever a man wants to pray, the enemies want to cut him off; for they know that nothing hinders them except praying to God. And whatever way of life a man takes up, if he perseveres in it, he gains rest; but prayer needs struggle until the last breath.” [10] Abba Agathon was wise in understanding, tireless in bodily work, and content with little in everything: in handiwork, food, and clothing.
Notes and citation
Summary: Agathon calls prayer the hardest labor; a note follows on his wisdom and frugality.
- The last sentence is Agathon 10, run into this saying in the scan; marked [10].
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR: word split): εὔ ξασθαι → εὔξασθαι; διανοητι κῷ → διανοητικῷ.
Topics: Prayer
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 3.9 (PG 65:111; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/3-9). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/3-9
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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.
3.11PG 65:111
Ὁ αὐτὸς ὧδευε μετὰ τῶν μαθητῶν αὐτοῦ· καὶ εὑρὼν εἷς ἐξ αὐτῶν μικρὸν ἀράκιον χλωρὸν ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ, λέγει τῷ γέροντι Πάτερ, κελεύεις λάβω αὐτό; προσέσχεν οὖν ὁ γέρων αὐτῷ θαυμάζων, καὶ λέγει Σὺ ἔθηκας αὐτὸ ἐκεῖ; Λέγει ὁ ἀδελφός· Οὐχί. Καὶ λέγει ὁ γέρων· Πῶς οὖν θέλεις λαβεῖν ὃ οὐκ ἔθηκας
Ho autos hōdeue meta tōn mathētōn autou; kai heurōn heis ex autōn mikron arakion chlōron en tę̄ hodǭ, legei tǭ geronti Pater, keleueis labō auto? proseschen oun ho gerōn autǭ thaumazōn, kai legei Sy ethēkas auto ekei? Legei ho adelphos; Ouchi. Kai legei ho gerōn; Pōs oun theleis labein ho ouk ethēkas
The same was traveling with his disciples, and one of them, finding a little green pea on the road, says to the old man, “Father, do you bid me take it?” The old man looked at him in astonishment and says, “Did you put it there?” The brother says, “No.” And the old man says, “Then how do you want to take what you did not put there?”
Notes and citation
Summary: Agathon forbids a disciple to pick up a pea he did not put on the road.
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 3.11 (PG 65:111; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/3-11). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/3-11
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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.
3.12PG 65:111–113
Ἀδελφὸς ἦλθε πρὸς τὸν ἀββᾶν Ἀγάθωνα, λέγων· Ἔασόν με οἰκεῖν μετὰ σοῦ. Ἑρχόμενος δὲ ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ εὗρε μικρὸν νίτρον, καὶ ἤνεγκεν αὐτό. Καὶ λέγει ὁ γέρων Πόθεν εὗρες τὸ νίτρον; Λέγει ὁ ἀδελφός· Ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ εὗρον αὐτὸ, περιπατῶν, καὶ ἔλαβον αὐτό. Λέγει αὐτῳ ο γέρων· Εἰ μετ᾿ ἐμοῦ ἦλθες οἰκῆσαι, ὃ οὐκ ἔθηκας, πῶς εἴληφας; Καὶ ἔπεμψεν αὐτὸν ἀπενεγκεῖν αὐτὸ, ὅθεν εἴληφεν αὐτό.
Adelphos ēlthe pros ton abban Agathōna, legōn; Eason me oikein meta sou. Herchomenos de en tę̄ hodǭ heure mikron nitron, kai ēnenken auto. Kai legei ho gerōn Pothen heures to nitron? Legei ho adelphos; En tę̄ hodǭ heuron auto, peripatōn, kai elabon auto. Legei autǭ o gerōn; Ei met᾿ emou ēlthes oikēsai, ho ouk ethēkas, pōs eilēphas? Kai epempsen auton apenenkein auto, hothen eilēphen auto.
A brother came to abba Agathon, saying, “Let me live with you.” On the way he had found a little natron and brought it. And the old man says, “Where did you find the natron?” The brother says, “I found it on the road as I was walking, and I took it.” The old man says to him, “If you have come to live with me, how did you take what you did not put there?” And he sent him to take it back where he had taken it from.
Notes and citation
Summary: Agathon sends a would-be disciple to return natron he had picked up on the road.
- A stray line from another saying (“they kill no one; and if they find anything on the road, gold or a garment or silver or anything else”) is removed.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR: word split; stray line from another passage inside a word): λέἀποκτείνουσιν ἀνθρώπων οὐδένα. Ἐὰν δὲ τι εὕρωσιν ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ, χρυσίον ἢ ἱμάτιον ἢ ἀργύριον ἢ ἄλλο τι, γων → λέγων; ἀδελ φός → ἀδελφός.
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 3.12 (PG 65:111–113; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/3-12). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/3-12
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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.
3.13PG 65:113
Ἀδελφὸς ἠρώτησε τὸν γέροντα λέγων· Ἐντολή μοι ἔφθασε, καὶ ἔστι πόλεμος ὅπου ἐστὶν ἡ ἐντολή. Θέλω οὖν ἀπελθεῖν δι' αὐτὴν, καὶ φοβοῦμαι τὸν πόλεμον. Καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ γέρων· Εἰ ἦν Ἁγάθων ἐποίει τὴν ἐντολὴν, καὶ ἐνίκα τὸν πόλεμον.
Adelphos ērōtēse ton geronta legōn; Entolē moi ephthase, kai esti polemos hopou estin hē entolē. Thelō oun apelthein di' autēn, kai phoboumai ton polemon. Kai legei autǭ ho gerōn; Ei ēn Hagathōn epoiei tēn entolēn, kai enika ton polemon.
A brother asked the old man, saying, “A command has come to me, and there is war where the command is. I want to go because of the command, and I fear the war.” And the old man says to him, “If it were Agathon, he would carry out the command and overcome the war.”
Notes and citation
Summary: Agathon says he would obey a command despite the spiritual war it brings.
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 3.13 (PG 65:113; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/3-13). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/3-13
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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.
3.14PG 65:113
Ὁ αὐτὸς Ἀγάθων, συνεδρίου γενομένου περὶ πράγματός τινος ἐν Σκήτει, καὶ λαβόντος τύπον, ὕστερον ἐλθὼν εἶπεν αὐτοῖς· Οὐ καλῶς ἑτυπώσατε τὸ πρᾶγμα. Οἱ δὲ εἶπον πρὸς αὐτόν· Σὺ τίς εἶ ὅτι ὅλως λαλεῖς Ὁ δὲ εἶπεν· Υἱὸς ἀνθρώπου. Γέγραπται γάρ· Εἰ ἀληθῶς ἄρα δικαιοσύνην λαλεῖτε, εὐθείας κρίνατε, υἱοὶ τῶν ἀνθρώπων.
Ho autos Agathōn, synedriou genomenou peri pragmatos tinos en Skētei, kai labontos typon, hysteron elthōn eipen autois; Ou kalōs hetypōsate to pragma. Hoi de eipon pros auton; Sy tis ei hoti holōs laleis Ho de eipen; Huios anthrōpou. Gegraptai gar; Ei alēthōs ara dikaiosynēn laleite, eutheias krinate, huioi tōn anthrōpōn.
When a council was held at Scetis about some matter and a decision had been made, the same Agathon came afterward and said to them, “You have not decided the matter well.” They said to him, “Who are you to speak at all?” He said, “A son of man. For it is written, ‘If you truly speak righteousness, judge uprightly, sons of men.’”
Ps 58:1 (57:2 LXX) (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Agathon challenges a council’s decision, citing the psalm’s call to judge uprightly.
- Quotation of Ps 58:1 (LXX 57:2).
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 3.14 (PG 65:113; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/3-14). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/3-14
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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.
3.15PG 65:113
Ἔλεγον περὶ τοῦ ἀββᾶ Ἀγάθωνος, ὅτι τρία ἔτη ἐποίησεν, ἔχων λίθον εἰς τὸ στόμα αὐτοῦ, ἕως οὗ κατώρθωσε τὸ σιωπᾶν.
Elegon peri tou abba Agathōnos, hoti tria etē epoiēsen, echōn lithon eis to stoma autou, heōs hou katōrthōse to siōpan.
They said of abba Agathon that he spent three years with a stone in his mouth, until he had mastered silence.
Notes and citation
Summary: Agathon kept a stone in his mouth for three years to learn silence.
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 3.15 (PG 65:113; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/3-15). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/3-15
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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.
3.16PG 65:113
Ἔλεγον πάλιν περὶ αὐτοῦ καὶ τοῦ ἀββα Ἀμοῦν, ὅτι ὅτε ἐπίπρασκον σκεῦος, ἅπαξ ἔλεγον τὴν τιμὴν, καὶ τὸ διδόμενον αὐτοῖς ἐλάμβανον σιωπῶντες μετὰ ἀναπαύσεως· καὶ πάλιν ὅτε ἤθελον ἀγοράσαι τί ποτε, τὸ λεγόμενον αὐτοῖς παρεῖχον μετὰ σιωπῆς, καὶ ἐλάμβανον τὸ σκεῦος, καθόλου μὴ φθεγγόμενοι.
Elegon palin peri autou kai tou abba Amoun, hoti hote epipraskon skeuos, hapax elegon tēn timēn, kai to didomenon autois elambanon siōpōntes meta anapauseōs; kai palin hote ēthelon agorasai ti pote, to legomenon autois pareichon meta siōpēs, kai elambanon to skeuos, katholou mē phthengomenoi.
They also said of him and of abba Amoun that when they sold an article, they would name the price once and take what was given them in silence and with tranquility; and again, when they wanted to buy something, they would pay what was asked in silence and take the article, not uttering a word at all.
Notes and citation
Summary: Agathon and Amoun bought and sold without haggling, in silence.
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 3.16 (PG 65:113; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/3-16). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/3-16
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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.
3.17PG 65:113
Ὁ αὐτὸς ἀββᾶς Ἀγάθων εἶπεν, ὅτι Οὐδέποτε ἔδωκα ἀγάπην ἀλλὰ τὸ δοῦναι καὶ λαβεῖν ἀγάπη μοι ἦν· λογιζόμενος ὅτι τὸ κέρδος τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ μου, ἔργον καρποφορίας ἐστίν.
Ho autos abbas Agathōn eipen, hoti Oudepote edōka agapēn alla to dounai kai labein agapē moi ēn; logizomenos hoti to kerdos tou adelphou mou, ergon karpophorias estin.
The same abba Agathon said, “I have never given alms; but giving and receiving was alms to me, reckoning that my brother’s gain is a work that bears fruit.”
Notes and citation
Summary: Agathon counted all exchange as charity, since a brother’s gain bears fruit.
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 3.17 (PG 65:113; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/3-17). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/3-17
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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.
3.18PG 65:113
Ὁ αὐτὸς ὅτε ἔβλεπε πρᾶγμα, καὶ ἤθελεν ὁ λογισμὸς αὐτοῦ κρῖναι, ἔλεγεν ἑαυτῷ· Ἀγάθων, μὴ ποιήσῃς αὐτὸ σύ. Καὶ οὗτος δὲ ὁ λογισμὸς αὐτοῦ ἡσύχαζεν.
Ho autos hote eblepe pragma, kai ēthelen ho logismos autou krinai, elegen heautǭ; Agathōn, mē poiēsę̄s auto sy. Kai houtos de ho logismos autou hēsychazen.
When the same saw something and his thought wanted to judge it, he would say to himself, “Agathon, do not do it yourself.” And so his thought became quiet.
Notes and citation
Summary: Agathon stilled judgmental thoughts by warning himself not to do the same.
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 3.18 (PG 65:113; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/3-18). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/3-18
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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.
3.19PG 65:113
Ὁ αὐτὸς εἶπεν· Ἐὰν ὀργίλος νεκρὸν ἐγείρῃ, οὐκ ἔστι δεκτὸς παρὰ τῷ Θεῷ.
Ho autos eipen; Ean orgilos nekron egeirę̄, ouk esti dektos para tǭ Theǭ.
The same said, “If an angry man raises a dead man, he is not acceptable to God.”
Notes and citation
Summary: Even miracles do not make an angry man acceptable to God.
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 3.19 (PG 65:113; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/3-19). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/3-19
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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.
3.20PG 65:113–115
Ἔσχε ποτὲ ὁ ἀββᾶς Ἀγάθων δύο μαθητὰς ἀναχωροῦντας κατ᾿ ἰδίαν. Ἐν μιᾷ οὖν τῶν ἡμερῶν, ἠρώτησε τὸν ἕνα· Πῶς διάγεις ἐν τῷ κελλίῳ σου; Ο δὲ ἔφη Νηστεύω ἕως ὀψὲ, καὶ ἐσθίω δύο παξαμάτια. Λέγει αὐτῷ· Καλὴ δίαιτα, οὐ πάνυ ἔχουσα κόπον. Λέγει καὶ τῷ ἄλλῳ· Σὺ πῶς; Ὁ δὲ ἔφη. Δύο δύο νηστεύω, καὶ δύο παξαμάτια ἐσθίω. Καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ γέρων· Κοπιᾷς τόνῳ, δύο πολέμους βαστάζων· ὅτι ἐάν τις ἐσθίῃ καθ᾽ ἡμέραν καὶ οὐ χορτάζηται, κοπιᾷ. Ἔστι δὲ ἄλλος, νηστεύειν θέλων δύο δύο καὶ χορτάζεσθαι· σὺ δὲ διπλᾶς νηστεύων οὐ χορτάζῃ.
Esche pote ho abbas Agathōn dyo mathētas anachōrountas kat᾿ idian. En mią oun tōn hēmerōn, ērōtēse ton hena; Pōs diageis en tǭ kelliǭ sou? O de ephē Nēsteuō heōs opse, kai esthiō dyo paxamatia. Legei autǭ; Kalē diaita, ou pany echousa kopon. Legei kai tǭ allǭ; Sy pōs? Ho de ephē. Dyo dyo nēsteuō, kai dyo paxamatia esthiō. Kai legei autǭ ho gerōn; Kopiąs tonǭ, dyo polemous bastazōn; hoti ean tis esthię̄ kath᾽ hēmeran kai ou chortazētai, kopią. Esti de allos, nēsteuein thelōn dyo dyo kai chortazesthai; sy de diplas nēsteuōn ou chortazę̄.
Once abba Agathon had two disciples who lived as anchorites each on his own. One day he asked one of them, “How do you live in your cell?” He said, “I fast until evening, and I eat two biscuits.” He says to him, “A good rule, without too much labor.” He says also to the other, “And you?” He said, “I fast two days at a time, and I eat two biscuits.” And the old man says to him, “You labor hard, carrying two wars: for if someone eats every day and does not eat his fill, he labors; and there is another who wants to fast two days at a time and eat his fill; but you, fasting double, do not eat your fill.”
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
Notes and citation
Summary: Agathon tells a disciple who fasts two days and still eats little that he carries a double battle.
- The scan interleaves this saying’s lines with Migne’s variant notes; the Greek lines are put back in order and the notes removed.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR interleaved the Greek lines with Migne’s variant notes (“Al.”); notes removed and the split lines rejoined in order): Καὶ λέδε ΑΙ. οὕτως. κόπους καὶ ἐντολὰς, ἐκτὸς τῆς ὁδοῦ αὐτοῦ· πάντες οἱ στάζων· ὅτι ἐάν τις ἐσθίῃ καθ᾽ ἡμέραν καὶ οὐ χορτά ζηται, κοπιᾷ. Ἔστι δὲ ἄλλος, νηστεύειν θέλων δύο δύο καὶ χορτάζεσθαι· σὺ δὲ διπλᾶς νηστεύων οὐ χορτάζῃ. γει αὐτῷ ὁ γέρων· Κοπιᾷς τόνῳ, δύο πολέμους βαΑΙ. ὧν δ᾽ ὅτε καὶ διὰ δύο, πολλάκις δὲ καὶ διὰ τεσσάρων μετελάμβανε, → Καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ γέρων· Κοπιᾷς τόνῳ, δύο πολέμους βαστάζων· ὅτι ἐάν τις ἐσθίῃ καθ᾽ ἡμέραν καὶ οὐ χορτάζηται, κοπιᾷ. Ἔστι δὲ ἄλλος, νηστεύειν θέλων δύο δύο καὶ χορτάζεσθαι· σὺ δὲ διπλᾶς νηστεύων οὐ χορτάζῃ..
Topics: Fasting
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 3.20 (PG 65:113–115; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/3-20). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/3-20
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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.
3.21PG 65:115
Ἀδελφὸς ἠρώτησε τὸν ἀββᾶν Ἀγάθωνα περὶ τῆς πορνείας. Καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ· Ὕπαγε, ῥίψον ἐνώπιον τοῦ Θεοῦ τὴν ἀδυναμίαν σου, καὶ ἕξεις ἀνάπαυσιν.
Adelphos ērōtēse ton abban Agathōna peri tēs porneias. Kai legei autǭ; Hypage, rhipson enōpion tou Theou tēn adynamian sou, kai hexeis anapausin.
A brother asked abba Agathon about sexual immorality. And he says to him, “Go, cast your weakness before God, and you will have rest.”
Notes and citation
Summary: Agathon tells a brother tempted to sexual sin to cast his weakness before God.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR: word split): ἐν ὡπιον → ἐνώπιον.
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 3.21 (PG 65:115; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/3-21). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/3-21
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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.
3.22PG 65:115
Ἠσθένησέ ποτε ὁ ἀββᾶς Ἀγάθων καὶ ἄλλος τις τῶν γερόντων· Ἀνακειμένων δὲ αὐτῶν ἐν τῷ κελλίῳ, ἀνεγίνωσκεν ὁ ἀδελφὸςεἰς τὴν Γένεσιν, καὶ ἔρχεται εἰς τὸ κεφάλαιον ὅπου λέγει ὁ Ἰακώβ· Ἰωσὴφ οὐκ ἔστι, Συμεὼν οὐκ ἔστι, καὶ τὸν Βενιαμὶν λήψεσθε· καὶ καθέξετε μου τὸ γῆρας μετὰ λύπης εἰς ᾄδου Καὶ ἀποκριθεὶς ὁ γέρων εἶπεν· Οὐκ ἀρκοῦσί σοι οἱ ἄλλοι δέκα, ἀββᾶ Ἰακώβ; Λέγει ὁ ἀββᾶς Ἀγάθων· Παῦσαι, γέρων. Εἰ ὁ Θεὸς ὁ δικαιῶν, τίς ὁ κατακρίνων;
Ēsthenēse pote ho abbas Agathōn kai allos tis tōn gerontōn; Anakeimenōn de autōn en tǭ kelliǭ, aneginōsken ho adelphoseis tēn Genesin, kai erchetai eis to kephalaion hopou legei ho Iakōb; Iōsēph ouk esti, Symeōn ouk esti, kai ton Beniamin lēpsesthe; kai kathexete mou to gēras meta lypēs eis ądou Kai apokritheis ho gerōn eipen; Ouk arkousi soi hoi alloi deka, abba Iakōb? Legei ho abbas Agathōn; Pausai, gerōn. Ei ho Theos ho dikaiōn, tis ho katakrinōn?
Once abba Agathon and another of the old men fell ill. As they lay in the cell, the brother was reading Genesis, and he comes to the chapter where Jacob says, “Joseph is not, Simeon is not, and you will take Benjamin; and you will bring down my old age with grief to Hades.” And the old man answered and said, “Are the other ten not enough for you, abba Jacob?” Abba Agathon says, “Stop, old man. If God is the one who justifies, who is the one who condemns?”
Gen 42:36 (quotation, high confidence) · Gen 42:38 (quotation, high confidence) · Rom 8:33 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Agathon rebukes an old man who mocked Jacob’s grief, citing Paul: if God justifies, who condemns?
- Quotations of Gen 42:36, 38 and Rom 8:33–34.
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 3.22 (PG 65:115; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/3-22). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/3-22
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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.
3.23PG 65:115
Εἶπεν ὁ ἀββᾶς Ἀγάθων· Ἀγαπητός μού τις ἐὰν ᾗ καθ' ὑπερβολὴν, καὶ γνῶ ὅτι κατάγει με εἰς ἐλάττωμα, ἀποκόπτω αὐτὸν ἀπ᾿ ἐμοῦ.
Eipen ho abbas Agathōn; Agapētos mou tis ean hę̄ kath' hyperbolēn, kai gnō hoti katagei me eis elattōma, apokoptō auton ap᾿ emou.
Abba Agathon said, “If someone is exceedingly dear to me, and I know that he is leading me into some fault, I cut him off from me.”
Notes and citation
Summary: Agathon cuts off even a dear friend who leads him into fault.
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 3.23 (PG 65:115; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/3-23). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/3-23
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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.
3.24PG 65:115
Εἶπε πάλιν· Χρὴ τὸν ἄνθρωπον εἶναι πᾶσαν ὥραν προσέχοντα τῷ κριτηρίῳ τοῦ Θεοῦ.
Eipe palin; Chrē ton anthrōpon einai pasan hōran prosechonta tǭ kritēriǭ tou Theou.
He also said, “A man must at every hour attend to the judgment of God.”
Notes and citation
Summary: One should always keep God’s judgment in mind.
Topics: Eschatology
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 3.24 (PG 65:115; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/3-24). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/3-24
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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.
3.25PG 65:115
Ἔλεγεν ὁ ἀββᾶς Ἰωσὴφ, ἀδελφῶν λαλούντων περὶ ἀγάπης, ὅτι Ἡμεῖς οἴδαμεν τί ἐστιν ἀγάπη; Καὶ εἶπε περὶ τοῦ ἀββᾶ Ἀγάθωνος, ὅτι σμιλίον εἶχε, καὶ ἦλθε πρὸς αὐτὸν ἀδελφὸς, καὶ ἐπήνεσεν αὐτὸ, καὶ οὐκ ἀφῆκεν αὐτὸν ἐξελθεῖν, εἰ μὴ ἔλαβε τὸ σμιλίον.
Elegen ho abbas Iōsēph, adelphōn lalountōn peri agapēs, hoti Hēmeis oidamen ti estin agapē? Kai eipe peri tou abba Agathōnos, hoti smilion eiche, kai ēlthe pros auton adelphos, kai epēnesen auto, kai ouk aphēken auton exelthein, ei mē elabe to smilion.
When brothers were talking about love, abba Joseph said, “Do we know what love is?” And he said of abba Agathon that he had a little knife, and a brother came to him and praised it, and he did not let him leave until he had taken the knife.
Notes and citation
Summary: Agathon gave away his knife to the brother who admired it.
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 3.25 (PG 65:115; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/3-25). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/3-25
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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.
3.26PG 65:115
Ἔλεγεν ὁ ἀββᾶς Ἀγάθων, ὅτι Εἰ δυνατὸν ἦν μοι εὑρεῖν λεπρὸν καὶ δοῦναι αὐτῷ τὸ ἐμὸν σῶμα, καὶ λαβεῖν τὸ αὐτοῦ, ἡδέως εἶχον. Αὕτη γάρ ἐστιν ἡ τελεία ἀγάπη.
Elegen ho abbas Agathōn, hoti Ei dynaton ēn moi heurein lepron kai dounai autǭ to emon sōma, kai labein to autou, hēdeōs eichon. Hautē gar estin hē teleia agapē.
Abba Agathon said, “If I could find a leper and give him my body and take his, I would gladly do it. For this is perfect love.”
Notes and citation
Summary: Agathon would gladly exchange bodies with a leper as an act of perfect love.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR: letter slips): κελεφὸν → λεπρὸν.
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 3.26 (PG 65:115; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/3-26). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/3-26
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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.
3.27PG 65:115
Ἔλεγον πάλιν περὶ αὐτοῦ, ὅτι ἐλθών ποτε πωλῆσαι σκεύη ἐν τῇ πόλει, εὖρεν ἄνθρωπον ξένον ἐν τῇ πλατείᾳ ἐῤῥιμμένον ἄῤῥωστον, μὴ ἔχοντα τὸν ἐπιμελούμενον· καὶ ἔμεινε σὺν αὐτῷ ὁ γέρων λαβὼν ἐνοικίου κελλίον, καὶ ἐκ τοῦ ἐργοχείρου παρείχε τὸ ἐνοίκιον, καὶ τὰ λοιπὰ εἰς τὴν τοῦ ἀῤῥώστου χρείαν ἀνἡλισκε· καὶ ἔμεινε τετράμηνον, ἕως οὗ ἰάθη ὁ ἄῤῥωστος. Καὶ οὕτως ὁ γέρων ἀπῆλθεν εἰς τὸ κελλίον αὐτοῦ μετ' εἰρήνης.
Elegon palin peri autou, hoti elthōn pote pōlēsai skeuē en tę̄ polei, euren anthrōpon xenon en tę̄ plateią errhimmenon arrhōston, mē echonta ton epimeloumenon; kai emeine syn autǭ ho gerōn labōn enoikiou kellion, kai ek tou ergocheirou pareiche to enoikion, kai ta loipa eis tēn tou arrhōstou chreian anēliske; kai emeine tetramēnon, heōs hou iathē ho arrhōstos. Kai houtōs ho gerōn apēlthen eis to kellion autou met' eirēnēs.
They also said of him that once when he came to sell articles in the city, he found a stranger lying sick in the street, with no one to care for him. And the old man stayed with him, renting a room; he paid the rent from his handiwork and spent the rest on the sick man’s needs. And he stayed four months, until the sick man was healed. And so the old man went back to his cell in peace.
Notes and citation
Summary: Agathon nursed a sick stranger in the city for four months.
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 3.27 (PG 65:115; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/3-27). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/3-27
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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.
3.28PG 65:115–117
Ἔλεγεν ὁ ἀββᾶς Δανιὴλ, ὅτι Πρὶν ἔλθῃ ὁ ἀββᾶς Ἀρσένιος πρὸς τοὺς Πατέρας μου, καὶ αὐτοὶ ἔμειναν μετὰ τοῦ ἀββᾶ Ἀγάθωνος. Ἡγάπα δὲ ὁ ἀββᾶς Ἀγάθων τὸν ἀββᾶν Ἀλέξανδρον, ὅτι ἀσκητὴς ἦν καὶ ἐπιεικής. Συνέβη δὲ ὅλους τοὺς μαθητὰς αὐτοῦ πλύνειν τὰ θρύα εἰς τὸν ποταμόν· καὶ ὁ ἀββᾶς Ἀλέξανδρος ἐπιεικῶς ἔπλυνεν. Οἱ δὲ λοιποὶ ἀδελφοὶ εἶπον τῷ γέροντι· Ὁ ἀδελφὸς Ἀλέξανδρος οὐδὲν ποιεῖ. Καὶ θέλων αὐτοὺς θεραπεῦσαι, εἶπεν αὐτῷ· Ἀδελφὲ Ἀλέξανδρε, καλῶς πλῦνον αὐτὰ ὅτι λινάριά εἰσι. Καὶ ὡς ἤκουσεν ἐλυπήθη. Καὶ μετὰ ταῦτα παρεκάλεσεν αὐτὸν ὁ γέρων, λέγων· Μὴ γὰρ οὐκ ᾔδειν ὅτι καλῶς ποιεῖς; ἀλλὰ τοῦτο εἶπόν σοι ἐπὶ αὐτῶν, ἵνα θεραπεύσω αὐτῶν τὸν λογισμὸν ἐν τῇ σῇ ὑπακοῆ, ἀδελφέ.
Elegen ho abbas Daniēl, hoti Prin elthę̄ ho abbas Arsenios pros tous Pateras mou, kai autoi emeinan meta tou abba Agathōnos. Hēgapa de ho abbas Agathōn ton abban Alexandron, hoti askētēs ēn kai epieikēs. Synebē de holous tous mathētas autou plynein ta thrya eis ton potamon; kai ho abbas Alexandros epieikōs eplynen. Hoi de loipoi adelphoi eipon tǭ geronti; Ho adelphos Alexandros ouden poiei. Kai thelōn autous therapeusai, eipen autǭ; Adelphe Alexandre, kalōs plynon auta hoti linaria eisi. Kai hōs ēkousen elypēthē. Kai meta tauta parekalesen auton ho gerōn, legōn; Mē gar ouk ę̄dein hoti kalōs poieis? alla touto eipon soi epi autōn, hina therapeusō autōn ton logismon en tę̄ sę̄ hypakoē, adelphe.
Abba Daniel said, “Before abba Arsenius came to my Fathers, they too lived with abba Agathon. Abba Agathon loved abba Alexander, because he was an ascetic and gentle. It happened that all his disciples were washing rushes in the river, and abba Alexander washed gently. The other brothers said to the old man, ‘Brother Alexander does nothing.’ And wanting to heal them, he said to him, ‘Brother Alexander, wash them well, because they are linen.’ When he heard it, he was grieved. And afterward the old man comforted him, saying, ‘Did I not know that you were doing well? But I said this to you in front of them in order to heal their thought through your obedience, brother.’”
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
Notes and citation
Summary: Agathon rebukes his favored disciple publicly to heal the others’ resentment, then comforts him.
- Leaked variant notes are removed. θρύα are rushes used for weaving; Agathon calls them “linen” in gentle irony (or the scan is corrupt here).
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (leaked variant notes (“Al.”) from Migne’s apparatus): ἦν καὶ δύναμιν. ΑΙ. κατάξετέ. ο ΑΙ. σμιλάριον. ἐπιεικής → ἦν καὶ ἐπιεικής.
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 3.28 (PG 65:115–117; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/3-28). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/3-28
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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.
3.29PG 65:117
Διηγήσαντο περὶ τοῦ ἀββᾶ Ἀγάθωνος, ὅτι ἐσπούδαζε ποιεῖν πᾶσαν ἐντολήν. Καὶ εἰ διέβαινεν εἰς πορθμεῖον, αὐτὸς πρῶτος ἐκράτει τὴν κώπην· καὶ ὅτε παρέβαλον αὐτῷ ἀδελφοὶ, εὐθέως ἀπὸ τῆς εὐχῆς ἡ χεὶρ αὐτοῦ τὴν τράπεζαν ἐτίθει ἦν γὰρ μεστὸς ἀγάπης Θεοῦ. Μέλλοντος δὲ αὐτοῦ τελευτᾷν, ἔμεινε τρεῖς ἡμέρας ἀνεῳγμένους ἔχων τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς μὴ κινουμένους. Ἔνυξαν δὲ αὐτὸν οἱ ἀδελφοὶ λέγοντες· Ἀββᾶ Ἀγάθων, ποῦ εἶ; Λέγει αὐτοῖς· Ἐνώπιον τοῦ κριτηρίου τοῦ Θεοῦ ἵσταμαι. Λέγουσιν αὐτῷ Καὶ σὺ φοβῇ, Πάτερ; Λέγει αὐτοῖς· Τέως ἐποίησα τὴν δύναμίν μου εἰς τὸ φυλάξαι τὰς ἐντολὰς τοῦ Θεοῦ ἀλλ᾽ ἄνθρωπός εἰμι· πόθεν οἶδα εἰ τὸ ἔργον μου εὐηρέστησε τῷ Θεῷ; Λέγουσιν αὐτῷ οἱ ἀδελφοί· Οὐκ εἶ πεποιθὼς ἐπὶ τὸ ἔργον σου, ὅτι κατὰ Θεόν ἐστιν; Λέγει ὁ γέρων Οὐ θαῤῥῶ, εἰ μὴ τῷ Θεῷ ἀπαντήσω. Ἕτερον γάρ ἐστι τὸ τοῦ Θεοῦ κριτήριον, καὶ ἕτερον τὸ τῶν ἀνθρώπων. Ὡς δὲ ἤθελον ἐρωτῆσαι αὐτὸν ἕτερον λόγον, λέγει αὐτοῖς Ποιήσατε ἀγάπην, μὴ λαλεῖτε ἄρτι μετ᾿ ἐμοῦ, ὅτι ἀσχολοῦμαι. Καὶ ἐτελειώθη ἐν χαρᾷ. Ἑώρων γὰρ αὐτὸν ἀναγόμενον, ὃν τρόπον τις ἀσπάζεται τοὺς ἑαυτοῦ φίλους καὶ ἀγαπητούς. Εἶχε δὲ φυλακὴν μεγάλην ἐν πᾶσι, καὶ ἔλεγεν· Ἄνευ φυλακῆς μεγάλης οὐ προβαίνει ἄνθρωπος οὔτε εἰς μίαν ἀρετήν.
Diēgēsanto peri tou abba Agathōnos, hoti espoudaze poiein pasan entolēn. Kai ei diebainen eis porthmeion, autos prōtos ekratei tēn kōpēn; kai hote parebalon autǭ adelphoi, eutheōs apo tēs euchēs hē cheir autou tēn trapezan etithei ēn gar mestos agapēs Theou. Mellontos de autou teleutąn, emeine treis hēmeras aneǭgmenous echōn tous ophthalmous mē kinoumenous. Enyxan de auton hoi adelphoi legontes; Abba Agathōn, pou ei? Legei autois; Enōpion tou kritēriou tou Theou histamai. Legousin autǭ Kai sy phobę̄, Pater? Legei autois; Teōs epoiēsa tēn dynamin mou eis to phylaxai tas entolas tou Theou all᾽ anthrōpos eimi; pothen oida ei to ergon mou euērestēse tǭ Theǭ? Legousin autǭ hoi adelphoi; Ouk ei pepoithōs epi to ergon sou, hoti kata Theon estin? Legei ho gerōn Ou tharrhō, ei mē tǭ Theǭ apantēsō. Heteron gar esti to tou Theou kritērion, kai heteron to tōn anthrōpōn. Hōs de ēthelon erōtēsai auton heteron logon, legei autois Poiēsate agapēn, mē laleite arti met᾿ emou, hoti ascholoumai. Kai eteleiōthē en charą. Heōrōn gar auton anagomenon, hon tropon tis aspazetai tous heautou philous kai agapētous. Eiche de phylakēn megalēn en pasi, kai elegen; Aneu phylakēs megalēs ou probainei anthrōpos oute eis mian aretēn.
They related of abba Agathon that he was eager to do every commandment. If he crossed by ferry, he himself was the first to take the oar; and when brothers visited him, immediately after the prayer his hand would set the table; for he was full of the love of God. When he was about to die, he remained three days with his eyes open, not moving them. The brothers nudged him, saying, “Abba Agathon, where are you?” He says to them, “I am standing before the judgment seat of God.” They say to him, “Are you afraid too, father?” He says to them, “So far I have done what I could to keep the commandments of God; but I am a man; how do I know whether my work has pleased God?” The brothers say to him, “Are you not confident that your work is according to God?” The old man says, “I have no confidence until I meet God. For the judgment of God is one thing, and that of men another.” When they wanted to ask him another word, he says to them, “Do me the kindness: do not talk with me now, for I am occupied.” And he died in joy; for they saw him departing as one greets his friends and loved ones. He kept great watch in all things, and used to say, “Without great watchfulness a man does not advance in even one virtue.”
Notes and citation
Summary: Agathon, dying, stands in spirit before God’s judgment, unsure whether his work has pleased God.
Topics: Eschatology
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 3.29 (PG 65:117; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/3-29). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/3-29
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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.
3.30PG 65:117–123
Εἰσῆλθέ ποτε ὁ ἀββᾶς Ἀγάθων εἰς τὴν πόλιν πωλῆσαι μικρὰ σκεύη, καὶ εὑρίσκει τινὰ λελωβημένον δι παρὰ τὴν ὁδόν. Λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ λελωβημένος· Ποῦ ὑπάγεις; Λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ ἀββᾶς Ἀγάθων· Εἰς τὴν πόλιν πωλῆσαι σκεύη. Λέγει αὐτῷ· Ποίησον ἀγάπην, καὶ ἆρόν με ἐκεῖ. Καὶ βαστάσας αὐτὸν, ἀπήνεγκεν εἰς τὴν πόλιν. Λέγει αὐτῷ· Ὅπου πωλεῖς τὰ σκεύη, ἐκεῖ με θές. Ἐποίησε δὲ οὕτως. Καὶ ὅτε ἐπώλησε σκεῦος, ἔλεγεν αὐτῷ ὁ λελωβημένος Πόσου ἐπώλησας αὐτό; Καὶ ἔλεγε τόσου. Καὶ ἔλεγεν αὐτῷ· Ἀγόρασόν μοι πλακοῦντιν Καὶ ἠγόραζε. Καὶ πάλιν ἐπώλει ἄλλο σκεῦος. Καὶ ἔλεγε· Καὶ τοῦτο πόσου; Καὶ ἔλεγε Τόσου. Καὶ ἔλεγεν αὐτῷ· Ἀγόρασόν μοι τόδε. Καὶ ἡγόραζε. Μετὰ οὖν τὸ πωλῆσαι ὅλα τὰ σκεύη, καὶ θέλειν ἀπελθεῖν, λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ λελωβημένος· Ὑπάγεις; Λέγει αὐτῷ Ναί. Καὶ λέγει· Ποίησον πάλιν ἀγάπην, καὶ ἄρον ὅπου με εὗρες. Καὶ βαστάσας αὐτὸν, ἤνεγκεν εἰς τὸν τόπον αὐτοῦ. Καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ· Εὐλογημένος εἶ, Ἀγάθων, ὑπὸ Κυρίου ἐν οὐρανῷ καὶ ἐπὶ γῆς. Καὶ ἄρας τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς αὐτοῦ οὐδένα εἶδεν· ἦν γὰρ ἄγγελος Κυρίου ἐλθὼν δοκιμάσαι αὐτόν. Περὶ του ἀββᾶ Ἀμμωνᾶ. α'. Ἀδελφός ἠρώτησε τὸν ἀββᾶν Ἀμμωνᾶν, λέγων· Εἰπέ μοι ῥῆμα. Καὶ λέγει ὁ γέρων· Ὕπαγε, ποίησον τὸν λογισμόν σου, ὥσπερ οἱ κακοῦργοι ποιοῦσιν οἱ ὄντες ἐν τῇ φυλακῇ. Ἐκεῖνοι γὰρ ἐρωτῶσιν ἀεὶ τοὺς ἀνθρώπους, ποῦ ἔστιν ὁ ἡγεμὼν καὶ πότε ἔρχεται, καὶ ἀπὸ τῆς προσδοκίας κλαίουσιν. Οὕτως καὶ ὁ μοναχὸς ὀφείλει διαπαντὸς προσέχειν, καὶ ἐλέγχειν τὴν ἑαυτοῦ ψυχὴν, λέγων· Οὐαί μοι Πῶς ἔχω παραστῆναι τῷ βήματι τοῦ Χριστοῦ; καὶ πῶς ἔχω αὐτῷ ἀπολογήσασθαι; Ἐὰν οὕτως μελετήσῃς διαπαντὸς, δύνασαι σωθῆναι. β'. Ἔλεγον περὶ τοῦ ἀββᾶ Ἀμμωνᾶ, ὅτι καὶ βασιλίσκον ἀπέκτεινεν. Ἀπελθὼν γὰρ εἰς τὴν ἔρημον ἀντλῆσαι ὕδωρ ἀπὸ λάκκου, καὶ ἰδὼν τὸν βασιλίσκον, ἔβαλεν αὐτὸν ἐπὶ πρόσωπον, λέγων· Κύριε, εἰ ἐγὼ ἔχω ἀποθανεῖν, ἢ οὗτος. Καὶ εὐθέως ὁ βασιλίσκος ἐν τῇ δυνάμει τοῦ Χριστοῦ διεῤῥάγη. γ'. Εἶπεν ὁ ἀββᾶς Αμμωνᾶς, ὅτι Δεκατέσσαρα ἔτη ἐποίησα ἐν Σκήτει δεόμενος τοῦ Θεοῦ νυκτὸς καὶ ἡμέρας, ἵνα μοι χαρίσηται νικῆσαι τὴν ὀργήν. δ΄. Διηγήσατό τις τῶν Πατέρων, ὅτι ἦν τις γέρων πονικὸς εἰς τὰ Κελλία φορῶν ψιάθιον· καὶ ἀπελθὼν παρέβαλε τῷ ἀββᾷ Αμμωνᾷ. Εἶδε δὲ αὐτὸν ὁ γέρων φοροῦντα τὸ ψιάθιον, καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ· Τοῦτο οὐδέν σε ὠφελεῖ. Καὶ ἠρώτησεν αὐτὸν ὁ γέρων, λέγων· Τρεῖς λογισμοὶ ὀχλοῦσί μοι· ἢ τὸ πλάζεσθαι ἐν ταῖς ἐρήμοις ἢ ἵνα ἀπέλθω ἐπὶ ξένης ὅπου οὐδείς με ἐπιγινώσκει, ἢ ἵνα ἐγκλείσω ἑαυτὸν εἰς κελλίον, καὶ μηδενὶ ἀπαντήσω, διὰ δύο ἐσθίων. Λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ ἀββᾶς Ἀμμωνᾶς· Οὐδὲν ἐκ τῶν τριῶν συμφέρει σοι ποιῆσαι· ἀλλὰ μᾶλλον κάθου εἰς τὸ κελλίον σου, καὶ ἔσθιε μικρὸν καθ' ἡμέραν· καὶ ἔχε διαπαντὸς τὸν λόγον τοῦ τελώνου ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ σου· καὶ δύνασαι σωθῆναι. ε΄. Ἀδελφοῖς συνέβη θλίψις ἐν τῷ τόπῳ αὐτῶν, καὶ θέλοντες καταλιπεῖν αὐτὸν, ἀπῆλθον πρὸς τὸν ἀββᾶν Αμμωνᾶν. Καὶ ἰδοὺ ὁ γέρων κατέπλες, καὶ ἰδὼν αὐτοὺς παρὰ τὴν ὄχθαν ὁδεύοντας τοῦ ποταμοῦ, εἶπε τοῖς ναύταις· Βάλετέ με εἰς τὴν γῆν. Καὶ καλέσας τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς εἶπεν αὐτοῖς· Ἐγώ εἰμι Αμμωνᾶς, πρὸς ὂν θέλετε ἐλθεῖν. Καὶ παρακαλέσας αὐτῶν τὰς καρδίας, ἐποίησεν αὐτοὺς ὑποστρέψαι ὅθεν ἐξῆλθον. Οὐ γὰρ εἶχε τὸ πρᾶγμα ζημίαν ψυχῆς, ἀλλὰ θλίψιν ἀνθρωπίνην. ς'. Ἦλθέ ποτε ὁ ἀββᾶς Αμμωνᾶς περάσαι τὸν ποταμὸν, καὶ εὖρε τὸ πορθμεῖον φιλοκαλημένον καὶ παρεκαθέσθη αὐτῷ· καὶ ἰδοὺ ἄλλο σκάφος εἰς τὸν τόπον ἦλθε, καὶ ἐπέρασε τοὺς ὄντας ἀνθρώπους. Καὶ λέγουσιν αὐτῷ· Δεῦρο καὶ σὺ ἀββᾶ, πέρασον μεθ' ἡμῶν. Ὁ δὲ λέγει Εἰ μὴ εἰς τὸ δημόσιον πορθμεῖον οὐκ ἀναβαίνω. Εἶχε δὲ δέσμην θαλλίων, καὶ ἐκάθητο πλέκων σειρὰν, καὶ πάλιν λύων αὐτὴν, ἕως οὗ γέγονε τὸ σε πορθμεῖον. Καὶ οὕτως ἐπέρασεν. Ἔβαλον οὖν αὐτῷ οἱ ἀδελφοὶ μετάνοιαν, λέγοντες Τί τοῦτο ἐποίησας; Καὶ λέγει αὐτοῖς ὁ γέρων· Ἵνα μὴ πάντοτε σπουδάζοντος τοῦ λογισμοῦ περιπατῶ. Ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῦτο ὑπόδειγμά ἐστιν, ἵνα μετὰ καταστάσεως βαδίζωμεν τὴν ὁδὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ. ζ'. Ἀπῆλθέ ποτε ὁ ἀββᾶς Ἁμμωνᾶς παραβαλεῖν τῷ ἀββᾷ Ἀντωνίῳ, καὶ ἐπλανήθη τὴν ὁδόν· καὶ καθίσας ἐκοιμήθη μικρόν· καὶ ἀναστὰς ἐκ τοῦ ὕπνου, εὔξατο τῷ Θεῷ, λέγων· Δέομαί σου, Κύριε ὁ Θεός μου, μὴ ἀπολέσῃς τὸ πλάσμα σου. Καὶ ὤφθη αὐτῷ ὡς χεὶρ ἀνθρώπου κρεμαμένη ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ, δεικνύουσα αὐτῷ τὴν ὁδὸν, ἕως οὗ ἦλθε καὶ ἔστη κατὰ τοῦ σπηλαίου τοῦ ἀββᾶ Ἀντωνίου. η'. Τούτῳ τῷ ἀββᾷ Ἀμμωνᾷ προεφήτευσεν ὁ ἀββᾶς Ἀντώνιος, λέγων, ὅτι Ἔχεις προκόψαι εἰς τὸν φόβον τοῦ Θεοῦ. Καὶ ἐξήγαγεν αὐτὸν ἔξω τοῦ κελλίου, καὶ ἔδειξεν αὐτῷ λίθον, καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ· Ὕβρισον τὸν λίθον τοῦτον καὶ τύψον αὐτόν. Ὁ δὲ ἐποίησεν οὕτως. Καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ ἀββᾶς Ἀντώνιος Μὴ ἐλάλησεν ὁ λίθος; Ὁ δὲ εἶπεν· Οὐχί. Καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ ἀββᾶς Ἀντώνιος· Οὕτω καὶ σὺ καταλαβεῖν μέλλεις τοῦτο τὸ μέτρον. "Ο καὶ ἐγένετο. Προέκοψε γὰρ ὁ ἀββᾶς Ἀμμωνᾶς οὕτως, ὡς ἀπὸ πολλῆς ἀγαθότητος μηκέτι εἰδέναι τὴν κακίαν. Ἐν οἷς γενομένου αὐτοῦ ἐπισκόπου, προσήνεγκαν αὐτῷ παρθένον λαβοῦσαν ἐν γαστρὶ, καὶ λέγουσιν αὐτῷ Ὁ δεῖνα ἐποίησε τοῦτο δὸς αὐτοῖς ἐπιτιμίαν. Ὁ δὲ σφραγίσας αὐτῆς τὴν κοιλίαν, ἐκέλευσε δοθῆναι αὐτῇ ἐξ ζυγὰς σινδονίων, λέγων· Μήποτε ὡς ἀπέρχεται γεννῆσαι, ἀποθάνῃ ἢ αὐτὴ ἢ τὸ παιδίον, καὶ μὴ εὕρῃ κηδευθῆναι. Λέγουσιν αὐτῷ οἱ κατ᾿ αὐτῆς ἐντυχόντες· Τί τοῦτο ἐποίησας; δὸς αὐτοῖς ἐπιτιμίαν. Ὁ δὲ λέγει αὐτοῖς· Βλέπετε, ἀδελφοὶ, ὅτι ἐγγὺς ἐστι τοῦ θανάτου καὶ τί ἔχω ἐγὼ ποιῆσαι; Καὶ ἀπέλυσεν αὐτήν· καὶ οὐκ ἐτόλμησεν ὁ γέρων κατακρῖναί τινα. θ'. Ἔλεγον περὶ αὐτοῦ, ὅτι τινὲς ἦλθον δικασθῆναι παρ' αὐτῷ. Ὁ δὲ γέρων ἐμωροποίει. Καὶ ἰδοὺ γυνή τις ἔστη πλησίον αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἔλεγεν Οὗτος ὁ γέρων σαλός ἐστιν. Ἤκουσεν οὖν αὐτῆς ὁ γέρων, καὶ φωνήσας αὐτὴν λέγει· Πόσους κόπους ἐποίησα ἐν ταῖς ἐρήμοις, ἵνα κτήσωμαι τὴν σαλότητα ταύτην, καὶ διὰ σὲ ἔχω ἀπολέσαι αὐτὴν σήμερον! ι'. Ἦλθέ ποτε ὁ ἀββᾶς Ἀμμωνᾶς εἰς τόπον γεύσασθαι, καὶ ἦν ἐκεῖ εἷς ἔχων φήμην κακήν· καὶ συνέβη ἐλθεῖν τὴν γυναῖκα, καὶ εἰσελθεῖν εἰς τὸ κελλίον τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ τοῦ ἔχοντος τὴν κακὴν φήμην. Μαθόντες οὖν οἱ οἰκοῦντες εἰς τὸν τόπον ἐκεῖνον, ἐταράχθησαν, καὶ συνήχθησαν, ὥστε διῶξαι αὐτὸν ἐκ τοῦ κελλίου. Καὶ γνόντες ὅτι ὁ ἐπίσκοπος Αμμωνᾶς εἰς τὸν τόπον ἐκεῖνόν ἐστιν, ἐλθόντες παρεκάλεσαν αὐτὸν, ὅπως παραγένηται σὺν αὐτοῖς. Ὡς δὲ γνῶ ὁ ἀδελφὸς, λαβὼν τὴν γυναῖκα ἔκρυψεν εἰς πίθον μέγαν. Παραγενομένου δὲ τοῦ πλήθους, εἶδεν ὁ ἀββᾶς Ἀμμωνᾶς τὸ γενόμενον, καὶ διὰ τὸν Θεὸν ἐσκέπασε τὸ πρᾶγμα· καὶ εἰσελθὼν ἐκάθισεν ἐπάνω τοῦ πίθου, καὶ ἐκέλευσε ζητηθῆναι τὸ κελλίον. Ὡς οὖν ἐψηλάφησαν, καὶ οὐχ εὖρον τὴν γυναῖκα, εἶπεν ὁ ἀββᾶς Ἀμμωνᾶς· Τί ἐστι τοῦτο; ὁ Θεὸς συγχωρήσει το ὑμῖν. Καὶ εὐξάμενος ἐποίησε πάντας ἀναχωρῆσαι· καὶ κατασχὼν τὴν χεῖρα τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ, εἶπεν αὐτῷ· Πρόσεχε σεαυτῷ, ἀδελφέ. Καὶ τοῦτο εἰπὼν, ἀνεχώρησεν. ια΄. Ἠρωτήθη ὁ ἀββᾶς Αμμωνᾶς, τίς ἐστιν ἡ ὁδὸς ἡ στενὴ καὶ τεθλιμμένη· καὶ ἀποκριθεὶς εἶπεν· Ἡ ὁδὸς ἡ στενὴ καὶ τεθλιμμένη αὕτη ἐστί· τὸ βιάζεσθαι τοὺς λογισμοὺς ἑαυτοῦ, καὶ κόπτειν διὰ τὸν Θεὸν τὰ ἴδια θελήματα καὶ τοῦτό ἐστι τὸ, Ἰδοὺ ἡμεῖς ἀφήκαμεν πάντα, καὶ ἠκολουθήσαμέν σοι.
Eisēlthe pote ho abbas Agathōn eis tēn polin pōlēsai mikra skeuē, kai heuriskei tina lelōbēmenon di para tēn hodon. Legei autǭ ho lelōbēmenos; Pou hypageis? Legei autǭ ho abbas Agathōn; Eis tēn polin pōlēsai skeuē. Legei autǭ; Poiēson agapēn, kai aron me ekei. Kai bastasas auton, apēnenken eis tēn polin. Legei autǭ; Hopou pōleis ta skeuē, ekei me thes. Epoiēse de houtōs. Kai hote epōlēse skeuos, elegen autǭ ho lelōbēmenos Posou epōlēsas auto? Kai elege tosou. Kai elegen autǭ; Agorason moi plakountin Kai ēgoraze. Kai palin epōlei allo skeuos. Kai elege; Kai touto posou? Kai elege Tosou. Kai elegen autǭ; Agorason moi tode. Kai hēgoraze. Meta oun to pōlēsai hola ta skeuē, kai thelein apelthein, legei autǭ ho lelōbēmenos; Hypageis? Legei autǭ Nai. Kai legei; Poiēson palin agapēn, kai aron hopou me heures. Kai bastasas auton, ēnenken eis ton topon autou. Kai legei autǭ; Eulogēmenos ei, Agathōn, hypo Kyriou en ouranǭ kai epi gēs. Kai aras tous ophthalmous autou oudena eiden; ēn gar angelos Kyriou elthōn dokimasai auton. Peri tou abba Ammōna. a'. Adelphos ērōtēse ton abban Ammōnan, legōn; Eipe moi rhēma. Kai legei ho gerōn; Hypage, poiēson ton logismon sou, hōsper hoi kakourgoi poiousin hoi ontes en tę̄ phylakę̄. Ekeinoi gar erōtōsin aei tous anthrōpous, pou estin ho hēgemōn kai pote erchetai, kai apo tēs prosdokias klaiousin. Houtōs kai ho monachos opheilei diapantos prosechein, kai elenchein tēn heautou psychēn, legōn; Ouai moi Pōs echō parastēnai tǭ bēmati tou Christou? kai pōs echō autǭ apologēsasthai? Ean houtōs meletēsę̄s diapantos, dynasai sōthēnai. b'. Elegon peri tou abba Ammōna, hoti kai basiliskon apekteinen. Apelthōn gar eis tēn erēmon antlēsai hydōr apo lakkou, kai idōn ton basiliskon, ebalen auton epi prosōpon, legōn; Kyrie, ei egō echō apothanein, ē houtos. Kai eutheōs ho basiliskos en tę̄ dynamei tou Christou dierrhagē. g'. Eipen ho abbas Ammōnas, hoti Dekatessara etē epoiēsa en Skētei deomenos tou Theou nyktos kai hēmeras, hina moi charisētai nikēsai tēn orgēn. d΄. Diēgēsato tis tōn Paterōn, hoti ēn tis gerōn ponikos eis ta Kellia phorōn psiathion; kai apelthōn parebale tǭ abbą Ammōną. Eide de auton ho gerōn phorounta to psiathion, kai legei autǭ; Touto ouden se ōphelei. Kai ērōtēsen auton ho gerōn, legōn; Treis logismoi ochlousi moi; ē to plazesthai en tais erēmois ē hina apelthō epi xenēs hopou oudeis me epiginōskei, ē hina enkleisō heauton eis kellion, kai mēdeni apantēsō, dia dyo esthiōn. Legei autǭ ho abbas Ammōnas; Ouden ek tōn triōn sympherei soi poiēsai; alla mallon kathou eis to kellion sou, kai esthie mikron kath' hēmeran; kai eche diapantos ton logon tou telōnou en tę̄ kardią sou; kai dynasai sōthēnai. e΄. Adelphois synebē thlipsis en tǭ topǭ autōn, kai thelontes katalipein auton, apēlthon pros ton abban Ammōnan. Kai idou ho gerōn kateples, kai idōn autous para tēn ochthan hodeuontas tou potamou, eipe tois nautais; Balete me eis tēn gēn. Kai kalesas tous adelphous eipen autois; Egō eimi Ammōnas, pros on thelete elthein. Kai parakalesas autōn tas kardias, epoiēsen autous hypostrepsai hothen exēlthon. Ou gar eiche to pragma zēmian psychēs, alla thlipsin anthrōpinēn. s'. Ēlthe pote ho abbas Ammōnas perasai ton potamon, kai eure to porthmeion philokalēmenon kai parekathesthē autǭ; kai idou allo skaphos eis ton topon ēlthe, kai eperase tous ontas anthrōpous. Kai legousin autǭ; Deuro kai sy abba, perason meth' hēmōn. Ho de legei Ei mē eis to dēmosion porthmeion ouk anabainō. Eiche de desmēn thalliōn, kai ekathēto plekōn seiran, kai palin lyōn autēn, heōs hou gegone to se porthmeion. Kai houtōs eperasen. Ebalon oun autǭ hoi adelphoi metanoian, legontes Ti touto epoiēsas? Kai legei autois ho gerōn; Hina mē pantote spoudazontos tou logismou peripatō. Alla kai touto hypodeigma estin, hina meta katastaseōs badizōmen tēn hodon tou Theou. z'. Apēlthe pote ho abbas Hammōnas parabalein tǭ abbą Antōniǭ, kai eplanēthē tēn hodon; kai kathisas ekoimēthē mikron; kai anastas ek tou hypnou, euxato tǭ Theǭ, legōn; Deomai sou, Kyrie ho Theos mou, mē apolesę̄s to plasma sou. Kai ōphthē autǭ hōs cheir anthrōpou kremamenē ek tou ouranou, deiknyousa autǭ tēn hodon, heōs hou ēlthe kai estē kata tou spēlaiou tou abba Antōniou. ē'. Toutǭ tǭ abbą Ammōną proephēteusen ho abbas Antōnios, legōn, hoti Echeis prokopsai eis ton phobon tou Theou. Kai exēgagen auton exō tou kelliou, kai edeixen autǭ lithon, kai eipen autǭ; Hybrison ton lithon touton kai typson auton. Ho de epoiēsen houtōs. Kai legei autǭ ho abbas Antōnios Mē elalēsen ho lithos? Ho de eipen; Ouchi. Kai legei autǭ ho abbas Antōnios; Houtō kai sy katalabein melleis touto to metron. "O kai egeneto. Proekopse gar ho abbas Ammōnas houtōs, hōs apo pollēs agathotētos mēketi eidenai tēn kakian. En hois genomenou autou episkopou, prosēnenkan autǭ parthenon labousan en gastri, kai legousin autǭ Ho deina epoiēse touto dos autois epitimian. Ho de sphragisas autēs tēn koilian, ekeleuse dothēnai autę̄ ex zygas sindoniōn, legōn; Mēpote hōs aperchetai gennēsai, apothanę̄ ē autē ē to paidion, kai mē heurę̄ kēdeuthēnai. Legousin autǭ hoi kat᾿ autēs entychontes; Ti touto epoiēsas? dos autois epitimian. Ho de legei autois; Blepete, adelphoi, hoti engys esti tou thanatou kai ti echō egō poiēsai? Kai apelysen autēn; kai ouk etolmēsen ho gerōn katakrinai tina. th'. Elegon peri autou, hoti tines ēlthon dikasthēnai par' autǭ. Ho de gerōn emōropoiei. Kai idou gynē tis estē plēsion autou, kai elegen Houtos ho gerōn salos estin. Ēkousen oun autēs ho gerōn, kai phōnēsas autēn legei; Posous kopous epoiēsa en tais erēmois, hina ktēsōmai tēn salotēta tautēn, kai dia se echō apolesai autēn sēmeron! i'. Ēlthe pote ho abbas Ammōnas eis topon geusasthai, kai ēn ekei heis echōn phēmēn kakēn; kai synebē elthein tēn gynaika, kai eiselthein eis to kellion tou adelphou tou echontos tēn kakēn phēmēn. Mathontes oun hoi oikountes eis ton topon ekeinon, etarachthēsan, kai synēchthēsan, hōste diōxai auton ek tou kelliou. Kai gnontes hoti ho episkopos Ammōnas eis ton topon ekeinon estin, elthontes parekalesan auton, hopōs paragenētai syn autois. Hōs de gnō ho adelphos, labōn tēn gynaika ekrypsen eis pithon megan. Paragenomenou de tou plēthous, eiden ho abbas Ammōnas to genomenon, kai dia ton Theon eskepase to pragma; kai eiselthōn ekathisen epanō tou pithou, kai ekeleuse zētēthēnai to kellion. Hōs oun epsēlaphēsan, kai ouch euron tēn gynaika, eipen ho abbas Ammōnas; Ti esti touto? ho Theos synchōrēsei to hymin. Kai euxamenos epoiēse pantas anachōrēsai; kai kataschōn tēn cheira tou adelphou, eipen autǭ; Proseche seautǭ, adelphe. Kai touto eipōn, anechōrēsen. ia΄. Ērōtēthē ho abbas Ammōnas, tis estin hē hodos hē stenē kai tethlimmenē; kai apokritheis eipen; Hē hodos hē stenē kai tethlimmenē hautē esti; to biazesthai tous logismous heautou, kai koptein dia ton Theon ta idia thelēmata kai touto esti to, Idou hēmeis aphēkamen panta, kai ēkolouthēsamen soi.
Once abba Agathon went into the city to sell small articles, and he finds a cripple by the road. The cripple says to him, “Where are you going?” Abba Agathon says to him, “To the city to sell articles.” He says to him, “Do me a kindness and carry me there.” And he picked him up and carried him to the city. He says to him, “Put me where you sell the articles.” And he did so. And when he sold an article, the cripple would say to him, “How much did you sell it for?” And he would say, “So much.” And he would say to him, “Buy me a cake.” And he would buy it. And again he would sell another article. And he would say, “And this one, how much?” And he would say, “So much.” And he would say to him, “Buy me this.” And he would buy it. So after selling all the articles, when he wanted to leave, the cripple says to him, “Are you going?” He says to him, “Yes.” And he says, “Do me a kindness again and carry me where you found me.” And picking him up, he carried him to his place. And he says to him, “Blessed are you, Agathon, by the Lord in heaven and on earth.” And lifting his eyes he saw no one; for it was an angel of the Lord who had come to test him. [On abba Ammonas] [1] A brother asked abba Ammonas, saying, “Tell me a word.” And the old man says, “Go, make your thought like that of the criminals who are in prison. For they always ask people where the governor is and when he is coming, and they weep in anticipation. So the monk too ought always to pay attention and rebuke his own soul, saying, ‘Woe is me! How shall I stand before the judgment seat of Christ? And how shall I make my defense to him?’ If you meditate like this always, you can be saved.” [2] They said of abba Ammonas that he even killed a basilisk. For going into the desert to draw water from a cistern and seeing the basilisk, he threw himself on his face, saying, “Lord, either I must die, or this.” And at once the basilisk burst apart by the power of Christ. [3] Abba Ammonas said, “I spent fourteen years at Scetis asking God night and day to grant me to overcome anger.” [4] One of the Fathers related that there was a hard-working old man in the Cells who wore a mat; and he went and visited abba Ammonas. The old man saw him wearing the mat and says to him, “This does you no good.” And the old man asked him, saying, “Three thoughts trouble me: either to wander in the deserts, or to go to a foreign land where no one knows me, or to shut myself in a cell, meet no one, and eat every two days.” Abba Ammonas says to him, “None of the three is good for you to do; rather, sit in your cell, eat a little every day, and always have the word of the tax collector in your heart; and you can be saved.” [5] Affliction came upon some brothers in their place, and wanting to leave it, they went to abba Ammonas. And look, the old man was sailing downstream, and seeing them walking along the bank of the river, he said to the sailors, “Put me ashore.” And calling the brothers, he said to them, “I am Ammonas, to whom you want to come.” And comforting their hearts, he made them return to where they had come from. For the matter was not harm to the soul, but human affliction. [6] Once abba Ammonas came to cross the river, and he found the ferry made ready and sat down beside it; and look, another boat came to the place and took across the people who were there. And they say to him, “Come too, abba, cross with us.” But he says, “I will not get on except into the public ferry.” He had a bundle of palm leaves, and he sat plaiting rope and then undoing it, until the ferry was ready. And so he crossed. The brothers made a prostration to him, saying, “Why did you do this?” And the old man says to them, “So that I may not always walk with my thought in a hurry.” This too is an example, that we should walk the way of God with composure. [7] Once abba Ammonas went to visit abba Antony, and he lost his way; and sitting down he slept a little; and getting up from sleep, he prayed to God, saying, “I beg you, Lord my God, do not destroy your creature.” And there appeared to him something like a man’s hand hanging from heaven, showing him the way, until he came and stood at abba Antony’s cave. [8] Abba Antony prophesied to this abba Ammonas, saying, “You will advance in the fear of God.” And he led him out of the cell and showed him a stone and said to him, “Insult this stone and strike it.” And he did so. And abba Antony says to him, “Did the stone say anything?” He said, “No.” And abba Antony says to him, “So you too will reach this measure.” Which also happened. For abba Ammonas advanced so far that from his great goodness he no longer knew wickedness. When he had become bishop, they brought him a virgin who had conceived, and they say to him, “So-and-so did this; give them a penance.” But he signed her womb with the cross and ordered that six pairs of linen sheets be given her, saying, “Lest, when she goes to give birth, she or the child die and find nothing to be buried in.” Those who had accused her say to him, “Why did you do this? Give them a penance.” But he says to them, “You see, brothers, that she is near death; and what am I to do?” And he let her go; and the old man did not dare to condemn anyone. [9] They said of him that some people came to have their case judged by him. But the old man played the fool. And look, a woman stood near him and said, “This old man is mad.” The old man heard her, and calling to her he says, “How many labors I have spent in the deserts to acquire this madness, and through you I am to lose it today!” [10] Once abba Ammonas came to a place to eat, and there was a man there with a bad reputation; and it happened that a woman came and went into the cell of the brother who had the bad reputation. When those who lived in that place learned of it, they were troubled and gathered to drive him out of his cell. And learning that bishop Ammonas was in that place, they came and asked him to come with them. When the brother learned of it, he took the woman and hid her in a large jar. When the crowd arrived, abba Ammonas saw what had happened, and for God’s sake he covered the matter; and going in, he sat on top of the jar and ordered the cell to be searched. When they had felt everywhere and not found the woman, abba Ammonas said, “What is this? God forgive you.” And after praying he made them all leave; and taking the brother’s hand he said to him, “Watch yourself, brother.” And having said this, he left. [11] Abba Ammonas was asked what is the narrow and hard way; and he answered, “The narrow and hard way is this: to do violence to one’s own thoughts and to cut off one’s own wills for God’s sake. And this is the meaning of ‘Look, we have left everything and followed you.’”
Luke 18:13 (allusion, high confidence) · Matt 7:14 (allusion, high confidence) · Matt 19:27 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Cor 5:10 (echo, low confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: An angel disguised as a cripple tests Agathon’s charity; the sayings of abba Ammonas follow.
- The scan runs the whole section on abba Ammonas (sayings 1–11, numbered αʹ–ιαʹ in the print) into the last saying of Agathon; it is translated here under its printed heading, with the saying numbers in brackets. Ammonas 8 and 10 concern a pregnant virgin and a woman hidden in a monk’s cell; they show Ammonas’s refusal to condemn and are translated as written. The tax collector’s word: Luke 18:13; the narrow way: Matt 7:14; Peter’s words: Matt 19:27.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR: split word with stray letters; OCR: word split with stray mark; leaked variant note (“Al.”) from Migne’s apparatus): ἀπελ· θὼν → ἀπελθὼν; κελΙς λίον → κελλίον; Λέγει ΑΙ. πελάζεσθαι ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ. αὐτῷ → Λέγει αὐτῷ; συμ. φέρει → συμφέρει.
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 3.30 (PG 65:117–123; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/3-30). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/3-30
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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 4
4.1PG 65:123
Παρέβαλόν ποτε τρεῖς γέροντες τῷ ἀββᾷ Ἀχιλᾷ, καὶ ὁ εἷς ἐξ αὐτῶν εἶχε φήμην κακήν. Εἶπε δὲ αὐτῷ εἷς τῶν γερόντων· Ἀββᾶ, ποίησόν μοι μίαν σαγήνην. Ὁ δὲ εἶπεν· Οὐ ποιῶ. Καὶ ὁ ἄλλος εἶπε· Ποίησον ἀγάπην, ἵνα ἔχωμέν σου μνημόσυνον εἰς τὴν μονήν. Ὁ δὲ ἔφη· Οὐ σχολάζω. Λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ ἄλλος ὁ ἔχων τὴν κακὴν φήμην· Ἐμοὶ ποίησον μίαν σαγήνην, ἵνα ἐκ τῶν χειρῶν σου ἔχω, ἀββᾶ. Ὁ δὲ ἀποκριθεὶς εὐθέως εἶπεν αὐτῷ· Ἐγώ σοι ποιῶ. Καὶ εἶπον αὐτῷ κατ' ἰδίαν οἱ δύο γέροντες· Πῶς ἡμεῖς παρεκαλέσαμέν σε, καὶ οὐκ ἠθέλησας ἡμῖν ποιῆσαι, καὶ τούτῳ εἶπας· Ἐγώ σοι ποιῶ; Λέγει αὐτοῖς ὁ γέρων· ΕΙπον ὑμῖν, Οὐ ποιῶ, καὶ οὐκ ἐλυπήθητε, ὡς μὴ σχολάζοντός μου· τούτῳ δὲ ἐὰν μὴ ποιήσω, ἐρεῖ, ὅτι Διὰ τὴν ἁμαρτίαν μου ἀκούσας ὁ γέρων οὐκ ἠθέλησε ποιῆσαι· καὶ εὐθέως κόπτομεν τὸ σχοινίον. Διήγειρα οὖν αὐτοῦ τὴν ψυχὴν, ἵνα μὴ τῇ λύπῃ καταποθῇ ὁ τοιοῦτος.
Parebalon pote treis gerontes tǭ abbą Achilą, kai ho heis ex autōn eiche phēmēn kakēn. Eipe de autǭ heis tōn gerontōn; Abba, poiēson moi mian sagēnēn. Ho de eipen; Ou poiō. Kai ho allos eipe; Poiēson agapēn, hina echōmen sou mnēmosynon eis tēn monēn. Ho de ephē; Ou scholazō. Legei autǭ ho allos ho echōn tēn kakēn phēmēn; Emoi poiēson mian sagēnēn, hina ek tōn cheirōn sou echō, abba. Ho de apokritheis eutheōs eipen autǭ; Egō soi poiō. Kai eipon autǭ kat' idian hoi dyo gerontes; Pōs hēmeis parekalesamen se, kai ouk ēthelēsas hēmin poiēsai, kai toutǭ eipas; Egō soi poiō? Legei autois ho gerōn; EIpon hymin, Ou poiō, kai ouk elypēthēte, hōs mē scholazontos mou; toutǭ de ean mē poiēsō, erei, hoti Dia tēn hamartian mou akousas ho gerōn ouk ēthelēse poiēsai; kai eutheōs koptomen to schoinion. Diēgeira oun autou tēn psychēn, hina mē tę̄ lypę̄ katapothę̄ ho toioutos.
Once three old men visited abba Achilas, and one of them had a bad reputation. One of the old men said to him, “Abba, make me a fishing net.” He said, “I will not make one.” And the other said, “Do us a kindness, so that we may have a remembrance of you in the monastery.” He said, “I have no time.” The other, who had the bad reputation, says to him, “Make me a net, so that I may have something from your hands, abba.” He answered at once, “I will make you one.” And the two old men said to him privately, “How is it that we begged you and you would not make one for us, and to this man you said, ‘I will make you one’?” The old man says to them, “I told you, ‘I will not make one,’ and you were not grieved, since I have no time; but if I do not make one for this man, he will say, ‘The old man heard about my sin and would not make one,’ and at once we cut the rope. So I roused his soul, so that such a man might not be swallowed up by grief.”
2 Cor 2:7 (echo, low confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Achilas refuses two respected elders but makes a net for a disgraced one, so as not to crush him with grief.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR: word split): σχο λάζοντός → σχολάζοντός.
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 4.1 (PG 65:123; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/4-1). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/4-1
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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.
4.2PG 65:123
Εἶπεν ὁ ἀββᾶς Βητίμης ὅτι Καταβαίνοντός μού ποτε εἰς Σκῆτιν, ἔδωκάν μεί τινες ὀλίγα μῆλα, ἵνα δώσω τοῖς γέρουσι. Καὶ ἔκρουσα εἰς τὸ κελλίον τοῦ ἀββᾶ Ἀχιλᾶ, ἵνα δώσω αὐτῷ. Ὁ δὲ ἔφη· Φύσει, ἀδελφὲ, οὐκ ἤθελον ἵνα κρούσῃς μοι ἄρτι, εἰ ἦν μάννα· μηδὲ εἰς ἄλλο κελλίον ἀπέλθῃς. Ἀνεχώρησα οὖν εἰς τὸ κελλίον μου, καὶ ἀνήνεγκα αὐτὰ εἰς τὴν ἐκκλησίαν.
Eipen ho abbas Bētimēs hoti Katabainontos mou pote eis Skētin, edōkan mei tines oliga mēla, hina dōsō tois gerousi. Kai ekrousa eis to kellion tou abba Achila, hina dōsō autǭ. Ho de ephē; Physei, adelphe, ouk ēthelon hina krousę̄s moi arti, ei ēn manna; mēde eis allo kellion apelthę̄s. Anechōrēsa oun eis to kellion mou, kai anēnenka auta eis tēn ekklēsian.
Abba Bitimius said, “Once when I was going down to Scetis, some people gave me a few apples to give to the old men. And I knocked at the cell of abba Achilas to give him some. He said, ‘Truly, brother, I would not want you to knock on my door now, even if it were manna; and do not go to another cell.’ So I went back to my cell and took them to the church.”
Notes and citation
Summary: Achilas refuses a gift of apples and tells the brother not to disturb other cells.
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 4.2 (PG 65:123; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/4-2). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/4-2
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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.
4.3PG 65:123
Ἦλθέ ποτε ὁ ἀββᾶς Ἀχιλᾶς εἰς τὸ κελλίον τοῦ ἀββᾶ Ἡσαΐου ἐν Σκήτει, καὶ εὖρεν αὐτὸν ἐσθίοντα ἦν δὲ βαλὼν εἰς τὸ πινάκιν ἅλας καὶ ὕδωρ. Ἰδὼν δὲ αὐτὸν ὁ γέρων ὅτι ἔκρυψεν αὐτὸ ὀπίσω τῆς σειρᾶς, λέγει αὐτῷ· Εἰπέ μοι, τί ἤσθιες; Ὁ δὲ εἶπε· Συγχώρησόν μοι, ἀββᾶ, ὅτι θαλλία ἔκοπτον, καὶ ἀνῆλθον εἰς τὸ καῦμα, καὶ ἔβαλον εἰς τὸ στόμα μου ψωμὸν μετὰ ἅλατος· καὶ ἐξηράνθη ὁ φάρυγξ μου ἀπὸ τοῦ καύματος, καὶ οὐ κατέβαινεν ὁ ψωμός· διὰ τοῦτο, ἡναγκάσθην βαλεῖν μικρὸν ὕδωρ εἰς τὸ ἄλὰς, ἵνα οὕτως δυνηθῶ γεύσασθαι. Ἀλλὰ συγχώρησόν μοι. Καὶ λέγει ὁ γέρων· Δεῦτε, ἴδετε Ἡσαῖαν ζωμὸν ἐσθίοντα ἐν Σκήτει. Εἰ ζωμὸν θέλεις ἐσθίειν, ὕπαγε εἰς Αἴγυπτον.
Ēlthe pote ho abbas Achilas eis to kellion tou abba Hēsaïou en Skētei, kai euren auton esthionta ēn de balōn eis to pinakin halas kai hydōr. Idōn de auton ho gerōn hoti ekrypsen auto opisō tēs seiras, legei autǭ; Eipe moi, ti ēsthies? Ho de eipe; Synchōrēson moi, abba, hoti thallia ekopton, kai anēlthon eis to kauma, kai ebalon eis to stoma mou psōmon meta halatos; kai exēranthē ho pharynx mou apo tou kaumatos, kai ou katebainen ho psōmos; dia touto, hēnankasthēn balein mikron hydōr eis to alas, hina houtōs dynēthō geusasthai. Alla synchōrēson moi. Kai legei ho gerōn; Deute, idete Hēsaian zōmon esthionta en Skētei. Ei zōmon theleis esthiein, hypage eis Aigypton.
Once abba Achilas came to the cell of abba Isaiah at Scetis and found him eating; he had put salt and water in the dish. When the old man saw that he had hidden it behind the rope, he says to him, “Tell me, what were you eating?” He said, “Forgive me, abba, I was cutting palm leaves and went up in the heat, and I put a morsel with salt in my mouth; and my throat was dry from the heat and the morsel would not go down; so I was forced to put a little water in the salt, so that I could eat. But forgive me.” And the old man says, “Come, see Isaiah eating broth at Scetis! If you want to eat broth, go to Egypt.”
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
Notes and citation
Summary: Achilas mocks Isaiah for moistening his salt, calling it eating broth.
- Leaked variant notes are removed. “Egypt” means the settled Nile valley, as opposed to the desert.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (leaked variant notes (“Al.”) from Migne’s apparatus): ΑΙ. Βητο ΑΙ. συγχωρῆσαι. τίμιος. → .
Topics: Fasting
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 4.3 (PG 65:123; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/4-3). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/4-3
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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.
4.4PG 65:125
Παρέβαλέ τις τῶν γερόντων τῷ ἀββᾷ Ἀχιλᾷ, καὶ θεωρεῖ αὐτὸν ῥίψαντα αἷμα ἐκ τοῦ στόματος αὐτοῦ· καὶ ἠρώτησεν· αὐτόν Τί ἐστι τοῦτο, Πάτερ Καὶ εἶπεν ὁ γέρων ὅτι Λόγος ἐστὶν ἀδελφοῦ λελυπηκότος με, καὶ ἡγωνισάμην τοῦ μὴ ἀναγγεῖλαι αὐτῷ καὶ ἐδεήθην Θεοῦ ἵνα ἀρθῇ ἀπ᾿ ἐμοῦ· καὶ γέγονεν ὁ λόγος ὡς αἷμα ἐν τῷ στόματί μου, καὶ ἔπτυσα αὐτὸν, καὶ ἀνεπάην, καὶ τὴν λύπην ἐπελαθόμην.
Parebale tis tōn gerontōn tǭ abbą Achilą, kai theōrei auton rhipsanta haima ek tou stomatos autou; kai ērōtēsen; auton Ti esti touto, Pater Kai eipen ho gerōn hoti Logos estin adelphou lelypēkotos me, kai hēgōnisamēn tou mē anangeilai autǭ kai edeēthēn Theou hina arthę̄ ap᾿ emou; kai gegonen ho logos hōs haima en tǭ stomati mou, kai eptysa auton, kai anepaēn, kai tēn lypēn epelathomēn.
One of the old men visited abba Achilas and sees him spitting blood from his mouth; and he asked him, “What is this, father?” And the old man said, “It is the word of a brother who grieved me, and I struggled not to tell it to him, and I prayed God to take it away from me; and the word became like blood in my mouth, and I spat it out, and I was at rest and forgot the grief.”
Notes and citation
Summary: Achilas holds back a hurtful reply until it turns to blood in his mouth.
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 4.4 (PG 65:125; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/4-4). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/4-4
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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.
4.5PG 65:125
Ἔλεγεν ὁ ἀββᾶς Αμμώης, ὅτι Παρεβάλομεν ἐγὼ καὶ ὁ ἀββᾶς Βητίμης τῷ ἀββᾶ Ἀχιλᾷ, καὶ ἡκούσαμεν αὐτοῦ μελετῶντος τὸν λόγον τοῦτον· Μὴ φοβοῦ, Ἰακώβ, καταβῆναι εἰς Αἴγυπτον. Καὶ ἐπὶ πολὺ ἔμεινε μελετῶν τὸν λόγον τοῦτον. Καὶ ὡς ἐκρούσαμεν, ἤνοιξεν ἡμῖν, καὶ ἐπηρώτησε Πόθεν ἐστέ; Καὶ φοβηθέντες εἰπεῖν, Ἐκ τῶν Κελλίων, εἴπαμεν, Ἐκ τοῦ ὄρους τῆς Νιτρίας. Καὶ λέγει Τί ὑμῖν ποιήσω ὅτι ἀπὸ μήκοθέν ἐστε; καὶ εἰσήγαγεν ἡμᾶς. Καὶ εὔρομεν αὐτὸν ἐργαζόμενον τὴν νύκτα πολλὴν σειρὰν, καὶ ἠρωτήσαμεν αὐτὸν εἰπεῖν ἡμῖν λόγον. Ὁ δὲ εἶπεν· Ἐγὼ ἀπὸ ὀψὲ ἕως ἄρτι ἔπλεξα εἴκοσιν ὀργυίας, καὶ φύσει οὐ χρήζω αὐτῶν· ἀλλὰ μήπως ἀγανακτήσῃ ὁ Θεὸς, καὶ ἐγκαλέσῃ μοι, λέγων Διατί δυνάμενος ἐργάσασθαι, οὐκ εἰργάσω; διὰ τοῦτο κοπιῶ, καὶ ποιῶ ὅλην τὴν δύναμίν μου. Καὶ ὠφεληθέντες ἀνεχωρήσαμεν.
Elegen ho abbas Ammōēs, hoti Parebalomen egō kai ho abbas Bētimēs tǭ abba Achilą, kai hēkousamen autou meletōntos ton logon touton; Mē phobou, Iakōb, katabēnai eis Aigypton. Kai epi poly emeine meletōn ton logon touton. Kai hōs ekrousamen, ēnoixen hēmin, kai epērōtēse Pothen este? Kai phobēthentes eipein, Ek tōn Kelliōn, eipamen, Ek tou orous tēs Nitrias. Kai legei Ti hymin poiēsō hoti apo mēkothen este? kai eisēgagen hēmas. Kai euromen auton ergazomenon tēn nykta pollēn seiran, kai ērōtēsamen auton eipein hēmin logon. Ho de eipen; Egō apo opse heōs arti eplexa eikosin orguias, kai physei ou chrēzō autōn; alla mēpōs aganaktēsę̄ ho Theos, kai enkalesę̄ moi, legōn Diati dynamenos ergasasthai, ouk eirgasō? dia touto kopiō, kai poiō holēn tēn dynamin mou. Kai ōphelēthentes anechōrēsamen.
Abba Ammoes said, “Abba Bitimius and I visited abba Achilas, and we heard him meditating on this word: ‘Do not fear, Jacob, to go down into Egypt.’ And he went on meditating on this word for a long time. When we knocked, he opened to us and asked, ‘Where are you from?’ And being afraid to say ‘From the Cells,’ we said, ‘From the mountain of Nitria.’ And he says, ‘What can I do for you, since you have come from far away?’ and he brought us in. We found that he had been working at a great deal of rope during the night, and we asked him to tell us a word. He said, ‘From evening until now I have plaited twenty fathoms, and truly I do not need them; but lest God be displeased and accuse me, saying, “Why did you not work when you could?” that is why I labor and do all I can.’ And we went away helped.”
Gen 46:3 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Achilas works all night, not from need but so that God may not accuse him of idleness.
- Quotation of Gen 46:3. The visitors named the more distant Nitria to avoid seeming close neighbors.
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 4.5 (PG 65:125; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/4-5). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/4-5
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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.
4.6PG 65:125
"Αλλοτε πάλιν μέγας γέρων παρέβαλε τῷ ἀββα Ἀχιλᾷ ἀπὸ Θηβαΐδος, καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ· Ἀ̓ββᾶ, πολεμοῦμαι εἰς σε. Ὁ δὲ λέγει αὐτῷ· Ὕπαγε καὶ σὺ, γέρον, εἰς ἐμὲ ἄρτι πολεμῇ; Ὁ δὲ γέρων ἀπὸ ταπεινώσεως εἶπε Ναὶ, ἀββᾶ. Ἦν δὲ ἐκεῖ ἐπὶ τῇ θύρᾳ καθήμενος γέρων τυφλὸς καὶ χωλός. Καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ γέρων· Ἤθελον καθίσαι μικρὰς ἡμέρας, καὶ διὰ τὸν γέροντα τοῦτον οὐ δύναμαι καθίσαι. Ακούσας οὖν ὁ ἀββᾶς Ἀχιλᾶς, ἐθαύμασε τὴν ταπείνωσιν τοῦ γέροντος, καὶ ἔλεγεν· Αὕτη οὐκ ἔστι πορνεία, ἀλλὰ φθόνος ἐστὶ τῶν πονηρῶν δαιμόνων.
"Allote palin megas gerōn parebale tǭ abba Achilą apo Thēbaïdos, kai legei autǭ; Abba, polemoumai eis se. Ho de legei autǭ; Hypage kai sy, geron, eis eme arti polemę̄? Ho de gerōn apo tapeinōseōs eipe Nai, abba. Ēn de ekei epi tę̄ thyrą kathēmenos gerōn typhlos kai chōlos. Kai legei autǭ ho gerōn; Ēthelon kathisai mikras hēmeras, kai dia ton geronta touton ou dynamai kathisai. Akousas oun ho abbas Achilas, ethaumase tēn tapeinōsin tou gerontos, kai elegen; Hautē ouk esti porneia, alla phthonos esti tōn ponērōn daimonōn.
Another time a great old man from the Thebaid visited abba Achilas and says to him, “Abba, I am tempted because of you.” He says to him, “Come now, you too, old man, are you tempted now because of me?” And the old man, out of humility, said, “Yes, abba.” There was an old man sitting there at the door, blind and lame. And the old man says to him, “I wanted to stay a few days, and because of this old man I cannot stay.” When abba Achilas heard this, he marveled at the old man’s humility and said, “This is not sexual immorality, but the envy of the wicked demons.”
Notes and citation
Summary: Achilas recognizes an elder’s humble confession of temptation as a demonic attack, not true sin.
- The saying turns on a sexual temptation that the visiting old man humbly confesses; the details are left unclear in the Greek.
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 4.6 (PG 65:125; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/4-6). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/4-6
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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.
Chapter 5
5.1PG 65:125
Ἔλεγον περὶ τοῦ ἀββᾶ Ἀμμώη, ὅτι ὡς ὑπἦγεν εἰς τὴν ἐκκλησίαν, οὐκ ἤφιε τὸν μαθητὴν αὐτοῦ ἔγγιστα αὐτοῦ περιπατῆσαι, ἀλλὰ ἀπὸ μακρόθεν· καὶ εἰ ἤρχετο ἐρωτῆσαι περὶ λογισμῶν, ὡς ἔλεγεν αὐτῷ μόνον, εὐθέως ἐδίωκεν αὐτὸν, λέγων· Μήποτε λαλούντων ἡμῶν περὶ ὠφελείας, ἐγκύψῃ τ ξένη ὁμιλία· διὰ τοῦτο οὐκ ἀφῶ σε ἔγγιστά μου.
Elegon peri tou abba Ammōē, hoti hōs hypēgen eis tēn ekklēsian, ouk ēphie ton mathētēn autou engista autou peripatēsai, alla apo makrothen; kai ei ērcheto erōtēsai peri logismōn, hōs elegen autǭ monon, eutheōs ediōken auton, legōn; Mēpote lalountōn hēmōn peri ōpheleias, enkypsę̄ t xenē homilia; dia touto ouk aphō se engista mou.
They said of abba Ammoes that when he went to church, he did not let his disciple walk close to him, but at a distance; and if he came to ask about thoughts, as soon as he had spoken to him he sent him away at once, saying, “Lest, while we speak of what is profitable, some idle talk creep in; that is why I do not let you near me.”
Notes and citation
Summary: Ammoes kept his disciple at a distance lest idle talk creep in.
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 5.1 (PG 65:125; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/5-1). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/5-1
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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.
5.2PG 65:125
Ἔλεγεν ὁ ἀββᾶς Ἀμμώης τῷ ἀββᾷ Ἡσαΐα το τῇ ἀρχῇ Πῶς με βλέπεις ἄρτι; Λέγει αὐτῷ Ὡς ἄγγελον, Πάτερ. Καὶ εἰς τὰ ὕστερα ἔλεγεν αὐτῷ· Πῶς με νῦν βλέπεις; Ὁ δὲ ἔλεγεν Ὡς τὸν Σατανᾶν κἂν λόγον μοι λαλήσεις ἀγαθὸν, ὡς ῥομφαίαν αὐτὸν ἔχω.
Elegen ho abbas Ammōēs tǭ abbą Hēsaïa to tę̄ archę̄ Pōs me blepeis arti? Legei autǭ Hōs angelon, Pater. Kai eis ta hystera elegen autǭ; Pōs me nyn blepeis? Ho de elegen Hōs ton Satanan kan logon moi lalēseis agathon, hōs rhomphaian auton echō.
In the beginning abba Ammoes used to say to abba Isaiah, “How do you see me now?” He says to him, “As an angel, father.” And later he would say to him, “How do you see me now?” And he would say, “As Satan; even if you speak a good word to me, I take it as a sword.”
Notes and citation
Summary: Isaiah confesses that he came to see his elder Ammoes as Satan.
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 5.2 (PG 65:125; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/5-2). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/5-2
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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.
5.3PG 65:125–127
Ἔλεγον περὶ τοῦ ἀββᾶ Ἀμμώη, ὅτι ἡσθένει κλινήρης ὧν ἐπὶ πολλὰ ὕτη, καὶ οὐδέποτε ἀφῆκε τὸν λογισμὸν αὐτοῦ προσχεῖν εἰς τὸ ἐσώτερον αὐτοῦ κελλίον, ἰδεῖν τί ἔχει. Πολλὰ γὰρ αὐτῷ προσέφερον διὰ τὴν ἀσθένειαν. Καὶ εἰσερχομένου τοῦ μαθητοῦ αὐτοῦ Ἰωάννου καὶ ἐξερχομένου, ἐκάμυε τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς αὐτοῦ, ἵνα μὴ ἴδῃ τί ποιεῖ. Ἤδει γὰρ ὅτι ἦν πιστὸς μοναχός.
Elegon peri tou abba Ammōē, hoti hēsthenei klinērēs hōn epi polla hytē, kai oudepote aphēke ton logismon autou proschein eis to esōteron autou kellion, idein ti echei. Polla gar autǭ prosepheron dia tēn astheneian. Kai eiserchomenou tou mathētou autou Iōannou kai exerchomenou, ekamye tous ophthalmous autou, hina mē idę̄ ti poiei. Ēdei gar hoti ēn pistos monachos.
They said of abba Ammoes that he was ill and bedridden for many years, and he never let his thought look into his inner cell to see what it held. For they brought him many things because of his illness. And when his disciple John went in and out, he would close his eyes, so as not to see what he was doing. For he knew that he was a faithful monk.
Notes and citation
Summary: Bedridden Ammoes refused even to look at what his disciple stored or did.
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 5.3 (PG 65:125–127; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/5-3). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/5-3
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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.
5.4PG 65:127
Εἶπεν ὁ ἀββᾶς Ποιμὴν, ὅτι ἀδελφὸς παρέβαλε τῷ ἀββᾷ Ἀμμώῃ, αἰτούμενος παρ' αὐτοῦ λόγον. Καὶ μείνας μετ᾿ αὐτοῦ ἡμέρας ἑπτὰ, οὐκ ἀπεκρίθη αὐτῷ ὁ γέρων, προπέμπων δὲ αὐτὸν εἶπεν αὐτῷ· Ἄπελθε, πρόσεχε σεαυτῷ· ἐμοῦ τέως αἱ ἁμαρτίαι γεγόνασι τεῖχος σκοτεινὸν ἀνὰ μέσον ἐμοῦ καὶ τοῦ Θεοῦ.
Eipen ho abbas Poimēn, hoti adelphos parebale tǭ abbą Ammōę̄, aitoumenos par' autou logon. Kai meinas met᾿ autou hēmeras hepta, ouk apekrithē autǭ ho gerōn, propempōn de auton eipen autǭ; Apelthe, proseche seautǭ; emou teōs hai hamartiai gegonasi teichos skoteinon ana meson emou kai tou Theou.
Abba Poemen said that a brother visited abba Ammoes, asking a word of him. He stayed with him seven days, and the old man did not answer him; but seeing him off he said to him, “Go, attend to yourself; as for me, my sins have become a dark wall between me and God.”
Isa 59:2 (echo, low confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: After a week of silence Ammoes tells a visitor that his own sins are a dark wall between him and God.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR: word split): γεγό νασι → γεγόνασι.
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 5.4 (PG 65:127; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/5-4). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/5-4
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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.
5.5PG 65:127
Ἔλεγον διὰ τὸν ἀββᾶν Ἀμμώην, ὅτι ἐποίησε πεντήκοντα ἀρτάβας σίτου, πρὸς χρείαν ποτέ, καὶ ἔβαλεν εἰς τὸν ἥλιον· καὶ πρὶν ξηρανθῆναι αὐτὰ καλῶς, εἶδε πρᾶγμα ἐν τῷ τόπῳ μὴ ὠφελοῦν αὐτὸν καὶ λέγει τοῖς παιδαρίοις αὐτοῦ· Ἄγωμεν ἔνθεν. Οἱ δὲ σφόδρα ἐλυπήθησαν. Ἰδὼν δὲ αὐτοὺς λυπουμένους, λέγει αὐτοῖς· Λυπεῖσθε διὰ τοὺς ἄρτους ἀληθῶς εἶδον ἐγώ τινας φυγόντας, καὶ ἐάσαντας κεκονιαμένα τὰ θυρίδια μετὰ βιβλίων μεμβράνων οὐδὲ ἔκλεισαν τὰς θυρίδας, ἀλλ' ἀπῆλθον ἀνεῳγμένας καταλιπόντες αὐτάς.
Elegon dia ton abban Ammōēn, hoti epoiēse pentēkonta artabas sitou, pros chreian pote, kai ebalen eis ton hēlion; kai prin xēranthēnai auta kalōs, eide pragma en tǭ topǭ mē ōpheloun auton kai legei tois paidariois autou; Agōmen enthen. Hoi de sphodra elypēthēsan. Idōn de autous lypoumenous, legei autois; Lypeisthe dia tous artous alēthōs eidon egō tinas phygontas, kai easantas kekoniamena ta thyridia meta bibliōn membranōn oude ekleisan tas thyridas, all' apēlthon aneǭgmenas katalipontes autas.
They said of abba Ammoes that he once made fifty artabas of grain for his needs and put it out in the sun; and before it had dried well, he saw something in the place that did not profit him, and he says to his servants, “Let us go from here.” They were very grieved. Seeing them grieved, he says to them, “Are you grieved because of the bread? Truly I have seen some who fled and left their whitewashed window niches with parchment books, and did not even close the shutters, but went away leaving them open.”
Notes and citation
Summary: Ammoes abandons fifty measures of grain to leave a harmful place, citing monks who left even their books.
- An artaba was an Egyptian dry measure (about 30–40 liters).
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR: letter slips): και Βλῶς → καλῶς.
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 5.5 (PG 65:127; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/5-5). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/5-5
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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.
Chapter 6
6.1PG 65:127
Ὁ ἀββᾶς Ἀμμοῦν ὁ Νιτριώτης παρέβαλε τῷ ἀββᾷ Ἀντωνίῳ, καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ, ὅτι Ἐγὼ πλείονά σου κόπον ἔχω, καὶ πῶς τὸ ὄνομά σου ἐμεγαλύνθη ἐν τοῖς ἀνθρώποις ὑπὲρ ἐμέ; Λέγει ἁὐτῷ ὁ ἀββᾶς Ἀντώνιος Ἐπειδὴ ἐγὼ ἀγαπῶ τὸν Θεὸν ὑπὲρ σέ.
Ho abbas Ammoun ho Nitriōtēs parebale tǭ abbą Antōniǭ, kai legei autǭ, hoti Egō pleiona sou kopon echō, kai pōs to onoma sou emegalynthē en tois anthrōpois hyper eme? Legei hautǭ ho abbas Antōnios Epeidē egō agapō ton Theon hyper se.
Abba Amoun of Nitria visited abba Antony and says to him, “I have more labor than you, so how is it that your name has been magnified among men above mine?” Abba Antony says to him, “Because I love God more than you.”
Notes and citation
Summary: Antony tells Amoun that his greater fame comes from loving God more.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR: stray letters): πλείονά τα σου → πλείονά σου.
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 6.1 (PG 65:127; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/6-1). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/6-1
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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.
6.2PG 65:127
Ἔλεγον περὶ τοῦ ἀββᾶ Ἀμμοῦν, ὅτι ἐποίησεν εἰς μετὴν το κριθῆς, μῆνας δύο. Παρέβαλε δὲ αὐτὸς τῷ ἀββᾷ Ποιμένι, καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ· Ἐὰν ἀπέλθω εἰς τὸ κελλίον τοῦ πλησίον, ἢ καὶ αὐτός μοι παραβάλῃ διά τινα χρείαν, εὐλαβούμεθα συλλαλῆσαι ἀλλήλοις, μή τις ἀνακύψῃ ξένη ὁμιλία. Λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ γέρων Καλῶς ποιεῖς χρήζει γὰρ ἡ νεότης φυλακῆς. Λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ ἀββᾶς Ἀμμοῦν· Οἱ γέροντες οὖν τἱ ἐποίουν; Καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ Οἱ γέροντες προκόψαντες, οὐκ εἶχον ἐν αὐτοῖς ἕτερόν τι, ἢ ξένον ἐν τῷ στόματι, ἵνα αὐτὸ λαλήσωσιν. Ἐὰν οὖν γένηται ἀνάγκη, φησὶ, λαλῆσαι μετὰ τοῦ πλησίον, θέλεις λαλήσω ἐν ταῖς Γραφαῖς, ἢ ἐν τοῖς λόγοις τῶν γερόντων; Λέγει ὁ γέρων Εἰ οὐ δύνασαι σιωπᾶν, καλόν ἐστι μᾶλλον ἐν τοῖς λόγοις τῶν γερόντων, καὶ μὴ ἐν τῇ Γραφῇ. Κίνδυνος γάρ ἐστι οὐ μικρός.
Elegon peri tou abba Ammoun, hoti epoiēsen eis metēn to krithēs, mēnas dyo. Parebale de autos tǭ abbą Poimeni, kai legei autǭ; Ean apelthō eis to kellion tou plēsion, ē kai autos moi parabalę̄ dia tina chreian, eulaboumetha syllalēsai allēlois, mē tis anakypsę̄ xenē homilia. Legei autǭ ho gerōn Kalōs poieis chrēzei gar hē neotēs phylakēs. Legei autǭ ho abbas Ammoun; Hoi gerontes oun ti epoioun? Kai eipen autǭ Hoi gerontes prokopsantes, ouk eichon en autois heteron ti, ē xenon en tǭ stomati, hina auto lalēsōsin. Ean oun genētai anankē, phēsi, lalēsai meta tou plēsion, theleis lalēsō en tais Graphais, ē en tois logois tōn gerontōn? Legei ho gerōn Ei ou dynasai siōpan, kalon esti mallon en tois logois tōn gerontōn, kai mē en tę̄ Graphę̄. Kindynos gar esti ou mikros.
They said of abba Amoun that he spent two months … barley. He visited abba Poemen and says to him, “If I go to my neighbor’s cell, or if he visits me for some need, we are careful about speaking together, lest some idle talk creep in.” The old man says to him, “You do well; for youth needs watchfulness.” Abba Amoun says to him, “Then what did the old men do?” And he said to him, “The old men who had advanced had nothing else in them, nothing alien in their mouths, to say.” “So if it becomes necessary,” he says, “to speak with my neighbor, do you want me to speak about the Scriptures or about the sayings of the old men?” The old man says, “If you cannot keep silent, it is better to speak of the sayings of the old men and not of the Scripture. For the danger is not small.”
Notes and citation
Summary: Poemen advises that if one must talk, the sayings of the elders are safer than discussing Scripture.
- The first sentence is garbled in the scan (perhaps “he spent two months on a measure of barley”); translated only as far as it can be read.
Topics: Scripture and canon
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 6.2 (PG 65:127; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/6-2). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/6-2
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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.
6.3PG 65:127
Ἀδελφὸς ἦλθεν ἀπὸ Σκήτεως πρὸς τὸν ἀββᾶν Ἀμμοῦν, καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ· Πέμπει με ὁ Πατήρ μου εἰς διακονίαν, καὶ φοβοῦμαι τὴν πορνείαν. Λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ γέρων Οἴαν ὥραν ἔρχεταί σοι πειρασμὸς, εἰπέ· Ὁ Θεὸς τῶν δυνάμεων, εὐχαῖς τοῦ Πατρός μου ἐξελοῦ με. Ἐν μιᾷ οὖν τῶν ἡμερῶν ἔκλεισε παρθένος τὴν θύραν ἐπάνω αὐτοῦ· καὶ βοήσας φωνῇ μεγάλῃ εἶπεν· Ὁ Θεὸς τοῦ Πατρός μου, ἐξελοῦ με Καὶ εὐθέως εὑρέθη εἰς τὴν ὁδὸν τῆς Σκήτεως.
Adelphos ēlthen apo Skēteōs pros ton abban Ammoun, kai legei autǭ; Pempei me ho Patēr mou eis diakonian, kai phoboumai tēn porneian. Legei autǭ ho gerōn Oian hōran erchetai soi peirasmos, eipe; Ho Theos tōn dynameōn, euchais tou Patros mou exelou me. En mią oun tōn hēmerōn ekleise parthenos tēn thyran epanō autou; kai boēsas phōnę̄ megalę̄ eipen; Ho Theos tou Patros mou, exelou me Kai eutheōs heurethē eis tēn hodon tēs Skēteōs.
A brother came from Scetis to abba Amoun and says to him, “My father is sending me on an errand, and I fear sexual immorality.” The old man says to him, “Whatever hour temptation comes to you, say, ‘God of powers, by the prayers of my father, deliver me.’” One day a virgin shut the door on him; and crying out with a loud voice he said, “God of my father, deliver me!” And at once he found himself on the road to Scetis.
Notes and citation
Summary: A brother trapped by a woman prays as Amoun taught and is carried back to Scetis.
Topics: Prayer
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 6.3 (PG 65:127; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/6-3). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/6-3
BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-apophthegmata-alphabetica-6-3) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Cotelier's Greek text as printed in Migne PG 65 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.