Sayings of the Desert Fathers (alphabetical collection) 69.4–69.41
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 69
69.4PG 65:263
Παρέβαλεν ὁ ἀββᾶς Μακάριος ὁ μέγας τῷ ἀββᾷ Ἀντωνίῳ, εἰς τὸ ὄρος· καὶ κρούσαντος αὐτοῦ τὴν θύραν, ἐξῆλθε πρὸς αὐτὸν, καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ· Σὺ τίς εἶ; ὁ δὲ ἔφη· Ἐγώ εἰμι Μακάριος. Καὶ κλείσας τὴν θύραν εἰσῆλθε καὶ ἀφῆκεν αὐτόν. Καὶ ἰδὼν τὴν ὑπομονὴν αὐτοῦ, ἤνοιξεν αὐτῷ, καὶ χαριεντιζόμενος μετ' αὐτοῦ, ἔλεγεν· Ἀπὸ πολλοῦ χρόνου ἐπεθύμουν σε ἰδεῖν, ἀκούων τὰ περὶ σοῦ. Καὶ φιλοξενήσας αὐτὸν ἀνέπαυσεν· ἦν γὰρ ἀπὸ καμάτου πολλοῦ. Ὀψίας δὲ γενομένης, ἔβρεξεν ἑαυτῷ ὁ ἀββᾶς Ἀντώνιος θαλλία. Καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ ἀββᾶς Μακάριος· Κέλευσον ἵνα κἀγὼ βρέξω ἐμαυτῷ. Ὁ δὲ εἶπε· Βρέξον. Καὶ ποιήσας δεσμὸν μέγαν, ἔβρεξε. Καὶ καθήμενοι ἀπὸ ὀψὲ, λαλοῦντες περὶ σωτηρίας ψυχῶν ἔπλεκον· καὶ ἡ σειρὰ διὰ τῆς θυρίδος εἰς τὸ σπήλαιον κατέβαινε. Καὶ εἰσελθὼν πρωί ὁ μακάριος Αντώνιος εἶδε τὸ πλῆθος τῆς σειρᾶς τοῦ ἀββᾶ Μακαρίου, καὶ ἔλεγε· Πολλὴ δύναμις ἐκ τῶν χειρῶν τούτων ἐξέρχεται.
Parebalen ho abbas Makarios ho megas tǭ abbą Antōniǭ, eis to oros; kai krousantos autou tēn thyran, exēlthe pros auton, kai eipen autǭ; Sy tis ei? ho de ephē; Egō eimi Makarios. Kai kleisas tēn thyran eisēlthe kai aphēken auton. Kai idōn tēn hypomonēn autou, ēnoixen autǭ, kai charientizomenos met' autou, elegen; Apo pollou chronou epethymoun se idein, akouōn ta peri sou. Kai philoxenēsas auton anepausen; ēn gar apo kamatou pollou. Opsias de genomenēs, ebrexen heautǭ ho abbas Antōnios thallia. Kai legei autǭ ho abbas Makarios; Keleuson hina kagō brexō emautǭ. Ho de eipe; Brexon. Kai poiēsas desmon megan, ebrexe. Kai kathēmenoi apo opse, lalountes peri sōtērias psychōn eplekon; kai hē seira dia tēs thyridos eis to spēlaion katebaine. Kai eiselthōn prōi ho makarios Antōnios eide to plēthos tēs seiras tou abba Makariou, kai elege; Pollē dynamis ek tōn cheirōn toutōn exerchetai.
Abba Macarius the Great visited abba Antony on the mountain; and when he knocked at the door, Antony came out to him and said to him, “Who are you?” He said, “I am Macarius.” And shutting the door, he went in and left him. And seeing his patience, he opened to him, and joking with him he said, “For a long time I have wanted to see you, hearing about you.” And showing him hospitality he gave him rest, for he was very tired. When evening came, abba Antony soaked palm leaves for himself. And abba Macarius says to him, “Bid me soak some for myself too.” He said, “Soak them.” And making a large bundle, he soaked it. And sitting from evening, talking about the salvation of souls, they plaited; and the rope went down through the window into the cave. And blessed Antony, coming in in the morning, saw the quantity of abba Macarius’s rope and said, “Great power comes out of these hands.”
Notes and citation
Summary: Antony, after testing Macarius’s patience at the door, marvels at the rope he plaited through the night.
- The middle of this saying (from “on the mountain” to “And coming in”) stands in the scan at the end of 69.3 and is restored here.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (middle of the saying, displaced by the OCR to the end of 69.3, restored to its place (same words as in the scan; split word and breathing fixed)): τῷ ἀββα πρωί → τῷ ἀββᾷ Ἀντωνίῳ, εἰς τὸ ὄρος· καὶ κρούσαντος αὐτοῦ τὴν θύραν, ἐξῆλθε πρὸς αὐτὸν, καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ· Σὺ τίς εἶ; ὁ δὲ ἔφη· Ἐγώ εἰμι Μακάριος. Καὶ κλείσας τὴν θύραν εἰσῆλθε καὶ ἀφῆκεν αὐτόν. Καὶ ἰδὼν τὴν ὑπομονὴν αὐτοῦ, ἤνοιξεν αὐτῷ, καὶ χαριεντιζόμενος μετ' αὐτοῦ, ἔλεγεν· Ἀπὸ πολλοῦ χρόνου ἐπεθύμουν σε ἰδεῖν, ἀκούων τὰ περὶ σοῦ. Καὶ φιλοξενήσας αὐτὸν ἀνέπαυσεν· ἦν γὰρ ἀπὸ καμάτου πολλοῦ. Ὀψίας δὲ γενομένης, ἔβρεξεν ἑαυτῷ ὁ ἀββᾶς Ἀντώνιος θαλλία. Καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ ἀββᾶς Μακάριος· Κέλευσον ἵνα κἀγὼ βρέξω ἐμαυτῷ. Ὁ δὲ εἶπε· Βρέξον. Καὶ ποιήσας δεσμὸν μέγαν, ἔβρεξε. Καὶ καθήμενοι ἀπὸ ὀψὲ, λαλοῦντες περὶ σωτηρίας ψυχῶν ἔπλεκον· καὶ ἡ σειρὰ διὰ τῆς θυρίδος εἰς τὸ σπήλαιον κατέβαινε. Καὶ εἰσελθὼν πρωί.
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 69.4 (PG 65:263; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/69-4). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/69-4
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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.
69.5PG 65:263
Ἔλεγεν ὁ ἀββᾶς Μακάριος περὶ τῆς ἐρημώσεως τῆς Σκήτεως τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς· Ὅταν ἴδητε κελλίον οἰκοδομούμενον ἐγγὺς τοῦ ἕλους, μάθετε ὅτι ἐγγὺς ἐστιν ἡ ἐρήμωσις αὐτῆς· ὅταν ἴδητε δένδρα, ἐπὶ θυρῶν ἐστιν· ὅταν δὲ ἴδητε παιδία, ἄρατε τὰ μηλωτάρια ὑμῶν, καὶ ἀναχωρήσατε.
Elegen ho abbas Makarios peri tēs erēmōseōs tēs Skēteōs tois adelphois; Hotan idēte kellion oikodomoumenon engys tou helous, mathete hoti engys estin hē erēmōsis autēs; hotan idēte dendra, epi thyrōn estin; hotan de idēte paidia, arate ta mēlōtaria hymōn, kai anachōrēsate.
Abba Macarius said to the brothers about the desolation of Scetis, “When you see a cell being built near the marsh, know that its desolation is near; when you see trees, it is at the doors; and when you see children, take up your sheepskins and withdraw.”
Matt 24:33 (echo, low confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Macarius foretells the ruin of Scetis by the signs of buildings, trees, and children.
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 69.5 (PG 65:263; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/69-5). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/69-5
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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.
69.6PG 65:263–265
Ἔλεγε πάλιν, παρηγορῆσαι θέλων τοὺς ἀδελφούς· Ἦλθεν ὧδε παιδίον δαιμονιζόμενον μετὰ τῆς μητρὸς αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἔλεγε τῇ μητρὶ αὐτοῦ· Ἔγειρε, γραῖα ἄγωμεν ἔνθεν. Ἡ δὲ εἶπεν· Οὐ δύναμαι πεζεῦσαι. Καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῇ τὸ παιδίον· Ἐγώ σε βαστάζω. Καὶ ἐθαύμασα τὴν πονηρίαν τοῦ δαίμονος, πῶς ἠθέλησεν αὐτοὺς φυγαδεῦσαι.
Elege palin, parēgorēsai thelōn tous adelphous; Ēlthen hōde paidion daimonizomenon meta tēs mētros autou, kai elege tę̄ mētri autou; Egeire, graia agōmen enthen. Hē de eipen; Ou dynamai pezeusai. Kai eipen autę̄ to paidion; Egō se bastazō. Kai ethaumasa tēn ponērian tou daimonos, pōs ēthelēsen autous phygadeusai.
He also said, wanting to comfort the brothers, “A child possessed by a demon came here with his mother, and he said to his mother, ‘Get up, old woman, let us go from here.’ She said, ‘I cannot walk.’ And the child said to her, ‘I will carry you.’ And I marveled at the wickedness of the demon, how he wanted to make them flee.”
Notes and citation
Summary: Macarius marvels at a demon’s eagerness to drive a possessed boy and his mother away from Scetis.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR: word split): ἀδελ φούς → ἀδελφούς.
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 69.6 (PG 65:263–265; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/69-6). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/69-6
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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.
69.7PG 65:265–267
Ἔλεγεν ὁ ἀββᾶς Σισόης· Ὅτε ἤμην εἰς Σκῆτιν μετὰ τοῦ Μακαρίου, ἀνέβημεν θερίσαι μετ᾿ αὐτοῦ ἑπτὰ ὀνόματα καὶ ἰδοὺ μία χήρα καλαμωμένη ἦν ὀπίσω ἡμῶν, καὶ οὐκ ἐπαύετο κλαίουσα. Ἐφώνησεν οὖν ὁ γέρων τὸν κύριον τοῦ χωρίου, καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ· Τί ἔχει ἡ γραῦς αὕτη, ὅτι πάντοτε κλαίει; Λέγει αὐτῷ· Ὅτι ὁ ἀνὴρ αὐτῆς εἶχε παραθήκην τινὸς, καὶ ἀπέθανεν ἄφνω, καὶ οὐκ εἶπε ποῦ ἔθηκεν αὐτήν· καὶ θέλει ὁ κύριος τῆς παραθήκης λαβεῖν αὐτὴν καὶ τὰ τέκνα αὐτῆς εἰς δούλους. Λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ γέρων Εἰπὲ αὐτῇ ἵνα ἔλθῃ πρὸς ἡμᾶς, ὅπου ἀναπαυόμεθα τὸ καῦμα. Καὶ ἐλθούσης τῆς γυναικὸς, εἶπεν αὐτῇ ὁ γέρων· Τί πάντα οὕτως κλαίεις; Καὶ εἶπεν· Ὁ ἀνήρ μου ἀπέθανε λαβὼν παραθήκην τινὸς, καὶ οὐκ εἶπεν ἀποθνήσκων ποῦ ἔθηκεν αὐτήν. Καὶ εἶπεν ὁ γέρων πρὸς αὐτήν· Δεῦρο, δεῖξόν μοι ποῦ ἔθηκας αὐτόν. Καὶ λαβὼν τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς μεθ' ἑαυτοῦ, ἐξῆλθε σὺν αὐτῇ. Καὶ ἐλθόντων ἐπὶ τὸν τόπον, εἶπεν αὐτῇ ὁ γέρων· Ἀναχώρησον εἰς τὸν οἶκόν σου. Καὶ προσευξαμένων αὐτῶν, ἐφώνησεν ὁ γέρων τὸν νεκρὸν, λέγων· Ὁ δεῖνα ποῦ ἔθηκας τὴν ἀλλοτρίαν παραθήκην; Ὁ δὲ ἀποκριθεὶς εἶπεν· Εἰς τὸν οἶκόν μου κέκρυπται, ὑπὸ τὸν πόδα τῆς κλίνης. Καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ γέρων· Κοιμῶ πάλιν ἕως τῆς ἡμέρας τῆς ἀναστάσεως. Ἰδόντες δὲ οἱ ἀδελφοὶ, ἀπὸ τοῦ φόβου ἔπεσον εἰς τοὺς πόδας αὐτοῦ. Καὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς ὁ γέρων· Οὐ δι' ἐμὲ γέγονε τοῦτο· οὐδὲν γάρ εἰμι· ἀλλὰ διὰ τὴν χήραν καὶ τὰ ὀρφανὰ ὁ Θεὸς ἐποίησε τὸ πρᾶγμα· τοῦτο δὲ ἐστι τὸ μέγα, ὅτι ἀναμάρτητον θέλει ὁ Θεὸς τὴν ψυχήν· καὶ εἴ τι ἂν αἰτήσηται λαμβάνει. Ἐλθὼν δὲ, ἀνήγγειλε τῇ χήρᾳ ποῦ κεῖται ἡ παραθήκη. Ἡ δὲ λαβοῦσα αὐτὴν, ἔδωκε τῷ κυρίῳ αὐτῆς, καὶ ἠλευθέρωσε τὰ τέκνα αὐτῆς. Καὶ πάντες οἱ ἀκούσαντες ἐδόξασαν τὸν Θεόν. π'. Ἔλεγεν ὁ ἀββᾶς Πέτρος περὶ τοῦ ἁγίου Μακαρίου, ὅτι παραγενόμενός ποτε πρός τινα ἀναχωρητὴν, καὶ εὑρὼν αὐτὸν κακούμενον, ἐπυνθάνετο τί βούλοιτο τραφῆναι, οὐδενὸς ὄντος ἐν τῷ κελλίῳ αὐτοῦ. Καὶ φήσαντος ἐκείνου, Πάστιλον, εἰς τὴν Ἀλεξανδρέων πόλιν οὐκ ἄκνησεν ὁ ἀνδρεῖος παραγενέσθαι, καὶ δοῦναι τῷ κάμνοντι· καὶ τὸ θαυμαστὸν μηδενί κατάδηλον γενόμενον.
Elegen ho abbas Sisoēs; Hote ēmēn eis Skētin meta tou Makariou, anebēmen therisai met᾿ autou hepta onomata kai idou mia chēra kalamōmenē ēn opisō hēmōn, kai ouk epaueto klaiousa. Ephōnēsen oun ho gerōn ton kyrion tou chōriou, kai eipen autǭ; Ti echei hē graus hautē, hoti pantote klaiei? Legei autǭ; Hoti ho anēr autēs eiche parathēkēn tinos, kai apethanen aphnō, kai ouk eipe pou ethēken autēn; kai thelei ho kyrios tēs parathēkēs labein autēn kai ta tekna autēs eis doulous. Legei autǭ ho gerōn Eipe autę̄ hina elthę̄ pros hēmas, hopou anapauometha to kauma. Kai elthousēs tēs gynaikos, eipen autę̄ ho gerōn; Ti panta houtōs klaieis? Kai eipen; Ho anēr mou apethane labōn parathēkēn tinos, kai ouk eipen apothnēskōn pou ethēken autēn. Kai eipen ho gerōn pros autēn; Deuro, deixon moi pou ethēkas auton. Kai labōn tous adelphous meth' heautou, exēlthe syn autę̄. Kai elthontōn epi ton topon, eipen autę̄ ho gerōn; Anachōrēson eis ton oikon sou. Kai proseuxamenōn autōn, ephōnēsen ho gerōn ton nekron, legōn; Ho deina pou ethēkas tēn allotrian parathēkēn? Ho de apokritheis eipen; Eis ton oikon mou kekryptai, hypo ton poda tēs klinēs. Kai legei autǭ ho gerōn; Koimō palin heōs tēs hēmeras tēs anastaseōs. Idontes de hoi adelphoi, apo tou phobou epeson eis tous podas autou. Kai eipen autois ho gerōn; Ou di' eme gegone touto; ouden gar eimi; alla dia tēn chēran kai ta orphana ho Theos epoiēse to pragma; touto de esti to mega, hoti anamartēton thelei ho Theos tēn psychēn; kai ei ti an aitēsētai lambanei. Elthōn de, anēngeile tę̄ chērą pou keitai hē parathēkē. Hē de labousa autēn, edōke tǭ kyriǭ autēs, kai ēleutherōse ta tekna autēs. Kai pantes hoi akousantes edoxasan ton Theon. p'. Elegen ho abbas Petros peri tou hagiou Makariou, hoti paragenomenos pote pros tina anachōrētēn, kai heurōn auton kakoumenon, epynthaneto ti bouloito traphēnai, oudenos ontos en tǭ kelliǭ autou. Kai phēsantos ekeinou, Pastilon, eis tēn Alexandreōn polin ouk aknēsen ho andreios paragenesthai, kai dounai tǭ kamnonti; kai to thaumaston mēdeni katadēlon genomenon.
Abba Sisoes said, “When I was at Scetis with Macarius, we went up to reap with him, seven of us; and look, a widow was gleaning behind us, and she did not stop weeping. So the old man called the owner of the field and said to him, ‘What is wrong with this old woman, that she is always weeping?’ He says to him, ‘Her husband had someone’s deposit and died suddenly, and he did not say where he put it; and the owner of the deposit wants to take her and her children as slaves.’ The old man says to him, ‘Tell her to come to us where we rest in the heat.’ And when the woman came, the old man said to her, ‘Why do you weep like this all the time?’ And she said, ‘My husband died having received someone’s deposit, and at his death he did not say where he put it.’ And the old man said to her, ‘Come, show me where you buried him.’ And taking the brothers with him, he went out with her. When they came to the place, the old man said to her, ‘Go back to your house.’ And when they had prayed, the old man called to the dead man, saying, ‘So-and-so, where did you put the other man’s deposit?’ And he answered, ‘It is hidden in my house, under the foot of the bed.’ And the old man says to him, ‘Sleep again until the day of resurrection.’ Seeing this, the brothers fell at his feet from fear. And the old man said to them, ‘This did not happen because of me, for I am nothing; but God did the thing because of the widow and the orphans; and this is the great thing: that God wants the soul sinless, and whatever it asks it receives.’ And he went and told the widow where the deposit lay. She took it and gave it to its owner, and freed her children. And all who heard it glorified God.” [8] Abba Peter said of holy Macarius that once, coming to an anchorite and finding him ill, he asked what he would like to eat, since there was nothing in his cell. And when he said, “A cake,” the brave man did not hesitate to go to the city of Alexandria and give it to the sick man; and, what is marvelous, it became known to no one.
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
Jas 1:27 (echo, low confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Macarius makes a dead man reveal where he hid a deposit, saving a widow’s children; then (saying 8) he fetches a cake from Alexandria for a sick hermit.
- The scan runs Macarius 8 (its numeral misread) into this saying, interleaved with stray lines from another saying and variant notes; these are removed, and saying 8 is marked [8].
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR: word split; variant notes (“Al.”) and stray lines from another saying interleaved inside a word): τι νὸς → τινὸς; τό πον → τόπον; ΜακαΑΙ. πανουργίαν. ΑΙ. πάντοτε. νων νεί παρθενευουσῶν ὡς ὀνομάτων τεσσαράκοντα τοῦ πρὸ καταβολῆς κόσμου ἐπίτηδες τοιαύτην ἐπίνοιαν ἑπτὰ ὀνόματα, καὶ τῷ καιρῷ τῶν φοινίκων ἐφύλαττεν ὁ εἷς ἐξ αὐτῶν τοῦ ἀποσοβεῖν τὰ πετεινά. ὧν δὲ ἐκεῖ γέρων· καὶ ὅτε ἐφύλαττεν τὴν ἡμέραν αὐτοῦ, ἔκραζεν λέγων· Ὑπάγετε, οἱ ἔσω πονηροὶ λογισμοὶ, καὶ τ. φ. φ. ἐφύλασσον τοῦ σοβεῖν τὰ πετεινὰ ἐκ διαδοχῆς εἷς καθ καθ' ἡμέραν. Εἷς δὲ ἐξ αὐτῶν γέρων, ὅτε ἦν ἡ ρίου → Μακαρίου; και τάδηλον → κατάδηλον.
Topics: Prayer
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 69.7 (PG 65:265–267; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/69-7). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/69-7
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Cotelier's Greek text as printed in Migne PG 65 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
69.9PG 65:267
Εἶπε πάλιν, ὅτι ἐν ἀκακίᾳ τοῦ ἀββᾶ Μακαρίου πολιτευομένου πρὸς πάντας τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς, ἔφησαν αὐτῷ τινες· Διατί οὕτως ἑαυτὸν ποιεῖς; Ὁ δὲ εἶπε· Δώδεκα ἔτη ἐδούλευσα τῷ Κυρίῳ μου, ἵνα μοι χαρίσηται τὸ χάρισμα τοῦτο, καὶ πάντες μοι συμβουλεύετε ἀποθέσθαι αὐτό;
Eipe palin, hoti en akakią tou abba Makariou politeuomenou pros pantas tous adelphous, ephēsan autǭ tines; Diati houtōs heauton poieis? Ho de eipe; Dōdeka etē edouleusa tǭ Kyriǭ mou, hina moi charisētai to charisma touto, kai pantes moi symbouleuete apothesthai auto?
He also said that when abba Macarius conducted himself in innocence toward all the brothers, some said to him, “Why do you make yourself like this?” And he said, “For twelve years I served my Lord so that he would grant me this gift; and do you all advise me to put it away?”
Notes and citation
Summary: Macarius defends his guileless simplicity as a gift won by twelve years of service.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR: word split): χαρί σηται → χαρίσηται.
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 69.9 (PG 65:267; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/69-9). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/69-9
BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-apophthegmata-alphabetica-69-9) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Cotelier's Greek text as printed in Migne PG 65 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
69.10PG 65:267
Ἔλεγον περὶ τοῦ ἀββᾶ Μακαρίου, ὅτι εἰ εὐκαίρησε μετὰ ἀδελφῶν, ἐτίθει ἑαυτῷ ὅρον, ὅτι Ἐὰν εὑρεθῇ οἶνος, διὰ τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς πίνε, καὶ ἀντὶ ἑνὸς ποτηρίου οἴνου, μίαν ἡμέραν μὴ πίῃς ὕδωρ. Οἱ οὖν ἀδελφοὶ, χάριν ἀναπαύσεως ἐδίδουν αὐτῷ. Ὁ δὲ γέρων μετὰ χαρᾶς ἐλάμβανεν, ἵνα ἑαυτὸν βασανίσῃ. Ὁ δὲ μαθητὴς εἰδὼς τὸ πρᾶγμα, ἔλεγε τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς· Διὰ τὸν Κύριον, μὴ δῶτε αὐτῷ· εἰ δὲ μή γε, εἰς τὸ κελλίον μέλλει ἑαυτὸν δαμάζειν. Καὶ μαθόντες οἱ ἀδελφοὶ, οὐκ ἔτι αὐτῷ παρεῖχον.
Elegon peri tou abba Makariou, hoti ei eukairēse meta adelphōn, etithei heautǭ horon, hoti Ean heurethę̄ oinos, dia tous adelphous pine, kai anti henos potēriou oinou, mian hēmeran mē pię̄s hydōr. Hoi oun adelphoi, charin anapauseōs edidoun autǭ. Ho de gerōn meta charas elambanen, hina heauton basanisę̄. Ho de mathētēs eidōs to pragma, elege tois adelphois; Dia ton Kyrion, mē dōte autǭ; ei de mē ge, eis to kellion mellei heauton damazein. Kai mathontes hoi adelphoi, ouk eti autǭ pareichon.
They said of abba Macarius that if he happened to be with brothers, he set himself a rule: “If wine is found, drink for the brothers’ sake, and for each cup of wine, do not drink water for a day.” So the brothers, to give him refreshment, would offer it to him. And the old man accepted with joy, so as to torment himself. But his disciple, knowing the matter, said to the brothers, “For the Lord’s sake, do not give it to him; otherwise he will torment himself in his cell.” And when the brothers learned this, they no longer offered it to him.
Notes and citation
Summary: Macarius paid for each cup of wine taken in company by a day without water.
Topics: Fasting
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 69.10 (PG 65:267; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/69-10). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/69-10
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Cotelier's Greek text as printed in Migne PG 65 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
69.11PG 65:267
Παρερχόμενός ποτε ἀπὸ τοῦ ἕλους εἰς τὸ κελλίον ἑαυτοῦ ὁ ἀββᾶς Μακάριος, ἐβάσταζε θαλλία, καὶ ἰδοὺ ὑπήντησεν αὐτῷ ὁ διάβολος κατὰ τὴν ὁδὸν μετὰ δρεπάνου· καὶ ὡς ἠθέλησεν αὐτὸν κροῦσαι, οὐκ ἴσχυσε, καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ· Πολλὴ βία ἀπὸ σοῦ, Μακάριε, ὅτι οὐ δύναμαι πρὸς σέ. Ἰδοὺ γὰρ εἴ τι ποιεῖς, κἀγὼ ποιῶ· σὺ νηστεύεις, κἀγώ ἀγρυπνεῖς, κἀγὼ ὅλως οὐ κοιμῶμαι· ἓν ἐστι μόνον ἐν ᾧ νικᾷς με. Λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ ἀββᾶς Μακάριος Ποῖον τοῦτο; Ὁ δὲ ἔφη Ἡ ταπείνωσίς σου· καὶ διὰ τοῦτο οὐ δύναμαι πρὸς σέ.
Parerchomenos pote apo tou helous eis to kellion heautou ho abbas Makarios, ebastaze thallia, kai idou hypēntēsen autǭ ho diabolos kata tēn hodon meta drepanou; kai hōs ēthelēsen auton krousai, ouk ischyse, kai legei autǭ; Pollē bia apo sou, Makarie, hoti ou dynamai pros se. Idou gar ei ti poieis, kagō poiō; sy nēsteueis, kagō agrypneis, kagō holōs ou koimōmai; hen esti monon en hǭ nikąs me. Legei autǭ ho abbas Makarios Poion touto? Ho de ephē Hē tapeinōsis sou; kai dia touto ou dynamai pros se.
Once as abba Macarius was going from the marsh to his cell, carrying palm leaves, look, the devil met him on the road with a sickle; and when he wanted to strike him, he could not, and he says to him, “There is great violence from you, Macarius, for I cannot prevail against you. For look, whatever you do, I do too: you fast, and so do I; you keep vigil, and I do not sleep at all. There is only one thing in which you overcome me.” Abba Macarius says to him, “What is that?” He said, “Your humility; and that is why I cannot prevail against you.”
Notes and citation
Summary: The devil admits he matches Macarius in fasting and vigil but is defeated by his humility.
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 69.11 (PG 65:267; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/69-11). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/69-11
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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.
69.12PG 65:267
Ἠρώτησάν τινες τῶν Πατέρων τὸν ἀββᾶν Μακάριον τὸν Αἰγύπτιον, λέγοντες· Πῶς ὅτε ἐσθίεις καὶ ὅτε νηστεύεις, τὸ σῶμά σου ξηρόν ἐστι; Καὶ λέγει αὐτοῖς ὁ γέρων· Τὸ ξύλον τὸ στρέφον τὰ καιόμενα φρύγανα, δι᾿ ὅλου ἐσθίεται ἐκ τοῦ πυρός. Οὕτως ἐὰν καθαρεύσῃ ἄνθρωπος τὸν νοῦν αὐτοῦ ἐν τῷ φόβῳ τοῦ Θεοῦ, αὐτὸς ὁ φόβος τοῦ Θεοῦ κατεσθίει τὸ σῶμα αὐτοῦ.
Ērōtēsan tines tōn Paterōn ton abban Makarion ton Aigyption, legontes; Pōs hote esthieis kai hote nēsteueis, to sōma sou xēron esti? Kai legei autois ho gerōn; To xylon to strephon ta kaiomena phrygana, di᾿ holou esthietai ek tou pyros. Houtōs ean kathareusę̄ anthrōpos ton noun autou en tǭ phobǭ tou Theou, autos ho phobos tou Theou katesthiei to sōma autou.
Some of the Fathers asked abba Macarius the Egyptian, saying, “How is it that whether you eat or fast, your body is dry?” And the old man says to them, “The stick that turns over the burning brushwood is entirely consumed by the fire. So if a man keeps his mind pure in the fear of God, the fear of God itself consumes his body.”
Notes and citation
Summary: Macarius says the fear of God consumes the body as fire consumes a poker.
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 69.12 (PG 65:267; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/69-12). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/69-12
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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.
69.13PG 65:267–269
Ἀνέβη ποτὲ ὁ ἀββᾶς Μακάριος ἀπὸ Σκήτεως εἰς Τερενοῦθεν· καὶ εἰσῆλθεν εἰς τὸ ἱερὸν κοιμηθήναι. Ήσαν δὲ ἐκεῖ σκηνώματα Ἑλλήνων παλαιά καὶ λαβὼν ἓν, ὑπέθηκε τῇ ἑαυτοῦ κεφαλῇ, ὡς ἐμβρίμιον. Οἱ οὖν δαίμονες, ὁρῶντες αὐτοῦ τὸ θαρσαλέον, ἐφθόνησαν καὶ θέλοντες αὐτὸν πτοῆσαι, ἐφώνουν ὡς γυναικὸς ὄνομα, λέγοντες· Ἡ δεῖνα, δεῦρο μεθ' ἡμῶν εἰς τὸ βαλανεῖον. Ὑπήκουσε δὲ ἄλλος δαίμων ὑποκάτωθεν αὐτοῦ ὡς ἐκ τῶν νεκρῶν, λέγων· Ξένον ἔχω ἐπάνω μου, καὶ οὐ δύναμαι ἐλθεῖν. Ὁ δὲ γέρων οὐκ ἐπτοήθη· ἀλλὰ θαῤῥῶν ἔτυπτε τὸ σκήνωμα, λέγων· Ἔγειραι, ὕπαγε εἰς τὸ σκότος, εἰ δύνασαι. Καὶ τοῦτο ἀκούσαντες οἱ δαίμονες, ἐβόησαν φωνῇ μεγάλῃ, λέγοντες· Ἐνίκησας ἡμᾶς. Καὶ ἔφυγον καταισχυνόμενοι.
Anebē pote ho abbas Makarios apo Skēteōs eis Terenouthen; kai eisēlthen eis to hieron koimēthēnai. Ēsan de ekei skēnōmata Hellēnōn palaia kai labōn hen, hypethēke tę̄ heautou kephalę̄, hōs embrimion. Hoi oun daimones, horōntes autou to tharsaleon, ephthonēsan kai thelontes auton ptoēsai, ephōnoun hōs gynaikos onoma, legontes; Hē deina, deuro meth' hēmōn eis to balaneion. Hypēkouse de allos daimōn hypokatōthen autou hōs ek tōn nekrōn, legōn; Xenon echō epanō mou, kai ou dynamai elthein. Ho de gerōn ouk eptoēthē; alla tharrhōn etypte to skēnōma, legōn; Egeirai, hypage eis to skotos, ei dynasai. Kai touto akousantes hoi daimones, eboēsan phōnę̄ megalę̄, legontes; Enikēsas hēmas. Kai ephygon kataischynomenoi.
Once abba Macarius went up from Scetis to Terenuthis; and he went into the temple to sleep. There were old bodies of pagans there; and taking one, he put it under his head as a pillow. The demons, seeing his boldness, were envious; and wanting to frighten him, they called as if by a woman’s name, saying, “So-and-so, come with us to the bath.” And another demon answered from beneath him, as if from the dead, saying, “I have a stranger on top of me, and I cannot come.” But the old man was not frightened; but boldly he struck the body, saying, “Get up, go into the darkness, if you can.” Hearing this, the demons cried out with a loud voice, saying, “You have beaten us.” And they fled in shame.
Notes and citation
Summary: Sleeping on a pagan mummy in a temple, Macarius is unmoved by demons’ tricks and puts them to flight.
- σκηνώματα are (mummified) bodies.
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 69.13 (PG 65:267–269; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/69-13). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/69-13
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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.
69.14PG 65:269
Ἔλεγον περὶ τοῦ ἀββᾶ Μακαρίου τοῦ Αἰγυπτίου ὅτι ἀναβαίνων ἀπὸ Σκήτεως, καὶ βαστάζων σπυρίδας, κοπιάσας ἐκαθέσθη· καὶ ηὔξατο λέγων· Ὁ Θεὸς, σὺ οἶδας ὅτι οὐκ ἰσχύω. Καὶ εὐθέως εὑρέθη ἐπὶ τὸν ποταμόν.
Elegon peri tou abba Makariou tou Aigyptiou hoti anabainōn apo Skēteōs, kai bastazōn spyridas, kopiasas ekathesthē; kai ēuxato legōn; Ho Theos, sy oidas hoti ouk ischyō. Kai eutheōs heurethē epi ton potamon.
They said of abba Macarius the Egyptian that once, going up from Scetis and carrying baskets, he grew tired and sat down; and he prayed, saying, “O God, you know that I have no strength.” And at once he found himself at the river.
Notes and citation
Summary: Exhausted, Macarius prays and finds himself carried to the river.
Topics: Prayer
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 69.14 (PG 65:269; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/69-14). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/69-14
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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.
69.15PG 65:269
Ἦν τις ἔχων υἱὸν παραλυτικὸν ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ· καὶ ἤνεγκεν αὐτὸν εἰς τὸ κελλίον τοῦ ἀββᾶ Μακαρίου· καὶ ἀφεὶς αὐτὸν ἐπὶ τὴν θύραν κλαίοντα, ἀνεχώρησε μακράν. Παρακύψας οὖν ὁ γέρων, εἶδε τὸ παιδίον καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ· Τίς ἤνεγκέ σε ὧδε; Καὶ λέγει· Ὁ πατήρ μου ἔῤῥιψέ με ὧδε, καὶ ἀπῆλθε. Λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ γέρων· Αναστὰς κατάλαβε αὐτόν. Καὶ εὐθέως ὑγιάνας, ἀνέστη, καὶ κατέλαβε τὸν πατέρα αὐτοῦ· καὶ οὕτως ἀπῆλθον εἰς τὸν οἶκον αὐτῶν.
Ēn tis echōn huion paralytikon en Aigyptǭ; kai ēnenken auton eis to kellion tou abba Makariou; kai apheis auton epi tēn thyran klaionta, anechōrēse makran. Parakypsas oun ho gerōn, eide to paidion kai legei autǭ; Tis ēnenke se hōde? Kai legei; Ho patēr mou errhipse me hōde, kai apēlthe. Legei autǭ ho gerōn; Anastas katalabe auton. Kai eutheōs hygianas, anestē, kai katelabe ton patera autou; kai houtōs apēlthon eis ton oikon autōn.
There was a man in Egypt who had a paralyzed son; and he brought him to abba Macarius’s cell, and leaving him weeping at the door, he went off a long way. The old man, peeping out, saw the child and says to him, “Who brought you here?” And he says, “My father threw me down here and went away.” The old man says to him, “Get up and catch up with him.” And at once he was healed, got up, and caught up with his father; and so they went home.
Notes and citation
Summary: Macarius heals a paralyzed boy left at his door by telling him to run after his father.
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 69.15 (PG 65:269; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/69-15). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/69-15
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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.
69.16PG 65:269
Ὁ̔ ἀββᾶς Μακάριος ὁ μέγας ἔλεγε τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς ἐν τῇ Σκήτει, ὡς ἀπέλυε τὴν ἐκκλησίαν· Φεύγετε, ἀδελφοί. Καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ τις τῶν γερόντων Ποῦ ἔχομεν φυγεῖν πλέον τῆς ἐρήμου ταύτης; Ὁ δὲ ἐτίθει τὸν δάκτυλον αὐτοῦ εἰς τὸ στόμα, λέγων· Τοῦτο φεύγετε. Καὶ εἰσήρχετο εἰς τὸ κελλίον ἑαυτοῦ, καὶ ἔκλειε τὴν θύραν, καὶ ἐκάθητο.
Ho abbas Makarios ho megas elege tois adelphois en tę̄ Skētei, hōs apelye tēn ekklēsian; Pheugete, adelphoi. Kai eipen autǭ tis tōn gerontōn Pou echomen phygein pleon tēs erēmou tautēs? Ho de etithei ton daktylon autou eis to stoma, legōn; Touto pheugete. Kai eisērcheto eis to kellion heautou, kai ekleie tēn thyran, kai ekathēto.
Abba Macarius the Great used to say to the brothers at Scetis, when he dismissed the church, “Flee, brothers.” And one of the old men said to him, “Where can we flee further than this desert?” And he put his finger on his mouth, saying, “Flee this.” And he would go into his cell, shut the door, and sit.
Notes and citation
Summary: Macarius tells the monks to flee their own mouths.
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 69.16 (PG 65:269; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/69-16). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/69-16
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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.
69.17PG 65:269
Εἶπεν ὁ αὐτὸς ἀββᾶς Μακάριος· Ἐάν τινι ἐπιτιμῶν, εἰς ὀργὴν κινηθῇς, ἴδιον πάθος πληροῖς. Οὐ γὰρ ἵνα ἄλλους σώσῃς, σεαυτὸν ἀπολέσεις. τηʹ. Ὁ αὐτὸς ἀββᾶς Μακάριος, ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ ὢν, εὗρεν ἄνθρωπον ἔχοντα κτῆνος καὶ συλοῦντα τὰς χρείας αὐτοῦ· καὶ αὐτὸς ὡς ξένος παραστὰς τῷ συλοῦντι, συνεγέμου τὸ κτῆνος, καὶ μετὰ πολλῆς ἡσυχίας προέπεμπεν αὐτὸν, λέγων, ὅτι Οὐδὲν εἰσηνέγκαμεν εἰς τὸν κόσμον δῆλον ὅτι οὐδὲ ἐξενεγκεῖν τι δυνάμεθα. Ὁ Κύριος ἔδωκεν· ὡς αὐτὸς ἠθέλησεν, οὕτως καὶ ἐγένετο. Εὐλογητὸς Κύριος ἐπὶ πᾶσιν.
Eipen ho autos abbas Makarios; Ean tini epitimōn, eis orgēn kinēthę̄s, idion pathos plērois. Ou gar hina allous sōsę̄s, seauton apoleseis. tēʹ. Ho autos abbas Makarios, en Aigyptǭ ōn, heuren anthrōpon echonta ktēnos kai sylounta tas chreias autou; kai autos hōs xenos parastas tǭ sylounti, synegemou to ktēnos, kai meta pollēs hēsychias proepempen auton, legōn, hoti Ouden eisēnenkamen eis ton kosmon dēlon hoti oude exenenkein ti dynametha. Ho Kyrios edōken; hōs autos ēthelēsen, houtōs kai egeneto. Eulogētos Kyrios epi pasin.
The same abba Macarius said, “If, in rebuking someone, you are moved to anger, you are fulfilling your own passion. For you must not lose yourself in order to save others.” [18] The same abba Macarius, when he was in Egypt, found a man who had an animal and was plundering his belongings; and he himself, as a stranger, stood by the robber and helped load the animal, and with great calm he saw him off, saying, “We brought nothing into the world; it is clear that we cannot take anything out either. The Lord gave; as he willed, so it has happened. Blessed be the Lord in all things.”
1 Tim 6:7 (quotation, high confidence) · Job 1:21 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Macarius warns against angry rebuke; then (saying 18) he helps a thief load his own goods, blessing God.
- The scan runs Macarius 18 (τηʹ) into this saying; marked [18]. Quotations of 1 Tim 6:7 and Job 1:21, freely.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR: word split): εὖ ρεν → εὗρεν.
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 69.17 (PG 65:269; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/69-17). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/69-17
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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.
69.19PG 65:269
Ἠρώτησάν τινες τὸν ἀββᾶν Μακάριον, λέγοντες· Πῶς ὀφείλομεν προσεύχεσθαι; Λέγει αὐτοῖς ὁ γέρων Οὐκ ἔστι χρεία βαττολογεῖν, ἀλλ᾽ ἐκτείνειν τὰς χεῖρας, καὶ λέγειν· Κύριε, ὡς θέλεις καὶ ὡς οἶδας, ἐλέησον Ἐὰν δὲ ἐπίκειται πόλεμος· Κύριε, βοήθει Καὶ αὐτὸς οἶδε τὰ συμφέροντα, καὶ ποιεῖ μεθ' ἡμῶν ἔλεος.
Ērōtēsan tines ton abban Makarion, legontes; Pōs opheilomen proseuchesthai? Legei autois ho gerōn Ouk esti chreia battologein, all᾽ ekteinein tas cheiras, kai legein; Kyrie, hōs theleis kai hōs oidas, eleēson Ean de epikeitai polemos; Kyrie, boēthei Kai autos oide ta sympheronta, kai poiei meth' hēmōn eleos.
Some asked abba Macarius, saying, “How ought we to pray?” The old man says to them, “There is no need to babble, but to stretch out the hands and say, ‘Lord, as you will and as you know, have mercy.’ And if war presses, ‘Lord, help!’ He himself knows what is good for us, and shows us mercy.”
Matt 6:7 (allusion, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Macarius teaches short prayer: “Lord, as you will, have mercy,” and in temptation, “Lord, help.”
- Cf. Matt 6:7–8.
Topics: Prayer
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 69.19 (PG 65:269; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/69-19). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/69-19
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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.
69.20PG 65:269
Εἶπεν ὁ ἀββᾶς Μακάριος Εἰ γέγονεν ἐν σοὶ ἡ ἐξουδένωσις ὡς ὁ ἔπαινος, καὶ ἡ πενία ὡς ὁ πλοῦτος, καὶ ἡ ἔνδεια ὡς ἡ δαψίλεια, οὐκ ἀποθνήσκεις. Αμήχανον γάρ ἐστι τὸν καλῶς πιστεύοντα, καὶ ἐν εὐσεβείᾳ ἐργαζόμενον, ἐμπεσεῖν εἰς ἀκαθαρσίαν παθῶν καὶ δαιμόνων πλάνην.
Eipen ho abbas Makarios Ei gegonen en soi hē exoudenōsis hōs ho epainos, kai hē penia hōs ho ploutos, kai hē endeia hōs hē dapsileia, ouk apothnēskeis. Amēchanon gar esti ton kalōs pisteuonta, kai en eusebeią ergazomenon, empesein eis akatharsian pathōn kai daimonōn planēn.
Abba Macarius said, “If contempt has become for you like praise, and poverty like wealth, and want like abundance, you will not die. For it is impossible for one who believes rightly and works in godliness to fall into the uncleanness of the passions and the deception of demons.”
Notes and citation
Summary: One indifferent to honor and wealth, believing rightly, will not fall into passion or delusion.
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 69.20 (PG 65:269; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/69-20). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/69-20
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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.
69.21PG 65:269–271
Ἔλεγον, ὅτι ἐσφάλησαν δύο ἀδελφοὶ Σκῆτιν· καὶ ἐχώρισεν αὐτοὺς ὁ ἀββᾶς Μακάριος ὁ πολιτικός· καὶ ἦλθόν τινες, καὶ εἶπον τῷ ἀββᾷ Μακαρίῳ τῷ μεγάλῳ τῷ Αἰγυπτίῳ. Ὁ δὲ εἶπεν· Οὐκ εἰσὶν οἱ ἀδελφοὶ κεχωρισμένοι, ἀλλὰ Μακάριός ἐστι κεχωρισμένος· ἦν γὰρ ἀγαπῶν αὐτόν. Ἤκουσεν ὁ ἀββᾶς Μακάριος, ὅτι ἐχωρίσθη ὑπὸ τοῦ γέροντος, καὶ ἔφυγεν εἰς τὸ ἕλος. Ἐξῆλθεν οὖν ὁ ἀββᾶς Μακάριος ὁ μέγας, καὶ εὑρίσκει αὐτὸν τιτρωσκόμενον ὑπὸ τῶν κωνώπων, καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ· Σὺ ἐχώρισας τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς, καὶ ἰδοὺ εἶχον ἀναχωρῆσαι εἰς τὴν κώμην. Ἐγὼ δὲ σε ἐχώρισα, καὶ σὺ ὡς καλὴ παρθένος εἰς τὸν ἐσώτερον κοιτῶνα ἔφυγες ὧδε. Ἐγὼ δὲ καλέσας τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς, ἔμαθον παρ' αὐτῶν, καὶ εἶπον· Οὐδὲν τούτων γέγονε. Βλέπε οὖν καὶ σὺ, ἀδελφὲ, μὴ ἀπὸ δαιμόνων ἐχλευάσθης (οὐδὲν γὰρ ἑώρακας), ἀλλὰ βάλε μετάνοιαν ὑπὲρ τοῦ σφάλματός σου. Ὁ δὲ εἶπεν· Εἰ θέλεις, δός μοι μετάνοιαν. Ἰδὼν δὲ ὁ γέρων τὴν ταπείνωσιν αὐτοῦ, ἔλεγεν· Ὕπαγε, καὶ νήστευσον τρεῖς ἑβδομάδας, κατὰ ἑβδομάδα ἐσθίων. Αὕτη γὰρ ἦν ἡ ἐργασία αὐτοῦ πάντοτε, τὰς ἑβδομάδας νηστεύειν.
Elegon, hoti esphalēsan dyo adelphoi Skētin; kai echōrisen autous ho abbas Makarios ho politikos; kai ēlthon tines, kai eipon tǭ abbą Makariǭ tǭ megalǭ tǭ Aigyptiǭ. Ho de eipen; Ouk eisin hoi adelphoi kechōrismenoi, alla Makarios esti kechōrismenos; ēn gar agapōn auton. Ēkousen ho abbas Makarios, hoti echōristhē hypo tou gerontos, kai ephygen eis to helos. Exēlthen oun ho abbas Makarios ho megas, kai heuriskei auton titrōskomenon hypo tōn kōnōpōn, kai legei autǭ; Sy echōrisas tous adelphous, kai idou eichon anachōrēsai eis tēn kōmēn. Egō de se echōrisa, kai sy hōs kalē parthenos eis ton esōteron koitōna ephyges hōde. Egō de kalesas tous adelphous, emathon par' autōn, kai eipon; Ouden toutōn gegone. Blepe oun kai sy, adelphe, mē apo daimonōn echleuasthēs (ouden gar heōrakas), alla bale metanoian hyper tou sphalmatos sou. Ho de eipen; Ei theleis, dos moi metanoian. Idōn de ho gerōn tēn tapeinōsin autou, elegen; Hypage, kai nēsteuson treis hebdomadas, kata hebdomada esthiōn. Hautē gar ēn hē ergasia autou pantote, tas hebdomadas nēsteuein.
They said that two brothers at Scetis fell into a fault; and abba Macarius the citizen excommunicated them; and some came and told abba Macarius the Great, the Egyptian. And he said, “It is not the brothers who are excommunicated, but Macarius who is excommunicated”; for he loved him. Abba Macarius heard that he had been excommunicated by the old man, and fled to the marsh. So abba Macarius the Great went out and finds him being bitten by the mosquitoes, and says to him, “You excommunicated the brothers, and look, they were going to withdraw to the village. But I have excommunicated you, and you have fled here like a fair virgin into the inner chamber. I called the brothers and learned from them, and they said, ‘None of these things happened.’ So you too, brother, see whether you have not been mocked by demons (for you saw nothing), but make repentance for your fault.” He said, “If you wish, give me a penance.” Seeing his humility, the old man said, “Go, fast for three weeks, eating once a week.” For this was always his own practice, to fast whole weeks.
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
Notes and citation
Summary: Macarius the Great rebukes Macarius the citizen for wrongly excommunicating two brothers, and gives him a penance.
- Variant notes are removed.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (variant notes (“Al.”) from Migne’s apparatus): ΑΙ. μεγάλε. ΑΙ. οὐκέτι. ὅτι ἔκλαιεν. πυκνά. → .
Topics: Fasting
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 69.21 (PG 65:269–271; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/69-21). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/69-21
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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.
69.22PG 65:271
Εἶπεν ὁ ἀββᾶς Μωϋσῆς τῷ ἀββᾷ Μακαρίῳ εἰς Σκῆτιν· Θέλω ἡσυχάσαι, καὶ οὐκ ἀφιοῦσί με οἱ ἀδελφοί. Καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ ἀββᾶς Μακάριος Θεωρῶ ὅτι ἡ φύσις σου ἀπαλή ἐστι, καὶ οὐ δύνασαι ἀποστρέψαι ἀδελφόν· ἀλλ᾽ ἐὰν θέλῃς ἡσυχάσαι, ὕπαγε εἰς τὴν ἔρημον ἔσω εἰς τὴν Πέτραν, κἀκεῖ ἡσυχάζεις. Καὶ τοῦτο ἐποίησε, καὶ ἀνεπάη.
Eipen ho abbas Mōÿsēs tǭ abbą Makariǭ eis Skētin; Thelō hēsychasai, kai ouk aphiousi me hoi adelphoi. Kai legei autǭ ho abbas Makarios Theōrō hoti hē physis sou apalē esti, kai ou dynasai apostrepsai adelphon; all᾽ ean thelę̄s hēsychasai, hypage eis tēn erēmon esō eis tēn Petran, kakei hēsychazeis. Kai touto epoiēse, kai anepaē.
Abba Moses said to abba Macarius at Scetis, “I want to live in stillness, and the brothers will not let me.” And abba Macarius says to him, “I see that your nature is gentle, and you cannot turn a brother away; but if you want to live in stillness, go into the inner desert, to Petra, and there you will have stillness.” And he did so, and was at rest.
Notes and citation
Summary: Macarius sends the gentle-natured Moses to the inner desert to find stillness.
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 69.22 (PG 65:271; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/69-22). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/69-22
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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.
69.23PG 65:271
Ἀδελφὸς παρέβαλε τῷ ἀββᾷ Μακαρίῳ τῷ Αἰγυπτίῳ, καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ· Ἀ̓ββᾶ, εἰπέ μοι ῥῆμα πῶς σωθῶ. Καὶ λέγει ὁ γέρων· Ὕπαγε εἰς τὸ μνημεῖον, καὶ ὕβρισον τοὺς νεκρούς. Ἀπελθὼν οὖν ὁ ἀδελφὸς, ὕβρισε καὶ ἐλίθασε· καὶ ἐλθὼν ἀπήγγειλε τῷ γέροντι. Καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ· Οὐδέν σοι ἐλάλησαν; Ὁ δὲ ἔφη· Οὐχί. Λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ γέρων· Ὕπαγε πάλιν αὔριον, καὶ δόξασον αὐτούς. Ἀπελθὼν οὖν ὁ ἀδελφὸς, ἐδόξασεν αὐτοὺς, λέγων· Ἀπόστολοι, ἅγιοι, καὶ δίκαιοι. Καὶ ἦλθε πρὸς τὸν γέροντα, καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ· Ἐδόξασα. Καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ· Οὐδέν σοι ἀπεκρίθησαν; Ἔφη ὁ ἀδελφός· Οὐχί. Λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ γέρων Οἶδας πόσα ἡτίμασας αὐτοὺς, καὶ οὐδέν σοι ἀπεκρίθησαν, καὶ πόσα ἐδόξασας αὐτοὺς, καὶ οὐδέν σοι ἐλάλησαν οὕτως καὶ σὺ, ἐὰν θέλῃς σωθῆναι, γενοῦ νεκρός μήτε τὴν ἀδικίαν τῶν ἀνθρώπων, μήτε τὴν δόξαν αὐτῶν λογίσῃ, ὡς οἱ νεκροί· καὶ δύνασαι σωθῆναι.
Adelphos parebale tǭ abbą Makariǭ tǭ Aigyptiǭ, kai legei autǭ; Abba, eipe moi rhēma pōs sōthō. Kai legei ho gerōn; Hypage eis to mnēmeion, kai hybrison tous nekrous. Apelthōn oun ho adelphos, hybrise kai elithase; kai elthōn apēngeile tǭ geronti. Kai legei autǭ; Ouden soi elalēsan? Ho de ephē; Ouchi. Legei autǭ ho gerōn; Hypage palin aurion, kai doxason autous. Apelthōn oun ho adelphos, edoxasen autous, legōn; Apostoloi, hagioi, kai dikaioi. Kai ēlthe pros ton geronta, kai eipen autǭ; Edoxasa. Kai legei autǭ; Ouden soi apekrithēsan? Ephē ho adelphos; Ouchi. Legei autǭ ho gerōn Oidas posa hētimasas autous, kai ouden soi apekrithēsan, kai posa edoxasas autous, kai ouden soi elalēsan houtōs kai sy, ean thelę̄s sōthēnai, genou nekros mēte tēn adikian tōn anthrōpōn, mēte tēn doxan autōn logisę̄, hōs hoi nekroi; kai dynasai sōthēnai.
A brother visited abba Macarius the Egyptian and says to him, “Abba, tell me a word: how may I be saved?” And the old man says, “Go to the tomb and insult the dead.” So the brother went, insulted them and threw stones at them; and he came and told the old man. And he says to him, “Did they say nothing to you?” He said, “No.” The old man says to him, “Go again tomorrow and praise them.” So the brother went and praised them, saying, “Apostles, saints, and righteous ones.” And he came to the old man and said to him, “I praised them.” And he says to him, “Did they answer you nothing?” The brother said, “No.” The old man says to him, “You know how much you dishonored them and they answered you nothing, and how much you praised them and they said nothing to you; so you too, if you want to be saved, become dead: take no account of men’s injustice or of their praise, like the dead; and you can be saved.”
Notes and citation
Summary: Macarius has a brother insult and then praise the dead, teaching him to be dead to both.
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 69.23 (PG 65:271; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/69-23). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/69-23
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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.
69.24PG 65:271
Παρερχόμενός ποτε ὁ ἀββᾶς Μακάριος μετὰ ἀδελφῶν διὰ τῆς Αἰγύπτου, ἤκουσε παιδίου λέγοντος τῇ μητρὶ αὐτοῦ· Ἀμμᾶ, πλούσιός τις ἀγαπᾷ με, καὶ μισῶ αὐτόν· καὶ πτωχὸς μισεῖ με, καὶ ἀγαπῶ αὐτόν. Καὶ ἀκούσας ὁ ἀββᾶς Μακάριος, ἐθαύμασε. Καὶ λέγουσιν αὐτῷ οἱ ἀδελφοί· Τί ἐστι τὸ ῥῆμα τοῦτο, Πάτερ, ὅτι ἐθαύμασας; Καὶ λέγει αὐτοῖς ὁ γέρων· Ἀληθῶς ὁ Κύριος ἡμῶν πλούσιός ἐστι καὶ ἀγαπᾷ ἡμᾶς, καὶ οὐ θέλομεν αὐτοῦ ἀκοῦσαι· ὁ δὲ ἐχθρὸς ἡμῶν διάβολος πτωχός ἐστι καὶ μισεῖ ἡμᾶς, καὶ ἀγαπῶμεν αὐτοῦ τὴν ἀκαθαρσίαν.
Parerchomenos pote ho abbas Makarios meta adelphōn dia tēs Aigyptou, ēkouse paidiou legontos tę̄ mētri autou; Amma, plousios tis agapą me, kai misō auton; kai ptōchos misei me, kai agapō auton. Kai akousas ho abbas Makarios, ethaumase. Kai legousin autǭ hoi adelphoi; Ti esti to rhēma touto, Pater, hoti ethaumasas? Kai legei autois ho gerōn; Alēthōs ho Kyrios hēmōn plousios esti kai agapą hēmas, kai ou thelomen autou akousai; ho de echthros hēmōn diabolos ptōchos esti kai misei hēmas, kai agapōmen autou tēn akatharsian.
Once as abba Macarius was passing through Egypt with some brothers, he heard a child saying to his mother, “Mother, a rich man loves me, and I hate him; and a poor man hates me, and I love him.” And hearing it, abba Macarius marveled. And the brothers say to him, “What is this saying, father, that you marveled at it?” And the old man says to them, “Truly our Lord is rich and loves us, and we do not want to listen to him; but our enemy the devil is poor and hates us, and we love his uncleanness.”
2 Cor 8:9 (echo, low confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: A child’s remark about a rich lover and a poor hater becomes for Macarius a picture of God and the devil.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR: word split): ἀγα πῶμεν → ἀγαπῶμεν.
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 69.24 (PG 65:271; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/69-24). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/69-24
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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.
69.25PG 65:271
Παρεκάλεσεν ὁ ἀββᾶς Ποιμὴν αὐτὸν μετὰ πολλῶν δακρύων, λέγων· Εἰπέ μοι ῥῆμα πῶς σωθῶ. Ἀποκριθεὶς δὲ ὁ γέρων εἶπεν αὐτῷ· Τὸ πρᾶγμα ὁ ζητεῖς, ἀπῆλθε νῦν ἀπὸ τῶν μοναχῶν.
Parekalesen ho abbas Poimēn auton meta pollōn dakryōn, legōn; Eipe moi rhēma pōs sōthō. Apokritheis de ho gerōn eipen autǭ; To pragma ho zēteis, apēlthe nyn apo tōn monachōn.
Abba Poemen begged him with many tears, saying, “Tell me a word: how may I be saved?” The old man answered him, “The thing you are seeking has now departed from the monks.”
Notes and citation
Summary: Macarius tells Poemen that what he seeks has now gone from the monks.
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 69.25 (PG 65:271; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/69-25). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/69-25
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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.
69.26PG 65:273
Παρέβαλέ ποτε ὁ ἀββᾶς Μακάριος τῷ ἀββᾷ Ἀντωνίῳ καὶ λαλήσας αὐτῷ, ὑπέστρεψεν εἰς Σκῆτιν. Καὶ ἦλθον οἱ Πατέρες εἰς ἀπάντησιν αὐτοῦ. Καὶ ὡς ἐλάλουν, εἶπεν αὐτοῖς ὁ γέρων· Ἔφην τῷ ἀββᾷ Αντωνίῳ, ὡς οὐκ ἔχομεν προσφορὰν ἐν τῷ τόπῳ ἡμῶν. Καὶ ἤρξαντο οἱ Πατέρες λαλεῖν περὶ ἄλλων, καὶ οὐκ ἠρώτησαν ἔτι μαθεῖν τὴν ἀπόκρισιν παρά τοῦ γέροντος, οὔτε ὁ γέρων αὐτοῖς εἶπε. Τοῦτο οὖν ἔλεγέ τις τῶν Πατέρων, ὅτι ἐὰν ἴδωσιν οἱ Πατέρες ὅτι λανθάνει τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς τῷ ἐρωτῆσαι περὶ πράγματος ὠφελοῦντος αὐτοὺς, ἀναγκάζουσιν ἑαυτοὺς εἰπεῖν ἀρχὴν τοῦ λόγου· ἐὰν δὲ μὴ ἀναγκασθῶσι παρὰ τῶν ἀδελφῶν, οὐκ ἔτι λαλοῦσι τὸν λόγον· ἵνα μὴ εὑρεθῶσιν ὡς μὴ ἐπερωτώμενοι καὶ λαλοῦντες, καὶ ὡς ἀργολογία εὑρίσκηται.
Parebale pote ho abbas Makarios tǭ abbą Antōniǭ kai lalēsas autǭ, hypestrepsen eis Skētin. Kai ēlthon hoi Pateres eis apantēsin autou. Kai hōs elaloun, eipen autois ho gerōn; Ephēn tǭ abbą Antōniǭ, hōs ouk echomen prosphoran en tǭ topǭ hēmōn. Kai ērxanto hoi Pateres lalein peri allōn, kai ouk ērōtēsan eti mathein tēn apokrisin para tou gerontos, oute ho gerōn autois eipe. Touto oun elege tis tōn Paterōn, hoti ean idōsin hoi Pateres hoti lanthanei tous adelphous tǭ erōtēsai peri pragmatos ōphelountos autous, anankazousin heautous eipein archēn tou logou; ean de mē anankasthōsi para tōn adelphōn, ouk eti lalousi ton logon; hina mē heurethōsin hōs mē eperōtōmenoi kai lalountes, kai hōs argologia heuriskētai.
Once abba Macarius visited abba Antony, and after speaking with him he returned to Scetis. And the Fathers came to meet him. As they talked, the old man said to them, “I told abba Antony that we have no offering in our place.” And the Fathers began to talk about other things, and did not ask further to learn the answer from the old man, nor did the old man tell them. One of the Fathers explained this: when the Fathers see that it escapes the brothers to ask about something that would benefit them, they force themselves to make a beginning of the word; but if they are not pressed by the brothers, they say no more, so that they may not be found speaking without being asked, and their talk be found idle.
Notes and citation
Summary: Macarius says no more about Antony’s answer when the monks do not ask, to avoid idle speech.
- “Offering” here is the Eucharist (no priest or celebration at Scetis).
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 69.26 (PG 65:273; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/69-26). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/69-26
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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.
69.27PG 65:273
Ἠρώτησεν ὁ ἀββᾶς Ἡσαΐας τὸν ἀββᾶν Μακάριον, λέγων· Εἰπέ μοι ῥῆμα. Καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ γέρων· Φεῦγε τοὺς ἀνθρώπους. Λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ ἀββᾶς Ησαΐας· Τί ἐστι τὸ φεύγειν τοὺς ἀνθρώπους; Ὁ δὲ γέρων εἶπεν αὐτῷ· Τὸ καθίσαι εἰς τὸ κελλίον σου, καὶ κλαῦσαι τὰς ἁμαρτίας σου.
Ērōtēsen ho abbas Hēsaïas ton abban Makarion, legōn; Eipe moi rhēma. Kai legei autǭ ho gerōn; Pheuge tous anthrōpous. Legei autǭ ho abbas Ēsaïas; Ti esti to pheugein tous anthrōpous? Ho de gerōn eipen autǭ; To kathisai eis to kellion sou, kai klausai tas hamartias sou.
Abba Isaiah asked abba Macarius, saying, “Tell me a word.” And the old man says to him, “Flee from men.” Abba Isaiah says to him, “What is fleeing from men?” The old man said to him, “To sit in your cell and weep for your sins.”
Notes and citation
Summary: Macarius explains fleeing men as staying in the cell and weeping for one’s sins.
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 69.27 (PG 65:273; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/69-27). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/69-27
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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.
69.28PG 65:273
Ἔλεγεν ὁ ἀββᾶς Παφνούτιος ὁ μαθητὴς τοῦ ἀββᾶ Μακαρίου, ὅτι Παρεκάλεσα τὸν Πατέρα μου, λέγων· Εἰπέ μοι λόγον. Ὁ δὲ ἔφη· Μὴ κακοποιήσῃς τινὰ, μηδὲ κατακρίνῃς τινά. Ταῦτα τήρει, καὶ σώζῃ.
Elegen ho abbas Paphnoutios ho mathētēs tou abba Makariou, hoti Parekalesa ton Patera mou, legōn; Eipe moi logon. Ho de ephē; Mē kakopoiēsę̄s tina, mēde katakrinę̄s tina. Tauta tērei, kai sōzę̄.
Abba Paphnutius, the disciple of abba Macarius, said, “I begged my father, saying, ‘Tell me a word.’ He said, ‘Do not harm anyone, and do not condemn anyone. Keep these things, and you will be saved.’”
Notes and citation
Summary: Harm no one and condemn no one.
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 69.28 (PG 65:273; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/69-28). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/69-28
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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.
69.29PG 65:273
Εἶπεν ὁ ἀββᾶς Μακάριος· Μὴ κοιμηθῇς εἰς κελλίον ἀδελφοῦ ἔχοντος κακὴν φήμην.
Eipen ho abbas Makarios; Mē koimēthę̄s eis kellion adelphou echontos kakēn phēmēn.
Abba Macarius said, “Do not sleep in the cell of a brother who has a bad reputation.”
Notes and citation
Summary: Avoid sleeping in the cell of a brother of ill repute.
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 69.29 (PG 65:273; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/69-29). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/69-29
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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.
69.30PG 65:273
Παρέβαλόν ποτε τῷ ἀββᾷ Μακαρίῳ ἀδελφοὶ εἰς Σκῆτιν, καὶ οὐχ εὗρον ἐν τῷ κελλίῳ αὐτοῦ οὐδὲν, εἰ μὴ ὕδωρ σαπρόν. Καὶ λέγουσιν αὐτῷ· Ἀ̓ββᾶ, δεῦρο ἄνω εἰς τὴν κώμην, καὶ ἀναπαύομέν σε. Λέγει αὐτοῖς ὁ γέρων· Οἴδατε, ἀδελφοὶ, τὸ ἀρτοκοπεῖον τοῦ δεῖνος εἰς τὴν κώμην; Καὶ λέγουσιν αὐτῷ· Ναί. Ἔφη αὐτοῖς ὁ γέρων· Κἀγὼ οἶδα αὐτό. Οἴδατε καὶ τὸ χωρίον τοῦ δεῖνος ὅπου ὁ ποταμὸς κρούει; Λέγουσιν αὐτῷ· Ναί. Λέγει αὐτοῖς ὁ γέρων· Κἀγὼ οἶδα αὐτό. Ὅτε οὖν θέλω, οὐ χρείαν ὑμῶν ἔχω, ἀλλ᾿ ἐμαυτῷ ἀναβάζω
Parebalon pote tǭ abbą Makariǭ adelphoi eis Skētin, kai ouch heuron en tǭ kelliǭ autou ouden, ei mē hydōr sapron. Kai legousin autǭ; Abba, deuro anō eis tēn kōmēn, kai anapauomen se. Legei autois ho gerōn; Oidate, adelphoi, to artokopeion tou deinos eis tēn kōmēn? Kai legousin autǭ; Nai. Ephē autois ho gerōn; Kagō oida auto. Oidate kai to chōrion tou deinos hopou ho potamos krouei? Legousin autǭ; Nai. Legei autois ho gerōn; Kagō oida auto. Hote oun thelō, ou chreian hymōn echō, all᾿ emautǭ anabazō
Once brothers visited abba Macarius at Scetis, and they found nothing in his cell except stagnant water. And they say to him, “Abba, come up to the village, and we will give you rest.” The old man says to them, “Do you know, brothers, so-and-so’s bakery in the village?” And they say to him, “Yes.” The old man said to them, “I know it too. Do you also know so-and-so’s field where the river strikes?” They say to him, “Yes.” The old man says to them, “I know it too. So when I want to, I have no need of you, but I can take myself up.”
Notes and citation
Summary: Macarius tells brothers offering comfort that he knows the way to the village himself if he wants it.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR: stray mark; OCR: word split with stray mark): χωρίον. τοῦ → χωρίον τοῦ; ἀνα. βάζω → ἀναβάζω.
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 69.30 (PG 65:273; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/69-30). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/69-30
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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.
69.31PG 65:273
Ἔλεγον περὶ τοῦ ἀββᾶ Μακαρίου, ὅτι εἰ προσήρχετο αὐτῷ ἀδελφὸς, ὡς ἁγίῳ γέροντι καὶ μεγάλῳ μετὰ φόβου, οὐδὲν ἐλάλει αὐτῷ. Εἰ δὲ ἔλεγεν αὐτῷ τις τῶν ἀδελφῶν ὡς ἐξουθενῶν αὐτόν· Ἀ̓ββᾶ, ἆρα ὅταν ἧς καμηλίτης καὶ ἔκλεπτες νίτρον καὶ ἐπώλεις αὐτὸ, οὐκ ἔδερόν σε οἱ τηρηταί Εἰ ταῦτά τις ἔλεγεν αὐτῷ, ἐλάλει αὐτῷ μετὰ χαρᾶς, εἴ τι αὐτὸν ἠρώτα.
Elegon peri tou abba Makariou, hoti ei prosērcheto autǭ adelphos, hōs hagiǭ geronti kai megalǭ meta phobou, ouden elalei autǭ. Ei de elegen autǭ tis tōn adelphōn hōs exouthenōn auton; Abba, ara hotan hēs kamēlitēs kai ekleptes nitron kai epōleis auto, ouk ederon se hoi tērētai Ei tauta tis elegen autǭ, elalei autǭ meta charas, ei ti auton ērōta.
They said of abba Macarius that if a brother approached him with fear, as a holy and great old man, he said nothing to him. But if one of the brothers said to him, as though despising him, “Abba, when you were a camel driver and stole natron and sold it, did the guards not beat you?”, if someone said such things to him, he would speak with him gladly about whatever he asked.
Notes and citation
Summary: Macarius answered those who mocked his past but kept silent with those who revered him.
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 69.31 (PG 65:273; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/69-31). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/69-31
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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.
69.32PG 65:273
Ἔλεγον περὶ τοῦ ἀββᾶ Μακαρίου τοῦ μεγάλου, ὅτι γέγονε καθώς ἐστι γεγραμμένον θεὸς ἐπίγειος, ὅτι ὥσπερ ἐστὶν ὁ Θεὸς σκεπάζων τὸν κόσμον, οὕτως γέγονεν ὁ ἀββᾶς Μακάριος σκεπάζων τὰ ἐλαττώματα, ὁ ἔβλεπεν ὡς μὴ βλέπων, καὶ ὰ ἤκουεν ὡς μὴ ἀκούων.
Elegon peri tou abba Makariou tou megalou, hoti gegone kathōs esti gegrammenon theos epigeios, hoti hōsper estin ho Theos skepazōn ton kosmon, houtōs gegonen ho abbas Makarios skepazōn ta elattōmata, ho eblepen hōs mē blepōn, kai a ēkouen hōs mē akouōn.
They said of abba Macarius the Great that he became, as it is written, a god upon earth; for just as God covers the world, so abba Macarius covered faults: what he saw he treated as not seeing, and what he heard as not hearing.
1 Pet 4:8 (echo, low confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Macarius covered others’ faults as God covers the world, like a god on earth.
- The source of “as it is written, a god upon earth” is uncertain.
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 69.32 (PG 65:273; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/69-32). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/69-32
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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.
69.33PG 65:273–277
Διηγήσατο ὁ ἀββᾶς Βιτίμιος, ὅτι ἔλεγεν ὁ ἀββᾶς Μακάριος· Καθημένου μού ποτε εἰς Σκῆτιν, κατέβησαν δύο νεώτεροι ξενικοὶ ἐκεῖ· καὶ ὁ μὲν εἶς εἶχε γένειον, ὁ δὲ ἄλλος ἀρχὴν βάλλων γενείου. Καὶ ἦλθον πρὸς μὲ λέγοντες· Ποῦ ἔστιν ἡ κέλλα τοῦ ἀββᾶ Μακαρίου Κἀγὼ εἶπον Τί θέλετε αὐτόν Καὶ λέγουσιν· Ἀκούοντες τὰ περὶ αὐτοῦ καὶ τῆς Σκήτεως, ἤλθομεν ἰδεῖν αὐτόν. Λέγω αὐτοῖς Ἐγώ εἰμι, Καὶ ἔβαλον μετάνοιαν, λέγοντες· Ὧδε θέλομεν μεῖναι. Ἐγὼ δὲ βλέπων αὐτοὺς τρυφεροὺς καὶ ὡς ἀπὸ πλούτου, λέγω αὐτοῖς Οὗ δύνασθε καθίσαι ὧδε. Καὶ λέγει ὁ μειζότερος· Ἐὰν μὴ δυνώμεθα καθίσαι ὧδε ὑπάγομεν ἀλλαχοῦ. Λέγω ἐγὼ τῷ λογισμῷ μου· Διατί διώκω αὐτοὺς, καὶ σκανδαλίζονται; ὁ κόπος ποιεῖ αὐτοὺς δι᾽ ἑαυτῶν φυγεῖν. Καὶ λέγω αὐτοῖς· Δεῦτε, ποιήσατε ἑαυτοῖς κελλίον, εἰ δύνασθε. Καὶ λέγουσι Δεῖξον ἡμῖν τόπον, καὶ ποιοῦμεν. Ἔδωκε δὲ αὐτοῖς ὁ γέρων πέλεκυν καὶ ἀναβολίδιν μεστὸν ψωμίων, καὶ ἄλας· ἔδειξε δὲ αὐτοῖς ὁ γέρων καὶ πέτραν σκληράν, λέγων· Λατομήσατε ὧδε, καὶ φέρετε αὐτοῖς ξύλα ἐκ τοῦ ἕλους, καὶ στεγάσαντες καθίσατε. Ἐνόμιζον δὲ ἐγὼ, φησὶν, ὅτι μέλλουσι διὰ τὸν κόπον ἀναχωρεῖν Ἠρώτησαν δέ με, τί ἐργάζωνται ὧδε. Λέγω αὐτοῖς· Τὴν σειράν καὶ λαμβάνω βαΐα ἐκ τοῦ ἕλους, καὶ δεικνύῳ αὐτοῖς τὴν ἀρχὴν τῆς σειρᾶς, καὶ πῶς ῥάπτειν δεῖ, καὶ εἶπον· Ποιεῖτε σπυρίδας, καὶ παρέχετε τοῖς φύλαξι καὶ φέρουσιν ὑμῖν ψωμία. Λοιπὸν οὖν ἐγὼ ἀνεχώρησα. Αὐτοὶ δὲ μεθ' ὑπομονῆς πάντα ἐποίησαν, ὅσα εἶπον αὐτοῖς· καὶ οὐ παρέβαλόν μοι ἐπὶ τρία ἔτη. Καὶ ἔμεινα πολεμῶν τοῖς λογισμοῖς, λέγων· Τίς ἄρα ἐστὶν ἡ ἐργασία αὐτῶν, ὅτι οὐκ ἦλθον ἐρωτῆσαι λογισμόν; Οἱ ἀπὸ μήκοθεν ἔρχονται πρὸς μὲ καὶ οὗτοι οἱ ἐγγὺς οὐκ ἦλθον, οὔτε δὲ πρὸς ἄλλους ὑπῆγον· εἰ μὴ μόνον εἰς τὴν ἐκκλησίαν σιωπῶντες, λαβεῖν τὴν προσφοράν. Καὶ ηὐξάμην τῷ Θεῷ νηστεύσας τὴν ἑβδομάδα, ἵνα δείξῃ μοι τὴν ἐργασίαν αὐτῶν. Ἀναστὰς δὲ μετὰ τὴν ἑβδομάδα, ἀπῆλθον πρὸς αὐτοὺς ἰδεῖν πῶς κάθηνται. Καὶ κρούσαντός μου ἀνέῳξαν, καὶ ἡσπάσαντό με σιωπῶντες καὶ ποιήσας εὐχὴν, ἐκάθισα. Νεύσας δὲ ὁ μείζων τῷ μικροτέρῳ ἐξελθεῖν, ἐκάθισε πλέκειν τὴν σειρὰν, λαλήσας μηδέν· καὶ τῇ ὥρᾳ τῆς ἐνάτης, ἔκρουσε, καὶ ἦλθεν ὁ νεώτερος καὶ ἐποίησε μικρὸν ἔψημα, καὶ παρέθηκε τράπεζαν, νεύσαντος αὐτῷ τοῦ μειζοτέρου· καὶ ἔθηκεν εἰς αὐτὴν τρεῖς παξαμάδας, καὶ ἔστη σιωπῶν. Ἐγὼ δὲ εἶπον· Ἑγείρεσθε, φάγωμεν. Καὶ ἀναστάντες, ἐφάγομεν· καὶ ἤνεγκε τὸ βαυκάλιον, καὶ ἐπίομεν. Ὡς δὲ ἐγένετο ἑσπέρα, λέγουσί μοι· Ὑπάγεις; Ἐγὼ δὲ εἶπον Οὐχὶ, ἀλλ᾽ ὧδε κοιμῶμαι, Καὶ ἔθηκάν μοι ψιάθιον παρὰ μέρος, καὶ ἑαυτοῖς εἰς τὴν γωνίαν παρὰ μέρος· καὶ ἦραν τὰς ζώνας αὐτῶν καὶ τοὺς ἀναλάβους, καὶ ἔθηκαν ἑαυτοὺς ὁμοῦ εἰς τὸ ψιάθιον ἔμπροσθέν μου. Ὡς δὲ ἔθηκαν ἑαυτοὺς, ηὐξάμην τῷ Θεῷ, ἵνα μοι ἀποκαλύψῃ τὴν ἐργασίαν αὐτῶν. Καὶ ἡνεώχθη ἡ στέγη, καὶ ἐγένετο φῶς ὡς ἡμέρα· αὐτοὶ δὲ οὐκ ἐθεώρουν τὸ φῶς. Καὶ ὡς ἐνόμιζον ὅτι κοιμῶμαι, νύσσει ὁ μείζων τὸν μικρότερον εἰς τὴν πλευρὰν, καὶ ἐγείρονται, καὶ ζώνουσιν δὲ ἑαυτοὺς, καὶ ἐκτείνουσι τὰς χεῖρας εἰς τὸν οὐρανόν. Καὶ ἐθεώρουν αὐτοὺς· αὐτοὶ δὲ οὐκ ἐθεώρουν με· καὶ εἶδον τοὺς δαίμονας ἐρχομένους ὥσπερ μυίας. ἐπὶ τὸν μικρότερον· καὶ οἱ μὲν ἤρχοντο καθίσαι εἰς τὸ στόμα αὐτοῦ, οἱ δὲ εἰς τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς αὐτοῦ. Καὶ εἶδον ἄγγελον Κυρίου κατέχοντα ῥομφαίαν πυρὸς, καὶ περιχαρακοῦντα αὐτὸν καὶ διώκοντα τοὺς δαίμονας ἀπ᾿ αὐτοῦ. Τῷ δὲ μειζοτέρῳ οὐκ ἐδύναντο προσεγγίσαι. Καὶ ὡς περὶ τὴν πρωΐαν ἔθηκαν ἑαυτούς• κἀγὼ ἐποίησα ἐμαυτὸν ὅτι διϋπνίσθην, καὶ αὐτοὶ ὡσαύτως. Εἶπε δὲ μοι ὁ μείζων τὸν λόγον τοῦτον μόνον Θέλεις βάλωμεν τοὺς δώδεκα ψαλμούς; Λέγω· Ναί. Καὶ ψάλλει ὁ μικρότερος πέντε ψαλμοὺς ἀπὸ ἓξ στίχων καὶ ἐν Ἀλληλούϊα Καὶ κατὰ στίχον, ἐξήρχετο λαμπὰς πυρὸς ἐκ τοῦ στόματος αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἀνέβαινεν εἰς τὸν οὐρανόν. Ωσαύτως καὶ ὁ μείζων, ὅτε ἤνοιγε τὸ στόμα αὐτοῦ ψάλλων, ὡς σχοινίον πυρὸς ἐξήρχετο, καὶ ἔφθανεν ἕως τοῦ οὐρανοῦ. Κἀγὼ εἶπον μικρὸν ἀπὸ στήθους. Καὶ ἐξελθὼν, λέγω· Εὔξασθε περὶ ἐμοῦ. Αὐτοὶ δὲ ἔβαλον μετάνοιαν, σιωπῶντες. Ἔμαθον οὖν ὅτι ὁ μείζων τέλειός ἐστι τῷ δὲ μικροτέρῳ ἀκμὴν ἐπολέμει ὁ ἐχθρός. Μετὰ δὲ μικρὰς ἡμέρας, ἐκοιμήθη ὁ μείζων ἀδελφὸς, καὶ τῇ τρίτῃ ἡμέρᾳ ὁ μικρότερος. Καὶ ὅτε παρέβαλόν τινες τῶν Πατέρων πρὸς τὸν ἀββᾶν Μακάριον, ἐλάμβανεν αὐτοὺς εἰς τὴν κέλλαν αὐτῶν, λέγων· Δεῦτε, ἴδετε τὸ μαρτύριον τῶν μικρῶν ξένων.
Diēgēsato ho abbas Bitimios, hoti elegen ho abbas Makarios; Kathēmenou mou pote eis Skētin, katebēsan dyo neōteroi xenikoi ekei; kai ho men eis eiche geneion, ho de allos archēn ballōn geneiou. Kai ēlthon pros me legontes; Pou estin hē kella tou abba Makariou Kagō eipon Ti thelete auton Kai legousin; Akouontes ta peri autou kai tēs Skēteōs, ēlthomen idein auton. Legō autois Egō eimi, Kai ebalon metanoian, legontes; Hōde thelomen meinai. Egō de blepōn autous trypherous kai hōs apo ploutou, legō autois Hou dynasthe kathisai hōde. Kai legei ho meizoteros; Ean mē dynōmetha kathisai hōde hypagomen allachou. Legō egō tǭ logismǭ mou; Diati diōkō autous, kai skandalizontai? ho kopos poiei autous di᾽ heautōn phygein. Kai legō autois; Deute, poiēsate heautois kellion, ei dynasthe. Kai legousi Deixon hēmin topon, kai poioumen. Edōke de autois ho gerōn pelekyn kai anabolidin meston psōmiōn, kai alas; edeixe de autois ho gerōn kai petran sklēran, legōn; Latomēsate hōde, kai pherete autois xyla ek tou helous, kai stegasantes kathisate. Enomizon de egō, phēsin, hoti mellousi dia ton kopon anachōrein Ērōtēsan de me, ti ergazōntai hōde. Legō autois; Tēn seiran kai lambanō baïa ek tou helous, kai deiknyǭ autois tēn archēn tēs seiras, kai pōs rhaptein dei, kai eipon; Poieite spyridas, kai parechete tois phylaxi kai pherousin hymin psōmia. Loipon oun egō anechōrēsa. Autoi de meth' hypomonēs panta epoiēsan, hosa eipon autois; kai ou parebalon moi epi tria etē. Kai emeina polemōn tois logismois, legōn; Tis ara estin hē ergasia autōn, hoti ouk ēlthon erōtēsai logismon? Hoi apo mēkothen erchontai pros me kai houtoi hoi engys ouk ēlthon, oute de pros allous hypēgon; ei mē monon eis tēn ekklēsian siōpōntes, labein tēn prosphoran. Kai ēuxamēn tǭ Theǭ nēsteusas tēn hebdomada, hina deixę̄ moi tēn ergasian autōn. Anastas de meta tēn hebdomada, apēlthon pros autous idein pōs kathēntai. Kai krousantos mou aneǭxan, kai hēspasanto me siōpōntes kai poiēsas euchēn, ekathisa. Neusas de ho meizōn tǭ mikroterǭ exelthein, ekathise plekein tēn seiran, lalēsas mēden; kai tę̄ hōrą tēs enatēs, ekrouse, kai ēlthen ho neōteros kai epoiēse mikron epsēma, kai parethēke trapezan, neusantos autǭ tou meizoterou; kai ethēken eis autēn treis paxamadas, kai estē siōpōn. Egō de eipon; Hegeiresthe, phagōmen. Kai anastantes, ephagomen; kai ēnenke to baukalion, kai epiomen. Hōs de egeneto hespera, legousi moi; Hypageis? Egō de eipon Ouchi, all᾽ hōde koimōmai, Kai ethēkan moi psiathion para meros, kai heautois eis tēn gōnian para meros; kai ēran tas zōnas autōn kai tous analabous, kai ethēkan heautous homou eis to psiathion emprosthen mou. Hōs de ethēkan heautous, ēuxamēn tǭ Theǭ, hina moi apokalypsę̄ tēn ergasian autōn. Kai hēneōchthē hē stegē, kai egeneto phōs hōs hēmera; autoi de ouk etheōroun to phōs. Kai hōs enomizon hoti koimōmai, nyssei ho meizōn ton mikroteron eis tēn pleuran, kai egeirontai, kai zōnousin de heautous, kai ekteinousi tas cheiras eis ton ouranon. Kai etheōroun autous; autoi de ouk etheōroun me; kai eidon tous daimonas erchomenous hōsper muias. epi ton mikroteron; kai hoi men ērchonto kathisai eis to stoma autou, hoi de eis tous ophthalmous autou. Kai eidon angelon Kyriou katechonta rhomphaian pyros, kai pericharakounta auton kai diōkonta tous daimonas ap᾿ autou. Tǭ de meizoterǭ ouk edynanto prosengisai. Kai hōs peri tēn prōïan ethēkan heautous• kagō epoiēsa emauton hoti diÿpnisthēn, kai autoi hōsautōs. Eipe de moi ho meizōn ton logon touton monon Theleis balōmen tous dōdeka psalmous? Legō; Nai. Kai psallei ho mikroteros pente psalmous apo hex stichōn kai en Allēlouïa Kai kata stichon, exērcheto lampas pyros ek tou stomatos autou, kai anebainen eis ton ouranon. Ōsautōs kai ho meizōn, hote ēnoige to stoma autou psallōn, hōs schoinion pyros exērcheto, kai ephthanen heōs tou ouranou. Kagō eipon mikron apo stēthous. Kai exelthōn, legō; Euxasthe peri emou. Autoi de ebalon metanoian, siōpōntes. Emathon oun hoti ho meizōn teleios esti tǭ de mikroterǭ akmēn epolemei ho echthros. Meta de mikras hēmeras, ekoimēthē ho meizōn adelphos, kai tę̄ tritę̄ hēmerą ho mikroteros. Kai hote parebalon tines tōn Paterōn pros ton abban Makarion, elambanen autous eis tēn kellan autōn, legōn; Deute, idete to martyrion tōn mikrōn xenōn.
Abba Bitimius related that abba Macarius said, “Once when I was living at Scetis, two young strangers came down there; one had a beard, the other was beginning to grow a beard. And they came to me, saying, ‘Where is abba Macarius’s cell?’ And I said, ‘What do you want with him?’ And they say, ‘Hearing about him and about Scetis, we came to see him.’ I say to them, ‘I am he.’ And they made a prostration, saying, ‘We want to stay here.’ Seeing that they were delicate and as if from wealth, I say to them, ‘You cannot live here.’ And the elder says, ‘If we cannot live here, we will go elsewhere.’ I say to my thought, ‘Why do I drive them away and give them offense? The labor will make them flee of their own accord.’ And I say to them, ‘Come, make yourselves a cell, if you can.’ And they say, ‘Show us a place, and we will make it.’” The old man gave them an axe and a bag full of bread, and salt; and the old man showed them a hard rock, saying, “Quarry here, and bring yourselves wood from the marsh, and when you have roofed it, live here.” “I thought,” he says, “that they would leave because of the labor. They asked me what they should work at here. I say to them, ‘Rope’; and I take palm leaves from the marsh and show them the beginning of the rope and how to sew, and I said, ‘Make baskets and give them to the guards, and they will bring you bread.’ Then I went away. But they did with patience everything I told them; and they did not visit me for three years. And I remained fighting with my thoughts, saying, ‘What is their work, that they have not come to ask about a thought? Those from far away come to me, and these who are near have not come, nor did they go to others, except only to church in silence to receive the offering.’ And I prayed to God, fasting for the week, that he would show me their work. And getting up after the week, I went to them to see how they lived. When I knocked, they opened and greeted me in silence; and after praying, I sat down. The elder nodded to the younger to go out, and sat down to plait the rope, saying nothing; and at the ninth hour he knocked, and the younger came and made a little cooked food, and set the table, at a nod from the elder; and he put three biscuits on it and stood in silence. And I said, ‘Get up, let us eat.’ And we got up and ate; and he brought the jug, and we drank. When evening came, they say to me, ‘Are you going?’ And I said, ‘No, but I will sleep here.’ And they set a mat for me to one side, and for themselves in the corner to one side; and they took off their belts and scapulars and laid themselves down together on the mat in front of me. When they had laid themselves down, I prayed to God that he would reveal their work to me. And the roof opened, and there was light as by day; but they did not see the light. And when they thought I was asleep, the elder nudged the younger in the side, and they get up, and gird themselves, and stretch out their hands to heaven. And I saw them, but they did not see me; and I saw the demons coming like flies upon the younger; and some came to sit on his mouth, others on his eyes. And I saw an angel of the Lord holding a sword of fire, encircling him and driving the demons away from him. But they could not come near the elder. And when toward morning they lay down, I made as though I had woken up, and so did they. The elder said to me only this word: ‘Do you want us to say the twelve psalms?’ I say, ‘Yes.’ And the younger chants five psalms of six verses each, with an alleluia; and at each verse a lamp of fire came out of his mouth and went up to heaven. Likewise the elder, when he opened his mouth to chant, something like a rope of fire came out and reached to heaven. And I said a little by heart. And going out, I say, ‘Pray for me.’ But they made a prostration in silence. So I learned that the elder was perfect, but the enemy was still fighting the younger. A few days later the elder brother fell asleep, and on the third day the younger. And when any of the Fathers visited abba Macarius, he would take them to their cell, saying, ‘Come, see the martyrium of the little strangers.’”
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
Notes and citation
Summary: Macarius discovers by vision the hidden holiness of two young foreign monks, whose cell he later shows as a martyr’s shrine.
- Variant notes are removed. A martyrium is a shrine over the remains of saints.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR: letter slip; OCR: stray letter; OCR: stray letters; OCR: stray mark; OCR: word split; OCR: word split with stray letter; variant notes (“Al.”) from Migne’s apparatus inside a word): Λέγω. αὐτοῖς → Λέγω αὐτοῖς; παρ έχετε → παρέχετε; νηστεύοας → νηστεύσας; ἐρτ γασίαν → ἐργασίαν; εἰς τὴν ο γωνίαν → εἰς τὴν γωνίαν; ὡς ἡμέρα δι· → ὡς ἡμέρα·; οὐΑl. ἐν ἡμέρᾳ. ΑΙ. ζωννύουσιν. ρανόν → οὐρανόν.
Topics: Prayer
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 69.33 (PG 65:273–277; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/69-33). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/69-33
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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.
69.34PG 65:277
Απέστειλάν ποτε πρὸς τὸν ἀββᾶν Μακάριον ἐν τῇ Σκήτει οἱ γέροντες τοῦ ὄρους, παρακαλοῦντες αὐτόν· καὶ φασι πρὸς αὐτόν· ἵνα μὴ σκυλῇ πᾶς ὁ λαὸς πρὸς σὲ, ἀξιοῦμέν σε παραγενέσθαι πρὸς ἡμᾶς, ὅπως θεασώμεθα πρὸ τοῦ σε ἐκδημῆσαι πρὸς Κύριον. Παραγενομένου δὲ αὐτοῦ ἐν τῷ ὄρει, συνήχθη πᾶς ὁ λαὸς πρὸς αὐτόν. Καὶ παρεκάλουν αὐτὸν οἱ γέροντες εἰπεῖν λόγον τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς. Ὁ δὲ ἀκούσας ἔφη Κλαύσωμεν, ἀδελφοὶ, καὶ καταγαγέτωσαν οἱ ὀφθαλμοὶ ἡμῶν δάκρυα, πρὸ τοῦ ἡμᾶς ἀπελθεῖν, ὅπου τὰ ἡμῶν δάκρυα κατακαύσει τὰ σώματα ἡμῶν. Καὶ ἔκλαυσαν πάντες, καὶ ἔπεσον ἐπὶ πρόσωπον αὐτῶν, καὶ εἶπον· Πάτερ, εὖξαι ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν.
Apesteilan pote pros ton abban Makarion en tę̄ Skētei hoi gerontes tou orous, parakalountes auton; kai phasi pros auton; hina mē skylę̄ pas ho laos pros se, axioumen se paragenesthai pros hēmas, hopōs theasōmetha pro tou se ekdēmēsai pros Kyrion. Paragenomenou de autou en tǭ orei, synēchthē pas ho laos pros auton. Kai parekaloun auton hoi gerontes eipein logon tois adelphois. Ho de akousas ephē Klausōmen, adelphoi, kai katagagetōsan hoi ophthalmoi hēmōn dakrya, pro tou hēmas apelthein, hopou ta hēmōn dakrya katakausei ta sōmata hēmōn. Kai eklausan pantes, kai epeson epi prosōpon autōn, kai eipon; Pater, euxai hyper hēmōn.
Once the old men of the mountain sent to abba Macarius at Scetis, begging him; and they say to him, “So that all the people may not be troubled to come to you, we ask you to come to us, so that we may see you before you depart to the Lord.” When he came to the mountain, all the people gathered to him. And the old men asked him to say a word to the brothers. Hearing this, he said, “Let us weep, brothers, and let our eyes shed tears before we go where our tears will burn up our bodies.” And they all wept, and fell on their faces, and said, “Father, pray for us.”
Luke 6:25 (echo, low confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: At Nitria Macarius’s only word is a call to weep now, before the tears of hell.
Topics: Eschatology
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 69.34 (PG 65:277; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/69-34). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/69-34
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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.
69.35PG 65:277
"Αλλοτε πάλιν, δαίμων ἐπέστη τῷ ἀββᾷ Μακαρίῳ μετὰ μαχαιρίου, θέλων τὸν πόδα αὐτοῦ κόψαι· καὶ διὰ τὴν ταπεινοφροσύνην αὐτοῦ μὴ δυνηθεὶς, λέγει αὐτῷ· ὅσα ἔχετε, καὶ ἡμεῖς ἔχομεν· μόνῃ τῇ ταπεινοφροσύνῃ διαφέρετε ἡμῶν, καὶ κρατεῖτε.
"Allote palin, daimōn epestē tǭ abbą Makariǭ meta machairiou, thelōn ton poda autou kopsai; kai dia tēn tapeinophrosynēn autou mē dynētheis, legei autǭ; hosa echete, kai hēmeis echomen; monę̄ tę̄ tapeinophrosynę̄ diapherete hēmōn, kai krateite.
Another time a demon came upon abba Macarius with a knife, wanting to cut his foot; and unable because of his humility, he says to him, “Whatever you have, we have too; only in humility do you differ from us and prevail.”
Notes and citation
Summary: A demon admits that humility alone gives Macarius the victory.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR: word split): λέ γει → λέγει.
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 69.35 (PG 65:277; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/69-35). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/69-35
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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.
69.36PG 65:277
Εἶπεν ὁ ἀββᾶς Μακάριος· Ἐὰν μνησθῶμεν τῶν ὑπὸ τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἐπαγομένων ἡμῖν κακῶν, ἀναιροῦμεν τὴν δύναμιν τῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ μνήμης. Ἐὰν δὲ μνησθῶμεν τῶν κακῶν τῶν δαιμόνων, ἐσόμεθα ἄτρωτοι.
Eipen ho abbas Makarios; Ean mnēsthōmen tōn hypo tōn anthrōpōn epagomenōn hēmin kakōn, anairoumen tēn dynamin tēs tou Theou mnēmēs. Ean de mnēsthōmen tōn kakōn tōn daimonōn, esometha atrōtoi.
Abba Macarius said, “If we remember the evils brought upon us by men, we destroy the power of the remembrance of God. But if we remember the evils of the demons, we shall be invulnerable.”
Notes and citation
Summary: Remembering wrongs from people weakens us; remembering demons’ wiles protects us.
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 69.36 (PG 65:277; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/69-36). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/69-36
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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.
69.37PG 65:277–279
Εἶπεν ὁ ἀββᾶς Παφνούτιος ὁ μαθητὴς τοῦ ἀββᾶ Μακαρίου, ὅτι ἔλεγεν ὁ γέρων ὅτι, Ὅτε ἤμην παιδίον, μετὰ τῶν ἄλλων παιδίων ἔβοσκον βοΐδια· καὶ ἀπῆλθον κλέψαι συκίδια. Καὶ ὡς τρέχουσιν, ἔπεσεν ἓν ἐξ αὐτῶν· καὶ λαβὼν ἔφαγον αὐτό· καὶ ὅτε μνημονεύσω αὐτοῦ, κάθημαι κλαίων.
Eipen ho abbas Paphnoutios ho mathētēs tou abba Makariou, hoti elegen ho gerōn hoti, Hote ēmēn paidion, meta tōn allōn paidiōn eboskon boïdia; kai apēlthon klepsai sykidia. Kai hōs trechousin, epesen hen ex autōn; kai labōn ephagon auto; kai hote mnēmoneusō autou, kathēmai klaiōn.
Abba Paphnutius, the disciple of abba Macarius, said that the old man used to say, “When I was a child, I was herding cattle with the other children; and they went to steal figs. And as they ran, one of the figs fell; and I picked it up and ate it; and whenever I remember it, I sit weeping.”
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
Notes and citation
Summary: Macarius still weeps over a fig he ate from stolen fruit as a child.
- A variant note is removed.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (variant note (“Al.”) from Migne’s apparatus inside a word): παιΑΙ. ὑπέρ. δίον → παιδίον.
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 69.37 (PG 65:277–279; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/69-37). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/69-37
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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.
69.38PG 65:279
Εἶπεν ὁ ἀββᾶς Μακάριος ὅτι, Περιπατῶν ποτε εἰς τὴν ἔρημον, εὖρον κρανίον εἰς τὸ ἔδαφος νεκροῦ ἐῤῥιμμένον· καὶ σαλεύσας αὐτὸ τῇ βαΐνῃ ῥάβδῳ, ἐλάλησέ μοι τὸ κρανίον. Καὶ λέγω αὐτῷ· Σὺ τίς εἶ; Ἀπεκρίθη μοι τὸ κρανίον· Ἐγὼ ἤμην ἀρχιερεὺς τῶν εἰδώλων, καὶ τῶν μεινάντων Ἑλλήνων ἐν τῷ τόπῳ τούτῳ· σὺ δὲ εἶ Μακάριος ὁ πνευματοφόρος οἴαν ὥραν σπλαγχνισθῇς τοὺς ἐν τῇ κολάσει, καὶ εὔχῃ περὶ αὐτῶν, παραμυθοῦνται ὀλίγον. Λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ γέρων· Ποία ἐστὶν ἡ παραμυθία, καὶ τίς ἡ κόλασις; Λέγει αὐτῷ· Ὅσον ἀπέχει ὁ οὐρανὸς ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς, τοσοῦτόν ἐστι τὸ πῦρ ὑποκάτωθεν ἡμῶν, ἀπὸ ποδῶν ἕως κεφαλῆς ἑστηκότων ἡμῶν μέσον τοῦ πυρός· καὶ οὐκ ἔστι πρόσωπον πρὸς πρόσωπον θεάσασθαί τινα ἀλλὰ τὸ πρόσωπον ἑκάστου, πρὸς τὸν ἑτέρου νῶτον κεκόλληται. Ὡς οὖν εὔχῃ ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν, ἐκ μέρους τις θεωρεῖ τὸ πρόσωπον τοῦ ἑτέρου. Αὕτη ἐστὶν ἡ παραμυθία. Καὶ κλαύσας ὁ γέρων εἶπεν· Οὐαὶ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐν ᾗ ἐγεννήθη ὁ ἄνθρωπος Λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ γέρων· Ἔστιν ἄλλη χείρων βάσανος; Λέγει αὐτῷ τὸ κρανίον· Μειζοτέρα βάσανός ἐστιν ὑποκάτωθεν ἡμῶν. Λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ γέρων Καὶ τίνες εἰσὶν ἐκεῖ; Λέγει αὐτῷ τὸ κρανίον· Ἡμεῖς ὡς μὴ εἰδότες τὸν Θεὸν, κἂν ὀλίγον ἐλεούμεθα· οἱ δὲ ἐπιγνόντες τὸν Θεὸν, καὶ ἀρνησάμενοι αὐτὸν ὑποκάτωθεν ἡμῶν εἰσι. Καὶ λαβὼν ὁ γέρων τὸ κρανίον, ἔχωσεν αὐτό.
Eipen ho abbas Makarios hoti, Peripatōn pote eis tēn erēmon, euron kranion eis to edaphos nekrou errhimmenon; kai saleusas auto tę̄ baïnę̄ rhabdǭ, elalēse moi to kranion. Kai legō autǭ; Sy tis ei? Apekrithē moi to kranion; Egō ēmēn archiereus tōn eidōlōn, kai tōn meinantōn Hellēnōn en tǭ topǭ toutǭ; sy de ei Makarios ho pneumatophoros oian hōran splanchnisthę̄s tous en tę̄ kolasei, kai euchę̄ peri autōn, paramythountai oligon. Legei autǭ ho gerōn; Poia estin hē paramythia, kai tis hē kolasis? Legei autǭ; Hoson apechei ho ouranos apo tēs gēs, tosouton esti to pyr hypokatōthen hēmōn, apo podōn heōs kephalēs hestēkotōn hēmōn meson tou pyros; kai ouk esti prosōpon pros prosōpon theasasthai tina alla to prosōpon hekastou, pros ton heterou nōton kekollētai. Hōs oun euchę̄ hyper hēmōn, ek merous tis theōrei to prosōpon tou heterou. Hautē estin hē paramythia. Kai klausas ho gerōn eipen; Ouai tę̄ hēmerą en hę̄ egennēthē ho anthrōpos Legei autǭ ho gerōn; Estin allē cheirōn basanos? Legei autǭ to kranion; Meizotera basanos estin hypokatōthen hēmōn. Legei autǭ ho gerōn Kai tines eisin ekei? Legei autǭ to kranion; Hēmeis hōs mē eidotes ton Theon, kan oligon eleoumetha; hoi de epignontes ton Theon, kai arnēsamenoi auton hypokatōthen hēmōn eisi. Kai labōn ho gerōn to kranion, echōsen auto.
Abba Macarius said, “Once as I was walking in the desert, I found the skull of a dead man thrown on the ground; and when I moved it with my palm stick, the skull spoke to me. And I say to it, ‘Who are you?’ The skull answered me, ‘I was high priest of the idols and of the pagans who remained in this place; and you are Macarius the Spirit-bearer. Whenever you take pity on those in punishment and pray for them, they are comforted a little.’ The old man says to it, ‘What is the comfort, and what is the punishment?’ It says to him, ‘As far as heaven is from the earth, so far is the fire beneath us, as we stand in the midst of the fire from feet to head; and it is not possible to see anyone face to face, but each one’s face is stuck to the other’s back. So when you pray for us, each one sees the other’s face in part. This is the comfort.’ And the old man wept and said, ‘Woe to the day on which man was born!’ The old man says to it, ‘Is there another torment worse?’ The skull says to him, ‘There is a greater torment beneath us.’ The old man says to it, ‘And who are there?’ The skull says to him, ‘We, as not having known God, receive at least a little mercy; but those who knew God and denied him are beneath us.’ And the old man took the skull and buried it.”
Job 3:3 (echo, low confidence) · Heb 6:6 (echo, low confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: A pagan priest’s skull tells Macarius that his prayers bring some relief to the damned, and that apostates suffer worse.
- The saying speaks of prayer bringing some relief to the damned and of degrees of punishment; it is translated as written. Cf. Job 3:3.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR: stray mark): Ἔστιν· ἄλλη → Ἔστιν ἄλλη.
Topics: Eschatology, Prayer
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 69.38 (PG 65:279; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/69-38). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/69-38
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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.
69.39PG 65:279–281
Ἔλεγον περὶ τοῦ ἀββᾶ Μακαρίου τοῦ Αἰγυπτίου, ὅτι ἀνέβαινέ ποτε ἐκ τῆς Σκήτεως εἰς τὸ ὄρος τῆς Νιτρίας· καὶ ὡς ἤγγισεν εἰς τὸν τόπον, εἶπε τῷ μαθητῇ αὐτοῦ· Πρόλαβε μικρόν. Καὶ ἐν τῷ προάγειν αὐτὸν, συναντᾷ τινι ἱερεῖ τῶν Ἑλλήνων καὶ κράξας αὐτῷ ὁ ἀδελφὸς, ἐφώνει λέγων· Αἱ αἱ δαῖμον, ποῦ τρέχεις; Στραφεὶς δὲ ἐκεῖνος, διδοῖ αὐτῷ πληγάς, καὶ ἀφίει αὐτὸν ἡμιθανῆ. Καὶ ἄρας τὸ ξύλον ἔτρεχε. Καὶ προβάντι ὀλίγον, συναντᾷ αὐτῷ ὁ ἀββᾶς Μακάριος τρέχοντι· καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ· Σωθείης, σωθείης, καματηρέ. Καὶ θαυμάσας ἦλθε πρὸς αὐτὸν, καὶ εἶπεν· Τί καλὸν εἶδες ἐν ἐμοὶ, ὅτι προσηγόρευσάς με; Λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ γέρων Ὅτι εἶδόν σε κοπιῶντα καὶ οὐκ οἶδας ὅτι εἰς κενὸν κοπιᾷς. Λέγει αὐτῷ καὶ αὐτός Κἀγὼ ἐπὶ τῷ ἀσπασμῷ σου κατενύγην· καὶ ἔμαθον ὅτι τοῦ μέρους τοῦ Θεοῦ εἶ. Ἄλλος δὲ κακὸς μοναχὸς ἀπαντήσας μοι, ὕβρισέ με· κἀγὼ ἔδωκα αὐτῷ πληγὰς εἰς θάνατον. Καὶ ἔγνω ὁ γέρων ὅτι ὁ μαθητὴς αὐτοῦ ἐστι. Καὶ κρατήσας τοὺς πόδας αὐτοῦ ὁ ἱερεὺς ἔλεγεν· Οὐκ ἀφῶ σε, ἐὰν μὴ ποιήσῃς με μοναχόν. Καὶ ἦλθον ἐπάνω ὅπου ἦν ὁ μοναχὸς, καὶ ἐβάσταξαν αὐτὸν, καὶ ἤνεγκαν εἰς τὴν ἐκκλησίαν τοῦ ὄρους. Καὶ ἰδόντες τὸν ἱερέα μετ᾿ αὐτοῦ, ἐξέστησαν· καὶ ἐποίησαν αὐτὸν μοναχόν. Καὶ πολλοὶ τῶν Ἑλλήνων ἐγένοντο δι' αὐτὸν Χριστιανοί. Ἔλεγεν οὖν ὁ ἀββᾶς Μακάριος, ὅτι ὁ λόγος ὁ κακὸς καὶ τοὺς καλοὺς ποιεῖ κακούς· καὶ ὁ καλὸς λόγος, καὶ τοὺς κακοὺς ποιεῖ καλούς.
Elegon peri tou abba Makariou tou Aigyptiou, hoti anebaine pote ek tēs Skēteōs eis to oros tēs Nitrias; kai hōs ēngisen eis ton topon, eipe tǭ mathētę̄ autou; Prolabe mikron. Kai en tǭ proagein auton, synantą tini hierei tōn Hellēnōn kai kraxas autǭ ho adelphos, ephōnei legōn; Hai hai daimon, pou trecheis? Strapheis de ekeinos, didoi autǭ plēgas, kai aphiei auton hēmithanē. Kai aras to xylon etreche. Kai probanti oligon, synantą autǭ ho abbas Makarios trechonti; kai legei autǭ; Sōtheiēs, sōtheiēs, kamatēre. Kai thaumasas ēlthe pros auton, kai eipen; Ti kalon eides en emoi, hoti prosēgoreusas me? Legei autǭ ho gerōn Hoti eidon se kopiōnta kai ouk oidas hoti eis kenon kopiąs. Legei autǭ kai autos Kagō epi tǭ aspasmǭ sou katenygēn; kai emathon hoti tou merous tou Theou ei. Allos de kakos monachos apantēsas moi, hybrise me; kagō edōka autǭ plēgas eis thanaton. Kai egnō ho gerōn hoti ho mathētēs autou esti. Kai kratēsas tous podas autou ho hiereus elegen; Ouk aphō se, ean mē poiēsę̄s me monachon. Kai ēlthon epanō hopou ēn ho monachos, kai ebastaxan auton, kai ēnenkan eis tēn ekklēsian tou orous. Kai idontes ton hierea met᾿ autou, exestēsan; kai epoiēsan auton monachon. Kai polloi tōn Hellēnōn egenonto di' auton Christianoi. Elegen oun ho abbas Makarios, hoti ho logos ho kakos kai tous kalous poiei kakous; kai ho kalos logos, kai tous kakous poiei kalous.
They said of abba Macarius the Egyptian that once he was going up from Scetis to the mountain of Nitria; and as he drew near the place, he said to his disciple, “Go on ahead a little.” And as he went ahead, he meets a pagan priest; and the brother shouted at him, crying out, “Ha, ha, demon, where are you running?” The man turned and gave him blows and left him half dead. And picking up his stick, he ran on. And when he had gone on a little, abba Macarius meets him running, and says to him, “Greetings, greetings, toiler!” And he marveled and came to him and said, “What good did you see in me, that you greeted me?” The old man says to him, “Because I saw you toiling, and you do not know that you toil in vain.” He too says to him, “And I was pierced to the heart at your greeting, and I learned that you are of God’s side. But another, a wicked monk, met me and insulted me, and I gave him blows to the death.” And the old man knew that it was his disciple. And the priest seized his feet and said, “I will not let you go unless you make me a monk.” And they came up to where the monk was, and carried him, and brought him to the church of the mountain. And seeing the priest with him, they were amazed; and they made him a monk. And many of the pagans became Christians because of him. So abba Macarius said, “An evil word makes even the good evil; and a good word makes even the evil good.”
1 Cor 15:58 (echo, low confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: A pagan priest beaten by Macarius’s rude disciple is converted by Macarius’s kind greeting.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (running head of the scan (“Apophthegmata”) inside a split word): ΜαΑΡΟΡΗΤΗΕGΜΑΤΑ κάριος → Μακάριος.
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 69.39 (PG 65:279–281; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/69-39). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/69-39
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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.
69.40PG 65:281
Ἔλεγον περὶ τοῦ ἀββᾶ Μακαρίου, ὅτι ἀπόντος αὐτοῦ, εἰσῆλθε λῃστὴς εἰς τὸ κελλίον αὐτοῦ. Παραγενομένου δὲ αὐτοῦ εἰς τὸ κελλίον, εὖρε τὸν λῃστὴν γεμίζοντα τὴν κάμηλον τὰ σκεύη αὐτοῦ. Αὐτὸς δὲ εἰσελθὼν εἰς τὸ κελλίον, ἐλάμβανεν ἀπὸ τῶν σκευῶν, καὶ συνεγέμιζε μετ᾿ αὐτοῦ τὴν κάμηλον. Ὡς οὖν ἐγέμισαν, ἤρξατο ὁ λῃστὴς τύπτειν τὴν κάμηλον, ἵνα ἀναστῇ· καὶ οὐκ ἠγείρετο. Ἰδὼν δὲ ὁ ἀββᾶς Μακάριος ὅτι οὐκ ἐγείρεται, εἰσελθὼν ἐν τῷ κελλίῳ εὗρε μικρὸν σκαλίδιν· καὶ ἐκβαλὼν ἐπέθηκε τῇ καμήλῳ, λέγων· Αδελφὲ, τοῦτο ζητεῖ ἡ κάμηλος. Καὶ κρούσας αὐτὴν ὁ γέρων τῷ ποδί, λέγει· Ἀνάστα. Καὶ εὐθέως ἀνέστη, καὶ ἀπῆλθε μικρὸν διὰ τὸν λόγον αὐτοῦ. Καὶ πάλιν ἐκάθισε, καὶ οὐκ ἀνέστη, ἕως ἀπεγέμισαν ὅλα τὰ σκεύη καὶ οὕτως ἀπῆλθεν.
Elegon peri tou abba Makariou, hoti apontos autou, eisēlthe lę̄stēs eis to kellion autou. Paragenomenou de autou eis to kellion, eure ton lę̄stēn gemizonta tēn kamēlon ta skeuē autou. Autos de eiselthōn eis to kellion, elambanen apo tōn skeuōn, kai synegemize met᾿ autou tēn kamēlon. Hōs oun egemisan, ērxato ho lę̄stēs typtein tēn kamēlon, hina anastę̄; kai ouk ēgeireto. Idōn de ho abbas Makarios hoti ouk egeiretai, eiselthōn en tǭ kelliǭ heure mikron skalidin; kai ekbalōn epethēke tę̄ kamēlǭ, legōn; Adelphe, touto zētei hē kamēlos. Kai krousas autēn ho gerōn tǭ podi, legei; Anasta. Kai eutheōs anestē, kai apēlthe mikron dia ton logon autou. Kai palin ekathise, kai ouk anestē, heōs apegemisan hola ta skeuē kai houtōs apēlthen.
They said of abba Macarius that while he was away, a robber went into his cell. When he came to the cell, he found the robber loading his belongings onto the camel. And going into the cell, he took some of the belongings and helped him load the camel. When they had loaded it, the robber began to beat the camel to make it get up; and it would not rise. Seeing that it did not get up, abba Macarius went into the cell and found a small hoe; and bringing it out he put it on the camel, saying, “Brother, the camel is asking for this.” And the old man kicked it with his foot, saying, “Get up.” And at once it got up and went a little way because of his word. And again it sat down and would not get up until they had unloaded all the belongings; and so it went away.
Notes and citation
Summary: Macarius helps a robber load his goods, but the camel will not move until they are unloaded.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR: stray letters): σκαλίδιν σο· → σκαλίδιν·.
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 69.40 (PG 65:281; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/69-40). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/69-40
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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.
69.41PG 65:281
Ὁ ἀββᾶς Ἀϊὼ ἠρώτησε τὸν ἀββᾶν Μακάριον, λέγων· Εἰπέ μοι ῥῆμα. Λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ ἀββᾶς Μακάριος· Φεῦγε τοὺς ἀνθρώπους· κάθισον εἰς τὸ κελλίον σου, καὶ κλαῦσον τὰς ἁμαρτίας σου· καὶ μὴ ἀγαπήσῃς λαλιὰν ἀνθρώπων καὶ σώζῃ.
Ho abbas Aïō ērōtēse ton abban Makarion, legōn; Eipe moi rhēma. Legei autǭ ho abbas Makarios; Pheuge tous anthrōpous; kathison eis to kellion sou, kai klauson tas hamartias sou; kai mē agapēsę̄s lalian anthrōpōn kai sōzę̄.
Abba Aio asked abba Macarius, saying, “Tell me a word.” Abba Macarius says to him, “Flee from men; sit in your cell and weep for your sins; and do not love the talk of men; and you will be saved.”
Notes and citation
Summary: Flee men, weep in your cell, and shun chatter.
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 69.41 (PG 65:281; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/69-41). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/69-41
BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-apophthegmata-alphabetica-69-41) · 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.