Sayings of the Desert Fathers (alphabetical collection) 7.1–20.2 (Sayings of the Desert Fathers (alphabetical collection))

Anonymous

Sayings of the Desert Fathers (alphabetical collection) 7.1–20.2

Anonymous · Sayings of the Desert Fathers (alphabetical collection) · compiled ca. 450-500 (sayings 4th-5th century) · place unknown · 38 passages

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).

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Chapter 7

7.1PG 65:129

Διηγήσατο ὁ ἀββᾶς Ἰωάννης, ὅτι ὁ ἀββᾶς Ἀνούβ καὶ ὁ ἀββᾶς Ποιμὴν καὶ οἱ λοιποὶ ἀδελφοὶ αὐτῶν, ἐκ μιᾶς κοιλίας ὄντες, καὶ μοναχοὶ ἐν τῇ Σκήτει γενόμενοι, ὅτε ἦλθον οἱ Μάζικες καὶ ἠρήμωσαν αὐτὴν τὸ πρῶτον, ἀνεχώρησαν ἐκεῖθεν, καὶ ἦλθον εἰς τόπον καλούμενον Τερενοῦθιν, ἕως οὗ σκοπήσωσι πῶς ὀφείλωσι μεῖναι. Καὶ ἔμειναν ἐκεῖ εἰς παλαιὸν ἱερὸν μικρὰς ἡμέρας. Εἶπε δὲ ὁ ἀββᾶς Ἀνοὺβ τῷ ἀββᾷ Ποιμένι· Ποίησον ἀγάπην· σὺ καὶ οἱ ἀδελφοί σου ἕκαστος καταμόνας ἡσυχάσει, καὶ μὴ ἀπαντήσωμεν ἀλλήλοις τὴν ἑβδομάδα ταύτην. Καὶ εἶπεν ὁ ἀββᾶς Ποιμήν· Ὡς θέλεις ποιοῦμεν. Καὶ ἐποίησαν οὕτως. ὧν δὲ ἐκεῖ ἄγαλμα λίθινον ἐν αὐτῷ τῷ ἱερῷ· καὶ ἡγείρετο ὁ γέρων ὁ ἀββᾶς Ἀνοὺβ κατὰ πρωΐ, καὶ ἐλιθοβόλει τὸ πρόσωπον τοῦ ἀγάλματος, καὶ καθ᾽ ἑσπέραν ἔλεγεν αὐτῷ· Συγχώρησόν μοι. Καὶ ἐπλήρωσε τὴν ἑβδομάδα οὕτως ποιῶν. Τῇ δὲ ἡμέρᾳ τοῦ σαββάτου ἀπήντησαν ἀλλήλοις, καὶ εἶπεν ὁ ἀββᾶς Ποιμὴν τῷ ἀββᾷ Ἀνούβ· Εἶδόν σε, ἀββᾶ, τῇ ἑβδομάδι ταύτῃ λιθάζοντα τὸ πρόσωπον τοῦ ἀγάλματος, καὶ δι μετάνοιαν αὐτῷ ποιοῦντα πιστὸς ἄνθρωπος ταῦτα ποιεῖ; Καὶ ἀπεκρίθη ὁ γέρων Καὶ τοῦτο τὸ πρᾶγμα δι᾽ ὑμᾶς ἐποίησα. Ὅτι δ εἴδετέ με λιθοβολοῦντα τὸ πρόσωπον τοῦ ἀγάλματος, μὴ ἐλάλησεν, ἢ ὠργίσθη; Καὶ εἶπεν ὁ ἀββᾶς Ποιμήν· Οὔ. Καὶ πάλιν, ὅτι ἔβαλον αὐτῷ μετάνοιαν, μὴ ἐταράχθη, καὶ εἶπεν, Οὐ συγχωρῶ; Καὶ εἶπεν ὁ ἀββᾶς Ποιμήν· Οὔ. Καὶ εἶπεν ὁ γέρων· Καὶ ἡμεῖς οὖν ἐσμεν ἑπτὰ ἀδελφοί· εἰ θέλετε ἵνα μείνωμεν μετ᾿ ἀλλήλων, γενώμεθα ὥσπερ τὸ ἄγαλμα τοῦτο, ὅπερ ἐὰν ὑβρισθῇ ἢ δοξασθῇ, οὐ ταράσσεται. δὲ οὐ θέλετε γενέσθαι οὕτως, ἰδοὺ τέσσαρες πύλαι εἰσὶν ἐν τῷ ἱερῷ· ἕκαστος ὅπου θέλῃ ἀπέλθῃ. Καὶ ἔβαλον ἑαυτοὺς χαμαὶ, λέγοντες τῷ ἀββᾶ Ἀνούβ· Ὡς θέλεις, Πάτερ, ποιοῦμεν, καὶ ἀκούομεν ὡς λέγεις ἡμῖν. Εἶπε δὲ ὁ ἀββᾶς Ποιμὴν, ὅτι Ἐμείναμεν μετ' ἀλλήλων τὸν ἅπαντα χρόνον ἡμῶν, ἐργαζόμενοι κατὰ τὸν λόγον τοῦ γέροντος ὃν εἶπεν ἡμῖν· καταστήσαντος αὐτοῦ ἕνα ἐξ ἡμῶν οἰκονόμον· καὶ πᾶν ὅπερ ἐτίθει ἡμῖν ἡσθίομεν· καὶ ἀδύνατον ἦν εἰπεῖν τινα ἐξ ἡμῶν, Φέρε ἡμῖν ἄλλο τί ποτε, ἢ εἰπεῖν, ὅτι Οὐ θέλομεν τοῦτο φαγεῖν. Καὶ ἐποιοῦμεν τὸν πάντα χρόνον ἡμῶν ἐν ἀναπαύσει καὶ εἰρήνῃ.

Diēgēsato ho abbas Iōannēs, hoti ho abbas Anoub kai ho abbas Poimēn kai hoi loipoi adelphoi autōn, ek mias koilias ontes, kai monachoi en tę̄ Skētei genomenoi, hote ēlthon hoi Mazikes kai ērēmōsan autēn to prōton, anechōrēsan ekeithen, kai ēlthon eis topon kaloumenon Terenouthin, heōs hou skopēsōsi pōs opheilōsi meinai. Kai emeinan ekei eis palaion hieron mikras hēmeras. Eipe de ho abbas Anoub tǭ abbą Poimeni; Poiēson agapēn; sy kai hoi adelphoi sou hekastos katamonas hēsychasei, kai mē apantēsōmen allēlois tēn hebdomada tautēn. Kai eipen ho abbas Poimēn; Hōs theleis poioumen. Kai epoiēsan houtōs. hōn de ekei agalma lithinon en autǭ tǭ hierǭ; kai hēgeireto ho gerōn ho abbas Anoub kata prōï, kai elithobolei to prosōpon tou agalmatos, kai kath᾽ hesperan elegen autǭ; Synchōrēson moi. Kai eplērōse tēn hebdomada houtōs poiōn. Tę̄ de hēmerą tou sabbatou apēntēsan allēlois, kai eipen ho abbas Poimēn tǭ abbą Anoub; Eidon se, abba, tę̄ hebdomadi tautę̄ lithazonta to prosōpon tou agalmatos, kai di metanoian autǭ poiounta pistos anthrōpos tauta poiei? Kai apekrithē ho gerōn Kai touto to pragma di᾽ hymas epoiēsa. Hoti d eidete me lithobolounta to prosōpon tou agalmatos, mē elalēsen, ē ōrgisthē? Kai eipen ho abbas Poimēn; Ou. Kai palin, hoti ebalon autǭ metanoian, mē etarachthē, kai eipen, Ou synchōrō? Kai eipen ho abbas Poimēn; Ou. Kai eipen ho gerōn; Kai hēmeis oun esmen hepta adelphoi; ei thelete hina meinōmen met᾿ allēlōn, genōmetha hōsper to agalma touto, hoper ean hybristhę̄ ē doxasthę̄, ou tarassetai. de ou thelete genesthai houtōs, idou tessares pylai eisin en tǭ hierǭ; hekastos hopou thelę̄ apelthę̄. Kai ebalon heautous chamai, legontes tǭ abba Anoub; Hōs theleis, Pater, poioumen, kai akouomen hōs legeis hēmin. Eipe de ho abbas Poimēn, hoti Emeinamen met' allēlōn ton hapanta chronon hēmōn, ergazomenoi kata ton logon tou gerontos hon eipen hēmin; katastēsantos autou hena ex hēmōn oikonomon; kai pan hoper etithei hēmin hēsthiomen; kai adynaton ēn eipein tina ex hēmōn, Phere hēmin allo ti pote, ē eipein, hoti Ou thelomen touto phagein. Kai epoioumen ton panta chronon hēmōn en anapausei kai eirēnę̄.

Abba John related that abba Anoub and abba Poemen and the rest of their brothers, born of one womb and made monks at Scetis, when the Mazices came and laid it waste the first time, withdrew from there and came to a place called Terenouthis, until they could consider how they should live. And they stayed there a few days in an old temple. Abba Anoub said to abba Poemen, “Do me a kindness: you and your brothers each live in stillness alone, and let us not meet one another this week.” And abba Poemen said, “We will do as you wish.” And they did so. There was a stone statue in the temple; and the old man abba Anoub would get up in the morning and throw stones at the statue’s face, and in the evening he would say to it, “Forgive me.” And he completed the week doing this. On the Saturday they met one another, and abba Poemen said to abba Anoub, “I saw you, abba, this week stoning the face of the statue and making a prostration of repentance to it. Does a believing man do such things?” And the old man answered, “I did this for your sakes. When you saw me stoning the face of the statue, did it speak, or get angry?” And abba Poemen said, “No.” “And again, when I made a prostration to it, was it disturbed, and did it say, ‘I do not forgive’?” And abba Poemen said, “No.” And the old man said, “So we too are seven brothers; if you want us to stay with one another, let us become like this statue, which is not disturbed whether it is insulted or glorified. But if you do not want to become like this, look, there are four gates in the temple; let each go where he wishes.” And they threw themselves on the ground, saying to abba Anoub, “We will do as you wish, father, and we will listen to what you tell us.” And abba Poemen said, “We stayed with one another all our time, working according to the word the old man spoke to us; he appointed one of us steward, and we ate whatever he set before us; and it was impossible for any of us to say, ‘Bring us something else,’ or to say, ‘We do not want to eat this.’ And we spent all our time in rest and peace.”

Notes and citation

Summary: Anoub stones and then begs pardon of a statue to teach his brothers to be unmoved by insult or honor.

The Mazices were Berber raiders who sacked Scetis in 407–408.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR: word split): και λούμενον → καλούμενον.

Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 7.1 (PG 65:129; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/7-1). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/7-1

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Cotelier's Greek text as printed in Migne PG 65 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.

7.2PG 65:129

Εἶπεν ὁ ἀββᾶς Ἀνούβ· Ἐξ οὗ τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ Χριστοῦ ἐκλήθη ἐπ᾿ ἐμὲ, οὐκ ἐξῆλθε ψεῦδος ἐκ τοῦ στόματός μου.

Eipen ho abbas Anoub; Ex hou to onoma tou Christou eklēthē ep᾿ eme, ouk exēlthe pseudos ek tou stomatos mou.

Abba Anoub said, “Since the name of Christ was called upon me, no lie has come out of my mouth.”

Notes and citation

Summary: Anoub never lied after his baptism.

Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 7.2 (PG 65:129; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/7-2). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/7-2

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Cotelier's Greek text as printed in Migne PG 65 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.

Chapter 8

8.1PG 65:129–131

Ἔλεγον περί τινος γέροντος, ὅτι ἐποίησε πεντήκοντα ἔτη, μήτε ἄρτον ἐσθίων μήτε οἶνον πίνων ταχύ. Καὶ ἔλεγεν, ὅτι Ἀπέκτεινα τὴν πορνείαν καὶ τὴν φιλαργυρίαν καὶ τὴν κενοδοξίαν. Καὶ ἦλθε πρὸς αὐτὸν ὁ ἀββᾶς Ἀβραὰμ, ἀκούσας ὅτι εἶπε τοῦτο, καὶ ὁ γέρων λέγει αὐτῷ· Σὺ εἶπας τὸν λόγον τοῦτον; Καὶ λέγει· Ναί. Καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ ὁ ἀββᾶς Ἀβραάμ· Ἰδοὺ εἰσέρχῃ εἰς τὸ κελλίον σου, καὶ εὑρίσκεις εἰς τὸ ψιάθιόν σου γυναῖκα, δύνασαι λογίσασθαι ὅτι οὐκ ἔστι γυνή; Λέγει· Οὔ· ἀλλὰ πολεμῶ τῷ λογισμῷ, μὴ ἅψασθαι αὐτῆς. Λέγει οὖν ὁ ἀββᾶς Ἀβραάμ· Ἰδοὺ οὐκ ἀπέκτεινας, ἀλλὰ ζῇ τὸ πάθος, δέδεται δέ. Πάλιν ὡς περιπατεῖς βλέπεις λίθους καὶ ὄστρακα, μέσον δὲ τούτων χρυσὸν, δύναται ἡ διάνοιά σου λογίσασθαι τοῦτο ὥσπερ ταῦτα; Λέγει· Οὐχί· ἀλλὰ πολεμῶ τῷ λογισμῷ μὴ λαβεῖν αὐτό. Καὶ λέγει ὁ γέρων· Ἰδοὺ ζῇ ἀλλὰ δέδεται. Λέγει πάλιν ὁ ἀββᾶς Ἀβραάμ· Ἰδοὺ ἀκούεις περὶ δύο ἀδελφῶν, ὅτι ὁ εἷς ἀγαπᾷ σε, ὁ δὲ ἄλλος μισεῖ σε καὶ κακολογεῖ σε· ἐὰν ἔλθωσι πρὸς σὲ, τοὺς δύο ἐξ ἴσης ἔχεις; Λέγει Οὐχί· ἀλλὰ πολεμῶ τῷ λογισμῷ, ἀγαθοποιῆσαι τῷ μισοῦντί με ὡς τῷ ἀγαπῶντί με. Λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ ἀββᾶς Ἀβραάμ· "Ὥστε οὖν ζῶσι τὰ πάθη, μόνον δὲ δεσμοῦνται ὑπὸ τῶν ἁγίων.

Elegon peri tinos gerontos, hoti epoiēse pentēkonta etē, mēte arton esthiōn mēte oinon pinōn tachy. Kai elegen, hoti Apekteina tēn porneian kai tēn philargyrian kai tēn kenodoxian. Kai ēlthe pros auton ho abbas Abraam, akousas hoti eipe touto, kai ho gerōn legei autǭ; Sy eipas ton logon touton? Kai legei; Nai. Kai eipen autǭ ho abbas Abraam; Idou eiserchę̄ eis to kellion sou, kai heuriskeis eis to psiathion sou gynaika, dynasai logisasthai hoti ouk esti gynē? Legei; Ou; alla polemō tǭ logismǭ, mē hapsasthai autēs. Legei oun ho abbas Abraam; Idou ouk apekteinas, alla zę̄ to pathos, dedetai de. Palin hōs peripateis blepeis lithous kai ostraka, meson de toutōn chryson, dynatai hē dianoia sou logisasthai touto hōsper tauta? Legei; Ouchi; alla polemō tǭ logismǭ mē labein auto. Kai legei ho gerōn; Idou zę̄ alla dedetai. Legei palin ho abbas Abraam; Idou akoueis peri dyo adelphōn, hoti ho heis agapą se, ho de allos misei se kai kakologei se; ean elthōsi pros se, tous dyo ex isēs echeis? Legei Ouchi; alla polemō tǭ logismǭ, agathopoiēsai tǭ misounti me hōs tǭ agapōnti me. Legei autǭ ho abbas Abraam; "Hōste oun zōsi ta pathē, monon de desmountai hypo tōn hagiōn.

They told of an old man who spent fifty years neither eating bread nor readily drinking wine. And he said, “I have killed sexual immorality, avarice, and vainglory.” Abba Abraham came to him, having heard that he said this, and says to him, “Did you say this word?” And he says, “Yes.” And abba Abraham said to him, “Suppose you go into your cell and find a woman on your mat; can you think that it is not a woman?” He says, “No; but I fight my thought so as not to touch her.” So abba Abraham says, “Look, you have not killed it; the passion lives, but it is bound. Again, as you walk, you see stones and potsherds, and among them gold; can your mind think of it as of the others?” He says, “No; but I fight my thought so as not to take it.” And the old man says, “Look, it lives, but it is bound.” Abba Abraham says again, “Suppose you hear about two brothers, that one loves you and the other hates you and speaks ill of you; if they come to you, do you regard the two equally?” He says, “No; but I fight my thought to do good to the one who hates me as to the one who loves me.” Abba Abraham says to him, “So then the passions live; they are only bound by the saints.”

Notes and citation

Summary: Abraham shows a boastful elder that his passions are not dead, only bound.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR: word split; stray word and variant note (“Al.”) from Migne’s apparatus): ἡμῖν ΑΙ. θέλω. λέγει → λέγει; εἶσα έρχῃ → εἰσέρχῃ; λογί σασθαι → λογίσασθαι; γέ ρων → γέρων.

Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 8.1 (PG 65:129–131; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/8-1). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/8-1

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Cotelier's Greek text as printed in Migne PG 65 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.

8.2PG 65:131

Ἀδελφὸς ἠρώτησε τὸν ἀββᾶν Ἀβραὰμ, λέγων· Ἐὰν συμβῇ με πολλάκις φαγεῖν, τί ἐστι Καὶ ἀποκριθεὶς ὁ γέρων εἶπε· Τί λαλεῖς, ἀδελφέ; τοσαῦτα ἐσθίεις; ἢ δοκεῖς ὅτι εἰς ἅλωνα ἦλθες;

Adelphos ērōtēse ton abban Abraam, legōn; Ean symbę̄ me pollakis phagein, ti esti Kai apokritheis ho gerōn eipe; Ti laleis, adelphe? tosauta esthieis? ē dokeis hoti eis halōna ēlthes?

A brother asked abba Abraham, saying, “If it happens that I eat often, what is that?” And the old man answered, “What are you saying, brother? Do you eat so much? Or do you think you have come to a threshing floor?”

Notes and citation

Summary: Abraham rebukes a brother who eats often.

Topics: Fasting

Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 8.2 (PG 65:131; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/8-2). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/8-2

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Cotelier's Greek text as printed in Migne PG 65 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.

8.3PG 65:131

Ἔλεγε περί τινος τῶν Σκητιωτῶν ὁ ἀββᾶς˙ Ἀβραάμ, ὅτι γραφεὺς ἦν, καὶ οὐκ ἤσθιεν ἄρτον. Ἦλθεν οὖν ἀδελφὸς παρακαλῶν αὐτὸν γράψαι αὐτῷ βιβλίον. Ὁ οὖν γέρων ἔχων τὸν νοῦν αὐτοῦ εἰς τὴν θεωρίαν, ἔγραψε παρὰ στίχους, καὶ οὐκ ἔστιξεν. Ὁ δὲ ἀδελφὸς λαβὼν καὶ θέλων στίξαι, εὗρε παρὰ λόγους. Καὶ λέγει τῷ γέροντι Παρὰ στίχους ἐστὶν, ἀββᾶ. Λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ γέρων· Ὕπαγε, πρῶτον ποίησον τὰ γεγραμμένα, καὶ τότε ἔρχῃ καὶ γράφω σοι καὶ τὴν λοιπάδα.

Elege peri tinos tōn Skētiōtōn ho abbas˙ Abraam, hoti grapheus ēn, kai ouk ēsthien arton. Ēlthen oun adelphos parakalōn auton grapsai autǭ biblion. Ho oun gerōn echōn ton noun autou eis tēn theōrian, egrapse para stichous, kai ouk estixen. Ho de adelphos labōn kai thelōn stixai, heure para logous. Kai legei tǭ geronti Para stichous estin, abba. Legei autǭ ho gerōn; Hypage, prōton poiēson ta gegrammena, kai tote erchę̄ kai graphō soi kai tēn loipada.

Abba Abraham told of one of the monks of Scetis that he was a scribe and did not eat bread. A brother came asking him to copy a book for him. The old man, having his mind on contemplation, wrote leaving out lines, and did not punctuate. The brother took it, and wanting to punctuate it, found words left out. And he says to the old man, “Lines are missing, abba.” The old man says to him, “Go, first do what is written, and then come, and I will write the rest for you.”

Notes and citation

Summary: A scribe tells a brother to practice what he has before asking for the missing lines.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR: word split): Ἦλ θεν → Ἦλθεν.

Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 8.3 (PG 65:131; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/8-3). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/8-3

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Cotelier's Greek text as printed in Migne PG 65 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.

Chapter 9

9.1PG 65:131–133

Παρέβαλε ὁ ἀββᾶς Ἀ̓βραὰμ τῷ ἀββᾷ Ἄρῃ· καὶ καθημένων αὐτῶν, ἦλθεν ἀδελφὸς πρὸς τὸν γέροντα, καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ· Εἰπέ μοι τί ποιήσω ἵνα σωθώ. Ο δὲ λέγει αὐτῷ· Ὕπαγε, ποίησον τὸν ἐνιαυτὸν τοῦτον, κατ᾿ ὀψὲ ἐσθίων ἄρτον καὶ ἅλας, καὶ δεῦρο πάλιν, καὶ λαλῶ σοι. Καὶ ἀπελθὼν ἐποίησεν οὕτως. Πληρωθέντος δὲ τοῦ ἐνιαυτοῦ, ἦλθε πάλιν ὁ ἀδελφὸς πρὸς τὸν ἀββᾶν "Αρην. Εὐκαίρησε δὲ τότε καὶ ὁ ἀββᾶς Ἀβραὰμ ἐκεῖ. Καὶ εἶπε πάλιν ὁ γέρων τῷ ἀδελφῷ· Ὕπαγε, νήστευσον καὶ τοῦτον τὸν ἐνιαυτὸν δύο δύο. Καὶ ὡς ἀπῆλθεν ὁ ἀδελφὸς, λέγει ὁ ἀββᾶς Ἀβραὰμ τῷ ἀββᾷ "Αρῃ· Διατί ὅλοις τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς μετὰ ζυγοῦ ἐλαφροῦ λαλεῖς, τῷ δὲ ἀδελφῷ τούτῳ φορτία βαρέα ἐπιτιθεῖς; Λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ γέρων· Οἱ ἀδελφοὶ καθὼς ἔρχονται ζητοῦντες, οὕτως καὶ ὑπάγουσιν· οὗτος δὲ διὰ τὸν Θεὸν ἔρχεται ἀκοῦσαι λόγον. Ἐργάτης γάρ ἐστιν· καὶ εἴ τι δ᾽ ἂν εἴπω αὐτῷ, μετὰ σπουδῆς ποιεῖ· διὰ τοῦτο κἀγὼ λαλῶ αὐτῷ τὸν λόγον τοῦ Θεοῦ.

Parebale ho abbas Abraam tǭ abbą Arę̄; kai kathēmenōn autōn, ēlthen adelphos pros ton geronta, kai legei autǭ; Eipe moi ti poiēsō hina sōthō. O de legei autǭ; Hypage, poiēson ton eniauton touton, kat᾿ opse esthiōn arton kai halas, kai deuro palin, kai lalō soi. Kai apelthōn epoiēsen houtōs. Plērōthentos de tou eniautou, ēlthe palin ho adelphos pros ton abban "Arēn. Eukairēse de tote kai ho abbas Abraam ekei. Kai eipe palin ho gerōn tǭ adelphǭ; Hypage, nēsteuson kai touton ton eniauton dyo dyo. Kai hōs apēlthen ho adelphos, legei ho abbas Abraam tǭ abbą "Arę̄; Diati holois tois adelphois meta zygou elaphrou laleis, tǭ de adelphǭ toutǭ phortia barea epititheis? Legei autǭ ho gerōn; Hoi adelphoi kathōs erchontai zētountes, houtōs kai hypagousin; houtos de dia ton Theon erchetai akousai logon. Ergatēs gar estin; kai ei ti d᾽ an eipō autǭ, meta spoudēs poiei; dia touto kagō lalō autǭ ton logon tou Theou.

Abba Abraham visited abba Ares; and as they were sitting, a brother came to the old man and says to him, “Tell me what to do to be saved.” He says to him, “Go, spend this year eating bread and salt each evening, and come back, and I will speak with you.” And he went and did so. When the year was over, the brother came again to abba Ares. Abba Abraham happened to be there again. And the old man said again to the brother, “Go, fast this year too, two days at a time.” And when the brother had gone, abba Abraham says to abba Ares, “Why do you speak to all the brothers with a light yoke, but lay heavy burdens on this brother?” The old man says to him, “The brothers go away as they come, seeking; but this one comes for God’s sake to hear a word. For he is a worker, and whatever I tell him he does with zeal; that is why I too speak the word of God to him.”

Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.

Matt 11:30 (echo, low confidence) · Matt 23:4 (echo, low confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Ares lays heavy disciplines on a brother because he is a true worker who seeks a word for God’s sake.

Variant notes and a line of Migne’s notes merged into the Greek are removed.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (leaked variant notes (“Al.”) and a line from Migne’s notes): ΑΙ. μὴ λ. ὅτι ἐστί. ἐν ὁδῷ, καί. πολλά. Εργα σοφὸς μοναχῶν γράψας, ἐλάχιστα παρῆλθε. παρα με Καὶ → Καὶ.

Topics: Fasting

Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 9.1 (PG 65:131–133; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/9-1). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/9-1

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Cotelier's Greek text as printed in Migne PG 65 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.

Chapter 10

10.1PG 65:133

Εἶπεν ὁ ἀββᾶς Ἀλώνιος Ἐὰν μὴ εἴπῃ ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ αὐτοῦ ἄνθρωπος, ὅτι Ἐγὼ μόνος καὶ ὁ Θεὸς ἐσμὲν ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ, οὐχ ἕξει ἀνάπαυσιν.

Eipen ho abbas Alōnios Ean mē eipę̄ en tę̄ kardią autou anthrōpos, hoti Egō monos kai ho Theos esmen en tǭ kosmǭ, ouch hexei anapausin.

Abba Alonius said, “Unless a man says in his heart, ‘I alone and God are in the world,’ he will not have rest.”

Notes and citation

Summary: Rest comes only to one who lives as if alone with God.

Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 10.1 (PG 65:133; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/10-1). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/10-1

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Cotelier's Greek text as printed in Migne PG 65 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.

10.2PG 65:133

Εἶπε πάλιν· Εἰ μὴ τὸ ὅλον κατέστρεψα, οὐκ ἂν ἡδυνήθην ἐμαυτὸν οἰκοδομῆσαι.

Eipe palin; Ei mē to holon katestrepsa, ouk an hēdynēthēn emauton oikodomēsai.

He also said, “If I had not pulled everything down, I could not have built myself up.”

Notes and citation

Summary: One must tear down completely to rebuild oneself.

Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 10.2 (PG 65:133; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/10-2). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/10-2

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Cotelier's Greek text as printed in Migne PG 65 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.

10.3PG 65:133

Εἶπε πάλιν, ὅτι ἐὰν θέλῃ ὁ ἄνθρωπος, ἀπὸ πρωί ἕως ἑσπέρας, γίνεται εἰς μέτρον θεῖον.

Eipe palin, hoti ean thelę̄ ho anthrōpos, apo prōi heōs hesperas, ginetai eis metron theion.

He also said, “If a man wishes, from morning to evening he can come to the divine measure.”

Notes and citation

Summary: A willing man can reach the divine measure in a single day.

Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 10.3 (PG 65:133; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/10-3). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/10-3

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Cotelier's Greek text as printed in Migne PG 65 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.

10.4PG 65:133

Ἠρώτησε ποτε ὁ ἀββᾶς Ἀγάθων τὸν ἀββᾶν Ἀλώνιον, λέγων· Πῶς θέλω κρατεῖν τῆς γλώσσης μου, ἵνα μὴ λαλῇ ψευδῆ; Καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ ἀββᾶς Ἀλώνιος Ἐὰν μὴ ψεύδῃ πολλὰς ἁμαρτίας μέλλεις ποιεῖν. Ὁ δὲ εἶπε· Πῶς; Καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ γέρων· Ἰδοὺ δύο ἄνθρωποι ἐπὶ σοῦ φόνον ἐποίησαν, καὶ ὁ εἷς ἔφυγεν εἰς τὸ κελλίον σου· καὶ ἰδοὺ ὁ ἄρχων ζητεῖ αὐτὸν, καὶ ἐρωτᾷ σε λέγων· Ἐπὶ σοῦ φόνος γέγονεν; ἐὰν μὴ ψεύσῃ, παραδιδεῖς τὸν ἄνθρωπον εἰς θάνατον. Μᾶλλον ἄφες αὐτὸν ἐνώπιον τοῦ Θεοῦ χωρὶς δεσμῶν· αὐτὸς γὰρ οἶδε τὰ πάντα.

Ērōtēse pote ho abbas Agathōn ton abban Alōnion, legōn; Pōs thelō kratein tēs glōssēs mou, hina mē lalę̄ pseudē? Kai legei autǭ ho abbas Alōnios Ean mē pseudę̄ pollas hamartias melleis poiein. Ho de eipe; Pōs? Kai legei autǭ ho gerōn; Idou dyo anthrōpoi epi sou phonon epoiēsan, kai ho heis ephygen eis to kellion sou; kai idou ho archōn zētei auton, kai erōtą se legōn; Epi sou phonos gegonen? ean mē pseusę̄, paradideis ton anthrōpon eis thanaton. Mallon aphes auton enōpion tou Theou chōris desmōn; autos gar oide ta panta.

Once abba Agathon asked abba Alonius, saying, “How can I control my tongue so that it does not speak lies?” And abba Alonius says to him, “If you do not lie, you are going to commit many sins.” He said, “How?” And the old man says to him, “Suppose two men committed a murder in your presence, and one of them fled into your cell; and look, the magistrate is seeking him and asks you, ‘Was a murder committed in your presence?’ If you do not lie, you hand the man over to death. Rather leave him before God unbound; for he knows all things.”

Notes and citation

Summary: Alonius argues that a lie to save a fugitive from death is better than handing him over.

The saying defends a lie to protect a man from execution; it is translated as written.

Topics: Ethics

Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 10.4 (PG 65:133; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/10-4). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/10-4

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Cotelier's Greek text as printed in Migne PG 65 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.

Chapter 11

11.1PG 65:133

Διηγήσαντο περὶ ἐπισκόπου τῆς Ὀξυρύγχου ὀνόματι ἀββᾶ Ἀπφύ· ὅτι ὅτε ἦν μοναχὸς, πολλὰς σκληραγωγίας ἐποίει· ὅτε δὲ ἐγένετο ἐπίσκοπος, ἠθέλησε χρήσασθαι τῇ αὐτῇ σκληραγωγίᾳ καὶ ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ, καὶ οὐκ ἴσχυσε. Καὶ ἔῤῥιψε ἑαυτὸν ἐνώπιον τοῦ Θεοῦ λέγων· Μὴ ἆρα διὰ τὴν ἐπισκοπὴν ἀπῆλθεν ἡ χάρις ἀπ᾿ ἐμοῦ; Καὶ ἀπεκαλύφθη αὐτῷ, ὅτι Οὐχί· ἀλλὰ τότε ἔρημος ἦν, καὶ μὴ ὄντος ἀνθρώπου, ὁ Θεὸς ἀντελαμβάνετο· νῦν δὲ κόσμος ἐστὶ, καὶ οἱ ἄνθρωποι ἀντιλαμβάνονταί σου.

Diēgēsanto peri episkopou tēs Oxyrynchou onomati abba Apphy; hoti hote ēn monachos, pollas sklēragōgias epoiei; hote de egeneto episkopos, ēthelēse chrēsasthai tę̄ autę̄ sklēragōgią kai en tǭ kosmǭ, kai ouk ischyse. Kai errhipse heauton enōpion tou Theou legōn; Mē ara dia tēn episkopēn apēlthen hē charis ap᾿ emou? Kai apekalyphthē autǭ, hoti Ouchi; alla tote erēmos ēn, kai mē ontos anthrōpou, ho Theos antelambaneto; nyn de kosmos esti, kai hoi anthrōpoi antilambanontai sou.

They told of a bishop of Oxyrhynchus named abba Aphy that when he was a monk he practiced great austerity; and when he became bishop, he wanted to practice the same austerity in the world too, and could not. And he threw himself down before God, saying, “Has grace left me because of the episcopate?” And it was revealed to him: “No; but then it was the desert, and since there was no man, God helped you; but now it is the world, and men help you.”

Notes and citation

Summary: As bishop, Aphy learns that grace has not left him; men now give the help God gave in the desert.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR: word split): ὀνό ματι → ὀνόματι.

Topics: Church office

Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 11.1 (PG 65:133; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/11-1). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/11-1

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Cotelier's Greek text as printed in Migne PG 65 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.

Chapter 12

12.1PG 65:133

Ἧν τις γέρων εἰς τὰ Κελλία ὀνόματι Ἀπολλώς· καὶ εἰ ἤρχετό τις αἰτῶν αὐτὸν εἰς οἱονδήποτε ἔργον, μετὰ χαρᾶς ἀπῄει, λέγων· Μετὰ τοῦ Χριστοῦ ἔχω σήμερον ἐργάσασθαι ὑπὲρ τῆς ψυχῆς μου· οὗτος γάρ ἐστιν ὁ μισθὸς αὐτῆς.

Hēn tis gerōn eis ta Kellia onomati Apollōs; kai ei ērcheto tis aitōn auton eis hoiondēpote ergon, meta charas apę̄ei, legōn; Meta tou Christou echō sēmeron ergasasthai hyper tēs psychēs mou; houtos gar estin ho misthos autēs.

There was an old man in the Cells named Apollo; and if anyone came asking him to help with any kind of work, he went with joy, saying, “Today I get to work with Christ for my soul; for this is its wage.”

Notes and citation

Summary: Apollo gladly helped others with work, seeing it as working with Christ for his soul.

Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 12.1 (PG 65:133; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/12-1). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/12-1

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Cotelier's Greek text as printed in Migne PG 65 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.

12.2PG 65:133–135

Ἔλεγον περί τινος ἀββᾶ Ἀπολλὼ εἰς Σκῆτιν, ὅτι ποιμὴν ἦν ἄγροικος· καὶ ἰδὼν γυναῖκα ἐν γαστρὶ ἔχουσαν ἐν τῷ ἀγρῷ, ἐνεργηθεὶς ὑπὸ τοῦ διαβόλου εἶπε· Θέλω ἰδεῖν πῶς τὸ βρέφος κεῖται ἐν τῇ κοιλίᾳ αὐτῆς· καὶ ἀναῤῥήξας αὐτὴν, εἶδε τὸ βρέφος. Καὶ εὐθέως ἐπάταξεν αὐτὸν ἡ καρδία αὐτοῦ· καὶ κατανυγεὶς, ἦλθεν εἰς Σκῆτιν, καὶ ἀνήγγειλε τοῖς Πατράσιν ὁ ἐποίησεν. Ἤκουσε δὲ αὐτῶν ψαλλόντων· Αἱ ἡμέραι τῶν ἐτῶν ἡμῶν ἐν αὐτοῖς ἑβδομήκοντα ἔτη· ἐὰν δὲ ἐν δυναστείαις, ὀγδοήκοντα· καὶ τὸ πλεῖον αὐτῶν κόπος καὶ πόνος. Καὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς· Εἰμὶ τεσσαράκοντα ἐτῶν, μίαν εὐχὴν μὴ ποιήσας· καὶ νῦν ἐὰν ζήσω ἄλλα τεσσαράκοντα ἔτη, οὐ παύομαι εὐχόμενος τῷ Θεῷ, ἵνα συγχωρήσῃ μοι τὰς ἁμαρτίας μου. Οὐδὲ γὰρ ἐργόχειρον ἐποίει, ἀλλὰ πάντοτε ηὔχετο, λέγων· Ἥμαρτον ὡς ἄνθρωπος, ὡς Θεὸς ἱλάσθητι Καὶ γέγονεν αὐτῷ ἡ εὐχὴ αὕτη, εἰς μελέτην νυκτὸς καὶ ἡμέρας. Ἦν δὲ ἀδελφὸς μένων μετ᾿ αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἤκουσεν αὐτοῦ λέγοντος· Ὤχλησά σοι, Κύριε, ἄφες μοι, ἵνα ἀναπαύσωμαι μικρόν. Καὶ ἐγένετο αὐτῷ πληροφορία, ὅτι συνεχώρησεν αὐτῷ ὁ Θεὸς πάσας τὰς ἁμαρτίας αὐτοῦ, καὶ τὸ τῆς γυναικός· εἰς δὲ τὸ παιδίον οὐκ ἐπληροφορήθη. Καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ τις τῶν γερόντων, ὅτι καὶ τὸ τοῦ παιδίου συνεχώρησε σοι ὁ Θεός· ἀλλὰ ἀφίει σε ἐν τῷ πόνῳ, ὅτι συμφέρει τῇ ψυχῇ σου.

Elegon peri tinos abba Apollō eis Skētin, hoti poimēn ēn agroikos; kai idōn gynaika en gastri echousan en tǭ agrǭ, energētheis hypo tou diabolou eipe; Thelō idein pōs to brephos keitai en tę̄ koilią autēs; kai anarrhēxas autēn, eide to brephos. Kai eutheōs epataxen auton hē kardia autou; kai katanygeis, ēlthen eis Skētin, kai anēngeile tois Patrasin ho epoiēsen. Ēkouse de autōn psallontōn; Hai hēmerai tōn etōn hēmōn en autois hebdomēkonta etē; ean de en dynasteiais, ogdoēkonta; kai to pleion autōn kopos kai ponos. Kai eipen autois; Eimi tessarakonta etōn, mian euchēn mē poiēsas; kai nyn ean zēsō alla tessarakonta etē, ou pauomai euchomenos tǭ Theǭ, hina synchōrēsę̄ moi tas hamartias mou. Oude gar ergocheiron epoiei, alla pantote ēucheto, legōn; Hēmarton hōs anthrōpos, hōs Theos hilasthēti Kai gegonen autǭ hē euchē hautē, eis meletēn nyktos kai hēmeras. Ēn de adelphos menōn met᾿ autou, kai ēkousen autou legontos; Ōchlēsa soi, Kyrie, aphes moi, hina anapausōmai mikron. Kai egeneto autǭ plērophoria, hoti synechōrēsen autǭ ho Theos pasas tas hamartias autou, kai to tēs gynaikos; eis de to paidion ouk eplērophorēthē. Kai eipen autǭ tis tōn gerontōn, hoti kai to tou paidiou synechōrēse soi ho Theos; alla aphiei se en tǭ ponǭ, hoti sympherei tę̄ psychę̄ sou.

They told of a certain abba Apollo at Scetis that he had been a rough shepherd; and seeing a pregnant woman in the field, moved by the devil, he said, “I want to see how the baby lies in her womb”; and he ripped her open and saw the baby. And at once his heart struck him; and pierced to the heart, he came to Scetis and told the Fathers what he had done. He heard them singing, “The days of our years are seventy years in them, and if in strength, eighty; and the greater part of them is labor and toil.” And he said to them, “I am forty years old and have not prayed once; and now, if I live another forty years, I will not cease praying to God to forgive me my sins.” He did not even do handiwork, but always prayed, saying, “I have sinned as a man; as God, have mercy.” And this prayer became his meditation night and day. A brother lived with him, and he heard him saying, “I have troubled you, Lord; forgive me, so that I may rest a little.” And he received assurance that God had forgiven him all his sins, including that of the woman; but for the child he did not receive assurance. And one of the old men said to him, “God has forgiven you the child’s too, but he leaves you in the toil because it is good for your soul.”

Ps 90:10 (89:10 LXX) (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: A shepherd who murdered a pregnant woman becomes a monk and prays ceaselessly for forgiveness.

The saying narrates a murder to show that even such a sin can be forgiven through repentance; it is translated as written. Quotation of Ps 90:10 (LXX 89:10). A stray line from another saying (“your mind always fixed on the fear of God, and remember death unceasingly”) is removed from the middle of the psalm verse.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR: word split; stray line from another saying interleaved by the OCR inside the psalm verse): καὶ τὸ νοῦς σου πάντοτε προσηλωμένος εἰς τὸν φόβον τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ ἀδιαλείπτως μνημόνευε τοῦ θανάτου, καὶ οὐ πλεῖον → καὶ τὸ πλεῖον; ἁμαρ τίας → ἁμαρτίας.

Topics: Prayer

Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 12.2 (PG 65:133–135; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/12-2). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/12-2

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Cotelier's Greek text as printed in Migne PG 65 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.

12.3PG 65:135

Ὁ αὐτὸς εἶπεν περὶ τῆς ὑποδοχῆς τῶν ἀδελφῶν, ὅτι Δεῖ ἐρχομένους τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς προσκυνεῖν· οὐ γὰρ αὐτοὺς, ἀλλὰ τὸν Θεὸν προσκυνοῦμεν. Εἶδες γάρ, φησὶ, τὸν ἀδελφόν σου, εἶδες Κύριον τὸν Θεόν σου· καὶ τοῦτο, φησὶ, παρὰ τοῦ Ἀβραὰμ παρειλήφαμεν. Καὶ ὅτε δέχεσθε, πρὸς ἀνάπαυσιν παραβιάζεσθε· καὶ τοῦτο γὰρ παρὰ τοῦ Λὼτ μεμαθήκαμεν παραβιασαμένου τοὺς ἀγγέλους.

Ho autos eipen peri tēs hypodochēs tōn adelphōn, hoti Dei erchomenous tous adelphous proskynein; ou gar autous, alla ton Theon proskynoumen. Eides gar, phēsi, ton adelphon sou, eides Kyrion ton Theon sou; kai touto, phēsi, para tou Abraam pareilēphamen. Kai hote dechesthe, pros anapausin parabiazesthe; kai touto gar para tou Lōt memathēkamen parabiasamenou tous angelous.

The same said about the reception of the brothers that one must bow down before the brothers when they come; for it is not them but God we bow before. “For,” he says, “you have seen your brother, you have seen the Lord your God; and this,” he says, “we have received from Abraham. And when you receive them, press them to rest; for this too we have learned from Lot, who pressed the angels.”

Gen 18:2 (allusion, high confidence) · Gen 19:3 (allusion, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Apollo teaches that in welcoming a brother one welcomes God, after the examples of Abraham and Lot.

“You have seen your brother, you have seen your God” is an unwritten saying also quoted by Clement of Alexandria (Strom. 1.19.94) and Tertullian (Or. 26). Abraham: Gen 18:1–3; Lot pressing the angels: Gen 19:3.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR: word split): ἀδελ φῶν → ἀδελφῶν; παρειλή φαμεν → παρειλήφαμεν.

Extrabiblical texts: Clement of Alexandria, Strom. 1.19.94 (Miscellanies; echo)

Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 12.3 (PG 65:135; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/12-3). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/12-3

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Cotelier's Greek text as printed in Migne PG 65 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.

Chapter 13

13.1PG 65:135

Ἔλεγεν ὁ ἀββᾶς Ἀνδρέας· Πρέπει τῷ μοναχῷ τὰ τρία ταῦτα· ἡ ξενιτεία, ἡ πτωχεία, καὶ ἡ σιωπὴ ἐν ὑπομονῇ.

Elegen ho abbas Andreas; Prepei tǭ monachǭ ta tria tauta; hē xeniteia, hē ptōcheia, kai hē siōpē en hypomonę̄.

Abba Andrew used to say, “These three things are fitting for a monk: exile, poverty, and silence in endurance.”

Notes and citation

Summary: Andrew names exile, poverty, and patient silence as the monk’s marks.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (leaked variant note (“Al.”) from Migne’s apparatus): ἐν ΑΙ. ἀπελθεῖν. ὑπομονῇ → ἐν ὑπομονῇ.

Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 13.1 (PG 65:135; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/13-1). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/13-1

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Cotelier's Greek text as printed in Migne PG 65 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.

Chapter 14

14.1PG 65:135

Ἔλεγον περί τινος γέροντος εἰς τὴν Θηβαΐδα ἀββᾶ Ἀντιανοῦ, ὅτι πολλὰς πολιτείας ἐποίησεν ἐν τῇ νεότητι αὐτοῦ, καὶ εἰς τὸ γῆρας αὐτοῦ ἡσθένησε, καὶ ἐτυφλώθη, καὶ πολλὴν παράκλησιν οἱ ἀδελφοὶ διὰ τὴν αὐτοῦ ἀσθένειαν ἐποίουν, καὶ ἔβαλον εἰς τὸ στόμα αὐτοῦ· καὶ ἠρώτησαν τὸν ἀββᾶν Ἀϊὼ περὶ τούτου Τί γίνεται διὰ τὴν πολλὴν παράκλησιν ταύτην; Καὶ λέγει αὐτοῖς· Λέγω ὑμῖν, ὅτι ἐὰν ἡ καρδία αὐτοῦ θέλῃ, καὶ συγκαταβαίνῃ ἡδέως, ἐὰν φάγῃ ἓν φοίνικιν, ὁ Θεὸς αἴρει αὐτὸ ἐκ τοῦ κόπου αὐτοῦ· ἐὰν δὲ μὴ συγκαταβαίνῃ, ἀλλὰ μὴ θέλων λαμβάνῃ, ὁ Θεὸς τηρεῖ τὸν κόπον αὐτοῦ σῶον, ὅτι μὴ θέλων βιάζεται· κἀκεῖνοι τὸν μισθὸν ἔχουσιν.

Elegon peri tinos gerontos eis tēn Thēbaïda abba Antianou, hoti pollas politeias epoiēsen en tę̄ neotēti autou, kai eis to gēras autou hēsthenēse, kai etyphlōthē, kai pollēn paraklēsin hoi adelphoi dia tēn autou astheneian epoioun, kai ebalon eis to stoma autou; kai ērōtēsan ton abban Aïō peri toutou Ti ginetai dia tēn pollēn paraklēsin tautēn? Kai legei autois; Legō hymin, hoti ean hē kardia autou thelę̄, kai synkatabainę̄ hēdeōs, ean phagę̄ hen phoinikin, ho Theos airei auto ek tou kopou autou; ean de mē synkatabainę̄, alla mē thelōn lambanę̄, ho Theos tērei ton kopon autou sōon, hoti mē thelōn biazetai; kakeinoi ton misthon echousin.

They told of an old man in the Thebaid, abba Antianus, that he practiced many ascetic disciplines in his youth, and in his old age he fell ill and went blind; and the brothers gave him much comfort because of his illness, and put food into his mouth. And they asked abba Aio about this: “What becomes of him through this great comfort?” And he says to them, “I tell you, if his heart desires it and gladly gives way, if he eats even one date, God takes it away from his labor; but if he does not give way but takes it unwillingly, God keeps his labor intact, because he is compelled against his will; and they too have their reward.”

Notes and citation

Summary: Aio teaches that an ailing ascetic loses no merit if he accepts comfort unwillingly.

Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 14.1 (PG 65:135; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/14-1). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/14-1

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Cotelier's Greek text as printed in Migne PG 65 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.

Chapter 15

15.1PG 65:135–137

Ἦλθέ ποτέ τις ἄρχων εἰς τὸ Πηλούσιον, καὶ ἤθελεν ἀπαιτῆσαι ἐπικεφάλαια τοὺς μοναχούς, καθάπερ καὶ τοὺς κοσμικούς. Καὶ συνήχθησαν ὅλοι οἱ ἀδελφοὶ πρὸς τὸν ἀββᾶν Ἀμμωναθᾶν περὶ τούτου, καὶ ἐψηφίσαντό τινας τῶν Πατέρων ἀνελθεῖν πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα. Καὶ λέγει αὐτοῖς ὁ ἀββᾶς Αμμωναθᾶς Οὐ χρεία τοῦ σκυλμοῦ τούτου· ἀλλὰ μᾶλλον ἡσυχάσατε εἰς τὰ κελλία ὑμῶν, καὶ νηστεύσατε δύο ἑβδομάδας, καὶ τῇ χάριτι τοῦ Χριστοῦ ἐγὼ μόνος ποιῶ τὸ πρᾶγμα. Καὶ ἀπῆλθον οἱ ἀδελφοὶ εἰς τὰ κελλία ἑαυτῶν· καὶ ὁ γέρων ἡσύχασεν εἰς τὸ ἴδιον κελλίον. Ὡς οὖν ἐπληρώθησαν δεκατεσσαρες ἡμέραι, ἐλυπήθησαν οἱ ἀδελφοὶ κατὰ τοῦ γέροντος, ὅτι οὐκ εἶδον αὐτὸν πώποτε κινηθέντα, καὶ ἔλεγον· Κατήργησεν ὁ γέρων τὸ πρᾶγμα ἡμῶν. Τῇ δὲ πεντεκαιδεκάτῃ ἡμέρᾳ συνἠχθησαν οἱ ἀδελφοὶ κατὰ τὰς συνταγάς· καὶ ὁ γέρων ἦλθε πρὸς αὐτοὺς ἔχων τὴν Σάκραν ὑπὸ τοῦ βασιλέως ἐσφραγισμένην. Ἰδόντες δὲ οἱ ἀδελφοὶ ἐξέστησαν, λέγοντες Πότε ταύτην ἤνεγκας, ἀββᾶ; Καὶ λέγει ὁ γέρων· Πιστεύσατέ μοι, ἀδελφοὶ, ὅτι ἐν ταύτῃ τῇ νυκτὶ ἀπῆλθον πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα, καὶ ἔγραψε τὴν Σάκραν ταύτην· καὶ ἐλθὼν εἰς Ἀλεξάνδρειαν ὑπέγραψα αὐτὴν παρὰ τῶν ἀρχόντων· καὶ οὕτως ἦλθον πρὸς ὑμᾶς. Ἀκούσαντες δὲ ἐφοβήθησαν, καὶ ἔβαλον αὐτῷ μετάνοιαν· καὶ ἠνύσθη αὐτῶν τὸ πρᾶγμα, καὶ οὐκ ἠνώχλησεν αὐτοῖς ὁ ὁ ἄρχων.

Ēlthe pote tis archōn eis to Pēlousion, kai ēthelen apaitēsai epikephalaia tous monachous, kathaper kai tous kosmikous. Kai synēchthēsan holoi hoi adelphoi pros ton abban Ammōnathan peri toutou, kai epsēphisanto tinas tōn Paterōn anelthein pros ton basilea. Kai legei autois ho abbas Ammōnathas Ou chreia tou skylmou toutou; alla mallon hēsychasate eis ta kellia hymōn, kai nēsteusate dyo hebdomadas, kai tę̄ chariti tou Christou egō monos poiō to pragma. Kai apēlthon hoi adelphoi eis ta kellia heautōn; kai ho gerōn hēsychasen eis to idion kellion. Hōs oun eplērōthēsan dekatessares hēmerai, elypēthēsan hoi adelphoi kata tou gerontos, hoti ouk eidon auton pōpote kinēthenta, kai elegon; Katērgēsen ho gerōn to pragma hēmōn. Tę̄ de pentekaidekatę̄ hēmerą synēchthēsan hoi adelphoi kata tas syntagas; kai ho gerōn ēlthe pros autous echōn tēn Sakran hypo tou basileōs esphragismenēn. Idontes de hoi adelphoi exestēsan, legontes Pote tautēn ēnenkas, abba? Kai legei ho gerōn; Pisteusate moi, adelphoi, hoti en tautę̄ tę̄ nykti apēlthon pros ton basilea, kai egrapse tēn Sakran tautēn; kai elthōn eis Alexandreian hypegrapsa autēn para tōn archontōn; kai houtōs ēlthon pros hymas. Akousantes de ephobēthēsan, kai ebalon autǭ metanoian; kai ēnysthē autōn to pragma, kai ouk ēnōchlēsen autois ho ho archōn.

Once a magistrate came to Pelusium and wanted to exact the poll tax from the monks, just as from people in the world. All the brothers gathered to abba Ammonathas about this, and they voted that some of the Fathers should go up to the emperor. And abba Ammonathas says to them, “There is no need for this trouble; rather, stay in stillness in your cells and fast for two weeks, and by the grace of Christ I alone will do the business.” And the brothers went away to their cells, and the old man stayed in stillness in his own cell. When the fourteen days were completed, the brothers were annoyed with the old man, because they had not seen him stir at all, and they said, “The old man has neglected our business.” On the fifteenth day the brothers gathered as agreed, and the old man came to them with the rescript sealed by the emperor. When the brothers saw it they were amazed, saying, “When did you bring this, abba?” And the old man says, “Believe me, brothers, this night I went to the emperor, and he wrote this rescript; and coming to Alexandria I had it countersigned by the magistrates; and so I came to you.” When they heard this they were afraid and made a prostration to him; and their business was accomplished, and the magistrate did not trouble them.

Notes and citation

Summary: Ammonathas obtains in one night an imperial rescript exempting the monks from the poll tax.

A stray line (“I have sinned as a man; as God, forgive”) from another saying is removed.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (stray line from another saying merged into the Greek): ΧΧιι, ὡς ἄνθρωπος ἥμαρτον, ὡς Θεὸς συγχώρη σον. → .

Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 15.1 (PG 65:135–137; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/15-1). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/15-1

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Cotelier's Greek text as printed in Migne PG 65 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.

Chapter 16

16.1PG 65:137

Ἔλεγέ τις τῶν γερόντων, ὅτι ὁ ἅγιος Βασίλειος ἐν κοινοβίῳ παραβαλών, μετὰ τὴν πρέπουσαν διδασκαλίαν λέγει τῷ ἡγουμένῳ· Ἔχεις ἀδελφὸν ὧδε ἔχοντα ὑπακοήν; Ὁ δὲ λέγει αὐτῷ· Πάντες δοῦλοί σού εἰσι, καὶ σπουδάζουσι σωθῆναι, δέσποτα. Πάλιν λέγει αὐτῷ· Ἔχεις ἐν ἀληθείᾳ τινὰ ἔχοντα ὑπακοήν; Ὁ δὲ ἤνεγκεν αὐτῷ ἕνα ἀδελφόν καὶ ἐχρήσατο αὐτὸν εἰς τὸ ἄριστον ὑπηρέτην ὁ ἅγιος Βασίλειος. Μετὰ δὲ τὸ γεύσασθαι, ἔδωκεν αὐτῷ νίψασθαι· καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ ἅγιος Βασίλειος· Δεῦρο, κἀγὼ δώσω σοι νίψασθαι. Ὁ δὲ κατεδέξατο αὐτοῦ ἐπιχέοντος τὸ ὕδωρ. Καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ, ὅτι Ὅταν εἰσέρχωμαι εἰς τὸ ἱερατεῖον, δεῦρο ἵνα ποιήσω σε διάκονον. Καὶ τούτου γενομένου, ἐποίησεν αὐτὸν πρεσβύτερον· καὶ ἔλαβεν αὐτὸν μεθ' ἑαυτοῦ εἰς τὸ ἐπισκοπεῖον, διὰ τὴν ὑπακοὴν αὐτοῦ.

Elege tis tōn gerontōn, hoti ho hagios Basileios en koinobiǭ parabalōn, meta tēn prepousan didaskalian legei tǭ hēgoumenǭ; Echeis adelphon hōde echonta hypakoēn? Ho de legei autǭ; Pantes douloi sou eisi, kai spoudazousi sōthēnai, despota. Palin legei autǭ; Echeis en alētheią tina echonta hypakoēn? Ho de ēnenken autǭ hena adelphon kai echrēsato auton eis to ariston hypēretēn ho hagios Basileios. Meta de to geusasthai, edōken autǭ nipsasthai; kai legei autǭ ho hagios Basileios; Deuro, kagō dōsō soi nipsasthai. Ho de katedexato autou epicheontos to hydōr. Kai legei autǭ, hoti Hotan eiserchōmai eis to hierateion, deuro hina poiēsō se diakonon. Kai toutou genomenou, epoiēsen auton presbyteron; kai elaben auton meth' heautou eis to episkopeion, dia tēn hypakoēn autou.

One of the old men said that holy Basil, visiting a community, after giving the fitting teaching says to the superior, “Do you have a brother here who has obedience?” He says to him, “All are your servants, master, and are eager to be saved.” Again he says to him, “Do you truly have someone who has obedience?” And he brought him one brother, and holy Basil used him as a servant at the meal. After eating, the brother gave him water to wash; and holy Basil says to him, “Come, I too will give you water to wash.” And he consented while Basil poured the water. And he says to him, “When I go into the sanctuary, come so that I may make you a deacon.” And when this was done, he made him a presbyter; and he took him with him to the bishop’s house because of his obedience.

Notes and citation

Summary: Basil ordains a monk deacon and presbyter after testing his obedience.

Topics: Church office

Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 16.1 (PG 65:137; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/16-1). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/16-1

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Cotelier's Greek text as printed in Migne PG 65 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.

Chapter 17

17.1PG 65:137–139

Ἔλεγεν ὁ ἀββᾶς Δουλᾶς ὁ μαθητὴς τοῦ ἀββᾶ Βισαρίωνος, ὅτι Ὁδευόντων ἡμῶν ποτε εἰς ὄχθαν τῆς θαλάσσης, ἐδίψησα, καὶ εἶπον τῷ ἀββᾷ Βισαρίωνι· Ἀ̓ββᾶ, διψῶ πάνυ. Καὶ ποιήσας εὐχὴν ὁ γέρων, λέγει μοι· Πίε ἐκ τῆς θαλάσσης. Καὶ ἐγλυκάνθη τὸ ὕδωρ, καὶ ἔπιον. Ἐγὼ δὲ ἤντλησα εἰς τὸ ἀγγεῖον, μήποτε παρ' ἐκεῖ διψήσω. Καὶ ἰδὼν ὁ γέρων, λέγει μοι· Διατί ἤντλησας; Λέγω αὐτῷ· Συγχώρησόν μοι, μήποτε παρ' ἐκεῖ διψήσω. Καὶ εἶπεν ὁ γέρων· Ὁ Θεὸς ὧδε, καὶ πάντη Θεός.

Elegen ho abbas Doulas ho mathētēs tou abba Bisariōnos, hoti Hodeuontōn hēmōn pote eis ochthan tēs thalassēs, edipsēsa, kai eipon tǭ abbą Bisariōni; Abba, dipsō pany. Kai poiēsas euchēn ho gerōn, legei moi; Pie ek tēs thalassēs. Kai eglykanthē to hydōr, kai epion. Egō de ēntlēsa eis to angeion, mēpote par' ekei dipsēsō. Kai idōn ho gerōn, legei moi; Diati ēntlēsas? Legō autǭ; Synchōrēson moi, mēpote par' ekei dipsēsō. Kai eipen ho gerōn; Ho Theos hōde, kai pantē Theos.

Abba Doulas, the disciple of abba Bessarion, said, “Once as we were traveling along the seashore, I was thirsty, and I said to abba Bessarion, ‘Abba, I am very thirsty.’ And the old man said a prayer and says to me, ‘Drink from the sea.’ And the water became sweet, and I drank. And I drew some into my vessel, in case I should be thirsty farther on. When the old man saw it, he says to me, ‘Why did you draw water?’ I say to him, ‘Forgive me, in case I should be thirsty farther on.’ And the old man said, ‘God is here, and God is everywhere.’”

Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.

Notes and citation

Summary: Bessarion makes sea water sweet and rebukes his disciple for storing it: God is everywhere.

A long passage from Migne’s notes (on the summons to the Council of Chalcedon) and variant notes merged into the Greek are removed.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (variant notes (“Al.”) and a passage of Migne’s notes merged into the Greek): ΑΙ. αὐτούς. ΑΙ. αὐτῷ. ΑΙ. ὑπηρετεῖν. ΑΙ. νιανὸς, καὶ Μαρκιανὸς, ἔνδοξοι, τροπαιοῦχοι, ἀεισέΣάκρας ἀποσταλείσης παρὰ τοῦ εὐσεβεστάτου καὶ φιλοχρίστου βασιλέως Μαρκιανοῦ, πρὸς τοὺς ἀπανταχοῦ θεοφιλεστάτους ἐπισκόπους, περὶ τοῦ συνελθεῖν πάντας εἰς τὴν Νικαέων. Οἱ νικηταὶ Οὐαλ. κ. Μ. ἔ. τ.ἀ. Λέοντι, καὶ ὡσαύτως Ἀνατολίῳ καὶ λοιποῖς ἐν πᾶσι. Βλαχερνῶν, καὶ ἔβαλον πῦρ εἰς τὸν ἔμβολον τὸν παρλέγει → λέγει.

Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 17.1 (PG 65:137–139; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/17-1). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/17-1

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Cotelier's Greek text as printed in Migne PG 65 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.

17.2PG 65:139

Αλλοτε χρείας αὐτῷ γενομένης, ἐποίησεν εὐχὴν, καὶ διέβη τὸν Χρυσορόαν ποταμὸν πεζῇ, καὶ ἀπῆλθεν εἰς τὸ πέραν. Ἐγὼ δὲ θαυμάσας, μετενόησα αὐτῷ, λέγων· Πῶς ἡσθάνου τοὺς πόδας σου ἐν τῷ περιπατεῖν σε εἰς τὸ ὕδωρ Καὶ εἶπεν ὁ γέρων· Ἕως τῶν ἀστραγάλων ἠσθανόμην τοῦ ὕδατος· τὸ δὲ λοιπὸν ἦν στερεόν.

Allote chreias autǭ genomenēs, epoiēsen euchēn, kai diebē ton Chrysoroan potamon pezę̄, kai apēlthen eis to peran. Egō de thaumasas, metenoēsa autǭ, legōn; Pōs hēsthanou tous podas sou en tǭ peripatein se eis to hydōr Kai eipen ho gerōn; Heōs tōn astragalōn ēsthanomēn tou hydatos; to de loipon ēn stereon.

Another time, when there was need, he said a prayer and crossed the Chrysorrhoas river on foot and went to the other side. And I, amazed, made a prostration to him, saying, “How did your feet feel as you walked on the water?” And the old man said, “I felt the water up to my ankles; but the rest was solid.”

Notes and citation

Summary: Bessarion walks across a river, feeling the water only to his ankles.

Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 17.2 (PG 65:139; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/17-2). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/17-2

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Cotelier's Greek text as printed in Migne PG 65 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.

17.3PG 65:139

Ἄλλοτε πάλιν ὑπαγόντων ἡμῶν πρός τινα γέροντα, ἦλθεν ὁ ἥλιος εἰς τὸ δῦναι. Καὶ εὐξάμενος ὁ γέρων εἶπε Δέομαί σου, Κύριε, στήτω ὁ ἥλιος, ἕως οὗ φθάσω εἰς τὸν δοῦλόν σου. Καὶ ἐγένετο οὕτως.

Allote palin hypagontōn hēmōn pros tina geronta, ēlthen ho hēlios eis to dynai. Kai euxamenos ho gerōn eipe Deomai sou, Kyrie, stētō ho hēlios, heōs hou phthasō eis ton doulon sou. Kai egeneto houtōs.

Another time, as we were going to a certain old man, the sun was about to set. And the old man prayed and said, “I beg you, Lord, let the sun stand still until I reach your servant.” And so it happened.

Josh 10:12 (echo, medium confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Bessarion prays the sun to stand still until he reaches an old man.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR: word split with a stray letter): γέν ροντα → γέροντα.

Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 17.3 (PG 65:139; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/17-3). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/17-3

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Cotelier's Greek text as printed in Migne PG 65 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.

17.4PG 65:139–141

"Αλλοτε πάλιν ἦλθον εἰς τὸ κελλίον αὐτοῖ καὶ εὗρον αὐτὸν ἑστηκότα εἰς εὐχὴν, καὶ αἱ χεῖρες αὐτοῦ ἐκτεταμέναι εἰς τὸν οὐρανόν· ἔμεινε δὲ ἐπὶ δεκατέσσαρας ἡμέρας τοῦτο ποιῶν. Καὶ μετὰ τοῦτα ἐφώνησέ με, καὶ εἶπέ μοι· Ἀκολούθει μοι. Καὶ ἐξελθόντες ἐπορεύθημεν εἰς τὴν ἔρημον. Καὶ διψήσας, εἶπον· Ἀ̓ββᾶ, διψῶ. Καὶ λαβὼν ὁ γέρων τὸ μηλωτάριόν μου ἀπῆλθεν ὡσεὶ λίθου βολήν· καὶ ποιήσας εὐχὴν ἤνεγκέ μοι αὐτὸ μεστὸν ὕδατος. Περιπατοῦντες δὲ ἤλθομεν κατά τινος σπηλαίου· καὶ εἰσελθόντες εὕρομέν τινα ἀδελφὸν καθεζόμενον καὶ ἐργαζόμενον με σειρὰν, καὶ μὴ ἀνανεύοντα πρὸς ἡμᾶς, μήτε ἀσπαζόμενον, μήτε ὅλως θέλοντα συνάραι λόγον μεθ' ἡμῶν. Καὶ λέγει μοι ὁ γέρων· Ἄγωμεν ἐντεῦθεν· τάχα οὐ πληροφορεῖται ὁ γέρων λαλῆσαι ἡμῖν. Καὶ ὠδεύσαμεν εἰς τὴν Λυκὼ, ἕως ἤλθομεν εἰς τὸν ἀββᾶν Ἰωάννην". Καὶ ἀσπασάμενοι αὐτὸν ἐποιήσαμεν εὐχήν. Εἶτα ἐκάθισαν λαλεῖν περὶ τῆς θεωρίας ἧς εἶδε. Καὶ εἶπεν ὁ ἀββᾶς Βισαρίων, ὅτι ἀπόφασις ἐξῆλθεν ἵνα καθαιρεθῶσι τὰ ἱερά. Ἐγένετο δὲ οὕτως, καὶ καθηρέθησαν. Ἐν δὲ τῷ ὑποστρέφειν ἡμᾶς, ἤλθομεν πάλιν κατὰ τοῦ σπηλαίου ὅπου εἴδομεν τὸν ἀδελφόν. Καὶ λέγει μοι ὁ γέρων· Εἰσέλθωμεν πρὸς αὐτὸν, μήπως ὁ Θεὸς ἐπληροφόρησεν αὐτὸν λαλῆσαι ἡμῖν. Καὶ ὡς εἰσήλθομεν, εὕρομεν αὐτὸν τελειωθέντα. Καὶ λέγει μοι ὁ γέρων· Δεῦρο, ἀδελφέ, συστείλωμεν τὸ σῶμα αὐτοῦ· εἰς γὰρ τοῦτο ἔπεμψεν ἡμᾶς ὁ Θεὸς ὧδε. Συστελλόντων δὲ ἡμῶν εἰς τὸ θάψαι αὐτὸν, εὔρομεν ὅτι γυνὴ ἦν τῇ φύσει. Καὶ ἐθαύμασεν ὁ γέρων, καὶ εἶπεν· Ἴδε πῶς καὶ γυναῖκες καταπαλαίουσι τὸν Σατανᾶν, καὶ ἡμεῖς ἐν ταῖς πόλεσιν ἀσχημονοῦμεν. Καὶ δοξάσαντες τὸν Θεὸν τὸν ὑπερασπιστὴν τῶν ἀγαπώντων αὐτὸν, ἀνεχωρήσαμεν ἐκεῖθεν.

"Allote palin ēlthon eis to kellion autoi kai heuron auton hestēkota eis euchēn, kai hai cheires autou ektetamenai eis ton ouranon; emeine de epi dekatessaras hēmeras touto poiōn. Kai meta touta ephōnēse me, kai eipe moi; Akolouthei moi. Kai exelthontes eporeuthēmen eis tēn erēmon. Kai dipsēsas, eipon; Abba, dipsō. Kai labōn ho gerōn to mēlōtarion mou apēlthen hōsei lithou bolēn; kai poiēsas euchēn ēnenke moi auto meston hydatos. Peripatountes de ēlthomen kata tinos spēlaiou; kai eiselthontes heuromen tina adelphon kathezomenon kai ergazomenon me seiran, kai mē ananeuonta pros hēmas, mēte aspazomenon, mēte holōs thelonta synarai logon meth' hēmōn. Kai legei moi ho gerōn; Agōmen enteuthen; tacha ou plērophoreitai ho gerōn lalēsai hēmin. Kai ōdeusamen eis tēn Lykō, heōs ēlthomen eis ton abban Iōannēn". Kai aspasamenoi auton epoiēsamen euchēn. Eita ekathisan lalein peri tēs theōrias hēs eide. Kai eipen ho abbas Bisariōn, hoti apophasis exēlthen hina kathairethōsi ta hiera. Egeneto de houtōs, kai kathērethēsan. En de tǭ hypostrephein hēmas, ēlthomen palin kata tou spēlaiou hopou eidomen ton adelphon. Kai legei moi ho gerōn; Eiselthōmen pros auton, mēpōs ho Theos eplērophorēsen auton lalēsai hēmin. Kai hōs eisēlthomen, heuromen auton teleiōthenta. Kai legei moi ho gerōn; Deuro, adelphe, systeilōmen to sōma autou; eis gar touto epempsen hēmas ho Theos hōde. Systellontōn de hēmōn eis to thapsai auton, euromen hoti gynē ēn tę̄ physei. Kai ethaumasen ho gerōn, kai eipen; Ide pōs kai gynaikes katapalaiousi ton Satanan, kai hēmeis en tais polesin aschēmonoumen. Kai doxasantes ton Theon ton hyperaspistēn tōn agapōntōn auton, anechōrēsamen ekeithen.

Another time I came to his cell and found him standing at prayer with his hands stretched out to heaven; and he remained doing this for fourteen days. After this he called me and said to me, “Follow me.” And we went out and made our way into the desert. Being thirsty, I said, “Abba, I am thirsty.” And the old man took my sheepskin and went about a stone’s throw away; and having prayed he brought it to me full of water. Walking on, we came to a cave; and going in, we found a brother sitting and working at a rope, who did not look up at us, nor greet us, nor want to exchange a word with us at all. And the old man says to me, “Let us go from here; perhaps the old man is not assured that he should speak with us.” And we traveled to Lycopolis, until we came to abba John. Having greeted him, we prayed. Then they sat down to speak about the vision he had seen. And abba Bessarion said that a decree had gone out that the temples should be torn down. And so it happened, and they were torn down. As we were returning, we came again to the cave where we had seen the brother. And the old man says to me, “Let us go in to him; perhaps God has assured him that he should speak with us.” When we went in, we found him dead. And the old man says to me, “Come, brother, let us lay out his body; for this is why God sent us here.” As we were laying out the body to bury it, we found that by nature it was a woman. And the old man marveled and said, “See how even women overthrow Satan, while we behave shamefully in the cities.” And glorifying God, the protector of those who love him, we went away from there.

Notes and citation

Summary: Bessarion and Doulas find a silent hermit dead in a cave and discover she was a woman.

The scan repeats most of this saying from a second copy (in the Greek of Doulas’s own telling) inside the first; the repetition is removed and the saying translated once. A word of Latin (“quousque”) in the line is also removed. The decree to tear down the temples: probably that of Theodosius I (391); “abba John” is John of Lycopolis.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (Latin word merged into the Greek line; OCR: word split with stray mark; duplicate copy of the saying from a second scan column, inserted inside a word): Καὶ qυουsqυεὠδεύσαμεν εἰς τὴν Λυκὼ → Καὶ ὠδεύσαμεν εἰς τὴν Λυκὼ; Καὶ λέτὸν ἀββᾶν Ἰωάννην. Καὶ ἀσπασάμενοι αὐτὸν, ἐ ἀσπασάμενοι αὐτὸν, ἐποιή σαμεν εὐχὴν, καὶ ἐκαθίσαμεν ὁμιλεῖν περὶ τῆς θεω ρίας ἧς εἶδεν. Εἶπεν δὲ ὁ ἀββᾶς Βησαρίων, ὅτι ἐξῆλθεν ἀπόφασις ἀπὸ τοῦ Κυρίου, ἵνα καθαιρεθῶσιν τὰ Δουλᾶς ὁ μαθητὴς τοῦ ἀββᾶ Βησαρίωνος, λέγων, ὅτι Πλθόν ποτε εἰς τὸ κελλίον τοῦ ἀββᾶ μου, καὶ εὗρον αὐτὸν ἑστῶτα εἰς προσευχὴν, καὶ αἱ χεῖρες αὐτοῦ ἐκτεταμέναι εἰς τὸν οὐρανόν. Ἔμεινε δὲ τοῦτο ποιῶν ἐπὶ δεκατέσσαρας ἡμέρας. Καὶ μετὰ τοῦτο ἐφώνησέ μοι, καὶ εἶπέ μοι· Ἀκολούθει μοι. Καὶ ἐξελθόντες ἐπορεύθημεν εἰς τὴν ἔρημον. Καὶ διψήσας, εἶπον σὐτῷ· Ἀ̓ββᾶ, διψῶ. Λαβὼν δὲ τὸ μηλωτάριον αὐτοῦ ὁ γέρων, ἐπορεύθη ἀπ' ἐμοῦ ὡσεὶ λίθου βουλήν· καὶ ποιήσας εὐχὴν, ἤνεγκέν μοι αὐτὸ μεστὸν ὕδατος. Καὶ ὡδεύσαμεν εἰς τὴν Λυκῶ, ἕως οὗ ἐφθάσαμεν πρὸς ἱερὸ τῶν εἰδώλων. Ἐγένετο δὲ οὕτως, καὶ καθῃρέθηγει → Καὶ λέγει; εἰσελθόν. τες → εἰσελθόντες.

Topics: Prayer

Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 17.4 (PG 65:139–141; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/17-4). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/17-4

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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.

17.5PG 65:141

Ἦλθέ τίς ποτε δαιμονιζόμενος εἰς τὴν Σκῆτιν, καὶ ἐγένετο εὐχὴ περὶ αὐτοῦ ἐν τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ, καὶ οὐκ ἐξήρχετο ὁ δαίμων· ἦν γὰρ σκληρός. Καὶ λέγουσιν οἱ κληρικοί· Τί ἔχομεν ποιῆσαι τῷ δαίμονι τούτῳ; οὐδεὶς δύναται αὐτὸν ἐκβαλεῖν, εἰ μὴ ὁ ἀββᾶς Βισαρίων· καὶ ἐὰν αὐτὸν παρακαλέσωμεν οὐδὲ εἰς τὴν ἐκκλησίαν ἔρχεται. Τοῦτο οὖν ποιήσωμεν· ἰδοὺ ἔρχεται πρωΐ πρὸ πάντων εἰς τὴν ἐκκλησίαν· ποιήσωμεν τὸν πάσχοντα καθευδῆσαι ὁ εἰς τὸν τόπον αὐτοῦ· καὶ ὅτε εἰσέρχεται, στῶμεν εἰς εὐχὴν, καὶ εἴπωμεν αὐτῷ· Ἑξύπνησον καὶ τὸν ἀδελφὸν, ἀββᾶ. Ἐποίησαν δὲ οὕτως, καὶ ἐλθόντος τοῦ γέροντος πρωΐ, ἐστάθησαν εἰς εὐχὴν, καὶ λέγουσιν αὐτῷ· Ἐξύπνησον καὶ τὸν ἀδελφόν. Καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ ὁ γέρων· Ἀνάστα, ἔξελθε ἔξω. Καὶ εὐθέως ἐξῆλθεν ἀπ᾿ αὐτοῦ ὁ δαίμων, καὶ ἰάθη ἀπὸ τῆς ὥρας ἐκείνης.

Ēlthe tis pote daimonizomenos eis tēn Skētin, kai egeneto euchē peri autou en tę̄ ekklēsią, kai ouk exērcheto ho daimōn; ēn gar sklēros. Kai legousin hoi klērikoi; Ti echomen poiēsai tǭ daimoni toutǭ? oudeis dynatai auton ekbalein, ei mē ho abbas Bisariōn; kai ean auton parakalesōmen oude eis tēn ekklēsian erchetai. Touto oun poiēsōmen; idou erchetai prōï pro pantōn eis tēn ekklēsian; poiēsōmen ton paschonta katheudēsai ho eis ton topon autou; kai hote eiserchetai, stōmen eis euchēn, kai eipōmen autǭ; Hexypnēson kai ton adelphon, abba. Epoiēsan de houtōs, kai elthontos tou gerontos prōï, estathēsan eis euchēn, kai legousin autǭ; Exypnēson kai ton adelphon. Kai eipen autǭ ho gerōn; Anasta, exelthe exō. Kai eutheōs exēlthen ap᾿ autou ho daimōn, kai iathē apo tēs hōras ekeinēs.

Once a man possessed by a demon came to Scetis, and prayer was made for him in the church, and the demon did not come out, for it was stubborn. And the clergy say, “What are we to do with this demon? No one can cast it out except abba Bessarion; and if we ask him, he will not even come to church. So let us do this: look, he comes to church early, before everyone; let us make the sufferer sleep in his place; and when he comes in, let us stand at prayer and say to him, ‘Wake the brother too, abba.’” They did so; and when the old man came in early, they stood at prayer and say to him, “Wake the brother too.” And the old man said to him, “Get up, go out.” And at once the demon came out of him, and he was healed from that hour.

Notes and citation

Summary: Tricked into it by the clergy, Bessarion unknowingly casts out a demon by telling a sleeper to get up.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR: word split): Βισα ρίων → Βισαρίων.

Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 17.5 (PG 65:141; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/17-5). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/17-5

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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.

17.6PG 65:141

Εἶπεν ὁ ἀββᾶς Βισαρίων, ὅτι Τεσσαράκοντα νυχθήμερα ἔμεινα μέσον ῥάμνων, στήκων, μὴ κοιμώμενος.

Eipen ho abbas Bisariōn, hoti Tessarakonta nychthēmera emeina meson rhamnōn, stēkōn, mē koimōmenos.

Abba Bessarion said, “For forty days and nights I stood among thorn bushes, without sleeping.”

Notes and citation

Summary: Bessarion stood forty days and nights among thorns without sleep.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR: word split): κοιμώ μενος → κοιμώμενος.

Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 17.6 (PG 65:141; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/17-6). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/17-6

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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.

17.7PG 65:141

Ἀδελφός τις ἁμαρτήσας έχωρίζετο ὑπὸ τοῦ πρεσβυτέρου ἐκ τῆς ἐκκλησίας. Ὁ δὲ ἀββᾶς Βισαρίων ἀναστὰς συνεξῆλθεν αὐτῷ, λέγων, ὅτι Κἀγὼ ἁμαρτωλός είμι.

Adelphos tis hamartēsas echōrizeto hypo tou presbyterou ek tēs ekklēsias. Ho de abbas Bisariōn anastas synexēlthen autǭ, legōn, hoti Kagō hamartōlos eimi.

A brother who had sinned was being put out of the church by the presbyter. And abba Bessarion got up and went out with him, saying, “I too am a sinner.”

Notes and citation

Summary: Bessarion leaves the church with an excluded brother, confessing himself a sinner.

Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 17.7 (PG 65:141; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/17-7). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/17-7

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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.

17.8PG 65:141

Ὁ αὐτὸς ἀββᾶς Βισαρίων εἶπεν, ὅτι Τεσσαράκοντα ἔτη οὐκ ἔθηκα ἑαυτὸν ἐπιπλευρὸν ἀλλὰ καθήμενος ἢ στήκων ἐκοιμώμην.

Ho autos abbas Bisariōn eipen, hoti Tessarakonta etē ouk ethēka heauton epipleuron alla kathēmenos ē stēkōn ekoimōmēn.

The same abba Bessarion said, “For forty years I did not lie down on my side, but slept sitting or standing.”

Notes and citation

Summary: Bessarion slept only sitting or standing for forty years.

Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 17.8 (PG 65:141; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/17-8). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/17-8

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Cotelier's Greek text as printed in Migne PG 65 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.

17.9PG 65:141

Ὁ αὐτὸς εἶπεν· Ὅταν ἐν εἰρήνῃ τυγχάνῃς καὶ οὐ πολεμῆσαι, τότε" μᾶλλον ταπεινοῦ, μήπως χαρᾶς ἀλλοτρίας ἐπεισελθούσης καυχησώμεθα, καὶ παραδοθῶμεν εἰς πόλεμον. Πολλάκις γὰρ ὁ Θεὸς διὰ τὰς ἀσθενείας ἡμῶν οὐ συγχωρεῖ ἡμᾶς παραδοθῆναι ἵνα μὴ ἀπολώμεθα.

Ho autos eipen; Hotan en eirēnę̄ tynchanę̄s kai ou polemēsai, tote" mallon tapeinou, mēpōs charas allotrias epeiselthousēs kauchēsōmetha, kai paradothōmen eis polemon. Pollakis gar ho Theos dia tas astheneias hēmōn ou synchōrei hēmas paradothēnai hina mē apolōmetha.

The same said, “When you are at peace and not under attack, then humble yourself all the more, lest an alien joy come in and we boast and be handed over to war. For often, because of our weaknesses, God does not allow us to be handed over, so that we may not perish.”

1 Cor 10:13 (echo, low confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: In times of peace one should humble oneself all the more.

Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 17.9 (PG 65:141; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/17-9). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/17-9

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Cotelier's Greek text as printed in Migne PG 65 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.

17.10PG 65:141

Ἀδελφὸς συνοικῶν ἀδελφοῖς ἡρώτησε τὸν ἀββᾶν Βισαρίωνα· Τί ποιήσω; Λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ γέρων· Σιώπα, καὶ μὴ μετρήσῃς ἑαυτόν. τα΄. Ὁ ἀββᾶς Βισαρίων ἀποθνήσκων ἔλεγεν, ὅτι ὀφείλει εἶναι ὁ μοναχὸς, ὡς τὰ χερουβὶμ καὶ τὰ σεραφία, ὅλος ὀφθαλμός.

Adelphos synoikōn adelphois hērōtēse ton abban Bisariōna; Ti poiēsō? Legei autǭ ho gerōn; Siōpa, kai mē metrēsę̄s heauton. ta΄. Ho abbas Bisariōn apothnēskōn elegen, hoti opheilei einai ho monachos, hōs ta cheroubim kai ta seraphia, holos ophthalmos.

A brother living with brothers asked abba Bessarion, “What shall I do?” The old man says to him, “Keep silent, and do not measure yourself.” [11] Abba Bessarion, dying, said that the monk ought to be like the cherubim and seraphim, all eye.

Ezek 10:12 (echo, low confidence) · Rev 4:8 (echo, low confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Bessarion counsels silence and not comparing oneself; dying, he says a monk must be all eye like the cherubim.

The scan runs Bessarion 11 (numbered ιαʹ) into this saying; marked [11]. The cherubim full of eyes: Ezek 10:12; Rev 4:8.

Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 17.10 (PG 65:141; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/17-10). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/17-10

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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.

17.12PG 65:141–143

Διηγήσαντο οἱ μαθηταὶ τοῦ ἀββᾶ Βισαρίωνος, τὸν βίον αὐτοῦ οὕτως γεγενῆσθαι, ὡς ἕν τι τῶν ἀερίων πτηνῶν ἢ νηκτῶν ἢ χερσαίων ζώων, ἀταράχως καὶ ἀμερίμνως πάντα τὸν τῆς ζωῆς αὐτοῦ χρόνον διατελέσαντα Οὐ γὰρ φροντὶςοἴκου παρ' αὐτοῦ ἐμελετᾶτο, οὐ τόπων ἐπιθυμία κεκρατηκέναι ἔδοξε τῆς τούτου ψυχῆς, οὐ κόρος τρυφῆς οὐ κτίσις οἰκημάτων, οὐ βίβλων περιφοραί· ἀλλ᾽ ὅλος δι᾽ ὅλου τῶν τοῦ σώματος παθῶν ἐφάνη ἐλεύθερος, ἐλπίδι τῶν μελλόντων τρεφόμενος, καὶ πίστεως ὀχυρώματι βεβηκώς, ἐκαρτέρει ὥσπερ αἰχμάλωτος ὧδε κἀκεῖσε, ἐν ψύχει καὶ γυμνότητι διαμένων, καὶ τῇ φλογὶ τοῦ ἡλίου διακαιόμονος αἴθριος πάντοτε· κρημνοῖς ἐρημιῶν ἑαυτὸν ὡς πλανώμενον περιπείρων, καὶ πλατείᾳ τῇ ἄμμου χώρᾳ ἀοικήτῳ πολλάκις ἑαυτὸν ὡς ἐν πελάγει φέρεσθαι εὐδοκήσας. Εἰ δὲ συμβεβήκει εἰς ἡμερότητα τόπων ἐλθεῖν, ἔνθα οἱ τῆς ὁμοτρόπου ζωῆς μοναχοὶ καὶ κοινὸν τὸν βίον ἔχουσιν, ἔξω θυρῶν καθεζόμενος ἔκλαιε, καὶ ὥσπερ ἐκ ναυαγίου τις ἀποῤῥιφεὶς ὠδύρετο. Εἶτα, ἐξελθών τις τῶν ἀδελφῶν, εἰ εὗρε τοῦτον, ὡς προσαίτην ἕνα τῶν ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ πτωχῶν καθήμενον, καὶ ἐγγίσας, ἐλεεινῶς φησιν αὐτῷ· Τί κλαίεις, ἄνθρωπε; εἰ δέῃ τινὸς τῶν ἀναγκαίων, κατὰ δύναμιν λήψῃ, μόνον εἰσελθὼν ἔνδον κοινώνησον ἡμῖν τραπέζης, παραμυθίας τυχών. Ὁ δὲ ἀπεκρίνατο, μὴ δύνασθαι ὑπὸ στέγην μεῖναι, πρὶν ἂν εὕρω τῆς ἐμῆς οἰκίας τὴν ὕπαρξιν· ἀπολωλεκέναι φήσας πολλὰ χρήματα διαφόροις τρόποις. Καὶ γὰρ πειραταῖς περιέπεσα, καὶ ναυαγίῳ ἐλήφθην, καὶ τῆς εὐγενείας μου ἐξέπεσον, ἄδοξος ἐξ ἐνδόξων γενόμενος. Ὁ δὲ πρὸς τὸν λόγον σχετλιάσας, εἰσελθὼν, καὶ ψωμὸν λαβών, παρέσχε, λέγων· Λάβε τοῦτον, πάτερ· τὰ δὲ ἄλλα σοι ὁ Θεὸς, ὡς λέγεις, ἀπονεμεῖ πατρίδα καὶ γένος, καὶ πλοῦτον ὃν ἔφης. Ὁ δὲ ἔτι μᾶλλον πενθῶν ἔβρυξε μέγα, ἐπιφθεγξάμενος Οὐκ οἶδα εἰπεῖν εἰ δυνηθείην εὑρεῖν ἅπερ ζητῶ ἀπολέσας· ἀλλ᾽ ἔτι μᾶλλον χαρίσομαι, κινδυνεύων ἀεὶ καθ' ἡμέραν εἰς θάνατον, ἀνοχὴν οὐκ ἔχων ἀπὸ τῶν ἀμέτρων ἐμοὶ συμφορῶν· Δεῖ γὰρ με συνεχῶς ἀποπλανώμενον, τελειῶσαι τὸν δρόμον.

Diēgēsanto hoi mathētai tou abba Bisariōnos, ton bion autou houtōs gegenēsthai, hōs hen ti tōn aeriōn ptēnōn ē nēktōn ē chersaiōn zōōn, atarachōs kai amerimnōs panta ton tēs zōēs autou chronon diatelesanta Ou gar phrontisoikou par' autou emeletato, ou topōn epithymia kekratēkenai edoxe tēs toutou psychēs, ou koros tryphēs ou ktisis oikēmatōn, ou biblōn periphorai; all᾽ holos di᾽ holou tōn tou sōmatos pathōn ephanē eleutheros, elpidi tōn mellontōn trephomenos, kai pisteōs ochyrōmati bebēkōs, ekarterei hōsper aichmalōtos hōde kakeise, en psychei kai gymnotēti diamenōn, kai tę̄ phlogi tou hēliou diakaiomonos aithrios pantote; krēmnois erēmiōn heauton hōs planōmenon peripeirōn, kai plateią tę̄ ammou chōrą aoikētǭ pollakis heauton hōs en pelagei pheresthai eudokēsas. Ei de symbebēkei eis hēmerotēta topōn elthein, entha hoi tēs homotropou zōēs monachoi kai koinon ton bion echousin, exō thyrōn kathezomenos eklaie, kai hōsper ek nauagiou tis aporrhipheis ōdyreto. Eita, exelthōn tis tōn adelphōn, ei heure touton, hōs prosaitēn hena tōn en tǭ kosmǭ ptōchōn kathēmenon, kai engisas, eleeinōs phēsin autǭ; Ti klaieis, anthrōpe? ei deę̄ tinos tōn anankaiōn, kata dynamin lēpsę̄, monon eiselthōn endon koinōnēson hēmin trapezēs, paramythias tychōn. Ho de apekrinato, mē dynasthai hypo stegēn meinai, prin an heurō tēs emēs oikias tēn hyparxin; apolōlekenai phēsas polla chrēmata diaphorois tropois. Kai gar peiratais periepesa, kai nauagiǭ elēphthēn, kai tēs eugeneias mou exepeson, adoxos ex endoxōn genomenos. Ho de pros ton logon schetliasas, eiselthōn, kai psōmon labōn, paresche, legōn; Labe touton, pater; ta de alla soi ho Theos, hōs legeis, aponemei patrida kai genos, kai plouton hon ephēs. Ho de eti mallon penthōn ebryxe mega, epiphthenxamenos Ouk oida eipein ei dynētheiēn heurein haper zētō apolesas; all᾽ eti mallon charisomai, kindyneuōn aei kath' hēmeran eis thanaton, anochēn ouk echōn apo tōn ametrōn emoi symphorōn; Dei gar me synechōs apoplanōmenon, teleiōsai ton dromon.

The disciples of abba Bessarion related that his life had been like that of one of the birds of the air, or the fish, or the land animals, passing all the time of his life without disturbance and without care. For no concern for a house occupied him, no desire for places seemed to have gained mastery over his soul, no surfeit of luxury, no building of dwellings, no carrying about of books; but he appeared wholly free from the passions of the body, nourished by the hope of things to come, and standing on the stronghold of faith; he endured like a captive, here and there, remaining in cold and nakedness, and burned by the flame of the sun, always in the open; wandering about the precipices of the deserts like a vagrant, and often content to be carried over the broad uninhabited land of sand as if on the open sea. And if it happened that he came to gentler places, where monks of the same way of life live a common life, he would sit outside the gate and weep, and lament like a man thrown up from a shipwreck. Then, if one of the brothers came out and found him sitting like one of the beggars among the poor of the world, he would come near and say to him with pity, “Why are you weeping, man? If you need any of the necessities, you will receive them as far as we can; only come in and share our table and be comforted.” But he answered that he could not stay under a roof until he had found the substance of his house, saying that he had lost great riches in various ways: “For I fell among pirates, and I was caught in a shipwreck, and I fell from my noble rank, becoming obscure instead of illustrious.” The brother, moved by his words, went in and took a morsel of bread and gave it to him, saying, “Take this, father; and God, as you say, will give you back the rest: homeland, family, and the wealth you spoke of.” But he, mourning still more, groaned aloud, saying, “I cannot say whether I shall be able to find what I have lost and am seeking; but I shall be still more glad, being in danger of death every day, having no respite from my measureless misfortunes; for I must complete my course always wandering.”

Matt 6:26 (echo, low confidence) · 2 Tim 4:7 (echo, low confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Bessarion lived as a homeless wanderer, weeping like a shipwrecked man for the lost riches of the soul.

Bessarion’s “lost wealth” and “shipwreck” are figures for the soul’s loss; the brother takes them literally.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR: letter slip): βίόλων → βίβλων.

Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 17.12 (PG 65:141–143; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/17-12). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/17-12

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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.

Chapter 18

18.1PG 65:143

Ἔλεγεν ὁ ἀββᾶς Βενιαμὶν, ὅτι Ὡς κατήλθομεν ἀπὸ τοῦ θέρους εἰς Σκῆτιν, ἤνεγκαν ἡμῖν ἀπὸ Ἀλεξανδρείας καρποφορίαν, πρὸς ἕνα ἀγγεῖον ἐλαίου ξέστου γεγυψωμένον· καὶ ὡς ἦλθε πάλιν ὁ καιρὸς τοῦ θέρους, εἴ τι περιέσσευεν, οἱ ἀδελφοὶ ἔφερον εἰς τὴν ἐκκλησίαν. Κἀγὼ ἤμην μὴ ἀνοίξας τὸ ἀγγεῖόν μου, ἀλλὰ τῇ ῥαφίδι τρυπήσας, μετέβαλον μικρόν· καὶ εἶχεν ἡ καρδία μου, ὅτι μέγα πρᾶγμα ἐποίησα. Καὶ ὡς ἤνεγκαν οἱ ἀδελφοὶ τὰ ἑαυτῶν ἀγγεῖα γεγυψωμένα ὡς ἦσαν, καὶ τὸ ἐμὸν τετρυπημένον ἦν, εὑρέθην ὡς πορνεύσας ἀπὸ τῆς αἰσχύνης.

Elegen ho abbas Beniamin, hoti Hōs katēlthomen apo tou therous eis Skētin, ēnenkan hēmin apo Alexandreias karpophorian, pros hena angeion elaiou xestou gegypsōmenon; kai hōs ēlthe palin ho kairos tou therous, ei ti periesseuen, hoi adelphoi epheron eis tēn ekklēsian. Kagō ēmēn mē anoixas to angeion mou, alla tę̄ rhaphidi trypēsas, metebalon mikron; kai eichen hē kardia mou, hoti mega pragma epoiēsa. Kai hōs ēnenkan hoi adelphoi ta heautōn angeia gegypsōmena hōs ēsan, kai to emon tetrypēmenon ēn, heurethēn hōs porneusas apo tēs aischynēs.

Abba Benjamin said, “When we came down to Scetis after the harvest, they brought us from Alexandria a gift: a sealed jar of oil, of one sextarius each. And when the time of harvest came round again, the brothers would bring whatever was left over to the church. I had not opened my jar, but had pierced it with a needle and taken out a little; and my heart told me that I had done a great thing. And when the brothers brought their jars sealed as they were, and mine had been pierced, I was found as if I had committed sexual immorality, from shame.”

Notes and citation

Summary: Benjamin, who had secretly taken a little oil from his jar, is shamed before brothers who took none.

A stray line from Migne’s notes is removed. A sextarius was about half a liter.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR: word split; line from Migne’s notes merged into the Greek): Απ. τροφῆς. κτῆσις. → ; γεγυ ψωμένα → γεγυψωμένα.

Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 18.1 (PG 65:143; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/18-1). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/18-1

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Cotelier's Greek text as printed in Migne PG 65 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.

18.2PG 65:143

Εἶπεν ὁ ἀββᾶς Βενιαμὶν ὁ πρεσβύτερος τῶν Κελλίων, ὅτι Παρεβάλομεν εἰς Σκῆτιν πρός τινα γέροντα, καὶ ἠθελήσαμεν αὐτῷ βαλεῖν μικρὸν ἔλαιον· καὶ λέγει ἡμῖν· Ἰδοὺ ποῦ κεῖται τὸ μικρὸν ἀγγεῖον ὁ ἠνέγκατέ μοι πρὸ τριῶν ἐτῶν· ὡς ἐθήκατε αὐτὸ, οὕτως ἔμεινεν. Ακούσαντες δὲ ἡμεῖς ἐθαυμάσαμεν τὴν πολιτείαν τοῦ γέροντος.

Eipen ho abbas Beniamin ho presbyteros tōn Kelliōn, hoti Parebalomen eis Skētin pros tina geronta, kai ēthelēsamen autǭ balein mikron elaion; kai legei hēmin; Idou pou keitai to mikron angeion ho ēnenkate moi pro triōn etōn; hōs ethēkate auto, houtōs emeinen. Akousantes de hēmeis ethaumasamen tēn politeian tou gerontos.

Abba Benjamin, the presbyter of the Cells, said, “We visited an old man at Scetis, and we wanted to give him a little oil; and he says to us, ‘Look, there is the little jar you brought me three years ago; as you put it down, so it has stayed.’ When we heard this, we marveled at the old man’s way of life.”

Notes and citation

Summary: An old man at Scetis had left untouched for three years the oil given him.

Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 18.2 (PG 65:143; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/18-2). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/18-2

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Cotelier's Greek text as printed in Migne PG 65 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.

18.3PG 65:143–145

Ὁ αὐτὸς εἶπεν, ὅτι Παρεβάλομεν ἄλλῳ γέροντι, καὶ ἐκράτησεν ἡμᾶς φαγεῖν· ἔβαλε δὲ ἡμῖν ῥαφανέλαιον. Καὶ λέγομεν αὐτῷ· Πάτερ, μᾶλλον μικρὸν χρήσιμον ἔλαιον βάλε ἡμῖν. Ὁ δὲ ἀκούσας, ἐσφράγισεν ἑαυτὸν, λέγων· Εἴ ἐστιν ἄλλο ἔλαιον ἐκτὸς τούτου, οὐκ οἶδα ἐγώ.

Ho autos eipen, hoti Parebalomen allǭ geronti, kai ekratēsen hēmas phagein; ebale de hēmin rhaphanelaion. Kai legomen autǭ; Pater, mallon mikron chrēsimon elaion bale hēmin. Ho de akousas, esphragisen heauton, legōn; Ei estin allo elaion ektos toutou, ouk oida egō.

The same said, “We visited another old man, and he kept us to eat; and he put radish oil on our food. And we say to him, ‘Father, put a little good oil on it for us instead.’ When he heard this, he crossed himself, saying, ‘If there is any oil besides this, I do not know it.’”

Notes and citation

Summary: An old man knew no oil but the cheapest kind.

Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 18.3 (PG 65:143–145; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/18-3). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/18-3

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Cotelier's Greek text as printed in Migne PG 65 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.

18.4PG 65:145

Ὁ ἀββᾶς Βενιαμὶν εἴρηκε τοῖς υἱοῖς αὐτοῦ ἀποθνήσκων Ταῦτα ποιεῖτε, καὶ δύνασθε σωθῆναι· Πάντοτε χαίρετε, ἀδιαλείπτως προσεύχεσθε, ἐν παντὶ εὐχαριστεῖτε.

Ho abbas Beniamin eirēke tois huiois autou apothnēskōn Tauta poieite, kai dynasthe sōthēnai; Pantote chairete, adialeiptōs proseuchesthe, en panti eucharisteite.

Abba Benjamin, dying, said to his sons, “Do these things, and you can be saved: rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in everything.”

1 Thess 5:16 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Thess 5:17 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Thess 5:18 (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Dying, Benjamin commends Paul’s threefold rule of joy, prayer, and thanksgiving.

Quotation of 1 Thess 5:16–18.

Topics: Prayer

Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 18.4 (PG 65:145; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/18-4). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/18-4

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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.

18.5PG 65:145

Ὁ αὐτὸς εἴρηκε· Τὴν βασιλικὴν ὁδὸν πορεύεσθε, καὶ τὰ μίλια μετρεῖτε, καὶ οὐκ ὀλιγωρεῖτε.

Ho autos eirēke; Tēn basilikēn hodon poreuesthe, kai ta milia metreite, kai ouk oligōreite.

The same said, “Walk the royal road, and count the miles, and do not lose heart.”

Num 20:17 (echo, low confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Benjamin counsels the royal road of moderation with steady perseverance.

The “royal road” is the middle way of moderation (cf. Num 20:17).

Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 18.5 (PG 65:145; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/18-5). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/18-5

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Cotelier's Greek text as printed in Migne PG 65 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.

Chapter 19

19.1PG 65:145

Ἠρώτησέ τις τὸν ἀββᾶν Βιαρὲ, λέγων· Τί ποιἡσω ἵνα σωθῶ; Καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ· Ὕπαγε, ποίησον τὴν κοιλίαν σου μικρὰν, καὶ τὸ ἐργόχειρόν σου μικρὸν, καὶ μὴ ταράσσου εἰς τὸ κελλίον σου· σώζῃ.

Ērōtēse tis ton abban Biare, legōn; Ti poiēsō hina sōthō? Kai legei autǭ; Hypage, poiēson tēn koilian sou mikran, kai to ergocheiron sou mikron, kai mē tarassou eis to kellion sou; sōzę̄.

Someone asked abba Biare, saying, “What shall I do to be saved?” And he says to him, “Go, make your belly small and your handiwork small, and do not be troubled in your cell; you will be saved.”

Notes and citation

Summary: Biare counsels little food, little work, and calm in the cell.

Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 19.1 (PG 65:145; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/19-1). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/19-1

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Cotelier's Greek text as printed in Migne PG 65 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.

Chapter 20

20.0PG 65:145

καὶ

kai

… and

Notes and citation

Summary: A stray word printed before the first saying of Gregory the Theologian.

A single stray word (“and”) stands before the first numbered saying in the scan; it belongs to no saying.

Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 20.0 (PG 65:145; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/20-0). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/20-0

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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.

20.1PG 65:145

Εἶπεν ὁ ἀββᾶς Γρηγόριος, ὅτι τὰ τρία ταῦτα ἀπαιτεῖ ὁ Θεὸς παρὰ παντὸς ἀνθρώπου ἔχοντος τὸ βάπτισμα· πίστιν ὀρθὴν ἀπὸ τῆς ψυχῆς, καὶ ἀλήθειαν ἀπὸ τῆς γλώσσης, καὶ σωφροσύνην ἀπὸ τοῦ σώματος.

Eipen ho abbas Grēgorios, hoti ta tria tauta apaitei ho Theos para pantos anthrōpou echontos to baptisma; pistin orthēn apo tēs psychēs, kai alētheian apo tēs glōssēs, kai sōphrosynēn apo tou sōmatos.

Abba Gregory said, “God requires these three things of every person who has baptism: right faith from the soul, truth from the tongue, and chastity from the body.”

Notes and citation

Summary: Gregory names right faith, truthful speech, and bodily chastity as God’s demands on the baptized.

Topics: Baptism

Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 20.1 (PG 65:145; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/20-1). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/20-1

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Cotelier's Greek text as printed in Migne PG 65 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.

20.2PG 65:145

Εἶπε πάλιν· ὅλος ὁ βίος ἀνθρώπου, ἡμέρα μία, τοῖς πόθῳ κάμνουσιν.

Eipe palin; holos ho bios anthrōpou, hēmera mia, tois pothǭ kamnousin.

He also said, “The whole life of a man is a single day to those who labor with longing.”

Notes and citation

Summary: For those who strive with longing, all of life is one day.

Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 20.2 (PG 65:145; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/20-2). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/20-2

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Cotelier's Greek text as printed in Migne PG 65 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.