Sayings of the Desert Fathers (alphabetical collection) 70.1–75.4
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 70
70.1PG 65:281
Ἑπολεμήθη ποτὲ ὁ ἀββᾶς Μωϋσῆς εἰς πορνείαν πάνυ· καὶ μηκέτι ἰσχύων καθίσαι εἰς τὸ κελλίον, ἀπῆλθε, καὶ ἀνήγγειλε τῷ ἀββᾷ Ἰσιδώρῳ. Καὶ παρεκάλεσεν αὐτὸν ὁ γέρων, ἵνα ὑποστρέψῃ εἰς τὸ κελλίον αὐτοῦ. Καὶ οὐ κατεδέξατο, λέγων ὅτι, Οὐκ ἰσχύω, ἀββᾶ. Καὶ λαβὼν αὐτὸν μεθ᾽ ἑαυτοῦ, ἀνήγαγεν εἰς τὸ δῶμα, καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ· Πρόσχες εἰς δυσμάς. Καὶ προσχών, εἶδε πλῆθος δαιμόνων ἀναρίθμητον· καὶ ἦσαν τεταραγμένοι, καὶ θορυβοῦντες τοῦ πολεμεῖν. Λέγει αὐτῷ πάλιν ὁ ἀββᾶς Ἰσίδωρος· Βλέψον καὶ εἰς τὰς ἀνατολάς. Καὶ προσέσχε, καὶ εἶδεν ἀναρίθμητα πλήθη ἁγίων ἀγγέλων δεδοξασμένων. Καὶ εἶπεν ὁ ἀββᾶς Ἰσίδωρος· Ἰδοὺ οὗτοί εἰσιν οἱ ἀποστελλόμενοι τοῖς ἁγίοις παρὰ τοῦ Κυρίου εἰς βοήθειαν. Οἱ δὲ εἰς δυσμὰς, εἰσὶν οἱ πολεμοῦντες αὐτοὺς Πλείους οὖν εἰσιν οἱ μεθ᾽ ἡμῶν. Καὶ οὕτως εὐχαριστήσας ὁ ἀββᾶς Μωϋσῆς τῷ Θεῷ, ἔλαβε θάρσος, καὶ ὑπέστρεψε εἰς τὸ κελλίον αὐτοῦ.
Hepolemēthē pote ho abbas Mōÿsēs eis porneian pany; kai mēketi ischyōn kathisai eis to kellion, apēlthe, kai anēngeile tǭ abbą Isidōrǭ. Kai parekalesen auton ho gerōn, hina hypostrepsę̄ eis to kellion autou. Kai ou katedexato, legōn hoti, Ouk ischyō, abba. Kai labōn auton meth᾽ heautou, anēgagen eis to dōma, kai legei autǭ; Prosches eis dysmas. Kai proschōn, eide plēthos daimonōn anarithmēton; kai ēsan tetaragmenoi, kai thorybountes tou polemein. Legei autǭ palin ho abbas Isidōros; Blepson kai eis tas anatolas. Kai prosesche, kai eiden anarithmēta plēthē hagiōn angelōn dedoxasmenōn. Kai eipen ho abbas Isidōros; Idou houtoi eisin hoi apostellomenoi tois hagiois para tou Kyriou eis boētheian. Hoi de eis dysmas, eisin hoi polemountes autous Pleious oun eisin hoi meth᾽ hēmōn. Kai houtōs eucharistēsas ho abbas Mōÿsēs tǭ Theǭ, elabe tharsos, kai hypestrepse eis to kellion autou.
Once abba Moses was fiercely attacked by sexual temptation; and no longer able to stay in his cell, he went and told abba Isidore. And the old man urged him to go back to his cell. But he would not, saying, “I cannot, abba.” And taking him with him, he brought him up onto the roof and says to him, “Look toward the west.” And looking, he saw a countless multitude of demons, agitated and clamoring to fight. Abba Isidore says to him again, “Look toward the east too.” And he looked, and saw countless multitudes of holy angels in glory. And abba Isidore said, “Look, these are the ones sent by the Lord to the saints for help. Those in the west are the ones fighting them. So those with us are more.” And so abba Moses gave thanks to God, took courage, and went back to his cell.
2 Kgs 6:16 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Isidore shows Moses that the angels helping him outnumber the demons attacking him.
- Quotation of 2 Kgs 6:16.
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 70.1 (PG 65:281; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/70-1). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/70-1
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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.
70.2PG 65:281–283
Ἀδελφός ποτε ἐσφάλη εἰς Σκῆτιν· καὶ γενομένου συνεδρίου, ἀπέστειλαν πρὸς τὸν ἀββᾶν Μωϋσῆν. Ὁ δὲ οὐκ ἤθελεν ἐλθεῖν. Απέστειλεν οὖν πρὸς αὐτὸν ὁ πρεσβύτερος, λέγων· Ἐλθὲ, ὅτι σε ὁ λαὸς περιμένει. Ὁ δὲ ἀναστὰς ἦλθε. Καὶ λαβὼν σπυρίδα τετρημμένην καὶ γεμίσας ἄμμου, ἐβάστασεν. Οἱ δὲ ἐξελθόντες εἰς ἀπάντησιν αὐτοῦ, λέγουσιν αὐτῷ· Τί ἐστι τοῦτο, Πάτερ; Εἶπε δὲ αὐτοῖς ὁ γέρων· Αἱ ἁμαρτίαι μού εἰσιν ὀπίσω μου καταρρέουσαι, καὶ οὐ βλέπω αὐτάς· καὶ ἦλθον ἐγὼ σήμερον, ἁμαρτήματα ἀλλότρια κρῖναι. Οἱ δὲ ἀκούσαντες, οὐδὲν ἐλάλησαν τῷ ἀδελφῷ· ἀλλὰ συνεχώρησαν αὐτῷ.
Adelphos pote esphalē eis Skētin; kai genomenou synedriou, apesteilan pros ton abban Mōÿsēn. Ho de ouk ēthelen elthein. Apesteilen oun pros auton ho presbyteros, legōn; Elthe, hoti se ho laos perimenei. Ho de anastas ēlthe. Kai labōn spyrida tetrēmmenēn kai gemisas ammou, ebastasen. Hoi de exelthontes eis apantēsin autou, legousin autǭ; Ti esti touto, Pater? Eipe de autois ho gerōn; Hai hamartiai mou eisin opisō mou katarreousai, kai ou blepō autas; kai ēlthon egō sēmeron, hamartēmata allotria krinai. Hoi de akousantes, ouden elalēsan tǭ adelphǭ; alla synechōrēsan autǭ.
Once a brother committed a fault at Scetis; and when a council was held, they sent for abba Moses. But he would not come. So the presbyter sent to him, saying, “Come, for the people are waiting for you.” And he got up and came. And taking a basket with holes in it and filling it with sand, he carried it. Those who went out to meet him say to him, “What is this, father?” The old man said to them, “My sins are running out behind me, and I do not see them; and I have come today to judge someone else’s sins.” Hearing this, they said nothing to the brother, but forgave him.
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
Matt 7:3 (echo, low confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Moses carries a leaking basket of sand to a council to show that his own sins run out behind him unseen.
- Variant notes and stray lines from Migne’s notes are removed.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR: word split; variant notes (“Al.”) and stray lines from Migne’s notes inside the sentence): γενομέ νου → γενομένου; Αἱ ἁμαρτίαι ΑΙ. σκαλίδιον. ο ΑΙ. λαβών. μένην. ρὸς καὶ τοὺς καλοὺς ποιεῖ κακούς· ὁ δὲ καλὸς ὠφελεῖ πάντας. ὁ εἰς τὴν Πέτραν. Αι. ἡμᾶς. ΑΙ. τετρυπημού εἰσιν → Αἱ ἁμαρτίαι μού εἰσιν; ἀλλό τρια → ἀλλότρια.
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 70.2 (PG 65:281–283; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/70-2). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/70-2
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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.
70.3PG 65:283
"Αλλοτε συνεδρίου γενομένου ἐν τῇ Σκήτει, θέλοντες αὐτὸν οἱ Πατέρες δοκιμάσαι, ἐξουδένωσαν αὐτὸν, λέγοντες· Τι καὶ ὁ Αἰθίοψ οὗτος ἔρχεται εἰς τὴν μέσην ἡμῶν; Ὁ δὲ ἀκούσας ἐσιώπησε. Μετὰ δὲ τὸ ἀπολυθῆναι αὐτοὺς, λέγουσιν αὐτῷ· Ἀ̓ββᾶ, οὐδὲν δε ἄρτι ἐταράχθης; Λέγει αὐτοῖς· Ἐταράχθην, ἀλλ' οὐκ ἐλάλησα.
"Allote synedriou genomenou en tę̄ Skētei, thelontes auton hoi Pateres dokimasai, exoudenōsan auton, legontes; Ti kai ho Aithiops houtos erchetai eis tēn mesēn hēmōn? Ho de akousas esiōpēse. Meta de to apolythēnai autous, legousin autǭ; Abba, ouden de arti etarachthēs? Legei autois; Etarachthēn, all' ouk elalēsa.
Another time, when a council was held at Scetis, the Fathers, wanting to test him, treated him with contempt, saying, “Why does this Ethiopian come among us?” Hearing this, he kept silent. After they were dismissed, they say to him, “Abba, were you not troubled just now?” He says to them, “I was troubled, but I did not speak.”
Notes and citation
Summary: Insulted as an Ethiopian to test him, Moses was troubled but kept silent.
- The Fathers’ insult refers to Moses’ Ethiopian origin; it is translated as written.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR: word split): θέ λοντες → θέλοντες.
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 70.3 (PG 65:283; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/70-3). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/70-3
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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.
70.4PG 65:283
Ἔλεγον περὶ τοῦ ἀββᾶ Μωϋσέως, ὅτι ἐγένετο κληρικὸς, καὶ ἐπέθηκαν αὐτῷ τὴν ἐπωμίδα. Καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ ἀρχιεπίσκοπος Ἰδοὺ γέγονας ὀλόλευκος, ἀββᾶ Μωϋσῆ. Λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ γέρων· Ἄ̓́ρα τὰ ἔξω, κῦρι ὁ Πάπας ἢ καὶ τὰ ἔσω! Θέλων δὲ ὁ ἀρχιεπίσκοπος δοκιμάσαι αὐτὸν, λέγει τοῖς κληρικοῖς· "Ὅταν εἰσέρχηται ὁ ἀββᾶς Μωϋσῆς εἰς τὸ ἱερατεῖον, διώξατε αὐτὸν, καὶ ἀκολουθήσατε αὐτῷ, ἵνα ἀκούσητε τί λέγει. Εἰσῆλθεν οὖν ὁ γέρων· καὶ ἐπετίμησαν αὐτὸν, καὶ ἐδίωξαν, λέγοντες· Ὕπαγε ἔξω, Αἰθίοψ. Ὁ δὲ ἐξελθὼν ἔλεγεν ἑαυτῷ Καλῶς σοι ἐποίησαν, σποδόδερμε μελανέ. Μὴ ὢν ἄνθρωπος, τί ἔρχῃ μετὰ ἀνθρώπων;
Elegon peri tou abba Mōÿseōs, hoti egeneto klērikos, kai epethēkan autǭ tēn epōmida. Kai legei autǭ ho archiepiskopos Idou gegonas ololeukos, abba Mōÿsē. Legei autǭ ho gerōn; Ara ta exō, kyri ho Papas ē kai ta esō! Thelōn de ho archiepiskopos dokimasai auton, legei tois klērikois; "Hotan eiserchētai ho abbas Mōÿsēs eis to hierateion, diōxate auton, kai akolouthēsate autǭ, hina akousēte ti legei. Eisēlthen oun ho gerōn; kai epetimēsan auton, kai ediōxan, legontes; Hypage exō, Aithiops. Ho de exelthōn elegen heautǭ Kalōs soi epoiēsan, spododerme melane. Mē ōn anthrōpos, ti erchę̄ meta anthrōpōn?
They said of abba Moses that he was made a cleric, and they put the vestment on him. And the archbishop says to him, “Look, you have become all white, abba Moses.” The old man says to him, “Is it the outside, lord pope, or the inside too?” Wanting to test him, the archbishop says to the clergy, “When abba Moses goes into the sanctuary, drive him out, and follow him to hear what he says.” So the old man went in; and they rebuked him and drove him out, saying, “Go outside, Ethiopian.” And going out he said to himself, “They have treated you rightly, ash-skinned black. Since you are not a man, why do you come among men?”
Notes and citation
Summary: Ordained, Moses is driven from the sanctuary as an Ethiopian to test him, and accepts the humiliation.
- The insults and Moses’ self-abasement refer to his Ethiopian origin and dark skin; they are translated as written. ἐπωμίς is the vestment of his order.
Topics: Church office
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 70.4 (PG 65:283; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/70-4). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/70-4
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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.
70.5PG 65:283
Ἐδόθη ποτὲ εἰς Σκῆτιν ἐντολὴ ὅτι, Νηστεύσατε τὴν ἑβδομάδα ταύτην· καὶ κατ᾿ εὐκαιρίαν, παρέβαλον ἀδελφοὶ ἀπὸ Αἰγύπτου τῷ ἀββᾷ Μωϋσῇ καὶ ἐποίησεν αὐτοῖς μικρὸν ἔψημα. Καὶ ἰδόντες οἱ γείτονες τὸν καπνὸν, εἶπον τοῖς κληρικοῖς Ἰδοὺ Μωϋσῆς κατέλυσε τὴν ἐντολὴν, καὶ ἔψημα παρ' ἑαυτῷ ἐποίησεν. Οἱ δὲ εἶπον· Ὅτε ἔρχεται, ἡμεῖς λαλοῦμεν αὐτῷ. Τοῦ δὲ σαββάτου γενομένου, οἱ κληρικοὶ ἰδόντες τὴν μεγάλην πολιτείαν τοῦ ἀββᾶ Μωϋσέως, ἔλεγον αὐτῷ ἔμπροσθεν τοῦ λαοῦ· Ὦ ἀββᾶ Μωϋσῆ, τὴν ἐντολὴν τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἔλυσας, καὶ τὴν τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐφύλαξας
Edothē pote eis Skētin entolē hoti, Nēsteusate tēn hebdomada tautēn; kai kat᾿ eukairian, parebalon adelphoi apo Aigyptou tǭ abbą Mōÿsę̄ kai epoiēsen autois mikron epsēma. Kai idontes hoi geitones ton kapnon, eipon tois klērikois Idou Mōÿsēs katelyse tēn entolēn, kai epsēma par' heautǭ epoiēsen. Hoi de eipon; Hote erchetai, hēmeis laloumen autǭ. Tou de sabbatou genomenou, hoi klērikoi idontes tēn megalēn politeian tou abba Mōÿseōs, elegon autǭ emprosthen tou laou; Ō abba Mōÿsē, tēn entolēn tōn anthrōpōn elysas, kai tēn tou Theou ephylaxas
Once an order was given at Scetis: “Fast this week.” And as it happened, brothers from Egypt visited abba Moses, and he made them a little cooked food. Seeing the smoke, the neighbors said to the clergy, “Look, Moses has broken the commandment and made cooked food at his place.” They said, “When he comes, we will speak to him.” When Saturday came, the clergy, seeing the great virtue of abba Moses, said to him before the people, “O abba Moses, you have broken the commandment of men and kept the commandment of God.”
Mark 7:8 (echo, low confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Moses breaks a fast to feed visitors and is praised for keeping God’s command rather than men’s.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR: stray mark; OCR: word split): ἐποίη σεν → ἐποίησεν; κληρικοὶ. ἰδόντες → κληρικοὶ ἰδόντες.
Topics: Fasting
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 70.5 (PG 65:283; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/70-5). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/70-5
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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.
70.6PG 65:283
Ἀδελφὸς παρέβαλεν εἰς Σκῆτιν πρὸς τὸν ἀββᾶν Μωϋσῆν, αἰτούμενος παρ' αὐτοῦ λόγον. Λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ γέρων Ὕπαγε, κάθισον εἰς τὸ κελλίον σου· καὶ τὸ κελλίον σου διδάσκει σε πάντα.
Adelphos parebalen eis Skētin pros ton abban Mōÿsēn, aitoumenos par' autou logon. Legei autǭ ho gerōn Hypage, kathison eis to kellion sou; kai to kellion sou didaskei se panta.
A brother visited abba Moses at Scetis, asking a word of him. The old man says to him, “Go, sit in your cell, and your cell will teach you everything.”
Notes and citation
Summary: Moses: sit in your cell, and it will teach you everything.
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 70.6 (PG 65:283; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/70-6). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/70-6
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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.
70.7PG 65:283–285
Εἶπεν ὁ ἀββᾶς Μωϋσῆς· Ἄνθρωπος φεύγων ἔοικε σταφυλῇ ὀπτῇ· ὁ δὲ ἐν ἀνθρώποις ῶν, ὡς ὅμφαξ ἐστίν.
Eipen ho abbas Mōÿsēs; Anthrōpos pheugōn eoike staphylę̄ optę̄; ho de en anthrōpois ōn, hōs homphax estin.
Abba Moses said, “A man who flees [men] is like a ripe grape; but one who lives among men is like a sour grape.”
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
Notes and citation
Summary: One who flees people ripens; one who stays among them stays sour.
- Variant notes and a stray line of names are removed; the object of “flees” (“men”) is lost in the scan and supplied in brackets from the contrast.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (variant notes (“Al.”) and a stray line from Migne’s notes): ΑΙ. τὸ μέσον. ΑΙ. οὐκ. ἐν μέσῳ. ΑΙ. ᾠκοδόμησας. ἐπίσκοπος. ΑΙ. εἰσέρχῃ κῦρ Θεοφάνης, κῦρ Κοσμᾶς, κῦρ Ἰωσὴφ, κῦρ Θεοδόσιος. → .
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 70.7 (PG 65:283–285; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/70-7). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/70-7
BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-apophthegmata-alphabetica-70-7) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Cotelier's Greek text as printed in Migne PG 65 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
70.8PG 65:285
Ἤκουσέ ποτε ὁ ἄρχων περὶ τοῦ ἀββᾶ Μωῦσέως, καὶ ἀπῆλθεν εἰς Σκῆτιν ἰδεῖν αὐτόν· καὶ ἀνήγγειλάν τινες τῷ γέροντι τὸ πρᾶγμα· καὶ ἀνέστη φυγεῖν εἰς τὸ ἕλος. Καὶ ὑπήντησαν αὐτῷ λέγοντες. Εἰπὲ ἡμῖν, γέρον ποῦ ἔστιν ἡ κέλλα τοῦ ἀββᾶ Μωϋσέως; Καὶ λέγει αὐτοῖς· Τί θέλετε παρ᾿ αὐτοῦ; ἄνθρωπος σαλός ἐστι. Καὶ ἐλθὼν ὁ ἄρχων εἰς τὴν ἐκκλησίαν, λέγει τοῖς κληρικοῖς· Ἐγὼ ἀκούων τὰ περὶ τοῦ ἀββᾶ Μωϋσέως, κατῆλθον ἰδεῖν αὐτόν· καὶ ἰδοὺ ὑπήντησεν ἡμῖν γέρων ὑπάγων εἰς Αἴγυπτον, καὶ εἴπομεν αὐτῷ· Ποῦ ἔστιν ἡ κέλλα τοῦ ἀββᾶ Μωϋσέως; καὶ λέγει ἡμῖν· Τί θέλετε ἀπ' αὐτοῦ; σαλός ἐστιν. Ἀκούσαντες δὲ οἱ κληρικοὶ, ἐλυπήθησαν, λέγοντες Ποταπὸς ἦν ὁ γέρων ὁ ταῦτα λαλήσας κατὰ τοῦ ἁγίου; Οἱ δὲ εἶπον· Γέρων, παλαιὰ φορῶν, μακρὺς καὶ μελανός. Οἱ δὲ εἶπον· Αὐτός ἐστιν ὁ ἀββᾶς Μωϋσῆς· καὶ διὰ τὸ μὴ ἀπαντῆσαι αὐτὸν ὑμῖν, ταῦτα εἶπεν ὑμῖν. Πολλὰ δὲ ὠφεληθεὶς ὁ ἄρχων ἀνεχώρησεν.
Ēkouse pote ho archōn peri tou abba Mōyseōs, kai apēlthen eis Skētin idein auton; kai anēngeilan tines tǭ geronti to pragma; kai anestē phygein eis to helos. Kai hypēntēsan autǭ legontes. Eipe hēmin, geron pou estin hē kella tou abba Mōÿseōs? Kai legei autois; Ti thelete par᾿ autou? anthrōpos salos esti. Kai elthōn ho archōn eis tēn ekklēsian, legei tois klērikois; Egō akouōn ta peri tou abba Mōÿseōs, katēlthon idein auton; kai idou hypēntēsen hēmin gerōn hypagōn eis Aigypton, kai eipomen autǭ; Pou estin hē kella tou abba Mōÿseōs? kai legei hēmin; Ti thelete ap' autou? salos estin. Akousantes de hoi klērikoi, elypēthēsan, legontes Potapos ēn ho gerōn ho tauta lalēsas kata tou hagiou? Hoi de eipon; Gerōn, palaia phorōn, makrys kai melanos. Hoi de eipon; Autos estin ho abbas Mōÿsēs; kai dia to mē apantēsai auton hymin, tauta eipen hymin. Polla de ōphelētheis ho archōn anechōrēsen.
Once the magistrate heard about abba Moses and went to Scetis to see him; and some people told the old man about it; and he got up to flee into the marsh. And they met him and said, “Tell us, old man, where is abba Moses’ cell?” And he says to them, “What do you want with him? He is a fool.” And the magistrate came to the church and says to the clergy, “I, hearing about abba Moses, came down to see him; and look, an old man met us going to Egypt, and we said to him, ‘Where is abba Moses’ cell?’ and he says to us, ‘What do you want from him? He is a fool.’” Hearing this, the clergy were grieved, saying, “What was the old man like who said these things against the saint?” They said, “An old man wearing old clothes, tall and black.” And they said, “That is abba Moses himself; and he said this to you so as not to meet you.” And the magistrate went away greatly helped.
Notes and citation
Summary: Moses avoids a visiting magistrate by calling himself a fool.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR: words run together): γέρωνό ταῦτα → γέρων ὁ ταῦτα.
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 70.8 (PG 65:285; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/70-8). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/70-8
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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.
70.9PG 65:285
Ἔλεγεν ὁ ἀββᾶς Μωϋσῆς ἐν Σκήτει· Ἐὰν φυλάξωμεν τὰς ἐντολὰς τῶν Πατέρων ἡμῶν, ἐγὼ ἐγγυῶμαι ὑμᾶς πρὸς τὸν Θεὸν, ὅτι βάρβαροι οὐκ ἔρχονται ὧδε. Εἰ δὲ μὴ φυλάξωμεν, ἐρημωθῆναι ἔχει ὁ τόπος οὗτος.
Elegen ho abbas Mōÿsēs en Skētei; Ean phylaxōmen tas entolas tōn Paterōn hēmōn, egō engyōmai hymas pros ton Theon, hoti barbaroi ouk erchontai hōde. Ei de mē phylaxōmen, erēmōthēnai echei ho topos houtos.
Abba Moses said at Scetis, “If we keep the commandments of our Fathers, I guarantee you before God that barbarians will not come here. But if we do not keep them, this place will be laid waste.”
Notes and citation
Summary: Moses warns that neglect of the Fathers’ commands will bring barbarians to Scetis.
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 70.9 (PG 65:285; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/70-9). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/70-9
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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.
70.10PG 65:285
Καθημένων δὲ ποτε τῶν ἀδελφῶν πρὸς αὐτὸν, ἔλεγεν αὐτοῖς· Ἰδοὺ βάρβαροι σήμερον εἰς Σκῆτιν ἔρχονται· ἀλλὰ ἀνάστητε καὶ φύγετε. Λέγουσιν αὐτῷ· ὸ οὖν οὐ φεύγεις, ἀββᾶ; Ὁ δὲ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς· Ἐγὼ τοσαῦτα ἔτη προσδοκῶ τὴν ἡμέραν ταύτην ἵνα πληρωθῇ ὁ λόγος τοῦ Δεσπότου Χριστοῦ, λέγοντος· Πάντες οἱ λαβόντες μάχαιραν, ἐν μαχαίρᾳ ἀποθανοῦνται Λέγουσιν αὐτῷ· Οὐδὲ ἡμεῖς φεύγομεν, ἀλλὰ μετὰ σοῦ ἀποθνήσκομεν. Ὁ δὲ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς· Ἐγὼ πρᾶγμα οὐκ ἔχω· ἕκαστος βλεπέτω πῶς καθέζεται. Ἦσαν δὲ ἑπτὰ ἀδελφοὶ, καὶ λέγει αὐτοῖς Ἰδοὺ οἱ βάρβαροι ἐγγίζουσι τῇ θύρᾳ. Καὶ εἰσελθόντες, ἐφόνευσαν αὐτούς. Εἷς δὲ ἐξ αὐτῶν ἔφυγεν ὀπίσω τῆς σειρᾶς· καὶ εἶδεν ἑπτὰ στεφάνους κατελθόντας, καὶ στεφανώσαντας αὐτούς.
Kathēmenōn de pote tōn adelphōn pros auton, elegen autois; Idou barbaroi sēmeron eis Skētin erchontai; alla anastēte kai phygete. Legousin autǭ; o oun ou pheugeis, abba? Ho de eipen autois; Egō tosauta etē prosdokō tēn hēmeran tautēn hina plērōthę̄ ho logos tou Despotou Christou, legontos; Pantes hoi labontes machairan, en machairą apothanountai Legousin autǭ; Oude hēmeis pheugomen, alla meta sou apothnēskomen. Ho de eipen autois; Egō pragma ouk echō; hekastos blepetō pōs kathezetai. Ēsan de hepta adelphoi, kai legei autois Idou hoi barbaroi engizousi tę̄ thyrą. Kai eiselthontes, ephoneusan autous. Heis de ex autōn ephygen opisō tēs seiras; kai eiden hepta stephanous katelthontas, kai stephanōsantas autous.
Once when the brothers were sitting with him, he said to them, “Look, barbarians are coming to Scetis today; but get up and flee.” They say to him, “Then are you not fleeing, abba?” He said to them, “For so many years I have been expecting this day, so that the word of the Master Christ may be fulfilled, who says, ‘All who take the sword will die by the sword.’” They say to him, “We will not flee either, but we will die with you.” He said to them, “It is not my affair; let each see how he stays.” There were seven brothers, and he says to them, “Look, the barbarians are drawing near the door.” And they came in and killed them. But one of them fled behind the rope; and he saw seven crowns coming down and crowning them.
Matt 26:52 (quotation, high confidence) · Rev 2:10 (echo, low confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Moses, a former robber, awaits death by the sword at the barbarians’ hands, and seven martyrs are crowned.
- Moses had been a robber before becoming a monk; he applies Matt 26:52 to himself.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR: letter slip): λαβύντες → λαβόντες.
Topics: Martyrdom
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 70.10 (PG 65:285; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/70-10). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/70-10
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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.
70.11PG 65:285
Ἀδελφὸς ἠρώτησε τὸν ἀββᾶν Μωϋσέα, λέγων· Ὁρῶ ἐνώπιόν μου πρᾶγμα, καὶ οὐ δύναμαι αὐτὸ κατασχεῖν. Λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ γέρων· Ἐὰν μὴ γίνῃ νεκρός ὡς οἱ ταφέντες, οὐ δύνασαι αὐτὸ κατασχεῖν.
Adelphos ērōtēse ton abban Mōÿsea, legōn; Horō enōpion mou pragma, kai ou dynamai auto kataschein. Legei autǭ ho gerōn; Ean mē ginę̄ nekros hōs hoi taphentes, ou dynasai auto kataschein.
A brother asked abba Moses, saying, “I see something before me, and I cannot grasp it.” The old man says to him, “Unless you become dead like those who are buried, you cannot grasp it.”
Notes and citation
Summary: Only one dead to the world can attain what he seeks.
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 70.11 (PG 65:285; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/70-11). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/70-11
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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.
70.12PG 65:285
Εἶπεν ὁ ἀββᾶς Ποιμὴν, ὅτι ἀδελφὸς ἠρώτησε τὸν ἀββᾶν Μωϋσέα, ποίῳ τρόπῳ νεκροῖ ἑαυτὸν ἄνθρωπος ἀπὸ τοῦ πλησίον. Καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ ὁ γέρων ὅτι, Ἐὰν μὴ θήσει ἄνθρωπος ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ αὐτοῦ, ἑαυτὸν τε ἤδη τριήμερον ἐν μνημείῳ, οὐ φθάνει εἰς τὸν λόγον τοῦτον.
Eipen ho abbas Poimēn, hoti adelphos ērōtēse ton abban Mōÿsea, poiǭ tropǭ nekroi heauton anthrōpos apo tou plēsion. Kai eipen autǭ ho gerōn hoti, Ean mē thēsei anthrōpos en tę̄ kardią autou, heauton te ēdē triēmeron en mnēmeiǭ, ou phthanei eis ton logon touton.
Abba Poemen said that a brother asked abba Moses in what way a man makes himself dead to his neighbor. And the old man said to him, “Unless a man puts it in his heart that he is already three days in the tomb, he does not attain to this word.”
Notes and citation
Summary: To die to one’s neighbor, think oneself three days in the tomb.
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 70.12 (PG 65:285; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/70-12). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/70-12
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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.
70.13PG 65:285–287
Ἔλεγον περὶ τοῦ ἀββᾶ Μωϋσέως εἰς Σκῆτιν, ὅτι ὡς ἤμελλεν ἐλθεῖν εἰς τὴν Πέτραν, ἐκοπίασεν ὁδεύων καὶ ἔλεγεν ἐν ἑαυτῷ Πῶς δύναμαι τὸ ὕδωρ μου συναγαγεῖν ὧδε Καὶ ἦλθεν αὐτῷ φωνὴ λέγουσα· Εἴσελθε, καὶ μηδὲν φροντίσῃς. Εἰσῆλθεν οὖν. Καὶ παρέβαλον αὐτῷ τινες τῶν Πατέρων, καὶ οὐκ εἶχεν εἰ μὴ ἓν μόνον λαγύνιον ὕδατος· καὶ ποιοῦντος αὐτοῦ μικρὸν φακὸν, ἀνηλώθη. Ὁ δὲ γέρων ἐθλίβετο. Εισερχόμενος οὖν καὶ ἐξερχόμενος, ηὔχετο τῷ Θεῷ. Καὶ ἰδοὺ νεφέλη βροχῆς ἦλθε κατ᾿ αὐτῆς τῆς Πέτρας καὶ ἐγέμισεν ὅλα τὰ ἀγγεῖα αὐτοῦ. Καὶ λέγουσι μετὰ ταῦτα τῷ γέροντι Εἰπὲ ἡμῖν, τί εἰσήρχου καὶ ἐξήρχου. Καὶ λέγει αὐτοῖς ὁ γέρων· Δίκην ἐποίουν μετὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ ὅτι, Ἤνεγκάς με ὧδε, καὶ ἰδοὺ ὕδωρ οὐκ ἔχω ἵνα πίωσιν οἱ δοῦλοί σου. Διὰ τοῦτο εἰσηρχόμην καὶ ἐξηρχόμην παρακαλῶν τὸν Θεὸν, ἕως οὗ ἔπεμψεν ἡμῖν.
Elegon peri tou abba Mōÿseōs eis Skētin, hoti hōs ēmellen elthein eis tēn Petran, ekopiasen hodeuōn kai elegen en heautǭ Pōs dynamai to hydōr mou synagagein hōde Kai ēlthen autǭ phōnē legousa; Eiselthe, kai mēden phrontisę̄s. Eisēlthen oun. Kai parebalon autǭ tines tōn Paterōn, kai ouk eichen ei mē hen monon lagynion hydatos; kai poiountos autou mikron phakon, anēlōthē. Ho de gerōn ethlibeto. Eiserchomenos oun kai exerchomenos, ēucheto tǭ Theǭ. Kai idou nephelē brochēs ēlthe kat᾿ autēs tēs Petras kai egemisen hola ta angeia autou. Kai legousi meta tauta tǭ geronti Eipe hēmin, ti eisērchou kai exērchou. Kai legei autois ho gerōn; Dikēn epoioun meta tou Theou hoti, Ēnenkas me hōde, kai idou hydōr ouk echō hina piōsin hoi douloi sou. Dia touto eisērchomēn kai exērchomēn parakalōn ton Theon, heōs hou epempsen hēmin.
They said of abba Moses at Scetis that when he was about to go to Petra, he grew tired on the way and said to himself, “How can I gather my water here?” And a voice came to him, saying, “Go in, and do not worry about anything.” So he went in. And some of the Fathers visited him, and he had only one jar of water; and in cooking a few lentils, it was used up. The old man was distressed. So going in and out, he prayed to God. And look, a rain cloud came over Petra itself and filled all his vessels. And afterward they say to the old man, “Tell us why you were going in and out.” And the old man says to them, “I was arguing my case with God: ‘You brought me here, and look, I have no water for your servants to drink.’ That is why I was going in and out, entreating God until he sent us some.”
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
Notes and citation
Summary: Moses, out of water for his guests, pleads with God until a rain cloud fills his vessels.
- Variant notes are removed.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (variant notes (“Al.”) from Migne’s apparatus): το ΛΙ. ἀπολοῦνται. φοβηθείς. ΑΙ. μου → μου.
Topics: Prayer
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 70.13 (PG 65:285–287; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/70-13). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/70-13
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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.
70.14PG 65:287
Εἶπεν ὁ ἀββᾶς Μωϋσῆς ὅτι ὀφείλει ἄνθρωπος ἀποθανεῖν ἀπὸ τοῦ ἑταίρου αὐτοῦ, τοῦ μὴ κρίνειν αὐτὸν ἔν τινι.
Eipen ho abbas Mōÿsēs hoti opheilei anthrōpos apothanein apo tou hetairou autou, tou mē krinein auton en tini.
Abba Moses said that a man ought to die to his companion, so as not to judge him in anything.
Notes and citation
Summary: Die to your companion so as not to judge him.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR: stray mark): ὁ᾽ ἀββᾶς → ὁ ἀββᾶς.
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 70.14 (PG 65:287; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/70-14). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/70-14
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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.
70.15PG 65:287
Πάλιν εἶπεν ὅτι, Ὀφείλει ἄνθρωπος νεκρῶσαι ἑαυτὸν ἀπὸ παντὸς πονηροῦ πράγματος, πρὸ τοῦ ἐξελθεῖν ἀπὸ τοῦ σώματος, τοῦ μὴ κακῶσαί τινα ἄνθρωπον.
Palin eipen hoti, Opheilei anthrōpos nekrōsai heauton apo pantos ponērou pragmatos, pro tou exelthein apo tou sōmatos, tou mē kakōsai tina anthrōpon.
He also said that a man ought to put himself to death to every evil thing before he leaves the body, so as not to harm any man.
Notes and citation
Summary: Die to every evil before death, so as to harm no one.
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 70.15 (PG 65:287; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/70-15). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/70-15
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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.
70.16PG 65:287
Εἶπε παλιν· Ἐὰν μὴ ἄνθρωπος ἔχῃ ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ αὐτοῦ ὅτι ἁμαρτωλός ἐστιν, ὁ Θεὸς οὐκ εἰσακούει αὐτοῦ. Καὶ εἶπεν ὁ ἀδελφός· Τί ἐστιν, ἔχει ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ ὅτι ἁμαρτωλός ἐστιν; Καὶ εἶπεν ὁ γέρων ὅτι, Εἴ τις βαστάζει τὰς ἁμαρτίας αὐτοῦ, οὐ βλέπει τὰς τοῦ πλησίον αὐτοῦ.
Eipe palin; Ean mē anthrōpos echę̄ en tę̄ kardią autou hoti hamartōlos estin, ho Theos ouk eisakouei autou. Kai eipen ho adelphos; Ti estin, echei en tę̄ kardią hoti hamartōlos estin? Kai eipen ho gerōn hoti, Ei tis bastazei tas hamartias autou, ou blepei tas tou plēsion autou.
He also said, “Unless a man has it in his heart that he is a sinner, God does not hear him.” And the brother said, “What does it mean to have in one’s heart that one is a sinner?” And the old man said, “If someone carries his own sins, he does not see those of his neighbor.”
Notes and citation
Summary: God hears only one who knows himself a sinner and so does not see his neighbor’s sins.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR: stray letters): καρδίᾳ το ὅτι → καρδίᾳ ὅτι.
Topics: Prayer
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 70.16 (PG 65:287; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/70-16). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/70-16
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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.
70.17PG 65:287
Εἶπε πάλιν· Ἐὰν μὴ συμφωνήσῃ ἡ πρᾶξις μετὰ τῆς εὐχῆς, εἰς μάτην κοπιᾷ Καὶ εἶπεν ὁ ἀδελφός Τί ἐστι, συμφώνησις πράξεως μετὰ εὐχῆς; Καὶ εἶπεν ὁ γέρων· Ἵνα ὑπὲρ ὧν εὐχόμεθα, μηκέτι ποιῶμεν αὐτά. Ὅταν γὰρ ἄνθρωπος ἀφῇ τὰ θελήματα αὐτοῦ, τότε καταλλάσσεται αὐτῷ ὁ Θεὸς, καὶ δέχεται τὴν εὐχὴν αὐτοῦ.
Eipe palin; Ean mē symphōnēsę̄ hē praxis meta tēs euchēs, eis matēn kopią Kai eipen ho adelphos Ti esti, symphōnēsis praxeōs meta euchēs? Kai eipen ho gerōn; Hina hyper hōn euchometha, mēketi poiōmen auta. Hotan gar anthrōpos aphę̄ ta thelēmata autou, tote katallassetai autǭ ho Theos, kai dechetai tēn euchēn autou.
He also said, “Unless conduct agrees with prayer, one labors in vain.” And the brother said, “What is the agreement of conduct with prayer?” And the old man said, “That we no longer do the things we pray about. For when a man gives up his own wills, then God is reconciled with him and accepts his prayer.”
Notes and citation
Summary: Prayer is vain unless one stops doing what one prays against.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR: word split): θελή ματα → θελήματα.
Topics: Prayer
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 70.17 (PG 65:287; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/70-17). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/70-17
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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.
70.18PG 65:287–289
Ἠρώτησεν ὁ ἀδελφὸς ὅτι, Ἐν παντὶ κόπῳ τοῦ ἀνθρώπου, τί ἐστι τὸ βοηθοῦν αὐτῷ; Καὶ λέγει ὁ γέρων· Ὁ Θεός ἐστιν ὁ βοηθῶν. Γέγραπται γάρ· Ὁ Θεὸς ἡμῶν καταφυγὴ καὶ δύναμις, βοηθός ἐν θλίψεσι ταῖς εὑρούσαις ἡμᾶς σφόδρα. Εἶπεν ὁ ἀδελφός· Αἱ νηστεῖαι καὶ ἀγρυπνίαι ἃς ποιεῖ ἄνθρωπος, τί γίνονται; Λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ γέρων· Αὗται ποιοῦσι τὴν ψυχὴν ταπεινωθῆναι. Γέγραπται γάρ· Ἰδὲ τὴν ταπείνωσίν μου καὶ τὸν κόπον μου, καὶ ἄφες πάσας τὰς ἁμαρτίας μου. Ἐὰν ἡ ψυχὴ ποιήσῃ τοὺς καρποὺς τούτους, σπλαγχνίζεται ὁ Θεὸς ἐπ᾿ αὐτῇ δι᾿ αὐτῶν. Λέγει ὁ ἀδελφὸς τῷ γέροντι· Τί ποιήσει ἄνθρωπος ἐν παντὶ πειρασμῷ ἐπερχομένῳ ἐπάνω αὐτοῦ, ἢ ἐν παντὶ λογισμῷ τοῦ ἐχθροῦ; Λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ γέρων Κλαίειν ὀφείλει ἐνώπιον τῆς ἀγαθότητος τοῦ Θεοῦ, ἵνα βοηθήσῃ αὐτῷ· καὶ ἀναπαύεται ταχέως, ὁ ἀββᾶς Μωϋσῆς τῷ ἀββᾷ Ποιμένι· καὶ ὁ φυλάττων αὐτὰ, ῥύεται ἀπὸ πάσης κολάσεως, καὶ ἀναπαύεται ἐὰν παρακαλῇ ἐν γνώσει· γέγραπται γάρ· Κύριος ἐμοὶ βοηθὸς, καὶ οὐ φοβηθήσομαι τί ποιήσει μοι ἄνθρωπος. Ἠρώτησεν ὁ ἀδελφὸς ὅτι, Ἰδοὺ ἄνθρωπος δέρει τὸν δοῦλον αὐτοῦ δι᾽ ἁμαρτίαν ἣν ἔπραξε. Τί ἐρεῖ ὁ δοῦλος; Λέγει ὁ γέρων· Ἐάν ἐστι δοῦλος καλὸς, ἐρεῖ· Ἐλέησόν με, ἡμάρτηκα. Λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ ἀδελφος· Οὐδὲν ἄλλο λέγει; Λέγει ὁ γέρων· Οὐχί. Αφ' οὗ γὰρ τὴν μέμψιν ἐπιτιθεῖ ἐφ᾽ ἑαυτῷ, καὶ εἴπῃ, Ἡμάρτηκα, εὐθέως σπλαγχνίζεται ἐπ᾿ αὐτῷ ὁ κύριος αὐτοῦ. Τέλος δὲ τούτων πάντων, τὸ μὴ κρῖναι τὸν πλησίον. "Οτε γὰρ ἡ χεὶρ Κυρίου ἀπέκτεινε πᾶν πρωτότοκον ἐν γῇ Αἰγύπτῳ, οὐκ ἦν οἶκος οὗ οὐκ ἦν ἐν αὐτῷ τεθνηκώς. Λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ ἀδελφός· Τίς ἐστιν ὁ λόγος οὗτος; Λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ γέρων ὅτι, Ἐὰν ἡμᾶς ἐάσωσιν ἰδεῖν τὰς ἁμαρτίας ἡμῶν, οὐ μὴ ἴδωμεν τὰς ἁμαρτίας τοῦ πλησίον. Μωρία γάρ ἐστιν ἀνθρώπῳ, ἔχοντι τὸν ἑαυτοῦ νεκρὸν, ἀφεῖναι αὐτὸν καὶ ἀπελθεῖν κλαῦσαι τὸν τοῦ πλησίον. Τὸ ἀποθανεῖν δὲ ἀπὸ τοῦ πλησίον σου, τοῦτό ἐστι τὸ βαστάσαι σου τὰς ἁμαρτίας, καὶ ἀμεριμνεῖν ἀπὸ παντὸς ἀνθρώπου, ὅτι οὗτος καλός ἐστιν, ἢ οὗτος κακός. Μὴ ποιήσῃς κακὸν μηδενὶ ἀνθρώπῳ, μηδὲ λογίζου πονηρὸν ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ σου εἴς τινα· μηδὲ ἐξουδενώσῃς τινὰ ποιοῦντα κακόν μηδὲ πεισθῇς τῷ κακοποιοῦντι τὸν πλησίον αὐτοῦ, μηδὲ χαῖρε μετὰ τοῦ ποιοῦντος κακὸν τῷ πλησίον αὐτοῦ· μὴ καταλαλήσῃς τινά· ἀλλὰ λέγε· Ὁ Θεὸς γινώσκει ἕκαστον· μὴ συμπεισθῇς μετὰ τοῦ καταλαλοῦντος, μηδὲ συγχαρῇς μετὰ τῆς καταλαλιᾶς αὐτοῦ, μηδὲ μισήσῃς τὸν καταλαλοῦντα τὸν πλησίον αὐτοῦ. Καὶ τοῦτό ἐστι τὸ μὴ κρῖναι. Μὴ ἔχε ἔχθραν μετά τινος ἀνθρώπου, καὶ μὴ κρατήσῃς ἔχθραν ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ σου· μὴ μισήσῃς τὸν ἐχθραίνοντα μετὰ τοῦ πλησίον. Καὶ αὕτη ἐστὶν ἡ εἰρήνη. Εν τούτοις ἑαυτὸν παρακάλει· πρὸς ὀλίγον χρόνον ὁ κάματος, καὶ εἰς ἀεὶ ἡ ἀνάπαυσις, χάριτι τοῦ Θεοῦ Λόγου. Αμήν.
Ērōtēsen ho adelphos hoti, En panti kopǭ tou anthrōpou, ti esti to boēthoun autǭ? Kai legei ho gerōn; Ho Theos estin ho boēthōn. Gegraptai gar; Ho Theos hēmōn kataphygē kai dynamis, boēthos en thlipsesi tais heurousais hēmas sphodra. Eipen ho adelphos; Hai nēsteiai kai agrypniai has poiei anthrōpos, ti ginontai? Legei autǭ ho gerōn; Hautai poiousi tēn psychēn tapeinōthēnai. Gegraptai gar; Ide tēn tapeinōsin mou kai ton kopon mou, kai aphes pasas tas hamartias mou. Ean hē psychē poiēsę̄ tous karpous toutous, splanchnizetai ho Theos ep᾿ autę̄ di᾿ autōn. Legei ho adelphos tǭ geronti; Ti poiēsei anthrōpos en panti peirasmǭ eperchomenǭ epanō autou, ē en panti logismǭ tou echthrou? Legei autǭ ho gerōn Klaiein opheilei enōpion tēs agathotētos tou Theou, hina boēthēsę̄ autǭ; kai anapauetai tacheōs, ho abbas Mōÿsēs tǭ abbą Poimeni; kai ho phylattōn auta, rhyetai apo pasēs kolaseōs, kai anapauetai ean parakalę̄ en gnōsei; gegraptai gar; Kyrios emoi boēthos, kai ou phobēthēsomai ti poiēsei moi anthrōpos. Ērōtēsen ho adelphos hoti, Idou anthrōpos derei ton doulon autou di᾽ hamartian hēn epraxe. Ti erei ho doulos? Legei ho gerōn; Ean esti doulos kalos, erei; Eleēson me, hēmartēka. Legei autǭ ho adelphos; Ouden allo legei? Legei ho gerōn; Ouchi. Aph' hou gar tēn mempsin epitithei eph᾽ heautǭ, kai eipę̄, Hēmartēka, eutheōs splanchnizetai ep᾿ autǭ ho kyrios autou. Telos de toutōn pantōn, to mē krinai ton plēsion. "Ote gar hē cheir Kyriou apekteine pan prōtotokon en gę̄ Aigyptǭ, ouk ēn oikos hou ouk ēn en autǭ tethnēkōs. Legei autǭ ho adelphos; Tis estin ho logos houtos? Legei autǭ ho gerōn hoti, Ean hēmas easōsin idein tas hamartias hēmōn, ou mē idōmen tas hamartias tou plēsion. Mōria gar estin anthrōpǭ, echonti ton heautou nekron, apheinai auton kai apelthein klausai ton tou plēsion. To apothanein de apo tou plēsion sou, touto esti to bastasai sou tas hamartias, kai amerimnein apo pantos anthrōpou, hoti houtos kalos estin, ē houtos kakos. Mē poiēsę̄s kakon mēdeni anthrōpǭ, mēde logizou ponēron en tę̄ kardią sou eis tina; mēde exoudenōsę̄s tina poiounta kakon mēde peisthę̄s tǭ kakopoiounti ton plēsion autou, mēde chaire meta tou poiountos kakon tǭ plēsion autou; mē katalalēsę̄s tina; alla lege; Ho Theos ginōskei hekaston; mē sympeisthę̄s meta tou katalalountos, mēde syncharę̄s meta tēs katalalias autou, mēde misēsę̄s ton katalalounta ton plēsion autou. Kai touto esti to mē krinai. Mē eche echthran meta tinos anthrōpou, kai mē kratēsę̄s echthran en tę̄ kardią sou; mē misēsę̄s ton echthrainonta meta tou plēsion. Kai hautē estin hē eirēnē. En toutois heauton parakalei; pros oligon chronon ho kamatos, kai eis aei hē anapausis, chariti tou Theou Logou. Amēn.
The brother asked, “In all a man’s toil, what is it that helps him?” And the old man says, “It is God who helps. For it is written, ‘God is our refuge and strength, a helper in the afflictions that have greatly come upon us.’” The brother said, “The fasts and vigils that a man does, what do they become?” The old man says to him, “They make the soul humbled. For it is written, ‘See my humiliation and my toil, and forgive all my sins.’ If the soul produces these fruits, God has compassion on it through them.” The brother says to the old man, “What shall a man do in every temptation that comes upon him, or in every thought of the enemy?” The old man says to him, “He ought to weep before the goodness of God, that he may help him; and he finds rest quickly … abba Moses to abba Poemen; and whoever keeps them is delivered from all punishment, and finds rest, if he entreats with knowledge; for it is written, ‘The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man will do to me.’” The brother asked, “Look, a man beats his slave for a sin he committed. What will the slave say?” The old man says, “If he is a good slave, he will say, ‘Have mercy on me, I have sinned.’” The brother says to him, “Does he say nothing else?” The old man says, “No. For as soon as he lays the blame on himself and says, ‘I have sinned,’ at once his master has compassion on him. And the end of all these things is not to judge one’s neighbor. For when the hand of the Lord killed every firstborn in the land of Egypt, there was no house in which there was not one dead.” The brother says to him, “What does this saying mean?” The old man says to him, “If we were allowed to see our own sins, we would not see the sins of our neighbor. For it is folly for a man who has his own dead to leave him and go to weep for his neighbor’s. To die to your neighbor is this: to carry your own sins, and to take no thought about anyone, whether this one is good or that one bad. Do no evil to any man, and do not think evil in your heart against anyone; do not despise anyone who does evil, nor agree with one who does evil to his neighbor, nor rejoice with one who does evil to his neighbor; do not slander anyone, but say, ‘God knows each one’; do not agree with the slanderer, nor rejoice with his slander, nor hate the one who slanders his neighbor. And this is not judging. Have no enmity with any man, and do not keep enmity in your heart; do not hate the one who is at enmity with his neighbor. And this is peace. Encourage yourself with these things: the toil is for a short time, and the rest is forever, by the grace of God the Word. Amen.”
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
Ps 46:1 (45:2 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 25:18 (24:18 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 118:6 (117:6 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Exod 12:30 (allusion, high confidence) · Matt 7:1 (echo, low confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Moses’ instructions: God helps, fasting humbles, weep in temptation, blame yourself, and above all do not judge your neighbor.
- These are the instructions of abba Moses to abba Poemen; words are lost in the scan where the heading of this section (in other copies: “Abba Moses sent these to abba Poemen”) has run into the text (“…”). A variant note and stray letters are removed. Quotations of Ps 46:1 (LXX 45:2), Ps 25:18 (LXX 24:18), and Ps 118:6 (LXX 117:6); the firstborn: Exod 12:29–30.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR: stray letters; OCR: stray mark; OCR: word split; variant note (“Al.”) from Migne’s apparatus): Ἐν παντὶ κόπῳ του. ἀνθρώπου → Ἐν παντὶ κόπῳ τοῦ ἀνθρώπου; βοηθός ἐν· θλίψεσι → βοηθός ἐν θλίψεσι; δι᾿ ΑΙ. ἔχειν. αὐτῶν → δι᾿ αὐτῶν; τοῦ, Θεοῦ → τοῦ Θεοῦ; δοῦλος και λὸς → δοῦλος καλὸς; κρῖναι δι. Μὴ → κρῖναι. Μὴ.
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 70.18 (PG 65:287–289; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/70-18). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/70-18
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Cotelier's Greek text as printed in Migne PG 65 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
Chapter 71
71.1PG 65:289
Ἔλεγεν ὁ ἀββᾶς Ματόης· Θέλω ἐργασίαν ἐλαφρὰν καὶ ἐμμένουσαν, ἢ ἐπίπονον ἐξ ἀρχῆς καὶ ταχέως ἐκκοπτομένην.
Elegen ho abbas Matoēs; Thelō ergasian elaphran kai emmenousan, ē epiponon ex archēs kai tacheōs ekkoptomenēn.
Abba Matoes said, “I want a work that is light and lasting, rather than one that is laborious at the start and quickly broken off.”
Notes and citation
Summary: Matoes prefers light, lasting discipline to hard, short-lived effort.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR: breathing lost): έλαφρὰν → ἐλαφρὰν.
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 71.1 (PG 65:289; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/71-1). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/71-1
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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.
71.2PG 65:289
Εἶπε πάλιν· Ὅσον ἐγγίζει ἄνθρωπος τῷ Θεῷ, τοσοῦτον ἁμαρτωλὸν ἑαυτὸν βλέπει. Ἡσαΐας γὰρ ὁ προφήτης ἰδὼν τὸν Θεὸν τάλαν καὶ ἀκάθαρτον ἔλεγεν ἑαυτόν.
Eipe palin; Hoson engizei anthrōpos tǭ Theǭ, tosouton hamartōlon heauton blepei. Hēsaïas gar ho prophētēs idōn ton Theon talan kai akatharton elegen heauton.
He also said, “The nearer a man comes to God, the more he sees himself a sinner. For the prophet Isaiah, when he saw God, called himself wretched and unclean.”
Isa 6:5 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Nearness to God reveals one’s sinfulness, as with Isaiah.
- Isa 6:5.
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 71.2 (PG 65:289; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/71-2). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/71-2
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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.
71.3PG 65:289
Ἔλεγε πάλιν· Ὅτε ἤμην νεώτερος, ἔλεγον ἐν ἑαυτῷ ὅτι, Τάχα τί ποτε ἐργάζομαι ἀγαθόν· νῦν δὲ ὡς ἐγήρασα, βλέπω ὅτι οὐκ ἔχω ἓν ἔργον καλὸν ἐν ἐμαυτῷ.
Elege palin; Hote ēmēn neōteros, elegon en heautǭ hoti, Tacha ti pote ergazomai agathon; nyn de hōs egērasa, blepō hoti ouk echō hen ergon kalon en emautǭ.
He also said, “When I was young, I said to myself, ‘Perhaps I am doing something good’; but now that I have grown old, I see that I have not one good work in me.”
Notes and citation
Summary: In old age Matoes sees no good work in himself.
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 71.3 (PG 65:289; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/71-3). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/71-3
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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.
71.4PG 65:289
Εἶπε πάλιν Οὐκ οἶδεν ὁ Σατανᾶς ποίῳ πάθει ἡττᾶται ἡ ψυχή. Σπείρει μὲν, ἀλλ᾽ οὐκ οἶδεν εἰ θερίσει· τοὺς μὲν περὶ πορνείας, τοὺς δὲ περὶ καταλαλιᾶς λογισμοὺς, καὶ ὁμοίως τὰ λοιπὰ πάθη. Καὶ εἰς οἷον πάθος ἴδῃ τὴν ψυχὴν κλίνασαν, χορηγεῖ αὐτῇ.
Eipe palin Ouk oiden ho Satanas poiǭ pathei hēttatai hē psychē. Speirei men, all᾽ ouk oiden ei therisei; tous men peri porneias, tous de peri katalalias logismous, kai homoiōs ta loipa pathē. Kai eis hoion pathos idę̄ tēn psychēn klinasan, chorēgei autę̄.
He also said, “Satan does not know by which passion the soul is overcome. He sows, but he does not know whether he will reap: to some thoughts of sexual immorality, to others of slander, and likewise the other passions. And whatever passion he sees the soul inclining to, he supplies it with that.”
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
Notes and citation
Summary: Satan sows all temptations and then feeds whichever the soul inclines to.
- Variant notes are removed.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (variant notes (“Al.”) from Migne’s apparatus): ΑΙ. Ματώη. ΑΙ. Κύριον. → .
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 71.4 (PG 65:289; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/71-4). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/71-4
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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.
71.5PG 65:291
Ἀδελφὸς παρέβαλε τῷ ἀββᾷ Ματώῃ, καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ· Πῶς οἱ Σκητιῶται ἐποίουν περισσότερον τῆς Γραφῆς, ἀγαπῶντες τοὺς ἐχθροὺς αὐτῶν ὑπὲρ ἑαυτοὺς; Λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ ἀββᾶς Ματώης· Ἐγὼ τέως τὸν ἀγαπῶντά με οὐκ ἀγαπῶ ὡς ἐμαυτόν. σ'. Ἀδελφὸς ἠρώτησε τὸν ἀββᾶν Ματώην· Τί ποιήσω ἐὰν παραβάλῃ μοι ἀδελφὸς, καὶ ἔστι νηστεία ἢ πρωΐ; ὅτι θλίβομαι. Καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ γέρων· Ἐὰν μὲν οὐ θλίβῃ, καὶ φάγῃς μετὰ τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ, καλῶς ποιεῖς. Ἐὰν δὲ μὴ προσδοκᾷς τινα, καὶ φάγῃς, τοῦτο σὸν θέλημά ἐστιν.
Adelphos parebale tǭ abbą Matōę̄, kai legei autǭ; Pōs hoi Skētiōtai epoioun perissoteron tēs Graphēs, agapōntes tous echthrous autōn hyper heautous? Legei autǭ ho abbas Matōēs; Egō teōs ton agapōnta me ouk agapō hōs emauton. s'. Adelphos ērōtēse ton abban Matōēn; Ti poiēsō ean parabalę̄ moi adelphos, kai esti nēsteia ē prōï? hoti thlibomai. Kai legei autǭ ho gerōn; Ean men ou thlibę̄, kai phagę̄s meta tou adelphou, kalōs poieis. Ean de mē prosdokąs tina, kai phagę̄s, touto son thelēma estin.
A brother visited abba Matoes and says to him, “How did the monks of Scetis do more than the Scripture, loving their enemies more than themselves?” Abba Matoes says to him, “As for me, I do not yet love even the one who loves me as myself.” [6] A brother asked abba Matoes, “What shall I do if a brother visits me and it is a fast day or early morning? For I am troubled.” And the old man says to him, “If you are not troubled and eat with the brother, you do well. But if you are not expecting anyone and you eat, that is your own will.”
Matt 5:44 (echo, medium confidence) · Matt 22:39 (echo, low confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Matoes confesses he does not yet love even his friends as himself; then (saying 6) he permits breaking a fast for a visitor.
- The scan runs Matoes 6 (its numeral misread as σʹ) into this saying; marked [6].
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR: letter slips): ἐαντοὺς → ἑαυτοὺς.
Topics: Fasting
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 71.5 (PG 65:291; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/71-5). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/71-5
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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.
71.7PG 65:291
Εἶπεν ὁ ἀββᾶς Ἰακὼβ ὅτι, Παρέβαλον τῷ ἀββᾷ Ματώῃ· καὶ ἀνακάμψαντός μου, εἶπον αὐτῷ ὅτι, Θέλω παραβαλεῖν εἰς τὰ Κελλία. Καὶ εἶπέ μοι· Ἄσπασαι ἐξ ἐμοῦ τὸν ἀββᾶν Ἰωάννην. Ἐλθὼν δὲ ἐγὼ πρὸς τὸν ἀββᾶν Ἰωάννην, λέγω αὐτῷ· Ἀσπάζεταί σε ὁ ἀββᾶς Ματώης. Καὶ λέγει μοι ὁ γέρων· Ἰδοὺ ὁ ἀββᾶς Ματώης, ἀληθῶς Ἰσραηλίτης, ἐν ᾧ δόλος οὐκ ἔστι. Καὶ πληρωθέντος ἐνιαυτοῦ, πάλιν παρέβαλον τῷ ἀββᾷ Ματόῃ· καὶ εἶπον αὐτῷ τὸν ἀσπασμὸν τοῦ ἀββᾶ Ἰωάννου. Καὶ λέγει ὁ γέρων· Οὐκ εἰμὶ μὲν ἄξιος τοῦ λόγου τοῦ γέροντος πλὴν τοῦτο γίνωσκε, ὅτι ὅταν ἀκούσῃς γέροντος τὸν πλησίον δοξάζοντος ὑπὲρ ἑαυτὸν, εἰς μέτρα μεγάλα ἔφθασεν. Αὕτη γὰρ ἐστιν ἡ τελειότης, ὥστε τὸν πλησίον ἑαυτοῦ δοξάζειν ὑπὲρ ἑαυτόν.
Eipen ho abbas Iakōb hoti, Parebalon tǭ abbą Matōę̄; kai anakampsantos mou, eipon autǭ hoti, Thelō parabalein eis ta Kellia. Kai eipe moi; Aspasai ex emou ton abban Iōannēn. Elthōn de egō pros ton abban Iōannēn, legō autǭ; Aspazetai se ho abbas Matōēs. Kai legei moi ho gerōn; Idou ho abbas Matōēs, alēthōs Israēlitēs, en hǭ dolos ouk esti. Kai plērōthentos eniautou, palin parebalon tǭ abbą Matoę̄; kai eipon autǭ ton aspasmon tou abba Iōannou. Kai legei ho gerōn; Ouk eimi men axios tou logou tou gerontos plēn touto ginōske, hoti hotan akousę̄s gerontos ton plēsion doxazontos hyper heauton, eis metra megala ephthasen. Hautē gar estin hē teleiotēs, hōste ton plēsion heautou doxazein hyper heauton.
Abba James said, “I visited abba Matoes; and as I was leaving, I said to him, ‘I want to visit the Cells.’ And he said to me, ‘Greet abba John for me.’ When I came to abba John, I say to him, ‘Abba Matoes greets you.’ And the old man says to me, ‘Look, abba Matoes is truly an Israelite in whom there is no guile.’ When a year had passed, I visited abba Matoes again and told him abba John’s greeting. And the old man says, ‘I am not worthy of the old man’s word; but know this, that when you hear an old man glorifying his neighbor above himself, he has reached great measures. For this is perfection: to glorify one’s neighbor above oneself.’”
John 1:47 (quotation, high confidence) · Phil 2:3 (echo, low confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Matoes, praised by abba John, says perfection is honoring one’s neighbor above oneself.
- Quotation of John 1:47.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR: accents lost): τῳ αββᾷ Ματώῃ → τῷ ἀββᾷ Ματώῃ.
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 71.7 (PG 65:291; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/71-7). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/71-7
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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.
71.8PG 65:291
Ἔλεγεν ὁ ἀββᾶς Ματώης ὅτι, Ἦλθεν ἀδελφὸς πρὸς μὲ, καὶ εἶπέ μοι, ὅτι ἡ καταλαλιὰ χεῖρόν ἐστι τῆς πορνείας. Καὶ εἶπον· Σκληρός ἐστιν ὁ λόγος. Λέγει οὖν μοι· Καὶ πῶς θέλεις εἶναι τὸ πρᾶγμα τοῦτο; Ἐγὼ δὲ ἔφην· Ἡ μὲν καταλαλιὰ κακὴ ἐστιν· ταχεῖαν δὲ ἔχει θεραπείαν· μετανοεῖ γὰρ πολλάκις ὁ καταλαλήσας, λέγων· Κακῶς ἐλάλησα. Ἡ δὲ πορνεία, φυσικὸς θάνατός ἐστιν.
Elegen ho abbas Matōēs hoti, Ēlthen adelphos pros me, kai eipe moi, hoti hē katalalia cheiron esti tēs porneias. Kai eipon; Sklēros estin ho logos. Legei oun moi; Kai pōs theleis einai to pragma touto? Egō de ephēn; Hē men katalalia kakē estin; tacheian de echei therapeian; metanoei gar pollakis ho katalalēsas, legōn; Kakōs elalēsa. Hē de porneia, physikos thanatos estin.
Abba Matoes said, “A brother came to me and told me that slander is worse than sexual immorality. And I said, ‘That is a hard saying.’ So he says to me, ‘And how do you want the matter to be?’ And I said, ‘Slander is evil, but it has a quick cure; for the one who has slandered often repents, saying, “I spoke wrongly.” But sexual immorality is natural death.’”
Notes and citation
Summary: Matoes judges sexual sin worse than slander, since slander is quickly repented.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR: wrong accent): χεῖρὸν → χεῖρόν.
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 71.8 (PG 65:291; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/71-8). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/71-8
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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.
71.9PG 65:291–293
Ἀπῆλθέ ποτε ὁ ἀββᾶς Ματώης ἀπὸ τῆς Ῥαιθοῦ, εἰς τὰ μέρη Μαγδολῶν ἦν δὲ ὁ ἀδελφὸς αὐτοῦ μετ᾿ αὐτοῦ. Καὶ κρατήσας ὁ ἐπίσκοπος τὸν γέροντα, ἐποίησεν αὐτὸν πρεσβύτερον. Καὶ γενομένων αὐτῶν ὁμοῦ, ἔλεγεν ὁ ἐπίσκοπος· Συγχώρησόν μοι, ἀββᾶ· οἶδα ὅτι οὐκ ἤθελες τὸ πρᾶγμα τοῦτο· ἀλλὰ διὰ τὸ εὐλογηθῆναι με παρὰ σοῦ, ἐτόλμησα τοῦτο ποιῆσαι. Εἶπε δὲ αὐτῷ ὁ γέρων μετὰ ταπεινώσεως· Καὶ ὁ λογισμός μου μικρὸν ἤθελεν· πλὴν εἰς τοῦτο ἐγὼ κοπιῶ, ὅτι χωρισθῆναι ἔχω ἀπὸ τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ τοῦ μετ᾿ ἐμοῦ. Οὐ βαστάζω γάρ ὅλας τὰς εὐχὰς ποιῆσαι μόνος. Καὶ λέγει ὁ ἐπίσκοπος· Εἰ οἶδας ὅτι ἄξιός ἐστιν, ἐγὼ αὐτὸν χειροτονῶ. Λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ ἀββᾶς Ματώης· Εἰ μὲν ἄξιός ἐστιν, οὐκ οἶδα· ἓν δὲ οἶδα, ὅτι ἐμοῦ καλλίων ἐστίν. Ἐχειροτόνησε δὲ καὶ αὐτόν. Καὶ ἐκοιμήθησαν οἱ ἀμφότεροι, μὴ ἐγγίσαντες θυσιαστηρίῳ ἕνεκεν τοῦ ποιῆσαι προσφοράν. Ἔλεγε δὲ ὁ γέρων Πιστεύω εἰς τὸν Θεὸν, ὅτι οὐκ ἔχω κρίμα πολὺ διὰ τὴν χειροτονίαν, ὁπότε οὐ ποιῶ προσφοράν. Τῶν γὰρ ἀμέμπτων ἐστὶν ἡ χειροτονία.
Apēlthe pote ho abbas Matōēs apo tēs Rhaithou, eis ta merē Magdolōn ēn de ho adelphos autou met᾿ autou. Kai kratēsas ho episkopos ton geronta, epoiēsen auton presbyteron. Kai genomenōn autōn homou, elegen ho episkopos; Synchōrēson moi, abba; oida hoti ouk ētheles to pragma touto; alla dia to eulogēthēnai me para sou, etolmēsa touto poiēsai. Eipe de autǭ ho gerōn meta tapeinōseōs; Kai ho logismos mou mikron ēthelen; plēn eis touto egō kopiō, hoti chōristhēnai echō apo tou adelphou tou met᾿ emou. Ou bastazō gar holas tas euchas poiēsai monos. Kai legei ho episkopos; Ei oidas hoti axios estin, egō auton cheirotonō. Legei autǭ ho abbas Matōēs; Ei men axios estin, ouk oida; hen de oida, hoti emou kalliōn estin. Echeirotonēse de kai auton. Kai ekoimēthēsan hoi amphoteroi, mē engisantes thysiastēriǭ heneken tou poiēsai prosphoran. Elege de ho gerōn Pisteuō eis ton Theon, hoti ouk echō krima poly dia tēn cheirotonian, hopote ou poiō prosphoran. Tōn gar amemptōn estin hē cheirotonia.
Once abba Matoes went from Raithou to the region of Magdolos; and his brother was with him. And the bishop seized the old man and made him a presbyter. And when they were together, the bishop said, “Forgive me, abba; I know that you did not want this; but I dared to do it so as to be blessed by you.” The old man said to him with humility, “My thought did want it a little; but this is what troubles me: that I am to be separated from the brother who is with me. For I cannot bear to say all the prayers alone.” And the bishop says, “If you know that he is worthy, I will ordain him.” Abba Matoes says to him, “Whether he is worthy, I do not know; but one thing I know, that he is better than I.” And he ordained him too. And they both fell asleep without ever approaching the altar to make the offering. And the old man said, “I trust in God that I do not have great judgment because of the ordination, since I do not make the offering. For ordination belongs to the blameless.”
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
1 Tim 3:2 (echo, low confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Matoes and his brother, ordained presbyters against their will, never celebrated the Eucharist, holding ordination to be for the blameless.
- Variant notes are removed. “Making the offering” is celebrating the Eucharist.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR: letter slip; OCR: word split; OCR: word split with stray mark; variant notes (“Al.”) from Migne’s apparatus): ἀδελ φὸς → ἀδελφὸς; ἐπί· σκοπος → ἐπίσκοπος; οἱ Αl. φυσικῶς. Αl. Γαβάλων ει Βαβυλῶνος. ΑΙ. γευσαμένων. ΑΙ. θλίβομαι. ἀμφότεροι → οἱ ἀμφότεροι; Ουσιαστηρίῳ → θυσιαστηρίῳ.
Topics: Church office, Eucharist
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 71.9 (PG 65:291–293; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/71-9). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/71-9
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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.
71.10PG 65:293
Εἶπεν ὁ ἀββᾶς Ματόης ὅτι, Τρεῖς γέροντες ἀπῆλθον πρὸς τὸν ἀββᾶν Παφνούτιον τὸν λεγόμενον Κεφαλᾶν, ἵνα ἐρωτήσωσιν αὐτὸν λόγον. Καὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς ὁ γέρων· Τί θέλετε εἴπω ὑμῖν; Πνευματικὸν ἢ σωματικόν; Λέγουσιν αὐτῷ· Πνευματικόν. Λέγει αὐτοῖς ὁ γέρων· Ὑπάγετε, ἀγαπήσατε τὴν θλίψιν ὑπὲρ τὴν ἀνάπαυσιν, καὶ τὴν ἀτιμίαν πλέον τῆς δόξης, καὶ τὸ διδόναι μᾶλλον ἢ λαμβάνειν.
Eipen ho abbas Matoēs hoti, Treis gerontes apēlthon pros ton abban Paphnoution ton legomenon Kephalan, hina erōtēsōsin auton logon. Kai eipen autois ho gerōn; Ti thelete eipō hymin? Pneumatikon ē sōmatikon? Legousin autǭ; Pneumatikon. Legei autois ho gerōn; Hypagete, agapēsate tēn thlipsin hyper tēn anapausin, kai tēn atimian pleon tēs doxēs, kai to didonai mallon ē lambanein.
Abba Matoes said, “Three old men went to abba Paphnutius, called Cephalas, to ask him for a word. And the old man said to them, ‘What do you want me to tell you? Something spiritual or bodily?’ They say to him, ‘Spiritual.’ The old man says to them, ‘Go, love affliction more than rest, and dishonor more than glory, and giving rather than receiving.’”
Acts 20:35 (echo, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Paphnutius counsels loving affliction, dishonor, and giving over rest, glory, and receiving.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR: stray mark): ἀγαπήσατε ·τὴν → ἀγαπήσατε τὴν.
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 71.10 (PG 65:293; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/71-10). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/71-10
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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.
71.11PG 65:293
Ἠρώτησεν ἀδελφὸς τὸν ἀββᾶν Ματώην, λέγων· Εἰπέ μοι ῥῆμα. Ὁ δὲ εἶπεν αὐτῷ· Ὕπαγε, παρακάλεσον τὸν Θεὸν, ἵνα δώσει πένθος εἰς τὴν καρδίαν σου, καὶ ταπείνωσιν· καὶ πρόσεχε πάντοτε τὰς ἁμαρτίας σου· καὶ μὴ κρῖνε ἄλλους, ἀλλὰ γενοῦ ὑποκάτω πάντων· καὶ μὴ ἔχε φιλίαν μετὰ παιδίου, μήτε γνῶσιν μετὰ γυναικὸς, μήτε φίλον αἱρετικόν καὶ κόψον τὴν παρρησίαν ἀπὸ σοῦ· καὶ κράτει τὴν γλῶσσαν καὶ τὴν κοιλίαν σου, καὶ ἀπὸ οἴνου μικρόν· καὶ ἐάν τις λαλήσῃ περὶ πράγματος οἱουδήποτε, μὴ φιλονείκει μετ᾿ αὐτοῦ· ἀλλ᾽ ἐὰν καλῶς λέγῃ, εἰπέ Ναί ἐὰν δὲ κακῶς, εἰπέ· Σὺ οἶδας πῶς λαλεῖς· καὶ μὴ ἔριζε μετ' αὐτοῦ περὶ ὧν ἐλάλησε. Καὶ αὕτη ἐστὶν ἡ ταπείνωσις.
Ērōtēsen adelphos ton abban Matōēn, legōn; Eipe moi rhēma. Ho de eipen autǭ; Hypage, parakaleson ton Theon, hina dōsei penthos eis tēn kardian sou, kai tapeinōsin; kai proseche pantote tas hamartias sou; kai mē krine allous, alla genou hypokatō pantōn; kai mē eche philian meta paidiou, mēte gnōsin meta gynaikos, mēte philon hairetikon kai kopson tēn parrēsian apo sou; kai kratei tēn glōssan kai tēn koilian sou, kai apo oinou mikron; kai ean tis lalēsę̄ peri pragmatos hoioudēpote, mē philoneikei met᾿ autou; all᾽ ean kalōs legę̄, eipe Nai ean de kakōs, eipe; Sy oidas pōs laleis; kai mē erize met' autou peri hōn elalēse. Kai hautē estin hē tapeinōsis.
A brother asked abba Matoes, saying, “Tell me a word.” He said to him, “Go, ask God to put mourning and humility in your heart; and always attend to your sins; and do not judge others, but be beneath everyone; and have no friendship with a boy, nor acquaintance with a woman, nor a heretic as a friend; and cut off freedom of speech from yourself; and control your tongue and your belly, and take only a little wine; and if someone speaks about any matter, do not quarrel with him; but if he speaks well, say ‘Yes’; and if badly, say, ‘You know how you are speaking’; and do not dispute with him about what he said. And this is humility.”
Notes and citation
Summary: Matoes gives a rule of humility, warning against intimacy with boys, women, and heretics and against quarreling.
- The warnings against friendship with boys and acquaintance with women concern sexual temptation; translated as written.
Topics: Heresy
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 71.11 (PG 65:293; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/71-11). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/71-11
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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.
71.12PG 65:293
Ἠρώτησεν ἀδελφὸς τὸν ἀββᾶν Ματώην· Εἰπέ μοι ῥῆμα. Καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ· Πᾶσαν φιλονεικίαν ἀπὸ παντὸς πράγματος κόψον ἀπὸ σοῦ· κλαῦσον δὲ καὶ πένθησον, ὅτι ὁ καιρὸς ἤγγισεν.
Ērōtēsen adelphos ton abban Matōēn; Eipe moi rhēma. Kai eipen autǭ; Pasan philoneikian apo pantos pragmatos kopson apo sou; klauson de kai penthēson, hoti ho kairos ēngisen.
A brother asked abba Matoes, “Tell me a word.” And he said to him, “Cut off from yourself all contentiousness in every matter; and weep and mourn, for the time has drawn near.”
Rev 1:3 (echo, low confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Cut off contention and mourn, for the time is near.
Topics: Eschatology
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 71.12 (PG 65:293; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/71-12). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/71-12
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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.
71.13PG 65:293
Ἀδελφὸς ἠρώτησε τὸν ἀββᾶν Ματόην, λέγων· Τί ποιήσω; ὅτι ἡ γλῶσσά μου θλίβει με· καὶ ὅταν ἔρχωμαι ἐν μέσῳ τῶν ἀνθρώπων, οὐ δύναμαι κατασχεῖν αὐτὴν· ἀλλὰ κατακρίνω αὐτοὺς ἐν παντὶ ἔργῳ ἀγαθῷ, καὶ ἐλέγχω αὐτούς. Τί οὖν ποιήσω; Καὶ ἀποκριθεὶς ὁ γέρων εἶπεν· Εἰ οὐ δύνασαι κατέχειν ἑαυτὸν, φύγε καταμόνας. Ἀσθένεια γάρ ἐστιν. Ὁ δὲ καθήμενος μετὰ ἀδελφῶν, οὐκ ὀφείλει εἶναι τετραγωνιαῖος, ἀλλὰ στρογγύλος, ἵνα πρὸς πάντας κυλίηται. Καὶ εἶπεν ὁ γέρων· Οὐ κατὰ ἀρετὴν κάθημαι καταμόνας, ἀλλὰ κατὰ ἀσθένειαν· δυνατοὶ γάρ εἰσιν, οἱ ἐρχόμενοι εἰς τὸ μέσον τῶν ἀνθρώπων.
Adelphos ērōtēse ton abban Matoēn, legōn; Ti poiēsō? hoti hē glōssa mou thlibei me; kai hotan erchōmai en mesǭ tōn anthrōpōn, ou dynamai kataschein autēn; alla katakrinō autous en panti ergǭ agathǭ, kai elenchō autous. Ti oun poiēsō? Kai apokritheis ho gerōn eipen; Ei ou dynasai katechein heauton, phyge katamonas. Astheneia gar estin. Ho de kathēmenos meta adelphōn, ouk opheilei einai tetragōniaios, alla strongylos, hina pros pantas kyliētai. Kai eipen ho gerōn; Ou kata aretēn kathēmai katamonas, alla kata astheneian; dynatoi gar eisin, hoi erchomenoi eis to meson tōn anthrōpōn.
A brother asked abba Matoes, saying, “What shall I do? My tongue afflicts me; and when I come among people, I cannot control it, but I condemn them in every good work and rebuke them. So what shall I do?” And the old man answered, “If you cannot control yourself, flee to solitude. For it is a weakness. One who lives with brothers ought not to be square, but round, so as to roll toward everyone.” And the old man said, “It is not by virtue that I live alone, but by weakness; for those who go among people are the strong ones.”
Notes and citation
Summary: Matoes says one who cannot control his tongue should live alone; monks in community must be round, not square.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR: wrong diacritic): καθἡμενος → καθήμενος.
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 71.13 (PG 65:293; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/71-13). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/71-13
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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.
Chapter 72
72.0PG 65:293
Σιλουανοῦ.
Silouanou.
[… of Silvanus.]
Notes and citation
Summary: The end of the printed heading of the section on Mark, disciple of abba Silvanus.
- This word belongs to the printed heading (“On Mark, the disciple of abba Silvanus”).
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 72.0 (PG 65:293; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/72-0). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/72-0
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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.
72.1PG 65:293–295
Ἔλεγον περὶ τοῦ ἀββᾶ Σιλουανοῦ, ὅτι εἶχε μαθητὴν ἐν Σκήτει, Μάρκον ὀνόματι· ἦν δὲ ἔχων ὑπακοὴν μεγάλην, καὶ ἦν καλλιγράφος Ἠγάπα δὲ αὐτὸν ὁ γέρων διὰ τὴν ὑπακοὴν αὐτοῦ. Εἶχε δὲ ἄλλους ἕνδεκα μαθητὰς, καὶ ἐθλίβοντο, ὅτι ἡγάπα αὐτὸν ὑπὲρ αὐτούς. Καὶ ἀκούσαντες οἱ γέροντες, ἐλυπήθησαν. Ἦλθον δὲ ἐν μιᾷ πρὸς αὐτὸν οἱ γέροντες, καὶ ἐνεκάλουν αὐτόν Λαβὼν δὲ αὐτοὺς ἐξῆλθε, καὶ ἔκρουσε κατὰ κελλίον, λέγων· Ὁ δεῖνα ἀδελφὲ, δεῦρο, ὅτι χρήζω σου. Καὶ εἷς ἐξ αὐτῶν, οὐκ ἠκολούθησεν αὐτῷ εὐθύς. Καὶ ἐλθὼν ἐπὶ τὴν κέλλαν Μάρκου, ἔκρουσε, λέγων· Μάρκε. Ὁ δὲ ἀκούσας τῆς φωνῆς τοῦ γέροντος, εὐθὺς ἐπήδησεν ἔξω· καὶ ἔπεμψεν αὐτὸν εἰς διακονίαν. Καὶ λέγει τοῖς γέρουσι· Ποῦ εἰσὶν οἱ λοιποὶ ἀδελφοὶ, Πατέρες; Καὶ εἰσελθὼν εἰς τὴν κέλλαν αὐτοῦ, ἐψηλάφησε τὸ τετράδιον αὐτοῦ· καὶ εὖρεν ὅτι ω ἔβαλε χεῖρα ποιεῖν καὶ ἀκούσας τοῦ γέροντος, οὐκ ἔστρεψε τὸν κάλαμον πληρῶσαι αὐτό. Λέγουσιν οὖν οἱ γέροντες· Ὄντως ὃν σὺ ἀγαπᾶς, ἀββᾶ, καὶ ἡμεῖς αὐτὸν ἀγαπῶμεν, καὶ ὁ Θεὸς αὐτὸν ἀγαπᾷ.
Elegon peri tou abba Silouanou, hoti eiche mathētēn en Skētei, Markon onomati; ēn de echōn hypakoēn megalēn, kai ēn kalligraphos Ēgapa de auton ho gerōn dia tēn hypakoēn autou. Eiche de allous hendeka mathētas, kai ethlibonto, hoti hēgapa auton hyper autous. Kai akousantes hoi gerontes, elypēthēsan. Ēlthon de en mią pros auton hoi gerontes, kai enekaloun auton Labōn de autous exēlthe, kai ekrouse kata kellion, legōn; Ho deina adelphe, deuro, hoti chrēzō sou. Kai heis ex autōn, ouk ēkolouthēsen autǭ euthys. Kai elthōn epi tēn kellan Markou, ekrouse, legōn; Marke. Ho de akousas tēs phōnēs tou gerontos, euthys epēdēsen exō; kai epempsen auton eis diakonian. Kai legei tois gerousi; Pou eisin hoi loipoi adelphoi, Pateres? Kai eiselthōn eis tēn kellan autou, epsēlaphēse to tetradion autou; kai euren hoti ō ebale cheira poiein kai akousas tou gerontos, ouk estrepse ton kalamon plērōsai auto. Legousin oun hoi gerontes; Ontōs hon sy agapas, abba, kai hēmeis auton agapōmen, kai ho Theos auton agapą.
They said of abba Silvanus that he had a disciple at Scetis named Mark; he had great obedience, and he was a scribe. The old man loved him because of his obedience. He had eleven other disciples, and they were aggrieved that he loved him more than them. And the old men heard and were grieved. One day the old men came to him and reproached him. Taking them, he went out and knocked at each cell, saying, “Brother so-and-so, come, I need you.” And not one of them followed him at once. And coming to Mark’s cell, he knocked, saying, “Mark.” And hearing the old man’s voice, he at once jumped outside; and he sent him on an errand. And he says to the old men, “Where are the other brothers, Fathers?” And going into his cell, he picked up his quire, and found that he had begun to make the letter omega, and hearing the old man he had not turned the pen to finish it. So the old men say, “Truly, abba, the one you love we too love, and God loves him.”
Notes and citation
Summary: Silvanus shows that his favorite, Mark, obeyed so promptly that he left a letter half written.
- A stray word from Migne’s notes is removed.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR: word split; OCR: word split with stray mark; stray word from Migne’s notes): καὶ Καλλιγράφος. ἐνεκάλουν → καὶ ἐνεκάλουν; ἔ κρουσε → ἔκρουσε; αὐτό, Λέ· γουσιν → αὐτό. Λέγουσιν.
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 72.1 (PG 65:293–295; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/72-1). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/72-1
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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.
72.2PG 65:295
Ἔλεγον περὶ τοῦ ἀββᾶ Σιλουανοῦ, ὅτι ποτὲ περιπατῶν ἐν τῇ Σκήτει μετὰ τῶν γερόντων, καὶ θέλων αὐτοῖς τὴν ὑπακοὴν τοῦ μαθητοῦ αὐτοῦ Μάρκου δεῖξαι, καὶ δι᾽ ὁ ἀγαπᾷ αὐτὸν, θεωρήσας μικρὸν σύαγρον, λέγει αὐτῷ· Θεωρεῖς τὸ μικρὸν βουβάλιον ἐκεῖνο, τέκνον; Λέγει αὐτῷ· Ναὶ, ἀββᾶ. Καὶ τὰ κέρατα αὐτοῦ πῶς πιθανά εἰσιν; Λέγει· Ναὶ, ἀββᾶ. Καὶ ἐθαύμασαν οἱ γέροντες τὴν ἀπόκρισιν αὐτοῦ, καὶ ᾠκοδομήθησαν ἐν τῇ ὑπακοῇ αὐτοῦ.
Elegon peri tou abba Silouanou, hoti pote peripatōn en tę̄ Skētei meta tōn gerontōn, kai thelōn autois tēn hypakoēn tou mathētou autou Markou deixai, kai di᾽ ho agapą auton, theōrēsas mikron syagron, legei autǭ; Theōreis to mikron boubalion ekeino, teknon? Legei autǭ; Nai, abba. Kai ta kerata autou pōs pithana eisin? Legei; Nai, abba. Kai ethaumasan hoi gerontes tēn apokrisin autou, kai ǭkodomēthēsan en tę̄ hypakoę̄ autou.
They said of abba Silvanus that once, walking at Scetis with the old men and wanting to show them the obedience of his disciple Mark, and why he loved him, he saw a little wild boar and says to him, “Do you see that little buffalo, child?” He says to him, “Yes, abba.” “And how handsome its horns are?” He says, “Yes, abba.” And the old men marveled at his answer and were edified by his obedience.
Notes and citation
Summary: Mark agrees without question when Silvanus calls a wild boar a horned buffalo.
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 72.2 (PG 65:295; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/72-2). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/72-2
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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.
72.3PG 65:295
Κατῆλθέ ποτε ἡ μήτηρ τοῦ ἀββᾶ Μάρκου ἰδεῖν αὐτόν· καὶ εἶχε πολλὴν φαντασίαν. Καὶ ἐξῆλθεν ὁ γέρων πρὸς αὐτήν. Καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ· Ἀ̓ββᾶ, εἰπὲ τὸν υἱόν μου ἐξελθεῖν, ἵνα ἴδω αὐτόν. Εἰσελθὼν δὲ ὁ γέρων, εἶπεν αὐτῷ· Ἔξελθε, ἵνα σε ἴδῃ ἡ μήτηρ σου. Ἦν δὲ φορῶν κεντονάριον, καὶ ἠσβολωμένος ἀπὸ τοῦ μαγειρείου. Καὶ ἐξελθὼν διὰ τὴν ὑπακοὴν, ἐκάμμυσε τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς αὐτοῦ, καὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς· Σωθείητε, σωθείητε, σωθείητε· καὶ οὐκ εἶδεν αὐτούς. Ἡ δὲ μήτηρ αὐτοῦ οὐκ ἐγνώρισεν αὐτόν Πάλιν οὖν πέμπει πρὸς τὸν γέροντα, λέγουσα· Ἀ̓ββᾶ, πέμψον μοι τὸν υἱὸν μου, ἵνα αὐτὸν ἴδω. Καὶ εἶπε τῷ Μάρκῳ· Οὐκ εἶπόν σοι· Ἔξελθε, ἵνα σε ἴδῃ ἡ μήτηρ σου Καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ ὁ Μάρκος· Ἐξῆλθον κατὰ τὸν λόγον σου, ἀββᾶ. Πλὴν παρακαλῶ σε, μὴ εἴπῃς μοι ἄλλο ἅπαξ· ἐξελθεῖν, ἵνα μὴ παρακούσω σου. Καὶ ἐξελθὼν ὁ γέρων εἶπεν αὐτῇ· Αὐτός ἐστιν ὁ ἀπαντήσας ὑμῖν, λέγων· Σωθείητε. Καὶ παρακαλέσας αὐτὴν ἀπέλυσεν.
Katēlthe pote hē mētēr tou abba Markou idein auton; kai eiche pollēn phantasian. Kai exēlthen ho gerōn pros autēn. Kai eipen autǭ; Abba, eipe ton huion mou exelthein, hina idō auton. Eiselthōn de ho gerōn, eipen autǭ; Exelthe, hina se idę̄ hē mētēr sou. Ēn de phorōn kentonarion, kai ēsbolōmenos apo tou mageireiou. Kai exelthōn dia tēn hypakoēn, ekammyse tous ophthalmous autou, kai eipen autois; Sōtheiēte, sōtheiēte, sōtheiēte; kai ouk eiden autous. Hē de mētēr autou ouk egnōrisen auton Palin oun pempei pros ton geronta, legousa; Abba, pempson moi ton huion mou, hina auton idō. Kai eipe tǭ Markǭ; Ouk eipon soi; Exelthe, hina se idę̄ hē mētēr sou Kai eipen autǭ ho Markos; Exēlthon kata ton logon sou, abba. Plēn parakalō se, mē eipę̄s moi allo hapax; exelthein, hina mē parakousō sou. Kai exelthōn ho gerōn eipen autę̄; Autos estin ho apantēsas hymin, legōn; Sōtheiēte. Kai parakalesas autēn apelysen.
Once abba Mark’s mother came down to see him, with great pomp. And the old man went out to her. And she said to him, “Abba, tell my son to come out, so that I may see him.” The old man went in and said to him, “Go out, so that your mother may see you.” He was wearing a patchwork garment and was blackened with soot from the kitchen. And going out out of obedience, he closed his eyes and said to them, “Greetings, greetings, greetings”; and he did not see them. And his mother did not recognize him. So she sends again to the old man, saying, “Abba, send me my son, so that I may see him.” And he said to Mark, “Did I not tell you, ‘Go out, so that your mother may see you’?” And Mark said to him, “I went out according to your word, abba. But I beg you, do not tell me to go out again, lest I disobey you.” And the old man went out and said to her, “He is the one who met you, saying, ‘Greetings.’” And comforting her he sent her away.
Notes and citation
Summary: Mark obeys the order to see his mother but keeps his eyes shut, and she does not recognize him.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR: stray mark): υἱόν” μου → υἱόν μου.
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 72.3 (PG 65:295; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/72-3). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/72-3
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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.
72.4PG 65:295
"Αλλοτε συνέβη αὐτὸν ἐξελθεῖν ἀπὸ Σκήτεως, καὶ ἀπελθεῖν εἰς τὸ ὄρος τὸ Σινὰ, καὶ μεῖναι ἐκεῖ. Καὶ ἔπεμψεν ἡ μήτηρ τοῦ Μάρκου ὀρκίζουσα αὐτὸν μετὰ δακρύων, ἵνα ἐξέλθῃ ὁ υἱὸς αὐτῆς, καὶ ἴδῃ αὐτόν. Ὁ δὲ γέρων ἀπέλυσεν αὐτόν. Καὶ ὡς ἐποίει τὴν μηλωτὴν αὐτοῦ τοῦ ἐξελθεῖν, καὶ ἤρχετο ἀσπάσασθαι τὸν γέροντα, εὐθέως ἔβαλλε κλαίειν, καὶ οὐκ ἐξήρχετο.
"Allote synebē auton exelthein apo Skēteōs, kai apelthein eis to oros to Sina, kai meinai ekei. Kai epempsen hē mētēr tou Markou orkizousa auton meta dakryōn, hina exelthę̄ ho huios autēs, kai idę̄ auton. Ho de gerōn apelysen auton. Kai hōs epoiei tēn mēlōtēn autou tou exelthein, kai ērcheto aspasasthai ton geronta, eutheōs eballe klaiein, kai ouk exērcheto.
Another time it happened that he left Scetis and went to Mount Sinai and stayed there. And Mark’s mother sent, adjuring him with tears to let her son come out so that she might see him. And the old man let him go. And as he was preparing his sheepskin to go out, and came to greet the old man, he at once began to weep, and did not go out.
Notes and citation
Summary: Sent to visit his mother, Mark weeps at leaving Silvanus and does not go.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR: word split): ἐξήρ χετο → ἐξήρχετο.
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 72.4 (PG 65:295; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/72-4). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/72-4
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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.
72.5PG 65:295
Ἔλεγον περὶ τοῦ ἀββᾶ Σιλουανοῦ, ὅτι ὡς ἤθελεν ἐξελθεῖν εἰς Συρίαν, εἶπεν αὐτῷ ὁ μαθητὴς αὐτοῦ Μάρκος· Πάτερ, οὐ θέλω ἐξελθεῖν ἔνθεν· ἀλλ᾽ οὐδὲ σὲ ἀφῶ ἐξελθεῖν, ἀββᾶ. Ἀλλὰ παράμεινον ὧδε τρεῖς ἡμέρας. Καὶ τῇ τρίτῃ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκοιμήθη ἐν εἰρήνῃ.
Elegon peri tou abba Silouanou, hoti hōs ēthelen exelthein eis Syrian, eipen autǭ ho mathētēs autou Markos; Pater, ou thelō exelthein enthen; all᾽ oude se aphō exelthein, abba. Alla parameinon hōde treis hēmeras. Kai tę̄ tritę̄ hēmerą ekoimēthē en eirēnę̄.
They said of abba Silvanus that when he wanted to go to Syria, his disciple Mark said to him, “Father, I do not want to leave here; and I will not let you leave either, abba. But stay here three days.” And on the third day he fell asleep in peace.
Notes and citation
Summary: Mark asks Silvanus to stay three days, and on the third day Mark dies in peace.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR: stray mark): ὧδε᾿ τρεῖς → ὧδε τρεῖς.
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 72.5 (PG 65:295; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/72-5). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/72-5
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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 73
73.1PG 65:297
Παρερχόμενος ὁ ἀββᾶς Μιλήσιος διά τινος τόπου, εἶδέ τινα μοναχὸν κρατούμενον ὑπό τινος, ὡς φόνον ποιήσαντα. Καὶ προσεγγίσας ὁ γέρων, ἐπερώτησε τὸν ἀδελφόν. Καὶ μαθὼν ὅτι συκοφαντεῖται, λέγει πρὸς τοὺς κατέχοντας αὐτόν· Ποῦ ἔστιν ὁ φονευθείς; Καὶ ἔδειξαν αὐτῷ. Καὶ προσεγγίσας τῷ φονευθέντι, εἶπε πᾶσι προσεύξασθαι. Αὐτοῦ δὲ ἐκπετάσαντος τὰς χεῖρας πρὸς τὸν Θεὸν, ἀνέστη ὁ νεκρός. Καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ ἐπὶ πάντων Εἰπὲ ἡμῖν τίς ἐστιν ὁ φονεύσας σε. Ὁ δὲ εἶπεν, ὅτι Εἰσελθὼν εἰς τὴν ἐκκλησίαν, δέδωκα χρήματα τῷ πρεσβυτέρῳ· ὁ δὲ ἀναστὰς, ἔσφαξέ με· καὶ ἀπενέγκας, ἔῤῥιψεν εἰς τὸ μοναστήριον τοῦ ἀββᾶ. Ἀλλὰ παρακαλῶ ὑμᾶς, ληφθῆναι τὰ χρήματα, καὶ δοθῆναι τοῖς τέκνοις μου. Τότε εἶπε πρὸς αὐτὸν ὁ γέρων· Ἄ̓́πελθε, καὶ κοιμῶ, ἕως ἂν ἔλθῃ ὁ Κύριος, καὶ ἐγείρῃ σε.
Parerchomenos ho abbas Milēsios dia tinos topou, eide tina monachon kratoumenon hypo tinos, hōs phonon poiēsanta. Kai prosengisas ho gerōn, eperōtēse ton adelphon. Kai mathōn hoti sykophanteitai, legei pros tous katechontas auton; Pou estin ho phoneutheis? Kai edeixan autǭ. Kai prosengisas tǭ phoneuthenti, eipe pasi proseuxasthai. Autou de ekpetasantos tas cheiras pros ton Theon, anestē ho nekros. Kai eipen autǭ epi pantōn Eipe hēmin tis estin ho phoneusas se. Ho de eipen, hoti Eiselthōn eis tēn ekklēsian, dedōka chrēmata tǭ presbyterǭ; ho de anastas, esphaxe me; kai apenenkas, errhipsen eis to monastērion tou abba. Alla parakalō hymas, lēphthēnai ta chrēmata, kai dothēnai tois teknois mou. Tote eipe pros auton ho gerōn; Apelthe, kai koimō, heōs an elthę̄ ho Kyrios, kai egeirę̄ se.
As abba Milesius was passing through a certain place, he saw a monk held by someone as having committed a murder. And the old man came near and questioned the brother. And learning that he was falsely accused, he says to those holding him, “Where is the murdered man?” And they showed him. And coming near the murdered man, he told everyone to pray. And as he stretched out his hands to God, the dead man rose. And he said to him before everyone, “Tell us who killed you.” And he said, “I went into the church and gave money to the presbyter; and he got up and slaughtered me; and carrying me off, he threw me into the abba’s monastery. But I beg you, let the money be taken and given to my children.” Then the old man said to him, “Go and sleep until the Lord comes and raises you.”
Notes and citation
Summary: Milesius raises a murdered man who clears a falsely accused monk and names the real killer.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR: word split): ἐκπε τάσαντος → ἐκπετάσαντος.
Topics: Prayer
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 73.1 (PG 65:297; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/73-1). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/73-1
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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.
73.2PG 65:297
Ἄλλοτε οἰκοῦντος αὐτοῦ μετὰ δύο μαθητῶν ἐν τοῖς ὁρίοις Περσίδος, ἐξῆλθον δύο υἱοὶ τοῦ βασιλέως σαρκικοὶ ἀδελφοὶ, ἀγρεῦσαι κατὰ τὸ ἔθος. Ἔβαλον δὲ λίνα ἐπὶ πολὺ διάστημα κἂν ἐπὶ τεσσαράκοντα μίλια· ὥστε εἰ εὑρίσκεται ἔσω τῶν λίνων, ἀγρεύσωσι καὶ ἀποκτείνωσι κόντοις. Εὑρέθη δὲ ὁ γέρων μετὰ τῶν δύο μαθητῶν αὐτοῦ. Καὶ θεασάμενοι αὐτὸν τριχώδη καὶ ὡς ἄγριον, ἐξεπλάγησαν, καὶ εἶπον αὐτῷ· Ἄνθρωπος εἶ ἢ πνεῦμα, εἰπὲ ἡμῖν. Καὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς· Ἄνθρωπός εἰμι ἁμαρτωλός· καὶ ἐξῆλθον κλαῦσαι τὰς ἁμαρτίας μου· καὶ προσκυνῶ Ἰησοῦν τὸν Χριστὸν τὸν Υἱὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ τοῦ ζῶντος. Οἱ δὲ εἶπον αὐτῷ· Οὐκ ἔστιν ἄλλος Θεὸς, πλὴν τοῦ ἡλίου καὶ τοῦ πυρὸς καὶ τοῦ ὕδατος· ἃ ἐσέβοντο. Ἀλλὰ πρόσελθε, καὶ ἐπίθυσον αὐτοῖς. Ὁ δὲ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς· Ταῦτα κτίσματά εἰσι, καὶ πλανᾶσθε· ἀλλὰ παρακαλῶ ὑμᾶς ἐπιστρέψαι καὶ γνῶναι τὸν ἀληθινὸν Θεὸν τὸν κτίσαντα ταῦτα πάντα. Αὐτοὶ δὲ εἶπον· Τὸν κατακριθέντα καὶ σταυρωθέντα λέγεις Θεὸν εἶναι ἀληθινόν; Καὶ λέγει ὁ γέρων· Τὸν σταυρώσαντα τὴν ἁμαρτίαν, καὶ ἀποκτείναντα τὸν θάνατον, αὐτὸν λέγω εἶναι Θεὸν ἀληθινόν. Αὐτοὶ δὲ βασανίζοντες αὐτὸν μετὰ καὶ τῶν ἀδελφῶν, ἡνάγκαζον θύειν. Καὶ πολλὰ βασανίσαντες, ἀπεκεφάλισαν τοὺς δύο ἀδελφούς· τὸν δὲ γέροντα ἐπὶ πολλὰς ἡμέρας ἐβασάνιζον· ὕστερον δὲ, τῇ τέχνῃ αὐτῶν ἔστησαν αὐτὸν εἰς τὸ μέσον, καὶ ἔῤῥιψαν βέλη, ὁ εἷς ἔμπροσθεν, καὶ ὁ εἷς ὄπισθεν αὐτοῦ. Αὐτὸς δὲ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς Ἐπειδὴ γεγόνατε ἐν ὁμονοίᾳ, καὶ ἐκχέετε αἷμα ἀθῶον, ἐν μιᾷ ῥοπῇ αὔριον ταύτῃ τῇ ὥρᾳ, ἀτεκνωθείη ἡ μήτηρ ὑμῶν ἀφ᾽ ὑμῶν, καὶ στερηθείη τῆς ἀγάπης ὑμῶν, καὶ τοῖς ἰδίοις βέλεσιν ἀλλήλων τὰ αἵματα ἐκχέητε. Καταφρονήσαντες δὲ τοῦ ῥήματος αὐτοῦ, ἦλθον ἐπὶ τὴν αὔριον θηρεῦσαι. Καὶ ἐξήλισεν ἀπ᾿ αὐτῶν μία ἔλαφος. Καὶ καθίσαντες τοῖς ἴπποις, κατέδραμον ἐπὶ τὸ καταλαβεῖν αὐτήν· καὶ ῥίψαντες βέλη κατ᾿ αὐτῆς, ἐκόλλησαν ἀλλήλοις κατὰ τῆς καρδίας ἑαυτῶν· κατὰ τὸ ῥῆμα τοῦ γέροντος ὁ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς, καταρώμενος αὐτοῖς. Καὶ ἀπέθανον.
Allote oikountos autou meta dyo mathētōn en tois horiois Persidos, exēlthon dyo huioi tou basileōs sarkikoi adelphoi, agreusai kata to ethos. Ebalon de lina epi poly diastēma kan epi tessarakonta milia; hōste ei heurisketai esō tōn linōn, agreusōsi kai apokteinōsi kontois. Heurethē de ho gerōn meta tōn dyo mathētōn autou. Kai theasamenoi auton trichōdē kai hōs agrion, exeplagēsan, kai eipon autǭ; Anthrōpos ei ē pneuma, eipe hēmin. Kai eipen autois; Anthrōpos eimi hamartōlos; kai exēlthon klausai tas hamartias mou; kai proskynō Iēsoun ton Christon ton Huion tou Theou tou zōntos. Hoi de eipon autǭ; Ouk estin allos Theos, plēn tou hēliou kai tou pyros kai tou hydatos; ha esebonto. Alla proselthe, kai epithyson autois. Ho de eipen autois; Tauta ktismata eisi, kai planasthe; alla parakalō hymas epistrepsai kai gnōnai ton alēthinon Theon ton ktisanta tauta panta. Autoi de eipon; Ton katakrithenta kai staurōthenta legeis Theon einai alēthinon? Kai legei ho gerōn; Ton staurōsanta tēn hamartian, kai apokteinanta ton thanaton, auton legō einai Theon alēthinon. Autoi de basanizontes auton meta kai tōn adelphōn, hēnankazon thyein. Kai polla basanisantes, apekephalisan tous dyo adelphous; ton de geronta epi pollas hēmeras ebasanizon; hysteron de, tę̄ technę̄ autōn estēsan auton eis to meson, kai errhipsan belē, ho heis emprosthen, kai ho heis opisthen autou. Autos de eipen autois Epeidē gegonate en homonoią, kai ekcheete haima athōon, en mią rhopę̄ aurion tautę̄ tę̄ hōrą, ateknōtheiē hē mētēr hymōn aph᾽ hymōn, kai sterētheiē tēs agapēs hymōn, kai tois idiois belesin allēlōn ta haimata ekcheēte. Kataphronēsantes de tou rhēmatos autou, ēlthon epi tēn aurion thēreusai. Kai exēlisen ap᾿ autōn mia elaphos. Kai kathisantes tois ippois, katedramon epi to katalabein autēn; kai rhipsantes belē kat᾿ autēs, ekollēsan allēlois kata tēs kardias heautōn; kata to rhēma tou gerontos ho eipen autois, katarōmenos autois. Kai apethanon.
Another time, when he was living with two disciples on the borders of Persia, two sons of the king, brothers according to the flesh, went out to hunt as was their custom. They spread nets over a great distance, even forty miles, so that whatever was found inside the nets they might hunt and kill with spears. The old man was found with his two disciples. And seeing him hairy and like a wild man, they were astonished, and said to him, “Tell us, are you a man or a spirit?” And he said to them, “I am a sinful man; and I came out to weep for my sins; and I worship Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God.” They said to him, “There is no other god but the sun and the fire and the water” (which they worshiped). “But come and sacrifice to them.” He said to them, “These are creatures, and you are going astray; but I beg you to turn and know the true God who created all these things.” They said, “Do you say that one who was condemned and crucified is the true God?” And the old man says, “The one who crucified sin and killed death, him I say to be the true God.” They tortured him together with the brothers, trying to force them to sacrifice. And after much torture they beheaded the two brothers; but the old man they tortured for many days; and at last, as a display of their skill, they stood him in the middle and shot arrows, one in front of him and the other behind. He said to them, “Since you have agreed together and are shedding innocent blood, in one moment tomorrow at this hour may your mother be childless of you and deprived of your love, and may you shed each other’s blood with your own arrows.” Despising his word, they went out the next day to hunt. And a deer sprang away from them. And mounting their horses, they rode to catch it; and shooting arrows at it, they struck each other in the heart, according to the word of the old man which he spoke, cursing them. And they died.
Matt 16:16 (echo, low confidence) · Rom 8:3 (echo, low confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Milesius and his disciples are martyred by Persian princes, who die by each other’s arrows as he foretold.
- The Persians are described as worshiping sun, fire, and water (Zoroastrian practice). The old man’s curse and its fulfillment are translated as written.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR: letter slips; OCR: word split; OCR: wrong accent): κτίσματὰ → κτίσματά; κτί σαντα → κτίσαντα; ἐκχέττε → ἐκχέητε.
Topics: Martyrdom, Christology
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 73.2 (PG 65:297; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/73-2). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/73-2
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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 74
74.1PG 65:299
Ἀδελφὸς ἠρώτησε τὸν ἀββᾶν Μώτιον λέγων· Ἐὰν ἀπέλθω μεῖναι εἰς τόπον, πῶς θέλεις διάξω ἐκεῖ; Λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ γέρων· Ἐὰν οἰκήσῃς εἰς τόπον, μὴ θελήσῃς ἐκβαλεῖν σεαυτῷ ὄνομα ἔν τινι, ὅτι οὐκ ἐξέρχομαι εἰς σύναξιν, ἢ εἰς ἀγάπην οὐκ ἐσθίω. Ταῦτα γὰρ ὄνομα ποιοῦσι κενὸν, καὶ ὕστερον εὑρίσκεις ὄχλησιν. Οἱ γὰρ ἄνθρωποι, ὅπου εὑρίσκουσι ταῦτα, ἐκεῖ τρέχουσι. Λέγει οὖν αὐτῷ ὁ ἀδελφός· Τί οὖν ποιήσω; Λέγει ὁ γέρων· ὅπου ἐὰν καθίσῃς, ἴσως μετὰ πάντων ἀκολούθει· καὶ εἴ τι βλέπεις τοὺς εὐλαβεῖς ποιοῦντας εἰς οὓς πληροφορῇ, ποίησον, καὶ ἀναπαύῃ. Τοῦτο γὰρ ταπείνωσίς ἐστι, τὸ εἶναί σε ἐπίσης αὐτῶν. Καὶ οἱ ἄνθρωποι θεωροῦντές σε ὁ ἐκβαίνοντα, ἔχουσί σε ἐπίσης πάντων· καὶ οὐδείς σοι ὀχλεῖ.
Adelphos ērōtēse ton abban Mōtion legōn; Ean apelthō meinai eis topon, pōs theleis diaxō ekei? Legei autǭ ho gerōn; Ean oikēsę̄s eis topon, mē thelēsę̄s ekbalein seautǭ onoma en tini, hoti ouk exerchomai eis synaxin, ē eis agapēn ouk esthiō. Tauta gar onoma poiousi kenon, kai hysteron heuriskeis ochlēsin. Hoi gar anthrōpoi, hopou heuriskousi tauta, ekei trechousi. Legei oun autǭ ho adelphos; Ti oun poiēsō? Legei ho gerōn; hopou ean kathisę̄s, isōs meta pantōn akolouthei; kai ei ti blepeis tous eulabeis poiountas eis hous plērophorę̄, poiēson, kai anapauę̄. Touto gar tapeinōsis esti, to einai se episēs autōn. Kai hoi anthrōpoi theōrountes se ho ekbainonta, echousi se episēs pantōn; kai oudeis soi ochlei.
A brother asked abba Motius, saying, “If I go to live in a place, how do you want me to live there?” The old man says to him, “If you live in a place, do not seek to make yourself a name in anything, such as ‘I do not go out to the synaxis,’ or ‘I do not eat at the love-feast.’ For these things make an empty name, and afterward you find trouble. For people run to wherever they find these things.” So the brother says to him, “Then what shall I do?” The old man says, “Wherever you live, follow the common way with everyone; and whatever you see the devout doing, in whom you have confidence, do it, and you will be at rest. For this is humility: to be on a level with them. And when people see you not going beyond, they will hold you to be like everyone; and no one will trouble you.”
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
Notes and citation
Summary: Motius counsels a new monk to avoid singular practices and live like everyone else.
- The words translated “not going beyond” are corrupt in the scan (ὁ ἐκβαίνοντα); translated by sense.
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 74.1 (PG 65:299; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/74-1). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/74-1
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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.
74.2PG 65:299
Διηγήσατο περὶ τοῦ ἀββᾶ Μωτίου ὁ μαθητής αὐτοῦ ἀββᾶς Ἰσαάκ· ἀμφότεροι δὲ ἐγένοντο ἐπίσκοποι· ὅτι πρῶτος ᾠκοδόμησε μοναστήριον ὁ γέρων εἰς τὸν Ἡρακλᾶν· καὶ ὡς ἀνεχώρησεν ἐκεῖθεν, ἀπῆλθεν εἰς ἕτερον τόπον, καὶ ᾠκοδόμησεν ἐκεῖ πάλιν. Καὶ κατ' ἐνέργειαν τοῦ διαβόλου, εὑρέθη ἀδελφός τις ἐχθραίνων αὐτῷ, καὶ θλίβων αὐτόν. Καὶ ἀναστὰς ὁ γέρων ἀνεχώρησεν εἰς τὴν ἰδίαν κώμην· καὶ ἐποίησεν ἑαυτῷ μοναστήριον, καὶ ἐνέκλεισεν ἑαυτόν. Καὶ μετὰ χρόνον ἦλθον οἱ γέροντες τοῦ τόπου ὅθεν ἐξῆλθε, καὶ λαβόντες καὶ τὸν ἀδελφὸν ὅπου εἶχε πρὸς αὐτὸν τὴν λύπην, ἀπῆλθον παρακαλέσαι αὐτὸν, ἵνα ἐνέγκωσιν αὐτὸν εἰς τὴν μονὴν αὐτοῦ. Ὡς δὲ ἤγγισαν ὅπου ἦν ὁ ἀββᾶς Σώρης, ἀφῆκαν τὰ μηλωτάρια αὐτῶν ἐγγὺς αὐτοῦ, καὶ τὸν ἀδελφὸν τὸν ἔχοντα τὴν λύπην. Καὶ ὡς ἔκρουσαν, βάλλει ὁ γέρων τὸ κλιμάκιον, καὶ παρακύπτει, καὶ γνωρίζει αὐτοὺς, καὶ λέγει· Ποῦ τὰ μηλωτάρια ὑμῶν; Οἱ δὲ εἶπον· Ἰδοὺ ὧδε μετὰ τοῦδε τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ. Ὡς δὲ ἤκουσε τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ τοῦ λυπήσαντος αὐτὸν, ὁ γέρων ἀπὸ χαρᾶς ἔβαλε πέλεκυν, καὶ κατέστρεψε την θύραν, καὶ ἐξῆλθε τρέχων ὅπου ἦν ὁ ἀδελφός· καὶ ἔβαλεν αὐτῷ μετάνοιαν πρῶτος, καὶ ἡσπάσατο αὐτόν· καὶ εἰσήνεγκεν αὐτὸν εἰς τὸ κελλίον αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐπὶ τρεῖς ἡμέρας εὔφρανεν αὐτούς· καὶ αὐτὸς μετ᾿ αὐτῶν· ὅπερ οὐκ εἶχε συνήθειαν ποιεῖν· καὶ ἀναστὰς ἐπορεύθη μετ' αὐτῶν. Καὶ μετὰ ταῦτα ἐπίσκοπος γέγονεν. Ἦν γὰρ σημειοφόρος. Καὶ τὸν μαθητὴν αὐτοῦ ἐποίησεν ἐπίσκοπον ὁ μακάριος Κύριλλος τὸν ἀββᾶν Ἰσαάκ.
Diēgēsato peri tou abba Mōtiou ho mathētēs autou abbas Isaak; amphoteroi de egenonto episkopoi; hoti prōtos ǭkodomēse monastērion ho gerōn eis ton Hēraklan; kai hōs anechōrēsen ekeithen, apēlthen eis heteron topon, kai ǭkodomēsen ekei palin. Kai kat' energeian tou diabolou, heurethē adelphos tis echthrainōn autǭ, kai thlibōn auton. Kai anastas ho gerōn anechōrēsen eis tēn idian kōmēn; kai epoiēsen heautǭ monastērion, kai enekleisen heauton. Kai meta chronon ēlthon hoi gerontes tou topou hothen exēlthe, kai labontes kai ton adelphon hopou eiche pros auton tēn lypēn, apēlthon parakalesai auton, hina enenkōsin auton eis tēn monēn autou. Hōs de ēngisan hopou ēn ho abbas Sōrēs, aphēkan ta mēlōtaria autōn engys autou, kai ton adelphon ton echonta tēn lypēn. Kai hōs ekrousan, ballei ho gerōn to klimakion, kai parakyptei, kai gnōrizei autous, kai legei; Pou ta mēlōtaria hymōn? Hoi de eipon; Idou hōde meta toude tou adelphou. Hōs de ēkouse to onoma tou adelphou tou lypēsantos auton, ho gerōn apo charas ebale pelekyn, kai katestrepse tēn thyran, kai exēlthe trechōn hopou ēn ho adelphos; kai ebalen autǭ metanoian prōtos, kai hēspasato auton; kai eisēnenken auton eis to kellion autou kai epi treis hēmeras euphranen autous; kai autos met᾿ autōn; hoper ouk eiche synētheian poiein; kai anastas eporeuthē met' autōn. Kai meta tauta episkopos gegonen. Ēn gar sēmeiophoros. Kai ton mathētēn autou epoiēsen episkopon ho makarios Kyrillos ton abban Isaak.
His disciple abba Isaac related about abba Motius (both became bishops) that the old man first built a monastery at Heraclea; and when he withdrew from there, he went to another place and built again there. And by the working of the devil a brother was found who was hostile to him and afflicted him. And the old man got up and withdrew to his own village; and he made himself a monastery and shut himself in. After a time the old men of the place he had left came, bringing also the brother who had the grievance against him, and went to beg him to come back to his monastery. When they drew near where abba Sores was, they left their sheepskins near him, and the brother who had the grievance. And when they knocked, the old man let down the little ladder, peered out, recognized them, and says, “Where are your sheepskins?” They said, “Look, here with this brother.” When he heard the name of the brother who had grieved him, the old man for joy took an axe, broke down the door, and went out running to where the brother was; and he made a prostration to him first and embraced him; and he brought him into his cell and for three days entertained them, and himself with them, which he was not accustomed to do; and he got up and went with them. And afterward he became a bishop; for he was a wonder-worker. And blessed Cyril made his disciple, abba Isaac, a bishop.
Notes and citation
Summary: Motius breaks down his door for joy to welcome the brother who had wronged him, and returns to his monastery.
- “Abba Sores” is evidently another name for Motius in this saying. Cyril was archbishop of Alexandria (412–444).
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR: breathing lost; OCR: stray letter; OCR: word split): έχθραίνων → ἐχθραίνων; κλι μάκιον → κλιμάκιον; ἐπίσκοπος η γέγονεν → ἐπίσκοπος γέγονεν.
Topics: Church office
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 74.2 (PG 65:299; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/74-2). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/74-2
BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-apophthegmata-alphabetica-74-2) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Cotelier's Greek text as printed in Migne PG 65 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
Chapter 75
75.1PG 65:299
Ἔλεγον περὶ τοῦ ἀββᾶ Μεγεθίου, ὅτι ἐξήρχετο τοῦ κελλίου καὶ εἰ ἤρχετο αὐτῷ λογισμὸς ἀναχωρῆσαι ἐκ τοῦ τόπου, οὐκ ἀνέκαμπτεν εἰς τὴν κέλλαν αὐτοῦ. Οὐδὲ γὰρ εἶχε τί ποτε τοῦ αἰῶνος τούτου ὕλην, εἰ μὴ ῥαφίδα μίαν ὅπου τὰ θαλλία ἔσχιζεν· εἰργάζετο γὰρ καθ' ἡμέραν τρία μαλάκια, τὸ τῆς τροφῆς αὐτοῦ.
Elegon peri tou abba Megethiou, hoti exērcheto tou kelliou kai ei ērcheto autǭ logismos anachōrēsai ek tou topou, ouk anekampten eis tēn kellan autou. Oude gar eiche ti pote tou aiōnos toutou hylēn, ei mē rhaphida mian hopou ta thallia eschizen; eirgazeto gar kath' hēmeran tria malakia, to tēs trophēs autou.
They said of abba Megethius that if he went out of his cell and the thought came to him to leave the place, he did not go back to his cell. For he had no material thing of this age except one needle with which he split the palm leaves; for he made three small baskets a day, the cost of his food.
Notes and citation
Summary: Megethius owned only a needle, so he could leave his cell at any moment.
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 75.1 (PG 65:299; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/75-1). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/75-1
BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-apophthegmata-alphabetica-75-1) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Cotelier's Greek text as printed in Migne PG 65 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
75.2PG 65:301
Ἔλεγον περὶ τοῦ δευτέρου ἀββᾶ Μεγεθίου, ὅτι ἦν ταπεινὸς σφόδρα, μαθητευθεὶς παρ' Αἰγυπτίοις, καὶ συντυχὼν πολλοῖς γέρουσι, καὶ τῷ ἀββᾷ Σισόῃ, καὶ τῷ ἀββᾷ Ποιμένι. Ἔμεινε δὲ καὶ εἰς ποταμὸν εἰς τὸ Σινά. Καὶ συνέβη τινὰ τῶν ἁγίων παραβαλεῖν αὐτῷ (ὡς αὐτὸς διηγήσατο), καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ· Πῶς διάγεις, ἀδελφὲ, ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ ταύτῃ; Ὁ δὲ εἶπε· Νηστεύω δύο δύο, καὶ ἕνα ἄρτον ἐσθίω. Καὶ λέγει μοι Εἰ θέλεις ἀκοῦσαί μου, φάγε καθ' ἡμέραν τὸ ἥμισυ τοῦ ἄρτου. Καὶ ποιήσας οὕτως εὗρεν ἀνάπαυσιν.
Elegon peri tou deuterou abba Megethiou, hoti ēn tapeinos sphodra, mathēteutheis par' Aigyptiois, kai syntychōn pollois gerousi, kai tǭ abbą Sisoę̄, kai tǭ abbą Poimeni. Emeine de kai eis potamon eis to Sina. Kai synebē tina tōn hagiōn parabalein autǭ (hōs autos diēgēsato), kai legei autǭ; Pōs diageis, adelphe, en tę̄ erēmǭ tautę̄? Ho de eipe; Nēsteuō dyo dyo, kai hena arton esthiō. Kai legei moi Ei theleis akousai mou, phage kath' hēmeran to hēmisy tou artou. Kai poiēsas houtōs heuren anapausin.
They said of the second abba Megethius that he was very humble, having been taught by Egyptians and having met many old men, and abba Sisoes and abba Poemen. He lived also at the river at Sinai. And it happened that one of the saints visited him (as he himself related), and says to him, “How do you live in this desert, brother?” He said, “I fast two days at a time, and eat one loaf.” And he says to me, “If you want to listen to me, eat half the loaf every day.” And doing so he found rest.
Notes and citation
Summary: Megethius finds rest by eating half a loaf daily instead of a whole one every two days.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR: word split and breathing lost): Αίγυ πτίοις → Αἰγυπτίοις.
Topics: Fasting
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 75.2 (PG 65:301; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/75-2). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/75-2
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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.
75.3PG 65:301
Ἠρώτησάν τινες τῶν Πατέρων τὸν ἀββᾶν Μεγέθιον, λέγοντες· Ἐὰν περισσεύηται ἔψημα εἰς τὴν ἄλλην ἡμέραν, θέλεις ἵνα φάγωσιν οἱ ἀδελφοί; Λέγει αὐτοῖς ὁ γέρων· Ἐὰν ἡρήμωται, οὐκ ἔστι καλὸν ἵνα ἀναγκασθῶσιν οἱ ἀδελφοὶ φαγεῖν αὐτὸ, καὶ ἀσθενήσωσιν, ἀλλὰ ῥιφῇ· ἐὰν δὲ καλόν ἐστι, καὶ διὰ στρῆνος ῥιφῇ, καὶ ἄλλο ἐψηθῇ, τοῦτο κακόν ἐστιν.
Ērōtēsan tines tōn Paterōn ton abban Megethion, legontes; Ean perisseuētai epsēma eis tēn allēn hēmeran, theleis hina phagōsin hoi adelphoi? Legei autois ho gerōn; Ean hērēmōtai, ouk esti kalon hina anankasthōsin hoi adelphoi phagein auto, kai asthenēsōsin, alla rhiphę̄; ean de kalon esti, kai dia strēnos rhiphę̄, kai allo epsēthę̄, touto kakon estin.
Some of the Fathers asked abba Megethius, saying, “If cooked food is left over to the next day, do you want the brothers to eat it?” The old man says to them, “If it has gone bad, it is not good that the brothers be forced to eat it and fall ill; but let it be thrown away. But if it is good, and it is thrown away out of daintiness and something else cooked, that is evil.”
Notes and citation
Summary: Spoiled food may be thrown out, but good food must not be wasted for daintiness.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR: stray letter; OCR: wrong breathing): ἴνα ἀναγκασθῶσιν → ἵνα ἀναγκασθῶσιν; ἑἐὰν δὲ → ἐὰν δὲ.
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 75.3 (PG 65:301; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/75-3). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/75-3
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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.
75.4PG 65:301
Εἶπε πάλιν· Ἐν ἀρχῇ ὅτε συνηγόμεθα πρὸς ἀλλήλους, καὶ ἐλαλοῦμεν περὶ ὠφελείας συγκροτοῦντες ἀλλήλους, ἐγινόμεθα χοροὶ χοροὶ, καὶ ἀνηρχόμεθα εἰς τοὺς οὐρανούς. Νυνὶ δὲ συναγόμεθα, καὶ εἷς τὸν ἕνα εἰς καταλαλιὰν ἐρχόμενοι, κατάγομεν κάτω.
Eipe palin; En archę̄ hote synēgometha pros allēlous, kai elaloumen peri ōpheleias synkrotountes allēlous, eginometha choroi choroi, kai anērchometha eis tous ouranous. Nyni de synagometha, kai heis ton hena eis katalalian erchomenoi, katagomen katō.
He also said, “In the beginning, when we gathered together and spoke of what is profitable, encouraging one another, we became choirs upon choirs and went up to heaven. But now we gather, and coming to slander one another, we drag each other down.”
Notes and citation
Summary: Once the monks’ gatherings lifted them to heaven; now slander drags them down.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR: stray accent): ἀνηρχόμεθὰ → ἀνηρχόμεθα.
Cite (SBL): Apophthegmata Patrum, Apoph. Patr. (alph.) 75.4 (PG 65:301; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/75-4). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/apophthegmata-alphabetica/75-4
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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.