On the Life of Moses 409–425
Greek text: PG 44.English: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), public domain (CC0).
Chapter 409
409PG 44:409a–409d
διανύσαι, μὴ τῷ καθηγουμένῳ κατόπιν ἑπόμενον. . '0 οὖν ὁδηγῶν, τῷ προηγεῖσθαι τοῦ ἑπομένου τὴν ὁδὸν ὑποδείκνυσιν · 6 δὲ ἑπόμενος, τότε τῆς εὐθείας οὐκ ἐπιτραπήσεται, εί τὸ ὀπίσω ἀεὶ τοῦ ἡγουμένου βλέποι. '0 γὰρ ἐπὶ τὰ πλάγια τῇ κινήσει παραφερό· μενος, ἦ ἀντιπρόσωπον φέρων τῷ ὁδηγοῦντι τὸ βλέμμα, ἄλλην ἐαυτῷ καινοτομεῖ πορείαν, οὐχ ἢν ό ὁδηγδς ὑποδείκνυσι. Διό φησι πρὸς τὸν ὁδηγούμενον, ὅτι ί Τὸ πρόσωπόν μου οὐκ ὀφθήσεταί σοι· ο τουτέστι, ,μὴ ἀντιπρόσωπος γίνου τῷ ὁδηγοῦντι. Πρὸς γὰρ τὸ ἐναντίον πάντως 6 δρόμος ἐσται· ἀγαθὸν γὰρ ἀγαθῷ οὐκ ἀντιδλέπει, ἀλλʼ ἕπεται. Τὸ δὲ ὲκ τοῦ ἐναντίου νοούμενον, τῷ ἀγαθῷ ἀντιπρόσωπον γίνεται. Ἥ γὰρ κακία ἐξ ἐναντίου τῇ ἀρετῇ βλέπει· ἀρετὴ δὲ οὐκ ἀντιθεωρεῖται τῇ ἀρετῇ ἀντιπρόσωπος. '0 οὖν Μωῦσῆς οὐκ ἀντιβλέπει τῷ Θεῷ, ἀλλὰ τὰ ὀπίσω αὐτοῦ βλέπει. '0 γὰρ ἁντιβλέπων, οὐ ζήσεται· καθὼς μαρτύρεται ή θεία φωνὴ, ὅτι ι Οὐδεὶς ὄψεται τὸ πρόσωπον Κυρίου, καὶ ζήσεται. ι Ὁρᾷς ὅσον ἐστὶ τὸ μαθεῖν ἀκολουθῆσαι τῷ Θεῷ· ὅτι μετὰ τὰς ὑψηλὰς ὲκείνας ἀναβάσεις, κοιλ τὰς φοβεράς τε καὶ ἐνδόξους θεοφανείας, πρὸς τῷ τέλει που τῆς ζωῆς, μόγις ταύτης ἀξιοῦται τῆς χάριτος, ὁ μαθὼν κατόπιν γίνεσθαι Θεοῦ. Τῷ δὲ οὕτως ἑπομένῳ τῷ Θεῷ, οὐκέτι τῶν διὰ κακίας προσοχθισμάτων ἀντιβαίνει οὐδέν. Μετὰ ταῦτα γὰρ φθόνος αὐτῷ παρά τῶν ἀδελφῶν ἐπιφύεται · φθόνος, τὸ ἀρχέκακον πάθος, 6 τοῦ θανάτου πατὴρ, ή πρώτη τῆς ἁμαρτίας εἴσοδος, ή τῆς κακίας ρίζα,ή τῆς λύπης γένεσις, ή τῶν συμφορῶν μήτηρ, ἡςτῆς ἀπειθείας ὑπόθεσις, ἡ τῆς αἰσχύνης ἀρχή. Φθόνος ἡμᾶς τοῦ παραδείσου ὲξῴκισεν, ὄφις κατά τῆς Εὐας γενόμενος · φθόνος κτοῦ ξύλου τῆς ζωῆς ἀπετείχισε, καὶ τῶν ἱερῶν ἐνδυμάτων γυμνώσας, τοῖς τῆς συκῆς κλάδοις διʼ αἰσχύνης ὐπήγαγε. Φθόνος τὸν Κάῐν κατά τῆς φύσεως ὥπλισε, καὶ τὸν ἑπτάκις ὲκδικούμενον ὲκαινοτόμησε θάνατον. Φθόνος τὸν ἰωσὴφ δοῦλον ἐποίησε. Φθόνος τὸ θανατηφόρον κέντρον, τὸ κεκρυμμένον ὅπλον, ἡ τῆς φύσεως νόσος, 6 χολώδης ἰὸς, ή ἑκούσιος τηκεδὼν, τὸ πικρὸν βέλος, 6 τῆς ψυχῆς ἧλος, τὸ ἐγκάρδιον πῦρ, ἠ τοῖς σπλάγχνοις ἑγκαιομένη φλόξ. τῼ ἀτύχημα μέν ἐστιν, οὐ τὸ ἴδιον κακὸν, ἀλλά τὸ ἀλλότριον ἀγαθόν. Κατόρθωμα δὲ πάλιν ὲκ τοῦ ἐναντίου, οὐ τὸ οἰκεῖον καλὸν, ἀλλὰ τὸ τοῦ πέλας κακόν. Φθόνος 6 ταῖς εὐτυχίαις τῶν ἀνθ ρώπων ἐποδυνώμενος, καλ ταῖς συμφοραῖς ἐπεμβαίνων. ΓΙιθείρεσθαι τούς νεκροόόρους γύπας τῷ μύρῳ λέγουσι · πρὸς γὰρ τὸ δυσῶδες καὶ διεφθορὸς αὐτῶν ἡ φύσις ᾠκείωται · καὶ 6 τῇ νόσῳ ταύτῃ κρατούμενος, τῇ μὲν εὐημερίᾳ τῷν φίλων, οἷόν τινος μύρου προσβολῇ καταφθείρεται. Εἰ δέ τι πάθος ὲκ συμφορᾶς ἴδοι, πρὸς τοῦτο καθίπταται, καὶ τὸ ἀγκύλον έπάγει στόμα, τὰ κεκρυμμένα ἐξέλκων τοῦ δυστυχήματος. Πολλοὺς 6 φθόνος τῶν πρὸ Μωῦσέως κατηγωνίσατο. Τῷ δὲ μεγάλῳ τούτῳ προσενεχθεὶς, οἷόν τινι πλάσμα πήλινον πέτρᾳ προσαραχθὲν, ἑαυτῷ περιτρίβεται. Ἐν τούτῳ γὰρ μάλιστα διεδείχθη τῆς μετά τοῦ Θεοῦ πορείας τὸ κέρδος, ἢν ἐποιεῖτο Moriσῆς,
dianysai, mē tǭ kathēgoumenǭ katopin hepomenon. . '0 oun hodēgōn, tǭ proēgeisthai tou hepomenou tēn hodon hypodeiknysin ; 6 de hepomenos, tote tēs eutheias ouk epitrapēsetai, ei to opisō aei tou hēgoumenou blepoi. '0 gar epi ta plagia tę̄ kinēsei paraphero; menos, ē antiprosōpon pherōn tǭ hodēgounti to blemma, allēn eautǭ kainotomei poreian, ouch ēn o hodēgds hypodeiknysi. Dio phēsi pros ton hodēgoumenon, hoti i To prosōpon mou ouk ophthēsetai soi; o toutesti, ,mē antiprosōpos ginou tǭ hodēgounti. Pros gar to enantion pantōs 6 dromos estai; agathon gar agathǭ ouk antidlepei, allʼ hepetai. To de ek tou enantiou nooumenon, tǭ agathǭ antiprosōpon ginetai. Hē gar kakia ex enantiou tę̄ aretę̄ blepei; aretē de ouk antitheōreitai tę̄ aretę̄ antiprosōpos. '0 oun Mōysēs ouk antiblepei tǭ Theǭ, alla ta opisō autou blepei. '0 gar hantiblepōn, ou zēsetai; kathōs martyretai ē theia phōnē, hoti i Oudeis opsetai to prosōpon Kyriou, kai zēsetai. i Horąs hoson esti to mathein akolouthēsai tǭ Theǭ; hoti meta tas hypsēlas ekeinas anabaseis, koil tas phoberas te kai endoxous theophaneias, pros tǭ telei pou tēs zōēs, mogis tautēs axioutai tēs charitos, ho mathōn katopin ginesthai Theou. Tǭ de houtōs hepomenǭ tǭ Theǭ, ouketi tōn dia kakias prosochthismatōn antibainei ouden. Meta tauta gar phthonos autǭ para tōn adelphōn epiphyetai ; phthonos, to archekakon pathos, 6 tou thanatou patēr, ē prōtē tēs hamartias eisodos, ē tēs kakias riza,ē tēs lypēs genesis, ē tōn symphorōn mētēr, hēstēs apeitheias hypothesis, hē tēs aischynēs archē. Phthonos hēmas tou paradeisou exǭkisen, ophis kata tēs Euas genomenos ; phthonos ktou xylou tēs zōēs apeteichise, kai tōn hierōn endymatōn gymnōsas, tois tēs sykēs kladois diʼ aischynēs ypēgage. Phthonos ton Kain kata tēs physeōs hōplise, kai ton heptakis ekdikoumenon ekainotomēse thanaton. Phthonos ton iōsēph doulon epoiēse. Phthonos to thanatēphoron kentron, to kekrymmenon hoplon, hē tēs physeōs nosos, 6 cholōdēs ios, ē hekousios tēkedōn, to pikron belos, 6 tēs psychēs hēlos, to enkardion pyr, ē tois splanchnois henkaiomenē phlox. tǬ atychēma men estin, ou to idion kakon, alla to allotrion agathon. Katorthōma de palin ek tou enantiou, ou to oikeion kalon, alla to tou pelas kakon. Phthonos 6 tais eutychiais tōn anth rōpōn epodynōmenos, kal tais symphorais epembainōn. GIitheiresthai tous nekrooorous gypas tǭ myrǭ legousi ; pros gar to dysōdes kai diephthoros autōn hē physis ǭkeiōtai ; kai 6 tę̄ nosǭ tautę̄ kratoumenos, tę̄ men euēmerią tǭn philōn, hoion tinos myrou prosbolę̄ kataphtheiretai. Ei de ti pathos ek symphoras idoi, pros touto kathiptatai, kai to ankylon epagei stoma, ta kekrymmena exelkōn tou dystychēmatos. Pollous 6 phthonos tōn pro Mōyseōs katēgōnisato. Tǭ de megalǭ toutǭ prosenechtheis, hoion tini plasma pēlinon petrą prosarachthen, heautǭ peritribetai. En toutǭ gar malista diedeichthē tēs meta tou Theou poreias to kerdos, ēn epoieito Morisēs,
complete the journey unless he follows behind the one who leads. So the guide, by going ahead, shows the way to the follower; and the follower will not turn aside from the straight way if he always looks at the back of the leader. For whoever drifts sideways in his movement, or turns his gaze to face the guide, invents a new path for himself, not the one the guide shows. Therefore he says to the one he guides, “My face shall not be seen by you,” that is, do not set yourself face to face with your guide, for then your course will certainly run the opposite way. Good does not face good; it follows it. What is understood as its opposite is what stands face to face with the good. Vice looks at virtue from the opposite side, but virtue is not seen facing virtue. So Moses does not face God, but sees his back; for whoever faces him will not live, as the divine voice testifies: “No one shall see the face of the Lord and live.” You see how great a thing it is to learn to follow God: after those lofty ascents and the fearful and glorious theophanies, somewhere near the end of his life, the one who has learned to be behind God is barely deemed worthy of this grace. For one who follows God in this way, none of the obstacles that come from vice stands in the way any longer. After this, envy grows up against him from his brothers — envy, the passion that began evil, the father of death, the first entrance of sin, the root of vice, the origin of grief, the mother of misfortunes, the ground of disobedience, the beginning of shame. Envy drove us out of paradise, becoming a serpent against Eve; envy walled us off from the tree of life, and stripping us of the holy garments led us in shame to the branches of the fig tree. Envy armed Cain against nature and brought in the death avenged sevenfold. Envy made Joseph a slave. Envy is the death-bearing sting, the hidden weapon, the disease of nature, the bilious poison, the self-chosen wasting away, the bitter arrow, the nail in the soul, the fire in the heart, the flame burning in the inward parts. For envy, misfortune is not its own evil but another’s good; and success, conversely, is not its own good but its neighbour’s evil. Envy is pained at people’s good fortune and tramples on their misfortunes. They say that vultures, which feed on corpses, are killed by perfume, for their nature is at home with what is foul-smelling and rotten. So whoever is held by this disease is destroyed by the prosperity of his friends as by the touch of a perfume; but if he sees any suffering from misfortune, he swoops down on it and applies his hooked beak, drawing out the hidden parts of the calamity. Envy defeated many before Moses; but when it was brought against this great man, it shattered itself, like a clay figure dashed against a rock. In this above all the profit of the journey with God that Moses made was shown,
Exod 33:23 (quotation, high confidence) · Exod 33:20 (quotation, high confidence) · Num 12:1–2 (allusion, high confidence) · Gen 3:1–7 (allusion, high confidence) · Gen 3:22–24 (allusion, medium confidence) · Gen 4:8 (allusion, high confidence) · Gen 4:15 (allusion, high confidence) · Gen 37:28 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: To see God’s back is to follow him, never to face him as an opponent; one who follows God is beyond the reach of vice, as Moses was beyond the reach of envy, the root of evils from Eden to Cain and Joseph, which Gregory describes at length.
- “My face shall not be seen by you”: Exod 33:23. “No one shall see the face of the Lord and live”: Exod 33:20. Miriam and Aaron’s envy: Num 12. Envy and the serpent: compare Wis 2:24 (“through the envy of the devil death entered the world”). Cain: Gen 4:8, 15. Joseph: Gen 37:11, 28. The fig leaves: Gen 3:7.
Extrabiblical texts: Wis 2:24 (Wisdom of Solomon [in RC, EO, ETH canons]; echo)
Topics: Ethics
Cite (SBL): Gregory of Nyssa, Vit. Mos. 409 (PG 44:409a–409d; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/gregory-nyssa-vita-moysis/409/#p-409). (abbreviation not yet checked)
BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-gregory-nyssa-vita-moysis-409) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude from the Migne PG 44 scan text (cited by Migne column); no public-domain English or FOTC volume exists, so it was re-read against the Greek.
Chapter 411
411PG 44:412a–412d
6 ἐν τῷ θείῳ τόπῳ δραμὼν, καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς πέτρας ἑστὼς, καὶ τῷ χωρήματι ταύτης περιεχόμενος, καὶ τῇ χειρὶ τοῦ Θεοῦ σκεπαζόμενος, καὶ κατόπιν τῷ ἡγουμένῳ ὲπόμενοςʼ 6 μὴ ἀντιίέλέπων, ἀλλά τὰ ὀπί· σθια βλέπων. Τὸν οὖν ἐφʼ ἐαυτὸν γενόμενον μακαρι- 'O δέ τοσοῦτον ἀπέσχεν ἐν κοινωνίᾳ. γενέσθαι τοῦ ἀρῤωστήματος, ὅτι καὶ θεραπεύει τῶν νενοσηκότων τὸ πάθος, ού μόνον αὐτὸς πρὸς τὴν ἄμυναν τῶν λελυπηκότων μένων ἀκίνητος, ἀλλά καὶ Θεδν ὑπὲρ αὐτῶν ίλεούμενος, δεικνὺς, οἶμαι, διʼ ὧν ἐποίησεν, ὅτι 6 καλῶς τῷ θυρεῷ τῆς ἀρετῆς περιπεφραγμένος, ταῖς ἀκίσι τῶν βελῶν οὐκ ἀμύσσεται. Ἀμελύνει γὰρ τὴν αἰχμὴν, καὶ είς τὸ ἔμπαλιν ἀποστρέφει η τοῦ ὅπλου στερρότης. Ὄπλον δʼ ἂν εἴη τῶν τοιούτων βελῶν φυλακτήριον, αὐτὸς 6 Θεὸς, ὃν ἐνδύεται 6 τῆς ἀρετῆς ὁπλίτης. ι Ἐνδύσασθε ι γὰρ, φησὶ, ι τον Κύο ριον Ἰησοῦν. ι Τοῦτό ἐστιν ἡ ἀρραγὴς παντευχία, ᾖ τινι πεφραγμένος 6 Μωῦσῆς, ἄπρακτον τὸν πονηρὸν τοξότην ἐποίησεν. Οῦτω γὰρ ἐνέπεσεν αὑτῴ ὴ ἀμβλυντικὴ κατὰ τῶν λελυπηκότων ὁρμή ο οὔτε καταδικασθέντων αύτῶν παρά τῆς ἀδεκάστου κρίσεως, τὸ πρὸς τὴν φύσιν ἠγνόησε δίκαιον, ἀλλʼ ἱκέτης ἐγένετο τοῦ Θεοῦ ὑπὲρ τῶν ἀδελφῶν. Ὅπερ οὐκ ἂν ἐποίησεν, εί μὴ κατόπιν τοῦ Θεοῦ ἦν, τοῦ τὰ ὄπισθεν αὐτῷ πρὸς τὴν ἀσφαλῆ τῆς ἀρετῆς όδηγίαν προδείξαντος. Καὶ τὰ ἄλλα δὲ ἐφεξῆς τοιαῦτα. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ οὐκ ἔσχε κατʼ αὐτοῦ χώραν εἰς βλάβην 6 τῇ φύσει τῶν ἀνθρώπων πολέμιος, τρέπει κατά τῶν εύαλωτοτέρων τὸν πόλεμον. Καὶ καθάπερ τι βέλος τὸ τῆς γαστριμαργίας πάθος ἐπαφεὶς τῷ λαῷ, Δίγυπτιάζειν κατὰ τὴν ὄρεξιν αὐτοὺς παρεσκεύασε, προτιθέντας τῆς οὐρανίας ἐκείνης τροφῆς τὴν παρʼ Αἰγυπτίοις σαρκοβορίαν. Ὀ δὲ ὑψηλὸς τὴν ψυχὴν, ἀνω τοῦ τοιούτου πάθους ὑπερπετόμενος, ὅλος ἦν τῆς μελλούσης κληρονομίας τῆς ἐπηγγελμένης παρά τοῦ Θεοῦ τοῖς μεθισταμένοις ἐκ τῆς νοηθείσης Αἰγύπτου, καὶ ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν ἐκείνην ὁδοιποροῦσιν, ὲν βρύει τὸ γάλα συνἀναμεμιγμένον τῷ μέλιτι. Τούτου χάριν κατασκόσ πους τινὰς διδασκάλους ἐποιεῖτο τῶν ἐν ἐκείνη καλῶν. Οὗτοι δʼ ἂν εἷεν, κατά γε τὴν ἐμὴν γνώμην, οι μὲν τὰς ἀγαθὰς ἐλπίδας προτείναντες, οἱ διὰ τῆς πίστεως ἐγγινόμενοι λογισμοὶ, βεβαιοῦντες τῶν ἀποκειμένων ἀγαθῶν τὴν ἐλπίδα ο οἱ δὲ ἀπόγνωσιν τῶν χρηστοτέρων ποιοῦντες ἐλπίδων, εἷεν ἂν οἱ παρά τοῦ ἐναντίου λογισμοὶ, οἱ τὴν πίστιν τῶν ἐπηγγελμένων ἀμβλύνοντες. Ἀλλʼ οὐδένα τῶν ἐναντίων λόγον ποιούμενος, πιστὸν ἡγεῖται τὸν τὰ κρείττω περὶ τῆς γῆς ἐκείνης ἐπαγγελλόμενον. Ἰησοῦς δὲ ἦν ό τῆς κρείττονος κατασκοπῆς καθηγούμενος, 6 τῇ παρʼ ἑαυτοῦ βεβαιώσει τὸ πιστὸν τοῖς ἐπηγγελμένοις παρέχων. Πρὸς ὃν βλέπων 6 Μωῦσῆς, βεβαίας εἶχε τὰς ὑπὲρ τῶν μελλόντων ἐλπίδας, δεῖγμα τῆς ἐκεῖ τρυφῆς τὸν βὼρυν
6 en tǭ theiǭ topǭ dramōn, kai epi tēs petras hestōs, kai tǭ chōrēmati tautēs periechomenos, kai tę̄ cheiri tou Theou skepazomenos, kai katopin tǭ hēgoumenǭ epomenosʼ 6 mē antiielepōn, alla ta opi; sthia blepōn. Ton oun ephʼ eauton genomenon makari- 'O de tosouton apeschen en koinōnią. genesthai tou arrōstēmatos, hoti kai therapeuei tōn nenosēkotōn to pathos, ou monon autos pros tēn amynan tōn lelypēkotōn menōn akinētos, alla kai Thedn hyper autōn ileoumenos, deiknys, oimai, diʼ hōn epoiēsen, hoti 6 kalōs tǭ thyreǭ tēs aretēs peripephragmenos, tais akisi tōn belōn ouk amyssetai. Amelynei gar tēn aichmēn, kai eis to empalin apostrephei ē tou hoplou sterrotēs. Oplon dʼ an eiē tōn toioutōn belōn phylaktērion, autos 6 Theos, hon endyetai 6 tēs aretēs hoplitēs. i Endysasthe i gar, phēsi, i ton Kyo rion Iēsoun. i Touto estin hē arragēs panteuchia, ę̄ tini pephragmenos 6 Mōysēs, aprakton ton ponēron toxotēn epoiēsen. Outō gar enepesen hautǭ ē amblyntikē kata tōn lelypēkotōn hormē o oute katadikasthentōn autōn para tēs adekastou kriseōs, to pros tēn physin ēgnoēse dikaion, allʼ hiketēs egeneto tou Theou hyper tōn adelphōn. Hoper ouk an epoiēsen, ei mē katopin tou Theou ēn, tou ta opisthen autǭ pros tēn asphalē tēs aretēs odēgian prodeixantos. Kai ta alla de ephexēs toiauta. Epeidē gar ouk esche katʼ autou chōran eis blabēn 6 tę̄ physei tōn anthrōpōn polemios, trepei kata tōn eualōtoterōn ton polemon. Kai kathaper ti belos to tēs gastrimargias pathos epapheis tǭ laǭ, Digyptiazein kata tēn orexin autous pareskeuase, protithentas tēs ouranias ekeinēs trophēs tēn parʼ Aigyptiois sarkoborian. O de hypsēlos tēn psychēn, anō tou toioutou pathous hyperpetomenos, holos ēn tēs mellousēs klēronomias tēs epēngelmenēs para tou Theou tois methistamenois ek tēs noētheisēs Aigyptou, kai epi tēn gēn ekeinēn hodoiporousin, en bryei to gala synanamemigmenon tǭ meliti. Toutou charin kataskos pous tinas didaskalous epoieito tōn en ekeinē kalōn. Houtoi dʼ an heien, kata ge tēn emēn gnōmēn, oi men tas agathas elpidas proteinantes, hoi dia tēs pisteōs enginomenoi logismoi, bebaiountes tōn apokeimenōn agathōn tēn elpida o hoi de apognōsin tōn chrēstoterōn poiountes elpidōn, heien an hoi para tou enantiou logismoi, hoi tēn pistin tōn epēngelmenōn amblynontes. Allʼ oudena tōn enantiōn logon poioumenos, piston hēgeitai ton ta kreittō peri tēs gēs ekeinēs epangellomenon. Iēsous de ēn o tēs kreittonos kataskopēs kathēgoumenos, 6 tę̄ parʼ heautou bebaiōsei to piston tois epēngelmenois parechōn. Pros hon blepōn 6 Mōysēs, bebaias eiche tas hyper tōn mellontōn elpidas, deigma tēs ekei tryphēs ton bōryn
who ran in the divine place, stood on the rock, was enclosed in its hollow, was covered by God’s hand, and followed behind the one who led, not facing him but seeing his back. Him, then, who had come to this … But he was so far from sharing in the disease that he even healed the suffering of those who had fallen sick with it: he not only remained unmoved toward retaliation against those who had grieved him, but even propitiated God on their behalf. By what he did he showed, I think, that whoever is well fenced with the shield of virtue is not wounded by the points of arrows; for the hardness of the armour blunts the point and turns it back. The armour that guards against such arrows would be God himself, whom the soldier of virtue puts on. For “put on,” he says, “the Lord Jesus.” This is the unbreakable panoply, fenced with which Moses made the evil archer ineffective. So blunted was his impulse against those who had grieved him that, even when they had been condemned by the impartial judgment, he did not neglect what is right toward one’s own nature, but became a suppliant to God for his brother and sister. He would not have done this unless he had been behind God, who had shown him his back as a sure guide in virtue. And the other events that follow are of the same kind. Since the enemy of human nature found no room to harm him, he turns the war against those more easily taken. As though shooting an arrow, he let loose the passion of gluttony on the people and made them play the Egyptian in their appetite, preferring the meat-eating of the Egyptians to that heavenly food. But the man lofty in soul, soaring above such passion, was wholly intent on the future inheritance promised by God to those who leave the Egypt we have understood and journey toward that land where milk flows mingled with honey. For this reason he made certain spies teachers of the good things in it. These would be, in my view at least, on the one hand, those who put forward good hopes, the thoughts that arise through faith and confirm the hope of the good things laid up; and on the other hand, those who cause despair of the better hopes would be the thoughts that come from the adversary, which blunt faith in what has been promised. But Moses, taking no account of the opposing report, counts trustworthy the one who announced the better things about that land. Joshua was the leader of the better spying, who by his own confirmation gave credibility to what was promised. Looking to him, Moses held firm hopes for the future, taking as a sample of the delight there the cluster
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
Num 12:1–13 (allusion, high confidence) · Rom 13:14 (quotation, high confidence) · Eph 6:11–16 (allusion, medium confidence) · Num 11:4–6 (allusion, high confidence) · Num 13:17–33 (allusion, high confidence) · Num 14:6–9 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Moses, untouched by envy, prays for Miriam and Aaron, armed with Christ as with armour; when the devil turns to the people with gluttony, Moses keeps his eyes on the promised land, trusting the good report of Joshua rather than the faithless spies.
- Moses’ prayer for Miriam: Num 12:13. “Put on the Lord Jesus”: Rom 13:14. The panoply: Eph 6:11–16. The craving for meat: Num 11:4–6. The land flowing with milk and honey and the spies: Num 13–14. Joshua (Ἰησοῦς, the same name as Jesus) and Caleb’s good report: Num 14:6–9.
- After “who had come to this” some lines are lost in the scan (marked …): the account of Miriam and Aaron’s envy (Num 12).
Cite (SBL): Gregory of Nyssa, Vit. Mos. 411 (PG 44:412a–412d; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/gregory-nyssa-vita-moysis/409/#p-411). (abbreviation not yet checked)
BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-gregory-nyssa-vita-moysis-411) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude from the Migne PG 44 scan text (cited by Migne column); no public-domain English or FOTC volume exists, so it was re-read against the Greek.
Chapter 413
413PG 44:413a–413d
διδ ποιούμενος, τὸν ἐπʼ ἀναφορέων παρʼ αὑτοῦ κομιζό· μενον. Ἰησοῦν δὲ πάντως ἀκούων περὶ τῆς γῆς ἐκείνης μηνύοντα, καὶ βότρυν ξύλων ἀπαιωρούμενονο νοεῖς πρὸς ὅ τι κάκεῖνος βλέπων, ἀσφαλὴς ταῖς ἐλπί· σιν ἦν ’ βότρυς γὰρ ἐπὶ ξύλου κρεμάμενος, τίς ἄλλος ἐστὶ παρὰ τὸν ἐπʼ ἐσχάτων τῶν ἡμερῶν ἐπὶ τοῦ ξύλου κρεμασθέντα βότρυν, οὑ τὸ αἷμα ποτὸν τοῖς πιστεύδίψει ό τῶν ἀγαθῶν τῆς ἐπαγγελίας ἀπελπίσας λαός. '0 δέ Μωῡσῆς πάλιν αὑτοῖς κατακλύζει διὰ τῆς πέτρας τὴν ἔρημον. '0 δὲ τοιοῦτος λόγος, τοῦτο ἂν ἡμᾶς διὰ τῆς νοητῆς θεωρίας διδάξειεν, οἷόν ἐστι τὸ τῆς μετανοίας μυστήριον. 0i γὰρ πρὸς γαστέρα καὶ σάρκα καὶ τὰς Αἰγυπτίας ἡδονὰς, μετά τὸ ἅπαξ γεύσασθαι τῆς πέτρας» παρατραπέντες, τῷ λιμῷ καὶτῶν λογισμῶν τῆς τῶν ἀγαθῶν μετουσίας καταδικάζονται. Ἀλλʼ ἔστιν αὐτοῖς πάλιν ἐκ μεταμελείας τὴν πέτραν εὑρεῖν, ἢν κατέλιπον, καὶ πάλιν ἑαυτοῖς ἀναστομῶσαι τὴν φλέβα, πάλιν ἐμφορηθῆναι τοῦ νάματος, ὃ ἡ πέτρα ἐκδίδωσι τῷ τὴν κατασκοπὴν Ἰησοῦ ἀληθεστέραν τῆς τῶν ἐναντίων εἷναι πιστεύσαντι, καὶ πρὸς τὸν βότρυν ἀναβλέποντι, τὸν ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν αἷμα στάξαντα, καὶ αἱμαχθέντα, τῷ πάλιν αὐτοῖς διά τοῦ ξύλου βρύειν τὴν πέτραν κατασκευάσαντι. Ἀλλʼ οὑπω κατʼ ἴχνος ἕπεσθαι τῇ μεγαλοφυΐᾳ Μωσέως ὁ λαὸς ἐπαιδεύθηʼ ἔτι δέ πρὸς τὰς ἀνδραποδώδεις ἐπιθυμίας καθέλκεται, καὶ πρὸς τὰς Αἰγυπτίας ἡδονὰς ἐπικλίνεται. Δείκνυσι δέ πως διὰ τούτων ὴ ίστορία, ὅτι πρὸς τὸ τοιοῦτον πάθος πάντων μάλιστα κατωφερὴς ἡ ἀνθρωπίνη φύσις ἐστὶ, μυρίαις ὁδοῖς ὑπαγομένη τῇ νόσῳ. Διὸ, καθάπερ τις ἰατρὸς, πρὸς τὸ ἐπικρατοῦν ἀεὶ πάθος διὰ τῆς τέχνης ἱστάμενος, οὐκ ἐᾷ κατʼ αὐτῶν δυναστεύειν μέχρι θανάτου τὴν νόσον. Τοῖς μὲν γὰρ ἠ τῶν ἀτόπων ἐπιθυμία τοὺς ὄφεις ἔτικτε · τὸ δὲ παρʼ αὑτῶν δῆγμα, θανατηφόρον ἐπῆγε τὸν ίδν τοῖς ἀμυχθεῖσι τῷ δήγματι ’ ό δὲ μέγας νομοθέτης ὅφεως εῖδει τὴν δύναμιν τῶν κατά ἀλήθειαν θηρίων ἠχρείωσε. Καιρὸς δʼ ἂν εἴη, σαφέστερον ἐκκαλύψαι τὸ αίνιγμαο Ἓν τι τῶν πονηρῶν τούτων παθημάθων ἐστὶν ἀλεξητήριον,ὴ διὰ τοῦ μυστηρίου τῆς εὐσεβείας γινομένη τῶν ψυχῶν ἡ μῶν κάθαρσις. Κεφάλαιον δὲ τῶν ἐν τῷ μυστηρίῳ πεπιστευμένων, ή είς τὸ πάθος ἐστὶν ἀπόβλεψις τοῦ ὑπὲρ ήμῶν ἀναδεξαμένου τὸ πάθος. Σταυρὸς δὲ τὸ πάθος ἐστίν· ὥστε τὸν πρὸς αὑτὸν βλέποντα, καθὼς ὑφηγεῖται ό λόγος, ὑπὸ τοῦ ἰοῦ τῆς ἐπιθυμίας μὴ βλάπτεσθαι. Τὸ δὲ πρὸς τὸν σταυρὸν βλέπειν, τοῦτό ἐστι, τὸ πάντα τὸν ἑαυτοῦ βίον ὡς νεκρὸν τῷ κόσμῳ καὶ ἐσταυρωμένον ποιῆσαι, πρὸς πᾶσαν ἁμαρτίαν ἀκίνητον ὄντα, καθώς φησιν ό Προφήτης, καθηλοῦντα τῷ θείῳ φόβῳ τὰς ἰδίας σάρκας.Ἧλος δʼ ἂν εἴη σαρκῶν καθεκτικὸς, ἡ ἐγκράτεια. Ἐπεὶ οὖν ἡ τῶν ἀτόπων ἐπιθυμία τοὺς θανατηφόρους ὄφεις ἐκ τῆς γῆς ἐπισπᾶται (πᾶν. γὰρ τῆς πονηρᾶς ἐπιθυμίας ἔγγονον, ὄφις ἐστὶ), τούτου χάριν προδείκνυσιν ό νόμος ἡμῖν τὸ ἐπὶ ξύλου φαινόμενον· τοῦτο δέ ἐστιν ὁμοίωμα ὄφεως, καὶ οὐχὶ
did poioumenos, ton epʼ anaphoreōn parʼ hautou komizo; menon. Iēsoun de pantōs akouōn peri tēs gēs ekeinēs mēnyonta, kai botryn xylōn apaiōroumenono noeis pros ho ti kakeinos blepōn, asphalēs tais elpi; sin ēn ’ botrys gar epi xylou kremamenos, tis allos esti para ton epʼ eschatōn tōn hēmerōn epi tou xylou kremasthenta botryn, hou to haima poton tois pisteudipsei o tōn agathōn tēs epangelias apelpisas laos. '0 de Mōysēs palin hautois kataklyzei dia tēs petras tēn erēmon. '0 de toioutos logos, touto an hēmas dia tēs noētēs theōrias didaxeien, hoion esti to tēs metanoias mystērion. 0i gar pros gastera kai sarka kai tas Aigyptias hēdonas, meta to hapax geusasthai tēs petras» paratrapentes, tǭ limǭ kaitōn logismōn tēs tōn agathōn metousias katadikazontai. Allʼ estin autois palin ek metameleias tēn petran heurein, ēn katelipon, kai palin heautois anastomōsai tēn phleba, palin emphorēthēnai tou namatos, ho hē petra ekdidōsi tǭ tēn kataskopēn Iēsou alēthesteran tēs tōn enantiōn heinai pisteusanti, kai pros ton botryn anableponti, ton hyper hēmōn haima staxanta, kai haimachthenta, tǭ palin autois dia tou xylou bryein tēn petran kataskeuasanti. Allʼ houpō katʼ ichnos hepesthai tę̄ megalophyïą Mōseōs ho laos epaideuthēʼ eti de pros tas andrapodōdeis epithymias kathelketai, kai pros tas Aigyptias hēdonas epiklinetai. Deiknysi de pōs dia toutōn ē istoria, hoti pros to toiouton pathos pantōn malista katōpherēs hē anthrōpinē physis esti, myriais hodois hypagomenē tę̄ nosǭ. Dio, kathaper tis iatros, pros to epikratoun aei pathos dia tēs technēs histamenos, ouk eą katʼ autōn dynasteuein mechri thanatou tēn noson. Tois men gar ē tōn atopōn epithymia tous opheis etikte ; to de parʼ hautōn dēgma, thanatēphoron epēge ton idn tois amychtheisi tǭ dēgmati ’ o de megas nomothetēs hopheōs eidei tēn dynamin tōn kata alētheian thēriōn ēchreiōse. Kairos dʼ an eiē, saphesteron ekkalypsai to ainigmao Hen ti tōn ponērōn toutōn pathēmathōn estin alexētērion,ē dia tou mystēriou tēs eusebeias ginomenē tōn psychōn hē mōn katharsis. Kephalaion de tōn en tǭ mystēriǭ pepisteumenōn, ē eis to pathos estin apoblepsis tou hyper ēmōn anadexamenou to pathos. Stauros de to pathos estin; hōste ton pros hauton bleponta, kathōs hyphēgeitai o logos, hypo tou iou tēs epithymias mē blaptesthai. To de pros ton stauron blepein, touto esti, to panta ton heautou bion hōs nekron tǭ kosmǭ kai estaurōmenon poiēsai, pros pasan hamartian akinēton onta, kathōs phēsin o Prophētēs, kathēlounta tǭ theiǭ phobǭ tas idias sarkas.Hēlos dʼ an eiē sarkōn kathektikos, hē enkrateia. Epei oun hē tōn atopōn epithymia tous thanatēphorous opheis ek tēs gēs epispatai (pan. gar tēs ponēras epithymias engonon, ophis esti), toutou charin prodeiknysin o nomos hēmin to epi xylou phainomenon; touto de estin homoiōma opheōs, kai ouchi
carried by him on poles. And when you hear of Joshua bringing word about that land, and of a cluster hanging from wood, you surely understand what he too was looking to, so that he was secure in his hopes. For the cluster hanging on wood — who else is it but the cluster hung on the wood at the end of days, whose blood becomes drink for those who believe … the people who despaired of the good things of the promise … with thirst. But Moses again floods the desert for them through the rock. Such an account might teach us, through intellectual contemplation, what the mystery of repentance is. For those who, after once tasting the rock, have turned aside to the belly, the flesh, and the Egyptian pleasures are condemned to a hunger of the thoughts and of the sharing in good things. But it is possible for them, by repentance, to find again the rock they left, to open again the vein for themselves, and to be filled again with the stream that the rock gives forth to whoever believes that Joshua’s spying is truer than that of his opponents, and looks to the cluster that dripped with blood for us and was bloodied, which by means of the wood made the rock gush for them again. But the people had not yet been trained to follow in the footsteps of Moses’ greatness; they are still dragged down to slavish desires and incline toward the Egyptian pleasures. By this the history somehow shows that human nature is more prone to this passion than to any other, and is led into the disease by countless ways. Therefore, like a physician who always stands by his art against the prevailing passion, he does not let the disease rule over them to the point of death. In some, the desire for unseemly things gave birth to serpents, and their bite brought deadly poison to those torn by it; but the great lawgiver, by the form of a serpent, rendered harmless the power of the real beasts. It may be time to uncover the riddle more clearly. There is one remedy against these evil passions: the purification of our souls that comes about through the mystery of godliness. The chief point of what is believed in the mystery is to look to the passion of the one who accepted the passion for our sake. The passion is the cross; so that whoever looks to it, as the account directs, is not harmed by the poison of desire. To look to the cross means to make one’s whole life as dead and crucified to the world, unmoved toward every sin, nailing one’s own flesh, as the prophet says, with the fear of God. The nail that holds the flesh fast would be self-control. Since the desire for unseemly things draws deadly serpents out of the earth (for every offspring of evil desire is a serpent), for this reason the law shows us beforehand what appears on the wood: this is the likeness of a serpent, and not
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
Num 13:23 (allusion, high confidence) · Num 20:2–11 (allusion, high confidence) · Num 21:4–9 (allusion, high confidence) · 1 Tim 3:16 (allusion, medium confidence) · Gal 6:14 (allusion, medium confidence) · Ps 119:120 (118:120 LXX) (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: The cluster of grapes carried on a pole figures Christ hung on the wood, whose blood is the drink of believers; repentance lets those who fell away find the rock again; the bronze serpent on the pole figures the cross, by looking to which we are healed of the poison of desire.
- The cluster carried on a pole: Num 13:23. Water from the rock again: Num 20:2–11. The serpents and the bronze serpent: Num 21:4–9. Crucified to the world: Gal 6:14. “Nail my flesh with your fear”: Ps 119:120 (LXX 118:120). The mystery of godliness: 1 Tim 3:16.
- After “for those who believe” a line is lost in the scan (marked …); the following words, also partly lost, concern the people punished with thirst.
Topics: Christology
Cite (SBL): Gregory of Nyssa, Vit. Mos. 413 (PG 44:413a–413d; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/gregory-nyssa-vita-moysis/409/#p-413). (abbreviation not yet checked)
BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-gregory-nyssa-vita-moysis-413) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude from the Migne PG 44 scan text (cited by Migne column); no public-domain English or FOTC volume exists, so it was re-read against the Greek.
Chapter 415
415PG 44:416a–416b
icng- καθὼς καὶ 6 θεῖος [lauit/1; φησιν, ι Ἐν ὁμοιώματι σαρκὸς ἁμαρτίας. ι Ὀ δέ ἀληθὴς όφις, ἡ ἀμαρτία ἒστίο καὶ 6 πρὸς τὴν ἁμαρτίαν αὐτομολήσας, τὴν τοῦ όφεως ὑποδύεται φύσιν. Ἑλευθεροῦται οὖν τῆς ἁμαρτίας 6 ἄνθρωπος διὰ τοῦ ὑπελθόντος 16 τῆς ἁμαρτίας εἶδος, καὶ γενομένου καθʼ ἡμᾶς τοῦς πρὸς τὸεῖδος μεταστραφέντας τοῦ ὄφεως, διʼ οὗ 6 μὲν θάνατος 6 ἐκ τῶν δηγμάτων κωλύεται, αὑτά δὲ τά θηρία οὑκ ἀφανίζεται · θηρία δέ λέγω, τὰς ἐπιθυμίας. Τῶν γὰρ είς τὸν σταυρὸν βλεπόντων, 6 μὲν πονηρὸς τῶν ἁμαρτωλῶν Θάνατος οὑκ ἐνεργεῖται ο ἠ δὲ ἐγκειμένη τῇ σαρκὶ κατά τοῦ πνεύματος ἐπιθυμία εἰς 16 παντελὲς οὑκ ἀπόλωλε. Kal. γὰρ καὶ ἐν τοῖς πιστοῖς ἐνεργεῖται πολλάκις τῆς ἐπιθυμίας τὰ δήγματα* ἀλλʼ 6 πρὸς τὸν €711 ξύλου ὑψωθέντα βλέπων, ἀπωο θεῖται 16 πάθος, οἷόν τινι φαρμάκῳ τῷ τῆς ἐντολῆς φόὸῳ τὸν ἰὸν διαχέας. Τὸ δὲ σύ μόολον εἶναι τοῦ κατά 16v σταυρὸν μυστηρίου τὸν ὑψωθέντα ὅφιν ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ, φανερῶς διδάσκειή τοῦ Θεοῦ φωνὴ ἐν οἷς φησιν, ὅτι ι Καθὼς ὑψωσε τὸν ὅφιν Μωὺσῆς ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ, οὑτως ὑψωθῆναι δεῖ τὸν Υίὸν τοῦ ἀνθρώπου. ι Πάλιν τῇ οἰκείᾳ ὁδῷ, κατὰ τινα κακὴν ἀκολουθίαν, ἡ ἁμαρτία προέρχεται, οἷον είρμῷ τινι πονηρῷ κατά 16 ἀκόλουθον προϊοῦσα ο καὶ. 6 νομοθέτης, καθάπερ τις ἰατρὸς, τῇ τοῦ κακοῦ φορᾷ συμπαρατείνει τὴν θεραπείαν. Ἐπειδὴ γάρ ἄπρακτον ἐγένετο 16 δῆγμα τῶν ὄφεων τοῖς εἰς 16 ὁμοίωμα τοῦ ὄφεως βλέπουσι (νοεῖς δέ πάντως διὰ τῶν εἰρημένων 16 αἴνιγμα), άλλη μέθοδος ἁμαρτίας ἐπινοεῖται τῷ ποικίλως τὰ τοιαῦτα καθʼ ἡμῶν σοφιστεύοντι. Ὃ δὴ καὶ νῦν ἐν πολλοῖς ἰδεῖν ἐστι γινόμενον. Ἐπειδὰν γάρ τινες διὰ σωφρονεστέρου βίου τὺ τῆς ἐπιθυμίας πάθος κολάσωςιν· ἐπὶ τὴν ἱερωσύνην ἑαυτοὺς είσωθοῦσιν, ἀνθρωπίναις περιδρομαῖς καὶ αὑτοχειροτονήτοις 69μαῖς εἰς τὴν οἰκονομίαν τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐξυβρίζοντες, πρὸς ταύτην ἄγει τὴν κακὴν τῆς ἁμαρτίας ἀκολουθίαν 6 διὰ τῆς ἱστορίας ἐνεργεῖν τά κακά τοῖς ἀνθρώπως κατηγορούμενος. Ἐπειδὴ γάρ ἐπαύσατο ἠ γῆ τοὺς ὄφεις κατά τῶν ἐπιθυμούντων ὠδίνουσα, διά τῆς είς τὸν ὑψωθὲντα ἐπὶ ξύλου πίστεως, καὶ κρείττους ἐπείσθησαν εἶναι τῶν ἰοβόλων δηγμάτων, τότε τοῦ κατʼ ἐπιθυμίαν πάθους ὑπεξελθόντος, ὴ τῆς ὑπερηφανίας ἀντεισέρχεται νόσος. Καὶ ταπεινὸν εἶναι κρίνοντες 16 φυλάσσειν ἐφʼ ἐαυτῶν τὴν τάξιν ἐφʼ ἦς ἐτάχθησαν, είσωθοῦσιν ἑαυτοὺς είς 16 τῆς ἱερωσύνης ἀξίωμα, παρώσασθαι τοὺς παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ τὴν λειτουργίαν ταύτην λαχόντας φιλονεικήσαντες, οἳ χάσματι ὑποληφθέντες ἐξηφανίσθησαν. Τὸ δέ ὅσον ὑπὲρ γῆς ἦν τοῦ τοιούτου συντάγματος, κεραυνοῖς κατεπρήσθη·“ διδάσκοντος, οἶμαι, τοῦ λόγου διὰ τῆς ἱστορίας, ὃτι πέρας ἐστὶ τῆς καθʼ ὑπερηφανίαν ἐπάρσεως, ἡ εἰς τὸ ὑπόγειον κάθοδος. Καὶ τάχα τις διά τούτων ὁρμῶμενος, οὑκ ἀπεικότως ἄνοδον ἐπὶ 16 κάτω τὴν ὑπερηφανίαν ὁρίσαιτο. Et δέ πρὸς 16 ἐναντίον τῇ τῶν πολλῶν ὑπολήψει φέρεται ἡ διάνοια, μηδὲν θαυμάσῃς · τοῖς γὰρ πολλοῖς δοκεῖ. τὸ ὑπὲρ τοὺς ἄλλους εἶναι, τῷ ὀνόματι τῆς ὑπερηφανίας σημαίνεσθαι. 'H δὲ τῶν
icng- kathōs kai 6 theios [lauit/1? phēsin, i En homoiōmati sarkos hamartias. i O de alēthēs ophis, hē amartia estio kai 6 pros tēn hamartian automolēsas, tēn tou opheōs hypodyetai physin. Heleutheroutai oun tēs hamartias 6 anthrōpos dia tou hypelthontos 16 tēs hamartias eidos, kai genomenou kathʼ hēmas tous pros toeidos metastraphentas tou opheōs, diʼ hou 6 men thanatos 6 ek tōn dēgmatōn kōlyetai, hauta de ta thēria houk aphanizetai ; thēria de legō, tas epithymias. Tōn gar eis ton stauron blepontōn, 6 men ponēros tōn hamartōlōn Thanatos houk energeitai o ē de enkeimenē tę̄ sarki kata tou pneumatos epithymia eis 16 panteles houk apolōle. Kal. gar kai en tois pistois energeitai pollakis tēs epithymias ta dēgmata* allʼ 6 pros ton €711 xylou hypsōthenta blepōn, apōo theitai 16 pathos, hoion tini pharmakǭ tǭ tēs entolēs phooǭ ton ion diacheas. To de sy moolon einai tou kata 16v stauron mystēriou ton hypsōthenta hophin en tę̄ erēmǭ, phanerōs didaskeiē tou Theou phōnē en hois phēsin, hoti i Kathōs hypsōse ton hophin Mōysēs en tę̄ erēmǭ, houtōs hypsōthēnai dei ton Uion tou anthrōpou. i Palin tę̄ oikeią hodǭ, kata tina kakēn akolouthian, hē hamartia proerchetai, hoion eirmǭ tini ponērǭ kata 16 akolouthon proïousa o kai. 6 nomothetēs, kathaper tis iatros, tę̄ tou kakou phorą symparateinei tēn therapeian. Epeidē gar aprakton egeneto 16 dēgma tōn opheōn tois eis 16 homoiōma tou opheōs blepousi (noeis de pantōs dia tōn eirēmenōn 16 ainigma), allē methodos hamartias epinoeitai tǭ poikilōs ta toiauta kathʼ hēmōn sophisteuonti. Ho dē kai nyn en pollois idein esti ginomenon. Epeidan gar tines dia sōphronesterou biou ty tēs epithymias pathos kolasōsin; epi tēn hierōsynēn heautous eisōthousin, anthrōpinais peridromais kai hautocheirotonētois 69mais eis tēn oikonomian tou Theou exybrizontes, pros tautēn agei tēn kakēn tēs hamartias akolouthian 6 dia tēs historias energein ta kaka tois anthrōpōs katēgoroumenos. Epeidē gar epausato ē gē tous opheis kata tōn epithymountōn ōdinousa, dia tēs eis ton hypsōthenta epi xylou pisteōs, kai kreittous epeisthēsan einai tōn iobolōn dēgmatōn, tote tou katʼ epithymian pathous hypexelthontos, ē tēs hyperēphanias anteiserchetai nosos. Kai tapeinon einai krinontes 16 phylassein ephʼ eautōn tēn taxin ephʼ ēs etachthēsan, eisōthousin heautous eis 16 tēs hierōsynēs axiōma, parōsasthai tous para tou Theou tēn leitourgian tautēn lachontas philoneikēsantes, hoi chasmati hypolēphthentes exēphanisthēsan. To de hoson hyper gēs ēn tou toioutou syntagmatos, keraunois kateprēsthē;“ didaskontos, oimai, tou logou dia tēs historias, hoti peras esti tēs kathʼ hyperēphanian eparseōs, hē eis to hypogeion kathodos. Kai tacha tis dia toutōn hormōmenos, houk apeikotōs anodon epi 16 katō tēn hyperēphanian horisaito. Et de pros 16 enantion tę̄ tōn pollōn hypolēpsei pheretai hē dianoia, mēden thaumasę̄s ; tois gar pollois dokei. to hyper tous allous einai, tǭ onomati tēs hyperēphanias sēmainesthai. 'H de tōn
a serpent, as the divine Paul too says, “in the likeness of sinful flesh.” The true serpent is sin, and whoever has deserted to sin takes on the serpent’s nature. So the human being is freed from sin through the one who took on the form of sin and became like us, who had turned to the form of the serpent. Through him death from the bites is prevented, though the beasts themselves are not destroyed — by beasts I mean desires. For in those who look to the cross the evil death of sinners does not work, but the desire of the flesh against the Spirit has not been wholly destroyed. Even in the faithful the bites of desire often take effect; but whoever looks to the one lifted up on the wood repels the passion, dispersing the poison with the fear of the commandment as with a medicine. That the serpent lifted up in the wilderness is a symbol of the mystery of the cross, the voice of God teaches plainly when it says, “As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up.” Again sin advances along its own road by a kind of evil sequence, proceeding in order as by a wicked chain; and the lawgiver, like a physician, extends his treatment along with the course of the evil. For since the serpents’ bite had become ineffective for those who look to the likeness of the serpent (you surely understand the riddle in what is said), another method of sin is devised by the one who plays the sophist against us in such matters in various ways. This can be seen happening now in many. When some have chastened the passion of desire by a more self-controlled life, they thrust themselves into the priesthood, insulting God’s ordering by human canvassing and self-appointed ambitions. To this evil sequence of sin they are led by the one whom the history accuses of working evils for human beings. For when the earth had ceased to bring forth serpents against those who desire, through faith in the one lifted up on the wood, and they were persuaded that they were stronger than the venomous bites, then, as the passion of desire withdrew, the disease of arrogance came in its place. Thinking it lowly to keep to the rank in which they had been placed, they thrust themselves into the dignity of the priesthood, contending to push aside those who had been allotted this ministry by God; and they were swallowed by a chasm and destroyed. Whatever of that faction remained above ground was burned up by thunderbolts. The account teaches, I think, through the history, that the end of exalting oneself in arrogance is the descent underground. Perhaps someone starting from this might not unreasonably define arrogance as an ascent downward. If the meaning runs contrary to the supposition of the many, do not be surprised; for to the many, being above others seems to be signified by the name “arrogance” (hyperēphania).
Rom 8:3 (quotation, high confidence) · Gal 5:17 (allusion, high confidence) · John 3:14 (quotation, high confidence) · Num 16:1–35 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: The bronze serpent figures Christ, who came “in the likeness of sinful flesh”: looking to the cross does not abolish desire but prevents its deadly bite; when desire is mastered, arrogance follows, as when Korah’s party seized the priesthood and went down into the earth.
- “In the likeness of sinful flesh”: Rom 8:3. The desire of the flesh against the Spirit: Gal 5:17. “As Moses lifted up the serpent …”: John 3:14. Korah, Dathan, and Abiram: Num 16:1–35. Gregory plays on ὑπερηφανία (“arrogance,” literally “appearing above”), which he defines as an ascent downward.
- Gregory applies the rebellion of Korah to those who push themselves into the priesthood of his own day; translated as written.
Topics: Church office, Christology
Cite (SBL): Gregory of Nyssa, Vit. Mos. 415 (PG 44:416a–416b; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/gregory-nyssa-vita-moysis/409/#p-415). (abbreviation not yet checked)
BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-gregory-nyssa-vita-moysis-415) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude from the Migne PG 44 scan text (cited by Migne column); no public-domain English or FOTC volume exists, so it was re-read against the Greek.
Chapter 417
417PG 44:417a–417d
ἱστορηθέντων ἀλήθεια βεβαιοῖ τὸν ἡμέτερον ὅρον. El γὰρ οἱ ὑπὲρ τοὺς ἄλλους ἑαυτοὺς ἄραντες, κάτω που κατέδυσαν, χάσματι τῆς γῆς διασχούσηςʼ οὐκ ἄν τις καταγνοίη τοῦ ὅρου, τοῦ τὴν ὑπερηφανίαν, τὴν κατωτάτω πτῶσιν εἶναι, ὁριζομένου. Πρὸς ταῦτα βλέποντας, μετριάζειν παιδεύει 6 Μωῦσῆς, καὶ μὴ ἐπαίρεσθαι τοῖς κατορθώμασιν, ἀλλʼ ἀεὶ τὸ παρὸν-εὖβιατίθεσθαι. Οὐ γὰρ ἐπειδὴ τῶν ἡδονῶν γέγονας κρείττων, ~ ήδη σοι τὸ ἀνεύθυνον τῷ ἑτέρῳ είδει πάθους ἁλίσκεσθαι. Πτῶμα γάρ εστι πᾶν πάθος, ἕως ἂν πάθος Διαφορὰ δὲ πτωμάτων ὲν τῇ τῶν παθημάτων παραλλαγῇ ούδεμία. Ὀ τῷ λείῳ τῆς ἡδονῆς ὲνολισθήσας, πέπτωκε · καὶ 6 διὰ τῆς ὑπερηφανίας ὑποσκελισθεὶς, ἀνετράπη. Οὐδὲν δὲ καταπτὼματος εἶδος αἱρετὸν τῷ νοῦν ἔχοντι. Ἀλλʼ ἐπίσηςπᾶν πτῶμα φευκτὸν, ἓως ἂν πτῶμα Ὡς εἴ τινα καὶ τῶν νῦν βλέποις έν μέρει τινὶ τοῦ κατὰ τὰς ἡδονὰς ἀρρωστήματος καθαρεύοντα, σπουδῇ δὲ πάλιν τοῦ δοκεῖν ὑπὲρ τοὺς ἄλλους εἶναι, πρὸς τὴν ἱερωσύνην ἑαυτὸν είσωθοῦνταο τοῦτον ἐκεῖνον οίου βλέπειν τὸν ἐν τῷ ὑψώματι τῆς ὑπερηφανίας πίπτοντα. Διδάσκει γὰρ ὲν τοῖς ἑφεξῆς 6 νόμος, ὅτι θεῖόν τι χρῆμά ἐστιν ή ἱερωσύνη, καὶ οὑκ ἀνθρώπινον. Διδάσκει δὲ οὕτωςʼ Ῥάβδους παρʼ ἑκάστης φυλῆς ἐπὶ τῷ ὀνόματι τῶν δεδωκότων κατασημήνας, προτίθησι θυσιαστηρίῳο ὥστε τῆς ἄνωθεν χειροτονίας μαρτυρίαν γενέσθαι τὴν ῥάβδον, θαύματί τινι θείῳ παρὰ τὰς ἄλλας γενομένην ἐπίσημον. Καὶ γενομένου τούτου, αἱ μὲν τῶν ἄλλων ῥάβδοι, ὅπερ ἦσαν, διέμειναν· ἡδὲ τοῦ ἱερέως αὑτὴ ὲν ἑαυτῇ ριςωθεῖσα, οὔ διά τινος ἀλλοτρίας ἰκμάδος, ἀλλὰ τῆς θεόθεν ὲν αὐτῇ ἐντεθείσης δυνάμεως, κλάδους καὶ καρπὸν ἀνεβλάστησε · καὶ προῆλθεν 6 καρπὸς είς τελείωσιν. Κάρυον δὲ ἦν ὁ καρπός. Ob γενομένου, πρὸς εὐταξίαν ἐπαιδεύθη πᾶν τὸ ὑπήκοον. Νοεῖν δὲ προσήκει διὰ τοῦ καρποῦ, ὃν ἡ ῥάβδος ἐβλάστησε τοῦ ἱερέως, οἷον χρὴ εἶναι τὸν ὲν ἱερωσύνῃ βίον, ἐγκρατῆ τινα, καὶ κατεστυμμένον, καὶ περιεσκληκότα τῇ φαινομένῃ ζωῇ · ἔνδοθεν δὲ τὸ ἐδώδιμον ἐν τῷ κρυπτῷ καὶ ἀφανεῖ περιέχοντα· ὃ τότε ἀνακαλύπτεται, ὅταν πεπαυθῇ τῷ χρόνῳ ἡ βρῶ- Ei δέ τινος ἱερέως λεγομένου καταμάθοις τὸν βίον μηλοειδῆ, καὶ εὔπνουν, καὶ ροδόχρουν, οἷοι τῶν πολλῶν εἱσι βύσσῳ καὶ πορφύρᾳ διανθιζόμενοι, καὶ ταῖς λιπαραῖς τραπέζαις ὲμπιαινόμενοι, οἱ τὸν διυλισμένον πίνοντες οἶνον, καὶ τὰ πρῶτα μύρα χριόμενοι, καὶ ὅσα ἄλλα γλυκέα δοκεί κατὰ τὴν πρόχειρον γεῦσιν τοῖς τὸν ἀπολαυστικὸν ὁρίζουσι βίον · καλῶς ἂν ἐπὶ τούτου τὸ εὐαγγελικὸν εἴποις, ὄτι Τὸν καρπὸν βλέπων, οὐκ ὲπιγινώσκωδιά τοῦ καρποῦ τὸ ἱερατικὸν δένδρον. hinc; 6 τῆς ἱερωσύνης καρπὸς, καὶ οὗτος ἄλλοςο Ἐκεῖνος 6 καρπὸς, ἐγκράτεια ἦνʼ τρυφὴ δὲ οὗτος. ’ἱιίκεῖνος οὐκ ἀπὸ γηῖνης ἰκμάδος ὑπεπιαίνετο ° τούτῳ δὲ πολλοὶ κάτωθεν ἐπιρρέουσιν οἱ τῶνήδονῶν ὀχετοὶ, διʼ ὧν πρὸς τὴν τοιαύτην ὤραν ἡ τοῦ βίου ὀπώρα διερυθαίνεται. Ὅτε δὲ καὶ τούτου τοῦ πάθους καθαρὸν ἐγένετο τὸ ὑπήκοον, τότε διέξεισι τὸν ἀλλόφυλον βίον, καθηγουμένου τοῦ νόμου τῆς βασιλικῆς λεωφόρου, καθʼ ἕτερον μέρος τῆς ἐκτροπῆς γινομένης.
historēthentōn alētheia bebaioi ton hēmeteron horon. El gar hoi hyper tous allous heautous arantes, katō pou katedysan, chasmati tēs gēs diaschousēsʼ ouk an tis katagnoiē tou horou, tou tēn hyperēphanian, tēn katōtatō ptōsin einai, horizomenou. Pros tauta blepontas, metriazein paideuei 6 Mōysēs, kai mē epairesthai tois katorthōmasin, allʼ aei to paron-eubiatithesthai. Ou gar epeidē tōn hēdonōn gegonas kreittōn, ~ ēdē soi to aneuthynon tǭ heterǭ eidei pathous haliskesthai. Ptōma gar esti pan pathos, heōs an pathos Diaphora de ptōmatōn en tę̄ tōn pathēmatōn parallagę̄ oudemia. O tǭ leiǭ tēs hēdonēs enolisthēsas, peptōke ; kai 6 dia tēs hyperēphanias hyposkelistheis, anetrapē. Ouden de kataptōmatos eidos haireton tǭ noun echonti. Allʼ episēspan ptōma pheukton, heōs an ptōma Hōs ei tina kai tōn nyn blepois en merei tini tou kata tas hēdonas arrōstēmatos kathareuonta, spoudę̄ de palin tou dokein hyper tous allous einai, pros tēn hierōsynēn heauton eisōthountao touton ekeinon oiou blepein ton en tǭ hypsōmati tēs hyperēphanias piptonta. Didaskei gar en tois hephexēs 6 nomos, hoti theion ti chrēma estin ē hierōsynē, kai houk anthrōpinon. Didaskei de houtōsʼ Rhabdous parʼ hekastēs phylēs epi tǭ onomati tōn dedōkotōn katasēmēnas, protithēsi thysiastēriǭo hōste tēs anōthen cheirotonias martyrian genesthai tēn rhabdon, thaumati tini theiǭ para tas allas genomenēn episēmon. Kai genomenou toutou, hai men tōn allōn rhabdoi, hoper ēsan, diemeinan; hēde tou hiereōs hautē en heautę̄ risōtheisa, ou dia tinos allotrias ikmados, alla tēs theothen en autę̄ entetheisēs dynameōs, kladous kai karpon aneblastēse ; kai proēlthen 6 karpos eis teleiōsin. Karyon de ēn ho karpos. Ob genomenou, pros eutaxian epaideuthē pan to hypēkoon. Noein de prosēkei dia tou karpou, hon hē rhabdos eblastēse tou hiereōs, hoion chrē einai ton en hierōsynę̄ bion, enkratē tina, kai katestymmenon, kai periesklēkota tę̄ phainomenę̄ zōę̄ ; endothen de to edōdimon en tǭ kryptǭ kai aphanei periechonta; ho tote anakalyptetai, hotan pepauthę̄ tǭ chronǭ hē brō- Ei de tinos hiereōs legomenou katamathois ton bion mēloeidē, kai eupnoun, kai rodochroun, hoioi tōn pollōn heisi byssǭ kai porphyrą dianthizomenoi, kai tais liparais trapezais empiainomenoi, hoi ton diylismenon pinontes oinon, kai ta prōta myra chriomenoi, kai hosa alla glykea dokei kata tēn procheiron geusin tois ton apolaustikon horizousi bion ; kalōs an epi toutou to euangelikon eipois, oti Ton karpon blepōn, ouk epiginōskōdia tou karpou to hieratikon dendron. hinc? 6 tēs hierōsynēs karpos, kai houtos alloso Ekeinos 6 karpos, enkrateia ēnʼ tryphē de houtos. ’hiiikeinos ouk apo gēinēs ikmados hypepiaineto ° toutǭ de polloi katōthen epirreousin hoi tōnēdonōn ochetoi, diʼ hōn pros tēn toiautēn ōran hē tou biou opōra dierythainetai. Hote de kai toutou tou pathous katharon egeneto to hypēkoon, tote diexeisi ton allophylon bion, kathēgoumenou tou nomou tēs basilikēs leōphorou, kathʼ heteron meros tēs ektropēs ginomenēs.
But the truth of the history confirms our definition. For if those who raised themselves above others sank down below when the earth split open, no one could find fault with the definition that defines arrogance as the lowest fall. Moses teaches those who look to these things to be moderate and not to be puffed up by their achievements, but always to set the present in good order. For it does not follow that, because you have become superior to pleasures, you may be caught without blame by another form of passion. Every passion is a fall, as long as it is a passion, and there is no difference among falls in the variety of passions. One who slipped on the smoothness of pleasure has fallen; one who was tripped by arrogance has been overthrown. No form of falling is to be chosen by one who has sense; every fall is equally to be avoided, as long as it is a fall. So if you see someone even now who is pure in some part of the disease of pleasures, but who again, out of eagerness to seem above others, thrusts himself into the priesthood, think that you are looking at that man who falls from the height of arrogance. For the law teaches in what follows that the priesthood is something divine and not human. It teaches thus: marking rods from each tribe with the names of those who gave them, he sets them before the altar, so that the rod distinguished from the others by a divine wonder might become a testimony of ordination from above. When this was done, the rods of the others remained what they were; but the priest’s rod, taking root in itself — not through any moisture from outside but through the power put into it by God — sprouted branches and fruit, and the fruit came to ripeness. The fruit was a nut. When this happened, all the people were trained to good order. Through the fruit that the priest’s rod produced we should understand what the life in the priesthood must be: self-controlled, austere, and dry in its outward life, but holding within, in what is hidden and unseen, what is edible, which is uncovered when the food has ripened with time … But if you find that the life of someone who is called a priest is like an apple, fragrant and rosy-coloured, like many who are decked in fine linen and purple and fattened at rich tables, who drink strained wine and anoint themselves with the finest perfumes, and enjoy whatever else seems sweet to the immediate taste of those who define life as enjoyment, you might well say of him the word of the Gospel: seeing the fruit, I do not recognize the priestly tree by its fruit. That fruit of the priesthood is one thing, and this another. That fruit was self-control; this is luxury. That was not fattened by earthly moisture; but into this flow from below many channels of pleasures, by which the fruit of life is reddened to such ripeness. When the people had been cleansed of this passion too, they pass through the life of the foreigners, with the law leading along the royal highway and no turning aside to either side.
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
Num 17:1–10 (allusion, high confidence) · Matt 7:16–20 (allusion, high confidence) · Num 20:17 (allusion, high confidence) · Num 21:22 (allusion, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Every passion is a fall, so mastering pleasure does not excuse ambition for the priesthood; the budding of Aaron’s rod shows that the priesthood is from God, and its nut, hard outside and nourishing within, shows what a priest’s life should be, unlike the luxury of many clergy.
- The rods and Aaron’s almonds (Gregory: “a nut”): Num 17:1–10. “By their fruit you will know them”: Matt 7:16–20. The king’s highway: Num 20:17; 21:22.
- After “ripened with time” some words are lost in the scan (marked …).
- Gregory’s criticism of luxurious clergy is translated as written.
Topics: Church office
Cite (SBL): Gregory of Nyssa, Vit. Mos. 417 (PG 44:417a–417d; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/gregory-nyssa-vita-moysis/409/#p-417). (abbreviation not yet checked)
BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-gregory-nyssa-vita-moysis-417) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude from the Migne PG 44 scan text (cited by Migne column); no public-domain English or FOTC volume exists, so it was re-read against the Greek.
Chapter 419
419PG 44:420a–420d
ιετι Ἐπισφαλὴς γάρ ἡ ἐπὶ τὰ πλάγια παρατροπὴ τῷ ὁδεύοντι. Ὥσπερ γάρ εί δύο κρημνοὶ μίαν ἐπὶ τῆς ἄκρας ῥαχίας ἀτραπὸν ἀποστενοῖεν, κίνδυνός ἐστι τῷ διὰ ταύτης βαίνοντι, ἔνθεν ἢ ένΟεν παρατραπῆναι τοῦ μέσου (ἴσως γάρ ἑκατέρωθεν τὸ ἐκ τοῦ κρημνοῦ βάραθρον τὴν ἐκτροπὴν διαδέχεται) · οὕτως 6 νόμος _ βούλεται τὸν αὐτῷ κατʼ ἴχνος ἑπόμενον, μὴ καταλιπεῖν τὴν ὁδὸν, τὴν, καθώς φησιν ὁ Κύριος, στενήν τι καὶ τεθλιμμένην, μήτε ἐπὶ τὸ σκαιόν τε καὶ εὐώνυμον, μήτε ἐπὶ τὸ δεξιὸν νομιζόμενον. Δόγμα δέ ἔστιν οὗτος ὁ λόγος, ἐν μεσότητι θεωρεῖσθαι τὰς ἀρετάς ὁριζόμενος · διότι πέφυκε πᾶσα κακία ἢ κατʼ ἐλλειψιν, ἢ καθʼ ὑπέρπτωσιν ἀρετῆς ἐνεργείσοαι. Οἷον ἐπὶ τῆς ἀνδρείας, ἔλλειψίς τίς ἐστιν ἀρετῆς ὴ δειλία, ὑπέρσ πτωσις δὲ τὸ Οράσος· τὸ δὲ ἐκατέρου τούτων καθαρεῦον, ὲν μέσῳ τε τῶν παρακειμένων κακιῶν Θεωρεῖται, καὶ ἀρετή ἐστι. Κατά τὸν αὐτὸν τρόπον, καὶ τά ἀλλα πάντα, ὅσα πρὸς τὸ κρεῖττον σπουδάζεται, μεσολαδείταί πως τοῖς κακοῖς γειτονήμασιν. Ἡ σοφία δεινότητός τε καὶ ἀκεραιότητος τὸ μέσον ἔχειʼ οὗτε τοῦ ὄφεως τὸ φρόνιμον ἐπαινετὸν, οὗτε τῆς περιστερᾶς τὸ ἀκέραιον, εἰ ἐφʼ ἑαυτοῦ μόνου δέοι λαμβάνειν τούτων ὲκάτερον· ἀλλʼ ἡ διὰ μέσου τῶν δύο τούτων σύγκρατος ἓξις, ἀρετὴ γίνεται. '0 ἐλλιπὴς κατά τὴν σωφροσύνην, ἀκόλαστοςσ ό πλεονάζων, κεκαυτηρίασται τὴν συνείδησιν, καθὼς ὁρίζεται ὁ Ἀπόστολος· 6 μὲν γάρ ταῖς ἡδοναῖς ἀναίδην ἐκκέχυται. ὁ δὲ καὶ τὸν γάμον ἶσα τῇ μοιχείᾳ βδελύσσεται· ἡ δὲ διὰ [μέ] σου τούτων θεωρουμένη ἕξις. σωφροσύνη κέστίν. Ἐπεὶ δὲ, καθώς φησιν 6 Κύριος, ὁ κόσμος οὗτος ὲν τῷ πονηρῷ κεῖται, ἀλλόφυλον δὲ τοῖς ἑπομένοις τῷ νόμῳ τὸ ἀρετῇ ἀντικείμενον, ὅπερ ἐστὶν ἡ πονηρία” 6 διὰ τοῦ κόσμου τούτου κατά τὸν βίον ὁδοιπορῶν, ἀσφαλῶς τὴν ἀναγκαίαν ταύτην τῆς ἀρετῆς διανύσει ὁδοιπορίαν, εί τὴν λεωφόρον ὅντως, τὴν ὑπὸ τῆς ἀρετῆς τριφΘεῖσάν τε καὶ λευκαινομένην ὁδὸν φυλάσσοι, μηδαμοῦ πρὸς τὰς παρακειμένας ἀνοδίας διὰ κακίαν παρατρεπόμενος. Ἐπεὶ δὲ, καθὼς εἴρηται, τῇ ἀνόδῳ τῆς ἀρετῆς καὶή ἐπιβουλὴ τοῦ ἀντικειμένου συναναβαίνει, καταλλήλως ἑκάστου τῆς εἰς τὸ κακὸν πα ραι τροπῆς τὰς ἀφορμάς ὲξευρίσκουσαο τότε πρὸς μετζον τοῦ λαοῦ ὲν τῷ κατά Θεὸν βίῳ αὐξήσαντος. ἄλλης ἐπιβουλῆς ὁ ἀντικείμενος ἅπτεται, κατά τοὺς δεινοὺς τὰ πολεμικά- οἳ τὴν κατά στόμα παράταξιν τῶν πλεονεκτούντων κατά τὴν δύναμιν δυσκαταγώνιστον ὁρῶντες, λόγοις καὶ ἐνέδραις καταστρατηγοῦσι τὸν ἀντικείμενον. Οὕτωςὸ τῆς κακίας στρατὸς ἐπὶ τῶν νόμῳ καὶ ἀρετῇ δυναμωθέντων, οὐκέτι κατά πρόσωπον ἀντεξάγει τὴν δύναμιν, ἀλλʼ ἐνέδραις τισὶ κατά τὸ ἀφανὲς τὴν ἐπιβουλὴν ἐξεργάζεται. Καλεῖ τοίνυν εἰς συμμαχίαν κατά τῶν ἐπιβουλευομένων παρʼ αὑτοῦ τὴν γοητείαν. Ἢν ὴ μὲν ἱστορία φησὶ μάντιν εἷναί τινα καὶ οἰωνιστὴν, ἐκ τινος ἐνεργείας δαιμόνων βλαο
ieti Episphalēs gar hē epi ta plagia paratropē tǭ hodeuonti. Hōsper gar ei dyo krēmnoi mian epi tēs akras rhachias atrapon apostenoien, kindynos esti tǭ dia tautēs bainonti, enthen ē enOen paratrapēnai tou mesou (isōs gar hekaterōthen to ek tou krēmnou barathron tēn ektropēn diadechetai) ; houtōs 6 nomos _ bouletai ton autǭ katʼ ichnos hepomenon, mē katalipein tēn hodon, tēn, kathōs phēsin ho Kyrios, stenēn ti kai tethlimmenēn, mēte epi to skaion te kai euōnymon, mēte epi to dexion nomizomenon. Dogma de estin houtos ho logos, en mesotēti theōreisthai tas aretas horizomenos ; dioti pephyke pasa kakia ē katʼ elleipsin, ē kathʼ hyperptōsin aretēs energeisoai. Hoion epi tēs andreias, elleipsis tis estin aretēs ē deilia, hypers ptōsis de to Orasos; to de ekaterou toutōn kathareuon, en mesǭ te tōn parakeimenōn kakiōn Theōreitai, kai aretē esti. Kata ton auton tropon, kai ta alla panta, hosa pros to kreitton spoudazetai, mesoladeitai pōs tois kakois geitonēmasin. Hē sophia deinotētos te kai akeraiotētos to meson echeiʼ houte tou opheōs to phronimon epaineton, houte tēs peristeras to akeraion, ei ephʼ heautou monou deoi lambanein toutōn ekateron; allʼ hē dia mesou tōn dyo toutōn synkratos hexis, aretē ginetai. '0 ellipēs kata tēn sōphrosynēn, akolastoss o pleonazōn, kekautēriastai tēn syneidēsin, kathōs horizetai ho Apostolos; 6 men gar tais hēdonais anaidēn ekkechytai. ho de kai ton gamon isa tę̄ moicheią bdelyssetai; hē de dia [me] sou toutōn theōroumenē hexis. sōphrosynē kestin. Epei de, kathōs phēsin 6 Kyrios, ho kosmos houtos en tǭ ponērǭ keitai, allophylon de tois hepomenois tǭ nomǭ to aretę̄ antikeimenon, hoper estin hē ponēria” 6 dia tou kosmou toutou kata ton bion hodoiporōn, asphalōs tēn anankaian tautēn tēs aretēs dianysei hodoiporian, ei tēn leōphoron hontōs, tēn hypo tēs aretēs triphTheisan te kai leukainomenēn hodon phylassoi, mēdamou pros tas parakeimenas anodias dia kakian paratrepomenos. Epei de, kathōs eirētai, tę̄ anodǭ tēs aretēs kaiē epiboulē tou antikeimenou synanabainei, katallēlōs hekastou tēs eis to kakon pa rai tropēs tas aphormas exeuriskousao tote pros metzon tou laou en tǭ kata Theon biǭ auxēsantos. allēs epiboulēs ho antikeimenos haptetai, kata tous deinous ta polemika- hoi tēn kata stoma parataxin tōn pleonektountōn kata tēn dynamin dyskatagōniston horōntes, logois kai enedrais katastratēgousi ton antikeimenon. Houtōso tēs kakias stratos epi tōn nomǭ kai aretę̄ dynamōthentōn, ouketi kata prosōpon antexagei tēn dynamin, allʼ enedrais tisi kata to aphanes tēn epiboulēn exergazetai. Kalei toinyn eis symmachian kata tōn epibouleuomenōn parʼ hautou tēn goēteian. Ēn ē men historia phēsi mantin heinai tina kai oiōnistēn, ek tinos energeias daimonōn blao
For turning aside sideways is dangerous for the traveller. Just as, when two precipices narrow a single path along the top of a ridge, there is danger for one who walks on it of turning aside from the middle on this side or that — for the chasm of the precipice awaits the one who turns aside, equally on either side — so the law wants the one who follows in its footsteps not to leave the way, which, as the Lord says, is narrow and hard, turning neither to the left and sinister side nor to what is thought to be the right. This saying is a doctrine that defines the virtues as seen in the mean; for every vice naturally works either by deficiency or by excess of virtue. For example, in courage, cowardice is a deficiency of virtue and rashness an excess; what is clean of each of these is seen in the middle between the neighbouring vices, and is virtue. In the same way all the other things pursued for the better are somehow bounded on either side by evil neighbours. Wisdom holds the mean between cunning and simplicity: neither the shrewdness of the serpent is praiseworthy nor the simplicity of the dove, if each had to be taken by itself alone; but the disposition blended between the two becomes virtue. One deficient in self-control is licentious; one who goes to excess has his conscience seared, as the Apostle defines; for the one is shamelessly poured out in pleasures, while the other abhors marriage as much as adultery; but the disposition seen between these is self-control. And since, as the Lord says, this world lies in the evil one, and what opposes virtue, which is wickedness, is foreign to those who follow the law, whoever journeys through this world in his life will safely complete this necessary journey of virtue if he keeps truly to the highway, the road beaten and whitened by virtue, never turning aside through vice to the trackless places alongside. And since, as has been said, the plotting of the adversary goes up together with the ascent of virtue, finding occasions suited to each for turning aside to evil, then, when the people had grown to greater things in the life according to God, the adversary takes up another plot, like those skilled in warfare who, seeing that a frontal battle against those superior in strength is hard to win, outgeneral the enemy by stratagems and ambushes. So the army of vice no longer leads out its force face to face against those strengthened by the law and virtue, but carries out its plot by ambushes in secret. It calls, then, sorcery to its aid against those it plots against, which the history says was a certain diviner and augur, made harmful by some working of demons …
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
Matt 7:14 (allusion, high confidence) · Num 20:17 (allusion, medium confidence) · Matt 10:16 (allusion, high confidence) · 1 Tim 4:2–3 (allusion, high confidence) · 1 John 5:19 (quotation, high confidence) · Num 22:5–7 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Keeping to the king’s highway signifies virtue as the mean between excess and deficiency — courage between cowardice and rashness, wisdom between serpent and dove, self-control between licence and the condemnation of marriage; when the people grow in virtue, the devil turns to secret plots through Balaam.
- The narrow and hard way: Matt 7:14. Not turning to right or left: Num 20:17; Deut 5:32. Serpent and dove: Matt 10:16. The seared conscience of those who forbid marriage: 1 Tim 4:2–3. “The world lies in the evil one”: 1 John 5:19 (Gregory ascribes it to the Lord). Balaam: Num 22.
- The doctrine of virtue as a mean is Aristotle’s (Nicomachean Ethics 2.6–9).
- The page breaks off and the next begins after a gap in the scan.
Extrabiblical texts: Aristotle, Eth. nic. 2.6 (Aristotle (works); echo)
Topics: Ethics
Cite (SBL): Gregory of Nyssa, Vit. Mos. 419 (PG 44:420a–420d; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/gregory-nyssa-vita-moysis/409/#p-419). (abbreviation not yet checked)
BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-gregory-nyssa-vita-moysis-419) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude from the Migne PG 44 scan text (cited by Migne column); no public-domain English or FOTC volume exists, so it was re-read against the Greek.
Chapter 421
421PG 44:421a–421d
Τὸ γὰρ τὴν οἰωνοσκοπικὴθ ἐπιτηδεύειν μαντείαν τὸν μνημονευθέντα, μαρτυρεῖται παρά τῆς ἱστορίας ἐν οἶς,φησιν, τά τε μαντεῖα διά χειρὸς ἔχειν αὑτὸν, καὶ παρὰ τῶν οίωνῶν συμβουλεύεσθαι. καὶ πρό γε τούτων, ὅτι διά τοῦ μηκυθμοῦ τῆς ὄνου τὰ περὶ τῆς προκειμένης αὐτῷ σπουδῆς ἐδιδάσκετο· ἧς τὸν φθόγγον (διὰ τὸ συνήθως αὐτὸν ταῖς τῶν ἀλόγων φωναῖς, κατά τινα δαιμονίαν ἐνέργειαν, συμβουλεύεσθαι) ώς ἐναρο θρον ἡ Γραφὴ διηγήσατο, ἐνδεικνυμένη, δτι τοὺς προτ ειλημμὲνους τῇ τοιαύτῃ τῶν δαιμόνων ἀπάτῃ, μέχρι τούτων φθάνειν, ὡς ἀντὶ λόγου δέχεσθαι τὴν ἐκ τῆς ποιᾶς παρατηρήσεως γενομένην αὐτοῖς ἐκ τῆς φωνῆς τῶν ἀλόγων διδασκαλίαν· προσχὼν, διʼ αὐτῶν ὧν ἠπατᾶτο, τὸ ἄμαχον τῆς καθʼ ὧν ἐμισθώθη δυνάμεως ἐξεπαιδεύθη. Καὶ γάρ ἐν τῇ εὖαγγελικῇ ἱστορίᾳ παρο εσκεύαστο είς ἀντίστασιν τῆς τοῦ Κυρίου ἐξουσίας τὸ συγκρότημα τῶν δαιμόνων, ἡ λεγεών. Πλησιάσαντος δὲ τοῦ ἔχοντος κατά πάντων τὸ κράτος, βοᾷ τὴν ὑπερέχουσαν δύναμιν, καὶηιούκ ἐπικρύπτεται τὴν ἀλήθειαν, ὅτι οὗτός ἐστιν ἠ θεία φύσις, 0 ἐν τοῖς καθήκουσι χρόνοις ἐπάξων τοῖς ἡμαρτηκόσι τὴν κόλασιν. Λέγει γὰρ ὴ τῶν δαιμόνων φωνή* ι Οἴδαμέν σε τίς εἴ, 0 ἅγιος τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ ὃτι ἦλθες πρὸ καιροῦ βασανίσαι ἡμᾶς. ι Ὃ δὴ καὶ τότε ἐγένετο, τῆς παρεπομένης τῷ μάντει δαιμονίας δυνάμεως, τὸ ἄμαχόν τε καί ἀνανταγώνιστον τοῦ λαοῦ τὸν Βαλαὰμ διδασκούσης. Ἡμεῖς δέ φαμεν, τοῖς προεξητάσμένοις τὴν ἱστορίαν ἁρμόζοντες, τὸ κατά τῶν ἐν ἁρετῇ ζώντων τὸν καταρᾶσθαι βεβουλημένον μηδεμίαν δύνασθαι προίεσθαι φωνὴν λυπηρὰν τε καὶ ἀπεμφαίνουσαν, ἀλλὰ τρέπειν τὴν κατάραν είς εὐλογίαν. Τὸ δὲ νοούμενον, τοῦτό ἐστιν, ὅτι τῶν κατʼ ἀρετὴν ζώντων ὁ τῆς λοιδορίας μῶμος οὐχ άπτεταιυΠῶς γάρ ἐπί πλεονεξίᾳ 0 ἀκτήμων λοιδορηθήσεται; πῶς δέ τις ἐπιορυλλήσει τὴν ἀσωτίαν τῷ ἀνακεχωρημένῳ καὶ ίδιὰζοντις ἢ τὸν θυμὸν τῷ πράῳ; ἦ τὸν τύφον τῷ μετριόφρονι; ἦ ἄλλο τι τῶν ἐπιμώμων τοῖς ἐκ τῶν ἐναντίων γινωσκομένοις; οἷς σκοπός ἐστιν, ἄληπτον παρέχειν τῷ μώμῳ τὸν βίον· ἵνα, καθώς φησιν 0 Ἀπόστολος, ὁ ἐξ ἐναντίας ἐντραπῇ, μηδὲν ἔχων λέγειν. Διά τοῦτό φησιν ἠ φωνὴ τοῦ είς κατάραν παρειλημμένου, ι Πῶς ἀράσομαι, ὃν μὴ ἀρᾶται Κύριος; ι τουτέστι, Πῶς λοιδορήσομαι τὸν μὴ δεδωκότα τῆς λοιδορίας τὴν λαβήν ᾧ διὰ τὸ πρὸς τὸν Θεὸν βλέπειν ἄτρωτός ἐστιν εἰς κακίαν 0 βίος. Ού μῆν,“ἐπειδὴ τούτου διήμαρτεν 0 τῆς κακίας εὑρετὴς, καθόλου τῆς κατά τῶν ἐπιβουλευομένων ἐπινοίας ἐπαύσατο· ἀλλὰ πρὸς τὸ ἴδιον πάλαισμα τὴν ἐπίνοιαν τρέπει, πάλιν διʼ ἡδονῆς πρὸς τὸ κακὸν δελεάζων τὴν φύσιν. Ὄντως πάσης κακίας οἷόν τι δέλεαρ ἡ ἡδονὴ προβληθείσα, εὐκόλως τάς λιχνοτέρας ψυχὰς ἐπὶ τὸ ἄγκιστρον τῆς ἀπωλείας ἐφέλκεται. Μάλιστα δέ πως διὰ τῆς ἀκολάστου ἡδονῆς ἀφυλάκτως ἠ φύσις πρὸς τὸ κακὸν παρασύρεται. Ὃ δὴ καὶ τότε ἐγένετο. Οἱ γὰρ τῶν ὃπλων ὑπερισχύσαντες, καὶ πᾶσαν τὴν ἐκ σιδήρου προσβολὴν ἀσθενεστέραν τῆς ἰδίας δυνάμεως δείξαντες, καὶ κατά κράτος τὴν φάλαγγα τῶν ἀντικειμένων τρεψάμενοι, τοῖς
To gar tēn oiōnoskopikēth epitēdeuein manteian ton mnēmoneuthenta, martyreitai para tēs historias en ois,phēsin, ta te manteia dia cheiros echein hauton, kai para tōn oiōnōn symbouleuesthai. kai pro ge toutōn, hoti dia tou mēkythmou tēs onou ta peri tēs prokeimenēs autǭ spoudēs edidasketo; hēs ton phthongon (dia to synēthōs auton tais tōn alogōn phōnais, kata tina daimonian energeian, symbouleuesthai) ōs enaro thron hē Graphē diēgēsato, endeiknymenē, dti tous prot eilēmmenous tę̄ toiautę̄ tōn daimonōn apatę̄, mechri toutōn phthanein, hōs anti logou dechesthai tēn ek tēs poias paratērēseōs genomenēn autois ek tēs phōnēs tōn alogōn didaskalian; proschōn, diʼ autōn hōn ēpatato, to amachon tēs kathʼ hōn emisthōthē dynameōs exepaideuthē. Kai gar en tę̄ euangelikę̄ historią paro eskeuasto eis antistasin tēs tou Kyriou exousias to synkrotēma tōn daimonōn, hē legeōn. Plēsiasantos de tou echontos kata pantōn to kratos, boą tēn hyperechousan dynamin, kaiēiouk epikryptetai tēn alētheian, hoti houtos estin ē theia physis, 0 en tois kathēkousi chronois epaxōn tois hēmartēkosi tēn kolasin. Legei gar ē tōn daimonōn phōnē* i Oidamen se tis ei, 0 hagios tou Theou kai hoti ēlthes pro kairou basanisai hēmas. i Ho dē kai tote egeneto, tēs parepomenēs tǭ mantei daimonias dynameōs, to amachon te kai anantagōniston tou laou ton Balaam didaskousēs. Hēmeis de phamen, tois proexētasmenois tēn historian harmozontes, to kata tōn en haretę̄ zōntōn ton katarasthai beboulēmenon mēdemian dynasthai proiesthai phōnēn lypēran te kai apemphainousan, alla trepein tēn kataran eis eulogian. To de nooumenon, touto estin, hoti tōn katʼ aretēn zōntōn ho tēs loidorias mōmos ouch aptetaiyPōs gar epi pleonexią 0 aktēmōn loidorēthēsetai? pōs de tis epioryllēsei tēn asōtian tǭ anakechōrēmenǭ kai idiazontis ē ton thymon tǭ praǭ? ē ton typhon tǭ metriophroni? ē allo ti tōn epimōmōn tois ek tōn enantiōn ginōskomenois? hois skopos estin, alēpton parechein tǭ mōmǭ ton bion; hina, kathōs phēsin 0 Apostolos, ho ex enantias entrapę̄, mēden echōn legein. Dia touto phēsin ē phōnē tou eis kataran pareilēmmenou, i Pōs arasomai, hon mē aratai Kyrios? i toutesti, Pōs loidorēsomai ton mē dedōkota tēs loidorias tēn labēn hǭ dia to pros ton Theon blepein atrōtos estin eis kakian 0 bios. Ou mēn,“epeidē toutou diēmarten 0 tēs kakias heuretēs, katholou tēs kata tōn epibouleuomenōn epinoias epausato; alla pros to idion palaisma tēn epinoian trepei, palin diʼ hēdonēs pros to kakon deleazōn tēn physin. Ontōs pasēs kakias hoion ti delear hē hēdonē problētheisa, eukolōs tas lichnoteras psychas epi to ankistron tēs apōleias ephelketai. Malista de pōs dia tēs akolastou hēdonēs aphylaktōs ē physis pros to kakon parasyretai. Ho dē kai tote egeneto. Hoi gar tōn hoplōn hyperischysantes, kai pasan tēn ek sidērou prosbolēn asthenesteran tēs idias dynameōs deixantes, kai kata kratos tēn phalanga tōn antikeimenōn trepsamenoi, tois
… That the man mentioned practised divination by augury is attested by the history when it says that he had the fees of divination in his hand and consulted birds, and before this, that he was taught about the business before him by the braying of his donkey. Scripture narrated the donkey’s sound as articulate speech (because by some demonic working he was accustomed to consult the cries of irrational animals), showing that those who are taken over beforehand by such deceit of demons go so far as to receive as speech the teaching that comes to them from the voices of irrational animals through a certain kind of observation. Paying attention, he learned through the very means by which he was deceived that the power against which he had been hired was invincible. So too in the gospel history the band of demons, the legion, had been prepared to resist the Lord’s authority; but when the one who has power over all came near, it proclaimed his surpassing power and did not hide the truth: that he is the divine nature, who at the appointed times will bring punishment upon those who have sinned. For the voice of the demons says, “We know who you are, the Holy One of God,” and, “You have come before the time to torment us.” This happened then too, when the demonic power that attended the diviner taught Balaam that the people could not be fought or resisted. And we say, fitting the history to what was examined earlier, that one who wished to curse those who live in virtue could utter no grievous or unseemly word, but turned the curse into a blessing. The meaning is this: the blame of reproach does not touch those who live in virtue. For how will one without possessions be reproached for greed? How will anyone whisper of profligacy against one who lives withdrawn and in solitude, or of anger against the meek, or of conceit against the humble, or of any other fault against those known for the opposites? Their aim is to offer to blame a life that gives it no hold, so that, as the Apostle says, the opponent may be put to shame, having nothing to say. Therefore the voice of the one who was hired to curse says, “How shall I curse whom the Lord does not curse?” — that is, how shall I reproach one who has given no handle for reproach, whose life, because it looks to God, cannot be wounded by vice? Yet the inventor of vice, though he failed in this, did not cease altogether from plotting against those he lies in wait for; he turns his device to his own proper kind of wrestling, again luring nature to evil through pleasure. Truly pleasure, set out like a bait for every vice, easily draws the greedier souls onto the hook of destruction; and above all, through licentious pleasure, nature is swept unguarded into evil. This happened then too. Those who had prevailed over arms, who had shown every assault of iron to be weaker than their own strength, and had routed the phalanx of their adversaries by force,
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
Num 22:7 (allusion, high confidence) · Num 24:1 (allusion, high confidence) · Num 22:21–35 (allusion, high confidence) · Mark 5:1–13 (allusion, high confidence) · Mark 1:24 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 8:29 (quotation, high confidence) · Deut 23:5 (allusion, medium confidence) · Titus 2:8 (allusion, high confidence) · Num 23:8 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Balaam the augur, taught by his donkey, learned that Israel could not be overcome, as the demons confessed Christ; the curse turned to blessing shows that reproach cannot touch the virtuous; so the devil turned to pleasure.
- The opening of this page continues after a gap in the scan (marked …). Fees of divination: Num 22:7. Augury: Num 24:1. The donkey: Num 22:21–35. The legion: Mark 5:1–13. “We know who you are, the Holy One of God”: Mark 1:24; Luke 4:34. “Before the time to torment us”: Matt 8:29. Curse turned to blessing: Deut 23:5; Neh 13:2. “Put to shame, having nothing to say”: Titus 2:8. “How shall I curse whom the Lord does not curse?”: Num 23:8.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR debris (Latin letters) for λαβήν): τὴν map; → τὴν λαβήν.
Cite (SBL): Gregory of Nyssa, Vit. Mos. 421 (PG 44:421a–421d; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/gregory-nyssa-vita-moysis/409/#p-421). (abbreviation not yet checked)
BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-gregory-nyssa-vita-moysis-421) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude from the Migne PG 44 scan text (cited by Migne column); no public-domain English or FOTC volume exists, so it was re-read against the Greek.
Chapter 423
423PG 44:424a–424d
γυναικείοις βέλεσι διʼ ἡδονῆς κατετρώθησαν· καὶ τῶν μὲν ἀνδρῶν κρείττους, τῶν δὲ γυναικῶν ἥττους ἐγένοντο. Ὁμοῦ τε γὰρ ὤφθησαν αὐτοῖς at γυναῖκες, ἀντὶ ὅπλων τὰς μορφὰς προβαλλόμεναι, καὶ παραχρῆμα τοῦ τόνου τῆς ἀνδρείας λήθην ἐλάμβανον, τὸν θυμὸν εἰς ἡδονὴν διαλύσαντες. Καὶ οί μὲν ἦσαν ὲν τούτοις, ὲν οἷς εἰκὸς εἶναι τοὺς τῇ ἀθέσμῳ μίξει τῶν ἀλλοφύλων ὲπιλυσσήσαντας. Ἡ δὲ πρὸς τὴ κακὸν otκειὸτης, τῆς τοῦ ἀγαθοῦ συμμαχίας ἀλλοτρίωσις ἦνʼ εὐθὺς γὰρ αὐτοῖς ἐξεπολεμώθη τὸ Θεῖον, ἀλλʼ οὐκ ἀνέμεινεν 6 ζηλωτὴς Φινεὲς τῇ ἄνωθεν ψήφῳ καθαρο θῆναι τὴν ἁμαρτίαν ἀλλʼ αὐτὸς ἐγένετο δικαστὴς ἄμα καὶ δήμιος. Κινηθεὶς γὰρ εἰς τὴν κατά τῶν λελυσσηκότων ὀργὴν, τὸ τοῦ ἱερέως ἔργον ἐπλήρωσεν, αἵματι καθαρίσας τὴν ἁμαρτίαν, αἵματι οὐκ ἀναιτίου τινὸς cibos, τοῦ μηδὲν μετεσχηκότος τοῦ τῆς ἀκολασίας μιάσματος, ἀλλά τῶν ὲν κακίᾳ συνεζευγμένων ἀλλήλοις· écp‘ ὧν ἡ αἰχμὴ κατʼ αὐτῶν τῶν δύο σωμάτων διεξελθοῦσα κατεπράϋνε,τὴν τῆς θείας δίκης κίνησιν, τῷ θανάτῳ τῶν ἡμαρτηκότων τὴν ἡδονὴν καταμίο ξασα. Δοκεί δέ μοι συμβουλήν τινα ψυχωςιελῆ κατατίθεσθαι τοῑς ἀνθρώποις ἠ ἱστορία, διʼ ἧς διδασκόμεθα, ὃτι πολλῶν ὅντων παθῶν, ἃ τοὺς λογισμοὺς τῶν ἀνθρώπων καταγωνίζεται, οὐδεμίαν καθʼ ἡμῶν ἰσχὺν ἕτερον πάθος ἔχει τοσαύτην, ὡς πρὸς τὴν νόσον τῆς ἡδονῆς ὲξισάζεσθαι. Τὸ γὰρ ἀθρόως τοῦς Ἰσραηλίτας ἐκείνους, τοὺς καὶ τῆς Αἰγυπτίας ἵππου κρείττους ἐπιδειχθέντας, καὶ τῶν Ἀμαληκιτῶν ὑπερσχόντας, καὶ τῷ μετʼ αὐτοὺς ἔθνει φοΰερους φανέντας, καὶ μετά ταῦτα τῆς τῶν Μαδιανιτῶν ὐπερισχύσαντας φάλαγγος, τούτους, ὁμοῦ τῇ θέᾳ τῶν ἀλλοφύλων γυναικῶν καταὼυλωθῆναι τῇ νόσῳ· οὐδὲν ἕτερον, καο θὼς εἴρηται, δείκνυσιν, ἢ τὸ δύσμαχόν τε εἶναι καὶ δυσανταγώνιστον πολέμιον ἡμῶν τὴν ἡδονήν. Ἥ τῶν ἀηττήτων τοῖς ὅπλοις ὁμοῦ τῷ φανῆναι κατακρατή- Ἐν δὲ τῷ Εύαγγελίῳ 6 Κύριος τῇ ἰδίᾳ φωνῇ, ὡς ἂν πόρρωθεν φυλαχθείημεν τοῦ τοιούτου κακοῦ, καθάπερ τινὰ ῥίζαν τοῦ πάθους τὴν διὰ τοῦ ίδείν ἑπιθυμίαν ἐξέτεμε, διδάσκων, ὃτι 6 τῇ ὕψει τὸ πάθος παραδεξάμενος, ὁδὸν δίδωσι κατʼ ἑαυτοῦ τῇ νόσῳ. Τά γάρ πονηρά τῶν παθημάτων, λοιμοῦ δίκην, ἐπει· δάν ἅπαξ τῶν καιρίων κατακρατήσῃ, τῷ θανάτῳ παύεται μόνῳ. Ἀλλʼ οὐδὲν οἶμαι χρῆναι μηκύνειν τὸν λόγον, πάντα τοῦυ Μωῦσέως τὸν βίον είς ἀρετῆς ὑπόδειγμα προτιθέντας τοῖς ἐντυγχάνουσι. Τῷ γάρ
gynaikeiois belesi diʼ hēdonēs katetrōthēsan; kai tōn men andrōn kreittous, tōn de gynaikōn hēttous egenonto. Homou te gar ōphthēsan autois at gynaikes, anti hoplōn tas morphas proballomenai, kai parachrēma tou tonou tēs andreias lēthēn elambanon, ton thymon eis hēdonēn dialysantes. Kai oi men ēsan en toutois, en hois eikos einai tous tę̄ athesmǭ mixei tōn allophylōn epilyssēsantas. Hē de pros tē kakon otkeiotēs, tēs tou agathou symmachias allotriōsis ēnʼ euthys gar autois exepolemōthē to Theion, allʼ ouk anemeinen 6 zēlōtēs Phinees tę̄ anōthen psēphǭ katharo thēnai tēn hamartian allʼ autos egeneto dikastēs ama kai dēmios. Kinētheis gar eis tēn kata tōn lelyssēkotōn orgēn, to tou hiereōs ergon eplērōsen, haimati katharisas tēn hamartian, haimati ouk anaitiou tinos cibos, tou mēden meteschēkotos tou tēs akolasias miasmatos, alla tōn en kakią synezeugmenōn allēlois; ecp‘ hōn hē aichmē katʼ autōn tōn dyo sōmatōn diexelthousa katepraÿne,tēn tēs theias dikēs kinēsin, tǭ thanatǭ tōn hēmartēkotōn tēn hēdonēn katamio xasa. Dokei de moi symboulēn tina psychōsielē katatithesthai tois anthrōpois ē historia, diʼ hēs didaskometha, hoti pollōn hontōn pathōn, ha tous logismous tōn anthrōpōn katagōnizetai, oudemian kathʼ hēmōn ischyn heteron pathos echei tosautēn, hōs pros tēn noson tēs hēdonēs exisazesthai. To gar athroōs tous Israēlitas ekeinous, tous kai tēs Aigyptias hippou kreittous epideichthentas, kai tōn Amalēkitōn hyperschontas, kai tǭ metʼ autous ethnei phoÿerous phanentas, kai meta tauta tēs tōn Madianitōn yperischysantas phalangos, toutous, homou tę̄ theą tōn allophylōn gynaikōn kataōylōthēnai tę̄ nosǭ; ouden heteron, kao thōs eirētai, deiknysin, ē to dysmachon te einai kai dysantagōniston polemion hēmōn tēn hēdonēn. Hē tōn aēttētōn tois hoplois homou tǭ phanēnai katakratē- En de tǭ Euangeliǭ 6 Kyrios tę̄ idią phōnę̄, hōs an porrōthen phylachtheiēmen tou toioutou kakou, kathaper tina rhizan tou pathous tēn dia tou idein hepithymian exeteme, didaskōn, hoti 6 tę̄ hypsei to pathos paradexamenos, hodon didōsi katʼ heautou tę̄ nosǭ. Ta gar ponēra tōn pathēmatōn, loimou dikēn, epei; dan hapax tōn kairiōn katakratēsę̄, tǭ thanatǭ pauetai monǭ. Allʼ ouden oimai chrēnai mēkynein ton logon, panta touy Mōyseōs ton bion eis aretēs hypodeigma protithentas tois entynchanousi. Tǭ gar
were wounded by women’s arrows through pleasure: stronger than men, they became weaker than women. As soon as the women were seen by them, putting forward their beauty instead of weapons, they at once forgot the vigour of their courage, dissolving their spirit into pleasure. They were then in the state one would expect of those who had raged after unlawful union with foreigners. Their familiarity with evil was an estrangement from the help of the good; for at once the Divine became their enemy. But the zealous Phinehas did not wait for the sin to be purged by a verdict from above; he himself became judge and executioner at once. Moved to anger against those who had raged, he fulfilled the priest’s work, cleansing the sin with blood — the blood not of some innocent victim who had no share in the defilement of licentiousness, but of those who were joined to each other in vice. The spear, passing through the two bodies together, appeased the movement of divine justice, mingling the sinners’ pleasure with their death. The history seems to me to give human beings a counsel profitable for the soul. It teaches us that, although there are many passions that overcome human reasoning, no other passion has power against us equal to the disease of pleasure. Those Israelites had been shown superior to the Egyptian cavalry, had prevailed over the Amalekites, had appeared fearful to the next nation, and afterward had prevailed over the phalanx of the Midianites; yet at the mere sight of the foreign women they were enslaved by the disease. This shows nothing else, as has been said, than that pleasure is an enemy hard to fight and hard to resist, which at its mere appearance overcame those undefeated in arms … In the Gospel the Lord, in his own words, so that we may be guarded from such evil from afar, cut out the desire that comes through looking, as the root of the passion, teaching that whoever has received the passion through sight gives the disease a road against himself. For the evil passions, like a plague, once they have taken hold of the vital parts, stop only with death. But I do not think it necessary to lengthen the discourse by setting the whole life of Moses before the reader as an example of virtue. For to the
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
Num 25:1–9 (allusion, high confidence) · Num 31:1–12 (allusion, medium confidence) · Matt 5:28 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: The Israelites, unbeaten in battle, were conquered by the Midianite women; Phinehas’s spear stopped God’s anger. Pleasure is the hardest enemy of all, which is why Christ cut out its root in the lustful look.
- Num 25:1–9 (Phinehas); Num 31 (the war with Midian, placed by Gregory before the sin). “Whoever looks at a woman with desire”: Matt 5:28.
- After “undefeated in arms” a line is lost in the scan (marked …).
- Phinehas’s act is translated and interpreted as Gregory gives it.
Topics: Ethics
Cite (SBL): Gregory of Nyssa, Vit. Mos. 423 (PG 44:424a–424d; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/gregory-nyssa-vita-moysis/409/#p-423). (abbreviation not yet checked)
BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-gregory-nyssa-vita-moysis-423) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude from the Migne PG 44 scan text (cited by Migne column); no public-domain English or FOTC volume exists, so it was re-read against the Greek.
Chapter 425
425PG 44:425a–425b
πρὸς τὴν ὑψηλοτέραν ζωὴν ἑαυτὸν ἀνατείναντι, ού μικρά γένοιτʼ ἂν πρὸς τὴν ἀληθῆ φιλοσοφίαν ἐφόδια τά εἰρημένα. Τῷ δὲ μαλακιζομένῳ πρὸς τοὺς ὑπὲρ τῆς ἀρετῆς ἱδρῶτας, κᾶν πολλαπλάσια γραφῇ τῶν εἰρημένων, οὐδὲν ἂν ἐκ τοῦ πόνου γένοιτο ὕφελος. Πλὴν ὡς ἂν μὴ τοῦτο, κατά τὸν προοιμίου διορισμὸν, λήθη γένοιτο, ἐν οἷς ἡμῖν ὁ λόγος διϊσχυρίζεται,τοιοῦτον εἶναι τὸν τέλειον βίον, οὗ μηδεμία περιγραφὴ τελειότητος κωλύει τὴν πρόοδον · ἀλλʼ ἡ πρὸς τὸ κρεῖττον ἀεὶ γινομένη τοῦ βίουʼἐπαύξησις, ὁδός ἐστι τῇ ψυχῇ πρὸς τελείωσιν· καλῶς ἂν ἔχοι πρὸς τὸ πέρας τοῦ βίου Μωσέως ἀγαγόντας τὸν λόγον, ἀσφαλῆ δεῖξαι τὸν ἀποδοθέντα ἡμῖν ὅρον τῆς τελειότητος. Ὁ γὰρ διὰ τοσούτων ἀναβάσεων παρὰ πάντα τὸν βίον ύψούμενος, οὐκ ἠπόρησε γενέσθαι πάλιν δίκην, ὑπερνεφὴς αὐτοῦ θεωροίτο ἡ ζωὴ καὶ μετέωη ρος, περὶ τὸν αίθέρα τῆς νοητῆς ἀναβάσεως ἑλισσομένη. Ἐτέχθη, ὅτε τὸ τεχθῆναι Ἑβραῖον παρά τοῖς Αἰγυπτίοις ἀδίκημα ἔδοξε. Τοῦ δὲ τυράννου τότε νόμῳ τὸν τεχθέντα κολάζοντος, κρείττων γίνεται τοῦ φθοροποιοῦ νόμου, περισωθεὶς τά μὲν πρῶτα παρά τῶν γεννησαμένων, μετά ταῦτα δὲ παρʼ αὐτῶν τῶν τε· θεικότων τὸν νόμον. Καὶ οἷς ὁ θάνατος αὐτοῦ νόμῳ κατεσπουδάσθη, οὗτοι οὐ τῆς ζωῆς μόνον, ἀλλά καὶ τῆς εὐδοκίμου ζωῆς πᾶσαν είσηνέγκαντο πρόνοιαν, διὰ πάσης σοφίας ἀγαγόντες τὸν νέον. Κ ρείττων μετά ταῦτα γίνεται τῆς ἀνθρωπίνης τιμῆς, καὶ τῆς βασιλικῆς ἀξίας ὑπέρτερος, ἰσχυρότερον καὶ βασιλικώτερον κρίνας, ἀντὶ τῶν δορυφόρων, καὶ τοῦ βασιλικοῦ κόσμου,τὴν τῆς ἀρετῆς φρουρὰν ἔχειν, καὶ τῷ ταύτης κόσμῳ ἐγκαλλωπίζεσθαι. Μετά τοῦτο περισώζεται τὸ ὁμόφυλον, καὶ καταβάλλει τῇ πληγῇ τὸν Αίγύπτιονο νοούντων ἡμῶν διὰ τῆς ἐξεταστικῆς θεωρίας τόν τε ἐχθρὸν τῆς ψυχῆς, καὶ τὸν φίλον. Εἶτα διδάσκαλον τῶνίύψηλῶν μαθημάτων ποιεῖται τὴν ἡσυχίαν, καὶ οὕτω φωτίζεται τὴν διάνοιαν τῷ φωτὶ τῷ ἐκ τῆς βάτου ὲκλὰμψαντι καὶ τότε σπουδὴν ποιεῖται κοινωνῆσαι τοῖς ὁμοφύλοις τῶν θεόθεν αύτῷ γεγενημένων καλῶν. Ἑν τούτοις διπλῆν ἐποιήσατο τῆς δυνάμεως τὴν ἐπίδειξιν, τὴν μὲν ἀμυντικὴν κατά τῶν ἐναντίων, ἐν πολυτρόποις τε καὶ ἐπαλλήλοις πληγαϊςο τὴν δὲ εύεργετικὴν, ἐπὶ τῶν ὁμοφύλων. Διὰγει διὰ τοῦ πελάγους τὸν τοσοῦτον λαὸν ποδὶ, ού στόλον ἐαυτῷ νηῶν παρασκευάσας, ἀλλά τὴν πίστιν αὐτοῖς πρὸς τὸν διάπλουν ναυπηγησάμενος, χέρσον ποιεῖ τοῖς Ἑβραίοις τὸν βυθὸν, θάλασσαν δὲ τοῖς Αἰγυπτίοις τὴν θάλασσαν. 1ᾙσε τὰ ἐπινίκια · ὡδηγήθη τῷ στύλῳ* ἐφωτίσθη τῷ οὐρανίῳ πυρὶ, τράπεζαν ἐκ τῆς ἄνωθεν τροφῆς ἐαυτῷ παρεστήσατο. Τῆς πέτρας ἐνεφορήθη, τάς χεῖρας ἀνέτεινεν ἐπὶ τῇ τῶν Ἀμαληκιτῶν ἀπωλείᾳ. Προσβαίνει τῷ ὃρει, ἐν γνόφῳ γίνεται, σάλπιγγος ἤκουσε, τῇ θείᾳ φύσει προσήγγισεν, ὑπὸ τῆς ἄνωθεν σκηνῆς περιεσχέθη, τὴν ἱερωσύνην ἐκόσμησε, τὴν σκηνὴν ἐπήξατο, τοῖς νόμοις τὴν ζωὴν διωρθώσατο, τοὺς τελευταίους πολέμους κατά τὸν εἰρημένον τρόπον κατώρθωσεν · ἐπὶ τέλει τῶν κατορθωμάτων, τὴν ἀκολασίαν διὰ τῆς ἱερωσύνης ἐκόλασε. Τοῦτο γὰρ ἡ διὰ τοῦ Φινεὲς γενομένη κατὰ τοῦ πάθους
pros tēn hypsēloteran zōēn heauton anateinanti, ou mikra genoitʼ an pros tēn alēthē philosophian ephodia ta eirēmena. Tǭ de malakizomenǭ pros tous hyper tēs aretēs hidrōtas, kan pollaplasia graphę̄ tōn eirēmenōn, ouden an ek tou ponou genoito hyphelos. Plēn hōs an mē touto, kata ton prooimiou diorismon, lēthē genoito, en hois hēmin ho logos diïschyrizetai,toiouton einai ton teleion bion, hou mēdemia perigraphē teleiotētos kōlyei tēn proodon ; allʼ hē pros to kreitton aei ginomenē tou biouʼepauxēsis, hodos esti tę̄ psychę̄ pros teleiōsin; kalōs an echoi pros to peras tou biou Mōseōs agagontas ton logon, asphalē deixai ton apodothenta hēmin horon tēs teleiotētos. Ho gar dia tosoutōn anabaseōn para panta ton bion ypsoumenos, ouk ēporēse genesthai palin dikēn, hypernephēs autou theōroito hē zōē kai meteōē ros, peri ton aithera tēs noētēs anabaseōs helissomenē. Etechthē, hote to techthēnai Hebraion para tois Aigyptiois adikēma edoxe. Tou de tyrannou tote nomǭ ton techthenta kolazontos, kreittōn ginetai tou phthoropoiou nomou, perisōtheis ta men prōta para tōn gennēsamenōn, meta tauta de parʼ autōn tōn te; theikotōn ton nomon. Kai hois ho thanatos autou nomǭ katespoudasthē, houtoi ou tēs zōēs monon, alla kai tēs eudokimou zōēs pasan eisēnenkanto pronoian, dia pasēs sophias agagontes ton neon. K reittōn meta tauta ginetai tēs anthrōpinēs timēs, kai tēs basilikēs axias hyperteros, ischyroteron kai basilikōteron krinas, anti tōn doryphorōn, kai tou basilikou kosmou,tēn tēs aretēs phrouran echein, kai tǭ tautēs kosmǭ enkallōpizesthai. Meta touto perisōzetai to homophylon, kai kataballei tę̄ plēgę̄ ton Aigyptiono noountōn hēmōn dia tēs exetastikēs theōrias ton te echthron tēs psychēs, kai ton philon. Eita didaskalon tōniypsēlōn mathēmatōn poieitai tēn hēsychian, kai houtō phōtizetai tēn dianoian tǭ phōti tǭ ek tēs batou eklampsanti kai tote spoudēn poieitai koinōnēsai tois homophylois tōn theothen autǭ gegenēmenōn kalōn. Hen toutois diplēn epoiēsato tēs dynameōs tēn epideixin, tēn men amyntikēn kata tōn enantiōn, en polytropois te kai epallēlois plēgaïso tēn de euergetikēn, epi tōn homophylōn. Diagei dia tou pelagous ton tosouton laon podi, ou stolon eautǭ nēōn paraskeuasas, alla tēn pistin autois pros ton diaploun naupēgēsamenos, cherson poiei tois Hebraiois ton bython, thalassan de tois Aigyptiois tēn thalassan. 1Hę̄se ta epinikia ; hōdēgēthē tǭ stylǭ* ephōtisthē tǭ ouraniǭ pyri, trapezan ek tēs anōthen trophēs eautǭ parestēsato. Tēs petras enephorēthē, tas cheiras aneteinen epi tę̄ tōn Amalēkitōn apōleią. Prosbainei tǭ horei, en gnophǭ ginetai, salpingos ēkouse, tę̄ theią physei prosēngisen, hypo tēs anōthen skēnēs perieschethē, tēn hierōsynēn ekosmēse, tēn skēnēn epēxato, tois nomois tēn zōēn diōrthōsato, tous teleutaious polemous kata ton eirēmenon tropon katōrthōsen ; epi telei tōn katorthōmatōn, tēn akolasian dia tēs hierōsynēs ekolase. Touto gar hē dia tou Phinees genomenē kata tou pathous
one who has stretched himself toward the higher life, what has been said would be no small provision for true philosophy; but for one who grows faint before the sweat of virtue, even if many times as much were written, no benefit would come from the labour. However, so that what was laid down in the prologue may not be forgotten — where our discourse maintained that the perfect life is one whose progress no circumscription of perfection hinders, and that the continual growth of life toward the better is the soul’s road to perfection — it would be well to bring our discourse to the end of Moses’ life and show that the definition of perfection we gave is secure. For he who was raised by so many ascents throughout his whole life was not at a loss to become again … his life seen above the clouds and aloft, circling in the upper air of the intellectual ascent. He was born when being born a Hebrew was held a crime among the Egyptians. When the tyrant’s law punished the newborn, he proved stronger than the deadly law, saved first by his parents and afterward by the very people who had made the law; and those whose law eagerly sought his death took every care not only for his life but for an honoured life, leading the young man through all wisdom. After this he became superior to human honour and above royal dignity, judging it stronger and more royal to have the guard of virtue instead of bodyguards and royal finery, and to be adorned with its adornment. After this he rescues his kinsman and strikes down the Egyptian — and through our searching contemplation we understand both the enemy of the soul and its friend. Then he makes quiet the teacher of lofty learning, and so his mind is enlightened by the light that shone from the bush; and then he is eager to share with his kinsmen the good things that had come to him from God. In this he made a twofold display of his power: defensive against his opponents, in manifold plagues following one upon another, and beneficent toward his kinsmen. He leads so great a people through the sea on foot, not by preparing a fleet of ships for himself, but by building faith for them as the vessel for the crossing; he makes the deep dry land for the Hebrews, and the sea a sea for the Egyptians. He sang the song of victory; he was guided by the pillar; he was lit by the heavenly fire; he set a table for himself from the food from above. He was filled from the rock; he stretched out his hands for the destruction of the Amalekites. He approaches the mountain, comes into the darkness, heard the trumpet, drew near to the divine nature, was enclosed by the tabernacle above, adorned the priesthood, pitched the tabernacle, set life right by the laws, and accomplished the last wars in the manner described. At the end of his achievements he punished licentiousness through the priesthood; this is what the anger against the passion through Phinehas hinted at.
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
Exod 2:1–15 (allusion, high confidence) · Exod 14:21–29 (allusion, high confidence) · Exod 17:8–13 (allusion, high confidence) · Exod 19:16–20 (allusion, high confidence) · Num 25:7–8 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Returning to the prologue’s thesis that perfection is unending progress, Gregory recapitulates Moses’ whole life as a continual ascent, from his birth and education to the giving of the law and the zeal of Phinehas.
- Recapitulation of the work; see PG 44:299–301 for the prologue’s definition of perfection.
- After “to become again” a few words are lost in the scan (marked …); the image is of a bird (probably an eagle) soaring above the clouds.
Topics: Ethics
Cite (SBL): Gregory of Nyssa, Vit. Mos. 425 (PG 44:425a–425b; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/gregory-nyssa-vita-moysis/409/#p-425). (abbreviation not yet checked)
BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-gregory-nyssa-vita-moysis-425) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude from the Migne PG 44 scan text (cited by Migne column); no public-domain English or FOTC volume exists, so it was re-read against the Greek.