Letters 1.1–1.49
Greek text: PG 78.English: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), public domain (CC0).
Chapter 1
1.1PG 78 78:177
ΝΕΙΛΟ ΜΟΝΑΧΟ. Οἱ μὲν ἄγιοι τῆς μοναχικῆς φιλοσοφίας κορυφαῖοι καὶ ἡγεμόνες, ἐκ τῶν ἄθλων καὶ ἀγώνων ὧν ἐτέλεσαν, καὶ τὰς προσηγορίας ἁρμοδίας τοῖς πράγμασι πρὸς νουθεσίαν ἡμῶν καὶ μάθησιν ἔθεντο, ἀποταγὴν τὴν τῆς ὕλης ἀναχώρησιν, καὶ ὑποταγὴν τὴν εὐπείθειαν καλέσαντες. Καὶ οἱ μὲν φύσιν μόνην ἔσχον διδάσκαλον· ἡμεῖς δὲ καὶ τὴν ἐκείνων πρᾶξιν ἀνάγραπτον ἔχοντες, μικρὰ τῆς ἐργασίας φροντίζομεν. Χρὴ τοίνυν τὴν μὲν ἀποταγὴν λήθην εἶναι προκατασχούσης γνώμης, καὶ ἄρνησιν συνηθείας · τὴν δὲ ὑπακοὴν, νέκρωσιν καὶ φθορὰν τῶν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς μελῶν, καθὼς γέγραπται
NEILO MONAChO. Hoi men agioi tēs monachikēs philosophias koryphaioi kai hēgemones, ek tōn athlōn kai agōnōn hōn etelesan, kai tas prosēgorias harmodias tois pragmasi pros nouthesian hēmōn kai mathēsin ethento, apotagēn tēn tēs hylēs anachōrēsin, kai hypotagēn tēn eupeitheian kalesantes. Kai hoi men physin monēn eschon didaskalon; hēmeis de kai tēn ekeinōn praxin anagrapton echontes, mikra tēs ergasias phrontizomen. Chrē toinyn tēn men apotagēn lēthēn einai prokataschousēs gnōmēs, kai arnēsin synētheias ; tēn de hypakoēn, nekrōsin kai phthoran tōn epi tēs gēs melōn, kathōs gegraptai
To Nilus the monk. The holy leaders and guides of the monastic philosophy, out of the contests and struggles they carried through, also gave names fitting the realities, for our admonition and instruction, calling withdrawal from material things "renunciation" and ready obedience "submission". They had nature alone as their teacher; but we, who have their practice in writing as well, care little for the work. Renunciation, then, must be the forgetting of a will that held us before and the denial of habit; and obedience the putting to death and destruction of the members that are on earth, as it is written …
Col 3:5 (allusion, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Renunciation means forgetting one's former will and habits, and obedience means putting to death the earthly members.
- The text breaks off at "as it is written" in the scan; the quotation (probably Col 3:5) and the rest of the letter are lost.
Topics: Monastic life, Asceticism
Cite (SBL): Isidore of Pelusium, Ep. 1.1 (PG 78 78:177; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-1). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-1
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Migne (PG 78; PG 72), Bayerische Staatsbibliothek OCR; no public-domain English exists, so the translation was re-read against the Greek.
1.2PG 78 78:181
ΔΩΡΟΘΕΟ ΜΟΝΑΧΟ. "Ανθρακες ἀνήφθησαν ἀπ' αὐτοῦ. ῎Ανθρακες ἀνήφθησαν ἀπ᾿ αὐτοῦ, ἐκ τοῦ Θεοῦ δηλονότι οἱ ἅγιοι. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ὁ Θεὸς ἡμῶν πῦρ καταναλίσκον ἐστὶν, οἱ τὸν Θεὸν θεωροῦντες τῇ καθαρότητι, ἄνθρακες εἰκότως προσαγορεύονται, τῇ πρὸς αὐτὸν ἑνώσει πυρούμενοι, καὶ φωστῆρες ἐν κόσμῳ φαινόμενοι.
DŌROThEO MONAChO. "Anthrakes anēphthēsan ap' autou. ᾿Anthrakes anēphthēsan ap᾿ autou, ek tou Theou dēlonoti hoi hagioi. Epeidē gar ho Theos hēmōn pyr katanaliskon estin, hoi ton Theon theōrountes tę̄ katharotēti, anthrakes eikotōs prosagoreuontai, tę̄ pros auton henōsei pyroumenoi, kai phōstēres en kosmǭ phainomenoi.
To Dorotheus the monk. ["Coals were kindled from him."] "Coals were kindled from him": from God, that is, the saints. For since our God is a consuming fire, those who behold God in purity are fittingly called coals, set on fire by their union with him and shining as lights in the world.
Ps 18:8 (17:9 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Heb 12:29 (quotation, high confidence) · Phil 2:15 (allusion, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: The "coals kindled" from God in the psalm are the saints, set aflame by union with God, who is a consuming fire.
- Ps 18:8 (17:9 LXX); Heb 12:29; Phil 2:15.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (word split by OCR): και θαρότητι → καθαρότητι.
Topics: Interpreting Scripture, Martyrs' shrines and relics
Cite (SBL): Isidore of Pelusium, Ep. 1.2 (PG 78 78:181; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-2). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-2
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Migne (PG 78; PG 72), Bayerische Staatsbibliothek OCR; no public-domain English exists, so the translation was re-read against the Greek.
1.3PG 78 78:181
ΝΕΙΛΑΜΒΩΝΙ ΣΧΟΛΑΣΤΙΚΩ. Περὶ πρακτικῆς. Πάνυ σαφῶς παρὰ τῶν ἀρχαίων μαθὼν, ὅτι οὐ τὸ οἴεσθαι εἶναι, εἶναί τί ἐστι· πρᾶττε μᾶλλον, καὶ μὴ μόνον λέγε.
NEILAMBŌNI SChOLASTIKŌ. Peri praktikēs. Pany saphōs para tōn archaiōn mathōn, hoti ou to oiesthai einai, einai ti esti; pratte mallon, kai mē monon lege.
To Nilammon the scholasticus. [On the practical life.] Since you have learned very clearly from the ancients that to seem to be something is not to be something, act rather, and do not only speak.
Notes and citation
Summary: Seeming is not being: act, do not only talk.
Topics: The Christian life
Cite (SBL): Isidore of Pelusium, Ep. 1.3 (PG 78 78:181; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-3). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-3
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Migne (PG 78; PG 72), Bayerische Staatsbibliothek OCR; no public-domain English exists, so the translation was re-read against the Greek.
1.4PG 78 78:181
ΤΙΜΟΘΕΩ ΑΝΑΓΝΩΣΤΗ. Περὶ ὧν μετέρχῃ ἄθλων, θαυμάσιε, πέπεισο, στάδιον ἡμῖν τὰ παρόντα προτίθεσθαι ἀόρατον, ἐν ᾧ θηρίοις οὐκ αἰσθητοῖς, ἀλλὰ νοητοῖς τοῖς πάθεσι προσπαλαίομεν· ἅπερ εἰ τῆς ἐν ἡμῖν ῥώμης κρατήσουσιν, οὐ μέχρι τοῦ σώματος οἴσουσι τὸν κίνδυνον, ἀλλ᾽ αὐτῇ τῇ ψυχῇ τὸν θάνατον φέρουσιν. Εἱ δὲ κρατηθῶσι καὶ δραπετεύσουσι, στεφάνων καὶ ἀναῤῥήσεων μεγάλων τευξόμεθα· καὶ ἐνταῦθα μὲν πολλάκις, μετὰ ταῦτα δὲ πάντως. Ἐπειδὴ τὰ ἔπαθλα ὁ μέλλων αἰὼν ἐμπεπίστευται, ὡς οὗτος τὰ σκάμματα.
TIMOThEŌ ANAGNŌSTĒ. Peri hōn meterchę̄ athlōn, thaumasie, pepeiso, stadion hēmin ta paronta protithesthai aoraton, en hǭ thēriois ouk aisthētois, alla noētois tois pathesi prospalaiomen; haper ei tēs en hēmin rhōmēs kratēsousin, ou mechri tou sōmatos oisousi ton kindynon, all᾽ autę̄ tę̄ psychę̄ ton thanaton pherousin. Hei de kratēthōsi kai drapeteusousi, stephanōn kai anarrhēseōn megalōn teuxometha; kai entautha men pollakis, meta tauta de pantōs. Epeidē ta epathla ho mellōn aiōn empepisteutai, hōs houtos ta skammata.
To Timothy the reader. About the contests you are engaged in, admirable man, be persuaded that the present life sets before us an invisible stadium, in which we wrestle not with beasts of sense but with beasts of the mind, the passions. If these overpower the strength within us, they will carry the danger not only as far as the body, but will bring death to the soul itself. But if they are overpowered and take flight, we shall win crowns and great proclamations: here often, and hereafter certainly. For the age to come has been entrusted with the prizes, as this one with the arenas.
1 Cor 15:32 (echo, low confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: This life is an invisible arena where we fight the passions; victory wins crowns, here often and in the age to come certainly.
Topics: Temptation, The Christian life
Cite (SBL): Isidore of Pelusium, Ep. 1.4 (PG 78 78:181; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-4). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-4
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Migne (PG 78; PG 72), Bayerische Staatsbibliothek OCR; no public-domain English exists, so the translation was re-read against the Greek.
1.5PG 78 78:181
ΝΕΙΛΩ. Περὶ τῆς τροφῆς τοῦ Προδρόμου, καὶ περὶ ἀσκήσεως. Εἰ οἱ θεῖοι χρησμοὶ σημαίνουσι τὴν ἀκρίβειαν, περιττή ἡ περίεργος ζήτησις τοῖς νουνεχῶς τούτους ἀναγινώσκουσιν. Εἰ τοίνυν καὶ βρώματα καὶ ἐσθήματα τῆς κατὰ Θεὸν τελείας ἀσκήσεως ἐν Ἰωάννῃ τῷ Βαπτιστῇ ἐπαιδεύθημεν, θριξὶ μὲν, εἰ οἷόν τε, πρὸς σκέπην ἀρκεσθησόμεθα· ἀκρέμοσι δὲ βοτανῶν καὶ φύλλων πρὸς ὀλίγην τροφὴν καὶ δύναμιν καὶ ἀπέριττον. Εἰ δὲ ταῦτα δι' ἀσθένειαν μείζονα, τύπος ἡμῖν ἔστω χρείας ἁπάσης καὶ διαίτης, καὶ τελειώσεως, ἡ τοῦ προεστῶτος δοκιμασία καὶ κέλευσις.
NEILŌ. Peri tēs trophēs tou Prodromou, kai peri askēseōs. Ei hoi theioi chrēsmoi sēmainousi tēn akribeian, perittē hē periergos zētēsis tois nounechōs toutous anaginōskousin. Ei toinyn kai brōmata kai esthēmata tēs kata Theon teleias askēseōs en Iōannę̄ tǭ Baptistę̄ epaideuthēmen, thrixi men, ei hoion te, pros skepēn arkesthēsometha; akremosi de botanōn kai phyllōn pros oligēn trophēn kai dynamin kai aperitton. Ei de tauta di' astheneian meizona, typos hēmin estō chreias hapasēs kai diaitēs, kai teleiōseōs, hē tou proestōtos dokimasia kai keleusis.
To Nilus. [On the food of the Forerunner, and on ascetic discipline.] If the divine oracles show us precision, curious inquiry is superfluous for those who read them with understanding. If, then, we have been taught in John the Baptist the food and clothing of perfect discipline according to God, we will be content, if possible, with hair for covering, and with the tips of plants and leaves for a little nourishment and strength and nothing superfluous. But if these things are too great for our weakness, let the testing and command of the superior be our pattern for every need and way of life, and for perfection.
Matt 3:4 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: John the Baptist's hair garment and plant-tip food are the model of ascetic life; the weaker should follow their superior's direction.
- Isidore takes John's food (Matt 3:4, "locusts") as the tips (ἀκρέμονες) of plants and leaves, an interpretation found in other early writers.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (end-of-line hyphen left in the OCR): ἀπέ - ριττον → ἀπέριττον.
Topics: Asceticism, Monastic life, Fasting
Cite (SBL): Isidore of Pelusium, Ep. 1.5 (PG 78 78:181; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-5). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-5
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Migne (PG 78; PG 72), Bayerische Staatsbibliothek OCR; no public-domain English exists, so the translation was re-read against the Greek.
1.6PG 78 78:183
ΟΥΡΣΕΝΟΥΦΙΟ. Εἰς τὸ, « Ποτήριον ἐν χειρὶ Κυρίου. » Τὸ ποτήριον ἐν χειρὶ Κυρίου οἴνου ἀκράτου πλῆρες κεράσματος. Τὴν δικαίαν σημαίνει ὁ θεῖος χρησμὸς ἀνταπόδοσιν, κιρνωμένην μὲν φιλανθρωπίᾳ πρὸς μεταμέλειαν τῶν χαιρόντων τοῖς ἁμαρτήμασιν· ἔκλινε γὰρ ἐκ τούτου εἰς τοῦτο, ἐκ τῆς φιλανθρωπίας δηλονότι εἰς τὴν χρεωστουμένην τοῖς πταίσμασι τιμωρίαν καὶ δικαίαν κρίσιν. ᾿Αλλ' ἵνα μὴ παντελῶς φαντασθῶμεν (ἐπιλησμονεῖν) τῆς δίκης οἱ ῥάθυμοι, • Πλὴν ὁ τρυγίας αὐτοῦ οὐκ ἐξεκενώθη, προστέθειται. Ὅτι εἰ τέλεον σωτηρίας καταφρονήσουσιν, εἰς ὕστερον τὴν δίκην οὐ λήσουσι. « Πίονται γὰρ, φησὶ, πάντες οἱ ἁμαρτωλοὶ τῆς γῆς, » τὸ τῆς κρίσεως εἰκότως ποτήριον.
OURSENOUPhIO. Eis to, « Potērion en cheiri Kyriou. » To potērion en cheiri Kyriou oinou akratou plēres kerasmatos. Tēn dikaian sēmainei ho theios chrēsmos antapodosin, kirnōmenēn men philanthrōpią pros metameleian tōn chairontōn tois hamartēmasin; ekline gar ek toutou eis touto, ek tēs philanthrōpias dēlonoti eis tēn chreōstoumenēn tois ptaismasi timōrian kai dikaian krisin. ᾿All' hina mē pantelōs phantasthōmen (epilēsmonein) tēs dikēs hoi rhathymoi, • Plēn ho trygias autou ouk exekenōthē, prostetheitai. Hoti ei teleon sōtērias kataphronēsousin, eis hysteron tēn dikēn ou lēsousi. « Piontai gar, phēsi, pantes hoi hamartōloi tēs gēs, » to tēs kriseōs eikotōs potērion.
To Ursenuphius. [On "A cup in the hand of the Lord."] "The cup in the hand of the Lord is full of a mixture of unmixed wine": the divine oracle signifies the just recompense, mixed with kindness so as to bring to repentance those who delight in their sins; for "he has tilted it from this to that", from kindness, that is, to the punishment owed to offenses and to just judgment. But lest we careless people imagine that he (forgets) justice altogether, there is added: "Yet its dregs were not emptied out." That is, if they utterly despise salvation, they will not escape justice at the last. "For all the sinners of the earth shall drink," it says, the cup of judgment, as is fitting.
Ps 75:8 (74:9 LXX) (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: The cup in the Lord's hand is just recompense tempered with mercy; its undrained dregs mean that those who despise salvation will still face judgment.
- Ps 75:8 (74:9 LXX), quoted in its Greek form.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR slip; OCR slip (comma read as sigma); word split by OCR): χρησι μὸς → χρησμὸς; τοῦτος ἐκ → τοῦτο, ἐκ; που τήριον → ποτήριον.
Topics: The last judgment, Interpreting Scripture
Cite (SBL): Isidore of Pelusium, Ep. 1.6 (PG 78 78:183; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-6). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-6
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Migne (PG 78; PG 72), Bayerische Staatsbibliothek OCR; no public-domain English exists, so the translation was re-read against the Greek.
1.7PG 78 78:183
ΤΙΜΟΘΕΩ. Περὶ τῆς Θεοτόκου. Ἡ μὲν ἱερὰ τῶν Εὐαγγελίων πυκτή, ἡ εἰς τὸν Ἰωσὴφ τὴν γενεαλογίαν κατάγουσα ἐκ τοῦ Δαβὶδ ἔλκοντα τὴν συγγένειαν, ἠρκέσθη δι᾿ αὐτοῦ ἀποδείξαι καὶ τὴν Παρθένον τοῦ Δαβὶδ συμφυλέτιδα· τοῦ θείου νόμου τὰς συζυγίας αὐτοφύλους θεσπίζοντος γίνεσθαι. Ὁ δὲ τῶν οὐρανίων ὑποφήτης δογμάτων, ὁ μέγας ἀπόστολος Παῦλος, ἀναφανδὸν διασαφεῖ τὴν ἀλήθειαν, ἐκ τοῦ Ἰούδα μαρτυρῶν ἀνατεῖλαι τὸν Κύριον. Ταῦτα δὲ δριμύτερον ἐπιστάμενος, μὴ εἰρωνεύου τὴν ἐπερώτησιν. Οὐ γὰρ λανθάνεις θηρῶν τὴν εὐτέλειαν.
TIMOThEŌ. Peri tēs Theotokou. Hē men hiera tōn Euangeliōn pyktē, hē eis ton Iōsēph tēn genealogian katagousa ek tou Dabid elkonta tēn syngeneian, ērkesthē di᾿ autou apodeixai kai tēn Parthenon tou Dabid symphyletida; tou theiou nomou tas syzygias autophylous thespizontos ginesthai. Ho de tōn ouraniōn hypophētēs dogmatōn, ho megas apostolos Paulos, anaphandon diasaphei tēn alētheian, ek tou Iouda martyrōn anateilai ton Kyrion. Tauta de drimyteron epistamenos, mē eirōneuou tēn eperōtēsin. Ou gar lanthaneis thērōn tēn euteleian.
To Timothy. [On the Mother of God.] The sacred tablet of the Gospels, which brings the genealogy down to Joseph, who drew his kinship from David, was content to prove through him that the Virgin too was of David's tribe, since the divine law prescribed that marriages be made within the same tribe. But the interpreter of heavenly doctrines, the great apostle Paul, makes the truth plain openly, testifying that the Lord arose from Judah. Since you know these things rather keenly, do not feign ignorance in your question; for it does not escape notice that you are hunting for something to belittle.
Heb 7:14 (allusion, high confidence) · Num 36:6 (allusion, medium confidence) · Matt 1:16 (allusion, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Mary's Davidic descent follows from Joseph's genealogy, since the law required marriage within the tribe, and Paul says the Lord arose from Judah.
- The law of marriage within the tribe: Num 36:6–8. "Arose from Judah": Heb 7:14, which Isidore ascribes to Paul.
Topics: Mary, mother of Jesus, Theotokos
Cite (SBL): Isidore of Pelusium, Ep. 1.7 (PG 78 78:183; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-7). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-7
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Migne (PG 78; PG 72), Bayerische Staatsbibliothek OCR; no public-domain English exists, so the translation was re-read against the Greek.
1.8PG 78 78:183
ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ. Ὅτι σύμμετρον χρὴ εἶναι τὸν ἀσκήσεως πόνον. Ὥσπερ ὑπωπιασμοῦ δεῖται ἡ εὐεκτοῦσα σάρξ, κατευνάζοντος τῶν παθῶν τὰ οἰδήματα· οὕτω καὶ βοηθείας χρήζει ἡ ἀσθενοῦσα καὶ κακώσει συμπίπτουσα ψυχὴ, ἵνα ταῖς θείαις ἐντολαῖς ὑπεραυγάζηται. ᾿Αμφοτέρων οὖν φροντιστέον. Θατέρου γὰρ λείποντος, δυσχερὴς ἡ τελείωσις.
TŌ AUTŌ. Hoti symmetron chrē einai ton askēseōs ponon. Hōsper hypōpiasmou deitai hē euektousa sarx, kateunazontos tōn pathōn ta oidēmata; houtō kai boētheias chrēzei hē asthenousa kai kakōsei sympiptousa psychē, hina tais theiais entolais hyperaugazētai. ᾿Amphoterōn oun phrontisteon. Thaterou gar leipontos, dyscherēs hē teleiōsis.
To the same. [That the labor of ascetic discipline must be in due measure.] Just as flesh in good condition needs to be buffeted, to lull the swellings of the passions, so the soul that is weak and falls into distress needs help, so that it may shine brightly with the divine commandments. Both, then, must be cared for; for if one is lacking, perfection is hard.
1 Cor 9:27 (allusion, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Ascetic labor must be measured: the healthy flesh needs discipline, but a weakened soul needs help.
- "Buffeted": cf. 1 Cor 9:27.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR doubled letter): δυσχερήὴς → δυσχερὴς.
Topics: Asceticism
Cite (SBL): Isidore of Pelusium, Ep. 1.8 (PG 78 78:183; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-8). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-8
BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-isidore-pelusium-epistulae-1-8) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Migne (PG 78; PG 72), Bayerische Staatsbibliothek OCR; no public-domain English exists, so the translation was re-read against the Greek.
1.9PG 78 78:185
ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ. Περὶ τῶν νυκτερινῶν φαντασιῶν. Αἱ νυκτεριναὶ φαντασίαι ὡς γέγραφας, φιλομαθέστατε, οὐ μόνον τῶν μεθημερινῶν εἰσι συντυχιῶν καὶ ὁμιλιῶν ἀπηχήματα, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῆς ῥᾳθύμου συνηθείας γεννήματα. Ὅτε γὰρ κάρῳ μέθης ὁ νοῦς συλληφθῇ, ὀρμητήριον γίνεται τῶν παθῶν. Ὅτε δὲ νήφει ἐγρηγόρως, καὶ τὸν Κύριον περιεζωσμένως καραδοκεῖ, οὔτε ὑπὸ γαστρὸς ἡττᾶται, οὔτε τῶν ἀπ' ἐκείνης παθῶν. Οὐδὲν γὰρ ἕτερόν ἐστι τὸ ἐζῶσθαι, ἢ τὸ δεδέσθαι τὴν ἰσχὺν τῆς ὀσφύος. Ὅτι οὐδὲν μεῖζον ἀγάπης· ἐν ᾧ καὶ ἀποδείξεις ἔχει τὰς ἀδελφικὰς ζυγάδας. Οὐδὲν οὕτως Θεῷ περισπούδαστον, ὡς ἀγάπη· δι' ἦν καὶ ἄνθρωπος γέγονε, καὶ μέχρι θανάτου ὑπήκοος. Διὰ τοῦτο γὰρ καὶ ἡ πρώτη κλῆσις τῶν μαθητῶν αὐτοῦ, ἀδελφοὶ δύο γεγόνασιν, ἐνδειξαμένου διὰ τῶν προοιμίων εὐθὺς τοῦ πανσόφου Σωτῆρος, ὅτι πάντας τοὺς μαθητὰς αὐτοῦ ἀδελφικῶς συνάπτεσθαι βούλεται. Αγάπης τοίνυν μηδὲν ἡγώμεθα προτιμότερον, ἤπερ συνδεῖ πάντα, καὶ ἐν ὁμονοίᾳ συμφερούσῃ φυλάττει.
TŌ AUTŌ. Peri tōn nykterinōn phantasiōn. Hai nykterinai phantasiai hōs gegraphas, philomathestate, ou monon tōn methēmerinōn eisi syntychiōn kai homiliōn apēchēmata, alla kai tēs rhąthymou synētheias gennēmata. Hote gar karǭ methēs ho nous syllēphthę̄, ormētērion ginetai tōn pathōn. Hote de nēphei egrēgorōs, kai ton Kyrion periezōsmenōs karadokei, oute hypo gastros hēttatai, oute tōn ap' ekeinēs pathōn. Ouden gar heteron esti to ezōsthai, ē to dedesthai tēn ischyn tēs osphyos. Hoti ouden meizon agapēs; en hǭ kai apodeixeis echei tas adelphikas zygadas. Ouden houtōs Theǭ perispoudaston, hōs agapē; di' ēn kai anthrōpos gegone, kai mechri thanatou hypēkoos. Dia touto gar kai hē prōtē klēsis tōn mathētōn autou, adelphoi dyo gegonasin, endeixamenou dia tōn prooimiōn euthys tou pansophou Sōtēros, hoti pantas tous mathētas autou adelphikōs synaptesthai bouletai. Agapēs toinyn mēden hēgōmetha protimoteron, ēper syndei panta, kai en homonoią sympherousę̄ phylattei.
To the same. [On night fantasies.] Night fantasies, as you wrote, most studious man, are not only echoes of the meetings and conversations of the day, but also offspring of careless habit. For when the mind is seized by the stupor of drunkenness, it becomes a base for the passions; but when it is sober and wakeful and awaits the Lord with loins girded, it is overcome neither by the belly nor by the passions that come from it. For to be girded is nothing other than to have the strength of the loins bound. [Letter 1.10] [That nothing is greater than love; in which he also has the pairs of brothers as proofs.] Nothing is so earnestly desired by God as love: for its sake he even became man, and was obedient to the point of death. That is why the first called of his disciples were two brothers, the all-wise Savior showing from the very beginning that he wants all his disciples to be joined together as brothers. Let us then hold nothing more precious than love, which binds all things together and keeps them in profitable concord.
Luke 12:35 (allusion, high confidence) · Phil 2:8 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 4:18 (allusion, high confidence) · Col 3:14 (allusion, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Night fantasies come from daytime encounters and careless habit, and are checked by sober watchfulness; a second letter says nothing is dearer to God than love, which is why the first disciples called were brothers.
- Letter 1.10 begins at "[That nothing is greater than love]"; its heading (addressee) was not recovered from the scan.
- "Loins girded": Luke 12:35. "Obedient to the point of death": Phil 2:8. The first disciples called were brothers: Matt 4:18. Love "binds all things together": cf. Col 3:14.
Topics: Temptation, Self-control in food and drink, Love of God and neighbour
Cite (SBL): Isidore of Pelusium, Ep. 1.9 (PG 78 78:185; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-9). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-9
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Migne (PG 78; PG 72), Bayerische Staatsbibliothek OCR; no public-domain English exists, so the translation was re-read against the Greek.
1.11PG 78 78:185
ΩΦΕΛΙΩ ΓΡΑΜΜΑΤΙΚΩ. Ὅτι ἡ ἐν τῷ ἀδικεῖσθαι ἢ παροινεῖσθαι φιλοσοφία πολλή. Εἰ Σωκράτης ὁ τῶν Ἀττικῶν δογμάτων νομοθέτης, καὶ τυπτηθεὶς οὐκ ἠμύνατο, αὐτὸς τί ἀλύεις μόνον ὑβρισθεὶς, ὡς γέγραφας; Εἰ γὰρ φιλοσοφήσειας, αὐτὸς μὲν τὴν Σωκράτους δόξαν ἀποίσῃ, εἰ καὶ ἧττον Σωκράτους πεπαρώνησαι· ὁ δὲ ἐξ ἐναντίας ὡς βέλει τῇ μεγαλοψυχία τρωθήσεται, ἢ καὶ ἔσθ᾽ ὅτε τῆς φιλαμαρτήμονος μεταβληθήσεται καὶ γνώμης καὶ γλώσσης, καὶ χάριν σοι εἴσεται ὡς αἰτίῳ τῆς ἀλλοιώσεως.
ŌPhELIŌ GRAMMATIKŌ. Hoti hē en tǭ adikeisthai ē paroineisthai philosophia pollē. Ei Sōkratēs ho tōn Attikōn dogmatōn nomothetēs, kai typtētheis ouk ēmynato, autos ti alyeis monon hybristheis, hōs gegraphas? Ei gar philosophēseias, autos men tēn Sōkratous doxan apoisę̄, ei kai hētton Sōkratous peparōnēsai; ho de ex enantias hōs belei tę̄ megalopsychia trōthēsetai, ē kai esth᾽ hote tēs philamartēmonos metablēthēsetai kai gnōmēs kai glōssēs, kai charin soi eisetai hōs aitiǭ tēs alloiōseōs.
To Ophelius the grammarian. [That there is great philosophy in being wronged or abused.] If Socrates, the lawgiver of Attic doctrines, did not retaliate even when he was struck, why are you distraught when you were only insulted, as you wrote? If you act as a philosopher, you will carry off the glory of Socrates, even though you were abused less than Socrates; and your opponent will be wounded by your magnanimity as by an arrow, or perhaps will even change both his sin-loving mind and his tongue, and will be grateful to you as the cause of his change.
Notes and citation
Summary: Like Socrates, who did not strike back when beaten, bear insult calmly; magnanimity may even change the offender.
- The story of Socrates being struck and not retaliating is told by Diogenes Laertius, Lives 2.21.
Topics: Patience, Philosophy
Cite (SBL): Isidore of Pelusium, Ep. 1.11 (PG 78 78:185; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-11). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-11
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Migne (PG 78; PG 72), Bayerische Staatsbibliothek OCR; no public-domain English exists, so the translation was re-read against the Greek.
1.12PG 78 78:187
ΑΜΜΩΝΙΩ. Εἰ καὶ κρύπτεις τὸ ἥττημα, ἀλλὰ φαίνῃ φυσώμενος πέρα καὶ τοῦ γένους, καὶ τῆς ἰσχύος, καὶ τῆς ἀξίας σου φρυαττόμενος. Η τοίνυν σύμμετρον σαυτῷ κτῆσαι φρόνημα, ἢ ἴσθι παρὰ πάντων γελώμενος.
AMMŌNIŌ. Ei kai krypteis to hēttēma, alla phainę̄ physōmenos pera kai tou genous, kai tēs ischyos, kai tēs axias sou phryattomenos. Ē toinyn symmetron sautǭ ktēsai phronēma, ē isthi para pantōn gelōmenos.
To Ammonius. Even if you hide your defeat, you still appear puffed up, snorting beyond your family, your strength and your rank. Either acquire a mind that fits you, or know that you are laughed at by everyone.
Notes and citation
Summary: A rebuke of arrogance beyond one's station.
Topics: Humility and pride
Cite (SBL): Isidore of Pelusium, Ep. 1.12 (PG 78 78:187; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-12). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-12
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Migne (PG 78; PG 72), Bayerische Staatsbibliothek OCR; no public-domain English exists, so the translation was re-read against the Greek.
1.13PG 78 78:187
ΛΑΜΠΕΤΙΩ ΜΟΝΑΧΟ. Ὅτε τῷ ὄρει τῆς ὑψηλῆς πολιτείας προσέβαινες, καὶ πλυνάμενος ἐσθῆτα καὶ αἴσθησιν, πρὸς τὴν ἀκοὴν τῶν θείων δογμάτων τὴν καρδίαν ηὐτρέπιζες, πάντως ἐπιλαθέσθαι τῶν χαμαιζήλων βεβούλευσο, ἵνα πρὸς τὴν ἀκρόπολιν φθάσας τῶν ἀρετῶν, καὶ χρηματίζοντος ἀκούσῃς Θεοῦ, καὶ ταῖς σαρκικαῖς πλαξὶ τὸν παλαιὸν νόμον ἐγγράφοντος, πυξίον γένῃ θεότευκτον. Τὰ δὲ νῦν περὶ σοῦ παρὰ πάντων ἀδόμενα, ἐπιλαβέσθαι μέν σε τοῦ ἀρότρου τῆς σωτηρίας, προθύμως ἀπαγγέλλουσιν, εἰς τοὐπίσω δὲ πάλιν ἀνεστράφθαι ναρκήσαντα. Εἰ τοίνυν σε μὴ φοβεῖ τὸ ὑπόδειγμα, καὶ βαπτισθέντος Σίμωνος, καὶ τοῖς Χριστοῦ διακόνοις ἀκολουθήσαντος, καὶ πρὸς τὴν ὕλην πάλιν ἀναχωρήσαντος· δι᾽ ἣν καὶ ἐξ ὕψους κατηνέχθη ὁ δείλαιος πρὸς τὸν πολυθρύλλητον θάνατον, ἵνα δειχθῇ ὡς ἐξ ἑνὸς τοῦ κατ' ἐκεῖνον πτώματος, οἴων τυγχάνουσιν ἄξιοι, οἱ οὐράνιον δρόμον ψευδόμενοι· ἔχου τῆς προθέσεως Σίμωνος. Εἰ δὲ πᾶς ὅστις νοὸς καὶ λόγου μετείληφε, κἂν τοῖς ἐχθροῖς τὴν δίκην ἐκείνην ἀπεύχεται· πλήρωσον τὰς πρὸς τὸν Κύριον συνθήκας, καὶ τὸν ἀμπελῶνα αὐτοῦ ἐπιμελῶς φιλοπόνει. ῾Ο μισθὸς μετ᾿ αὐτοῦ ἐστιν, ὃν ἕκαστος λήψεται πρὸς τὸν ἴδιον κόπον.
LAMPETIŌ MONAChO. Hote tǭ orei tēs hypsēlēs politeias prosebaines, kai plynamenos esthēta kai aisthēsin, pros tēn akoēn tōn theiōn dogmatōn tēn kardian ēutrepizes, pantōs epilathesthai tōn chamaizēlōn bebouleuso, hina pros tēn akropolin phthasas tōn aretōn, kai chrēmatizontos akousę̄s Theou, kai tais sarkikais plaxi ton palaion nomon engraphontos, pyxion genę̄ theoteukton. Ta de nyn peri sou para pantōn adomena, epilabesthai men se tou arotrou tēs sōtērias, prothymōs apangellousin, eis toupisō de palin anestraphthai narkēsanta. Ei toinyn se mē phobei to hypodeigma, kai baptisthentos Simōnos, kai tois Christou diakonois akolouthēsantos, kai pros tēn hylēn palin anachōrēsantos; di᾽ hēn kai ex hypsous katēnechthē ho deilaios pros ton polythryllēton thanaton, hina deichthę̄ hōs ex henos tou kat' ekeinon ptōmatos, oiōn tynchanousin axioi, hoi ouranion dromon pseudomenoi; echou tēs protheseōs Simōnos. Ei de pas hostis noos kai logou meteilēphe, kan tois echthrois tēn dikēn ekeinēn apeuchetai; plērōson tas pros ton Kyrion synthēkas, kai ton ampelōna autou epimelōs philoponei. ῾O misthos met᾿ autou estin, hon hekastos lēpsetai pros ton idion kopon.
To Lampetius the monk. When you were climbing the mountain of the lofty way of life, and, having washed your garment and your senses, were preparing your heart to hear the divine doctrines, you had surely resolved to forget the things that creep on the ground, so that, reaching the citadel of the virtues, you might hear God speaking and writing the old law on tablets of flesh, and become a tablet made by God. But what everyone now sings about you reports that you eagerly took hold of the plow of salvation, but have turned back again, grown numb. If, then, the example of Simon does not frighten you, who was baptized and followed Christ's ministers and went back again to material things, for which the wretch was brought down from on high to his much-talked-of death, so that it might be shown by the fall of that one man what those deserve who play false to the heavenly course, then keep to Simon's purpose. But if everyone who has any share of mind and reason prays that even his enemies may escape that punishment, fulfil your covenants with the Lord and labor diligently in his vineyard. The reward is with him, which each will receive according to his own labor.
Exod 19:10 (allusion, medium confidence) · 2 Cor 3:3 (allusion, high confidence) · Luke 9:62 (allusion, high confidence) · Acts 8:13 (allusion, high confidence) · 1 Cor 3:8 (quotation, high confidence) · Rev 22:12 (allusion, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: A monk who has turned back from his vocation is warned by the example of Simon Magus and urged to keep his covenant with the Lord.
- The ascent of the mountain and the washing of garments recall Sinai (Exod 19:10–14). "Tablets of flesh": 2 Cor 3:3. The plow: Luke 9:62. Simon: Acts 8:9–24; his fall "from on high" is the story of his attempted flight and fall at Rome told in the Acts of Peter. "Each according to his own labor": 1 Cor 3:8; "the reward is with him": Isa 40:10, Rev 22:12.
Extrabiblical texts: Acts Pet. 32 (Acts of Peter; allusion)
Topics: Monastic life
Cite (SBL): Isidore of Pelusium, Ep. 1.13 (PG 78 78:187; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-13). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-13
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Migne (PG 78; PG 72), Bayerische Staatsbibliothek OCR; no public-domain English exists, so the translation was re-read against the Greek.
1.14PG 78 78:187
ΠΑΤΡΙΜΩ ΜΟΝΑΖΟΝΤΙ. Περὶ πρακτικοῦ. Ἔχεις μὲν εὐφυΐαν, ὡς ἔμαθον, μανθάνειν σπουδαίως, καὶ λέγειν γενναίως. Ἡ δὲ τῆς πνευματικῆς πολιτείας ὁδὸς, πράξει μᾶλλον ἢ φράσει εὐοδοῦται. Εἰ τοίνυν μέλει σοι τῶν ἀκηράτων μισθῶν, τὸ λέγειν καλῶς παρὰ φαῦλον τιθέμενος, τὸ πράττειν χρηστῶς μεταδίωκε.
PATRIMŌ MONAZONTI. Peri praktikou. Echeis men euphyïan, hōs emathon, manthanein spoudaiōs, kai legein gennaiōs. Hē de tēs pneumatikēs politeias hodos, praxei mallon ē phrasei euodoutai. Ei toinyn melei soi tōn akēratōn misthōn, to legein kalōs para phaulon tithemenos, to prattein chrēstōs metadiōke.
To Patrimus, living as a monk. [On the practical life.] You have, as I have learned, a natural gift for learning diligently and speaking nobly. But the road of the spiritual life prospers by action rather than by speech. If, then, you care about the pure rewards, count speaking well as of little worth, and pursue acting well.
Notes and citation
Summary: The spiritual life is advanced by deeds rather than by fine speech.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (stray Latin letters from the parallel column; word split by OCR): σπου δαίως → σπουδαίως; μεταδίωκε. Αt → μεταδίωκε..
Topics: The Christian life, Monastic life
Cite (SBL): Isidore of Pelusium, Ep. 1.14 (PG 78 78:187; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-14). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-14
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Migne (PG 78; PG 72), Bayerische Staatsbibliothek OCR; no public-domain English exists, so the translation was re-read against the Greek.
1.15PG 78 78:189
ΠΕΤΡΟ. Περὶ ὑψηλοφροσύνης, καὶ οἰήσεως, καὶ ταπεινοφροσύνης. Τις σε οὐ γράψεται ἀτοπίας, ὅτι καὶ πλοῦτον περιφρονήσας, καὶ γένος, καὶ τὴν σκιώδη ταύτην τιμὴν, καὶ πολλοῖς ὁδὸς γενόμενος ταπεινώσεως, νῦν ἑάλως ὑπέροπτος, τοῦ θείου ὥσπερ ἐπιλαθόμενος νόμου τοῦ ταπεινοῦσθαι κελεύοντος τὸν ὑψοῦσθαι βουλόμενον; Εἰ τοίνυν μὴ ἅπας ὑποβρύχιος τοῖς τῆς ἀλαζονείας κύμασι γέγονας, νῆψον πρὸς τὴν ὑπόσχεσιν. Οὐ γὰρ τοῦτό σε λέληθεν, ὅτι μετριότης ταῖς ἀρεταῖς συναύξουσα, Θεοῦ μιμητὰς τοὺς οὕτω βιοῦντας ἐργάζεται· ὑψηλοφροσύνη δὲ, οὐ μόνον τὰ παρόντα οἶδε καθελεῖν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐξ αὐτῶν οὐρανῶν καθαιρεῖ τὸν ὑψαύχενα, ὅπερ ὁ Εωσφόρος πρωὶ ἀνατέλλων ὑπέμεινεν.
PETRO. Peri hypsēlophrosynēs, kai oiēseōs, kai tapeinophrosynēs. Tis se ou grapsetai atopias, hoti kai plouton periphronēsas, kai genos, kai tēn skiōdē tautēn timēn, kai pollois hodos genomenos tapeinōseōs, nyn healōs hyperoptos, tou theiou hōsper epilathomenos nomou tou tapeinousthai keleuontos ton hypsousthai boulomenon? Ei toinyn mē hapas hypobrychios tois tēs alazoneias kymasi gegonas, nēpson pros tēn hyposchesin. Ou gar touto se lelēthen, hoti metriotēs tais aretais synauxousa, Theou mimētas tous houtō biountas ergazetai; hypsēlophrosynē de, ou monon ta paronta oide kathelein, alla kai ex autōn ouranōn kathairei ton hypsauchena, hoper ho Eōsphoros prōi anatellōn hypemeinen.
To Peter. [On high-mindedness, conceit, and humility.] Who will not charge you with absurdity, that you, who despised wealth and birth and this shadowy honor, and became a road of humility for many, are now caught being haughty, as if you had forgotten the divine law that commands whoever wishes to be exalted to humble himself? If, then, you have not gone wholly under the waves of arrogance, come to your senses about your promise. For you know well that moderation growing together with the virtues makes those who live so imitators of God; but high-mindedness not only knows how to bring down present things, but casts the proud man down from heaven itself, as the Morning Star rising at dawn suffered.
Luke 14:11 (allusion, high confidence) · Isa 14:12 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: A once-humble monk now grown haughty is reminded that pride casts down even from heaven, as it did the Morning Star.
- Luke 14:11; 18:14; the Morning Star: Isa 14:12.
Topics: Humility and pride, The devil and demons
Cite (SBL): Isidore of Pelusium, Ep. 1.15 (PG 78 78:189; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-15). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-15
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Migne (PG 78; PG 72), Bayerische Staatsbibliothek OCR; no public-domain English exists, so the translation was re-read against the Greek.
1.16PG 78 78:189
ΕΥΑΓΓΕΛΙΩ. Τί σημαίνει τὸ, Ἐλισσαῖον ἄλατι μεταπεποιηκέναι ἀτεκνοῦντα πάλιν πάλαι) τὰ Ἱεριχούντια ῥεύματα. ῎Αλατι Ἐλισσαῖος τὰ Ἱεριχούντια ῥεύματα ἀτεκνοῦντα ἰάσατο, εὐαγγελικῶς κινηθεὶς πρὸς τὴν ἴασιν, οἷα βλέπων τὰ ἔμπροσθεν. Τύπον γὰρ ἔφερε, τὰ μὲν ὕδατα πάσης τῆς ἀνθρωπότητος πρὸς ἀγονίαν ἀρετῶν καὶ ἀκαρπίαν εὐσεβείας στερεωθέντα Οἱ ἄλες δὲ τῆς πάντα νοτιζούσης ποιότητος καὶ δυνάμεως εἰς τὴν τοῦ Κυρίου διδαχὴν, καθὼς αὐτὸς πρὸς τοὺς ἑαυτοῦ ἀποστόλους φησίν. « Ὑμεῖς ἐστε τὸ ἄλας τῆς γῆς· · Ἐλισσαῖος δὲ αὐτοῦ τοῦ Δημιουργοῦ καὶ Δεσπότου. Οἱ γὰρ τὴν εἰκόνα καθαρὰν φυλάττοντες τῷ ποιήσαντι, καὶ συνθαυματουργεῖν αὐτῷ, χάριν παρ᾿ αὐτοῦ ἐκομίσαντο.
EUANGELIŌ. Ti sēmainei to, Elissaion alati metapepoiēkenai ateknounta palin palai) ta Hierichountia rheumata. ᾿Alati Elissaios ta Hierichountia rheumata ateknounta iasato, euangelikōs kinētheis pros tēn iasin, hoia blepōn ta emprosthen. Typon gar ephere, ta men hydata pasēs tēs anthrōpotētos pros agonian aretōn kai akarpian eusebeias stereōthenta Hoi ales de tēs panta notizousēs poiotētos kai dynameōs eis tēn tou Kyriou didachēn, kathōs autos pros tous heautou apostolous phēsin. « Hymeis este to alas tēs gēs; ; Elissaios de autou tou Dēmiourgou kai Despotou. Hoi gar tēn eikona katharan phylattontes tǭ poiēsanti, kai synthaumatourgein autǭ, charin par᾿ autou ekomisanto.
To Evangelius. [What it means that Elisha with salt changed the waters of Jericho, long barren.] Elisha healed the barren waters of Jericho with salt, moved to the healing in the manner of the Gospel, as one who saw what lay ahead. For he bore a type: the waters, of all humanity, grown hard into barrenness of virtues and fruitlessness of godliness; the salt, with its quality and power that penetrates everything, of the Lord's teaching, as he himself says to his apostles, "You are the salt of the earth"; and Elisha, of the Creator and Master himself. For those who keep the image pure for the one who made them have received from him the grace to work wonders with him.
2 Kgs 2:21 (allusion, high confidence) · Matt 5:13 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Elisha's healing of Jericho's waters with salt is a type of Christ healing barren humanity through the apostles' teaching.
- 2 Kgs 2:19–22; Matt 5:13. The phrase "πάλιν πάλαι)" in the title is garbled in the scan; translated as "long".
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (repeated word and stray bracket from the OCR): τὰ τὰ ( μὲν → τὰ μὲν.
Topics: Interpreting Scripture, The image of God
Cite (SBL): Isidore of Pelusium, Ep. 1.16 (PG 78 78:189; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-16). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-16
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Migne (PG 78; PG 72), Bayerische Staatsbibliothek OCR; no public-domain English exists, so the translation was re-read against the Greek.
1.17PG 78 78:191
ΠΑΥΛΩ. Εἰς τὸ, « ᾿Αλώπεκες φωλεοὺς ἔχουσι, καὶ τὰ πετεινὰ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ κατασκηνώσεις. • Αἱ ἀλώπεκες φωλεοὺς ἔχουσι, καὶ τὰ πετεινὰ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ κατασκηνώσεις, » ὁ Κύριος πρὸς τὸν παρακαλέσαντα ἀκολουθεῖν ἀπεκρίνατο, καρδιογνώστης ὑπάρχων, ὡς πλάσας καταμόνας τὰς τῶν ἀνθρώπων καρδίας. Καταμόνας δὲ εἴρηται, ὅτι οὐ δεηθεὶς ἑτέρου βοηθοῦντος ἐποίησε. Καὶ ὁρῶν δολίοις λογισμοῖς κεκρατημένον τὸν ἄνθρωπον καὶ ὑπὸ πνευμάτων πονηρῶν κατοικούμενον, καὶ ἀνεπιστρόφως πρὸς τὴν κάκωσιν ἔχοντα· καὶ τούτου χάριν τῆς οἰκείας συνουσίας αὐτὸν ἀπέπεμπεν, ἵνα μὴ τὸ ἐπίμονον τῆς ἐκείνου φαυλότητος, σκανδάλου γένηται τοῖς πιστεύουσιν αἴτιον, πρὸς ἐκεῖνον ἀτενίζουσι, καὶ τῆς Δεσποτικῆς δυνάμεως καταψηφιζομένοις ἀσθένειαν, ὡς τὸν μαθητὴν μεταβαλεῖν πρὸς ἀρετὴν μὴ ἰσχυσάσης.
PAULŌ. Eis to, « ᾿Alōpekes phōleous echousi, kai ta peteina tou ouranou kataskēnōseis. • Hai alōpekes phōleous echousi, kai ta peteina tou ouranou kataskēnōseis, » ho Kyrios pros ton parakalesanta akolouthein apekrinato, kardiognōstēs hyparchōn, hōs plasas katamonas tas tōn anthrōpōn kardias. Katamonas de eirētai, hoti ou deētheis heterou boēthountos epoiēse. Kai horōn doliois logismois kekratēmenon ton anthrōpon kai hypo pneumatōn ponērōn katoikoumenon, kai anepistrophōs pros tēn kakōsin echonta; kai toutou charin tēs oikeias synousias auton apepempen, hina mē to epimonon tēs ekeinou phaulotētos, skandalou genētai tois pisteuousin aition, pros ekeinon atenizousi, kai tēs Despotikēs dynameōs katapsēphizomenois astheneian, hōs ton mathētēn metabalein pros aretēn mē ischysasēs.
To Paul. [On "Foxes have holes, and the birds of the air nests."] "Foxes have holes, and the birds of the air nests," the Lord answered the man who asked to follow him, since he knows hearts, as the one who fashioned the hearts of men "alone". "Alone" is said because he made them without needing anyone else to help. Seeing the man held fast by deceitful thoughts, inhabited by evil spirits, and set without repentance on wickedness, for this reason he sent him away from his company, lest that man's persistent baseness become a cause of stumbling to believers, who would look at him and condemn the Master's power as weak, as though it could not change the disciple to virtue.
Matt 8:20 (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 33:15 (32:15 LXX) (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Christ turned away the would-be follower because he knew his heart was set on evil, lest his unchanged wickedness scandalize believers.
- Matt 8:19–20; Luke 9:57–58. "Who fashioned their hearts alone": Ps 33:15 (32:15 LXX), where καταμόνας is usually understood as "one by one"; Isidore explains it as "unaided".
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (end-of-line hyphen left in the OCR): πι - στεύουσιν → πιστεύουσιν.
Topics: Interpreting Scripture
Cite (SBL): Isidore of Pelusium, Ep. 1.17 (PG 78 78:191; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-17). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-17
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Migne (PG 78; PG 72), Bayerische Staatsbibliothek OCR; no public-domain English exists, so the translation was re-read against the Greek.
1.18PG 78 78:191
ΕΡΜΙΝΩ ΚΟΜΗΤΙ. Εἰς τὸ εἰρημένον περὶ τῆς Θεοτόκου, « Καὶ οὐκ ἐγίνωσκεν αὐτὴν, · καὶ τὰ λοιπά. Ἐπειδὴ σκάνδαλον εἶπας οἴεσθαι Ἰουδαίοις, τὸ ἐν τοῖς θείοις χρησμοῖς εἰρημένον, « Οὐκ ἐγίνωσκεν αὐτὴν ἕως οὗ ἔτεκε τὸν υἱὸν αὐτῆς, ὁ ὡς μετὰ ταῦτα, φησὶ, συναφείας τῷ μνηστῆρι πρὸς τὴν Παρθένον γενομένης· γινωσκέτω ὁ βλάσφημος καὶ ἀχάριστος λαὸς, ὅτι τὸ ἕως πολλάκις καὶ ἐπὶ τοῦ διηνεκῶς ἐν τῇ θείᾳ Γραφῇ εὑρίσκομεν κείμενον. « Ἕως ἂν θῶ τοὺς ἐχθρούς σου ὑποπόδιον τῶν ποδῶν σου·, καὶ ἔστι, διηνεκές. Καὶ οὐκ ἀνέστρεψεν ἡ περιστερὰ πρὸς τὸν Νῶε, ἕως τοῦ ξηρανθῆναι τὴν γῆν, καὶ εἰς τὸ παντελὲς οὐκ ἀνέστρεψε. Καὶ, Ἕως ἂν καταγηράσητε, ἐγώ εἰμι, φησὶν ὁ Θεός. Καὶ ἔστι, διηνεκῶς. Καὶ ἄλλα τοιαῦτα πολλά, σποράδην ἐν τῇ θείᾳ εὑρίσκεται Γραφῇ. Ὁ δὲ θεῖος νοῦς τὴν ὑμετέραν, ὦ Ἰουδαῖοι, κακόνοιαν διορθούμενος, ἐκ πορνείας καὶ νομισάντων καὶ εἰρηκότων γεγεννῆσθαι τὸν Κύριον, ἀνέπαφον δεῖξαι τὸν προσκυνητὸν ἐσπούδασε τόκον, πάσης δίχα ἐπιθυμίας, καὶ συνουσίας γεγενημένον, θεοπρεπῆ δὲ ὄντα καὶ ἄληπτον. Τὸ γὰρ μετὰ ταῦτα μὴ συμβῆναι ἀλλήλοις τοὺς τὴν πορνείαν συκοφαντηθέντας, καὶ ἡ τοῦ ἀγγέλου ὄψις ἐκώλυεν, ἐκ Πνεύματος ἁγίου εἰρηκότος ὑπάρχειν τὸν ἐν τῇ Παρθένῳ σαρκούμενον· καὶ ἡ μεγαλειότης τῶν τοῦ τόκου θαυμάτων οὐκ ἐπέτρεπεν, ἡ μετ᾿ αὐτὸν παρθενία, ἡ τῶν ἀγγέλων ὑμνολογία, ἡ τῶν Μάγων δωροφορία, ἡ τοῦ ἀστέρος φωταγωγία, ἡ εἰς Αἴγυπτον ὁδηγία, ἡ τῶν εἰδώλων αἰχμαλωσία, καὶ ἡ αὐτῶν ἐκείνων δικαιοσύνη ὑπὸ τῆς θείας Γραφῆς μαρτυρουμένη. Δηλοῖ δὲ καὶ ἡ τελευταία τοῦ Κυρίου διάθεσις, Ἰωάννῃ τῷ παρθένῳ τὴν Θεοτόκον συστήσαντος, καὶ τὰς ἑκατέρων παρθενίας συνάψαντος, ἡνίκα ἐπὶ τοῦ σταυροῦ ὢν ζωοποιὸν ὑπέμενε θάνατον. Εἰ ταῦτα οὐ πείθει τὸν γογγυστὴν καὶ φιλοπόνηρον λαὸν, οὗ εἰς φύσιν λοιπὸν τὸ θεομαχεῖν κατἑστη, κατὰ πετρῶν σπείρεις, καὶ καθ' ὑδάτων γράφεις, καὶ πέπαυσο ματαιοπονῶν. ΗΡΑΚΛΕΙΔΗ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ. Διὰ τὶ οὐ συγκατεδικάσθη τοῖς περὶ τὸν Ἀνανίαν ὁ Δανιὴλ ἐν τῇ καμίνῳ. Διὰ τί, ἔφης μετὰ τῶν τριῶν ὁσίων παίδων τὴν πυρκαϊὰν οὐ κατεδικάσθη ὁ μέγας Δανιὴλ παρά τοῦ Βαβυλωνίου, σύμφρων αὐτοῖς τυγχάνων καὶ συμφυλέτης, καὶ ὁμοδίαιτος, καὶ μᾶλλον τῆς εὐσεβείας διδάσκαλος; Ἐπειδὴ, φημὶ, κατὰ θείαν τοῦτο ᾠκονομήθη προμήθειαν, ἵνα μὴ τῷ ὀνόματι τοῦ Βαβυλωνίου Θεοῦ, τὴν κατάκαυσιν τῆς φλογὸς οἱ ἀσεβεῖς ἐπιγράφωσι· Βαλτάσαρ γὰρ αὐτὸν, εἰς τιμὴν τῆς τῶν ἀποῤῥήτων σαφηνείας, ὠνόμαζον. δόγμα τοιοῦτο παρ' ἐκείνοις κρατεῖ, ὡς καὶ μόνον ὀνομαζόμενον, θαυματουργεῖν τὸν Θεὸν αὐτῶν. Ἵνα ταύτην τοίνυν καταργήσῃ τὴν δόξαν, ἐν τῇ κρίσει ταύτῃ τὸν Δανιὴλ ἐχώρισε, καὶ εὑρέθη γυμνὴ καθ' ἑαυτὴν ἡ τῶν νέων ἐγκράτεια, καὶ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἡ βοήθεια, τὴν βροντῶσαν μαράνασα κάμινον.
ERMINŌ KOMĒTI. Eis to eirēmenon peri tēs Theotokou, « Kai ouk eginōsken autēn, ; kai ta loipa. Epeidē skandalon eipas oiesthai Ioudaiois, to en tois theiois chrēsmois eirēmenon, « Ouk eginōsken autēn heōs hou eteke ton huion autēs, ho hōs meta tauta, phēsi, synapheias tǭ mnēstēri pros tēn Parthenon genomenēs; ginōsketō ho blasphēmos kai acharistos laos, hoti to heōs pollakis kai epi tou diēnekōs en tę̄ theią Graphę̄ heuriskomen keimenon. « Heōs an thō tous echthrous sou hypopodion tōn podōn sou;, kai esti, diēnekes. Kai ouk anestrepsen hē peristera pros ton Nōe, heōs tou xēranthēnai tēn gēn, kai eis to panteles ouk anestrepse. Kai, Heōs an katagērasēte, egō eimi, phēsin ho Theos. Kai esti, diēnekōs. Kai alla toiauta polla, sporadēn en tę̄ theią heurisketai Graphę̄. Ho de theios nous tēn hymeteran, ō Ioudaioi, kakonoian diorthoumenos, ek porneias kai nomisantōn kai eirēkotōn gegennēsthai ton Kyrion, anepaphon deixai ton proskynēton espoudase tokon, pasēs dicha epithymias, kai synousias gegenēmenon, theoprepē de onta kai alēpton. To gar meta tauta mē symbēnai allēlois tous tēn porneian sykophantēthentas, kai hē tou angelou opsis ekōlyen, ek Pneumatos hagiou eirēkotos hyparchein ton en tę̄ Parthenǭ sarkoumenon; kai hē megaleiotēs tōn tou tokou thaumatōn ouk epetrepen, hē met᾿ auton parthenia, hē tōn angelōn hymnologia, hē tōn Magōn dōrophoria, hē tou asteros phōtagōgia, hē eis Aigypton hodēgia, hē tōn eidōlōn aichmalōsia, kai hē autōn ekeinōn dikaiosynē hypo tēs theias Graphēs martyroumenē. Dēloi de kai hē teleutaia tou Kyriou diathesis, Iōannę̄ tǭ parthenǭ tēn Theotokon systēsantos, kai tas hekaterōn parthenias synapsantos, hēnika epi tou staurou ōn zōopoion hypemene thanaton. Ei tauta ou peithei ton gongystēn kai philoponēron laon, hou eis physin loipon to theomachein katestē, kata petrōn speireis, kai kath' hydatōn grapheis, kai pepauso mataioponōn. ĒRAKLEIDĒ EPISKOPŌ. Dia ti ou synkatedikasthē tois peri ton Ananian ho Daniēl en tę̄ kaminǭ. Dia ti, ephēs meta tōn triōn hosiōn paidōn tēn pyrkaïan ou katedikasthē ho megas Daniēl para tou Babylōniou, symphrōn autois tynchanōn kai symphyletēs, kai homodiaitos, kai mallon tēs eusebeias didaskalos? Epeidē, phēmi, kata theian touto ǭkonomēthē promētheian, hina mē tǭ onomati tou Babylōniou Theou, tēn katakausin tēs phlogos hoi asebeis epigraphōsi; Baltasar gar auton, eis timēn tēs tōn aporrhētōn saphēneias, ōnomazon. dogma toiouto par' ekeinois kratei, hōs kai monon onomazomenon, thaumatourgein ton Theon autōn. Hina tautēn toinyn katargēsę̄ tēn doxan, en tę̄ krisei tautę̄ ton Daniēl echōrise, kai heurethē gymnē kath' heautēn hē tōn neōn enkrateia, kai tou Theou hē boētheia, tēn brontōsan maranasa kaminon.
To Herminus the count. [On what is said about the Mother of God, "And he did not know her," and the rest.] You said you think a stumbling block for the Jews is what is said in the divine oracles, "He did not know her until she had borne her son," as though, he says, the betrothed came together with the Virgin afterward. Let that blasphemous and ungrateful people know that we often find "until" placed in divine Scripture also of what is perpetual. "Until I make your enemies the footstool of your feet": and it means perpetually. And: the dove did not return to Noah until the earth was dried, and it never returned at all. And: "Until you grow old, I am," says God; and it means perpetually. And many other such things are found scattered in divine Scripture. The divine mind, correcting your malice, you Jews, who both thought and said that the Lord was born of sexual immorality, was eager to show that the birth we worship was untouched, having come about without any desire or intercourse, befitting God and beyond comprehension. For that those who were slandered with sexual immorality did not afterward come together was prevented both by the angel's vision, which said that he who was taking flesh in the Virgin was from the Holy Spirit; and the greatness of the wonders of the birth did not permit it: the virginity after it, the angels' hymn, the Magi's bringing of gifts, the star's guiding light, the guidance into Egypt, the captivity of the idols, and the righteousness of the two themselves, attested by divine Scripture. The Lord's last disposition also shows it, when, on the cross enduring a life-giving death, he commended the Mother of God to John the virgin and joined the virginity of both. If these things do not persuade the grumbling and evil-loving people, in whom fighting against God has become second nature, you are sowing on rocks and writing on water; stop laboring in vain. [Letter 1.19] To Heraclides the bishop. [Why Daniel was not condemned with Ananias and his companions to the furnace.] Why, you asked, was the great Daniel not condemned to the fire by the Babylonian with the three holy youths, though he was of one mind with them, of the same tribe, sharing their way of life, and rather their teacher in godliness? Because, I say, this was arranged by divine providence, so that the ungodly might not ascribe what befell the burning flame to the name of the Babylonian god. For they called him Belteshazzar, in honor of his making secrets plain; and such a belief prevails among them, that their god works wonders even by being named. To abolish this opinion, he set Daniel apart in this trial, and the young men's self-control was found bare by itself, together with the help of God, which withered the roaring furnace.
Matt 1:25 (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 110:1 (109:1 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Gen 8:12 (allusion, medium confidence) · Isa 46:4 (quotation, high confidence) · Luke 2:13 (allusion, medium confidence) · Matt 2:11 (allusion, medium confidence) · Matt 2:13 (allusion, medium confidence) · Isa 19:1 (echo, low confidence) · John 19:26 (allusion, high confidence) · Dan 3:19 (allusion, high confidence) · Dan 4:8 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: "Until" in Matt 1:25 does not imply later intercourse, as other scriptural uses of "until" show, and many signs attest Mary's lasting virginity; a second letter explains that Daniel was kept out of the furnace so that the Babylonians could not credit their god, whose name he bore.
- Matt 1:25; Ps 110:1 (109:1 LXX); Isa 46:4. The bird that did not return "until the waters dried" is the raven in Gen 8:7; the dove failed to return in Gen 8:12. Isidore applies it to the dove.
- "The captivity of the idols" refers to the tradition, based on Isa 19:1, that the idols of Egypt fell when the infant Christ arrived. The polemic against the Jews is the letter's own; translated as written.
- Letter 1.19 begins at "To Heraclides"; the scan prints its numeral garbled ("10'"), removed. Daniel's name Belteshazzar: Dan 4:8; the furnace: Dan 3.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR slip; garbled letter numeral (ιθʹ) from the heading): 10'. – → ; Λιὰ τὶ → Διὰ τὶ.
Topics: Mary, mother of Jesus, Perpetual virginity of Mary, Jews and Judaism, Interpreting Scripture
Cite (SBL): Isidore of Pelusium, Ep. 1.18 (PG 78 78:191; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-18). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-18
BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-isidore-pelusium-epistulae-1-18) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Migne (PG 78; PG 72), Bayerische Staatsbibliothek OCR; no public-domain English exists, so the translation was re-read against the Greek.
1.20PG 78 78:195
ΙΕΡΑΚΙ ΛΑΜΠΡΟΤΑΤΩ. Κατὰ Μακεδονιανῶν, ἤτοι Πνευματομάχων. Εἰ δέχεται ὁ πρὸς σὲ διενεχθεὶς αἱρετικὸς, καθὼς γέγραφας, τὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ Υἱὸν δογματιστὴν ἀξιόπιστον, αὐτὸς διδάσκει τὴν οὐσίαν τοῦ προσκυνητοῦ τῆς ἑνότητος Πνεύματος, ἓν ὄνομα τῆς θείας Τριάδος ἀποφηνάμενος, τῆς μιᾶς οὐσίας σημαίνων τὴν ἕνωσιν. Εἰ δὲ αὐτῷ μὴ πιστεύει, τὴν ἀκρίβειαν τοῦ συγγενοῦς σημαίνοντι Πνεύματος, καὶ τὰ ὑπὲρ νοῦν ἀνθρώπινον ἐκδιδάσκοντι, περιττή τυγχάνει τῶν ἡμετέρων λόγων ἡ σύστασις· ἐπειδὴ τὸ γεῶδες σκῆνος μόλις εὑρίσκει τὰ ἐν ποσί. Τὰ δὲ ἐν οὐρανῷ ἀπόκρυφα, καὶ τὴν ἡμετέραν αἴσθησιν ὑπερβαίνοντα, αὐτὸς καὶ ἀποκαλύπτει, καὶ ἐπίσταται ὁ κατοικῶν τὸν οὐρανόν.
IERAKI LAMPROTATŌ. Kata Makedonianōn, ētoi Pneumatomachōn. Ei dechetai ho pros se dienechtheis hairetikos, kathōs gegraphas, ton tou Theou Huion dogmatistēn axiopiston, autos didaskei tēn ousian tou proskynētou tēs henotētos Pneumatos, hen onoma tēs theias Triados apophēnamenos, tēs mias ousias sēmainōn tēn henōsin. Ei de autǭ mē pisteuei, tēn akribeian tou syngenous sēmainonti Pneumatos, kai ta hyper noun anthrōpinon ekdidaskonti, perittē tynchanei tōn hēmeterōn logōn hē systasis; epeidē to geōdes skēnos molis heuriskei ta en posi. Ta de en ouranǭ apokrypha, kai tēn hēmeteran aisthēsin hyperbainonta, autos kai apokalyptei, kai epistatai ho katoikōn ton ouranon.
To Hierax, of senatorial rank. [Against the Macedonians, or Pneumatomachi.] If the heretic who quarreled with you, as you wrote, accepts the Son of God as a trustworthy teacher of doctrine, he himself teaches the essence of the Spirit, who is to be worshiped, as belonging to the unity, by declaring one name of the divine Trinity and so signifying the union of the one essence. But if he does not believe him when he makes plain the exact truth about the Spirit who is of the same kind, and teaches things beyond the human mind, the support of our words is superfluous; for the earthly tent barely finds what lies at its feet, but the hidden things in heaven, which surpass our perception, he who dwells in heaven both reveals and knows.
Matt 28:19 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Against the Pneumatomachi: Christ's command to baptize in the one name of the Trinity teaches the Spirit's oneness of essence; one who rejects Christ's teaching will not be moved by ours.
- "One name": Matt 28:19. "The earthly tent … what lies at its feet": Wis 9:15–16.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (Cyrillic look-alike letters in the OCR of the heading; Latin heading debris from Migne's parallel column): ЮРАКІ → ΙΕΡΑΚΙ; ΧΧΙΙΙ. - ΤHEOPHILO. → .
Extrabiblical texts: Wis 9:15-16 (Wisdom of Solomon [in RC, EO, ETH canons]; allusion)
Topics: The Holy Spirit, Trinity, Heresy
Cite (SBL): Isidore of Pelusium, Ep. 1.20 (PG 78 78:195; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-20). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-20
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Migne (PG 78; PG 72), Bayerische Staatsbibliothek OCR; no public-domain English exists, so the translation was re-read against the Greek.
1.21PG 78 78:195
ΑΜΜΩΝΙΩ ΣΧΟΛΑΣΤΙΚΩ. Περὶ ἀναγνώσεως κατὰ Ἑλλήνων. Περὶ τῆς χάριτος τῶν θεοπνεύστων Γραφῶν, καὶ τῆς ἐξ αὐτῶν ὠφελείας. Τὰς [μὲν ] Ἑλλήνων θεοποιίας, καὶ ἂς καλοῦσι θεογονίας, Ὀρφεύς τε καὶ Ὅμηρος καὶ Ἡσίοδος, καὶ ὅσοι κατ᾿ ἐκείνους ἐδίδαξαν, πολλὰς καὶ βίβλους καὶ δόξας συνείραντες. Τὴν ἡμετέραν δὲ θρησκείαν δύο πυκταὶ διδάξουσιν, ἃς ἐπέμψαμεν, ὧν ἡ μὲν Πρεσβυτέρα, ἡ δὲ Νέα Διαθήκη προσαγορεύεται. Εἰ δὲ ἀληθεύουσιν αὗται μᾶλλον ἐκείνων καὶ τοῖς ὀνό– μασι καὶ τοῖς πράγμασιν, [αὐτὸς ] εὑρήσειας, πέπεισμαι, καὶ κρατήσειας τί ἄμεινον. Τινές σε φασιν ἱερωσύνης ἐρᾶν, πράγματος ἀνεφἱκτου πολλοῖς, σοὶ δὲ καὶ μάλιστα· ἢ τοίνυν τὸν σαυτοῦ βίον διόρθωσαι, ἢ τῆς ἐπιθυμίας τῶν ἀψαύστων σοι ἀνακτόρων ἀπόστηθι.
AMMŌNIŌ SChOLASTIKŌ. Peri anagnōseōs kata Hellēnōn. Peri tēs charitos tōn theopneustōn Graphōn, kai tēs ex autōn ōpheleias. Tas [men ] Hellēnōn theopoiias, kai as kalousi theogonias, Orpheus te kai Homēros kai Hēsiodos, kai hosoi kat᾿ ekeinous edidaxan, pollas kai biblous kai doxas syneirantes. Tēn hēmeteran de thrēskeian dyo pyktai didaxousin, has epempsamen, hōn hē men Presbytera, hē de Nea Diathēkē prosagoreuetai. Ei de alētheuousin hautai mallon ekeinōn kai tois ono– masi kai tois pragmasin, [autos ] heurēseias, pepeismai, kai kratēseias ti ameinon. Tines se phasin hierōsynēs eran, pragmatos anephiktou pollois, soi de kai malista; ē toinyn ton sautou bion diorthōsai, ē tēs epithymias tōn apsaustōn soi anaktorōn apostēthi.
To Ammonius the scholasticus. [On reading, against the Greeks. On the grace of the divinely inspired Scriptures and the benefit from them.] The Greeks' god-makings, and what they call theogonies, were taught by Orpheus, Homer and Hesiod, and all who taught after their manner, stringing together many books and opinions. But our religion will be taught you by two tablets, which we have sent, of which one is called the Old and the other the New Testament. Whether these speak truth more than those, both in names and in realities, you will find out for yourself, I am convinced, and you will hold to what is better. [Letter 1.22] Some say that you are in love with the priesthood, a thing beyond the reach of many, and of you most of all. Either correct your life, or give up your desire for the sanctuary, which you may not touch.
Notes and citation
Summary: Isidore sends Ammonius the Old and New Testaments to compare with the pagan theogonies; a second letter tells a man who covets the priesthood to amend his life or give up the desire.
- Letter 1.22 begins at "Some say"; its heading was not recovered from the scan.
Extrabiblical texts: Orpheus (attributed), Orph. frag. (Orpheus (attributed), Orphic poems (fragments); echo); Homer, Il. (Homer, Iliad; echo); Hesiod, Theog. (Hesiod, Theogony; echo)
Topics: Paganism, Scripture and canon, Church office
Cite (SBL): Isidore of Pelusium, Ep. 1.21 (PG 78 78:195; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-21). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-21
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Migne (PG 78; PG 72), Bayerische Staatsbibliothek OCR; no public-domain English exists, so the translation was re-read against the Greek.
1.23PG 78 78:195
ΘΕΟΦΙΛΩ. Εἰς τὸ, « Πᾶν ἄρσεν διανοῖγον μήτραν, · καὶ κατὰ Θεοπασχητῶν, καὶ τὴν μίαν ἐπὶ Χριστοῦ φύσιν εἶναι λεγόντων. Τὸ εἰρημένον ἐν τῇ θείᾳ Γραφῇ, ὅτι « Πᾶν πρωτότοκον διανοίγον μήτραν, ἅγιον τῷ Κυρίῳ, » οὐ περὶ παντὸς εἴρηται πρωτοτόκου· μὴ οὕτως οἱ ἀμαθεῖς νομιζέτωσαν· ἀλλὰ περὶ ἑνὸς [ἐκείνου] καὶ μόνου, τοῦ ἐν τῷ τίκτεσθαι τὴν μήτραν ἀνοίξαντος. Πᾶσαν γὰρ μήτραν μίξις καὶ συνουσία ἀνοίγνυσι· τὴν δὲ τὸν Κύριον ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦν Χριστὸν κυήσασαν, αὐτὸς συλληφθεὶς ἀσπόρως προερχόμενος ἤνοιξε, καὶ πάλιν ἐσφραγισμένην κατέλιπεν· ἀληθῶς μὲν γενόμενος ἄνθρωπος, ἀληθῶς δὲ [ὧν καὶ] Θεὸς καὶ προσκυνούμενος εἷς ἐξ ἀμφοτέρων τῶν φύσεων.
ThEOPhILŌ. Eis to, « Pan arsen dianoigon mētran, ; kai kata Theopaschētōn, kai tēn mian epi Christou physin einai legontōn. To eirēmenon en tę̄ theią Graphę̄, hoti « Pan prōtotokon dianoigon mētran, hagion tǭ Kyriǭ, » ou peri pantos eirētai prōtotokou; mē houtōs hoi amatheis nomizetōsan; alla peri henos [ekeinou] kai monou, tou en tǭ tiktesthai tēn mētran anoixantos. Pasan gar mētran mixis kai synousia anoignysi; tēn de ton Kyrion hēmōn Iēsoun Christon kyēsasan, autos syllēphtheis asporōs proerchomenos ēnoixe, kai palin esphragismenēn katelipen; alēthōs men genomenos anthrōpos, alēthōs de [hōn kai] Theos kai proskynoumenos heis ex amphoterōn tōn physeōn.
To Theophilus. [On "Every male that opens the womb"; and against the Theopaschites and those who say there is one nature in Christ.] What is said in divine Scripture, "Every firstborn that opens the womb shall be holy to the Lord," is not said of every firstborn (let the ignorant not think so), but of that one alone who opened the womb in being born. For every womb is opened by mingling and intercourse; but the womb of her who bore our Lord Jesus Christ he himself, conceived without seed, opened as he came forth, and left sealed again: truly become man, and truly being also God, and worshiped as one from both natures.
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
Exod 13:2 (quotation, high confidence) · Luke 2:23 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: "Every firstborn that opens the womb" refers properly to Christ alone, who opened his mother's womb at birth and left it sealed: truly man, truly God, one from two natures.
- Exod 13:2; Luke 2:23. The title naming the Theopaschites and those who teach one nature in Christ refers to controversies of Isidore's last years or later.
- The bracketed note "[Γ. τῶν]" (a variant reading in the title) is removed.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (variant-reading note in the title): [Γ. τῶν] → .
Topics: Christology, Perpetual virginity of Mary, Christological controversies
Cite (SBL): Isidore of Pelusium, Ep. 1.23 (PG 78 78:195; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-23). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-23
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Migne (PG 78; PG 72), Bayerische Staatsbibliothek OCR; no public-domain English exists, so the translation was re-read against the Greek.
1.24PG 78 78:197
ΚΡΙΣΠΩ. Ὅτι οὐχ ἁπλῶς, ἀλλὰ μετὰ πολλῆς φιλοπονίας χρὴ τὰς ἱερὰς ἀναπτύσσειν Γραφάς. Ἑπιστημονικῶς τὴν θείαν Γραφὴν ἀνελίσσειν ὀφείλεις, καὶ τὰς αὐτῆς δυνάμεις νουνεχῶς ἀνιχνεύειν, καὶ μὴ κατατολμᾷν ἁπλῶς τῶν ἀψαύστων καὶ ἀνεφίκτων μυστηρίων, ἀναξίαις ταῦτα χερσὶν ἐπιτρέπων. Οὕτω γὰρ ὁ τολμηρότατος Οζίας ἀναθαρῥήσας ἐπιβαλεῖν τοῖς ἀνεγχειρήτοις, λέπραν τῷ θράσει προσαπηνέγκατο, καὶ ἄκων ἀποῤῥιφεὶς τῶν ἀνακτόρων, καθότι καὶ νόμος τοῖς λέπρᾳ κατεστιγμένοις τὴν εἴσω τούτων ἀπέκλειεν εἴσοδον. Ἐγράφη δὲ ταῦτα πρὸς νουθεσίαν ἡμῶν, ἵνα καὶ τὰς τόλμας φύγωμεν, καὶ τὰς κολάσεις μὴ πάθωμεν.
KRISPŌ. Hoti ouch haplōs, alla meta pollēs philoponias chrē tas hieras anaptyssein Graphas. Hepistēmonikōs tēn theian Graphēn anelissein opheileis, kai tas autēs dynameis nounechōs anichneuein, kai mē katatolmąn haplōs tōn apsaustōn kai anephiktōn mystēriōn, anaxiais tauta chersin epitrepōn. Houtō gar ho tolmērotatos Ozias anatharrhēsas epibalein tois anencheirētois, lepran tǭ thrasei prosapēnenkato, kai akōn aporrhipheis tōn anaktorōn, kathoti kai nomos tois leprą katestigmenois tēn eisō toutōn apekleien eisodon. Egraphē de tauta pros nouthesian hēmōn, hina kai tas tolmas phygōmen, kai tas kolaseis mē pathōmen.
To Crispus. [That one must open the sacred Scriptures not carelessly but with much diligence.] You ought to unroll divine Scripture with understanding and track down its meanings intelligently, and not boldly lay hands at random on mysteries that are untouchable and beyond reach, entrusting them to unworthy hands. So the most daring Uzziah, emboldened to lay hands on what may not be attempted, brought leprosy on himself by his rashness, and was thrown out of the sanctuary against his will, since the law too shut out from entry those marked with leprosy. These things were written for our admonition, that we may both flee rash daring and not suffer the punishments.
2 Chr 26:19 (allusion, high confidence) · 1 Cor 10:11 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Scripture must be studied with care and reverence; Uzziah's leprosy for rashly entering the sanctuary is a warning.
- 2 Chr 26:16–21; 1 Cor 10:11.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (word split by OCR): ἐπι· τρέπων → ἐπιτρέπων.
Topics: Interpreting Scripture, Scripture and canon
Cite (SBL): Isidore of Pelusium, Ep. 1.24 (PG 78 78:197; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-24). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-24
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Migne (PG 78; PG 72), Bayerische Staatsbibliothek OCR; no public-domain English exists, so the translation was re-read against the Greek.
1.25PG 78 78:197
ΚΥΡΙΛΛΩ. ῞Οτι ἀμήχανον ἐν μέσῳ θορύβων ἀρετὴν κατορθώσαι. Τί σοι ὄφελος τῆς Ἰωάννου πρὸς τὴν ἔρημον ἀναχωρήσεως, ἣν πάλαι σπουδαίως ἐζήλωσας, νῦν δὲ μὴ ἐκεῖνον μιμουμένῳ, καὶ πρὸς τὰς οἰκείας φροντίδας παλινοστοῦντι, καὶ ἐπ' ἐρημίας θορυβουμένῳ, καὶ καταμόνας ὀχλουμένῳ; Τὸ γὰρ ἡσυχάζειν τῷ σχήματι, καὶ φύρεσθαι ταῖς κατὰ νοῦν στροφαῖς καὶ συγχύσεσι, καὶ ἀχλύος τὴν αἴσθησιν πληροῖ, καὶ τὰ ἤδη πονηθέντα ἀμαυροῖ, καὶ τοῖς πάθεσι τὴν νίκην εὐοδεῖ, καὶ ῥίψασπιν τὸν ὁπλίτην ποιεῖ. Οὐδεὶς δὲ στρατευόμενος ἐμπλέκεται ταῖς τοῦ βίου πραγματείαις ἶνα τῷ στρατολογήσαντι ἀρέσῃ, ἀλλ᾽ ὁπλοφόρος ὅλος γίνεται, πρὸς τὸν ἀρέσκοντα τῷ ταξιάρχη παρατασσόμενος ἀγῶνα.
KYRILLŌ. ῾Oti amēchanon en mesǭ thorybōn aretēn katorthōsai. Ti soi ophelos tēs Iōannou pros tēn erēmon anachōrēseōs, hēn palai spoudaiōs ezēlōsas, nyn de mē ekeinon mimoumenǭ, kai pros tas oikeias phrontidas palinostounti, kai ep' erēmias thoryboumenǭ, kai katamonas ochloumenǭ? To gar hēsychazein tǭ schēmati, kai phyresthai tais kata noun strophais kai synchysesi, kai achlyos tēn aisthēsin plēroi, kai ta ēdē ponēthenta amauroi, kai tois pathesi tēn nikēn euodei, kai rhipsaspin ton hoplitēn poiei. Oudeis de strateuomenos empleketai tais tou biou pragmateiais ina tǭ stratologēsanti aresę̄, all᾽ hoplophoros holos ginetai, pros ton areskonta tǭ taxiarchē paratassomenos agōna.
To Cyril. [That it is impossible to achieve virtue in the midst of commotion.] What good to you is John's withdrawal into the desert, which you once eagerly emulated, if now you do not imitate him, but go back to your own cares, are in commotion in solitude and harassed when alone? For to be at rest in outward form, while being mixed up with the twistings and confusions of the mind, fills the senses with mist, darkens what has already been labored for, gives the passions an easy victory, and makes the soldier throw away his shield. "No one serving as a soldier entangles himself in the affairs of life, so as to please the one who enlisted him"; rather he becomes wholly an armed man, drawn up for the contest that pleases the commander.
2 Tim 2:4 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Outward solitude is useless if the mind returns to worldly cares; the soldier of Christ must not be entangled in the affairs of life.
- 2 Tim 2:4.
Topics: Monastic life, Asceticism
Cite (SBL): Isidore of Pelusium, Ep. 1.25 (PG 78 78:197; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-25). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-25
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Migne (PG 78; PG 72), Bayerische Staatsbibliothek OCR; no public-domain English exists, so the translation was re-read against the Greek.
1.26PG 78 78:197
ΕΥΣΕΒΙΟ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ. Περὶ δωροληψίας, ὅτι φρικτὸν εἰς ὑπερβολὴν πιπράσκειν τὴν ἱερωσύνην, ἢ ἔξω. Πολλοί σε κωμῳδοῦσιν, ὡς χρήμασιν ἀλλ᾽ οὐ Πνεύματι τὰς χειροθεσίας τῆς μυσταγωγίας ἐπιτρέποντα. Καὶ εἰ μὲν συκοφαντοῦσι, καθ' ἑαυτῶν ἐπεσπάσαντο τὴν δίκην, ἐπειδὴ « ἀπολεῖ Κύριος πάντας τοὺς λαλοῦντας τὸ ψεῦδος. • Εἰ δὲ ἀληθεύουσι, γνῶθι οἱ τελευτᾷ τὸ κακὸν, ὅτι μικροῦ κέρδους τὸ εἰς Θεὸν ὑβρίζειν ἀντήλλαξας. Καὶ τίς προσεύξεται περὶ σοῦ, ἐπειδὴ μήτε περὶ Ὀφνὴ καὶ Φινεὲς, εἰς Θεὸν καὶ τὴν αὐτοῦ ἁμαρτόντων ἱερωσύνην, εὑρέθη τις πρεσβευόμενος, ἀλλ᾽ εἰς ἔσχατον ὅλεθρον, ὡς τὸ γέρας προπίνοντες τῆς ἱερωσύνης, ἐδόθησαν;
EUSEBIO EPISKOPŌ. Peri dōrolēpsias, hoti phrikton eis hyperbolēn pipraskein tēn hierōsynēn, ē exō. Polloi se kōmǭdousin, hōs chrēmasin all᾽ ou Pneumati tas cheirothesias tēs mystagōgias epitreponta. Kai ei men sykophantousi, kath' heautōn epespasanto tēn dikēn, epeidē « apolei Kyrios pantas tous lalountas to pseudos. • Ei de alētheuousi, gnōthi hoi teleutą to kakon, hoti mikrou kerdous to eis Theon hybrizein antēllaxas. Kai tis proseuxetai peri sou, epeidē mēte peri Ophnē kai Phinees, eis Theon kai tēn autou hamartontōn hierōsynēn, heurethē tis presbeuomenos, all᾽ eis eschaton holethron, hōs to geras propinontes tēs hierōsynēs, edothēsan?
To Eusebius the bishop. [On taking gifts: that it is dreadful beyond measure to sell the priesthood.] Many mock you as one who entrusts the laying on of hands of the mysteries for money and not by the Spirit. If they are slandering you, they have drawn the penalty on themselves, since "the Lord will destroy all who speak falsehood." But if they speak the truth, know where the evil ends: that for a little gain you have bartered away the honor of God for insult to him. And who will pray for you, since not even for Hophni and Phinehas, who sinned against God and his priesthood, was anyone found to intercede, but they were given over to utter destruction, as men who had drunk away the privilege of the priesthood?
Ps 5:6 (5:7 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Sam 2:25 (allusion, high confidence) · 1 Sam 4:11 (allusion, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: If the bishop Eusebius sells ordinations, as reported, he is like Hophni and Phinehas, for whom no one could intercede.
- The title ends with the unclear words "ἢ ἔξω" ("or outside"), left untranslated. Ps 5:6 (5:7 LXX); Hophni and Phinehas: 1 Sam 2:25; 4:11. Eusebius was bishop of Pelusium; Isidore's letters to him and about him are often severe.
Topics: Church office, Ordination, Church discipline and penance
Cite (SBL): Isidore of Pelusium, Ep. 1.26 (PG 78 78:197; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-26). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-26
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Migne (PG 78; PG 72), Bayerische Staatsbibliothek OCR; no public-domain English exists, so the translation was re-read against the Greek.
1.27PG 78 78:199
ΦΑΡΙΣΜΑΝΙΟ ΕΥΝΟΥΧΩ ΤΟΥ ΠΑΛΑΤΙΟΥ. ᾿Ακούω σε ταῖς θείαις Βίβλοις ἐμμελετᾷν, καὶ ταῖς αὐτῶν κεχρῆσθαι μαρτυρίαις ἁρμοδίως πρὸς ἅπαντας εἶναι δὲ πλεονέκτην, καὶ τοῖς ἀλλοτρίοις ἐπιμαινόμενον βίοις. Καὶ πάνυ μοι θαυμάζειν ἐπέρχεται, ὅτι σε ὁ θεῖος ἔρως οὐκ ἔτρωσεν ἐκ τῆς συνεχοῦς ἀναγνώσεως, μεταβολὴν τῆς προθέσεως έργασάμενος, ὁ μὴ μόνον τῶν ἀλλοτρίων κωλύων ἐρᾶν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὰ προσόντα σκορπίζειν νουθετῶν. Η τοίνυν ἀναγινώσκων ἐπίγνωθι, ἢ μὴ ἐπιγινώσκων ἀνάγνωθι.
PhARISMANIO EUNOUChŌ TOU PALATIOU. ᾿Akouō se tais theiais Biblois emmeletąn, kai tais autōn kechrēsthai martyriais harmodiōs pros hapantas einai de pleonektēn, kai tois allotriois epimainomenon biois. Kai pany moi thaumazein eperchetai, hoti se ho theios erōs ouk etrōsen ek tēs synechous anagnōseōs, metabolēn tēs protheseōs ergasamenos, ho mē monon tōn allotriōn kōlyōn eran, alla kai ta prosonta skorpizein nouthetōn. Ē toinyn anaginōskōn epignōthi, ē mē epiginōskōn anagnōthi.
To Pharismanius, eunuch of the palace. I hear that you study the divine Books and use their testimonies aptly with everyone, but that you are grasping and rage against other people's livelihoods. And I can only wonder that divine love has not wounded you through your constant reading and worked a change in your purpose, that love which not only forbids desiring what belongs to others but urges us to scatter what we have. Either recognize what you read, or, if you do not recognize it, do not read.
Ps 112:9 (echo, low confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: A palace eunuch who reads Scripture but covets others' goods is told to let his reading change his life.
- The closing wordplay is on ἀναγινώσκω ("read") and ἐπιγινώσκω ("recognize").
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (end-of-line hyphen left in the OCR): ἅπαν - τας → ἅπαντας.
Topics: Wealth and poverty, Scripture and canon
Cite (SBL): Isidore of Pelusium, Ep. 1.27 (PG 78 78:199; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-27). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-27
BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-isidore-pelusium-epistulae-1-27) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Migne (PG 78; PG 72), Bayerische Staatsbibliothek OCR; no public-domain English exists, so the translation was re-read against the Greek.
1.28PG 78 78:199
ΕΥΣΕΒΙΟ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ. "Οτι φρικτὸν καὶ δυσέφικτον ἱερωσύνη. Πολλῶν πολλοῖς ἔρως ἐγγίνεται οὐ συνέρχεται ταῖς βουλαῖς, ὡς ἀνέφικτος. Οὔτε γὰρ βασιλείας πᾶς ὁ βουλόμενος ἐφικνεῖται, οὔτε περιουσίας, οὔτε συζυγίας ἧς βούλεται. Εἰ τοίνυν, ὡς φὴς, καὶ Ζώσιμος εἰσφρῆσαι ἑαυτὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ μυστηρίοις ἀναισχύντως
EUSEBIO EPISKOPŌ. "Oti phrikton kai dysephikton hierōsynē. Pollōn pollois erōs enginetai ou synerchetai tais boulais, hōs anephiktos. Oute gar basileias pas ho boulomenos ephikneitai, oute periousias, oute syzygias hēs bouletai. Ei toinyn, hōs phēs, kai Zōsimos eisphrēsai heauton tou Theou mystēriois anaischyntōs
To Eusebius the bishop. [That the priesthood is a dreadful thing and hard to attain.] Many people come to love many things that do not follow their wishes, being beyond reach. For not everyone who wishes attains a kingdom, or wealth, or the marriage he wishes. If, then, as you say, Zosimus too shamelessly to thrust himself into the mysteries of God …
Notes and citation
Summary: Not everything desired can be had; Zosimus's shameless pursuit of the priesthood (continued in the next passage).
- The sentence runs on into the passage numbered 1.29 in the scan ("… forces his way"); the end of this letter and the heading of the next appear to have been lost, or the two passages are one letter.
Topics: Church office, Ordination
Cite (SBL): Isidore of Pelusium, Ep. 1.28 (PG 78 78:199; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-28). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-28
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Migne (PG 78; PG 72), Bayerische Staatsbibliothek OCR; no public-domain English exists, so the translation was re-read against the Greek.
1.29PG 78 78:199
(addressee not recovered) βιάζεται, μαθέτω διὰ τῆς ἀκριβείας σου, ὅτι λεπροῖς ὁ τοῦ Θεοῦ ναὸς ἀποκλείεται, μέχρις ἂν τὴν τοῦ πάθους λώβην ἀποσμήξωνται.
(addressee not recovered) biazetai, mathetō dia tēs akribeias sou, hoti leprois ho tou Theou naos apokleietai, mechris an tēn tou pathous lōbēn aposmēxōntai.
(Addressee not recovered.) … forces his way, let him learn through your strictness that the temple of God is closed to lepers, until they wipe off the defilement of their passion.
Lev 13:46 (allusion, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: One who forces his way into the priesthood must learn that God's temple is closed to the morally leprous until they are cleansed.
- The heading of this letter was not recovered from the scan; the text continues the unfinished sentence of 1.28 about Zosimus, so this may be the end of that letter. Lepers excluded: Lev 13:46; Num 5:2.
Topics: Church office, Ordination
Cite (SBL): Isidore of Pelusium, Ep. 1.29 (PG 78 78:199; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-29). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-29
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Migne (PG 78; PG 72), Bayerische Staatsbibliothek OCR; no public-domain English exists, so the translation was re-read against the Greek.
1.30PG 78 78:199
ΛΟΥΚΙΟ ΑΡΧΙΔΙΑΚΟΝΟ ΠΗΛΟΥΣΙΟΥ. Πρὸς φιλαργυρίαν νοσοῦντας. Εἱ ὀφθαλμοὶ ἐπισκόπου τυγχάνουσιν οἱ τοῦ σεπτοῦ θυσιαστηρίου διάκονοι, σὺ δὲ τούτων κατὰ συγχώρησιν Θεοῦ ἄρχεις, ὅλος ὀφθαλμὸς ὀφείλεις ὑπάρχειν, ὡς τὰ ζῶα πολυόμματα (ἐπειδὴ καὶ τῇ πρὸς [τὸν] Θεὸν ἐκεῖνα μιμῇ ἐγγύτητι, οὐχὶ βίῳ, ὡς μανθάνω, ἀλλὰ μόνῃ τῇ λειτουργίᾳ), καὶ μὴ σκοτίζειν τοῖς φαύλοις ἐπιτηδεύμασι, καὶ τὸν τίμιον ἐκεῖνον θίασον καὶ χορὸν, καὶ τὸν πειθόμενόν σοι ἀκρίτως ἐπίσκοπον, καὶ χραίνειν τὸ θεῖον βῆμα πλεονεξίᾳ, καὶ πόρους σεαυτῷ ἀπὸ τιμῆς χειροτονιῶν ἀθροίζειν. Τοὺς γὰρ πωλοῦντας τὰς περιστερὰς ἐξέβαλεν ἀπὸ τοῦ ναοῦ μαστίξας ὁ Κύριος. Ἵνα τοίνυν μὴ σὺν ἐκείνοις ὠσθῇς, παῦσαι οὕτω πλουτῶν, καὶ ὕλην τῷ μέλλοντι ἑτοιμάζων πυρί.
LOUKIO ARChIDIAKONO PĒLOUSIOU. Pros philargyrian nosountas. Hei ophthalmoi episkopou tynchanousin hoi tou septou thysiastēriou diakonoi, sy de toutōn kata synchōrēsin Theou archeis, holos ophthalmos opheileis hyparchein, hōs ta zōa polyommata (epeidē kai tę̄ pros [ton] Theon ekeina mimę̄ engytēti, ouchi biǭ, hōs manthanō, alla monę̄ tę̄ leitourgią), kai mē skotizein tois phaulois epitēdeumasi, kai ton timion ekeinon thiason kai choron, kai ton peithomenon soi akritōs episkopon, kai chrainein to theion bēma pleonexią, kai porous seautǭ apo timēs cheirotoniōn athroizein. Tous gar pōlountas tas peristeras exebalen apo tou naou mastixas ho Kyrios. Hina toinyn mē syn ekeinois ōsthę̄s, pausai houtō ploutōn, kai hylēn tǭ mellonti hetoimazōn pyri.
To Lucius, archdeacon of Pelusium. [To those sick with love of money.] If the deacons of the venerable altar are the bishop's eyes, and you by God's permission rule over them, you ought to be all eye, like the many-eyed living creatures (since you imitate them in nearness to God, not in life, as I learn, but only in ministry), and not darken with base practices both that honored company and choir and the bishop who trusts you without discernment, nor stain the divine sanctuary with greed, collecting revenues for yourself from the price of ordinations. For the Lord drove out of the temple with a whip those who sold the doves. So that you may not be thrust out with them, stop getting rich in this way and preparing fuel for the coming fire.
Rev 4:8 (allusion, medium confidence) · John 2:15 (allusion, high confidence) · Matt 21:12 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: The archdeacon Lucius, who should be the bishop's eye, is rebuked for enriching himself from the sale of ordinations.
- The many-eyed living creatures: Ezek 1:18; Rev 4:6–8. The cleansing of the temple: John 2:15–16; Matt 21:12.
Topics: Church office, Ordination, Wealth and poverty
Cite (SBL): Isidore of Pelusium, Ep. 1.30 (PG 78 78:199; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-30). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-30
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Migne (PG 78; PG 72), Bayerische Staatsbibliothek OCR; no public-domain English exists, so the translation was re-read against the Greek.
1.31PG 78 78:201
ΕΥΣΕΒΙΟ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ. Περὶ ἱερωσύνης. • Σκοπόν σε δέδωκα, › φησὶν ἡ θεία Γραφή, « καὶ ὄψει τὴν ῥομφαίαν ἐρχομένην, καὶ ἀναγγελεῖς. » εἰ μὲν νήψουσιν ἐξυπνισθέντες, καὶ πρὸς ἀρετὴν ὑπήκοοι γρηγορήσουσι, καὶ σοὶ κἀκείνοις σωτηρίας γενήσεται ὄνησις. Εἰ δὲ τὰ ὦτα βύσουσιν ὡς ἀσπίδες, αὐτὸς τὸ γε ἧκον ἐπὶ σοὶ ἐξετέλεσας. Σκόπει τοίνυν μὴ μόνον φωνῇ μαρτυρούμενος φανῇς, τοῖς ἔργοις [ἀδόκιμος καὶ] ἡττώμενος, ἐνδιδοὺς τὰς ἡνίας τῆς ἀρχῆς, τοῖς περὶ σὲ, καὶ πιπράσκων τὴν χάριν ἀσεβῶς. Οὔτε γὰρ χρυσίῳ ἔστιν ἐπιτρέπειν χειροθεσίας, οὔτε ἀγνοεῖν τὸν τῶν προσαγομένων βίον, οὔτε ἑτέρους προβάλλεσθαι τῆς ἁμαρτίας αἰτίους, ἐπὶ τοῦ ἀδεκάστου καὶ φρικτοῦ κριτηρίου. Οὐδὲ γὰρ τὸν ᾿Ἀδὰμ τῆς μέμψεως καὶ τῆς δίκης ἀπἐλυσεν ἡ περὶ τῆς γυναικὸς ἀπόκρισις καὶ σκῆψις, τῇ αὐτῆς ὑποθέσει μετειληφέναι τῶν ἀπηγορευμένων ἀπολογούμενον.
EUSEBIO EPISKOPŌ. Peri hierōsynēs. • Skopon se dedōka, › phēsin hē theia Graphē, « kai opsei tēn rhomphaian erchomenēn, kai anangeleis. » ei men nēpsousin exypnisthentes, kai pros aretēn hypēkooi grēgorēsousi, kai soi kakeinois sōtērias genēsetai onēsis. Ei de ta ōta bysousin hōs aspides, autos to ge hēkon epi soi exetelesas. Skopei toinyn mē monon phōnę̄ martyroumenos phanę̄s, tois ergois [adokimos kai] hēttōmenos, endidous tas hēnias tēs archēs, tois peri se, kai pipraskōn tēn charin asebōs. Oute gar chrysiǭ estin epitrepein cheirothesias, oute agnoein ton tōn prosagomenōn bion, oute heterous proballesthai tēs hamartias aitious, epi tou adekastou kai phriktou kritēriou. Oude gar ton ᾿Adam tēs mempseōs kai tēs dikēs apelysen hē peri tēs gynaikos apokrisis kai skēpsis, tę̄ autēs hypothesei meteilēphenai tōn apēgoreumenōn apologoumenon.
To Eusebius the bishop. [On the priesthood.] "I have made you a watchman," says divine Scripture, "and you will see the sword coming, and you will announce it." If they wake up and become sober and keep watch, obedient to virtue, the benefit of salvation will come both to you and to them. But if they stop their ears like asps, you at least have done your part. Take care, then, that you not appear to bear witness only with your voice, while [unapproved and] defeated in your deeds, giving up the reins of your office to those around you and impiously selling grace. For it is not permitted to entrust ordinations for gold, nor to be ignorant of the life of those who are presented, nor to put others forward as the cause of the sin before the impartial and dreadful tribunal. For not even Adam was freed from blame and punishment by his answer and excuse about the woman, when he pleaded that he had partaken of the forbidden things at her prompting.
Ezek 33:7 (quotation, high confidence) · Ezek 33:6 (allusion, high confidence) · Ps 58:4 (57:5 LXX) (allusion, high confidence) · Gen 3:12 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: The bishop is a watchman who must warn his people, but must not sell ordinations, ignore candidates' lives, or blame others, as Adam blamed Eve.
- Ezek 33:6–7; Ps 58:4 (57:5 LXX); Gen 3:12.
- The staging places Letters 1.32 and 1.33 within this passage, since their headings were not recovered from the scan; no clear break is visible in the text, so they may be lost or run together here.
Topics: Church office, Ordination
Cite (SBL): Isidore of Pelusium, Ep. 1.31 (PG 78 78:201; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-31). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-31
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Migne (PG 78; PG 72), Bayerische Staatsbibliothek OCR; no public-domain English exists, so the translation was re-read against the Greek.
1.34PG 78 78:201
ΔΙΟΦΑΝΤΗ ΑΡΧΟΝΤΙ. Πρὸς ἄρχοντας. Βραχυτελῆ οὐ μόνον τὴν ἀρχὴν, ἀλλὰ καὶ αὐτὴν ἔχεις τὴν ζωήν. Τί τοίνυν ἁμαρτάνεις ἀτελεύτητα, ἐν ὀλίγαις ὥραις τὴν αἰώνιον ἑαυτῷ κατασκευάζων κόλασιν; Καταμαθὼν οὖν πᾶσαν τὴν πολύστροφον καὶ πολύτρεπτον τῶν πραγμάτων ἀπιστίαν, μᾶλλον ἐπὶ χρηστοῖς γνωρίζεσθαι · κατορθώμασι σπούδαζε, ὧν καὶ οἱ ἐνταῦθα τυγχάνουσιν ἔπαινοι, καὶ οἱ μέλλοντες μισθοὶ οὐκ ἀπόλλυνται.
DIOPhANTĒ ARChONTI. Pros archontas. Brachytelē ou monon tēn archēn, alla kai autēn echeis tēn zōēn. Ti toinyn hamartaneis ateleutēta, en oligais hōrais tēn aiōnion heautǭ kataskeuazōn kolasin? Katamathōn oun pasan tēn polystrophon kai polytrepton tōn pragmatōn apistian, mallon epi chrēstois gnōrizesthai ; katorthōmasi spoudaze, hōn kai hoi entautha tynchanousin epainoi, kai hoi mellontes misthoi ouk apollyntai.
To Diophantes the governor. [To governors.] Short-lived is not only your office but life itself. Why then do you sin without end, preparing eternal punishment for yourself in a few hours? Learn, then, the whole shifting and changeable untrustworthiness of affairs, and be eager rather to be known for good achievements, for which praises are won here and the rewards to come are not lost.
Notes and citation
Summary: Office and life are brief; a governor should be known for good deeds rather than earn eternal punishment.
Topics: Rulers and the state, The last judgment
Cite (SBL): Isidore of Pelusium, Ep. 1.34 (PG 78 78:201; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-34). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-34
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Migne (PG 78; PG 72), Bayerische Staatsbibliothek OCR; no public-domain English exists, so the translation was re-read against the Greek.
1.35PG 78 78:201
ΔΟΣΙΘΕΩ. Σημαίνει ὅτι λύχνον τὸν ἱερέα εἶναι χρή. Απτει λύχνον ὁ Θεὸς ἱερέα, καὶ τίθησιν ἐπὶ λυχνίας τῆς ἑαυτοῦ φωτοφόρου καθέδρας, ἵν᾿ ἐξαστράπτῇ φωτισμὸν τῇ Ἐκκλησίᾳ καὶ δογμάτων καὶ πράξεων σκότους ἀπηλλαγμένων · ὅπως ὁρῶντες οἱ λαοί τὰς ἀκτῖνας τῆς ζωτικῆς λαμπηδόνος, πρὸς ἐκείνας εὐθύνωνται, καὶ τὸν Πατέρα τῶν φώτων δοξάζωσιν. Ἔχεις τὴν λύσιν ὧν ἠρώτησας σύντομον.
DOSIThEŌ. Sēmainei hoti lychnon ton hierea einai chrē. Aptei lychnon ho Theos hierea, kai tithēsin epi lychnias tēs heautou phōtophorou kathedras, hin᾿ exastraptę̄ phōtismon tę̄ Ekklēsią kai dogmatōn kai praxeōn skotous apēllagmenōn ; hopōs horōntes hoi laoi tas aktinas tēs zōtikēs lampēdonos, pros ekeinas euthynōntai, kai ton Patera tōn phōtōn doxazōsin. Echeis tēn lysin hōn ērōtēsas syntomon.
To Dositheus. [It signifies that the priest must be a lamp.] God lights the priest as a lamp and sets him on the lampstand of his own light-bearing throne, so that he may flash forth on the church the illumination of doctrines and deeds free of darkness; so that the peoples, seeing the rays of the life-giving brightness, may be directed toward them and glorify the Father of lights. You have a concise answer to what you asked.
Matt 5:15 (allusion, high confidence) · Matt 5:16 (allusion, high confidence) · Jas 1:17 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: The priest is a lamp God sets on a lampstand to light the church by doctrine and life.
- Matt 5:15–16; Jas 1:17.
Topics: Church office
Cite (SBL): Isidore of Pelusium, Ep. 1.35 (PG 78 78:201; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-35). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-35
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Migne (PG 78; PG 72), Bayerische Staatsbibliothek OCR; no public-domain English exists, so the translation was re-read against the Greek.
1.36PG 78 78:201
ΠΡΟΥΝΙΧΙΩ. Διὰ τί μείζων ἐν γεννητοῖς γυναικῶν Ἰωάννου ) οὐκ ἐγήγερται καὶ τί περισσότερον ἐν αὐτῷ. Διὰ τί μείζων ἐν γεννητοῖς γυναικῶν, ἔφης, ὁ Ἰωάννης, καὶ εἰ προφήτης ὁ Ἰωάννης, τι ἦν ἐν αὐτῷ περισσότερον προφήτου; Επειδὴ τοῦτο λέγει ὁ Κύριος. ῎Ακουε τοίνυν πλεῖστα ἐν ὀλίγοις · μείζων ἐν γεννητοῖς γυναικῶν ὁ Ἰωάννης, ἐπειδὴ ἐξ αὐτῆς νηδύος μητρικῆς προεφήτευσε, καὶ ἐν σκότει κρυπτόμενος, τὸ φῶς ἐλθὸν, οὐκ ἠγνόησε. Περισσότερον δὲ προφητῶν, τὸ καὶ αὐτὸν ἰδεῖν ἐν σαρκὶ τὸν προφητευόμενον, ὃν πάντες οἱ πατριάρχαι καὶ προφῆται, δι᾽ ὀνείρων μὲν ἢ ὁπτασιῶν ἐφαντάσθησαν, θεωρῆσαι δὲ αὐτοψεὶ οὐκ ἐπέτυχον.
PROUNIChIŌ. Dia ti meizōn en gennētois gynaikōn Iōannou ) ouk egēgertai kai ti perissoteron en autǭ. Dia ti meizōn en gennētois gynaikōn, ephēs, ho Iōannēs, kai ei prophētēs ho Iōannēs, ti ēn en autǭ perissoteron prophētou? Epeidē touto legei ho Kyrios. ᾿Akoue toinyn pleista en oligois ; meizōn en gennētois gynaikōn ho Iōannēs, epeidē ex autēs nēdyos mētrikēs proephēteuse, kai en skotei kryptomenos, to phōs elthon, ouk ēgnoēse. Perissoteron de prophētōn, to kai auton idein en sarki ton prophēteuomenon, hon pantes hoi patriarchai kai prophētai, di᾽ oneirōn men ē hoptasiōn ephantasthēsan, theōrēsai de autopsei ouk epetychon.
To Prounichius. [Why no one greater than John has arisen among those born of women, and what more there was in him.] Why, you asked, is John greater among those born of women, and if John was a prophet, what was there in him more than a prophet? For the Lord says this. Hear, then, a great deal in few words. John is greater among those born of women because he prophesied from his mother's very womb, and, hidden in darkness, did not fail to recognize the Light that had come. And he was more than the prophets in that he himself saw in the flesh the one who was prophesied, whom all the patriarchs and prophets pictured in dreams or visions but did not attain to behold with their own eyes.
Matt 11:11 (allusion, high confidence) · Matt 11:9 (allusion, high confidence) · Luke 1:41 (allusion, high confidence) · Matt 13:17 (allusion, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: John is greatest of those born of women because he prophesied from the womb, and more than a prophet because he saw in the flesh the one the prophets foresaw.
- Matt 11:9–11; Luke 1:41–44; cf. Matt 13:17.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR slip (article read as numeral)): 11 Ιωάννης → ὁ Ἰωάννης.
Topics: Interpreting Scripture, Prophecy and fulfilment
Cite (SBL): Isidore of Pelusium, Ep. 1.36 (PG 78 78:201; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-36). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-36
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Migne (PG 78; PG 72), Bayerische Staatsbibliothek OCR; no public-domain English exists, so the translation was re-read against the Greek.
1.37PG 78 78:203
ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ. Περὶ τῆς ἐρωτήσεως τοῦ Προδρόμου « Σὺ εἶ ὁ ἐρχόμενος; › • Σὺ εἶ ὁ ἐρχόμενος, ἢ ἕτερον προσδοκῶμεν ; Ἰωάννης τῷ Κυρίῳ ἐδήλου, ὑπὲρ ἀληθείας ἀποτέμνεσθαι μέλλων, καὶ τοὺς οἰκείους [αὐτοῦ] μαθητὰς προσαγαγεῖν σπουδάζων, ἀμφιβάλλοντας πρὸς τὴν αὐτοῦ μαρτυρίαν, εἰ μείζων ἐστὶν ὁ Κύριος Ἰωάννου [διὰ τὴν ἀκριβῆ πολιτείαν Ἰωάννου],καὶ τοῦτο δι' ὧν εὐθὺς ἔπραξεν ὁ Κύριος ἔδειξε, ταῖς πολλαῖς θαυματουργίαις ἐπαληθεύσας τὴν μαρτυρίαν Ἰωάννου, καὶ ὄψει πιστωσαμένους τὴν ἀκοὴν τοὺς ἀπιστοῦντας ἐκπέμψας.
TŌ AUTŌ. Peri tēs erōtēseōs tou Prodromou « Sy ei ho erchomenos? › • Sy ei ho erchomenos, ē heteron prosdokōmen ? Iōannēs tǭ Kyriǭ edēlou, hyper alētheias apotemnesthai mellōn, kai tous oikeious [autou] mathētas prosagagein spoudazōn, amphiballontas pros tēn autou martyrian, ei meizōn estin ho Kyrios Iōannou [dia tēn akribē politeian Iōannou],kai touto di' hōn euthys epraxen ho Kyrios edeixe, tais pollais thaumatourgiais epalētheusas tēn martyrian Iōannou, kai opsei pistōsamenous tēn akoēn tous apistountas ekpempsas.
To the same. [On the Forerunner's question, "Are you the one who is coming?"] "Are you the one who is coming, or shall we look for another?" John put this to the Lord when he was about to be beheaded for the truth, eager to bring his own disciples to him, since they doubted his testimony as to whether the Lord was greater than John [because of John's strict way of life]. And the Lord showed this by what he did at once, confirming John's testimony by his many miracles, and sending the unbelievers away with their hearing confirmed by sight.
Matt 11:3 (quotation, high confidence) · Luke 7:21 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: John's question "Are you the one who is coming?" was asked for his doubting disciples, whom Christ convinced by his miracles.
- Matt 11:2–5; Luke 7:19–22.
Topics: Interpreting Scripture
Cite (SBL): Isidore of Pelusium, Ep. 1.37 (PG 78 78:203; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-37). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-37
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Migne (PG 78; PG 72), Bayerische Staatsbibliothek OCR; no public-domain English exists, so the translation was re-read against the Greek.
1.38PG 78 78:203
ΘΕΟΔΟΣΙΟ ΒΑΣΙΛΕΙ. Εἰ τῆς Χριστοῦ βασιλείας ἀντιποιῇ, ἣν ἡ ἄφθαρτος διαμονή στεφανοῖ, καὶ ἔπαθλον τῆς φθαρτῆς τοῖς χρηστῶς αὐτὴν διέπουσιν ἔθηκεν ὁ Θεὸς, ἡμερότητι κίρνα τὴν ἐξουσίαν, καὶ δέοντι σκορπισμῷ τὸ βάρος κούφιζε τοῦ πλούτου · οὔτε γὰρ σώζεται βασιλεὺς διὰ πολλὴν δύναμιν, οὔτε εἰδωλολατρίας ἐκφεύγει ἀσέβειαν ὁ τοῦ ῥέοντος πλούτου φειδόμενος. - ΑΝΤΙΟΧΟ ΕΥΝΟΥΧΩ ΠΑΛΑΤΙΟΥ. Χρή σε τὰς ἱερὰς ἀναπτύσσοντα Βίβλους, καὶ τῇ αὐτῶν ἐγκαρτεροῦντα, ὡς φασιν, ἀναγνώσει, τὴν κατὰ τὸν θαυμάσιον Δανιὴλ ἱστορίαν εἰδέναι, ὅτι μέσος τοῦ κλύδωνος τῆς πλάνης ἱστάμενος, οὐδὲν ὑπέμεινε πάθος αἰχμάλωτον οὐδὲ μέχρι σιτίων τῶν κοινῶν εἰς μετάληψιν, καὶ μὴ κοινούντων κατὰ περίστασιν τοὺς μετέχοντας. Καὶ ἐπειδὴ οὐ μόνον διάκονος τυγχάνεις τῆς βασιλείας, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἄγεις αὐτὴν καθὼς βούλει, σπεῦσον ἀναῤῥῶσαι τὸ δίκαιον καταπεσὸν πρὸς ἀσθένειαν, ἢ μᾶλλον πρὸς αὐτὸν ὑπάρχον τὸν θάνατον, ἵνα τὸ δίκαιον εὕρῃς εὐμενὲς δικαστήριον, εἰ καὶ νῦν αὐτοῦ πολλάκις σοι ἐνθύμησις οὐχ ὑπέρχεται, ὑπὸ τῆς ὑπερφυοῦς φαντασίας ἐπτοημένῳ. Κτίζεις, ὥς φασιν, ἐκκλησίαν ἐν Πηλουσίῳ, λαμπρὰν μὲν τοῖς μηχανήμασι, πονηροῖς δὲ τοῖς ἐπιτηδεύμασι, χειροτονιῶν τιμήμασι, καὶ ἀδικίαις, καὶ ὕβρεσιν καὶ πενήτων ἐκπιεσμοῖς, καὶ πτωχικοῖς δαπανήμασιν, ὅπερ οὐδέν ἐστιν ἕτερον, ἢ οἰκοδομεῖν Σιὼν ἐν αἴμασι, καὶ Ἱερουσαλήμ ἐν ἀδικίαις. Οὐ χρήζει δὲ ὁ Θεὸς ἐξ ἀλλοτρίων θυσίαν ἀλλὰ ταύτην ὡς θυόμενον κύνα μυσάττεται · παῦσαι τοίνυν καὶ κτίζων καὶ ἀδικῶν, ἵνα μὴ εἰς ἔλεγχόν σοι ὑπὸ Θεοῦ ὁ οἶκος ἐκεῖνος εὑρεθῇ · μετέωρος μὲν ἱστάμενος, καταβυῶν δὲ σου αἰώνια, ἐξ οἴων ἐκτίσθη κακῶν, καὶ τοὺς ἐστερημένους μισθοὺς ἀπαντῶν, καὶ τὴν ἄμυναν τῶν βλαβέντων ζητῶν.
ThEODOSIO BASILEI. Ei tēs Christou basileias antipoię̄, hēn hē aphthartos diamonē stephanoi, kai epathlon tēs phthartēs tois chrēstōs autēn diepousin ethēken ho Theos, hēmerotēti kirna tēn exousian, kai deonti skorpismǭ to baros kouphize tou ploutou ; oute gar sōzetai basileus dia pollēn dynamin, oute eidōlolatrias ekpheugei asebeian ho tou rheontos ploutou pheidomenos. - ANTIOChO EUNOUChŌ PALATIOU. Chrē se tas hieras anaptyssonta Biblous, kai tę̄ autōn enkarterounta, hōs phasin, anagnōsei, tēn kata ton thaumasion Daniēl historian eidenai, hoti mesos tou klydōnos tēs planēs histamenos, ouden hypemeine pathos aichmalōton oude mechri sitiōn tōn koinōn eis metalēpsin, kai mē koinountōn kata peristasin tous metechontas. Kai epeidē ou monon diakonos tynchaneis tēs basileias, alla kai ageis autēn kathōs boulei, speuson anarrhōsai to dikaion katapeson pros astheneian, ē mallon pros auton hyparchon ton thanaton, hina to dikaion heurę̄s eumenes dikastērion, ei kai nyn autou pollakis soi enthymēsis ouch hyperchetai, hypo tēs hyperphyous phantasias eptoēmenǭ. Ktizeis, hōs phasin, ekklēsian en Pēlousiǭ, lampran men tois mēchanēmasi, ponērois de tois epitēdeumasi, cheirotoniōn timēmasi, kai adikiais, kai hybresin kai penētōn ekpiesmois, kai ptōchikois dapanēmasin, hoper ouden estin heteron, ē oikodomein Siōn en aimasi, kai Hierousalēm en adikiais. Ou chrēzei de ho Theos ex allotriōn thysian alla tautēn hōs thyomenon kyna mysattetai ; pausai toinyn kai ktizōn kai adikōn, hina mē eis elenchon soi hypo Theou ho oikos ekeinos heurethę̄ ; meteōros men histamenos, katabyōn de sou aiōnia, ex oiōn ektisthē kakōn, kai tous esterēmenous misthous apantōn, kai tēn amynan tōn blabentōn zētōn.
To Theodosius the emperor. If you lay claim to the kingdom of Christ, which incorruptible permanence crowns and which God has set as the prize for those who govern the corruptible kingdom well, temper your power with gentleness and lighten the weight of wealth by fitting distribution. For a king is not saved by great power, nor does he who spares flowing wealth escape the impiety of idolatry. [Another letter] To Antiochus, eunuch of the palace. You who unroll the sacred Books and persevere, as they say, in reading them, ought to know the story of the admirable Daniel: that standing in the midst of the surge of error he suffered no captive's weakness, not even so far as partaking of the common food, food which in his circumstances would not have defiled those who shared it. And since you are not only a servant of the empire but even steer it as you wish, hasten to restore justice, which has fallen into weakness, or rather lies at the point of death itself, so that you may find in justice a favorable tribunal, even if now the thought of it seldom comes to you, flustered as you are by your extraordinary fancy. You are building, as they say, a church in Pelusium, splendid in its workmanship but wicked in its practices: the price of ordinations, injustices, insults, the squeezing of the poor and money that belongs to the poor. That is nothing other than building Zion with blood and Jerusalem with injustice. God does not need a sacrifice from what belongs to others; he loathes it like a dog offered in sacrifice. Stop, then, both building and wronging, so that that house may not be found by God to convict you, standing on high but crying out against you forever from what evils it was built, demanding the wages that were withheld, and seeking vengeance for those who were harmed.
Ps 33:16 (32:16 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Col 3:5 (allusion, medium confidence) · Dan 1:8 (allusion, high confidence) · Mic 3:10 (quotation, high confidence) · Isa 66:3 (allusion, high confidence) · Jas 5:4 (allusion, high confidence) · Hab 2:11 (echo, low confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Theodosius is urged to temper power with gentleness and to give away wealth; a second letter rebukes the eunuch Antiochus for building a church at Pelusium with money gained by injustice.
- A further letter begins at "To Antiochus"; the scan shows its heading but not its number, so its place in the numbering is uncertain. The paragraph "You are building …" may be part of it or a separate letter.
- Ps 33:16 (32:16 LXX); greed as idolatry: Col 3:5. Daniel's refusal of the king's food: Dan 1:8. "Building Zion with blood": Mic 3:10. A sacrifice like a dog: Isa 66:3. Wages withheld cry out: Jas 5:4; cf. Hab 2:11.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR slip; OCR slip (article read as bracketed numeral); stray dash from the OCR; word split by OCR): ἄφθαρ( τος → ἄφθαρτος; κατὰ – περίστασιν → κατὰ περίστασιν; πρὶς → πρὸς; ὕδρεσιν → ὕβρεσιν; [6] Θεὸς → ὁ Θεὸς.
Topics: Rulers and the state, Wealth and poverty, Church buildings, Ordination
Cite (SBL): Isidore of Pelusium, Ep. 1.38 (PG 78 78:203; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-38). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-38
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Migne (PG 78; PG 72), Bayerische Staatsbibliothek OCR; no public-domain English exists, so the translation was re-read against the Greek.
1.39PG 78 78:205
ΜΑΡΩΝΙ. Πρὸς ἱερεῖς βιοῦντας κακῶς· καὶ ὅτι διὰ τῆς τούτων κακοπραγίας ἡ τοῦ Χριστοῦ διασύρεται οἰκονομία, καὶ βλασφημεῖται τὰ τῆς θειοτάτης θρησκείας. Ξένον τι καὶ ἀλλόκοτον εἶναί σε θηρίον πάντες κωμῳδοῦσιν, οὔτε τραπέζῃ κολακευόμενον, οὔτε δεσμοῖς ἀγάπης κρατούμενον, οὔτε τῇ τυράννου συνηθείᾳ χειρούμενον, καὶ τοιαύτην ὕβριν τῷ θυσιαστηρίῳ ἐπισυρόμενον. Η τοίνυν ἄρνησαι τὸ ἀτίθασσον, καὶ ἀντὶ θηρίου φάνηθι ἄνθρωπος, ἢ παῦσον τὴν κατὰ τῆς Ἐκκλησίας λοιδορίαν, σαυτὸν εἴργων τῆς φρικτῆς λειτουργίας.
MARŌNI. Pros hiereis biountas kakōs; kai hoti dia tēs toutōn kakopragias hē tou Christou diasyretai oikonomia, kai blasphēmeitai ta tēs theiotatēs thrēskeias. Xenon ti kai allokoton einai se thērion pantes kōmǭdousin, oute trapezę̄ kolakeuomenon, oute desmois agapēs kratoumenon, oute tę̄ tyrannou synētheią cheiroumenon, kai toiautēn hybrin tǭ thysiastēriǭ episyromenon. Ē toinyn arnēsai to atithasson, kai anti thēriou phanēthi anthrōpos, ē pauson tēn kata tēs Ekklēsias loidorian, sauton eirgōn tēs phriktēs leitourgias.
To Maron. [To priests who live badly; and that through their wickedness the dispensation of Christ is reviled and the things of the most divine religion are blasphemed.] Everyone mocks you as a strange and outlandish beast: one that is neither tamed by a table nor held by bonds of love nor subdued by familiarity like a tyrant's, and that drags such outrage onto the altar. Either renounce your untameness and show yourself a man instead of a beast, or stop the reviling of the church by keeping yourself away from the dread liturgy.
Notes and citation
Summary: A savage-living priest is told either to become humane or to withdraw from the altar, since his conduct brings reproach on the church.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR slip): Αυσιαστηρίῳ → θυσιαστηρίῳ.
Topics: Church office, Church discipline and penance
Cite (SBL): Isidore of Pelusium, Ep. 1.39 (PG 78 78:205; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-39). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-39
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Migne (PG 78; PG 72), Bayerische Staatsbibliothek OCR; no public-domain English exists, so the translation was re-read against the Greek.
1.40PG 78 78:205
ΘΕΟΔΟΣΙΟ ΜΟΝΑΖΟΝΤΙ. Τι θαυμάζεις, ὅτι δι᾽ ἑνὸς ἁμαρτίαν [καὶ μόνου] ὅλη μαστίζεται πόλις; ὅπερ καὶ ἐπὶ Δαβὶδ γενόμενον, ἔγνως. Ὅταν γὰρ ἐπὶ τῇ εὐθηνίᾳ τῶν πραγμάτων ὁ ἔξαρχος ὑπερηφανεύηται, εἰς ἀθυμίαν αὐτοῦ καὶ κατάκρισιν τὸ ὑπήκοον ἐλαττοῦται, οὐκ ἀδίκως παιδευόμενον, ἀλλ᾽ ἑκάστου τὰ ἐπίχειρα τῆς οἰκείας πράξεως παραλαμβάνοντες, καὶ τῆς θείας μακροθυμίας ἀποτυγχάνοντος, διὰ τὰς τοῦ ἄρχοντος ψήφους. Μὴ τοίνυν ἐπισυνηγόρει ταῖς Εὐσεβίου τοῦ, ὡς οἴεται, ἐπισκόπου φαυλότησιν, εἰ δι' ἐκεῖνον καὶ τὸ θυσιαστήριον λειτουργῶν, καὶ ἡ πόλις οἰκητόρων χηρεύει. Οἱ γὰρ ἀκρίτως τὸν ἀνάξιον προβαλλόμενοι δίκαιοί εἰσι, καὶ τοὺς πόνους τῶν καρπῶν αὐτῶν φαγεῖν, ἀρετὴν ἀτιμάσαντες, καὶ κακίαν οὕτω προφανῆ προστησάμενοι.
ThEODOSIO MONAZONTI. Ti thaumazeis, hoti di᾽ henos hamartian [kai monou] holē mastizetai polis? hoper kai epi Dabid genomenon, egnōs. Hotan gar epi tę̄ euthēnią tōn pragmatōn ho exarchos hyperēphaneuētai, eis athymian autou kai katakrisin to hypēkoon elattoutai, ouk adikōs paideuomenon, all᾽ hekastou ta epicheira tēs oikeias praxeōs paralambanontes, kai tēs theias makrothymias apotynchanontos, dia tas tou archontos psēphous. Mē toinyn episynēgorei tais Eusebiou tou, hōs oietai, episkopou phaulotēsin, ei di' ekeinon kai to thysiastērion leitourgōn, kai hē polis oikētorōn chēreuei. Hoi gar akritōs ton anaxion proballomenoi dikaioi eisi, kai tous ponous tōn karpōn autōn phagein, aretēn atimasantes, kai kakian houtō prophanē prostēsamenoi.
To Theodosius, living as a monk. Why do you wonder that a whole city is scourged for the sin of one [and only one]? You know this happened also in David's case. When the leader grows proud at the prosperity of affairs, the subject people are diminished, to his dejection and condemnation; they are not punished unjustly, but each receives the wages of his own deeds and misses the divine long-suffering because of the ruler's choices. Do not, then, plead the cause of the baseness of Eusebius, a bishop in his own opinion, since through him both the altar is bereft of ministers and the city of inhabitants. For those who put forward an unworthy man without discernment deserve to eat the labors of their fruits, having dishonored virtue and set over themselves a vice so manifest.
2 Sam 24:15 (allusion, high confidence) · Ps 128:2 (127:2 LXX) (allusion, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: A city may suffer for its leader's sin, as in David's census; those who chose the unworthy bishop Eusebius share the consequences.
- David's census and the plague: 2 Sam 24. "Eat the labors of their fruits": Ps 128:2 (127:2 LXX), used ironically.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (word split by OCR): πραγμά των → πραγμάτων.
Topics: Church office, Ordination
Cite (SBL): Isidore of Pelusium, Ep. 1.40 (PG 78 78:205; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-40). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-40
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Migne (PG 78; PG 72), Bayerische Staatsbibliothek OCR; no public-domain English exists, so the translation was re-read against the Greek.
1.41PG 78 78:207
ΤΟΥΒΑ ΣΤΡΑΤΙΩΤΗ. Οὐκ ἔστιν ὁπλοφορεῖν ἐν εἰρήνῃ, οὐκ ἔστι σχῆμα πολέμου ἐπὶ μέσης ἀγορᾶς περιφέρειν · οὐκ ἔστι ξιφήρη διάγειν ἐν πόλει, ἀλλὰ καὶ φόβον καὶ πεῖραν τοιαύτην ἐν πολέμῳ κατὰ ἀντιπάλων γυμνάζειν. Εἰ οὖν σχήματι χαίρεις πολεμικῷ, καὶ ἀναῤῥήσεων καὶ στηλῶν ἐπιτυχεῖν ἀξιοῖς, εἰς τὸ στρατόπεδον τὸ μαχόμενον τοῖς βαρβάροις κατάβηθι, καὶ μὴ χρήμασιν ἐξωνούμενος τὴν ἐκεῖθεν φυγὴν, καὶ οἴκοι μένων, ἐνταῦθα παῖζε τὸν ἐκεῖ χρεωστούμενον πόλεμον.
TOUBA STRATIŌTĒ. Ouk estin hoplophorein en eirēnę̄, ouk esti schēma polemou epi mesēs agoras peripherein ; ouk esti xiphērē diagein en polei, alla kai phobon kai peiran toiautēn en polemǭ kata antipalōn gymnazein. Ei oun schēmati chaireis polemikǭ, kai anarrhēseōn kai stēlōn epitychein axiois, eis to stratopedon to machomenon tois barbarois katabēthi, kai mē chrēmasin exōnoumenos tēn ekeithen phygēn, kai oikoi menōn, entautha paize ton ekei chreōstoumenon polemon.
To Tubas the soldier. It is not right to bear arms in peacetime, not right to carry the dress of war about in the middle of the marketplace, not right to go about with a sword in the city; rather, such fearsomeness and testing should be exercised in war against enemies. If, then, you delight in a warlike appearance and think yourself worthy of proclamations and statues, go down to the camp that is fighting the barbarians; do not buy off with money your escape from there and stay at home, playing here the war that is owed there.
Notes and citation
Summary: A soldier who swaggers armed in the city while buying his way out of real service is told to go and fight the barbarians.
- The staging places Letters 1.42 and 1.43 within this passage, since their headings were not recovered from the scan; no break is visible in the text, so they may be lost here.
Topics: War and military service
Cite (SBL): Isidore of Pelusium, Ep. 1.41 (PG 78 78:207; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-41). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-41
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Migne (PG 78; PG 72), Bayerische Staatsbibliothek OCR; no public-domain English exists, so the translation was re-read against the Greek.
1.44PG 78 78:207
ΦΙΛΙΠΠΩ ΜΟΝΑΧΩ. Εἰς μοναχὸν ἀστάτως ἔχοντα τὸν βίον. Τὸν λαγωὸν, τὸ κατάφοβον ζῶον καὶ φύσει δειλὸν ἐκεῖνό φασιν ὑπομένειν, τὸ κοίτην ἐκ κοίτης ἀμείβειν, πρὸς πᾶσαν κίνησιν καὶ βοὴν ταρασσόμενον. ᾿Αλλ' οὐχὶ μοναχὸν, [τὸν] ἐπὶ Κύριον πεποιθέναι ὀφείλοντα, καὶ ὡς ὅρος Σιὼν βεβηκέναι. Τί τοίνυν καταλιπὼν τὸ ἐρείδεσθαι ἀσφαλῶς ἐπὶ Κύριον, καὶ σταυρὸν ἔχειν, τὴν ἀκόλουθον ἄσκησιν· τόπον μεταβάλλεις ἐκ τόπου· μᾶλλον, ὡς ἔοικε, τράπεζαν ἁβροτέραν, ἀλλ᾽ οὐ παίδευσιν στεῤῥοτέραν ζητῶν; Καὶ συμβήσεταί σοι, ὡς οἶμαι, πάσας τὰς πόλεις τοῦ Ἰσραὴλ, καὶ πάσας τὰς ἐσχατιὰς τῆς γῆς μετὰ τοιαύτης γαστρὸς, καὶ γνώμης περιιόντα, Εύριπον εἶναί τινα, παντὶ ἀνέμῳ κνίσσης περιφερόμενον, καὶ μέχρι παντὸς ἀστατοῦντα. Ερμηνεία εἰς θεῖον ἄνθρακα. Τῇ λαβίδι ἔλαβεν ὁ διορατικώτατος Ἡσαΐας τὸν ἐκ τοῦ θυσιαστηρίου ἄνθρακα, τὴν τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν ἐνανθρώπησιν θεωρῶν τηλαυγέστατα ῎Ανθραξ ἡ θεία ἑωρᾶτο οὐσία· λαβὶς δὲ ἡ ἐξ ἡμῶν αὐτῇ ἑνωθεῖσα ἀναμάρτητος σάρξ. "Ηψατο δὲ τῶν χειλέων Ἠσαΐου, καὶ τὰς αὐτοῦ ἐκάθηρεν ἁμαρτίας, τὰς πάσης τῆς ἀνθρωπείας φύσεως δηλονότι. Ἡ γὰρ ἄῤῥητος τοῦ λόγου πρὸς τὸ ἀνθρώπινον ἕνωσις ἦρε θεοπρεπῶς τὰς τοῦ κόσμου παντὸς ἁμαρτίας.
PhILIPPŌ MONAChŌ. Eis monachon astatōs echonta ton bion. Ton lagōon, to kataphobon zōon kai physei deilon ekeino phasin hypomenein, to koitēn ek koitēs ameibein, pros pasan kinēsin kai boēn tarassomenon. ᾿All' ouchi monachon, [ton] epi Kyrion pepoithenai opheilonta, kai hōs horos Siōn bebēkenai. Ti toinyn katalipōn to ereidesthai asphalōs epi Kyrion, kai stauron echein, tēn akolouthon askēsin; topon metaballeis ek topou; mallon, hōs eoike, trapezan habroteran, all᾽ ou paideusin sterrhoteran zētōn? Kai symbēsetai soi, hōs oimai, pasas tas poleis tou Israēl, kai pasas tas eschatias tēs gēs meta toiautēs gastros, kai gnōmēs periionta, Euripon einai tina, panti anemǭ knissēs peripheromenon, kai mechri pantos astatounta. Ermēneia eis theion anthraka. Tę̄ labidi elaben ho dioratikōtatos Hēsaïas ton ek tou thysiastēriou anthraka, tēn tou Kyriou hēmōn enanthrōpēsin theōrōn tēlaugestata ᾿Anthrax hē theia heōrato ousia; labis de hē ex hēmōn autę̄ henōtheisa anamartētos sarx. "Ēpsato de tōn cheileōn Ēsaïou, kai tas autou ekathēren hamartias, tas pasēs tēs anthrōpeias physeōs dēlonoti. Hē gar arrhētos tou logou pros to anthrōpinon henōsis ēre theoprepōs tas tou kosmou pantos hamartias.
To Philip the monk. [Against a monk whose life is unstable.] The hare, that fearful and naturally timid animal, they say, keeps changing bed for bed, disturbed at every movement and cry. But not so a monk, who ought to trust in the Lord and stand like Mount Zion. Why, then, do you leave off resting securely on the Lord and holding the cross, the discipline that goes with it, and move from place to place, seeking, it seems, a daintier table rather than a sterner training? It will happen to you, I think, going round all the cities of Israel and all the ends of the earth with such a belly and such a mind, to be a kind of Euripus, carried about by every wind of kitchen smells and forever unstable. [Letter 1.45] [Interpretation of the divine coal.] With the tongs the most clear-sighted Isaiah took the coal from the altar, beholding most brightly the incarnation of our Lord. The coal seen was the divine essence; the tongs, the sinless flesh from us that was united to it. It touched Isaiah's lips and cleansed his sins, that is, the sins of the whole human nature. For the ineffable union of the Word with what is human took away, in a manner befitting God, the sins of the whole world.
Ps 125:1 (allusion, high confidence) · Matt 10:23 (echo, low confidence) · Isa 6:6 (allusion, high confidence) · Isa 6:7 (allusion, high confidence) · John 1:29 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: A wandering monk is compared to a timid hare and to the restless Euripus; a second letter reads Isaiah's coal and tongs as the divinity and the sinless flesh of the incarnate Word.
- Ps 125:1; Matt 10:23. The Euripus, the strait at Chalcis, was proverbial for its shifting currents.
- Letter 1.45 begins at "[Interpretation of the divine coal]"; its heading (addressee) was not recovered from the scan. Isa 6:6–7; John 1:29.
Topics: Monastic life, Incarnation, Christology
Cite (SBL): Isidore of Pelusium, Ep. 1.44 (PG 78 78:207; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-44). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-44
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Migne (PG 78; PG 72), Bayerische Staatsbibliothek OCR; no public-domain English exists, so the translation was re-read against the Greek.
1.46PG 78 78:209
ΕΡΜΙΝΩ ΚΟΜΗΤΙ. Τίνα ἔννοιαν ἔχει τὸ, Ὑπόθες τὴν χεῖρά σου ὑπὸ τὸν μηρόν μου. • ᾿Απόθες τὴν χεῖρά σου ὑπὸ τὸν μηρόν μου, καὶ ἐξορκιῶ σε τὸν Θεὸν τοῦ οὐρανοῦ καὶ τῆς γῆς, ἐνετείλατο τελευτῶν ὁ Ἀβραὰμ τῷ οἰκέτῃ, τῶν ἐκ τῶν μηρῶν αὐτοῦ μέλλοντα σαρκοῦσθαι Θεὸν τοῦ οὐρανοῦ καὶ τῆς γῆς τὸν Κύριον ἡμῶν καὶ Δεσπότην Χριστὸν, καθαρότητι διανοίας ὁρῶν μέλλοντα τοῦ σπέρματος ᾿Αβραὰμ ἐπιλαμβάνεσθαι, ὡς προφήτης καὶ βλέπων τὰ ἔμπροσθεν. ΜΩΣΗ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ. Πρὸς ἱερεῖς περὶ τῆς τῶν πενήτων οἰκονομίας ὀλιγώρως ἔχοντας. Οὐ χρὴ τὰς τῶν πενήτων τροφὰς ἀδοκιμάστως διανέμειν, ἀλλ᾽ ἐκεῖνο πεπεῖσθαι τὸν ταύτας οἰκονομεῖν τεταγμένον· ὡς εἴ τι πέρα τοῦ δέοντος ἀνάλωται, ἱεροσυλίας αὐτὸν καθίστησιν ὑπεύθυνον πταίσμασι.
ERMINŌ KOMĒTI. Tina ennoian echei to, Hypothes tēn cheira sou hypo ton mēron mou. • ᾿Apothes tēn cheira sou hypo ton mēron mou, kai exorkiō se ton Theon tou ouranou kai tēs gēs, eneteilato teleutōn ho Abraam tǭ oiketę̄, tōn ek tōn mērōn autou mellonta sarkousthai Theon tou ouranou kai tēs gēs ton Kyrion hēmōn kai Despotēn Christon, katharotēti dianoias horōn mellonta tou spermatos ᾿Abraam epilambanesthai, hōs prophētēs kai blepōn ta emprosthen. MŌSĒ EPISKOPŌ. Pros hiereis peri tēs tōn penētōn oikonomias oligōrōs echontas. Ou chrē tas tōn penētōn trophas adokimastōs dianemein, all᾽ ekeino pepeisthai ton tautas oikonomein tetagmenon; hōs ei ti pera tou deontos analōtai, hierosylias auton kathistēsin hypeuthynon ptaismasi.
To Herminus the count. [What meaning has "Put your hand under my thigh"?] "Put your hand under my thigh, and I will make you swear by the God of heaven and earth," Abraham commanded his servant when he was dying, seeing with purity of mind that the God of heaven and earth, our Lord and Master Christ, would take flesh from his thighs and take hold of the seed of Abraham, since he was a prophet and saw what lay ahead. [Another letter] To Moses the bishop. [To priests who are careless about the management of the poor.] The food of the poor must not be distributed without scrutiny; the one appointed to manage it must be convinced that, if anything is spent beyond need, it makes him liable to the offenses of sacrilege.
Gen 24:2 (quotation, high confidence) · Gen 24:3 (quotation, high confidence) · Heb 2:16 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Abraham's oath "under the thigh" pointed to Christ, who would take flesh from his descendants; a second letter warns a bishop that misusing the food of the poor is sacrilege.
- Gen 24:2–3; Heb 2:16.
- A further letter begins at "To Moses the bishop"; the scan prints the numeral ΜΔʹ (44) beside its heading, removed here, which does not fit the staged numbering; its number is uncertain.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (letter numeral from the heading): ΜΔ΄. – → .
Topics: Christology, Interpreting Scripture, Almsgiving and care for the poor, Church office
Cite (SBL): Isidore of Pelusium, Ep. 1.46 (PG 78 78:209; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-46). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-46
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Migne (PG 78; PG 72), Bayerische Staatsbibliothek OCR; no public-domain English exists, so the translation was re-read against the Greek.
1.47PG 78 78:209
ΜΑΡΤΥΡΙΟ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ. "Οτι φρικτὸν καὶ δυσέφικτον ἱερωσύνη. Παρέργως ποιῇ τὴν τῶν θείων νόμων ἀνάγνωσιν, ἢ καὶ αὐτὴν ἀγνοεῖς τὴν ἀνάγνωσιν. Ἡνίκα γὰρ εἰς τὸν θεῖον ναὸν ἱερουργεῖν Ἀαρὼν, καὶ οἱ ἐξ ἐκείνου εἰσῄεσαν, πάντα τὰ ἐξ ἐρίας ἀποτιθέντες ἐσθήματα, στολὰς ἐκ λίνου παρεβάλλοντο ἐχούσας καὶ τὸ ἀπόῤῥητον, καὶ τῶν ἔξω θορύβων ἐπιλησμονεῖν σημαινούσας. Ὁ γὰρ Θεῷ λειτουργεῖν προσιὼν, οὐδὲν ἀλλότριον καὶ τῆς ὕλης ἐφόλκιον ἐπιφέρεσθαι δύναται. Εἰ τοίνυν μετὰ τοιαῦτα τεκμήρια βιάζεσθαι και τατολμᾷς τὴν ἀλήθειαν, συγχύσεις καὶ φλυαρίας ἐπεισφέρων τοῖς ἀνακτόροις, οἷς πᾶσα σιγὴ κεχρεώστηται, ὁμιλίας ἀτόπους, χειροθεσίας ἀθέσμους, εἰς ἔσχατον πέπεισο ἐξωθῶν σαυτὸν κατακρίσεως κίνδυνον. ΜΗΝΑ ΣΧΟΛΑΣΤΙΚΩ. Περὶ πρακτικῶν. Τὰ πράγματα λόγων οὐ χρήζει Αὐτὰ γάρ ἐστι φαινόμενα· οἱ λόγοι δὲ μᾶλλον [τοῦ] γενέσθαι πράγματα δέονται καὶ αὐτοὶ, εἰ σεμνότητος ἔχονται. Εἰ τοίνυν βούλοιο ἀμφότερα φανῆναι ἀοίδιμος, καὶ πρᾶττε λογικῶς, καὶ λέγε πρακτικῶς. – ΝΕΜΕΣΙΟ ΑΡΧΟΝΤΙ. Πρὸς ἄρχοντας. Ἡ τῆς ἀρχῆς ἐξουσία, εἰ μὴ κέκραται ἡμερότητι, καὶ ἐπανθεῖ αὐτῇ ἡ Θεῷ διακονοῦσα προσήνεια, ἀπόνοιά ἐστι μᾶλλον καὶ ἀγριότης. Εἰ δὲ τῷ πράῳ μιγείη, καὶ τούτῳ ἰθύνει τὸ δίκαιον, καὶ εὐθύτης ἐστὶ καὶ χρηστότης καὶ ὁδὸς εὐνομίας, καὶ πραγμάτων γαλήνη.
MARTYRIO EPISKOPŌ. "Oti phrikton kai dysephikton hierōsynē. Parergōs poię̄ tēn tōn theiōn nomōn anagnōsin, ē kai autēn agnoeis tēn anagnōsin. Hēnika gar eis ton theion naon hierourgein Aarōn, kai hoi ex ekeinou eisę̄esan, panta ta ex erias apotithentes esthēmata, stolas ek linou pareballonto echousas kai to aporrhēton, kai tōn exō thorybōn epilēsmonein sēmainousas. Ho gar Theǭ leitourgein prosiōn, ouden allotrion kai tēs hylēs epholkion epipheresthai dynatai. Ei toinyn meta toiauta tekmēria biazesthai kai tatolmąs tēn alētheian, synchyseis kai phlyarias epeispherōn tois anaktorois, hois pasa sigē kechreōstētai, homilias atopous, cheirothesias athesmous, eis eschaton pepeiso exōthōn sauton katakriseōs kindynon. MĒNA SChOLASTIKŌ. Peri praktikōn. Ta pragmata logōn ou chrēzei Auta gar esti phainomena; hoi logoi de mallon [tou] genesthai pragmata deontai kai autoi, ei semnotētos echontai. Ei toinyn bouloio amphotera phanēnai aoidimos, kai pratte logikōs, kai lege praktikōs. – NEMESIO ARChONTI. Pros archontas. Hē tēs archēs exousia, ei mē kekratai hēmerotēti, kai epanthei autę̄ hē Theǭ diakonousa prosēneia, aponoia esti mallon kai agriotēs. Ei de tǭ praǭ migeiē, kai toutǭ ithynei to dikaion, kai euthytēs esti kai chrēstotēs kai hodos eunomias, kai pragmatōn galēnē.
To Martyrius the bishop. [That the priesthood is a dreadful thing and hard to attain.] You read the divine laws as a side matter, or else you do not even know how to read. When Aaron and his sons went into the divine temple to minister, they laid aside all garments of wool and put on robes of linen, which signified both what is not to be spoken and the forgetting of outside commotions. For one who approaches to minister to God can bring along nothing alien, nothing that drags him toward matter. If, then, after such proofs you dare to do violence to the truth, bringing confusion and nonsense into the sanctuary, to which all silence is owed, improper conversations and lawless layings-on of hands, be assured that you are driving yourself into the utmost danger of condemnation. [Another letter] To Menas the scholasticus. [On practical matters.] Deeds do not need words; they are evident in themselves. Words rather need to become deeds themselves, if they are to have dignity. If, then, you wish to be celebrated for both, act with reason and speak with practice. [Another letter] To Nemesius the governor. [To governors.] The authority of office, if it is not tempered with gentleness, and the kindness that serves God does not flower on it, is rather madness and savagery. But if it is mixed with mildness, and justice steers by it, it is uprightness and goodness, the road of good order and the calm of affairs.
Ezek 44:17 (allusion, high confidence) · Exod 28:39 (allusion, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: A bishop who brings noise and lawless ordinations into the sanctuary is warned by the linen garments of Aaron's priests; two further letters urge a scholasticus to join word and deed and a governor to temper authority with gentleness.
- Linen, not wool, for priests: Exod 28:39–43; Ezek 44:17–18.
- Two further letters, To Menas and To Nemesius, begin inside this passage; the scan prints a garbled numeral ("MG΄") beside the first, removed here; their numbers are uncertain.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR doubled letter; word cut by a leaked numeral; Latin look-alike letters in the heading): κίνδυ MG΄. – MHNΑ → κίνδυνον. ΜΗΝΑ; εἰἱ → εἰ.
Topics: Church office, Ordination, Worship, Rulers and the state
Cite (SBL): Isidore of Pelusium, Ep. 1.47 (PG 78 78:209; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-47). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-47
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Migne (PG 78; PG 72), Bayerische Staatsbibliothek OCR; no public-domain English exists, so the translation was re-read against the Greek.
1.48PG 78 78:211
ΕΠΑΓΑΘΩ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ. Διὰ τὶ ἀπεγράφη ὁ Κύριος ἐν μήτρα, ὕστερον δὲ καὶ κῆνσον ἐτέλεσεν. Απεγράφη ὁ Κύριος τῇ μήτρα φερόμενος, καὶ κῆνσον ἐτέλεσε Καίσαρι, τῷ κράτει νομοθετῶν ὑποτάσσεσθαι, ὅταν μηδὲν παραβλάπτῃ πρὸς τὴν εὐσέβειαν. "Α τοίνυν αὐτὸς ὁ Θεὸς ἡμῶν κατ' οἰκονομίαν πτωχεύσας ἐδίδαξεν, εὐγνωμόνως ἡμεῖς μιμησώμεθα, καὶ μὴ σκήψει πτωχῶν, τὸν φόρον ἀρνώμεθα.
EPAGAThŌ PRESBYTERŌ. Dia ti apegraphē ho Kyrios en mētra, hysteron de kai kēnson etelesen. Apegraphē ho Kyrios tę̄ mētra pheromenos, kai kēnson etelese Kaisari, tǭ kratei nomothetōn hypotassesthai, hotan mēden parablaptę̄ pros tēn eusebeian. "A toinyn autos ho Theos hēmōn kat' oikonomian ptōcheusas edidaxen, eugnōmonōs hēmeis mimēsōmetha, kai mē skēpsei ptōchōn, ton phoron arnōmetha.
To Epagathus the presbyter. [Why the Lord was enrolled in the womb, and later also paid the census tax.] The Lord was enrolled while carried in the womb, and paid the census tax to Caesar, laying down the law that we submit to authority whenever it does no harm to godliness. What, then, our God himself taught when he became poor by the dispensation, let us gratefully imitate, and not refuse the tax with poverty as our excuse.
Luke 2:5 (allusion, high confidence) · Matt 17:27 (allusion, high confidence) · Matt 22:21 (allusion, medium confidence) · 2 Cor 8:9 (allusion, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Christ's enrollment in the womb and his payment of the tax teach submission to authority, so poverty is no excuse to refuse taxes.
- Luke 2:1–5; Matt 17:24–27; 22:21; 2 Cor 8:9.
Topics: Rulers and the state
Cite (SBL): Isidore of Pelusium, Ep. 1.48 (PG 78 78:211; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-48). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-48
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Migne (PG 78; PG 72), Bayerische Staatsbibliothek OCR; no public-domain English exists, so the translation was re-read against the Greek.
1.49PG 78 78:211
ΠΑΥΛΩ ΑΡΧΙΜΑΝΔΡΙΤΗ. Πῶς τὴν ἀργίαν ἀποστρέφεσθαι χρὴ, καὶ τὰς μαρτυρίας προβάλλεται. Πολλὴν, ὡς ἔγνων, πληθὺν ἀδελφῶν συναγήοχας, καλῶς μὲν ζῇν ἐθιζόντων, ἀργὰς δὲ χεῖρας ἐχόντων. Τοῦτο δὲ οὔτε παρὰ Χριστοῦ εὗρες τελούμενον, οὔτε παρὰ Παύλου τοῦ σοφοῦ διδασκάλου τηρούμενον. Ὁ μὲν γὰρ καὶ ἀμπελῶνα καὶ ἐργασίαν καὶ μισθὸν ἐπ᾿ αὐτῷ ἐπαγγέλλεται· ὁ δὲ ἐργάζεσθαι ταῖς χερσὶ, καὶ μηδενὸς προσδεῖσθαι ἐδίδαξεν. Εἰ τοίνυν καὶ Χριστῷ πείθῃ τῷ Θεῷ, καὶ Παῦλον τὸν πάνσοφον μιμῇ, ἢ ἐργάζεσθαι παίδευσον, ἢ τὴν πρόφασιν δίδαξον, ἀφ᾿ ἧς καὶ τραφήσονται, καὶ ἀνάπαυσιν ἕξουσι, καὶ πονηρῶν λογισμῶν καθαρεύσουσιν, οἱ μήτε Χριστῷ πειθαρχοῦντες, μήτε Παύλῳ ἀκολουθοῦντες.
PAULŌ ARChIMANDRITĒ. Pōs tēn argian apostrephesthai chrē, kai tas martyrias proballetai. Pollēn, hōs egnōn, plēthyn adelphōn synagēochas, kalōs men zę̄n ethizontōn, argas de cheiras echontōn. Touto de oute para Christou heures teloumenon, oute para Paulou tou sophou didaskalou tēroumenon. Ho men gar kai ampelōna kai ergasian kai misthon ep᾿ autǭ epangelletai; ho de ergazesthai tais chersi, kai mēdenos prosdeisthai edidaxen. Ei toinyn kai Christǭ peithę̄ tǭ Theǭ, kai Paulon ton pansophon mimę̄, ē ergazesthai paideuson, ē tēn prophasin didaxon, aph᾿ hēs kai traphēsontai, kai anapausin hexousi, kai ponērōn logismōn kathareusousin, hoi mēte Christǭ peitharchountes, mēte Paulǭ akolouthountes.
To Paul the archimandrite. [How idleness must be shunned; and he brings forward the testimonies.] You have gathered, as I learn, a great crowd of brothers, who are accustomed to live well but have idle hands. This you did not find practiced by Christ, nor kept by Paul, the wise teacher. For the one promises a vineyard and work and wages for it; the other taught us to work with our hands and to need no one. If, then, you obey Christ who is God and imitate the all-wise Paul, either train them to work, or teach us the pretext by which those who neither obey Christ nor follow Paul will be fed, and have rest, and keep themselves pure of evil thoughts.
Matt 20:1 (allusion, high confidence) · 1 Thess 4:11 (allusion, high confidence) · 1 Thess 4:12 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Thess 3:10 (allusion, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: An archimandrite is told that his monks must work with their hands, as Christ's parable and Paul's teaching and example require.
- The vineyard: Matt 20:1–16. Paul: 1 Thess 4:11–12; 2 Thess 3:8–12; Acts 20:34.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR slip): καθαρεύπουσιν → καθαρεύσουσιν.
Topics: Work and idleness, Monastic life
Cite (SBL): Isidore of Pelusium, Ep. 1.49 (PG 78 78:211; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-49). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-49
BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-isidore-pelusium-epistulae-1-49) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Migne (PG 78; PG 72), Bayerische Staatsbibliothek OCR; no public-domain English exists, so the translation was re-read against the Greek.