Letters 5.257–5.296 (Letters)

Isidore of Pelusium

Letters 5.257–5.296

Isidore of Pelusium · Letters · ca. 393-ca. 435 · Pelusium · 38 passages

Greek text: PG 78.English: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), public domain (CC0).

BothSource textEnglish

Transliteration

Show only the passage I followed

Chapter 5

5.257PG 78 78:1485

ΖΩΣΙΜΟ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ. Μὴ τὴν ἐκ τῆς οἰκείας ῥαθυμίας ψῆφον, τὴν ὑπὸ τῶν τὰ αὐτὰ σοι δρώντων κυρουμένην, τῆς ἀληθείας εἶναι νομίσῃς ἀξιοπιστοτέραν (εἰ γὰρ καὶ ἡ χειρωσαμένη σε τῆς κακίας νόσος ταῦτά σοι νομοθετεῖ, καὶ τοὺς τὰ αὐτά σοι νοσοῦντας ἐπαινέτας ἔχει)· ἀλλ' εἴ γε μὴ εἰς ἀνήκεστον ἦλθες ῥαθυμίαν, οὐκ ἀπὸ τῶν νοσούντων δίκαιος ἂν εἴης λαβεῖν τὰς περὶ τῶν πραγμάτων ψήφους (εἰ γὰρ τούτοις ἔψοιο, καὶ ἰατρικῆς καὶ φιλοσοφίας καταψηφίσῃ), ἀλλ᾿ ἀπὸ τῶν ὑγιαινόντων. Εἰ δ᾽ οὐδείς σοι ὑγιαίνειν δοκεῖ, μάλιστα μὲν νοσεῖς εἰ δὲ ἀπιστεῖς, ταῖς θείαις Γραφαῖς ἐντυχὼν, εἴσῃ καὶ τοῦ νοσήματος τὴν κακίαν, καὶ τῆς κακίας τὴν ἀπαλλαγήν.

ZŌSIMO PRESBYTERŌ. Mē tēn ek tēs oikeias rhathymias psēphon, tēn hypo tōn ta auta soi drōntōn kyroumenēn, tēs alētheias einai nomisę̄s axiopistoteran (ei gar kai hē cheirōsamenē se tēs kakias nosos tauta soi nomothetei, kai tous ta auta soi nosountas epainetas echei); all' ei ge mē eis anēkeston ēlthes rhathymian, ouk apo tōn nosountōn dikaios an eiēs labein tas peri tōn pragmatōn psēphous (ei gar toutois epsoio, kai iatrikēs kai philosophias katapsēphisę̄), all᾿ apo tōn hygiainontōn. Ei d᾽ oudeis soi hygiainein dokei, malista men noseis ei de apisteis, tais theiais Graphais entychōn, eisę̄ kai tou nosēmatos tēn kakian, kai tēs kakias tēn apallagēn.

To Zosimus the presbyter. Do not think the verdict that comes from your own indolence, ratified by those who do the same things as you, more trustworthy than the truth (for even if the disease of wickedness that has overcome you lays down these laws for you, it also has those sick with the same disease as its praisers). But if you have not come to incurable indolence, you would do right to take your verdicts on things not from the sick (for if you follow them, you will condemn both medicine and philosophy), but from the healthy. And if no one seems to you to be healthy, you are most certainly sick; and if you disbelieve it, read the divine Scriptures, and you will know both the wickedness of the disease and the release from the wickedness.

Notes and citation

Summary: Isidore tells Zosimus not to trust the approval of fellow sinners but the judgement of the sound and of Scripture.

Topics: Scripture and canon, Church office, Sin

Cite (SBL): Isidore of Pelusium, Ep. 5.257 (PG 78 78:1485; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-257). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-257

BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-isidore-pelusium-epistulae-5-257) · 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.

5.258PG 78 78:1487

ΑΔΑΜΑΝΤΙΟ. Ἴσθι, ὡς ὁ φίλος ὁ σὸς ὁ μεγαλήγορος καὶ λεξιθήρας ἦλθε μὲν ὡς ἀναστρέψων οἴκαδε, παρέμεινε δὲ ἀλοὺς τῷ τῆς φιλοσοφίας ἔρωτι· καὶ νῦν τὴν γλῶτταν ἐπιστομίζων, τῆς γνώμης ἐπιμελεῖται· μικρὸν πρᾶγμα τὴν εὐγλωττίαν πρὸς τὴν φιλοσοφίαν εἶναι παιδευθείς. ΔΙΟΓΕΝΕΙ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ. Διατί, ὦ βέλτιστε, τὴν θείαν συμμαχίαν δευτέραν τῆς τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἐπικουρίας ἡγῇ, ἢ τοῦ χάριν τὴν τῶν θνητῶν φιλίαν προτέραν ἄγεις τῆς θείας; Καίτοι χρῆν δήπου τὸν λογισμὸν τὸ δέον σκοποῦντα, μὴ τῇ ἀσθενεῖ τῶν ἀνθρώπων δυνάμει τὴν τῆς νίκης ἐπιτρέπειν ψῆφον, ἀλλὰ τῆς ἀηττήτου ἔχεσθαι δεξιᾶς· ἧς ὁ ἀντεχόμενος κρείττων δήπου τῶν πειρασμῶν ἀποφανθήσεται.

ADAMANTIO. Isthi, hōs ho philos ho sos ho megalēgoros kai lexithēras ēlthe men hōs anastrepsōn oikade, paremeine de alous tǭ tēs philosophias erōti; kai nyn tēn glōttan epistomizōn, tēs gnōmēs epimeleitai; mikron pragma tēn euglōttian pros tēn philosophian einai paideutheis. DIOGENEI DIAKONŌ. Diati, ō beltiste, tēn theian symmachian deuteran tēs tōn anthrōpōn epikourias hēgę̄, ē tou charin tēn tōn thnētōn philian proteran ageis tēs theias? Kaitoi chrēn dēpou ton logismon to deon skopounta, mē tę̄ asthenei tōn anthrōpōn dynamei tēn tēs nikēs epitrepein psēphon, alla tēs aēttētou echesthai dexias; hēs ho antechomenos kreittōn dēpou tōn peirasmōn apophanthēsetai.

To Adamantius. Know that your friend, the grandiloquent word-hunter, came intending to return home, but stayed, captured by love of philosophy; and now, curbing his tongue, he cares for his mind, having been taught that eloquence is a small thing compared with philosophy. [Letter 5.259] To Diogenes the deacon. Why, my good man, do you consider divine aid second to human help, or why do you put the friendship of mortals before the divine? Yet surely one who considers what is needful ought not to entrust the verdict of victory to the weak power of human beings, but to hold fast to the invincible right hand; whoever holds to it will surely be shown stronger than temptations.

Jer 17:5 (echo, low confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Isidore reports that a showy orator stayed to learn philosophy; a second letter tells a deacon to rely on God's help rather than on human friends.

Letter 5.259 begins at "To Diogenes the deacon" (the numeral before it is removed); lines of the scan are interleaved there and are put back in order.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (letter numeral (σνθʹ) removed; lines interleaved by the OCR, put back in order; lines interleaved by the OCR, put back in order): ΣΝΘ . – ΔΙΟΓΕΝΕΙ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ. τοι χρῆν δήπου τὸν λογισμὸν τὸ δέον σκοποῦντα, μὴ Διατί → ΔΙΟΓΕΝΕΙ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ. Διατί; Καίτῇ ἀσθενεῖ → Καίτοι χρῆν δήπου τὸν λογισμὸν τὸ δέον σκοποῦντα, μὴ τῇ ἀσθενεῖ.

Topics: Philosophy, Monastic life, Hope, Temptation

Cite (SBL): Isidore of Pelusium, Ep. 5.258 (PG 78 78:1487; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-258). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-258

BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-isidore-pelusium-epistulae-5-258) · 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.

5.260PG 78 78:1487

ΜΑΡΤΙΝΙΑΝΩ, ΖΩΣΙΜΟ, ΕΥΣΤΑΘΙΩ. Μὴ νομίζετε, ὦ βέλτιστοι, ἀτιμωρητὶ ἁμαρτάνειν· μηδὲ ἀμέλειαν τὴν θείαν μακροθυμίαν ἡγήσησθε, μηδὲ ῥᾳστώνην τὴν ἀνεξικακίαν· μηδὲ ἐπειδὴ παραχρῆμα οὐκ ἐκολάσθητε, καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν μετὰ ταῦτα διαφυγεῖν ὑπολάβητε· ἀλλ᾿ ἕως ἔξεστι, μετανοήσατε. Ατοπώτατον γὰρ, τὴν θείαν ἀνεξικακίαν τὴν εἰς μετάνοιαν καλοῦσαν, ἐφόδιον μειζόνων ποιεῖσθαι ἁμαρτημάτων. Εἰ δὲ διὰ τὸ μηδέπω δεδωκέναι δίκην οὐδὲ δοῦναι προσδοκᾶτε· εὖ ἴστε, ὡς τὸ Θεῖον ὥσπερ φιλάνθρωπόν ἐστιν, οὕτω καὶ ἀψευδὲς καὶ δυνατόν· φιλανθρωπεύεται γοῦν, καὶ τὰ πρῶτα τῶν πταισμάτων παρίησιν ἀτιμώρητα, καιρὸν ἐπανορθώσεως χαριζόμενον· ὁμοίως δὲ, ἢ καὶ μᾶλλον τῶν πλημμελημάτων ἀκμαζόντων, τελευταῖον ἀμύνεται· καὶ ὁμοῦ πάντων, τῶν τε ἔμπροσθεν, τῶν τε ὕστερον τολμηθέντων δίκας εἰσπράττεται.

MARTINIANŌ, ZŌSIMO, EUSTAThIŌ. Mē nomizete, ō beltistoi, atimōrēti hamartanein; mēde ameleian tēn theian makrothymian hēgēsēsthe, mēde rhąstōnēn tēn anexikakian; mēde epeidē parachrēma ouk ekolasthēte, kai epi tōn meta tauta diaphygein hypolabēte; all᾿ heōs exesti, metanoēsate. Atopōtaton gar, tēn theian anexikakian tēn eis metanoian kalousan, ephodion meizonōn poieisthai hamartēmatōn. Ei de dia to mēdepō dedōkenai dikēn oude dounai prosdokate; eu iste, hōs to Theion hōsper philanthrōpon estin, houtō kai apseudes kai dynaton; philanthrōpeuetai goun, kai ta prōta tōn ptaismatōn pariēsin atimōrēta, kairon epanorthōseōs charizomenon; homoiōs de, ē kai mallon tōn plēmmelēmatōn akmazontōn, teleutaion amynetai; kai homou pantōn, tōn te emprosthen, tōn te hysteron tolmēthentōn dikas eisprattetai.

To Martinianus, Zosimus and Eustathius. Do not think, my good men, that you sin with impunity; do not consider the divine patience negligence, or forbearance laxity; and do not suppose that because you were not punished at once, you will also escape in the time to come; but repent while it is possible. For it is most absurd to make the divine forbearance, which calls to repentance, provision for greater sins. And if, because you have not yet paid the penalty, you do not expect to pay it, know well that God, as he is humane, so also is truthful and powerful. He shows humanity, and lets the first offences go unpunished, granting time for amendment; but likewise, or rather all the more when the offences are at their height, he finally retaliates, and exacts the penalty for all together, both those dared before and those dared afterwards.

Rom 2:4 (echo, medium confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: God's patience is a call to repentance, not licence; if ignored, he will punish all sins together.

Cf. Rom 2:4-5.

Topics: Repentance, The last judgment, Church office

Cite (SBL): Isidore of Pelusium, Ep. 5.260 (PG 78 78:1487; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-260). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-260

BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-isidore-pelusium-epistulae-5-260) · 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.

5.261PG 78 78:1487

ΙΣΧΥΡΙΩΝΙ. Εἰ καὶ θαυμαστὸν καὶ παράδοξον εἶναί σοι δόξει τὸ ῥηθησόμενον, ἀλλ᾽ ὅμως ἀληθὲς ὃν λελέξεται· ὅτι ὁ μεγάλα πταίσας, λαθὼν δὲ καὶ μηδένα σκανδαλίσας, τοῦ καταδεέστερα μὲν πεπλημμεληκότος, μετὰ παρῥησίας δὲ καὶ τοῦ πολλοὺς ὑποσκελίσαι, ἐλάττονα δώσει δίκην. Εἰ δὲ ἀπιστεῖς, καὶ ὑπερβολὴν καταγινώσκεις τοῦ λόγου, τὴν ψῆφόν σοι ταύτην οἴσω ἐκ τῶν οὐρανῶν, καὶ τὸν νόμον τοῦτον ἐκεῖθεν ἀναγνώσομαι. Τὸν γὰρ πανάριστον Μωσέα, τὸν πᾶσαν ἐπελθόντα ἀρετὴν, οὐδὲν ἕτερον ἐκώλυσε μετὰ τὸ πέλαγος καὶ τοῦ λιμένος τυχεῖν, ἢ τὸ σκανδαλίσαι τοὺς συνόντας αὐτῷ ἐπὶ τοῦ ὕδατος. Εἰ γὰρ καὶ πρώην τινὰ παρηκολούθησε (καὶ γὰρ ἀντεῖπε τῷ Θεῷ, καὶ ἅπαξ καὶ δὶς, πεμπόμενος εἰς Αἴγυπτον), καὶ μετὰ ταῦτα εἶπεν· « Ἑξακόσιαι χιλιάδες εἰσὶ πεζῶν· καὶ σὺ εἶπας· Κρέα δώσω αὐτοῖς, καὶ φάγονται μῆνα ἡμερῶν. Μὴ πρόβατα καὶ βόες σφαγήσονται ; ἢ πᾶν τὸ ὄψον τῆς θαλάσσης συναχθήσεται, καὶ ἀρκέσει αὐτοῖς; » Καὶ μετὰ ταῦτα κατωλιγώρησε, καὶ τοῦ δήμου τὴν προστασίαν παρῃτήσατο· ἀλλ᾽ οὐδὲν ἔτερον αὐτὸν ἐκώλυσεν εἰσελθεῖν εἰς τὴν γῆν τῆς ἐπαγγελίας, ἧς ἕνεκεν τῶν ἄλλων ἁπάντων ἦν καὶ ἡγεμὼν καὶ δημαγωγός, ἢ τὸ ἐπὶ τοῦ ὕδατος συμβάν. Διὰ τοῦτο καὶ ὁ ἀκήρατος νοῦς τῆς ἁμαρτίας τὴν φύσιν ἐκπομπεύων, καὶ παραδηλῶν ὅθεν γέγονεν ἀσύγγνωστος, ἔφη, ὅτι « Οὐχ ἡγιάσατέ με ἐνώπιον τῶν υἱῶν Ἰσραὴλ, διὰ τοῦτο οὐκ εἰσαγάγητε τὴν συναγωγὴν ταύτην εἰς τὴν γῆν, ἣν ἔδωκα αὐτοῖς. » Τῇ μὲν γὰρ φύσει ἔλαττον ἦν ἐκείνων τοῦτο τὸ πταῖσμα. τῷ δὲ μετὰ τῆς ἑτέρων κραθῆναι βλάβης, οὐ μόνον ἐκείνων, ἀλλὰ καὶ συγγνώμης μείζον ἐγένετο. Τὰ μὲν γὰρ κατ᾿ ἰδίαν καὶ λανθανόντως, τὸ δὲ ἐπὶ τοῦ δήμου παντὸς ἡμαρτάνετο.

ISChYRIŌNI. Ei kai thaumaston kai paradoxon einai soi doxei to rhēthēsomenon, all᾽ homōs alēthes hon lelexetai; hoti ho megala ptaisas, lathōn de kai mēdena skandalisas, tou katadeestera men peplēmmelēkotos, meta parrhēsias de kai tou pollous hyposkelisai, elattona dōsei dikēn. Ei de apisteis, kai hyperbolēn kataginōskeis tou logou, tēn psēphon soi tautēn oisō ek tōn ouranōn, kai ton nomon touton ekeithen anagnōsomai. Ton gar panariston Mōsea, ton pasan epelthonta aretēn, ouden heteron ekōlyse meta to pelagos kai tou limenos tychein, ē to skandalisai tous synontas autǭ epi tou hydatos. Ei gar kai prōēn tina parēkolouthēse (kai gar anteipe tǭ Theǭ, kai hapax kai dis, pempomenos eis Aigypton), kai meta tauta eipen; « Hexakosiai chiliades eisi pezōn; kai sy eipas; Krea dōsō autois, kai phagontai mēna hēmerōn. Mē probata kai boes sphagēsontai ? ē pan to opson tēs thalassēs synachthēsetai, kai arkesei autois? » Kai meta tauta katōligōrēse, kai tou dēmou tēn prostasian parę̄tēsato; all᾽ ouden eteron auton ekōlysen eiselthein eis tēn gēn tēs epangelias, hēs heneken tōn allōn hapantōn ēn kai hēgemōn kai dēmagōgos, ē to epi tou hydatos symban. Dia touto kai ho akēratos nous tēs hamartias tēn physin ekpompeuōn, kai paradēlōn hothen gegonen asyngnōstos, ephē, hoti « Ouch hēgiasate me enōpion tōn huiōn Israēl, dia touto ouk eisagagēte tēn synagōgēn tautēn eis tēn gēn, hēn edōka autois. » Tę̄ men gar physei elatton ēn ekeinōn touto to ptaisma. tǭ de meta tēs heterōn krathēnai blabēs, ou monon ekeinōn, alla kai syngnōmēs meizon egeneto. Ta men gar kat᾿ idian kai lanthanontōs, to de epi tou dēmou pantos hēmartaneto.

To Ischyrion. Even if what is about to be said seems to you astonishing and paradoxical, it will nevertheless be said, being true: the one who has sinned greatly but secretly and has scandalized no one will pay a lesser penalty than the one who has offended less, but openly and so as to trip up many. And if you disbelieve and condemn my words as exaggeration, I shall bring you this verdict from heaven and read you this law from there. For nothing else prevented the all-excellent Moses, who traversed every virtue, from reaching the harbour after the sea, than scandalizing those with him at the water. For even if some things had happened earlier (for he contradicted God once and twice when he was being sent to Egypt), and afterwards he said, "There are six hundred thousand on foot; and you have said, I will give them meat, and they shall eat a whole month. Shall sheep and oxen be slaughtered? Or shall all the fish of the sea be gathered together and suffice them?", and after this he lost heart and begged off the leadership of the people, still nothing else prevented him from entering the land of promise, for whose sake he was the leader and guide of all the others, than what happened at the water. That is why the pure Mind, exposing the nature of the sin and indicating why it was unpardonable, said: "You did not sanctify me before the sons of Israel; therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land which I have given them." For by its nature this sin was less than those; but by being mixed with harm to others, it became greater not only than those but than pardon. For those were committed privately and secretly, but this one before the whole people.

Exod 4:13 (allusion, high confidence) · Num 11:21 (quotation, high confidence) · Num 11:22 (quotation, high confidence) · Num 11:14 (allusion, medium confidence) · Num 20:12 (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Sins that scandalize others are punished more than greater secret sins, as Moses was barred from the promised land not for his earlier objections but for dishonouring God publicly at the water.

Exod 4:1-13; Num 11:21-22; Num 11:11-15; Num 20:12.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR slip; OCR slip and word split; stray mark splitting a word in the OCR): ἡμεμῶν → ἡμερῶν; ἐπαγο γελίας → ἐπαγγελίας; συν• αγωγὴν → συναγωγὴν.

Topics: Sin, The last judgment, Interpreting Scripture

Cite (SBL): Isidore of Pelusium, Ep. 5.261 (PG 78 78:1487; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-261). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-261

BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-isidore-pelusium-epistulae-5-261) · 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.

5.262PG 78 78:1489

ΑΔΑΜΑΝΤΙΩ. Ὁ φίλος ὁ σὸς ἦλθε μὲν οὐ μαθησόμενος, ὡς ἔλεγεν, ἀλλ᾽ ἐπιδειξόμενος καὶ διδάξων, καὶ τὸ φρόνημα τῶν δοκούντων τι εἰδέναι σβέσων. ᾿Απῆλθε δὲ παθὼν, ὃ δρᾶσαι προσεδόκησεν.

ADAMANTIŌ. Ho philos ho sos ēlthe men ou mathēsomenos, hōs elegen, all᾽ epideixomenos kai didaxōn, kai to phronēma tōn dokountōn ti eidenai sbesōn. ᾿Apēlthe de pathōn, ho drasai prosedokēsen.

To Adamantius. Your friend came not to learn, as he said, but to show off and teach, and to quench the pride of those who seemed to know something. But he went away having suffered what he expected to do.

Notes and citation

Summary: A man who came to show off his learning went away humbled himself.

Topics: Humility and pride

Cite (SBL): Isidore of Pelusium, Ep. 5.262 (PG 78 78:1489; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-262). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-262

BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-isidore-pelusium-epistulae-5-262) · 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.

5.263PG 78 78:1489

ΟΥΡΑΝΙΟ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ. Ἡ τῶν ὀρθῶς καὶ μετὰ πόνου διδασκόντων ψυχή (πολλοὶ γὰρ μετ' ἐπιδείξεως καὶ καταφρονήσεως ἐξηγούμενοι ἐκλύουσι καὶ τῶν ἀκροατῶν τὴν προθυμίαν), πρῶτον μὲν διὰ τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν ἐμφαίνει τὴν εὐλάβειαν · πολλὰ γὰρ αὐτῶν πρὸς τὸν λόγον τὰ κέντρα· ἔπειτα δὲ καὶ διὰ τῶν ὀφρύων διασημαίνει τὸν νοῦν τῶν διδαγμάτων: λόγῳ δὲ μετρίῳ χρῆται, οὔτε ὑπὸ τρυφῆς ἐξυβρίζοντι, οὔτε ὑπὸ ταπεινότητος ἐξευτελιζομένῳ. Εἰ γὰρ καὶ ἡ φράσις εἴη ἀναττίκιστος, ἀλλά γε τὰ ὑποδείγματα καὶ τὸ εἰς εὐλάβειαν βλέπειν διαναστήσει τοὺς φοιτητάς.

OURANIO DIAKONŌ. Hē tōn orthōs kai meta ponou didaskontōn psychē (polloi gar met' epideixeōs kai kataphronēseōs exēgoumenoi eklyousi kai tōn akroatōn tēn prothymian), prōton men dia tōn ophthalmōn emphainei tēn eulabeian ; polla gar autōn pros ton logon ta kentra; epeita de kai dia tōn ophryōn diasēmainei ton noun tōn didagmatōn: logǭ de metriǭ chrētai, oute hypo tryphēs exybrizonti, oute hypo tapeinotētos exeutelizomenǭ. Ei gar kai hē phrasis eiē anattikistos, alla ge ta hypodeigmata kai to eis eulabeian blepein dianastēsei tous phoitētas.

To Uranius the deacon. The soul of those who teach rightly and with labour (for many who expound with display and contempt slacken even the eagerness of their hearers) first shows its reverence through the eyes, for they have many goads for the word; then it signifies the meaning of the teachings through the brows. It uses a moderate style, neither running riot with luxury nor cheapened by lowliness. For even if the diction is not Attic, the examples and the look toward reverence will rouse the pupils.

Notes and citation

Summary: A good teacher shows reverence in his look and uses a moderate style; even plain diction rouses learners when the example is reverent.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (end-of-line hyphen and stray mark left in the OCR): κέν- & τρα → κέντρα.

Topics: Classical learning and education, Church office

Cite (SBL): Isidore of Pelusium, Ep. 5.263 (PG 78 78:1489; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-263). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-263

BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-isidore-pelusium-epistulae-5-263) · 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.

5.264PG 78 78:1489

ΗΣΑΙΑ. Μὴ τῷ δεινὸς εἶναι πράγμασι χρῆσθαι, ὡς ἀδρανεῖς ψέγε τοὺς τῆς ἀπραγμοσύνης ἐρῶντας ἀλλὰ τῷ πολλάκις εἰς χειμῶνας χαλεποὺς ἐμπεπτωκέναι, μακάριζε τοὺς, ὡς ἐνδέχεται, εἰς τὸν λιμένα τῆς ἡσυχίας ὁρμῶντας. Εἰ δὲ καὶ αὐτοῖς πολλάκις σπιλάδες κατασκήπτουσιν, ἀλλ᾽ οὐκ ἔστιν ἶσον τὸ μὴ μόνον τὰ πελάγη τῶν πραγμάτων διαπλεῖν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἑαυτὸν εἰς τὸ πέλαγος τῶν παθῶν ἐμβάλλειν, καὶ τὸν πειρασμὸν ἐνεγκεῖν. Τὸ μὲν γὰρ ῥιψοκινδύνων ἐστὶν ἀνδρῶν, καὶ ἐμπορικὸν βίον ἀνῃρημένων· τὸ δὲ δικαίων δοκιμαζομένων, καὶ ὥσπερ χρυσός βασανιζομένων. Εἰ δὲ τὸ πρακτικόν σοι καὶ δραστήριον ἀρέσκει, μάνθανε ὅτι οὐκ ἔστι τοῦτο ὃ σὺ φής· ἐπεὶ κατὰ μικρὸν προϊὼν, καὶ τοὺς συκοφάντας τῶν φιλοσόφων προτιμήσεις, καὶ τοὺς παλιγκαπήλους τῶν ἐλευθερίως μεταχειριζομένων τὰ πράγματα, καὶ τοὺς τὰς μηχανὰς πλέκοντας, καὶ δόλους ῥάπτοντας τῶν τὸ δίκαιον ἐπὶ γλώττης φερόντων· ἀλλὰ τὸ τὰς ἀρετὰς ἀσκεῖν, καὶ περὶ ταύτας πᾶσαν τὴν σπουδὴν ἐπιδείκνυσθαι.

ĒSAIA. Mē tǭ deinos einai pragmasi chrēsthai, hōs adraneis psege tous tēs apragmosynēs erōntas alla tǭ pollakis eis cheimōnas chalepous empeptōkenai, makarize tous, hōs endechetai, eis ton limena tēs hēsychias hormōntas. Ei de kai autois pollakis spilades kataskēptousin, all᾽ ouk estin ison to mē monon ta pelagē tōn pragmatōn diaplein, alla kai heauton eis to pelagos tōn pathōn emballein, kai ton peirasmon enenkein. To men gar rhipsokindynōn estin andrōn, kai emporikon bion anę̄rēmenōn; to de dikaiōn dokimazomenōn, kai hōsper chrysos basanizomenōn. Ei de to praktikon soi kai drastērion areskei, manthane hoti ouk esti touto ho sy phēs; epei kata mikron proïōn, kai tous sykophantas tōn philosophōn protimēseis, kai tous palinkapēlous tōn eleutheriōs metacheirizomenōn ta pragmata, kai tous tas mēchanas plekontas, kai dolous rhaptontas tōn to dikaion epi glōttēs pherontōn; alla to tas aretas askein, kai peri tautas pasan tēn spoudēn epideiknysthai.

To Isaiah. Do not, because you are clever at handling affairs, blame those who love freedom from affairs as feeble; but, because you have often fallen into grievous storms, count blessed those who make for the harbour of quiet as far as possible. And even if reefs often strike them too, it is not the same to sail through the seas of affairs and throw oneself into the sea of passions, as to bear temptation. For the one belongs to reckless men who have taken up a merchant's life, the other to the righteous being tested and tried like gold. And if the practical and active life pleases you, learn that it is not what you say; for proceeding little by little you will prefer false accusers to philosophers, hucksters to those who handle affairs honourably, and those who weave devices and stitch together deceits to those who carry justice on their tongue. But the practical life is to practise the virtues and show all one's zeal for them.

1 Pet 1:7 (echo, medium confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Isidore tells a man of affairs not to despise those who seek quiet; the truly practical life is the practice of the virtues, not worldly cleverness.

Tried like gold: cf. Wis 3:6; 1 Pet 1:7.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (stray letter from the OCR): τοὺς Λ τὰς → τοὺς τὰς.

Extrabiblical texts: Wis 3:6 (Wisdom of Solomon [in RC, EO, ETH canons]; echo)

Topics: Monastic life, The Christian life, Temptation

Cite (SBL): Isidore of Pelusium, Ep. 5.264 (PG 78 78:1489; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-264). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-264

BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-isidore-pelusium-epistulae-5-264) · 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.

5.265PG 78 78:1491

ΗΛΙΑ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ. Βουλεύεσθαι χρὴ τὸν ὑφηγητὴν μὴ τί εἴποι μόνον, ἀλλὰ τί πράξας πείσοι τοὺς φοιτητάς. Πᾶς μὲν γὰρ λόγος, ὅταν ἔργου χηρεύῃ, οὐ μόνον μάταιόν τι φαίνεται καὶ κενὸν, ἀλλὰ καὶ εἰς ὄνειδος περιίσταται· μάλιστα δὲ ὁ παρὰ τῶν ἐξηγητῶν προφερόμενος. Ὅσῳ γὰρ ἑτοιμότατα αὐτῷ χρῆσθαι σπουδάζουσι, τοσούτῳ μᾶλλον ἀπιστοῦσιν ἅπαντες αὐτῷ· ἀλλὰ καὶ γέλωτος ὑπόθεσιν αὐτὸν εἶναι νομίζουσιν. Οὐκοῦν μάλιστα μὲν πρακτέον, καὶ λεκτέον· εἰ δὲ μὴ βούλοιντο, οὐδὲ λεκτέον.

ĒLIA DIAKONŌ. Bouleuesthai chrē ton hyphēgētēn mē ti eipoi monon, alla ti praxas peisoi tous phoitētas. Pas men gar logos, hotan ergou chēreuę̄, ou monon mataion ti phainetai kai kenon, alla kai eis oneidos periistatai; malista de ho para tōn exēgētōn propheromenos. Hosǭ gar hetoimotata autǭ chrēsthai spoudazousi, tosoutǭ mallon apistousin hapantes autǭ; alla kai gelōtos hypothesin auton einai nomizousin. Oukoun malista men prakteon, kai lekteon; ei de mē boulointo, oude lekteon.

To Elias the deacon. The teacher must consider not only what he will say, but by doing what he will persuade his pupils. For every word bereft of deed not only appears vain and empty but even turns into a reproach, and above all the word put forward by expositors. For the more readily they are eager to use it, the more everyone disbelieves it; and they even think it a subject for laughter. So, above all, one must act and speak; but if they will not act, they should not speak either.

Notes and citation

Summary: A teacher persuades by deeds; words without deeds bring only disbelief and ridicule.

Topics: Classical learning and education, Church office

Cite (SBL): Isidore of Pelusium, Ep. 5.265 (PG 78 78:1491; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-265). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-265

BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-isidore-pelusium-epistulae-5-265) · 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.

5.266PG 78 78:1491

ΘΕΩΝΙ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ. ἵνα μὴ ῥέων ὁ χρόνος ἄδηλος ᾗ, πολλοῖς σημείοις κατάδηλος γέγονεν, ἡμέρᾳ καὶ νυκτὶ, ἑβδομάδι καὶ μηνὶ, ἐνιαυτῷ τε καὶ Ὀλυμπιάδι. Πρώην γὰρ ταῖς Ὀλυμπιάσι διεγινώσκετο· Ῥωμαίων δὲ βασιλευσάντων, ταῖς ὑπατείαις γνώριμος καθίσταται. Εἰ γὰρ καὶ οὐρανοῦ κίνησις, ὥς φησι Πλάτων, τὸν χρόνον ἐγέννησεν· ἀλλ᾽ ἥλιος μετρεῖ καὶ ὑπατεία μορφοῖ (τῷ γὰρ ἐνιαυτῷ τοῦτο ὄνομα, ὧνπερ καὶ ὑπάτων ἠξίωται). Ταῦτα δὲ πάντα γέγονε τὰ σημεῖα, οὐ μόνον διὰ τὰ σώματα καὶ τὰ βιωτικὰ, ὡς φασί τινες, πράγματά τε καὶ συμβόλαια (καὶ γὰρ καὶ αἱ διαθῆκαι, καὶ τὰ γραμματεῖα, καὶ πάντα, ὡς ἔπος εἰπεῖν, τὰ τῆς ἀσφαλείας ἐνέχυρα διὰ τούτων σφραγίζεται), δῆλά τέ ἐστι καὶ σαφῆ· ἀλλ᾽ ἵνα καὶ ἡμεῖς μὴ ὡς ἀδήλῳ πελάγει πλέοντες, καὶ σημείοις μὴ ἀναμετροῦντες τοῦτο, αὐτομάτως εἰς τοὺς λιμένας ἐλθόντες κεναῖς ὁρμισθῶμεν χερσίν· ἀλλὰ τῷ χρόνῳ ὀξυτάτῳ ὄντι, καὶ μήτε ἄγχεσθαι, μήτε παλινδρομῆσαι, ἀλλὰ μηδὲ στῆναι ἐπισταμένῳ συνθεούσας τὰς ἀγαθὰς πράξεις κεκτημένοι, μετὰ πολλῆς τῆς ἐμπορίας εἰς τοὺς λιμένας ἐλάσωμεν. Ἐχώμεθα τοίνυν τοῦ χρόνου πλησιάζοντος · ἔξεστι γὰρ τότε καὶ λαβέσθαι καὶ κατασχεῖν· παραδραμόντος γὰρ μεταδιώκειν ἀνήνυτον. Ἐπτερωμένος γὰρ ὧν καὶ ὠκὺς, πόῤῥωθεν μὲν ἀφίησι τοὺς διώκοντας, ἀμήχανος δὲ ἐστι καὶ γενομένοις ἐγγὺς ληφθῆναι.

ThEŌNI PRESBYTERŌ. hina mē rheōn ho chronos adēlos hę̄, pollois sēmeiois katadēlos gegonen, hēmerą kai nykti, hebdomadi kai mēni, eniautǭ te kai Olympiadi. Prōēn gar tais Olympiasi dieginōsketo; Rhōmaiōn de basileusantōn, tais hypateiais gnōrimos kathistatai. Ei gar kai ouranou kinēsis, hōs phēsi Platōn, ton chronon egennēsen; all᾽ hēlios metrei kai hypateia morphoi (tǭ gar eniautǭ touto onoma, hōnper kai hypatōn ēxiōtai). Tauta de panta gegone ta sēmeia, ou monon dia ta sōmata kai ta biōtika, hōs phasi tines, pragmata te kai symbolaia (kai gar kai hai diathēkai, kai ta grammateia, kai panta, hōs epos eipein, ta tēs asphaleias enechyra dia toutōn sphragizetai), dēla te esti kai saphē; all᾽ hina kai hēmeis mē hōs adēlǭ pelagei pleontes, kai sēmeiois mē anametrountes touto, automatōs eis tous limenas elthontes kenais hormisthōmen chersin; alla tǭ chronǭ oxytatǭ onti, kai mēte anchesthai, mēte palindromēsai, alla mēde stēnai epistamenǭ syntheousas tas agathas praxeis kektēmenoi, meta pollēs tēs emporias eis tous limenas elasōmen. Echōmetha toinyn tou chronou plēsiazontos ; exesti gar tote kai labesthai kai kataschein; paradramontos gar metadiōkein anēnyton. Epterōmenos gar hōn kai ōkys, porrhōthen men aphiēsi tous diōkontas, amēchanos de esti kai genomenois engys lēphthēnai.

To Theon the presbyter. … so that flowing time may not be unknown, it has been made known by many signs: by day and night, week and month, year and Olympiad. For formerly it was known by Olympiads, but since the Romans have ruled it is made known by consulships. For even if the motion of heaven, as Plato says, begot time, the sun measures it and the consulship gives it form (for the year is given the name of those who have been made consuls). All these signs have come about, not only for bodily needs and, as some say, the affairs and contracts of life (for wills, deeds and, so to speak, all the pledges of security are sealed by them), and they are plain and clear; but also so that we, not sailing as on an unknown sea and not measuring it by signs, may not come into harbour by chance and moor with empty hands; but that, possessing good deeds that run alongside time, which is very swift and knows neither how to be checked nor how to run back nor even how to stand still, we may sail into harbour with much merchandise. Let us, then, hold on to time while it is near; for then it is possible both to seize it and to hold it fast; but once it has run past, pursuing it is useless. For being winged and swift, it leaves its pursuers far behind and cannot be caught even by those who come near it.

Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.

Eph 5:16 (echo, low confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Time is marked by days, months, years and consulships so that we may use it well and fill it with good deeds, since once past it cannot be recovered.

The opening words of the letter are lost in the scan. Plato, Tim. 37d-38c (time born with the motion of the heavens).

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (Latin O and apostrophe for Greek Omicron with breathing in the OCR; OCR slip (breathing lost)): 'Oλυμπιάσι → Ὀλυμπιάσι; όξυτάτῳ → ὀξυτάτῳ.

Extrabiblical texts: Plato, Tim. 37d-38c (Plato (works); allusion)

Topics: The Christian life, Good works and merit, Creation

Cite (SBL): Isidore of Pelusium, Ep. 5.266 (PG 78 78:1491; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-266). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-266

BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-isidore-pelusium-epistulae-5-266) · 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.

5.267PG 78 78:1491

ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ. Ἡ πονηρία ὅταν ἀκαθέκτως λυττήσῃ, καὶ μηδὲ σωφρονισμὸν προσίηται, ὑπὸ τιμωρίας μόνης κωλύεσθαι πέφυκεν.

TŌ AUTŌ. Hē ponēria hotan akathektōs lyttēsę̄, kai mēde sōphronismon prosiētai, hypo timōrias monēs kōlyesthai pephyken.

To the same. When wickedness rages uncontrollably and does not even admit correction, it is naturally stopped by punishment alone.

Notes and citation

Summary: Wickedness that will not accept correction can be stopped only by punishment.

Topics: Church discipline and penance, Rulers and the state

Cite (SBL): Isidore of Pelusium, Ep. 5.267 (PG 78 78:1491; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-267). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-267

BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-isidore-pelusium-epistulae-5-267) · 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.

5.268PG 78 78:1491

ΚΥΡΙΛΛΩ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ. Πάλαι μὲν ἡ ἱερωσύνη πταίουσαν τὴν βασιλείαν διωρθοῦτο καὶ ἐσωφρόνιζε, νῦν δὲ ὑπ᾽ ἐκείνην γέγονεν, οὐ τὸ οἰκεῖον ἀξίωμα ἀπολέσασα, ἀλλὰ τοὺς ἐγχειρισθέντας οὐχ ὁμοίους τοῖς ἐπὶ τῶν ἡμετέρων προγόνων ἔχουσα. Πρώην μὲν γὰρ εὐαγγελικὸν καὶ ἀποστολικὸν πολιτευομένων βίον τῶν τὴν ἱερωσύνην ἐστεμμένων, εἰκότως ἡ ἱερωσύνη τῇ βασιλείᾳ ἦν φοβερά· νῦν δὲ ἡ βασιλεία τῇ ἱερωσύνῃ· μᾶλλον δὲ οὐκ αὐτῇ, ἀλλὰ τοῖς ἱερᾶσθαι μὲν δοκοῦσι, δι' ὧν δὲ πράττουσιν αὐτὴν ὑβρίζουσι. Διό μοι δοκεῖ καὶ ἡ βασιλεία εἰκότως ποιεῖν· οὐ γὰρ τὴν ἱερωσύνην ὑβρίσαι προῃρημένη, ἣν ἐκθειάζει, ἀλλ' ἐκδικῆσαι ὑβριζομένην, τοὺς οὐ δεόντως αὐτῇ χρωμένους σωφρονίζει.

KYRILLŌ EPISKOPŌ. Palai men hē hierōsynē ptaiousan tēn basileian diōrthouto kai esōphronize, nyn de hyp᾽ ekeinēn gegonen, ou to oikeion axiōma apolesasa, alla tous encheiristhentas ouch homoious tois epi tōn hēmeterōn progonōn echousa. Prōēn men gar euangelikon kai apostolikon politeuomenōn bion tōn tēn hierōsynēn estemmenōn, eikotōs hē hierōsynē tę̄ basileią ēn phobera; nyn de hē basileia tę̄ hierōsynę̄; mallon de ouk autę̄, alla tois hierasthai men dokousi, di' hōn de prattousin autēn hybrizousi. Dio moi dokei kai hē basileia eikotōs poiein; ou gar tēn hierōsynēn hybrisai proę̄rēmenē, hēn ektheiazei, all' ekdikēsai hybrizomenēn, tous ou deontōs autę̄ chrōmenous sōphronizei.

To Cyril the bishop. Of old the priesthood corrected the kingship when it erred and brought it to its senses; but now it has come under the kingship, not having lost its own dignity, but having those entrusted with it unlike those in the time of our forefathers. For formerly, when those crowned with the priesthood lived an evangelical and apostolic life, the priesthood was rightly fearsome to the kingship; but now the kingship is fearsome to the priesthood, or rather not to the priesthood but to those who seem to be priests yet insult it by what they do. That is why the kingship too seems to me to act rightly. For it does not choose to insult the priesthood, which it reveres, but to avenge it when it is insulted, and so it chastens those who do not use it as they should.

Notes and citation

Summary: Isidore tells Cyril that the priesthood once corrected emperors but now is subject to them, because unworthy priests disgrace it; the emperors rightly punish such priests to vindicate the priesthood.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (word split by OCR): γέγο νεν → γέγονεν; ἡμετέ ρων → ἡμετέρων.

Topics: Rulers and the state, Church office, The church

Cite (SBL): Isidore of Pelusium, Ep. 5.268 (PG 78 78:1491; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-268). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-268

BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-isidore-pelusium-epistulae-5-268) · 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.

5.269PG 78 78:1493

ΗΛΙΑ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ Οὐ τοὺς πταίοντας, ὦ τᾶν, καὶ κολαζομένους ἐνταῦθα θρηνεῖν χρὴ, ἀλλὰ τοὺς ἀτιμωρητὶ πταίοντας. Ὥσπερ γὰρ οὐ τὸ νοσεῖν δεινὸν, ἀλλὰ τὸ νοσοῦντα θεραπείαν μὴ προσίεσθαι· οὐδὲ τὸ ἔχειν σηπεδόνα θρήνων ἄξιον, ἀλλὰ τὸ ἔχοντα μὴ ἀπολαύειν ἰατρικῆς τέχνης (ὁ γὰρ τεμνόμενος καὶ καιόμενος πρὸς θεραπείαν ὁδεύει, τὴν ἀπὸ τῆς ἀλγηδόνος θεραπείαν καρπωσάμενος)· οὕτω καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν ψυχῶν διακεῖσθαι χρή. Αἱ μὲν γὰρ κολαζόμεναι ἐνταῦθα, πρὸς ὑγείαν ἕλκονται· αἱ δὲ ἀτιμωρητὶ πταίουσαι, εἰς ἀναλγησίαν ὁδεύουσιν.

ĒLIA DIAKONŌ Ou tous ptaiontas, ō tan, kai kolazomenous entautha thrēnein chrē, alla tous atimōrēti ptaiontas. Hōsper gar ou to nosein deinon, alla to nosounta therapeian mē prosiesthai; oude to echein sēpedona thrēnōn axion, alla to echonta mē apolauein iatrikēs technēs (ho gar temnomenos kai kaiomenos pros therapeian hodeuei, tēn apo tēs algēdonos therapeian karpōsamenos); houtō kai epi tōn psychōn diakeisthai chrē. Hai men gar kolazomenai entautha, pros hygeian helkontai; hai de atimōrēti ptaiousai, eis analgēsian hodeuousin.

To Elias the deacon. One should lament, my friend, not those who sin and are punished here, but those who sin with impunity. For just as it is not terrible to be sick, but to be sick and not accept treatment; and having gangrene is not worthy of lament, but having it and not benefiting from the physician's art (for the one who is cut and cauterized is on the way to cure, having reaped healing from the pain); so too one must think about souls. Those punished here are drawn toward health; those that sin with impunity go on to insensibility.

Heb 12:6 (echo, medium confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Those punished here for their sins are being healed; it is those who sin unpunished who should be lamented.

Cf. Heb 12:6-11.

Topics: Suffering and affliction, Sin, Providence

Cite (SBL): Isidore of Pelusium, Ep. 5.269 (PG 78 78:1493; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-269). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-269

BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-isidore-pelusium-epistulae-5-269) · 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.

5.270PG 78 78:1493

ΕΡΜΙΝΩ ΚΟΜΗΤΙ. Οὐ πάντως τὰ αὐτὰ πάθη τὰς αὐτὰς ῥίζας ἔχουσιν, οὐδὲ πᾶσαι αἱ κολάσεις ἐνταῦθα ἐκ πλημμελημάτων τὰς ὑποθέσεις ἔχουσιν· ἀλλ᾽ οἱ μὲν δι᾽ ἁμαρτήματα κολάζονται, οἱ δὲ διὰ τὸ δοκιμασθῆναι πάσχουσιν, ἵν᾿ οἱ μὲν δίκας, οἱ δὲ δοκίμια τῆς ἀρετῆς δοῖεν. Καθάπερ γὰρ ἡ βασανῖτις λίθος τὸν χρυσὸν δοκιμάζει, ἐξ ἧς λίθου οἶμαι καὶ τὸ βασανίζεσθαι ὠνοματοπεποιῆσθαι· οὕτω καὶ οἱ πειρασμοὶ τοὺς δικαίους ἐλέγχουσιν, ὡς καὶ τῷ Ἰὼβ ἐῤῥέθη· « Οἴει με ἄλλως σοι κεχρηματικέναι, ἢ ἵνα ἀναφανείης δίκαιος;» Οἱ δὲ ἀνόητοι ἀπὸ τῶν πειρασμῶν καὶ τοὺς βίους τῶν πειραζομένων διαβάλλουσιν. Ὅπερ καὶ οἱ τοῦ Ἰὼβ φίλοι, καὶ ὁ Σεμεεὶ, καὶ οἱ βάρβαροι πεπόνθασιν. Οἱ μὲν γὰρ ἔλεγον τῷ ἀοιδίμῳ στεφανίτῃ τῷ πᾶσαν τοῦ διαβόλου συγκόψαντι τὴν δύναμιν· · Οὐκ ἄξια ὧν ἡμάρτηκας μεμαστίγωσαι; » Ὁ δὲ ἀνδροφόνον ἐκάλει τὸν πραότατον, ἀπὸ τῆς συμφορᾶς ταύτην φέρων περὶ αὐτοῦ τὴν ψῆφον. Οἱ δὲ ἐπειδὴ ὁ ἔχις τῆς χειρὸς εἶχετο τῆς ἀποστολικῆς, ἔφασκον· « Πάντως φονεύς ἐστιν ὁ ἄνθρωπος οὗτος, ὃν διασωθέντα ἐκ τῆς θαλάττης ἡ δίκη ζῇν οὐκ εἴασεν. »

ERMINŌ KOMĒTI. Ou pantōs ta auta pathē tas autas rhizas echousin, oude pasai hai kolaseis entautha ek plēmmelēmatōn tas hypotheseis echousin; all᾽ hoi men di᾽ hamartēmata kolazontai, hoi de dia to dokimasthēnai paschousin, hin᾿ hoi men dikas, hoi de dokimia tēs aretēs doien. Kathaper gar hē basanitis lithos ton chryson dokimazei, ex hēs lithou oimai kai to basanizesthai ōnomatopepoiēsthai; houtō kai hoi peirasmoi tous dikaious elenchousin, hōs kai tǭ Iōb errhethē; « Oiei me allōs soi kechrēmatikenai, ē hina anaphaneiēs dikaios?» Hoi de anoētoi apo tōn peirasmōn kai tous bious tōn peirazomenōn diaballousin. Hoper kai hoi tou Iōb philoi, kai ho Semeei, kai hoi barbaroi peponthasin. Hoi men gar elegon tǭ aoidimǭ stephanitę̄ tǭ pasan tou diabolou synkopsanti tēn dynamin; ; Ouk axia hōn hēmartēkas memastigōsai? » Ho de androphonon ekalei ton praotaton, apo tēs symphoras tautēn pherōn peri autou tēn psēphon. Hoi de epeidē ho echis tēs cheiros eicheto tēs apostolikēs, ephaskon; « Pantōs phoneus estin ho anthrōpos houtos, hon diasōthenta ek tēs thalattēs hē dikē zę̄n ouk eiasen. »

To Herminus the count. The same sufferings do not always have the same roots, nor do all punishments here have their grounds in offences; some are punished for sins, others suffer in order to be tested, so that the one may pay penalties and the other give proofs of virtue. For just as the touchstone tests gold (from which stone, I think, the word "to be tested" [basanizesthai] was coined), so too temptations prove the righteous, as was said to Job: "Do you think I have dealt with you for any other reason than that you might be shown to be righteous?" But fools, from the temptations, also slander the lives of those tempted. This is what happened to Job's friends, to Shimei and to the barbarians. For the first said to the celebrated champion who had cut down all the devil's power: "Have you not been scourged less than your sins deserve?" The second called the gentlest of men a murderer, passing this verdict on him from his misfortune. And the last, when the viper clung to the apostle's hand, said: "No doubt this man is a murderer, whom justice has not allowed to live though he was saved from the sea."

Job 40:8 (quotation, high confidence) · Job 11:6 (allusion, medium confidence) · 2 Sam 16:7 (allusion, high confidence) · Acts 28:4 (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Not all suffering is punishment; some tests the righteous, as with Job, David and Paul, whom fools wrongly judged guilty because they suffered.

Job 40:8 (LXX); Job's friends: cf. Job 11:6; 22:5; Shimei: 2 Sam 16:7-8; the viper: Acts 28:3-4.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR slip (accent); OCR slip (breathing lost); OCR slip and word split; word split by OCR): ἶν᾿ οἱ μὲν → ἵν᾿ οἱ μὲν; ώνοματοπεποιῆσθαι → ὠνοματοπεποιῆσθαι; ἀπον στολικῆς → ἀποστολικῆς; ἄνθρω πος → ἄνθρωπος.

Topics: Suffering and affliction, Temptation, Providence

Cite (SBL): Isidore of Pelusium, Ep. 5.270 (PG 78 78:1493; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-270). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-270

BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-isidore-pelusium-epistulae-5-270) · 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.

5.271PG 78 78:1493

ΘΕΟΓΝΩΣΤΩ. Οὐδὲν, ὦ θαυμάσιε, ὁ πλοῦτος, κἂν πολὺς ἢ καὶ πάντοθεν ἐπιῤῥέῃ· οὐδὲν τὸ ἀξίωμα, κἂν βασιλικὸν · οὐδὲν ἡ σύνεσις, κἂν εὐγλωττίᾳ κοσμῆται, εἰ μὴ τῇ ἐλπίδι τῇ πρὸς τὸ Θεῖον κιρνᾶται Πλοῦτος μὲν γὰρ σαθρὸς, ᾧ τὸ Θεῖον οὐκ ἐπιψηφίζεται· συνανεσπάσθη γὰρ πολλάκις καὶ ῥιζωθεὶς τοῖς κτησαμένοις, ὥσπερ τι φυτὸν ἄκαρπον καὶ ἀνήμερον, καὶ τοῖς πλησίον λυμαινόμενον δένδροις · σφαλερὰ δὲ καὶ βασιλεία, παρὰ τῆς ἀηττήτου δεξιᾶς μὴ οἱακιζομένη· φρόνησις δὲ μὴ κοσμουμένη τῇ θείᾳ σοφίᾳ, ἀνό[ν]ητος, ἅτε δὴ μὴ ἀνθηνιοχουμένη. Αποστρέφει γὰρ φρονίμους εἰς τὰ ὀπίσω, καὶ τὴν βουλὴν αὐτῶν μαραίνει. Εἰ τοίνυν καὶ τὰ ἐνταῦθα σαθρὰ τοῖς πρὸς τὸ Θεῖον σαθροῖς, καὶ τὰ μέλλοντα χαλεπώτερα, ἐχώμεθα τῆς ἱερᾶς ἀγκύρας.

ThEOGNŌSTŌ. Ouden, ō thaumasie, ho ploutos, kan polys ē kai pantothen epirrheę̄; ouden to axiōma, kan basilikon ; ouden hē synesis, kan euglōttią kosmētai, ei mē tę̄ elpidi tę̄ pros to Theion kirnatai Ploutos men gar sathros, hǭ to Theion ouk epipsēphizetai; synanespasthē gar pollakis kai rhizōtheis tois ktēsamenois, hōsper ti phyton akarpon kai anēmeron, kai tois plēsion lymainomenon dendrois ; sphalera de kai basileia, para tēs aēttētou dexias mē hoiakizomenē; phronēsis de mē kosmoumenē tę̄ theią sophią, ano[n]ētos, hate dē mē anthēniochoumenē. Apostrephei gar phronimous eis ta opisō, kai tēn boulēn autōn marainei. Ei toinyn kai ta entautha sathra tois pros to Theion sathrois, kai ta mellonta chalepōtera, echōmetha tēs hieras ankyras.

To Theognostus. Wealth is nothing, admirable man, even if it is great and flows in from every side; dignity is nothing, even if it is royal; understanding is nothing, even if adorned with eloquence, unless it is mixed with hope toward God. For wealth on which God does not set his seal is rotten; for even when rooted it has often been pulled up together with its owners, like a fruitless and wild plant that also harms the trees near it. Kingship too is unsafe if not steered by the invincible right hand; and prudence not adorned with divine wisdom is useless, since it is not guided. For "he turns the wise backward and makes their counsel foolish." If, then, the things here are rotten for those who are rotten toward God, and the things to come more grievous, let us hold fast to the sacred anchor.

Isa 44:25 (quotation, high confidence) · Heb 6:19 (allusion, medium confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Wealth, rank and intelligence are worthless without hope in God, who confounds the wise; we must cling to that anchor.

A stray word (βασανίτης, "touchstone") at the start, from the previous letter, is removed.
Isa 44:25 (LXX). The anchor of hope: Heb 6:19.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (stray word from the previous letter in the OCR): βασανίτης, Οὐδὲν → Οὐδὲν.

Topics: Hope, Wealth and poverty, Rulers and the state

Cite (SBL): Isidore of Pelusium, Ep. 5.271 (PG 78 78:1493; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-271). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-271

BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-isidore-pelusium-epistulae-5-271) · 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.

5.272PG 78 78:1495

ΝΕΙΛΩ. Τολμηρὸν μὲν ὄντως τὸ παρὰ σοῦ γραφὲν, ἀληθὲς δὲ· ὅτι ἡ κρείττων πάσης ἐλπίδος τε καὶ εὐχῆς τῶν πραγμάτων ἐπανόρθωσις ἡ ὑπὸ τοῦ Χριστοῦ γεγενημένη, κινδυνεύει ἀμαυροῦσθαι ὑπὸ τῆς τῶν παρ᾿ αὐτοῦ τιμηθέντων ἀνυπερβλήτου κακίας· ὡς γὰρ εἰς τοῦτο προχειρισθέντες, ἵνα τῷ τιμήσαντι πολεμήσοιεν, οὕτως ἅπαντα δρῶσιν, ἃ ἂν εἰς τὴν ἐκείνου διαβαίνει βλασφημίαν. Τίς οὖν ἐξέλοιτο τούτους ἢ κατηγορίας ἢ δίκης, τοὺς τοῖς ὅπλοις τῆς ἱερωσύνης κατὰ τοῦ ὁπλίσαντος χρησαμένους, καὶ τὰ τῶν ἀπίστων στόματα ἀνοίξαντας, καὶ τὸ ὑπερφυὲς κατόρθωμα μηδὲν παρασκευάσαντας;

NEILŌ. Tolmēron men ontōs to para sou graphen, alēthes de; hoti hē kreittōn pasēs elpidos te kai euchēs tōn pragmatōn epanorthōsis hē hypo tou Christou gegenēmenē, kindyneuei amaurousthai hypo tēs tōn par᾿ autou timēthentōn anyperblētou kakias; hōs gar eis touto procheiristhentes, hina tǭ timēsanti polemēsoien, houtōs hapanta drōsin, ha an eis tēn ekeinou diabainei blasphēmian. Tis oun exeloito toutous ē katēgorias ē dikēs, tous tois hoplois tēs hierōsynēs kata tou hoplisantos chrēsamenous, kai ta tōn apistōn stomata anoixantas, kai to hyperphyes katorthōma mēden paraskeuasantas?

To Nilus. What you wrote is truly bold, but true: that the restoration of things brought about by Christ, beyond all hope and prayer, is in danger of being obscured by the unsurpassed wickedness of those honoured by him. For as if they had been appointed for this, to make war on the one who honoured them, they do everything that leads to blasphemy of him. Who, then, would rescue from accusation or punishment those who have used the weapons of the priesthood against the one who armed them, opened the mouths of unbelievers, and made the extraordinary achievement as nothing?

Rom 2:24 (echo, medium confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Isidore agrees that wicked clergy threaten to obscure Christ's work by giving unbelievers cause to blaspheme.

Cf. Rom 2:24.

Topics: Church office, Christology

Cite (SBL): Isidore of Pelusium, Ep. 5.272 (PG 78 78:1495; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-272). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-272

BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-isidore-pelusium-epistulae-5-272) · 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.

5.273PG 78 78:1495

ΔΩΡΟΘΕΩ ΛΑΜΠΡΟΤΑΤΩ. Οὐδεὶς μὲν ἀξιωθείη τῆς οὐρανίου πανηγύρεως, μὴ γνωρίσμασιν ἀρετῆς ἐμπρέπων· ἐπειδὴ δὲ λόγοις μὲν ταύτην σεμνύνοντές τινες, ὡς ἔφης, ἔργοις δὲ οὐ μόνον πανηγύρεως, ἀλλὰ καὶ τιμωρίας ἄξια δρῶσι, δῆλοί εἰσιν ἄλλα μὲν διὰ γλώσσης φέροντες, ἄλλα δὲ διὰ γνώμης ἔχοντες· οὓς οὐ χρὴ ζηλοῦν, ἀλλὰ κομιδῇ καταθρηνεῖν.

DŌROThEŌ LAMPROTATŌ. Oudeis men axiōtheiē tēs ouraniou panēgyreōs, mē gnōrismasin aretēs emprepōn; epeidē de logois men tautēn semnynontes tines, hōs ephēs, ergois de ou monon panēgyreōs, alla kai timōrias axia drōsi, dēloi eisin alla men dia glōssēs pherontes, alla de dia gnōmēs echontes; hous ou chrē zēloun, alla komidę̄ katathrēnein.

To Dorotheus, a most illustrious man. No one would be counted worthy of the heavenly festival unless adorned with the marks of virtue. But since some, as you said, honour it in words but in deeds do things worthy not of the festival but of punishment, they clearly carry one thing on their tongue and hold another in their mind. One should not emulate them, but rather lament them deeply.

Heb 12:23 (echo, low confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Those who praise heaven in word but act unworthily are to be lamented, not imitated.

The heavenly festival: cf. Heb 12:22-23.

Topics: Heaven and eternal reward, The Christian life

Cite (SBL): Isidore of Pelusium, Ep. 5.273 (PG 78 78:1495; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-273). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-273

BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-isidore-pelusium-epistulae-5-273) · 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.

5.274PG 78 78:1495

ΔΙΟΣΚΟΡΩ ΚΑΙ ΤΙΜΟΘΕΟ. Οὐκ ἔστιν ὅπως αἱ αἰτίαι, ὦ βέλτιστοι, ἃς καθ' ὑμῶν λογοποιοῦσί τινες, καίτοι ἀξιόπιστοι εἶναι δοκοῦντες, κωλύσουσί με παραινέσαι τὰ δέοντα. Δεινὸν γὰρ ἂν εἴη, εἰ τὴν ἡμετέραν πρὸς ὑμᾶς εὔνοιαν αἱ παρ' ἐκείνων διαβολαὶ ἀνέλοιεν. Τί οὖν βούλομαι φράσαι, συντόμως ἀκούσατε· ὅτι δίκαιοι ἂν εἴητε δεῖξαι ἐκείνους μὴ ἀληθεύοντας· εἰ δὲ ἀληθεύουσι, γνωσιμαχήσατε· εἰ δὲ οὐ βούλεσθε, ἴστε τοῦ χοροῦ τῶν φίλων ἐκκριθησόμενοι.

DIOSKORŌ KAI TIMOThEO. Ouk estin hopōs hai aitiai, ō beltistoi, has kath' hymōn logopoiousi tines, kaitoi axiopistoi einai dokountes, kōlysousi me parainesai ta deonta. Deinon gar an eiē, ei tēn hēmeteran pros hymas eunoian hai par' ekeinōn diabolai aneloien. Ti oun boulomai phrasai, syntomōs akousate; hoti dikaioi an eiēte deixai ekeinous mē alētheuontas; ei de alētheuousi, gnōsimachēsate; ei de ou boulesthe, iste tou chorou tōn philōn ekkrithēsomenoi.

To Dioscorus and Timothy. There is no way, my good men, that the charges some fabricate against you, though they seem trustworthy, will prevent me from advising what is needful. For it would be terrible if their slanders destroyed my goodwill toward you. What, then, I want to say, hear briefly: you would do right to show that they are not telling the truth; but if they are, acknowledge it; and if you will not, know that you will be removed from the choir of friends.

Notes and citation

Summary: Isidore asks two men either to disprove the charges against them or admit them, on pain of losing his friendship.

Topics: Lying and truthfulness, Repentance

Cite (SBL): Isidore of Pelusium, Ep. 5.274 (PG 78 78:1495; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-274). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-274

BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-isidore-pelusium-epistulae-5-274) · 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.

5.275PG 78 78:1495

ΠΑΛΛΑΔΙΟ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ. Κομιδῇ γελοῖον, ἑτέρων ἄρχειν ἐπιχειρεῖν τὸν ἑαυτοῦ ἄρξαι μὴ δυνηθέντα. Ὁ γὰρ τὰ οἰκεῖα πάθη λυττῶντα μὴ μόνον μὴ ὑποτάξας, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἄδειαν αὐτοῖς τοῦ πάντα ὅσα βούλονται καὶ δύνανται ποιεῖν δεδωκώς, οὗτος καταγέλαστος ἔσται, τὰ τῶν ἄλλων πειρώμενος διορθοῦν. Ταυτὸν γὰρ ποιεῖ, ὥσπερ ἂν εἴ τις ἰατρὸς ἕλκεσι βρύων τὰ τῶν πέλας θεραπεύειν ἐπιχειροίη.

PALLADIO DIAKONŌ. Komidę̄ geloion, heterōn archein epicheirein ton heautou arxai mē dynēthenta. Ho gar ta oikeia pathē lyttōnta mē monon mē hypotaxas, alla kai adeian autois tou panta hosa boulontai kai dynantai poiein dedōkōs, houtos katagelastos estai, ta tōn allōn peirōmenos diorthoun. Tauton gar poiei, hōsper an ei tis iatros helkesi bryōn ta tōn pelas therapeuein epicheiroiē.

To Palladius the deacon. It is utterly ridiculous for one who could not rule himself to try to rule others. For the one who has not only not subdued his own raging passions, but has even given them licence to do all they wish and can, will be laughable when he tries to correct those of others. He does the same as a physician teeming with sores who tried to heal those of his neighbours.

Luke 4:23 (echo, medium confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: One who cannot govern his own passions is ridiculous trying to govern others.

Cf. Luke 4:23.

Topics: Church office, Self-control in food and drink

Cite (SBL): Isidore of Pelusium, Ep. 5.275 (PG 78 78:1495; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-275). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-275

BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-isidore-pelusium-epistulae-5-275) · 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.

5.276PG 78 78:1497

ΕΡΜΙΝΩ ΚΟΜΗΤΙ. Καὶ οἱ πιπράσκοντες καὶ οἱ ἀγοράζοντες, ὡς γέγραφας, τὴν ἱερωσύνην, μέγιστον καθ' ἑαυτῶν ἐκφέρουσι δείγμα, ἧς ἔχουσι περὶ τοῦ πράγματος δόξης. Οὐ γὰρ ἂν ἐτόλμησαν, οἱ μὲν πωλῆσαι, οἱ δὲ ἀγοράσαι πρᾶγμα θεῖον, καὶ ὃ πολιτείᾳ ἀρίστῃ καὶ τρόποις ὀρθοῖς χρεωστεῖται. Κανὼν γὰρ τοῦ πράγματος ἡ ἐπιτηδειότης τοῦ λαμβάνοντος, εἰ μὴ παίγνιον αὐτὸ εἶναι ἡγήσαιτο. Ποία οὖν ἀποκείσεται τιμωρία τοῖς παίζουσιν ἐν οὐ παικτοῖς, ἡ σὴ ἂν εἰδείη φρόνησις. Πάλαι μὲν οὖν ἐπὶ τῶν Ἑβραίων ἐκ γένους καταγομένης τῆς ἱερωσύνης, ἐμέμφοντο πολλοὶ, δι᾽ ἣν αἰτίαν τῷ γένει, ἀλλ' οὐ τῇ ἀρετῇ ἀπενεμήθη • ἐπειδὴ δὲ καὶ ἐπὶ τὸ βέλτιον μετεκοσμήθη, καὶ εἰς τὴν ἀρετὴν μετεκομίσθη, μειζόνως παροινεῖται, ἢ ὅτε καὶ ἐλάττων ἦν, καὶ τῷ γένει ἀπεκεκλήρωτο. Τότε μὲν γὰρ εἰ καὶ ἦσάν τινες ἀνάξιοι, ἀλλὰ ἦσαν καὶ ἄριστοι· τὸ δὲ χρήμασιν ὠνεῖσθαι παντελῶς ἀπηγόρευτο· νυνὶ δὲ ὅτε καὶ ἐπὶ τὸ κρεῖττον ἐπιδέδωκε, καὶ τῇ ἀρετῇ ἀπενεμήθη, μειζόνως κατεπατήθη. Τίς γὰρ τῶν ἀρίστων ἀξιώσει κολακεῦσαι, ὥστε ταύτης τυχεῖν; ἢ τίς τολμήσει χρήμασιν ὠνήσασθαι χρῆμα ἀγγέλοις πρέπον; Εἰ τοίνυν οὗτοι οὔτε κολακεύειν ἀξιοῦσιν, οὔτε ἀγοράσαι τολμῶσιν· εἰσὶ δ', ὡς ἔφης, οἱ κολακείαις καὶ χρήμασι τὴν ἱερωσύνην προπίνοντες (οἱ μυρίων ἄξιοι δῆλον ὅτι τιμωριῶν), οὗτοι καὶ κολακεῦσαι καὶ ἀγοράσαι οὐκ ἂν παραιτήσοιντο. Λόγος τοίνυν περιφοιτᾷ κατὰ γῆν καὶ θάλατταν, ὅτι οὐδεὶς τῶν εὖ βιούντων λοιπὸν εἰς ἱερωσύνην προχειρισθήσεται, οὐκ ἐπειδὴ τοὺς ἀξίους οὐκ ἔχει τὸ πρᾶγμα, ἀλλ᾽ ἐπειδὴ οὐ μόνον τῷ τῶν πολλῶν κρύπτονται πλήθει, ἀλλὰ καὶ μισοῦνται, καὶ ἐπιβουλεύονται, καὶ ἐξοστρακίζονται, ὡς τῶν πολλῶν ἐλέγχοντες τὸν βίον.

ERMINŌ KOMĒTI. Kai hoi pipraskontes kai hoi agorazontes, hōs gegraphas, tēn hierōsynēn, megiston kath' heautōn ekpherousi deigma, hēs echousi peri tou pragmatos doxēs. Ou gar an etolmēsan, hoi men pōlēsai, hoi de agorasai pragma theion, kai ho politeią aristę̄ kai tropois orthois chreōsteitai. Kanōn gar tou pragmatos hē epitēdeiotēs tou lambanontos, ei mē paignion auto einai hēgēsaito. Poia oun apokeisetai timōria tois paizousin en ou paiktois, hē sē an eideiē phronēsis. Palai men oun epi tōn Hebraiōn ek genous katagomenēs tēs hierōsynēs, ememphonto polloi, di᾽ hēn aitian tǭ genei, all' ou tę̄ aretę̄ apenemēthē • epeidē de kai epi to beltion metekosmēthē, kai eis tēn aretēn metekomisthē, meizonōs paroineitai, ē hote kai elattōn ēn, kai tǭ genei apekeklērōto. Tote men gar ei kai ēsan tines anaxioi, alla ēsan kai aristoi; to de chrēmasin ōneisthai pantelōs apēgoreuto; nyni de hote kai epi to kreitton epidedōke, kai tę̄ aretę̄ apenemēthē, meizonōs katepatēthē. Tis gar tōn aristōn axiōsei kolakeusai, hōste tautēs tychein? ē tis tolmēsei chrēmasin ōnēsasthai chrēma angelois prepon? Ei toinyn houtoi oute kolakeuein axiousin, oute agorasai tolmōsin; eisi d', hōs ephēs, hoi kolakeiais kai chrēmasi tēn hierōsynēn propinontes (hoi myriōn axioi dēlon hoti timōriōn), houtoi kai kolakeusai kai agorasai ouk an paraitēsointo. Logos toinyn periphoitą kata gēn kai thalattan, hoti oudeis tōn eu biountōn loipon eis hierōsynēn procheiristhēsetai, ouk epeidē tous axious ouk echei to pragma, all᾽ epeidē ou monon tǭ tōn pollōn kryptontai plēthei, alla kai misountai, kai epibouleuontai, kai exostrakizontai, hōs tōn pollōn elenchontes ton bion.

To Herminus the count. Both those who sell and those who buy the priesthood, as you have written, bring forward against themselves the greatest proof of the opinion they hold of it. For they would not have dared, the one to sell and the other to buy, a divine thing, owed to the best way of life and upright character. For the rule of the matter is the fitness of the one who receives it, unless he thinks it a game. What punishment, then, is laid up for those who play with what is not to be played with, your prudence would know. Of old, among the Hebrews, when the priesthood descended by birth, many complained that it was allotted to birth and not to virtue; but since it has been changed for the better and transferred to virtue, it is outraged more than when it was lesser and allotted to birth. For then, even if some were unworthy, there were also excellent ones, and buying it with money was entirely forbidden; but now, when it has advanced to the better and been allotted to virtue, it has been trampled on more. For which of the best men will deign to flatter so as to obtain it? Or who will dare to buy with money a thing befitting angels? If, then, these neither deign to flatter nor dare to buy, but there are, as you said, those who squander the priesthood for flatteries and money (who clearly deserve countless punishments), these would not refuse either to flatter or to buy. So a report goes round over land and sea that no one who lives well will henceforth be advanced to the priesthood; not because the office has no worthy candidates, but because they are not only hidden in the multitude, but also hated, plotted against and banished, since they refute the life of the many.

Acts 8:20 (echo, medium confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Isidore condemns the buying and selling of the priesthood: once hereditary, it is now meant for the virtuous, yet it is more abused than ever, and good men are shut out of it.

Simony: cf. Acts 8:18-20.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR slip): νυνὶ δι᾽ ὅτε → νυνὶ δὲ ὅτε.

Topics: Church office, Ordination, Wealth and poverty

Cite (SBL): Isidore of Pelusium, Ep. 5.276 (PG 78 78:1497; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-276). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-276

BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-isidore-pelusium-epistulae-5-276) · 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.

5.277PG 78 78:1497

ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ. Ἴσθι, ὦ θαυμάσιε, ὡς δόξαν μεγαλοψυχίας ἐκτήσω ἐχθροῦ φεισάμενος· καὶ τοῦτ᾽ αὐτὸ μὲν τοὺς σοὺς ἀκριβῶς ἐπιστάμενος τρόπους προὔλεγον, ὡς μετὰ τὸ χειρώσασθαι δείξει μεγαλοφροσύνην, καὶ ἐλέγξει τοὺς μικροψύχους· ἦσαν δὲ οἱ ἀπιστοῦντες, οἵτινες ἐκ τῶν καθ' ἑαυτοὺς καὶ περὶ τῶν ἄλλων ψηφίζονται· ὅμως τὸ τέλος ἔδειξεν, ὡς οὐ διήμαρτον. Ὃν γὰρ ἐλεῖν ἐσπούδασας, ἑλὼν ἀφῆκας, ἵνα μὴ ἀσθενὴς νομισθείης, ἀλλὰ δυνατὸς καὶ φιλάνθρωπος.

TŌ AUTŌ. Isthi, ō thaumasie, hōs doxan megalopsychias ektēsō echthrou pheisamenos; kai tout᾽ auto men tous sous akribōs epistamenos tropous proulegon, hōs meta to cheirōsasthai deixei megalophrosynēn, kai elenxei tous mikropsychous; ēsan de hoi apistountes, hoitines ek tōn kath' heautous kai peri tōn allōn psēphizontai; homōs to telos edeixen, hōs ou diēmarton. Hon gar elein espoudasas, helōn aphēkas, hina mē asthenēs nomistheiēs, alla dynatos kai philanthrōpos.

To the same. Know, admirable man, that you have acquired a reputation for magnanimity by sparing an enemy. I foretold this very thing, knowing your character exactly: that after overpowering him you would show magnanimity and refute the small-minded. There were some who disbelieved, who judge others from themselves; but the end showed that I was not mistaken. For the one you were eager to capture, having captured, you released, so that you might be thought not weak but powerful and humane.

Notes and citation

Summary: Isidore praises a count for sparing a defeated enemy, as he had predicted.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (stray mark from the OCR): δόξαν · μεγαλοψυχίας → δόξαν μεγαλοψυχίας.

Topics: Love of enemies and forgiveness of wrongs, Rulers and the state

Cite (SBL): Isidore of Pelusium, Ep. 5.277 (PG 78 78:1497; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-277). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-277

BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-isidore-pelusium-epistulae-5-277) · 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.

5.278PG 78 78:1497

ΠΕΤΡΩ. Σὺ μὲν θαυμάζεις, δι' ἣν αἰτίαν ἐπὶ μὲν τῶν προγόνων εἰλικρινὴς τιμὴ παρὰ πάντων τοῖς ἐστεμμένοις τὴν ἱερωσύνην ἀπενέμετο, νῦν δὲ οἱ μὲν φρονήματος ἐμπλησθέντες φανερῶς αὐτοὺς κωμῳδοῦσιν· οἱ δὲ κατὰ πρόσωπον αἰδοῦνται, λάθρα δὲ κακίζουσι. Καὶ οἱ μὲν φεύγουσιν, οἱ δὲ καίτοι κολακεύοντες αὐτοὺς, διὰ τὸ καὶ ἐπιβουλεύειν δύνασθαι, διασύρουσιν. Ἐγὼ δὲ οὐ τοῦτο θαυμάζω. Οὐ γὰρ τὰ αὐτὰ ἐκείνοις πράττοντες τῶν αὐτῶν οὐ τυγχάνουσιν, ἀλλὰ τἀναντία ἐκείνοις ἐπιτηδεύοντες, τῶν ἐναντίων πειρῶνται. Τοὐναντίον γὰρ ἂν ἦν θαυμαστὸν, εἰ μηδὲν ποιοῦντες τῶν προγόνων ἴσον, καὶ [τῆς] αὐτῆς τιμῆς ἐκείνοις ἐτύγχανον. Ἐπὶ μὲν γὰρ ἐκείνων καὶ βασιλεῖς πταίοντες ἐσωφρονίζοντο, ἐπὶ δὲ τούτων οὐδὲ ἰδιῶται πλούσιοι · κἂν σωφρονίσαι δὲ τινα πένητα ἐπιχειρήσωσιν, ὀνειδίζονται, ὡς ἐπὶ τοῖς αὐτοῖς ἁλόντες πολλάκις, ἐφ᾽ οἷς ἐκείνους σωφρονίσαι τετολμήκασι. Διόπερ πρώην μὲν ἦν ὁ ἱερεὺς τῷ λαῷ φοβερὸς, νῦν δὲ ὁ λαὸς τῷ ἱερεῖ.

PETRŌ. Sy men thaumazeis, di' hēn aitian epi men tōn progonōn eilikrinēs timē para pantōn tois estemmenois tēn hierōsynēn apenemeto, nyn de hoi men phronēmatos emplēsthentes phanerōs autous kōmǭdousin; hoi de kata prosōpon aidountai, lathra de kakizousi. Kai hoi men pheugousin, hoi de kaitoi kolakeuontes autous, dia to kai epibouleuein dynasthai, diasyrousin. Egō de ou touto thaumazō. Ou gar ta auta ekeinois prattontes tōn autōn ou tynchanousin, alla tanantia ekeinois epitēdeuontes, tōn enantiōn peirōntai. Tounantion gar an ēn thaumaston, ei mēden poiountes tōn progonōn ison, kai [tēs] autēs timēs ekeinois etynchanon. Epi men gar ekeinōn kai basileis ptaiontes esōphronizonto, epi de toutōn oude idiōtai plousioi ; kan sōphronisai de tina penēta epicheirēsōsin, oneidizontai, hōs epi tois autois halontes pollakis, eph᾽ hois ekeinous sōphronisai tetolmēkasi. Dioper prōēn men ēn ho hiereus tǭ laǭ phoberos, nyn de ho laos tǭ hierei.

To Peter. You wonder why, in the time of our forefathers, sincere honour was paid by all to those crowned with the priesthood, but now some, full of pride, ridicule them openly, others respect them to their face but disparage them in secret; some avoid them, others, though they flatter them because they can plot against them, mock them. I do not wonder at this. For it is not that, doing the same as those men, they do not obtain the same; but practising the opposite, they experience the opposite. On the contrary, it would be astonishing if, doing nothing equal to our forefathers, they obtained the same honour. For in their time even kings who erred were brought to their senses; but in the time of these, not even rich private persons; and if they try to correct some poor man, they are reproached as having often been caught in the very things for which they dared to correct him. That is why formerly the priest was fearsome to the people, but now the people to the priest.

Notes and citation

Summary: Priests are no longer honoured because they no longer live like their predecessors; once priests corrected kings, now they fear the people.

The word in square brackets in the edition (τῆς) is left untranslated.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR slip): ἐπτεμμένοις → ἐστεμμένοις.

Topics: Church office, Church discipline and penance

Cite (SBL): Isidore of Pelusium, Ep. 5.278 (PG 78 78:1497; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-278). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-278

BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-isidore-pelusium-epistulae-5-278) · 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.

5.279PG 78 78:1499

ΗΡΑΚΛΕΙΔΗ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ. Μέγα μὲν ὄντως τὸ πταῖσμα, ἀλλ' οὐ συγγνώμης μεῖζον· διὸ χρὴ κολάσαι μὲν τὴν ἑτοιμίαν, συγγνώμην δὲ νεῖμαι. Τάχα πως ἐπὶ θεραπείαν ὁδεύσει τὸ πάθος· ἐπεὶ καὶ οἱ τῶν ἰατρῶν ἄριστοι, ὅταν τις πολλὰ περικέηται τραύματα, οὐ τοσαύτην ἐπάγουσι θεραπείαν, ὅσην ἀπαιτεῖ τῆς τέχνης ἡ ἀκρίβεια, ἀλλ᾽ ὅσην φέρει τοῦ κάμνοντος ἡ δύναμις, ἵνα μὴ τὰ τραύματα θεραπεύσαντες, τὸν κάμνοντα διαφθείρωσιν.

ĒRAKLEIDĒ EPISKOPŌ. Mega men ontōs to ptaisma, all' ou syngnōmēs meizon; dio chrē kolasai men tēn hetoimian, syngnōmēn de neimai. Tacha pōs epi therapeian hodeusei to pathos; epei kai hoi tōn iatrōn aristoi, hotan tis polla perikeētai traumata, ou tosautēn epagousi therapeian, hosēn apaitei tēs technēs hē akribeia, all᾽ hosēn pherei tou kamnontos hē dynamis, hina mē ta traumata therapeusantes, ton kamnonta diaphtheirōsin.

To Heraclides the bishop. The fault is truly great, but not greater than pardon. So one must punish the readiness to sin, but grant pardon. Perhaps the passion will proceed to healing. For the best physicians too, when someone has many wounds, do not apply as much treatment as the exactness of the art demands, but as much as the patient's strength can bear, so that they may not, by healing the wounds, destroy the patient.

Notes and citation

Summary: Isidore advises a bishop to temper discipline with pardon, as a physician suits treatment to the patient's strength.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (repeated syllable from the OCR): θε θεραπείαν → θεραπείαν.

Topics: Church discipline and penance, Forgiveness of sins, Church office

Cite (SBL): Isidore of Pelusium, Ep. 5.279 (PG 78 78:1499; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-279). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-279

BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-isidore-pelusium-epistulae-5-279) · 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.

5.280PG 78 78:1499

ΠΕΤΡΩ. Εἰ καὶ πᾶσι δῆλόν ἐστιν, ὅτι ἄνοιαν ὀφλισκάνων καὶ ὑπὸ τῆς ἔχθρας μεθύων ὁ σὸς διάδικος, ὅμως ἐκλαλεῖ ταῦτα, ἃ δυνηθεὶς πράξει. ᾿Αλλά σε τοῦτο μὴ ταραττέτω, μηδὲ εἰς τὸ ἀδιάλλακτον χειραγωγείτω, ἀλλὰ καὶ εἰς τὸ εὖ ποιεῖν αὐτὸν προτρεπέσθω. Εἰ γὰρ θηρίον εἴη, καὶ παντὸς λίθου ἀναισθητότερος, ἀλλ᾽ ὅμως αἰδεσθεὶς τὴν εὐεργεσίαν, κατάθοιτο τὴν ἔχθραν.

PETRŌ. Ei kai pasi dēlon estin, hoti anoian ophliskanōn kai hypo tēs echthras methyōn ho sos diadikos, homōs eklalei tauta, ha dynētheis praxei. ᾿Alla se touto mē tarattetō, mēde eis to adiallakton cheiragōgeitō, alla kai eis to eu poiein auton protrepesthō. Ei gar thērion eiē, kai pantos lithou anaisthētoteros, all᾽ homōs aidestheis tēn euergesian, katathoito tēn echthran.

To Peter. Even if it is plain to all that your opponent at law, incurring the charge of folly and drunk with enmity, still blurts out what he will do if he can, do not let this trouble you or lead you to irreconcilability, but let it urge you even to do him good. For even if he is a beast and more insensible than any stone, still, respecting the kindness, he would lay aside his enmity.

Rom 12:20 (echo, medium confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Isidore urges a man to answer an enemy's threats with kindness, which may disarm him.

Cf. Rom 12:20-21.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (Cyrillic look-alike letters in the OCR of the heading): ПЕТРО. → ΠΕΤΡΩ..

Topics: Love of enemies and forgiveness of wrongs

Cite (SBL): Isidore of Pelusium, Ep. 5.280 (PG 78 78:1499; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-280). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-280

BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-isidore-pelusium-epistulae-5-280) · 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.

5.281PG 78 78:1499

ΠΕΤΡΩ Τῆς θείας σοφίας ἡ μὲν λέξις πεζή, ἡ ἔννοια δὲ οὐρανομήκης · τῆς δὲ ἔξωθεν λαμπρὰ μὲν ἡ φράσις, χαμαιπετὴς δὲ ἡ πρᾶξις. Εἰ δὲ τις δυνηθείη τῆς μὲν ἔχειν τὴν ἔννοιαν, τῆς δὲ τὴν φράσιν, σοφώτατος ἂν δικαίως κριθείη· δύναται γὰρ ὅργανον εἶναι τῆς ὑπερκοσμίου σοφίας ἡ εὐγλωττία, εἰ καθάπερ σῶμα ψυχῇ ὑποκέοιτο, ἢ ὥσπερ λύρα λυρῳδῷ, μηδὲν μὲν οἴκοθεν καινοτομοῦσα νεώτερον, ἑρμηνεύουσα δὲ τὰ οὐρανομήκη ἐκείνης νοήματα· εἰ δ' ἀντιστρέφοι τὴν τάξιν, καὶ δουλεύειν ὀφείλουσα, ἡγεῖσθαι, μᾶλλον δὲ τυραννεῖν οἷα τε εἶναι νομίζοι, ἐξοστρακισθῆναι ἂν εἴη δικαία.

PETRŌ Tēs theias sophias hē men lexis pezē, hē ennoia de ouranomēkēs ; tēs de exōthen lampra men hē phrasis, chamaipetēs de hē praxis. Ei de tis dynētheiē tēs men echein tēn ennoian, tēs de tēn phrasin, sophōtatos an dikaiōs kritheiē; dynatai gar horganon einai tēs hyperkosmiou sophias hē euglōttia, ei kathaper sōma psychę̄ hypokeoito, ē hōsper lyra lyrǭdǭ, mēden men oikothen kainotomousa neōteron, hermēneuousa de ta ouranomēkē ekeinēs noēmata; ei d' antistrephoi tēn taxin, kai douleuein opheilousa, hēgeisthai, mallon de tyrannein hoia te einai nomizoi, exostrakisthēnai an eiē dikaia.

To Peter. The diction of divine wisdom is prosaic, but its meaning reaches to heaven; the phrasing of outside wisdom is brilliant, but its practice grovels on the ground. If someone could have the meaning of the one and the phrasing of the other, he would rightly be judged most wise. For eloquence can be an instrument of the wisdom above the world, if it is subordinate to it as body to soul, or as the lyre to the lyre-player, innovating nothing of its own but interpreting its heaven-high thoughts. But if it reverses the order and, though it ought to serve, thinks it can lead, or rather tyrannize, it would deserve to be banished.

Notes and citation

Summary: Scripture's plain words carry heavenly meaning, pagan eloquence the reverse; eloquence is good only as a servant of divine wisdom.

Topics: Scripture and canon, Classical learning and education, Philosophy

Cite (SBL): Isidore of Pelusium, Ep. 5.281 (PG 78 78:1499; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-281). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-281

BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-isidore-pelusium-epistulae-5-281) · 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.

5.282PG 78 78:1501

ΒΟΗΘΩ ΜΟΝΑΧΩ. Μὴ θορυβείτω σε τὸ πολλοὺς τῶν φιλαρέτων μυρία ἐνταῦθα πάσχειν δεινά, ἀλλ᾽ εἰς ἔννοιαν ἀγέτω, ὅτι καὶ οἱ τῶν ἐπὶ γῆς βασιλέων φίλοι, οὗτοι μάλιστα παρακινδυνεύουσιν ἐν πολέμοις, καὶ τραύματα ἔχουσι, δι' ὧν τὰ τρόπαια ἔστησαν, ἀποδημίας τε μακρὰς στέλλονται. Εἰ δὲ οὐ καταδέχῃ, ἐννόει ὅτι εἰσί τινες καὶ τῶν δικαίων κἀνταῦθα εὐημεροῦντες. Ὥστε εἰ σκανδαλίζουσί σε, ἅτε ἀσθενέστερον ὄντα, οἱ ἐν πειρασμοῖς, οἰκοδομείτωσάν σε οἱ ἐν ἀνέσει. Καὶ εἰ σκανδαλίζουσί σε οἱ ἐν ἀνέσει τῶν πονηρῶν, ὀρθούτωσάν σε οἱ ἐν κολάσει καὶ τιμωρίαις.

BOĒThŌ MONAChŌ. Mē thorybeitō se to pollous tōn philaretōn myria entautha paschein deina, all᾽ eis ennoian agetō, hoti kai hoi tōn epi gēs basileōn philoi, houtoi malista parakindyneuousin en polemois, kai traumata echousi, di' hōn ta tropaia estēsan, apodēmias te makras stellontai. Ei de ou katadechę̄, ennoei hoti eisi tines kai tōn dikaiōn kantautha euēmerountes. Hōste ei skandalizousi se, hate asthenesteron onta, hoi en peirasmois, oikodomeitōsan se hoi en anesei. Kai ei skandalizousi se hoi en anesei tōn ponērōn, orthoutōsan se hoi en kolasei kai timōriais.

To Boethus the monk. Do not let it trouble you that many lovers of virtue suffer countless terrible things here; let it bring to mind that the friends of earthly kings too are the ones who run the greatest risks in wars, bear the wounds by which they set up trophies, and are sent on long journeys. And if you do not accept this, consider that there are also some of the righteous who prosper here. So, if those in temptations scandalize you, being weaker, let those at ease edify you. And if the wicked who are at ease scandalize you, let those of them who are in punishment and penalties set you upright.

Notes and citation

Summary: The sufferings of the righteous should not disturb us, since the king's friends bear the hardest battles, and both the righteous and the wicked are found in prosperity and in punishment.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR slip (breathing)): ἄτε ἀσθενέστερον → ἅτε ἀσθενέστερον.

Topics: Suffering and affliction, Providence, Monastic life

Cite (SBL): Isidore of Pelusium, Ep. 5.282 (PG 78 78:1501; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-282). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-282

BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-isidore-pelusium-epistulae-5-282) · 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.

5.283PG 78 78:1501

ΘΕΟΔΟΣΙΩ ΣΧΟΛΑΣΤΙΚΩ. Λίαν θαυμάζω τῶν καὶ τὰ πράγματα καὶ τὰ ὀνόματα συγχεόντων. Εἰς τοσοῦτον γὰρ σοφίας ἥκουσιν, ὡς τὴν μὲν παῤῥησίαν ἀναισχυντίαν καλεῖν, τὴν δὲ ἀναισχυντίαν παῤῥησίαν, κατ' ἄμφω ἁμαρτάνοντες. Τοῦτο γὰρ δρῶσιν, ἢ ἵνα τὴν παῤῥησίαν ἐπιστομίσωσιν, ἢ ἵνα τὴν ἀναισχυντίαν εἰς μείζονα κακίαν παιδοτριβήσωσιν, οὐκ εἰδότες, ἢ εἰδότες μὲν, παραλογιζόμενοι δὲ ἑαυτοὺς, ὅτι ἀναισχυντία μέν ἐστιν ἡ ἐπὶ τοῖς αἰσχίστοις πάθεσιν ἀναιδής φλυαρία, παρῥησία δὲ ἡ ἐπὶ τοῖς καλλίστοις εὔτολμος ἀπολογία. Χρὴ οὖν μὴ ταῖς τῶν διεφθαρμένων γνώμαις ἕπεσθαι, ἀλλὰ τῇ τῶν πραγμάτων ἀληθείᾳ. Οὐδὲ γὰρ κατὰ ἀνθρώπων μόνον ὁπλίζουσιν οἱ τοιοῦτοι τὰς γλώττας, ἀλλὰ καὶ κατὰ τῆς θείας δυνάμεως. Τὴν γὰρ μακροθυμίαν αὐτῆς ἀμέλειαν προσαγορεύοντες οὐκ ἐρυθριῶσιν. Οὐδὲν οὖν θαυμαστὸν, εἰ ὀνόματα ἀμείβουσιν οἱ πάντολμοι, ὁπότε καὶ εἰς οὐρανὸν τὰ βέλη πέμπουσι.

ThEODOSIŌ SChOLASTIKŌ. Lian thaumazō tōn kai ta pragmata kai ta onomata syncheontōn. Eis tosouton gar sophias hēkousin, hōs tēn men parrhēsian anaischyntian kalein, tēn de anaischyntian parrhēsian, kat' amphō hamartanontes. Touto gar drōsin, ē hina tēn parrhēsian epistomisōsin, ē hina tēn anaischyntian eis meizona kakian paidotribēsōsin, ouk eidotes, ē eidotes men, paralogizomenoi de heautous, hoti anaischyntia men estin hē epi tois aischistois pathesin anaidēs phlyaria, parrhēsia de hē epi tois kallistois eutolmos apologia. Chrē oun mē tais tōn diephtharmenōn gnōmais hepesthai, alla tę̄ tōn pragmatōn alētheią. Oude gar kata anthrōpōn monon hoplizousin hoi toioutoi tas glōttas, alla kai kata tēs theias dynameōs. Tēn gar makrothymian autēs ameleian prosagoreuontes ouk erythriōsin. Ouden oun thaumaston, ei onomata ameibousin hoi pantolmoi, hopote kai eis ouranon ta belē pempousi.

To Theodosius the scholasticus. I greatly wonder at those who confuse both things and names. For they have come to such wisdom as to call frankness shamelessness and shamelessness frankness, sinning in both respects. They do this either to silence frankness or to train shamelessness in greater wickedness, not knowing, or knowing but deceiving themselves, that shamelessness is impudent babbling about the most shameful passions, while frankness is a bold defence of the finest things. So one must follow not the opinions of the corrupt but the truth of things. For such people arm their tongues not only against men but even against the divine power; for they are not ashamed to call its patience negligence. It is no wonder, then, that the all-daring change names, when they even shoot their arrows at heaven.

Isa 5:20 (echo, medium confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Some call frankness shamelessness and shamelessness frankness, just as they call God's patience negligence.

Cf. Isa 5:20.

Topics: Lying and truthfulness, Providence

Cite (SBL): Isidore of Pelusium, Ep. 5.283 (PG 78 78:1501; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-283). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-283

BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-isidore-pelusium-epistulae-5-283) · 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.

5.284PG 78 78:1501

ΠΡΙΜΟ Ὁ στέφανον ἐπαγγελλόμενος τὴν ἀρετὴν ἀσκοῦντι, δύο χαρίζεται δωρεάς · μίαν μὲν τὴν πρᾶξιν, ἑτέραν δὲ τὴν ἀμοιβήν. Ἐμοὶ γὰρ καὶ ὁ ἄθλος αὐτὸς, εἰ καὶ ἐπίπονὸς ἐστι, τοῦ ἐπάθλου οὐχ ἧττον δωρεά εἶναι δοκεῖ, εἴγε ἡ μὲν ἀρετὴ ὑπόθεσις ἐστι τοῦ στεφάνου, ὁ δὲ στέφανος οὐ δίδοται ἄνευ ἀρετῆς.

PRIMO Ho stephanon epangellomenos tēn aretēn askounti, dyo charizetai dōreas ; mian men tēn praxin, heteran de tēn amoibēn. Emoi gar kai ho athlos autos, ei kai epiponos esti, tou epathlou ouch hētton dōrea einai dokei, eige hē men aretē hypothesis esti tou stephanou, ho de stephanos ou didotai aneu aretēs.

To Primus. The one who promises a crown to the one who practises virtue grants two gifts: one the action, the other the reward. For to me the contest itself, even if laborious, seems no less a gift than the prize, since virtue is the ground of the crown and the crown is not given without virtue.

Notes and citation

Summary: God gives two gifts, the virtuous act and its reward; the contest is itself a gift.

Topics: Grace, Good works and merit

Cite (SBL): Isidore of Pelusium, Ep. 5.284 (PG 78 78:1501; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-284). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-284

BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-isidore-pelusium-epistulae-5-284) · 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.

5.285PG 78 78:1501

ΩΡΙΩΝΙ ΜΟΝΑΖΟΝΤΙ. Πολὺ ἀσφαλέστερόν ἐστι τὸ μὴ πολεμεῖσθαι τοῦ συμμαχεῖσθαι· τὸ μὲν γὰρ ἡσυχίαν ἀπράγμονα ἔχει, τὸ δὲ ἀναγκάζει συμπολεμεῖν τοῖς βοηθήσασι, καὶ εἰ ἀδίκως πολεμοῖεν. Πολλάκις γὰρ ἀδικούμενοί τινες συμμαχίαν ἐπεκαλέσαντο· ἧς καὶ τυχόντες, τοῖς συμμαχήσασι δικαίως πολεμουμένοις, οὐ δικαίως ἀμύνουσι, χάριν ἄδικον ἀντὶ δικαίας ἐκτιννύντες,

ŌRIŌNI MONAZONTI. Poly asphalesteron esti to mē polemeisthai tou symmacheisthai; to men gar hēsychian apragmona echei, to de anankazei sympolemein tois boēthēsasi, kai ei adikōs polemoien. Pollakis gar adikoumenoi tines symmachian epekalesanto; hēs kai tychontes, tois symmachēsasi dikaiōs polemoumenois, ou dikaiōs amynousi, charin adikon anti dikaias ektinnyntes,

To Orion the monk. It is much safer not to be warred against than to have allies. For the one brings untroubled quiet; the other compels one to fight together with one's helpers, even if they fight unjustly. For often some who were wronged called for an alliance, and having obtained it, they defend their allies when these are justly attacked, though not justly, repaying an unjust favour for a just one, …

Notes and citation

Summary: It is safer to avoid conflict than to seek allies, who may later draw one into unjust quarrels.

The letter breaks off in the scan text.

Topics: Ethics, Monastic life

Cite (SBL): Isidore of Pelusium, Ep. 5.285 (PG 78 78:1501; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-285). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-285

BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-isidore-pelusium-epistulae-5-285) · 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.

5.286PG 78 78:1503

ΖΗΝΩΝΑ. νουθετεῖν καὶ θέλγειν Νουθετεῖν, ὦ σοφώτατε, χρὴ τοὺς νέους, οὐ θέλγειν. Τὸ μὲν γὰρ εἴρηται παρὰ τὴν τοῦ νοῦ θέσιν, τὸ δὲ παρὰ τὸ εἰς ὃ θέλει ἄγειν, ἢ παρὰ τὸ θέλοντα ἄγεσθαι. Τοῦ οὖν θελήματος ἀπακτέον, καὶ εἰς τὸ πρέπον ἀκτέον, καὶ διδακτέον τῆς μὲν ἀρετῆς ἀντέχεσθαι, τῆς δὲ κακίας ἀπέχεσθαι. Ἡ μὲν γὰρ στεφάνους, ἡ δὲ κολάσεις ὠδίνει.

ZĒNŌNA. nouthetein kai thelgein Nouthetein, ō sophōtate, chrē tous neous, ou thelgein. To men gar eirētai para tēn tou nou thesin, to de para to eis ho thelei agein, ē para to thelonta agesthai. Tou oun thelēmatos apakteon, kai eis to prepon akteon, kai didakteon tēs men aretēs antechesthai, tēs de kakias apechesthai. Hē men gar stephanous, hē de kolaseis ōdinei.

To Zeno. To admonish and to charm. One must admonish (nouthetein) the young, most wise man, not charm (thelgein) them. For the first is said from setting the mind (nou thesis), the second from leading where one wishes (thelei agein), or from being led as one wishes. So one must lead them away from their own will, lead them to what is fitting, and teach them to hold fast to virtue and keep away from vice. For the one gives birth to crowns, the other to punishments.

Notes and citation

Summary: The young must be admonished, which sets the mind right, not charmed, which leads them by their wishes.

The etymologies are word-plays. A repeated word of the title is removed from the scan text.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (repeated word from the OCR; word split by OCR): Νουθετεῖν, Νουθετεῖν, → Νουθετεῖν,; θέλ γειν → θέλγειν.

Topics: Classical learning and education, Parents and children

Cite (SBL): Isidore of Pelusium, Ep. 5.286 (PG 78 78:1503; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-286). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-286

BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-isidore-pelusium-epistulae-5-286) · 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.

5.287PG 78 78:1503

ΝΕΙΛΩ. Εἰ ἐπ᾿ ἀνδρὸς καὶ γυναικὸς δυοῖν ὄντοιν λέλεκται· «Α ὁ Θεὸς συνέζευξεν, ἄνθρωπος μὴ χωριζέτω· › ὁ τὴν ψυχὴν βιαίως χωρίζων ἀπὸ τοῦ σώματος, καὶ ἢ ἀγχόνῃ ἑαυτὸν παραδιδοὺς, ἢ σφαγῇ, πῶς συγγνωσθήσεται; Τοὺς τοιούτους γοῦν καὶ ἐπαράτους καὶ ἀτίμους, καὶ μετὰ θάνατον οἱ παλαιοὶ ἡγοῦντο· καὶ τὴν χεῖρα ἀποκόψαντες τοῦ ἑαυτὸν χειρωσαμένου, ἔξω που τοῦ ἄλλου σώματος καὶ μακρὰν ἔθαπτον · οὐχ ὅσιον εἶναι νομίζοντες, τὴν διακονησαμένην τῷ φόνῳ, τῷ λοιπῷ σώματι συνοσιοῦν. Εἰ δὲ ἡ χεὶρ παρὰ ἀνθρώποις δίκην καὶ μετὰ θάνατον ἀπῃτήθη, ἡ ψυχὴ ἡ καὶ τὴν χεῖρα παρορμήσασα ποίας τεύξεται συγγνώμης;

NEILŌ. Ei ep᾿ andros kai gynaikos dyoin ontoin lelektai; «A ho Theos synezeuxen, anthrōpos mē chōrizetō; › ho tēn psychēn biaiōs chōrizōn apo tou sōmatos, kai ē anchonę̄ heauton paradidous, ē sphagę̄, pōs syngnōsthēsetai? Tous toioutous goun kai eparatous kai atimous, kai meta thanaton hoi palaioi hēgounto; kai tēn cheira apokopsantes tou heauton cheirōsamenou, exō pou tou allou sōmatos kai makran ethapton ; ouch hosion einai nomizontes, tēn diakonēsamenēn tǭ phonǭ, tǭ loipǭ sōmati synosioun. Ei de hē cheir para anthrōpois dikēn kai meta thanaton apę̄tēthē, hē psychē hē kai tēn cheira parormēsasa poias teuxetai syngnōmēs?

To Nilus. If of husband and wife, who are two, it was said, "What God has joined together, let man not separate," how will the one who violently separates the soul from the body, and gives himself up to the noose or the sword, be pardoned? The ancients considered such people accursed and dishonoured even after death; and cutting off the hand of the one who had laid hands on himself, they buried it somewhere apart and far from the rest of the body, thinking it unholy to give the same rites to the hand that had served the murder as to the rest of the body. If the hand was made to pay the penalty among men even after death, what pardon will the soul obtain that urged on the hand?

Matt 19:6 (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Isidore argues against suicide: if what God joined in marriage may not be separated, still less may soul and body; even the ancients buried a suicide's hand apart.

Matt 19:6. The custom of burying a suicide's hand apart is attested at Athens (Aeschines, Ctes. 244).
The passage on suicide is translated as written.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR slip (accent)): ἡ ἀγχόνῃ → ἢ ἀγχόνῃ.

Topics: Killing and murder, The soul, Marriage, Death and burial

Cite (SBL): Isidore of Pelusium, Ep. 5.287 (PG 78 78:1503; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-287). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-287

BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-isidore-pelusium-epistulae-5-287) · 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.

5.288PG 78 78:1503

ΙΣΙΔΩΡΩ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ. Οἱ ἀμοιβῆς ἕνεκεν τὸ δέον πράττοντες, καταδεέστεροι μέν εἰσι τῶν πόθῳ τῷ πρὸς τὸ καλὸν εὐδοκιμούντων, ἀμείνους δὲ τῶν φόβῳ καὶ οὐ πόθῳ τοῦτο ποιούντων, πλέον ἢ ὅσον αὐτοὶ ἡττῶνται τῶν πόθῳ τὴν ἀρετὴν ἀσκούντων.

ISIDŌRŌ EPISKOPŌ. Hoi amoibēs heneken to deon prattontes, katadeesteroi men eisi tōn pothǭ tǭ pros to kalon eudokimountōn, ameinous de tōn phobǭ kai ou pothǭ touto poiountōn, pleon ē hoson autoi hēttōntai tōn pothǭ tēn aretēn askountōn.

To Isidore the bishop. Those who do what is right for the sake of a reward are inferior to those who are esteemed for their longing for the good, but better than those who do it from fear and not from longing, by more than they fall short of those who practise virtue out of longing.

Notes and citation

Summary: Those who do good for reward rank below those who love the good but above those who act from fear.

Topics: Good works and merit, Love of God and neighbour

Cite (SBL): Isidore of Pelusium, Ep. 5.288 (PG 78 78:1503; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-288). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-288

BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-isidore-pelusium-epistulae-5-288) · 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.

5.289PG 78 78:1503

ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ. Εἰ καί τινες δεινοί εἰσι παραλογιζόμενοι μὲν λαθεῖν, ἀλόντες δὲ παρακρούσασθαι· ἀλλ᾽ ὁ σοφὸς κρείττων τούτων ὧν φωράσει μὲν τὴν ἀπάτην, διελέγξει δὲ τὴν δεινότητα.

TŌ AUTŌ. Ei kai tines deinoi eisi paralogizomenoi men lathein, alontes de parakrousasthai; all᾽ ho sophos kreittōn toutōn hōn phōrasei men tēn apatēn, dielenxei de tēn deinotēta.

To the same. Even if some are clever at escaping notice when they deceive and, when caught, at evading, the wise man is stronger than these, since he will detect the deception and refute the cleverness.

Notes and citation

Summary: The wise man sees through deceivers' cleverness.

Topics: Lying and truthfulness

Cite (SBL): Isidore of Pelusium, Ep. 5.289 (PG 78 78:1503; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-289). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-289

BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-isidore-pelusium-epistulae-5-289) · 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.

5.290PG 78 78:1503

ΗΡΑΚΛΕΙΔΗ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ. Οἶμαι, ὅτι οὐ τύπτειν, οὐ λοιδορεῖν, ἢ ὁμόσε χωρεῖν, ἀλλ᾽ ἐλέγχειν μόνον μετὰ παῤῥησίας, μήτε αἰδούμενον, μήτε φοβούμενον χρὴ τὸν παραινέτην· εἰ δ' ἀμφιβάλλεις, τοὺς θείους σοι ἀναγνώσομαι χρησμούς· τἱ γὰρ ἔφη ὁ Θεὸς τῷ Ἰεζεκιήλ; « Καὶ σὺ ἐὰν διαστείλῃ τῷ ἀνόμῳ, καὶ μὴ ἀποστρέψῃ ἀπὸ τῆς ἀνομίας αὐτοῦ ὁ ἄνομος, ἐν τῇ ἀνομίᾳ αὐτοῦ ἀποθανεῖται· σὺ δὲ τὴν ψυχήν σου ῥύσῃ.» Σιωπῶν μὲν γὰρ, καὶ μὴ παῤῥησιαζόμενος, κοινωνεῖς ἐκείνῳ, φησὶ, τῆς τιμωρίας. Προείρηκα γὰρ,· Ἐὰν μὴ διαστείλῃ, τὸ αἷμα αὐτοῦ ἐκ τῆς χειρός σου ἐκζητήσω. » Τὰ περὶ σαυτοῦ δὲ εἰσφέρων ἀπαλλάττῃ τῆς καταδίκης. Τῷ μὲν γὰρ καὶ ἀργαλεωτέρα γενήσεται ἡ κόλασις, μηδὲ τὴν σὴν παραδεξαμένῳ παραίνεσιν. Σὺ δὲ τὸ κελευσθὲν διαπραξάμενος, ἀνεύθυνος ἔσῃ. Οὐδὲν γὰρ τοῦ διδασκάλου ἐστὶν, ἢ ἄληπτον παρέχοντα τὸν βίον παιδεύειν, μηδαμῶς αἰδούμενον τῶν ἁμαρτανόντων τὴν ἀξιοπιστίαν. Τὸ δὲ πράττειν ἢ μὴ, τῆς τῶν μαθητευομένων ἤρτηται γνώμης, παντί τε καὶ πανταχοῦ τοῦ αὐτεξουσίου φυλαττομένου. Εἰ δὲ φαίης· Πῶς οὖν ὁ Παῦλος τὸν πεπορνευκότα ἀπεῖρξε; μείζον ἢ ἐγὼ βούλομαι λέγεις · οὐ γὰρ ἐτύπτησεν ἢ ὕβρισεν, ἀλλ᾽ ἐχώρισε τῆς ἀγέλης, ἵνα μὴ καὶ εἰς τὰ λοιπὰ πρόβατα τὸ λοιμῶδες διαδοθῇ νόσημα. Εἰ δὲ πάλιν φαίης· Πῶς οὖν ὁ Ἡλεὶ νουθετήσας, καὶ μὴ ἀνύσας δέδωκε δίκην; φήσαιμι, ὅτι παντὶ μὲν σθένει ἐπὶ παίδων καὶ ἱερέων χρὴ καὶ ἐπεξιέναι, καὶ κωλύειν τῆς ἁγιστείας, καὶ ἐξ ὄψεως ποιεῖν, καὶ ἀποχειροτονεῖν· καὶ μάλιστα ὅταν εἰς τὸ θεῖον ἡ ὕβρις διαβαίνῃ. Διὸ καὶ προσέκρουσεν· ἐχρῆν γὰρ αὐτὸν μὴ πέρα τοῦ δέοντος εἶναι φιλόπαιδα, ἀλλὰ τοῖς θείοις νόμοις ἐπαμῦναι ὑβριζομένοις. Ποτὲ δέ τις ἀπολογήσασθαι ὑπὲρ αὐτοῦ βουληθεὶς ἔφη, ὅτι φαίνεται οὐκ ἂν αὐτὸς δίκην δοὺς τοσοῦτον, ὅσον οἱ παῖδες · ἐκεῖνοι μὲν γὰρ ὀργῆς ἐπιπολασάσης θείας, αἰσχρῶς καὶ ἐλεεινῶς ἐν τῷ πολέμῳ ἀπέθανον, οὗτος δὲ μετὰ γῆρας βαθὺ ἐν τῇ πόλει · καὶ αὐτὴ δὲ ἡ ἀπόφασις, εἰ τὰς θείας τις συλλαβάς περιεργάσοιτο, φαίνεται οὐ κατ' αὐτοῦ, ἀλλὰ κατὰ τοῦ οἴκου ὁρισθεῖσα· · Ωμοσα γὰρ, φησὶ, τῷ οἴκῳ Ἡλεὶ, εἰ ἐξιλάσεται ἁμαρτία οἴκου Ἡλεὶ, ἢ ἐν θυμιάμασιν, ἢ ἐν θυσίαις, ἕως αἰῶνος. Οὐκ εἶπε, φησὶν, Ὤμοσα τῷ Ἡλεί· οὐδ᾽, ὅτι Οὐκ ἐξιλάσεται ἁμαρτία Ἡλεὶ (ἤρκεσε γὰρ αὐτῷ ἴσως πρὸς σωφρονισμὸν ταύτης μόνης τῆς ἀμελείας · τὰ γὰρ ἄλλα ἦν θαυμαστός· τὰ τῇδε αὐτῷ συμβεβηκότα ἀνιαρὰ) ἀλλὰ ᾿Οἴκῳ Ἡλεί· ἀντὶ τοῦ, πάντως τοὺς ἡμαρτηκότας ἀπολέσθαι χρή. Εἰ δὲ, ἐπειδὴ μετέστησεν εἰς ἑτέραν συγγένειαν τὴν ἱερωσύνην, λέγοι τις · Εἶπεν ὁ ὑπὲρ αὐτοῦ τὴν ἀπολογίαν ἀναδεξάμενος, ὅτι εἰκότως. Τοὺς γὰρ ἐκ τῶν υἱῶν αὐτοῦ τῶν ἡμαρτηκότων, καὶ τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ τοῦ γεννήτορος καταπεφρονηκότων τεχθέντας, οὐκ ἔτι ἐχρῆν ἱερᾶσθαι.

ĒRAKLEIDĒ PRESBYTERŌ. Oimai, hoti ou typtein, ou loidorein, ē homose chōrein, all᾽ elenchein monon meta parrhēsias, mēte aidoumenon, mēte phoboumenon chrē ton parainetēn; ei d' amphiballeis, tous theious soi anagnōsomai chrēsmous; ti gar ephē ho Theos tǭ Iezekiēl? « Kai sy ean diasteilę̄ tǭ anomǭ, kai mē apostrepsę̄ apo tēs anomias autou ho anomos, en tę̄ anomią autou apothaneitai; sy de tēn psychēn sou rhysę̄.» Siōpōn men gar, kai mē parrhēsiazomenos, koinōneis ekeinǭ, phēsi, tēs timōrias. Proeirēka gar,; Ean mē diasteilę̄, to haima autou ek tēs cheiros sou ekzētēsō. » Ta peri sautou de eispherōn apallattę̄ tēs katadikēs. Tǭ men gar kai argaleōtera genēsetai hē kolasis, mēde tēn sēn paradexamenǭ parainesin. Sy de to keleusthen diapraxamenos, aneuthynos esę̄. Ouden gar tou didaskalou estin, ē alēpton parechonta ton bion paideuein, mēdamōs aidoumenon tōn hamartanontōn tēn axiopistian. To de prattein ē mē, tēs tōn mathēteuomenōn ērtētai gnōmēs, panti te kai pantachou tou autexousiou phylattomenou. Ei de phaiēs; Pōs oun ho Paulos ton peporneukota apeirxe? meizon ē egō boulomai legeis ; ou gar etyptēsen ē hybrisen, all᾽ echōrise tēs agelēs, hina mē kai eis ta loipa probata to loimōdes diadothę̄ nosēma. Ei de palin phaiēs; Pōs oun ho Hēlei nouthetēsas, kai mē anysas dedōke dikēn? phēsaimi, hoti panti men sthenei epi paidōn kai hiereōn chrē kai epexienai, kai kōlyein tēs hagisteias, kai ex opseōs poiein, kai apocheirotonein; kai malista hotan eis to theion hē hybris diabainę̄. Dio kai prosekrousen; echrēn gar auton mē pera tou deontos einai philopaida, alla tois theiois nomois epamynai hybrizomenois. Pote de tis apologēsasthai hyper autou boulētheis ephē, hoti phainetai ouk an autos dikēn dous tosouton, hoson hoi paides ; ekeinoi men gar orgēs epipolasasēs theias, aischrōs kai eleeinōs en tǭ polemǭ apethanon, houtos de meta gēras bathy en tę̄ polei ; kai autē de hē apophasis, ei tas theias tis syllabas periergasoito, phainetai ou kat' autou, alla kata tou oikou horistheisa; ; Ōmosa gar, phēsi, tǭ oikǭ Hēlei, ei exilasetai hamartia oikou Hēlei, ē en thymiamasin, ē en thysiais, heōs aiōnos. Ouk eipe, phēsin, Ōmosa tǭ Hēlei; oud᾽, hoti Ouk exilasetai hamartia Hēlei (ērkese gar autǭ isōs pros sōphronismon tautēs monēs tēs ameleias ; ta gar alla ēn thaumastos; ta tę̄de autǭ symbebēkota aniara) alla ᾿Oikǭ Hēlei; anti tou, pantōs tous hēmartēkotas apolesthai chrē. Ei de, epeidē metestēsen eis heteran syngeneian tēn hierōsynēn, legoi tis ; Eipen ho hyper autou tēn apologian anadexamenos, hoti eikotōs. Tous gar ek tōn huiōn autou tōn hēmartēkotōn, kai tou Theou, kai tou gennētoros katapephronēkotōn techthentas, ouk eti echrēn hierasthai.

To Heraclides the presbyter. I think that the one who admonishes must not strike, revile or come to blows, but only rebuke with frankness, neither ashamed nor afraid. If you doubt it, I shall read you the divine oracles. For what did God say to Ezekiel? "And if you warn the lawless man, and the lawless man does not turn from his lawlessness, he shall die in his lawlessness, but you will have delivered your soul." For if you keep silent and do not speak frankly, he says, you share his punishment; for I have said beforehand: "If you do not warn him, I will require his blood at your hand." But by contributing your own part you are freed from condemnation. For him the punishment will be more grievous, since he did not accept even your admonition; but you, having done what was commanded, will be free of account. For the teacher's only task is to teach, offering a blameless life, in no way respecting the reputation of those who sin. Whether to act or not depends on the will of those taught, free will being preserved for everyone everywhere. And if you say, "How then did Paul shut out the man who had committed sexual immorality?", you say more than I want; for he did not strike or insult him, but separated him from the flock, so that the plague might not spread to the other sheep. And if again you say, "How then did Eli, who admonished and did not succeed, pay the penalty?", I would say that with children and priests one must with all one's strength both proceed against them, bar them from the sacred service, put them out of sight and depose them, especially when the insult passes over to God. That is why he gave offence; for he ought not to have loved his children beyond what was right, but to have defended the divine laws when they were insulted. Once someone who wished to defend him said that he clearly did not pay as great a penalty as his sons; for they, when divine wrath rose up, died shamefully and pitiably in war, while he died in the city after a ripe old age. And the sentence itself, if one examines the divine syllables carefully, appears to have been decreed not against him but against his house: "For I have sworn," he says, "to the house of Eli, that the sin of the house of Eli shall not be atoned for by incense or by sacrifices for ever." He did not say, he says, "I have sworn to Eli," nor "the sin of Eli shall not be atoned" (for perhaps what happened to him here, grievous as it was, was enough to correct this one negligence, since in other respects he was admirable), but "to the house of Eli"; that is, those who sinned must certainly perish. And if someone says this because he transferred the priesthood to another family, the one who undertook his defence said that it was rightly done; for those born of his sons, who had sinned and despised both God and their father, ought no longer to serve as priests.

Ezek 3:19 (quotation, high confidence) · Ezek 3:18 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Cor 5:5 (allusion, high confidence) · 1 Sam 2:29 (allusion, medium confidence) · 1 Sam 4:18 (allusion, medium confidence) · 1 Sam 3:14 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Sam 2:35 (allusion, medium confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: A teacher must rebuke sin frankly but without violence, as God told Ezekiel, leaving the hearer's response to his free will; Paul's excommunication and Eli's punishment are explained, with an argument that Eli's sentence fell chiefly on his house.

Ezek 3:19, 18; 1 Cor 5:1-5, 13; Eli and his sons: 1 Sam 2:12-4:18; 1 Sam 3:14; the transfer of the priesthood: 1 Sam 2:35; 1 Kgs 2:27.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR slip; OCR slip (breathing lost); stray comma from the OCR; word split by OCR; words joined by OCR): αἷμααὐτοῦ → αἷμα αὐτοῦ; ὅβρισεν → ὕβρισεν; ἀποχειρο τονεῖν → ἀποχειροτονεῖν; οὗτος, δὲ → οὗτος δὲ; όρισθεῖσα → ὁρισθεῖσα; Ώμοσα τῷ → Ὤμοσα τῷ; τῇδεαὐτῷ → τῇδε αὐτῷ.

Topics: Church discipline and penance, Church office, Free will, Parents and children, Interpreting Scripture

Cite (SBL): Isidore of Pelusium, Ep. 5.290 (PG 78 78:1503; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-290). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-290

BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-isidore-pelusium-epistulae-5-290) · 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.

5.291PG 78 78:1505

ΗΛΙΑ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ. Τὴν ἀκόλαστον ὄψιν, τὴν τοῖς ἀλλοτρίοις κάλλεσιν ἑστιῶσαν ἑαυτὴν, κολάσειν εἰκότως ἠπείλησεν ὁ Σωτήρ, πραγμάτων ἡμᾶς ἀπαλλάττων καὶ ἀμηχανίας πολλῆς · ἵνα μὴ τὸ κάλλος διὰ τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν εἰσρυὲν τὸν νοῦν καταδουλώσηται· καὶ τὰ καίρια τῆς ψυχῆς προκαταλαβὸν, τὸν λογισμὸν πείσῃ τῷ πάθει παραχωρῆσαι· οὗ κρατηθέντος, δυσίατον, ἵνα μὴ λέγω ἀνίατον, γίνεται τὸ κακόν. Φυλάττου τοίνυν, ὅπως μὴ τὸ τυραννικὸν πάθος τῆς ἡδονῆς χειρωσάμενον τὴν ψυχὴν, ἀδύνατον μὲν οὐδαμῶς, δύσκολον δὲ αὐτῆς κατασκευάσῃ τὴν θεραπείαν.

ĒLIA DIAKONŌ. Tēn akolaston opsin, tēn tois allotriois kallesin hestiōsan heautēn, kolasein eikotōs ēpeilēsen ho Sōtēr, pragmatōn hēmas apallattōn kai amēchanias pollēs ; hina mē to kallos dia tōn ophthalmōn eisryen ton noun katadoulōsētai; kai ta kairia tēs psychēs prokatalabon, ton logismon peisę̄ tǭ pathei parachōrēsai; hou kratēthentos, dysiaton, hina mē legō aniaton, ginetai to kakon. Phylattou toinyn, hopōs mē to tyrannikon pathos tēs hēdonēs cheirōsamenon tēn psychēn, adynaton men oudamōs, dyskolon de autēs kataskeuasę̄ tēn therapeian.

To Elias the deacon. The Saviour rightly threatened to punish the licentious look that feasts itself on others' beauty, freeing us from trouble and much helplessness, so that beauty, flowing in through the eyes, may not enslave the mind, and, seizing beforehand the vital parts of the soul, persuade reason to give way to the passion; once reason is overpowered, the evil becomes hard to cure, not to say incurable. Be on guard, then, lest the tyrannical passion of pleasure overpower the soul and make its cure, though by no means impossible, difficult.

Matt 5:28 (allusion, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Christ forbade the lustful look so that beauty might not enslave the mind and make the soul hard to heal.

Matt 5:28.

Topics: Sexual morality, Temptation

Cite (SBL): Isidore of Pelusium, Ep. 5.291 (PG 78 78:1505; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-291). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-291

BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-isidore-pelusium-epistulae-5-291) · 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.

5.292PG 78 78:1507

ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ. Εἰ δὲ πάντες εἰώθασιν ἐν ταῖς ἀσπόνδοις συμφοραῖς προτιμότερον ἄγειν τὸ τυχεῖν ὧν αὐτοὶ βούλονται, ἢ τὸ τοὺς πολεμίους ὧν ὀρέγονται διαμαρτεῖν· ἀλλ᾿ ἡμεῖς οἱ τοῦ Χριστοῦ σεμνυνόμενοι εἶναι μαθηταὶ, μὴ τὸ ἑαυτῶν συμφέρον μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῶν πρὸς ἡμᾶς διαφερομένων ζητῶμεν. Ἐν γὰρ τῷ συμφέροντι τῶν πέλας (εἰ καὶ παράδοξον τὸ λεχθησόμενον) καὶ τὸ ἡμέτερον συμπεριέχεται.

TŌ AUTŌ. Ei de pantes eiōthasin en tais aspondois symphorais protimoteron agein to tychein hōn autoi boulontai, ē to tous polemious hōn oregontai diamartein; all᾿ hēmeis hoi tou Christou semnynomenoi einai mathētai, mē to heautōn sympheron monon, alla kai tōn pros hēmas diapheromenōn zētōmen. En gar tǭ sympheronti tōn pelas (ei kai paradoxon to lechthēsomenon) kai to hēmeteron symperiechetai.

To the same. Even if everyone, in truceless quarrels, usually prefers getting what they want themselves to their enemies' failing to get what they desire, let us who pride ourselves on being disciples of Christ seek not only our own advantage but also that of those at odds with us. For in our neighbours' advantage (paradoxical as this may sound) ours too is included.

1 Cor 10:24 (echo, medium confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Christians should seek the good even of their opponents, in which their own good is included.

Cf. 1 Cor 10:24; Phil 2:4.

Topics: Love of enemies and forgiveness of wrongs

Cite (SBL): Isidore of Pelusium, Ep. 5.292 (PG 78 78:1507; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-292). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-292

BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-isidore-pelusium-epistulae-5-292) · 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.

5.293PG 78 78:1507

ΙΣΙΔΩΡΟ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ. Εἰ καὶ πολλὰ, ὡς ἔφης, ῥήματα τῶν ἱερῶν λογίων πρὸς ὅπερ ἄν τις θέλῃ παρακρουόμενος, ἕλκειν καὶ βιάζεσθαι ῥᾴδιόν ἐστιν· ἀλλ᾽ ἡ ἀλήθεια πάντων τῶν κακούργως αὐτὰ ἢ παραποιῆσαι, ἢ παρερμηνεῦσαι τολμησάντων καὶ περιγέγονε, καὶ περιγίνεται, καὶ περιέσται.

ISIDŌRO DIAKONŌ. Ei kai polla, hōs ephēs, rhēmata tōn hierōn logiōn pros hoper an tis thelę̄ parakrouomenos, helkein kai biazesthai rhądion estin; all᾽ hē alētheia pantōn tōn kakourgōs auta ē parapoiēsai, ē parermēneusai tolmēsantōn kai perigegone, kai periginetai, kai periestai.

To Isidore the deacon. Even if, as you said, it is easy for one who deceives to drag and force many words of the sacred oracles to whatever he wishes, the truth has prevailed, prevails and will prevail over all who have dared maliciously to falsify or misinterpret them.

2 Pet 3:16 (echo, medium confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Though Scripture's words can be twisted, the truth always prevails over those who distort it.

Cf. 2 Pet 3:16.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (margin letter left in the OCR): καὶ Ο περιέσται → καὶ περιέσται.

Topics: Interpreting Scripture, Heresy

Cite (SBL): Isidore of Pelusium, Ep. 5.293 (PG 78 78:1507; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-293). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-293

BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-isidore-pelusium-epistulae-5-293) · 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.

5.294PG 78 78:1507

ΕΥΤΟΝΙΩ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ. Αγνοεῖς, ὡς ἔοικεν, ὅτι ταῖς ὑπεροχαῖς τῶν πράξεων ἐπισυμβαίνειν εἴωθεν ὁ φθόνος· καὶ τοῦτον οὐκ ἔστιν ἐκφυγεῖν τοὺς λαμπρῶς ἀνακηρυττομένους, καὶ διὰ τοῦτο ἔοικας τεθορυβῆσθαι. Τοῦτο οὖν μαθὼν, ἀπαλλάγηθι τοῦ θορύβου· ἄμεινον γὰρ ἀρετὴν μετιόντας κακηγορεῖσθαι παρὰ τῶν μηδένα εἶναι βουλομένων εὐδόκιμον, ἢ κακίαν ἀσπαζομένους κροτεῖσθαι παρὰ τῶν τὴν ὀρθὴν τῶν πραγμάτων κρίσιν μὴ κεκτημένων. ΙΣΧΥΡΙΩΝΙ. Εἰ μὲν πάντες οἱ ταῖς Γραφαῖς ὡμιληκότες, πρὸς τὴν ἐκείνων εἰσήγησιν κατεστήσαντο τὸν βίον, εἶχέ σού τινα λόγον ὁ λόγος · εἰ δὲ πολλοὶ οὓς οἶδα ἐγὼ, ἴσως δὲ καὶ αὐτὸς, τὰς παραινέσεις ᾄδοντες, ἐν μέσῳ ἐκθειάζοντες, πᾶν τοὐναντίον λάθρα τολμῶσιν, οὐ διὰ τοῦτο τὰς Γραφὰς γραψόμεθα. Ἔφησαν μὴ ἀδικεῖν, καὶ πολλοὶ ἀδικοῦσι. Τί τοῦτο πρὸς αὐτάς; Ἔγραψα ἐγὼ Ζωσίμῳ ἀποστῆναι τῆς ἀσελγείας· αὐτὸς δὲ πλέον ἐγκαλινδεῖται τῷ βορβόρῳ· τἱ τοῦτο πρὸς ἐμέ; Οὐδὲν πλὴν εἰ μὴ τὴν ἀθυμίαν εἴποι τις ἄν.

EUTONIŌ DIAKONŌ. Agnoeis, hōs eoiken, hoti tais hyperochais tōn praxeōn episymbainein eiōthen ho phthonos; kai touton ouk estin ekphygein tous lamprōs anakēryttomenous, kai dia touto eoikas tethorybēsthai. Touto oun mathōn, apallagēthi tou thorybou; ameinon gar aretēn metiontas kakēgoreisthai para tōn mēdena einai boulomenōn eudokimon, ē kakian aspazomenous kroteisthai para tōn tēn orthēn tōn pragmatōn krisin mē kektēmenōn. ISChYRIŌNI. Ei men pantes hoi tais Graphais hōmilēkotes, pros tēn ekeinōn eisēgēsin katestēsanto ton bion, eiche sou tina logon ho logos ; ei de polloi hous oida egō, isōs de kai autos, tas paraineseis ądontes, en mesǭ ektheiazontes, pan tounantion lathra tolmōsin, ou dia touto tas Graphas grapsometha. Ephēsan mē adikein, kai polloi adikousi. Ti touto pros autas? Egrapsa egō Zōsimǭ apostēnai tēs aselgeias; autos de pleon enkalindeitai tǭ borborǭ; ti touto pros eme? Ouden plēn ei mē tēn athymian eipoi tis an.

To Eutonius the deacon. You do not know, it seems, that envy usually comes upon eminent deeds, and those brilliantly proclaimed cannot escape it; that is why you seem to be troubled. Having learned this, then, be rid of your trouble; for it is better to be slandered while pursuing virtue by those who want no one to be esteemed, than to be applauded while embracing vice by those who have no right judgement of things. [Letter 5.295] To Ischyrion. If all who are conversant with the Scriptures had ordered their life by their teaching, your argument would have had some reason; but if many, whom I know and perhaps you too, sing the exhortations and extol them in public, while daring the very opposite in secret, we shall not for this reason indict the Scriptures. They said not to do wrong, and many do wrong. What has that to do with them? I wrote to Zosimus to give up his licentiousness, and he wallows the more in the mire. What has that to do with me? Nothing, unless one were to mention my despondency.

Notes and citation

Summary: Envy always attends virtue, so a deacon should not be troubled by slander; a second letter answers a pagan that Scripture is not to blame for those who do not live by it.

Letter 5.295 begins at "To Ischyrion"; the numeral before it is removed.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (garbled letter numeral removed; Latin I for Greek Iota in the heading; stray mark splitting a word in the OCR): κρο·τεῖσθαι → κροτεῖσθαι; ΣΕ΄. --- ΙΣΧΥΡΙΩΝI. → ΙΣΧΥΡΙΩΝΙ..

Topics: Anger and envy, Scripture and canon, Church office

Cite (SBL): Isidore of Pelusium, Ep. 5.294 (PG 78 78:1507; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-294). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-294

BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-isidore-pelusium-epistulae-5-294) · 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.

5.296PG 78 78:1509

ΑΛΦΙΩ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ. Λίαν θαυμάζω, ὅπως οὐ τοῖς αὐτοῖς χαίρουσι πάντες ἄνθρωποι· ἀλλ᾽ οἱ μὲν συγγινωσκόμενοι ἐφ' οἷς πταίουσιν, εἰς ἀρετὴν, οἱ δὲ εἰς κακίαν παιδοτριβοῦνται· καὶ τοῖς μὲν ἡ χρηστότης σωτήριον εὑρίσκεται βοήθημα, τοῖς δὲ ὀλέθριον δηλητήριον · τοὺς μὲν γὰρ ῥώννυσι, τοὺς δὲ ἐκλύει· τοὺς μὲν δυσωπεῖ, τῶν δὲ καὶ τὸ ἐρυθριᾷν προσαφαιρεῖται. ᾿Αλλ᾽ οὐδὲ τῷ, παραπόδας ἀπαιτεῖσθαι δίκας, πάντες ὁμοίως ὠφελοῦνται. Οἱ μὲν γὰρ ὡς ἀπάνθρωπον τοῦτο αἰτιῶνται· οἱ δὲ φόβῳ μὲν, οὐ πόθῳ δὲ, τῶν κακῶν ἀπέχονται. Καὶ οἱ μὲν φιλονεικοῦντες τῇ δίκῃ, ἀδικεῖν πειρῶνται· οἱ δὲ παθεῖν φεύγοντες, οὐ δρῶσιν ἃ δρᾶν ἐθέλωσιν· ἀμείνους μὲν ὄντες τῶν μηδὲ φόβῳ σωφρονιζομένων, καταδεέστεροι δὲ τῶν πόθῳ εὐδοκιμούντων, πλέον ἢ ὅσον αὐτοὶ ἀμείνους εἰσὶ τῶν μηδὲ τὴν δίκην δεδοικότων. Οἱ μὲν γὰρ τὴν τιμωρίαν, οἱ δὲ τὴν σωτηρίαν φεύγουσι· καὶ οἱ μὲν τὸ μὴ δοῦναι δίκην, οἱ δὲ τὸ δοῦναι διώκουσιν. Ἐπεὶ τοίνυν τί ποιητέον ἔφης ἐν τοσαύτῃ συγχύσει, ἀκριβῶς μὲν οὐκ ἔχω λέγειν. Ὁ γὰρ τὰς καρδίας ἐμβατεύων οἶδε · πλὴν ὡς, ἔγωγε οἶμαι, χρὴ ἐπὶ μὲν τοῖς μικροῖς ἁμαρτήμασιν, εἰ μὲν λανθάνοντες βελτιοῦνται, μηδὲ εἰδέναι προσποιεῖσθαι· εἰ δὲ εἰς τὸ χεῖρον τρέπονται, μετὰ τὸν ἔλεγχον καὶ τὴν μετρίαν ἐπιτίμησιν, συγγνώμην νέμειν, ἐπὶ δὲ τοῖς μεγάλοις ταύτην ταμιεύεσθαι, καὶ σωφρονίζειν τοὺς πταίοντας, καὶ χωρισμῷ καὶ ἐπιτιμίᾳ, ἕως ἂν μετανοήσωσι, καὶ τότε προσίεσθαι.

ALPhIŌ EPISKOPŌ. Lian thaumazō, hopōs ou tois autois chairousi pantes anthrōpoi; all᾽ hoi men synginōskomenoi eph' hois ptaiousin, eis aretēn, hoi de eis kakian paidotribountai; kai tois men hē chrēstotēs sōtērion heurisketai boēthēma, tois de olethrion dēlētērion ; tous men gar rhōnnysi, tous de eklyei; tous men dysōpei, tōn de kai to erythriąn prosaphaireitai. ᾿All᾽ oude tǭ, parapodas apaiteisthai dikas, pantes homoiōs ōphelountai. Hoi men gar hōs apanthrōpon touto aitiōntai; hoi de phobǭ men, ou pothǭ de, tōn kakōn apechontai. Kai hoi men philoneikountes tę̄ dikę̄, adikein peirōntai; hoi de pathein pheugontes, ou drōsin ha dran ethelōsin; ameinous men ontes tōn mēde phobǭ sōphronizomenōn, katadeesteroi de tōn pothǭ eudokimountōn, pleon ē hoson autoi ameinous eisi tōn mēde tēn dikēn dedoikotōn. Hoi men gar tēn timōrian, hoi de tēn sōtērian pheugousi; kai hoi men to mē dounai dikēn, hoi de to dounai diōkousin. Epei toinyn ti poiēteon ephēs en tosautę̄ synchysei, akribōs men ouk echō legein. Ho gar tas kardias embateuōn oide ; plēn hōs, egōge oimai, chrē epi men tois mikrois hamartēmasin, ei men lanthanontes beltiountai, mēde eidenai prospoieisthai; ei de eis to cheiron trepontai, meta ton elenchon kai tēn metrian epitimēsin, syngnōmēn nemein, epi de tois megalois tautēn tamieuesthai, kai sōphronizein tous ptaiontas, kai chōrismǭ kai epitimią, heōs an metanoēsōsi, kai tote prosiesthai.

To Alphius the bishop. I greatly wonder how not all people take pleasure in the same things. Some, when pardoned for their faults, are trained to virtue, others to wickedness; for some kindness proves a saving remedy, for others a deadly poison; it strengthens some and slackens others; it shames some and takes from others even the ability to blush. Nor are all benefited alike by penalties exacted on the spot. Some blame this as inhuman; others abstain from evil from fear, not from longing. Some, contending with justice, try to do wrong; others, fleeing suffering, do not do what they would like to do; they are better than those not brought to their senses even by fear, but inferior to those esteemed for longing for the good, by more than they are better than those who do not even fear justice. For the one flee punishment, the others salvation; the one pursue not paying the penalty, the others paying it. Since, then, you asked what must be done in such confusion, I cannot say exactly, for he who searches hearts knows. But, as I think, with small sins, if people improve unnoticed, one should not even let on that one knows; if they turn to worse, after rebuke and moderate reproof, grant pardon. But with great sins one should hold pardon in reserve and correct the offenders with separation and penance until they repent, and then receive them.

Jer 17:10 (echo, low confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: People respond differently to pardon and punishment; Isidore advises a bishop to overlook small faults when they are being amended, pardon after reproof when they persist, and meet grave sins with separation and penance until repentance.

God who searches hearts: cf. Rom 8:27; Jer 17:10.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR slip (breathing); OCR slip (ΙΙ for Π); OCR slip and word split; end-of-line hyphen and stray bracket left in the OCR; end-of-line hyphen and stray mark left in the OCR; words joined by OCR): ΕΠΙΣΚΟΙΙΩ → ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ; πάνω τες → πάντες; ὠφε- " λοῦνται → ὠφελοῦνται; ἐντοσαύτῃ → ἐν τοσαύτῃ; προσ- ( ποιεῖσθαι → προσποιεῖσθαι; προσἱεσθαι → προσίεσθαι.

Topics: Church discipline and penance, Forgiveness of sins, Repentance, Church office

Cite (SBL): Isidore of Pelusium, Ep. 5.296 (PG 78 78:1509; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-296). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-296

BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-isidore-pelusium-epistulae-5-296) · 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.