Opuscula 5.1–5.11
Greek text: PG 65 (Greek text: Migne, Patrologia Graeca vol. 65 (1864), OCR of the Bavarian State Library copy).English: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), public domain (CC0).
Chapter 5
5.1PG 65:1027
Επειδήπερ πρώην πολὺς ἦν φροντίζων ἐπὶ τῆς ἑαυτοῦ σωτηρίας, καὶ πολλὴν ἔχων μέριμναν περὶ τῆς κατὰ Θεὸν ζωῆς, ἀντέβαλες ἡμῖν τὰ καθ᾽ ἑαυτὸν διηγούμενος, δι' οἴων πόνων καὶ ὁρμῆς ζεούσης ἔμελλες προσκολλᾶσθαι τῷ Κυρίῳ δι' ἀκριβοῦς πολιτείας καὶ ἐγκρατείας, καὶ πάσης ἄλλης κακοπαθείας, ἀγρυπνίας τε πολλῆς, καὶ συντόνου προσευχῆς ἀγωνιζόμενος · οἵ τε πόλεμοι καὶ αἰκισμοὶ σαρκικῶν παθῶν ἐν τῇ σωματικῇ φύσει ἀναῤῥιπίζοντες, καὶ κατὰ τῆς ψυχῆς ἐπεγείρονται ἐκ τοῦ ἀντιστρατευομένου νόμου τῆς ἁμαρτίας τῷ νόμῳ τοῦ νοὸς ἡμῶν, περισσοτέρως παρενοχλεῖσθαι ἀπωδύρου ὑπὸ τοῦ τῆς ὀργῆς καὶ ἐπιθυμίας πάθους· καὶ μέθοδόν τινα, καὶ λόγους παραινέσεως ἐπεζήτεις, οἴοις τε πόνοις καὶ ἀγῶσι χρησάμενος ἀνώτερος τῶν προειρημένων ὀλεθρίων παθῶν καταστῆναι δυνήσῃ. Καὶ ἐν μὲν τῷ καιρῷ ἐκείνῳ, ὅσον ἦν δυνατὸν, κατὰ πρόσωπον τῇ ἀγάπῃ σου παρῃνέσαμεν, τὰ ψυχωφελῆ νοήματα καὶ φρονήματα ὑποτιθέμενοι, καὶ ἀποδεικνύντες οἴοις πόνοις καὶ τόνοις ἀσκητικοῖς, μετὰ συνέσεως, καὶ πεφωτισμένης γνώσεως λογικῶς κατὰ τὸ Εὐαγγέλιον πολιτευσαμένη ψυχή, διὰ πίστεως χάριτι βοηθουμένη δύναται περιγενέσθαι τῶν ἔνδοθεν τῆς καρδίας βρυόντων κακῶν, ἐξαιρέτως δὲ τῶν προειρημένων παθῶν. Πρὸς ἃ γὰρ πάθη διὰ πρό[σ]ληψιν καὶ συνήθειαν μᾶλλον πεποίηται ἡ ψυχὴ περισσοτέρως ὀχλουμένη, καὶ ὀξυπετεστέρως ὑπ᾿ αὐτῶν ὑποσυρομένη, κατὰ τούτων σπουδαιότερον καὶ ἀδιάλειπτον ἀγῶνα ἀναλαβεῖν ὀφείλει, ἕως οὗ ὑποτάξῃ τὰ σαρκικὰ καὶ ἄλογα τῆς κακίας ἐνεργήματα, οἷς πρότερον ὑπετάσσετο, καὶ ὑπεσύρετο, καὶ τῇ συνεχεῖ τῶν λογισμῶν ὑποκρίσει καὶ μελέτῃ κακῇ διὰ τῆς ἔνδον τῶν ἐννοιῶν συγκαταθέσεως αἰχμάλωτος ἀπεφέρετο. Ἐπεὶ οὖν σωματικῶς διέστημέν σου σώματι, οὐ καρδίᾳ, ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ ἐληλυθότες πρὸς τοὺς ἀληθινοὺς ἐργάτας καὶ ἀθλητὰς τοῦ Χριστοῦ, ὅπως καὶ ἡμεῖς κἂν μικρῶς πως ἀγωνισάμενοι καὶ συναθλοῦντες τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς, τοῖς ἀθλοῦσι πρὸς τὰς ἀντικειμένας ἐνεργείας, καὶ τοῖς πάθεσι γενναίως ἀνθισταμένοις, τὸν ὄκνον ἀποθώμεθα, τὴν ἀμέλειαν ἀφ' ἑαυτῶν ἀποῤῥίψωμεν, καὶ πᾶσαν σπουδὴν καὶ ἐπιμέλειαν ἀναλάβωμεν, πρὸς εὐαρέστησιν Θεοῦ ἐπειγόμενοι. Διόπερ ὀλίγην παραίνεσιν καὶ νουθεσίαν ψυχωφελή προεθυμήθην διὰ γράμματος χαράξαι τῇ γνησιότητί σου, ἵνα περὶ ὧν κατὰ πρόσωπόν σοι ἐλάλουν, ταῦτα δι᾽ ὀλίγων ἐν τῷ μετρίῳ τῆς παραινέσεως ἡμῶν γράμματι ἐντυγχάνων ἐπιμελῶς, ὡς παρόντων ἡμῶν πνευματικὴν ὠφέλειαν καρπώσῃ.
Epeidēper prōēn polys ēn phrontizōn epi tēs heautou sōtērias, kai pollēn echōn merimnan peri tēs kata Theon zōēs, antebales hēmin ta kath᾽ heauton diēgoumenos, di' oiōn ponōn kai hormēs zeousēs emelles proskollasthai tǭ Kyriǭ di' akribous politeias kai enkrateias, kai pasēs allēs kakopatheias, agrypnias te pollēs, kai syntonou proseuchēs agōnizomenos ; hoi te polemoi kai aikismoi sarkikōn pathōn en tę̄ sōmatikę̄ physei anarrhipizontes, kai kata tēs psychēs epegeirontai ek tou antistrateuomenou nomou tēs hamartias tǭ nomǭ tou noos hēmōn, perissoterōs parenochleisthai apōdyrou hypo tou tēs orgēs kai epithymias pathous; kai methodon tina, kai logous paraineseōs epezēteis, oiois te ponois kai agōsi chrēsamenos anōteros tōn proeirēmenōn olethriōn pathōn katastēnai dynēsę̄. Kai en men tǭ kairǭ ekeinǭ, hoson ēn dynaton, kata prosōpon tę̄ agapę̄ sou parę̄nesamen, ta psychōphelē noēmata kai phronēmata hypotithemenoi, kai apodeiknyntes oiois ponois kai tonois askētikois, meta syneseōs, kai pephōtismenēs gnōseōs logikōs kata to Euangelion politeusamenē psychē, dia pisteōs chariti boēthoumenē dynatai perigenesthai tōn endothen tēs kardias bryontōn kakōn, exairetōs de tōn proeirēmenōn pathōn. Pros ha gar pathē dia pro[s]lēpsin kai synētheian mallon pepoiētai hē psychē perissoterōs ochloumenē, kai oxypetesterōs hyp᾿ autōn hyposyromenē, kata toutōn spoudaioteron kai adialeipton agōna analabein opheilei, heōs hou hypotaxę̄ ta sarkika kai aloga tēs kakias energēmata, hois proteron hypetasseto, kai hypesyreto, kai tę̄ synechei tōn logismōn hypokrisei kai meletę̄ kakę̄ dia tēs endon tōn ennoiōn synkatatheseōs aichmalōtos apephereto. Epei oun sōmatikōs diestēmen sou sōmati, ou kardią, en tę̄ erēmǭ elēlythotes pros tous alēthinous ergatas kai athlētas tou Christou, hopōs kai hēmeis kan mikrōs pōs agōnisamenoi kai synathlountes tois adelphois, tois athlousi pros tas antikeimenas energeias, kai tois pathesi gennaiōs anthistamenois, ton oknon apothōmetha, tēn ameleian aph' heautōn aporrhipsōmen, kai pasan spoudēn kai epimeleian analabōmen, pros euarestēsin Theou epeigomenoi. Dioper oligēn parainesin kai nouthesian psychōphelē proethymēthēn dia grammatos charaxai tę̄ gnēsiotēti sou, hina peri hōn kata prosōpon soi elaloun, tauta di᾽ oligōn en tǭ metriǭ tēs paraineseōs hēmōn grammati entynchanōn epimelōs, hōs parontōn hēmōn pneumatikēn ōpheleian karpōsę̄.
Since formerly you were very concerned for your salvation and had much care about the life according to God, you conferred with us, telling us your own situation: with what labours and burning zeal you meant to cleave to the Lord through a strict way of life and self-control and every other hardship, struggling with much vigil and intense prayer; and you lamented that the wars and torments of the fleshly passions, fanned into flame in the bodily nature and rising up against the soul from the law of sin that wars against the law of our mind, troubled you excessively, especially the passions of anger and desire. And you asked for a method and words of counsel, by what labours and struggles you might be able to rise above these destructive passions. At that time we counselled your love face to face as far as we could, suggesting thoughts and attitudes beneficial to the soul, and showing by what labours and ascetic efforts, with understanding and enlightened knowledge, a soul living rationally according to the Gospel, helped by grace through faith, can overcome the evils that teem within the heart, especially the passions mentioned. For against the passions toward which the soul has been more inclined through prepossession and habit, by which it is troubled more and carried away more swiftly, it ought to take up a more earnest and unceasing struggle, until it subjects the fleshly and irrational workings of evil, to which it was formerly subject and by which it was carried away, and by the constant pretence and evil rehearsal of thoughts, through inner consent to them, was led away captive. Since, then, we are separated from you in body, not in heart, having come into the desert to the true workers and athletes of Christ, so that we too, struggling however little and contending together with the brothers who contend against the opposing powers and nobly resist the passions, may put away sloth, cast negligence from us, and take up all zeal and care, hastening to please God: for this reason I was eager to write to your sincerity a little counsel and admonition beneficial to the soul, so that by reading carefully, in a few words in this modest letter of counsel, what I told you face to face, you may reap spiritual benefit as though we were present.
Rom 7:23 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Mark writes to Nicolas, now absent, to repeat in writing his counsel against anger and desire.
- Tractate 5 is Mark's letter to Nicolas. Rom 7:23.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (word split by the OCR): ἀγρυ πνίας → ἀγρυπνίας.
Topics: Prayer
Cite (SBL): Mark the Hermit, Opusc. 5.1 (PG 65:1027; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/mark-hermit-opuscula/5-1). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/mark-hermit-opuscula/5-1
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Migne's Patrologia Graeca (scan OCR; corrections logged). No public-domain English translation exists and no FOTC volume covers this work, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
5.2PG 65:1029
Τὴν μὲν οὖν ἀρχὴν τῆς κατὰ Θεόν σου ὠφελείας, ὦ τέκνον, ἐντεῦθεν ποιεῖσθαι ὀφείλεις. ᾿Ανεπιλήστως καὶ ἀειμνημονεύτως ἐν ἀδιαλείπτῳ μελέτῃ ἀναλογίσασθαι χρὴ πάσας τὰς τοῦ φιλανθρώπου Θεοῦ εἰς σὲ γεγενημένας οἰκονομίας καὶ εὐεργεσίας εἰς σωτηρίαν τῆς ψυχῆς σου, καὶ μὴ λήθῃ κακίας καλυπτομένης ῥαθυμίας αἰτίᾳ, ἀμνημονίᾳ τῶν πολλῶν καὶ μεγάλων αὐτοῦ εὐεργεσιῶν, καὶ διὰ τοῦτο ἀνωφελῶς καὶ ἀχαρίστως παρέρχεσθαι τὸν ὑπόλοιπον χρόνον. Αἱ γὰρ τοιαῦται ἀδιάλειπτοι μνῆμαι, ὥσπερ τι κέντρον νύττουσαι τὴν καρδίαν, κινοῦσιν αὐτὴν πάντοτε εἰς· ἐξομολόγησιν, εἰς ταπείνωσιν, εἰς εὐχαριστίαν μετὰ συντετριμμένης ψυχῆς εἰς πᾶσαν σπουδὴν ἀγαθὴν, καὶ ἀνταπόδοσιν τρόπων καὶ ἡθῶν χρηστῶν, καὶ πάσης τῆς κατὰ Θεὸν ἀρετῆς, ἀεὶ μελετῶσαι εὐσυνειδήτῳ γνώμῃ τὸ προφητικὸν λόγιον, τὸ, Τί ἀνταποδώσομεν τῷ Κυρίῳ περὶ πάντων ὧν ἀνταπέδωκεν ἡμῖν; Ὅταν γὰρ ἀναλογίσηται ψυχὴ τὰς ἀπὸ γεννήσεως εὐεργεσίας τοῦ φιλανθρώπου Θεοῦ, ἢ ἐκ πόσων κινδύνων πολλάκις ἐρύσθη, ἢ πόσοις κακοῖς περιπεσοῦσα, καὶ ἐν πλημμελείαις πολλάκις ὑποπεσοῦσα, ὀλισθήσασα οὐ παρεδόθη κατὰ τὸ δίκαιον κρίμα τοῖς ἀπατήσασι πνεύμασιν εἰς ἀπώλειαν καὶ εἰς θάνατον· ἀλλὰ μακροθύμως ὁ φιλάνθρωπος Δεσπότης παρορῶν τὰ πλημμελήματα διεφύλαξεν, ἐκδεχόμενος τὴν ἐπιστροφὴν αὐτῆς· καὶ τοῖς ἐχθροῖς καὶ πονηροῖς πνεύμασιν ἑκουσίως διὰ τῶν παθῶν δουλεύσασαν αὐτὸς διέτρεφε, σκέπων καὶ παντοίως προνοῶν, καὶ τέλος ἀγαθῷ πνεύματι εἰς σωτηρίαν ὠδήγησε· καὶ φίλτρον ἀσκητικοῦ βίου τῇ καρδίᾳ ἐνέθηκε, καὶ μετὰ χαρᾶς τὸν κόσμον καὶ πᾶσαν αὐτοῦ τὴν ἀπάτην τῶν σαρκικῶν ἡδονῶν καταλιπεῖν ἐνεδυνάμωσε, καὶ ἀγγελικῷ σχήματι τῆς ἀγγελικῆς τάξεως κατεκόσμησε, καὶ εὐχερῶς προσληφθῆναι παρὰ τῶν ἁγίων Πατέρων ἐν συστήματι ἀδελφότητος παρεσκεύασε. Τίς δὲ εὐσυνείδητον ἔχων γνώμην, καὶ ταῦτα ἀναλογιζόμενος, οὐχὶ πάντοτε ἐν συντετριμμένῃ καρδίᾳ διατελέσει ἔχων τοσαῦτα ἐνέχυρα προλαβουσῶν εὐεργεσιῶν, μηδὲν ἀγαθὸν πρότερον αὐτὸς ποιήσας; οὐχὶ πάντοτε βεβαίαν ἐλπίδα ἀναλάβῃ, τοῦτο λογιζόμενος, ὅτι Εἰ μηδὲν ἀγαθόν μου ποιήσαντος, ἀλλὰ πολλὰ ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ ἁμαρτήσαντος, ἐν ἀκαθαρσίᾳ σαρκὸς καὶ ἄλλαις πολλαῖς κακίαις συλληφθέντος, οὐ κατὰ τὰς ἁμαρτίας ἐποίησεν, οὐδὲ κατὰ τὰς ἀνομίας ἀνταπέδωκεν, ἀλλὰ τοσαύτας δωρεὰς καὶ χάριτας εἰς σωτηρίαν ᾠκονόμησεν ; Ἐὰν οὖν ὁλοτελῶς δῶμεν αὐτῷ τοῦ λοιποῦ δουλεύειν αὐτῷ ἐν πάσῃ ἁγνῇ ἀναστροφῇ, καὶ ἀρετῶν κατορθώσει πασῶν, ἀγαθῶν καὶ πνευματικῶν χαρισμάτων καταξιώσει, εἰς πᾶν ἔργον ἀγαθὸν κατευοδῶν καὶ δυναμῶν. Διόπερ ὁ πάντοτε τὸν τοιοῦτον λογισμὸν διασώζων, καὶ μὴ ἐπιλανθανόμενος τῶν τοιούτων εὐεργεσιῶν, δυσωπεῖ αὐτὸν, καὶ εὐθύνει, καὶ ἐπείγει πρὸς πᾶσαν ἄσκησιν ἀρετῆς ἀγαθὴν, καὶ πρὸς πᾶσαν ἐργασίαν δικαιοσύνης πάντοτε προθύμως, καὶ πάντοτε ἑτοίμως εἰς τὸ ποιεῖν τὸ θέλημα τοῦ Θεοῦ.
Tēn men oun archēn tēs kata Theon sou ōpheleias, ō teknon, enteuthen poieisthai opheileis. ᾿Anepilēstōs kai aeimnēmoneutōs en adialeiptǭ meletę̄ analogisasthai chrē pasas tas tou philanthrōpou Theou eis se gegenēmenas oikonomias kai euergesias eis sōtērian tēs psychēs sou, kai mē lēthę̄ kakias kalyptomenēs rhathymias aitią, amnēmonią tōn pollōn kai megalōn autou euergesiōn, kai dia touto anōphelōs kai acharistōs parerchesthai ton hypoloipon chronon. Hai gar toiautai adialeiptoi mnēmai, hōsper ti kentron nyttousai tēn kardian, kinousin autēn pantote eis; exomologēsin, eis tapeinōsin, eis eucharistian meta syntetrimmenēs psychēs eis pasan spoudēn agathēn, kai antapodosin tropōn kai hēthōn chrēstōn, kai pasēs tēs kata Theon aretēs, aei meletōsai eusyneidētǭ gnōmę̄ to prophētikon logion, to, Ti antapodōsomen tǭ Kyriǭ peri pantōn hōn antapedōken hēmin? Hotan gar analogisētai psychē tas apo gennēseōs euergesias tou philanthrōpou Theou, ē ek posōn kindynōn pollakis erysthē, ē posois kakois peripesousa, kai en plēmmeleiais pollakis hypopesousa, olisthēsasa ou paredothē kata to dikaion krima tois apatēsasi pneumasin eis apōleian kai eis thanaton; alla makrothymōs ho philanthrōpos Despotēs parorōn ta plēmmelēmata diephylaxen, ekdechomenos tēn epistrophēn autēs; kai tois echthrois kai ponērois pneumasin hekousiōs dia tōn pathōn douleusasan autos dietrephe, skepōn kai pantoiōs pronoōn, kai telos agathǭ pneumati eis sōtērian ōdēgēse; kai philtron askētikou biou tę̄ kardią enethēke, kai meta charas ton kosmon kai pasan autou tēn apatēn tōn sarkikōn hēdonōn katalipein enedynamōse, kai angelikǭ schēmati tēs angelikēs taxeōs katekosmēse, kai eucherōs proslēphthēnai para tōn hagiōn Paterōn en systēmati adelphotētos pareskeuase. Tis de eusyneidēton echōn gnōmēn, kai tauta analogizomenos, ouchi pantote en syntetrimmenę̄ kardią diatelesei echōn tosauta enechyra prolabousōn euergesiōn, mēden agathon proteron autos poiēsas? ouchi pantote bebaian elpida analabę̄, touto logizomenos, hoti Ei mēden agathon mou poiēsantos, alla polla enōpion autou hamartēsantos, en akatharsią sarkos kai allais pollais kakiais syllēphthentos, ou kata tas hamartias epoiēsen, oude kata tas anomias antapedōken, alla tosautas dōreas kai charitas eis sōtērian ǭkonomēsen ? Ean oun holotelōs dōmen autǭ tou loipou douleuein autǭ en pasę̄ hagnę̄ anastrophę̄, kai aretōn katorthōsei pasōn, agathōn kai pneumatikōn charismatōn kataxiōsei, eis pan ergon agathon kateuodōn kai dynamōn. Dioper ho pantote ton toiouton logismon diasōzōn, kai mē epilanthanomenos tōn toioutōn euergesiōn, dysōpei auton, kai euthynei, kai epeigei pros pasan askēsin aretēs agathēn, kai pros pasan ergasian dikaiosynēs pantote prothymōs, kai pantote hetoimōs eis to poiein to thelēma tou Theou.
The beginning of your benefit according to God, my child, you should make from this. Without forgetting and with constant remembrance, in unceasing meditation, you must reckon up all the dispensations and benefits of the God who loves humankind that have come to you for the salvation of your soul, and not, covered by the forgetfulness of evil because of sloth, in failure to remember his many great benefits, pass the rest of your time without profit or gratitude. For such unceasing remembrances, pricking the heart like a goad, always move it to confession, to humility, to thanksgiving with a contrite soul, to every good zeal, and to repayment by good ways and character and every virtue according to God, ever meditating with a good conscience on the prophetic saying, “What shall we repay to the Lord for all that he has repaid us?” For when a soul reckons up the benefits of the God who loves humankind from its birth, or from how many dangers it was often rescued, or how, having fallen into many evils and often into offences, it was not handed over when it slipped, by just judgment, to the deceiving spirits for destruction and death; but the Master who loves humankind patiently overlooked its offences and preserved it, waiting for its return; and though it had voluntarily served the enemies and evil spirits through the passions, he himself nourished it, sheltering and providing in every way, and at last led it by his good Spirit to salvation; and put love of the ascetic life in its heart, and strengthened it to leave with joy the world and all its deceit of fleshly pleasures, and adorned it with the angelic habit of the angelic order, and arranged for it to be readily received by the holy fathers into the company of a brotherhood: who, having a good conscience and reckoning these things, will not always remain in a contrite heart, having so many pledges of benefits received beforehand, without having first done any good himself? Will he not always take firm hope, reckoning this: if, when I had done no good but had sinned much before him, caught in impurity of the flesh and many other vices, he did not deal with me according to my sins nor repay me according to my iniquities, but arranged so many gifts and graces for my salvation, then if we give ourselves wholly to serve him from now on in all pure conduct and the achievement of all virtues, he will count us worthy of good and spiritual gifts, prospering and strengthening us for every good work? Therefore whoever always keeps such a thought and does not forget such benefits shames himself, sets himself right, and urges himself to every good exercise of virtue and every work of righteousness, always eagerly and always ready to do the will of God.
Ps 116:12 (115:3 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 103:10 (102:10 LXX) (allusion, high confidence) · Ps 143:10 (142:10 LXX) (echo, low confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Constant remembrance of God's benefits moves the heart to humility, gratitude, and zeal.
- Ps 116:12 (LXX 115:3); Ps 103:10 (LXX 102:10); “the angelic habit”: the monastic habit.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (word split by a margin letter in the OCR): ἀνταπέδωΑ κεν → ἀνταπέδωκεν.
Cite (SBL): Mark the Hermit, Opusc. 5.2 (PG 65:1029; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/mark-hermit-opuscula/5-2). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/mark-hermit-opuscula/5-2
BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-mark-hermit-opuscula-5-2) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Migne's Patrologia Graeca (scan OCR; corrections logged). No public-domain English translation exists and no FOTC volume covers this work, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
5.3PG 65:1031
Τοιγαροῦν, ὦ τέκνον ἀγαπητὸν, ἔχον χάριτι Θεοῦ φυσικὴν σύνεσιν, ταύτην τὴν ἀδολεσχίαν καὶ μελέτην ἀγαθὴν πάντοτε ἐν σαυτῷ φύλασσε, μὴ ὑπὸ λήθης τῆς ὀλεθρίου καλυπτόμενος, μηδὲ ὑπὸ ῥαθυμίας τῆς ματαιούσης καὶ ἐκκλινούσης ἀπὸ ζωῆς τὸν νοῦν ἐμποδιζόμενος, μὴ ὑπὸ ἀγνοίας τῆς πάντων τῶν κακῶν αἰτίας τὸν λογισμὸν σκοτιζόμενος, μὴ [ὑπὸ] ἀμελείας τῆς παγκάκου δελεαζόμενος, μὴ ὑπὸ ἡδονῆς τῆς σαρκὸς ὑποσυρόμενος, μὴ ὑπὸ ἐπιθυμίας τὸν νοῦν αἰχμαλωτιζόμενος, καὶ συγκαταθέσει πορνικῶν λογισμῶν μιασμὸν ἐν αὐτῷ ἐργαζόμενος, μὴ ὑπὸ ὀργῆς μισαδελφίαν γεννώσης νικώμενος, καὶ οἰκτρᾶς ἕνεκεν καὶ ταλαιπώρου προφάσεως λυπῶν καὶ λυπούμενος, καὶ συνάγων μνήμας τῷ πλησίον λογισμῶν πονηρῶν τῆς πρὸς Θεὸν καθαρᾶς προσευχῆς ἐκκλειόμενος, καὶ τὸν νοῦν ἐξανδραποδιζόμενος, καὶ θηριώδει λογισμῷ τὸν ὁμόψυχον ἀδελφὸν ὑποβλεπόμενος, καὶ τῷ ἀλόγῳ τοῦ σαρκικοῦ φρονήματος τρόπῳ τῇ συνειδήσει δεσμούμενος, καὶ τοῖς πονηροῖς πνεύμασιν οἷς ὑπῆρξας εἰς παιδείαν παραδιδόμενος ἄχρι καιροῦ, ἕως οὗ πάντοθεν ἐξαπορηθεὶς ὁ νοῦς, καὶ ὑπὸ λύπης καὶ ῥαθυμίας καταποθεὶς, καὶ τὴν κατὰ Θεὸν προκοπὴν διὰ τὰς προλαβούσας αἰτίας ἀπολέσας, πάλιν ἄρχεται ἐπιλαμβάνεσθαι, διὰ πολλῆς ταπεινώσεως, ἀρχὴν ὁδοῦ σωτηρίας· καὶ πολλὰ καμὼν ἐν εὐχαῖς καὶ ὁλονυκτίαις ἀγρυπνίαις, λύσας τὰ αἴτια διὰ τῆς ταπεινώσεως καὶ ἐξομολογήσεως τῆς πρὸς Θεὸν, οὕτως ἄρχεται πάλιν ἀνανήφειν, καὶ διὰ φωτισμοῦ γνώσεως εὐαγγελικῆς θείᾳ χάριτι ἐλλαμπόμενος γινώσκει, ὅτι ὁ μὴ ἑαυτὸν τελείως τῷ σταυρῷ ἐπιδιδοὺς ἐν φρονήματι ταπεινώσεως, καὶ ῥίψας ἑαυτὸν ὑπὸ πάντων καταπατεῖσθαι καὶ καταφρονεῖσθαι, ἀδικεῖσθαί τε καὶ καταγελᾶσθαι, καὶ χλευάζεσθαι, καὶ ταῦτα πάντα μετὰ χαρᾶς διὰ τὸν Κύριον ὑπομένων, καὶ μὴ ἐκδικῶν ὅλως τὰ ἀνθρώπινα, δόξαν, ἢ τιμὴν, ἡ ἔπαινον, ἢ ἡδονὴν βρώσεως, ἢ πόσεως, ἢ ἐνδύματος, Χριστιανὸς ἀληθινὸς οὐ δύναται γενέσθαι.
Toigaroun, ō teknon agapēton, echon chariti Theou physikēn synesin, tautēn tēn adoleschian kai meletēn agathēn pantote en sautǭ phylasse, mē hypo lēthēs tēs olethriou kalyptomenos, mēde hypo rhathymias tēs mataiousēs kai ekklinousēs apo zōēs ton noun empodizomenos, mē hypo agnoias tēs pantōn tōn kakōn aitias ton logismon skotizomenos, mē [hypo] ameleias tēs pankakou deleazomenos, mē hypo hēdonēs tēs sarkos hyposyromenos, mē hypo epithymias ton noun aichmalōtizomenos, kai synkatathesei pornikōn logismōn miasmon en autǭ ergazomenos, mē hypo orgēs misadelphian gennōsēs nikōmenos, kai oiktras heneken kai talaipōrou prophaseōs lypōn kai lypoumenos, kai synagōn mnēmas tǭ plēsion logismōn ponērōn tēs pros Theon katharas proseuchēs ekkleiomenos, kai ton noun exandrapodizomenos, kai thēriōdei logismǭ ton homopsychon adelphon hypoblepomenos, kai tǭ alogǭ tou sarkikou phronēmatos tropǭ tę̄ syneidēsei desmoumenos, kai tois ponērois pneumasin hois hypērxas eis paideian paradidomenos achri kairou, heōs hou pantothen exaporētheis ho nous, kai hypo lypēs kai rhathymias katapotheis, kai tēn kata Theon prokopēn dia tas prolabousas aitias apolesas, palin archetai epilambanesthai, dia pollēs tapeinōseōs, archēn hodou sōtērias; kai polla kamōn en euchais kai holonyktiais agrypniais, lysas ta aitia dia tēs tapeinōseōs kai exomologēseōs tēs pros Theon, houtōs archetai palin ananēphein, kai dia phōtismou gnōseōs euangelikēs theią chariti ellampomenos ginōskei, hoti ho mē heauton teleiōs tǭ staurǭ epididous en phronēmati tapeinōseōs, kai rhipsas heauton hypo pantōn katapateisthai kai kataphroneisthai, adikeisthai te kai katagelasthai, kai chleuazesthai, kai tauta panta meta charas dia ton Kyrion hypomenōn, kai mē ekdikōn holōs ta anthrōpina, doxan, ē timēn, hē epainon, ē hēdonēn brōseōs, ē poseōs, ē endymatos, Christianos alēthinos ou dynatai genesthai.
Therefore, beloved child, having by God's grace natural understanding, always keep this good converse and meditation in yourself, not covered by destructive forgetfulness, nor hindered by sloth, which makes the mind vain and turns it from life; not darkened in your thought by ignorance, the cause of all evils, nor enticed by all-evil negligence, nor carried away by the pleasure of the flesh, nor having your mind taken captive by desire and producing defilement in it by consent to thoughts of sexual immorality; nor overcome by anger, which gives birth to hatred of one's brother, grieving and being grieved for some pitiful and wretched pretext, and storing up memories of evil thoughts against your neighbour, shut out from pure prayer to God, your mind enslaved, eyeing your like-minded brother with a beastly thought, bound in conscience by the irrational manner of the fleshly mind, and handed over for a time for discipline to the evil spirits to which you submitted; until the mind, at a loss on every side, swallowed up by grief and sloth, and having lost its progress according to God for the reasons mentioned, begins again with much humility to take hold of the beginning of the road of salvation; and after labouring much in prayers and all-night vigils, having loosed the causes through humility and confession to God, so begins again to become sober; and, illumined by divine grace through the enlightenment of evangelical knowledge, knows that whoever does not give himself wholly to the cross in a humble mind, casting himself down to be trampled and despised by all, wronged, laughed at and mocked, enduring all this with joy for the Lord's sake, and not defending at all human things, glory or honour or praise, or the pleasure of food or drink or clothing, cannot become a true Christian.
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
Matt 16:24 (allusion, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Keep remembrance against forgetfulness and passions; no one is a true Christian without humbly taking up the cross.
- Migne brackets ὑπὸ as a word to be deleted; it does not change the sense. Compare Matt 16:24.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (word split by the OCR): ῥαθυ μίας → ῥαθυμίας; θηριώ δει → θηριώδει.
Topics: Prayer
Cite (SBL): Mark the Hermit, Opusc. 5.3 (PG 65:1031; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/mark-hermit-opuscula/5-3). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/mark-hermit-opuscula/5-3
BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-mark-hermit-opuscula-5-3) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Migne's Patrologia Graeca (scan OCR; corrections logged). No public-domain English translation exists and no FOTC volume covers this work, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
5.4PG 65:1033
Τοιγάρτοι οὐ τοιούτων ἡμῖν προκειμένων ἀγώνων καὶ ἄθλων καὶ στεφάνων, μέχρι τότε ἡμεῖς ὑπὸ τῆς ἐσχηματισμένης εὐσεβοῦς μορφώσεως τῷ Κυρίῳ δουλεύοντες, ἄλλο τοῖς ἀνθρώποις νομιζόμενοι, καὶ ἄλλο τῷ κρυπτῷ γινωσκόμενοι καὶ καταφαινόμενοι. Ἅγιοι γὰρ παρὰ πολλῶν νομιζόμενοι, ἄγριοι ἀκμὴν τὸ ἦθος τυγχάνομεν ἀληθῶς, μόρφωσιν εὐσεβείας ἔχοντες, τὴν δὲ δύναμιν αὐτῆς ἐνώπιον Θεοῦ μὴ κεκτημένοι· παρθένοι καὶ ἀγνοὶ παρὰ πολλῶν νομιζόμενοι, καὶ παρὰ τῷ τὰ κρυπτὰ κατανοοῦντι, ἐν ἀκαθαρσίαις συγκαταθέσεων πορνικῶν ἔνδοθεν μολυνόμενοι, καὶ ταῖς ἐνεργείαις τῶν παθῶν βορβορούμενοι, καὶ διὰ τὴν ἐσχηματισμένην ἡμῶν ἄσκησιν, ἔτι καὶ τοῖς ἐπαίνοις τῶν ἀνθρώπων ὑπτιούμενοι, καὶ τὸν νοῦν ἐκτυφλούμενοι. Ἕως πότε οὖν ἐν τῇ ματαιότητι τοῦ νοὸς πορευόμεθα, τοῦ εὐαγγελικοῦ φρονήματος μὴ ἐπιλαβόμενοι, καὶ τὴν κατὰ συνείδησιν πολιτείαν οὐκ ἐπιγινώσκομεν, ἵνα ταύτην σπουδαίως μεταδιώξωμεν, ὅπως καὶ τὴν κατὰ συνείδησιν παρῥησίαν εὑρήσωμεν, ἀλλ᾽ ἔτι ἐν τῇ νομιζομένῃ' τοῦ ἔξωθεν ἀνθρώπου δικαιοσύνῃ στηριζόμεθα, καὶ δι' ὑστέρησιν ἀληθοῦς γνώσεως, διὰ τῶν ἔξωθεν μόνον ἐπιτηδευμάτων ἑαυτοὺς πλανῶμεν, τοῖς ἀνθρώποις ἀρέσκειν βουλόμενοι, καὶ τὰς παρ' αὐτῶν δόξας καὶ τιμὰς καὶ ἐπαίνους θηρώμενοι; Ἥξει πάντως ὁ τὰ κρυπτὰ τοῦ σκότους ἀποκαλύπτων, καὶ φανερῶν τὰς βουλὰς τῶν καρδιῶν, ὁ ἀπαραλόγιστος δικαστὴς, ὁ μήτε πλούσιον ἐντρεπόμενος, μήτε πτωχὸν ἐλεῶν, ὁ τὸ σχῆμα τὸ ἔξωθεν περιαιρῶν, καὶ τὴν ἀλήθειαν τὴν ἔνδοθεν κεκρυμμένην φανερῶν· ὁ τοὺς κατὰ συνείδησιν πολιτευσαμένους ἀληθινοὺς ἀγωνιστὰς καὶ ἀθλητὰς, ἐν παρουσίᾳ ἀγγέλων ἐπὶ τοῦ ἰδίου Πατρὸς στεφανῶν, καὶ τοὺς ἐσχηματισμένους καὶ μόρφωσιν εὐσεβείας περιβεβλημένους, καὶ φαινομένην μόνην πολιτείαν τοῖς ἀνθρώποις ἐπιδεικνυμένους, καὶ ἐπὶ ταύτῃ ματαίως στηριζομένους, καὶ ἑαυτοὺς φρεναπατοῦντας ἐπὶ τῆς ἄνω κλήσεως τῶν ἁγίων, καὶ πάσης τῆς ἐπουρανίου στρατιᾶς θριαμβεύων δεινῶς αἰσχυνομένους, καὶ εἰς τὸ ἐξώτερον κατακρινομένους κατὰ τὰς μωρὰς παρθένους, αἴτινες, τοῖς μὲν ἔξωθεν τοῦ σώματος παρθενίαν ἐφύλαξαν· (οὐδὲν γὰρ περὶ τούτου ἐνεκλήθησαν), ἀλλὰ καὶ ἔλαιον μερικῶς ἐν τοῖς ἀγγείοις εἶχον, τοῦτ᾽ ἔστιν ἀρετῶν τινῶν καὶ κατορθωμάτων μέτοχοι ἐτύγχανον· διὸ καὶ αἱ λαμπάδες αὐτῶν μέχρι τινὸς ἤπτοντο· διὰ δὲ ἀμέλειαν καὶ ἄγνοιαν καὶ ῥαθυμίαν, τῆς ἔνδοθεν καθαρότητος πρόνοιαν οὐκ ἐποιήσαντο· καὶ τὸν κρυπτόμενον ἔσωθεν τῶν παθῶν ἐσμὸν, τὸν ὑπὸ τῶν πονηρῶν λογισμῶν καὶ πνευμάτων ἐνεργούμενον, ἀκριβῶς οὐκ ἐπέγνωσαν, ἀλλ᾽ ὑπὸ τῶν ἀντικειμένων ἐνεργειῶν τὰ νοήματα αὐτῶν ἐφθείροντο ἐν τῇ τῶν λογισμῶν συγκαταθέσει κινοῦσαι ἑαυτὰς, δελεαζόμεναι κρυπτῶς καὶ ἡττώμεναι φθόνῳ τῷ κακίστῳ, ζήλῳ τῷ μισοκάλῳ, ἔριδι, μίσει, φιλονεικίᾳ, ὀργῇ, πικρίᾳ, ὑποκρίσει, θυμῷ, ὑπερηφανίᾳ, κενοδοξία, ἀνθρωπαρεσκείᾳ, φιλαργυρίᾳ, ἐπιθυμίᾳ σαρκικῇ, ἐν λογισμοῖς τὴν ἡδυπάθειαν ἐργαζομένοις, ἀπιστίᾳ, ἀφοβίᾳ, δειλίᾳ, ἀκηδίᾳ, λύπῃ, ἀντιλογίᾳ, χαυνώσει, ὕπνῳ, οἰήσει, δικαιοσύνῃ, ἐπάρσει, ἀλαζονείᾳ, ἀπληστίᾳ, ἀσωτίᾳ, πλεονεξία, ἀνελπιστίᾳ τῇ πάντων χαλεπωτέρᾳ, καὶ τοῖς λοιποῖς τῆς κακίας λεπτοτάτοις ἐνεργήμασιν. Αἵτινες καὶ τῶν καλῶν τὴν ἐργασίαν, ἢ πολιτείαν σεμνὴν, καὶ αὐταὶ ἐδόκουν ὑπὸ τῶν ἀνθρώπων ποιεῖσθαι, τοὺς παρ' αὐτῶν ἐπαίνους καρποῦσαι, εἰ καί τινων χαρισμάτων μετέχουσαι, τῆς κενοδοξίας καὶ ἀνθρωπαρεσκείας πνεύμασιν ἀπεμπόλων τὰ θεῖα χαρίσματα, τοῖς δὲ λοιποῖς πάθεσι κοινωνοῦσαι ἐμίγνυον τὰ καλὰ ἐπιτηδεύματα τοῖς πονηροῖς καὶ σαρκικοῖς φρονήμασι· διὸ ἀπρόσδεκτα καὶ ἀκάθαρτα ἀπειργάζοντο κατὰ τὴν τοῦ Κάϊν θυσίαν· διόπερ καὶ τοιούτου τέλους ἔτυχον· νυμφίου χαρᾶς στερηθεῖσαι, καὶ νυμφῶνης ἐπουρανίου ἀποκλεισθεῖσαι.
Toigartoi ou toioutōn hēmin prokeimenōn agōnōn kai athlōn kai stephanōn, mechri tote hēmeis hypo tēs eschēmatismenēs eusebous morphōseōs tǭ Kyriǭ douleuontes, allo tois anthrōpois nomizomenoi, kai allo tǭ kryptǭ ginōskomenoi kai kataphainomenoi. Hagioi gar para pollōn nomizomenoi, agrioi akmēn to ēthos tynchanomen alēthōs, morphōsin eusebeias echontes, tēn de dynamin autēs enōpion Theou mē kektēmenoi; parthenoi kai agnoi para pollōn nomizomenoi, kai para tǭ ta krypta katanoounti, en akatharsiais synkatatheseōn pornikōn endothen molynomenoi, kai tais energeiais tōn pathōn borboroumenoi, kai dia tēn eschēmatismenēn hēmōn askēsin, eti kai tois epainois tōn anthrōpōn hyptioumenoi, kai ton noun ektyphloumenoi. Heōs pote oun en tę̄ mataiotēti tou noos poreuometha, tou euangelikou phronēmatos mē epilabomenoi, kai tēn kata syneidēsin politeian ouk epiginōskomen, hina tautēn spoudaiōs metadiōxōmen, hopōs kai tēn kata syneidēsin parrhēsian heurēsōmen, all᾽ eti en tę̄ nomizomenę̄' tou exōthen anthrōpou dikaiosynę̄ stērizometha, kai di' hysterēsin alēthous gnōseōs, dia tōn exōthen monon epitēdeumatōn heautous planōmen, tois anthrōpois areskein boulomenoi, kai tas par' autōn doxas kai timas kai epainous thērōmenoi? Hēxei pantōs ho ta krypta tou skotous apokalyptōn, kai phanerōn tas boulas tōn kardiōn, ho aparalogistos dikastēs, ho mēte plousion entrepomenos, mēte ptōchon eleōn, ho to schēma to exōthen periairōn, kai tēn alētheian tēn endothen kekrymmenēn phanerōn; ho tous kata syneidēsin politeusamenous alēthinous agōnistas kai athlētas, en parousią angelōn epi tou idiou Patros stephanōn, kai tous eschēmatismenous kai morphōsin eusebeias peribeblēmenous, kai phainomenēn monēn politeian tois anthrōpois epideiknymenous, kai epi tautę̄ mataiōs stērizomenous, kai heautous phrenapatountas epi tēs anō klēseōs tōn hagiōn, kai pasēs tēs epouraniou stratias thriambeuōn deinōs aischynomenous, kai eis to exōteron katakrinomenous kata tas mōras parthenous, aitines, tois men exōthen tou sōmatos parthenian ephylaxan; (ouden gar peri toutou eneklēthēsan), alla kai elaion merikōs en tois angeiois eichon, tout᾽ estin aretōn tinōn kai katorthōmatōn metochoi etynchanon; dio kai hai lampades autōn mechri tinos ēptonto; dia de ameleian kai agnoian kai rhathymian, tēs endothen katharotētos pronoian ouk epoiēsanto; kai ton kryptomenon esōthen tōn pathōn esmon, ton hypo tōn ponērōn logismōn kai pneumatōn energoumenon, akribōs ouk epegnōsan, all᾽ hypo tōn antikeimenōn energeiōn ta noēmata autōn ephtheironto en tę̄ tōn logismōn synkatathesei kinousai heautas, deleazomenai kryptōs kai hēttōmenai phthonǭ tǭ kakistǭ, zēlǭ tǭ misokalǭ, eridi, misei, philoneikią, orgę̄, pikrią, hypokrisei, thymǭ, hyperēphanią, kenodoxia, anthrōpareskeią, philargyrią, epithymią sarkikę̄, en logismois tēn hēdypatheian ergazomenois, apistią, aphobią, deilią, akēdią, lypę̄, antilogią, chaunōsei, hypnǭ, oiēsei, dikaiosynę̄, eparsei, alazoneią, aplēstią, asōtią, pleonexia, anelpistią tę̄ pantōn chalepōterą, kai tois loipois tēs kakias leptotatois energēmasin. Haitines kai tōn kalōn tēn ergasian, ē politeian semnēn, kai autai edokoun hypo tōn anthrōpōn poieisthai, tous par' autōn epainous karpousai, ei kai tinōn charismatōn metechousai, tēs kenodoxias kai anthrōpareskeias pneumasin apempolōn ta theia charismata, tois de loipois pathesi koinōnousai emignyon ta kala epitēdeumata tois ponērois kai sarkikois phronēmasi; dio aprosdekta kai akatharta apeirgazonto kata tēn tou Kaïn thysian; dioper kai toioutou telous etychon; nymphiou charas sterētheisai, kai nymphōnēs epouraniou apokleistheisai.
Since such struggles, contests, and crowns are not yet before us, we serve the Lord until now under an assumed form of piety, thought to be one thing by people and known and shown to be another in secret. Thought holy by many, we are truly still savage in character, having a form of godliness but not having its power before God; thought virgins and pure by many, before him who observes hidden things we are defiled within by the impurities of consent to thoughts of sexual immorality, wallowing in the mire of the workings of the passions; and because of our assumed asceticism we are also puffed up by people's praises and blinded in mind. How long, then, shall we walk in the vanity of the mind, not laying hold of the evangelical mind, and not recognizing the way of life according to conscience, so that we may pursue it earnestly and find the boldness that comes from conscience; but still rely on the supposed righteousness of the outward man, and through lack of true knowledge deceive ourselves by outward practices only, wishing to please people and hunting glory, honours, and praises from them? He will surely come who reveals the hidden things of darkness and makes manifest the counsels of hearts, the judge who cannot be deceived, who neither respects the rich nor pities the poor, who strips off the outward form and makes manifest the truth hidden within; who crowns those who lived according to conscience, true contestants and athletes, in the presence of angels before his own Father; and who will put to grievous shame, triumphing over them before the high calling of the saints and all the heavenly host, those who assumed a form and clothed themselves with a form of godliness, displaying to people only an apparent way of life, relying on it in vain and deceiving themselves; and he condemns them to the outer darkness like the foolish virgins. They kept the outward virginity of the body (for they were not accused of anything about that), and even had some oil in their vessels, that is, they shared in some virtues and achievements; that is why their lamps burned for a while. But through negligence, ignorance, and sloth they took no thought for inner purity; and the swarm of passions hidden within, worked by evil thoughts and spirits, they did not recognize accurately, but their thoughts were corrupted by the opposing powers, as they moved themselves in consent to the thoughts, secretly enticed and overcome by the worst envy, by jealousy that hates the good, by strife, hatred, contentiousness, anger, bitterness, hypocrisy, wrath, pride, vainglory, the wish to please people, love of money, fleshly desire that works indulgence in thoughts, unbelief, fearlessness, cowardice, listlessness, grief, contradiction, slackness, sleep, conceit, self-righteousness, elation, boastfulness, insatiability, prodigality, greed, despair, the most grievous of all, and the other most subtle workings of evil. They too were thought by people to do good works and a dignified way of life, reaping their praises; and even if they shared in some gifts, they bartered the divine gifts to the spirits of vainglory and people-pleasing, and sharing in the other passions they mixed good practices with evil and fleshly attitudes; so they made them unacceptable and unclean, like Cain's sacrifice. That is why they met such an end: deprived of the joy of the bridegroom and shut out of the heavenly bridal chamber.
2 Tim 3:5 (quotation, high confidence) · Eph 4:17 (allusion, high confidence) · 1 Cor 4:5 (quotation, high confidence) · Phil 3:14 (allusion, medium confidence) · Matt 25:1 (allusion, high confidence) · Matt 25:10 (allusion, high confidence) · Gen 4:5 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Outward asceticism without inner purity is like the foolish virgins, who were shut out.
- 2 Tim 3:5; Eph 4:17; 1 Cor 4:5; Phil 3:14; Matt 25:1–12; Gen 4:5. “Self-righteousness” renders δικαιοσύνῃ, listed here among the vices.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (Migne margin letter removed; OCR doubled letter; OCR letter slip; OCR letter transposition; word split by the OCR): μόρφρωσιν → μόρφωσιν; ἀκαρθασίαις → ἀκαθαρσίαις; κατὰ τὰς Α μωρὰς → κατὰ τὰς μωρὰς; σώ ματος → σώματος; λαμπάδε; → λαμπάδες; μισοκάλῳ, Β ἔριδι → μισοκάλῳ, ἔριδι; ἡδυπά. θειαν → ἡδυπάθειαν.
Topics: Eschatology
Cite (SBL): Mark the Hermit, Opusc. 5.4 (PG 65:1033; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/mark-hermit-opuscula/5-4). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/mark-hermit-opuscula/5-4
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Migne's Patrologia Graeca (scan OCR; corrections logged). No public-domain English translation exists and no FOTC volume covers this work, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
5.5PG 65:1035
Ταῦτα οὖν λογιζόμενοι καὶ διακρίνοντες, γνῶμεν καὶ συνιῶμεν τίνες ἐσμὲν, ἵνα ὡς ἔτι καιρὸν μετανοίας καὶ ἐπιστροφῆς ἔχομεν, ἑαυτοὺς διορθωσώμεθα, ὅπως τὰ καλὰ ἡμῶν ἔργα καθαρῶς ἐπιτελούμενα, ἀληθινὰ καὶ καλὰ ᾖ, σαρκικῷ φρονήματι μὴ μιγνύμενα, ἵνα μὴ ἀπόβλητα γένηται, ὡς θυσία ἐπίμωμος, δι' ἀφοβίαν καὶ ἀμέλειαν, καὶ ἀληθινῆς γνώσεως ἔλλειψιν, μὴ πως καὶ τὸν κόπον τῆς παρθενίας καὶ ἐγκρατείας, νηστείας καὶ ἀγρυπνίας, καὶ κακοπαθείας ὑπομένωμεν, καὶ τὰς ἡμέρας ἀναλώσωμεν, καὶ τὰς προειρημένας τῶν παθῶν αἰτίας, τὰ δοκοῦντα ἡμῖν δικαιώματα, ὡς θυσία ἐπίμωμος εὑρεθέντα, ἀπρόσδεκτα τῷ ἐπουρανίῳ ἀρχιερεῖ Χριστῷ γένηται. Γνώσεως οὖν, τέκνον, καὶ συνέσεως προηγουμένης ἐπιμελητέον τῷ βουλομένῳ τὸν σταυρὸν ἆραι, καὶ τῷ Χριστῷ ἐπακολουθεῖν, διὰ τῆς ἀδιαλείπτου ἐν ἑαυτῷ τῷ λογισμῷ ἐρεύνης, καὶ πολλῆς μερίμνης περὶ σωτηρίας, καὶ πολλῆς τῆς πρὸς Θεὸν ἐφίξεως, καὶ συνέσεως, καὶ ἐρωτήσεως τῶν ὁμοφρόνων, καὶ συμψύχων δούλων τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ τὸν αὐτὸν ἀγῶνα ἀγωνιζομένων, ἵνα μὴ ἀγνοῶν περιπατῇ ἐν σκότει, καὶ ἄνευ φωτὸς καὶ λύχνου ὁδεύῃ. Ὁ γὰρ ἰδιόρυθμος ἄνευ εὐαγγελικῆς γνώσεως καὶ ὁδηγίας ὁδεύων, πολλὰ προσκόπτει, καὶ εἰς πολλοὺς βόθρους καὶ παγίδας τοῦ διαβόλου ἐμπίπτει, πολλὰ πίπτει, καὶ πολλά πλανᾶται, καὶ πολλοῖς περιπίπτει κινδύνοις· καὶ οὐκ οἶδε ποίου τέλους τυγχάνει. Πολλοὶ γὰρ διὰ πολλῶν κόπων καὶ ἀσκήσεως διῆλθον, καὶ κακοπαθείας καὶ πολλοὺς μόχθους, ὡς διὰ Θεὸν, ὑπέμειναν· καὶ ἡ ἰδιορυθμία, καὶ ἡ ἀδιακρισία, καὶ τὸ ἀνεπιτηδὲς τῆς παρὰ τὸν πλησίον ὠφελείας, ἀκηρίους αὐτῶν τοὺς τοσούτους κόπους καὶ πόνους καὶ καμάτους εἰργάσαντο.
Tauta oun logizomenoi kai diakrinontes, gnōmen kai syniōmen tines esmen, hina hōs eti kairon metanoias kai epistrophēs echomen, heautous diorthōsōmetha, hopōs ta kala hēmōn erga katharōs epiteloumena, alēthina kai kala ę̄, sarkikǭ phronēmati mē mignymena, hina mē apoblēta genētai, hōs thysia epimōmos, di' aphobian kai ameleian, kai alēthinēs gnōseōs elleipsin, mē pōs kai ton kopon tēs parthenias kai enkrateias, nēsteias kai agrypnias, kai kakopatheias hypomenōmen, kai tas hēmeras analōsōmen, kai tas proeirēmenas tōn pathōn aitias, ta dokounta hēmin dikaiōmata, hōs thysia epimōmos heurethenta, aprosdekta tǭ epouraniǭ archierei Christǭ genētai. Gnōseōs oun, teknon, kai syneseōs proēgoumenēs epimelēteon tǭ boulomenǭ ton stauron arai, kai tǭ Christǭ epakolouthein, dia tēs adialeiptou en heautǭ tǭ logismǭ ereunēs, kai pollēs merimnēs peri sōtērias, kai pollēs tēs pros Theon ephixeōs, kai syneseōs, kai erōtēseōs tōn homophronōn, kai sympsychōn doulōn tou Theou, kai ton auton agōna agōnizomenōn, hina mē agnoōn peripatę̄ en skotei, kai aneu phōtos kai lychnou hodeuę̄. Ho gar idiorythmos aneu euangelikēs gnōseōs kai hodēgias hodeuōn, polla proskoptei, kai eis pollous bothrous kai pagidas tou diabolou empiptei, polla piptei, kai polla planatai, kai pollois peripiptei kindynois; kai ouk oide poiou telous tynchanei. Polloi gar dia pollōn kopōn kai askēseōs diēlthon, kai kakopatheias kai pollous mochthous, hōs dia Theon, hypemeinan; kai hē idiorythmia, kai hē adiakrisia, kai to anepitēdes tēs para ton plēsion ōpheleias, akērious autōn tous tosoutous kopous kai ponous kai kamatous eirgasanto.
Reckoning and discerning these things, then, let us know and understand who we are, so that, while we still have time for repentance and return, we may correct ourselves, so that our good works, being done purely, may be true and good, not mixed with a fleshly mind, lest they be rejected like a blemished sacrifice through lack of fear, negligence, and lack of true knowledge; lest we endure the labour of virginity and self-control, fasting, vigil, and hardship, and spend our days, and yet, because of the causes of the passions mentioned, the things that seem to us righteous deeds are found to be a blemished sacrifice and become unacceptable to the heavenly high priest Christ. Knowledge and understanding must therefore come first, child, for one who wishes to take up the cross and follow Christ, through unceasing searching within oneself in thought, much care for salvation, much striving toward God, understanding, and questioning of like-minded and kindred servants of God who are fighting the same fight, so that he may not walk in darkness in ignorance and travel without light and lamp. For whoever goes his own way without evangelical knowledge and guidance stumbles often, falls into many pits and snares of the devil, falls often, wanders much, meets many dangers, and does not know what end he will reach. For many have passed through many labours and much asceticism, and endured hardships and many toils as though for God; and their self-will, lack of discernment, and failure to seek the benefit of their neighbour made all those labours, pains, and toils fruitless.
Matt 16:24 (allusion, high confidence) · John 12:35 (allusion, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Good works must be pure; going one's own way without guidance makes ascetic labour fruitless.
- Matt 16:24; John 12:35; Ps 119:105 (lamp).
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (word split by the OCR): ἀγων νιζομένων → ἀγωνιζομένων; πλα νᾶται → πλανᾶται.
Topics: Fasting
Cite (SBL): Mark the Hermit, Opusc. 5.5 (PG 65:1035; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/mark-hermit-opuscula/5-5). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/mark-hermit-opuscula/5-5
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Migne's Patrologia Graeca (scan OCR; corrections logged). No public-domain English translation exists and no FOTC volume covers this work, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
5.6PG 65:1037
Σὺ οὖν, τέκνον ἀγαπητὸν, κατὰ τὴν ἀρχὴν τῆς τοῦ λόγου παραινέσεως, τὰς εἰς σὲ γεγενημένας τοῦ φιλανθρώπου Θεοῦ μὴ ἐπιλανθάνου εὐεργεσίας, κλοπῆς καὶ ῥαθυμίας ὑποσυρόμενος· ἀλλὰ τὰς ἐξ ἀρχῆς γεννήσεώς σου μέχρι τοῦ νῦν, ἐὰν τε σωματικάς, ἐάν τε πνευματικὰς εὐεργεσίας πρὸ ὀφθαλμῶν τιθέμενος, μελέτα ἐν αὐταῖς καὶ ἀδολέσχει κατὰ τὸ εἰρημένον· Καὶ μὴ ἐπιλανθάνου πάσας τὰς ἀνταποδόσεις αὐτοῦ, ἵνα ῥᾳδίως καὶ εὐκόλως προσάξωσιν εἰς ἀγάπην Θεοῦ. Ἡ καρδία κινεῖται ἀνταποδοῦναι κατὰ δύναμιν, βίον ἀκριβῆ, πολιτείαν ἐνάρετον, συνείδησιν εὐλαβῆ, λόγον εὐάρμοστον, καὶ ὅλον ἑαυτὸν τῷ Θεῷ ἀναθεῖναι δυσωπούμενον ὑπὸ τῆς μνήμης τῶν τοσούτων καλῶν, ὧν πέπονθας ὑπὸ ἀγαθοῦ καὶ φιλανθρώπου Δεσπότου, ὅπως αὐτομάτῳ τινὶ τρόπῳ διὰ τῆς τοιαύτης τῶν εὐεργεσιῶν μνήμης, μᾶλλον δὲ συνεργούσης σοι καὶ τῆς ἄνωθεν ῥοπῆς, εἰς ἀγάπην καὶ πόθον τιτρώσκεται ἡ καρδία σου, ὅτι ἅπερ ἄλλοις οὐκ ἐποίησε, πολλῇ κρίσει θαυμάσια, τῇ ἰδίᾳ αὐτοῦ ἀῤῥήτῳ φιλανθρωπίᾳ, σοὶ ἐποίησε. Πάντων μὲν οὖν τῶν εἰς σὲ καλῶν παρὰ Θεοῦ γεγενημένων ἐν μνήμῃ ἀδιαλείπτῳ εἶναι σπούδαζε· ἐξαιρέτως δὲ ἐκείνης τῆς θαυμαστῆς χάριτος καὶ εὐεργεσίας ἀδιαλείπτως μέμνησο, ἧς ἐκπλέοντί σοι ἅμα τῇ μητρί σου ἐκ τῶν ἁγίων τόπων ἐπὶ τὴν Κωνσταντίνου πόλιν παράσχῃ σοι, καθὼς ἡμῖν διηγήσω, ὅτε ἡ φοβερά ἐκείνη καὶ ἀκατάσχετος ζάλη, καὶ κλύδων μέγας τῇ νυκτὶ ἐκινήθη· καὶ πάντες οἱ ἐν τῷ πλοίῳ ἅμα τοῖς ναύταις καὶ αὐτῇ τῇ μητρί σου ἀπώλοντο ἐν τῷ βυθῷ· καὶ ἐκ παραδόξου καὶ θείας δυνάμεως μόνος σὺ μετὰ δύο ἄλλων ἀποῤῥιφθέντες διεσώθητε· καὶ πῶς ᾠκονομήθη ἐλθεῖν σε ἐν ᾿Αγκύρᾳ, καὶ πατρικοῖς σπλάγχνοις παρά τινος ἐλευθέρου προσληφθέντα, καὶ διαθέσει ζευχθέντα τῷ εὐλαβεστάτῳ τέκνῳ Ἐπιφανίῳ, ἵνα ἀμφότεροι ὁδηγηθῆτε δι᾿ ὁσίου ἀνδρὸς ἐλθεῖν εἰς σωτηρίας ὁδόν· καὶ παρὰ ἁγίων δούλων Θεοῦ, ὡς γνήσια τέκνα, προσληφθῆναι.
Sy oun, teknon agapēton, kata tēn archēn tēs tou logou paraineseōs, tas eis se gegenēmenas tou philanthrōpou Theou mē epilanthanou euergesias, klopēs kai rhathymias hyposyromenos; alla tas ex archēs gennēseōs sou mechri tou nyn, ean te sōmatikas, ean te pneumatikas euergesias pro ophthalmōn tithemenos, meleta en autais kai adoleschei kata to eirēmenon; Kai mē epilanthanou pasas tas antapodoseis autou, hina rhądiōs kai eukolōs prosaxōsin eis agapēn Theou. Hē kardia kineitai antapodounai kata dynamin, bion akribē, politeian enareton, syneidēsin eulabē, logon euarmoston, kai holon heauton tǭ Theǭ anatheinai dysōpoumenon hypo tēs mnēmēs tōn tosoutōn kalōn, hōn peponthas hypo agathou kai philanthrōpou Despotou, hopōs automatǭ tini tropǭ dia tēs toiautēs tōn euergesiōn mnēmēs, mallon de synergousēs soi kai tēs anōthen rhopēs, eis agapēn kai pothon titrōsketai hē kardia sou, hoti haper allois ouk epoiēse, pollę̄ krisei thaumasia, tę̄ idią autou arrhētǭ philanthrōpią, soi epoiēse. Pantōn men oun tōn eis se kalōn para Theou gegenēmenōn en mnēmę̄ adialeiptǭ einai spoudaze; exairetōs de ekeinēs tēs thaumastēs charitos kai euergesias adialeiptōs memnēso, hēs ekpleonti soi hama tę̄ mētri sou ek tōn hagiōn topōn epi tēn Kōnstantinou polin paraschę̄ soi, kathōs hēmin diēgēsō, hote hē phobera ekeinē kai akataschetos zalē, kai klydōn megas tę̄ nykti ekinēthē; kai pantes hoi en tǭ ploiǭ hama tois nautais kai autę̄ tę̄ mētri sou apōlonto en tǭ bythǭ; kai ek paradoxou kai theias dynameōs monos sy meta dyo allōn aporrhiphthentes diesōthēte; kai pōs ǭkonomēthē elthein se en ᾿Ankyrą, kai patrikois splanchnois para tinos eleutherou proslēphthenta, kai diathesei zeuchthenta tǭ eulabestatǭ teknǭ Epiphaniǭ, hina amphoteroi hodēgēthēte di᾿ hosiou andros elthein eis sōtērias hodon; kai para hagiōn doulōn Theou, hōs gnēsia tekna, proslēphthēnai.
You, then, beloved child, according to the beginning of this counsel, do not forget the benefits of the God who loves humankind that have come to you, carried away by forgetfulness and sloth; but setting before your eyes his benefits from the beginning of your birth until now, whether bodily or spiritual, meditate on them and ponder them, according to the saying, “And do not forget all his benefits,” so that they may easily and readily lead you to the love of God. The heart is moved to repay as far as it can: a strict life, a virtuous way of living, a reverent conscience, fitting speech, and to dedicate oneself wholly to God, shamed by the remembrance of so many good things that you have received from the good Master who loves humankind; so that, as of its own accord, through such remembrance of benefits, or rather with help from above working with you, your heart may be wounded with love and longing, because the wonders he did not do for others, with much judgment, in his own unspeakable love for humankind he did for you. Be zealous, then, to keep in unceasing remembrance all the good things that have come to you from God; and above all remember unceasingly that wonderful grace and benefit which he granted you when you were sailing with your mother from the holy places to Constantinople, as you told us, when that fearful and irresistible storm and great surge rose in the night, and all in the ship, with the sailors and your mother herself, perished in the deep; and by an unexpected and divine power you alone, with two others, were cast ashore and saved; and how it was arranged that you came to Ancyra and were taken in with fatherly affection by a free man, and joined in affection to the most devout child Epiphanius, so that you both might be guided by a holy man onto the road of salvation and be received by holy servants of God as true children.
Ps 103:2 (102:2 LXX) (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Mark reminds Nicolas of God's mercies, especially his rescue from shipwreck and his reception at Ancyra.
- Ps 103:2 (LXX 102:2). The printed κλοπῆς (“theft”) is probably for λήθης (“forgetfulness”), the word Mark uses in 5.2–5.3; translated so. The account of Nicolas's shipwreck and his coming to Ancyra with Epiphanius is translated as written.
Cite (SBL): Mark the Hermit, Opusc. 5.6 (PG 65:1037; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/mark-hermit-opuscula/5-6). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/mark-hermit-opuscula/5-6
BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-mark-hermit-opuscula-5-6) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Migne's Patrologia Graeca (scan OCR; corrections logged). No public-domain English translation exists and no FOTC volume covers this work, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
5.7PG 65:1037
Ὑπὲρ τούτων οὖν ἁπάντων τῶν παρὰ Θεοῦ σοι γεγενημένων καλῶν, τί ἄξιον ἔχεις ἀνταποδοῦναι τῷ καλέσαντι τὴν ψυχήν σου εἰς ζωὴν αἰώνιον; Ἑαυτῷ γὰρ λοιπὸν, κατὰ τὸ δίκαιον, οὐκέτι ζῇν ὀφείλεις, ἀλλὰ τῷ ὑπὲρ σοῦ ἀποθανόντι καὶ ἐγερθέντι εἰς πᾶσαν ἀρετὴν δικαιοσύνης, εἰς πᾶσαν κατόρθωσιν ἐντολῶν, ἐκζητῶν ἀεὶ, τί ἐστι τὸ θέλημα τοῦ Θεοῦ, τὸ ἀγαθὸν καὶ εὐάρεστον καὶ τέλειον· καὶ τοῦτο παντὶ σθένει σπουδάζειν καὶ διώκειν. Πλὴν τὴν νεότητά σου ὦ τέκνον, οὕτως ὑπόταξον τῷ λόγῳ τοῦ Θεοῦ, ὡς αὐτὸς ὁ λόγος ἀπαιτεῖ· Παράστησον τὸ σῶμα ὡς θυσίαν ζῶσαν, ἁγίαν, εὐάρεστον τῷ Θεῷ, τὴν λογικὴν λατρείαν, πᾶσάν τε νοτίδα ἐπιθυμίας σαρκικῆς δι' ὀλιγοσιτίας καὶ ὀλιγοποσίας, καὶ ὁλονυκτίων ἀγρυπνιῶν ψύξον καὶ ξήρανον, ἵνα καὶ αὐτὸς ἐκ διαθέσεως εἴπῃς · Ἐγενήθην ὡς ἀσκὸς ἐν πάχνῃ, τὰ δικαιώματά σου οὐκ ἐπελαθόμην· καὶ ἐπιγνοὺς ὅτι Χριστοῦ εἶ, τὴν σεαυτοῦ σάρκα σταύρωσον, κατὰ τὴν ἀποστολικὴν φωνὴν, σὺν τοῖς παθήμασι καὶ ταῖς ἐπιθυμίαις, καὶ τὰ μέλη τὰ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς νέκρωσον, οὐ μόνον τὴν πρακτικὴν τῆς πορνείας, ἀλλὰ τὴν ἐνεργουμένην ὑπὸ τῶν πονηρῶν πνευμάτων τῇ σαρκὶ ἀκαθαρσίαν. Καὶ οὐ μόνον ἕως τούτου ἔστησε τὸν ἀγῶνα ὁ ἀληθινῆς καὶ ἀμολύντου καὶ ὁλοτελοῦς παρθενίας τὸν στέφανον ἐκδεχόμενος· ἀλλ᾽ ἐπακολουθῶν τῇ ἀποστολικῇ διδασκαλίᾳ, καὶ αὐτοῦ τοῦ πάθους τὴν συμμαχίαν καὶ κίνησιν νεκροῦν ἀγωνίζεται. Καὶ οὔτε οὕτως πληροφορεῖται σφοδρῷ ἔρωτι τὴν εὐαγγελικὴν φωνὴν καὶ ἄχραντον παρθενίαν ἐν τῷ ἰδίῳ σώματι κατασκηνῶσαι ἐκδεχόμενος, ἀλλὰ καὶ αὐτὴν ἐν μόνῳ τῷ λογισμῷ ψυχῆς ἐπιθυμίας ἐνθύμησιν, ἄνευ κινήσεως καὶ ἐνεργείας σωματικοῦ πάθους ἐν παραῤῥιπισμῷ νοὸς ἀνερχομένην, ἐξαφανισθῆναι εὔχεται· τοῦτο δὲ διὰ τῆς ἄνωθεν βοηθείας καὶ δυνάμεως καὶ ἐπιχορηγίας τοῦ ἁγίου Πνεύματος μόνης κατορθοῦσθαι δυνατόν. Εἱ ἄρα τινές εἰσιν οἱ τῆς χάριτος αὐτῆς ἠξιωμένοι, οὗτος ὁ τῆς καθαρᾶς καὶ ἀχράντου παρθενίας τὸν στέφανον ἐκδεχόμενος, νεκροῖ τὰ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς μέλη, ἐπιτάσει καὶ ἐπιμονῇ τῆς ἐγκρατείας διαφθείρων τὸν ἔξω ἄνθρωπον, λεπτύνων αὐτὸν καὶ ῥινῶν, καὶ κατεσκελετευμένον ἀπεργαζόμενος, ἵνα διὰ πίστεως καὶ ἀγώνων, καὶ τῇ τῆς χάριτος ἐνεργείᾳ, ὁ ἔσω ἀνακαινίζηται, ἡμέραν ἐξ ἡμέρας ἐπὶ τὸ κρεῖττον προκόπτων, ἀγάπῃ αὐξανόμενος, ἐλπίδι μεγαλυνόμενος, πραότητι κοσμούμενος, εἰρήνῃ Χριστοῦ βραβευόμενος, χρηστότητι ἀγόμενος, ἀγαλλιάσει πνεύματος εὐφραινόμενος, ἀγαθότητι φρουρούμενος, φόβῳ Θεοῦ περιεχόμενος, συνέσει καὶ γνώσει φωτιζόμενος, σοφίᾳ λαμπρυνόμενος, ταπεινοφροσύνῃ ὁδηγούμενος. Ταύταις καὶ ταῖς ὁμοίαις ἀρεταῖς ἐγκαινιζόμενος ὁ νοῦς, τῆς θεοειδοῦς εἰκόνος τὸν χαρακτῆρα ἐν ἑαυτῷ γνωρίζει, καὶ τῆς Δεσποτικῆς ὁμοιώσεως τὸ νοητὸν καὶ ἄῤῥητον κάλλος συνίησι, καὶ τῆς αὐτοδιδάκτου καὶ αὐτομαθοῦς σοφίας καὶ ἐνδιαθέτου νόμου τὸν πλοῦτον καταλαμβάνει. Λέπτυνον οὖν, ὦ τέκνον, τὴν νεωτερικὴν σάρκα, καὶ τοῖς προειρημένοις πίανον τὴν ἀθάνατον ψυχὴν, καὶ ταῖς προειρημέναις ἀρεταῖς ἀνακαίνισον τὸν νοῦν τῇ συνεργείᾳ τοῦ ἁγίου Πνεύματος. Νεότητος γὰρ σάρκα φασὶ πιαινομένην διαφόροις βρώμασι καὶ οἴνου πόσεσι, ὡς χοῖρον ἔτοιμον εἰς σφαγὴν εἶναι. Οὕτω τῇ πυρώσει τῶν τοῦ σώματος ἡδονῶν ἡ ψυχή κατασφάζεται, καὶ τῇ ζέσει τῆς κακῆς ἐπιθυμίας ὁ νοῦς αἰχμαλωτίζεται, ἀντέχειν πρὸς τὰς ἡδονὰς τῆς σαρκὸς μὴ δυνάμενος· εἰσροὴ γὰρ αἵματος, ἐκροὴν πνεύματος ἀπεργάζεται. Ἐξαιρέτως δὲ οἴνου μετάληψιν μὴ ὀσφραινέσθω ἡ νεότης, ἵνα μὴ διπλῇ πυρκαϊᾷ ἐξαπτομένη, τῇ ἐμφύτῳ λέγω ζέσει, καὶ τῇ ἔξωθεν ἐπιχεομένῃ· οἰνοποσίᾳ, τὴν πνευματικὴν ἡδονὴν τῷ πόνῳ τῆς κατανύξεως ἐξ αὐτῆς ἀποδιώκῃ, καὶ σύγχυσιν καὶ πύρωσιν ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ ἐμποιῇ· ἀλλὰ δι᾽ ἐπιθυμίαν πνευματικὴν, καὶ ὕδατος κόρον ἡ νεότης μὴ προσιέσθω· πάνυ γὰρ πρὸς συνέργειαν σωφροσύνης συμβάλλεται ἡ τοῦ ὕδατος ἔνδεια. Καὶ τοῦτο ἔργῳ δοκιμάσας, αὐτῇ τῇ πείρᾳ τὴν πληροφορίαν λήψῃ. Οὐ γὰρ ὡς ζυγὸν ἀνάγκης ἐπιθεῖναί σοι βουλόμενοι τοῦτο νομοθετοῦμεν ἢ ὁρίζομεν, ἀλλ᾽ ὡς ἐπίνοιαν καὶ μέθοδον ἀγαθὴν πρὸς συνέργειαν ἀληθοῦς παρθενίας καὶ ἀκριβοῦς σωφροσύνης παραινοῦμεν ἀγαπητικῶς καὶ συμβουλεύομεν, τῇ αὐτεξουσιότητί σου καταλιμπάνοντας ὁ βούλεται.
Hyper toutōn oun hapantōn tōn para Theou soi gegenēmenōn kalōn, ti axion echeis antapodounai tǭ kalesanti tēn psychēn sou eis zōēn aiōnion? Heautǭ gar loipon, kata to dikaion, ouketi zę̄n opheileis, alla tǭ hyper sou apothanonti kai egerthenti eis pasan aretēn dikaiosynēs, eis pasan katorthōsin entolōn, ekzētōn aei, ti esti to thelēma tou Theou, to agathon kai euareston kai teleion; kai touto panti sthenei spoudazein kai diōkein. Plēn tēn neotēta sou ō teknon, houtōs hypotaxon tǭ logǭ tou Theou, hōs autos ho logos apaitei; Parastēson to sōma hōs thysian zōsan, hagian, euareston tǭ Theǭ, tēn logikēn latreian, pasan te notida epithymias sarkikēs di' oligositias kai oligoposias, kai holonyktiōn agrypniōn psyxon kai xēranon, hina kai autos ek diatheseōs eipę̄s ; Egenēthēn hōs askos en pachnę̄, ta dikaiōmata sou ouk epelathomēn; kai epignous hoti Christou ei, tēn seautou sarka staurōson, kata tēn apostolikēn phōnēn, syn tois pathēmasi kai tais epithymiais, kai ta melē ta epi tēs gēs nekrōson, ou monon tēn praktikēn tēs porneias, alla tēn energoumenēn hypo tōn ponērōn pneumatōn tę̄ sarki akatharsian. Kai ou monon heōs toutou estēse ton agōna ho alēthinēs kai amolyntou kai holotelous parthenias ton stephanon ekdechomenos; all᾽ epakolouthōn tę̄ apostolikę̄ didaskalią, kai autou tou pathous tēn symmachian kai kinēsin nekroun agōnizetai. Kai oute houtōs plērophoreitai sphodrǭ erōti tēn euangelikēn phōnēn kai achranton parthenian en tǭ idiǭ sōmati kataskēnōsai ekdechomenos, alla kai autēn en monǭ tǭ logismǭ psychēs epithymias enthymēsin, aneu kinēseōs kai energeias sōmatikou pathous en pararrhipismǭ noos anerchomenēn, exaphanisthēnai euchetai; touto de dia tēs anōthen boētheias kai dynameōs kai epichorēgias tou hagiou Pneumatos monēs katorthousthai dynaton. Hei ara tines eisin hoi tēs charitos autēs ēxiōmenoi, houtos ho tēs katharas kai achrantou parthenias ton stephanon ekdechomenos, nekroi ta epi tēs gēs melē, epitasei kai epimonę̄ tēs enkrateias diaphtheirōn ton exō anthrōpon, leptynōn auton kai rhinōn, kai kateskeleteumenon apergazomenos, hina dia pisteōs kai agōnōn, kai tę̄ tēs charitos energeią, ho esō anakainizētai, hēmeran ex hēmeras epi to kreitton prokoptōn, agapę̄ auxanomenos, elpidi megalynomenos, praotēti kosmoumenos, eirēnę̄ Christou brabeuomenos, chrēstotēti agomenos, agalliasei pneumatos euphrainomenos, agathotēti phrouroumenos, phobǭ Theou periechomenos, synesei kai gnōsei phōtizomenos, sophią lamprynomenos, tapeinophrosynę̄ hodēgoumenos. Tautais kai tais homoiais aretais enkainizomenos ho nous, tēs theoeidous eikonos ton charaktēra en heautǭ gnōrizei, kai tēs Despotikēs homoiōseōs to noēton kai arrhēton kallos syniēsi, kai tēs autodidaktou kai automathous sophias kai endiathetou nomou ton plouton katalambanei. Leptynon oun, ō teknon, tēn neōterikēn sarka, kai tois proeirēmenois pianon tēn athanaton psychēn, kai tais proeirēmenais aretais anakainison ton noun tę̄ synergeią tou hagiou Pneumatos. Neotētos gar sarka phasi piainomenēn diaphorois brōmasi kai oinou posesi, hōs choiron etoimon eis sphagēn einai. Houtō tę̄ pyrōsei tōn tou sōmatos hēdonōn hē psychē katasphazetai, kai tę̄ zesei tēs kakēs epithymias ho nous aichmalōtizetai, antechein pros tas hēdonas tēs sarkos mē dynamenos; eisroē gar haimatos, ekroēn pneumatos apergazetai. Exairetōs de oinou metalēpsin mē osphrainesthō hē neotēs, hina mē diplę̄ pyrkaïą exaptomenē, tę̄ emphytǭ legō zesei, kai tę̄ exōthen epicheomenę̄; oinoposią, tēn pneumatikēn hēdonēn tǭ ponǭ tēs katanyxeōs ex autēs apodiōkę̄, kai synchysin kai pyrōsin en tę̄ kardią empoię̄; alla di᾽ epithymian pneumatikēn, kai hydatos koron hē neotēs mē prosiesthō; pany gar pros synergeian sōphrosynēs symballetai hē tou hydatos endeia. Kai touto ergǭ dokimasas, autę̄ tę̄ peirą tēn plērophorian lēpsę̄. Ou gar hōs zygon anankēs epitheinai soi boulomenoi touto nomothetoumen ē horizomen, all᾽ hōs epinoian kai methodon agathēn pros synergeian alēthous parthenias kai akribous sōphrosynēs parainoumen agapētikōs kai symbouleuomen, tę̄ autexousiotēti sou katalimpanontas ho bouletai.
For all these good things that have come to you from God, then, what worthy return have you to repay him who called your soul to eternal life? By right you ought no longer to live for yourself, but for him who died and rose for you, in all virtue of righteousness and every achievement of the commandments, always seeking what is the will of God, good, pleasing, and perfect, and pursuing it with all your strength. But subject your youth, child, to the word of God in the way the word itself requires: “Present your body as a living sacrifice, holy, pleasing to God, your rational worship”; and cool and dry up all the moisture of fleshly desire through little food and little drink and all-night vigils, so that you too may say from the heart, “I have become like a wineskin in the frost; I have not forgotten your statutes”; and, recognizing that you are Christ's, crucify your own flesh with its passions and desires, according to the apostolic word, and put to death your members that are on the earth, not only the practice of sexual immorality but also the impurity worked in the flesh by the evil spirits. And the one who awaits the crown of true, undefiled, and complete virginity does not stop the struggle there; but following the apostolic teaching, he struggles to put to death even the alliance and movement of the passion itself. Nor even so is he satisfied, though he awaits with fervent love to make the evangelical word and spotless virginity dwell in his own body; but he prays that even the bare notion of desire in the soul's thought alone, arising without movement or working of bodily passion, in the mind being stirred up, may vanish. This can be achieved only through help from above and the power and supply of the Holy Spirit. If there are any counted worthy of this grace, this man who awaits the crown of pure and spotless virginity puts to death the members on the earth, wearing away the outward man by the intensity and perseverance of self-control, thinning him and filing him down and reducing him to a skeleton, so that through faith and struggles and the working of grace the inner man may be renewed, advancing day by day toward what is better, increasing in love, magnified in hope, adorned with meekness, ruled by the peace of Christ, led by kindness, gladdened by joy of spirit, guarded by goodness, encompassed by the fear of God, enlightened by understanding and knowledge, made radiant by wisdom, guided by humility. Renewed by these and similar virtues, the mind recognizes in itself the stamp of the God-like image, understands the spiritual and unspeakable beauty of the likeness to the Master, and lays hold of the wealth of self-taught and self-learned wisdom and of the inner law. Thin, then, child, your youthful flesh, and fatten your immortal soul with the things mentioned, and renew your mind with the virtues mentioned by the help of the Holy Spirit. For they say that youthful flesh fattened with various foods and drinks of wine is like a pig ready for slaughter. So the soul is slaughtered by the burning of the body's pleasures, and the mind is taken captive by the heat of evil desire, unable to resist the pleasures of the flesh; for an influx of blood produces an outflow of spirit. Above all, let youth not even smell the taking of wine, lest, kindled by a double fire, I mean the natural heat and that poured in from outside by wine-drinking, it drive away from itself the spiritual pleasure that comes with the pain of compunction, and produce confusion and burning in the heart. Rather, for the sake of spiritual desire, let youth not take its fill even of water; for a shortage of water contributes greatly to chastity. Test this in practice, and you will gain full assurance by experience itself. We do not lay this down or define it wishing to put a yoke of necessity on you, but we counsel and advise it lovingly as a good device and method that helps true virginity and strict chastity, leaving it to your free will as you wish.
2 Cor 5:15 (allusion, high confidence) · Rom 12:2 (allusion, high confidence) · Rom 12:1 (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 119:83 (118:83 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Gal 5:24 (allusion, high confidence) · Col 3:5 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Cor 4:16 (allusion, high confidence) · Gal 5:22 (allusion, medium confidence) · Col 3:15 (allusion, medium confidence) · Gen 1:26 (allusion, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Nicolas should live for Christ, subdue youthful flesh by fasting and vigil, and be renewed in the image of God.
- 2 Cor 5:15; Rom 12:2, 1; Ps 119:83 (LXX 118:83); Gal 5:24; Col 3:5; 2 Cor 4:16; Gal 5:22; Col 3:15; Gen 1:26. A cue to an editor's note (“that you came to Ancyra”) printed in the line is removed.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (Migne margin letter removed; editor's footnote cue and margin letter printed in the line removed; word split by the OCR): τὴν λογικὴν Ἐλθεῖν σε ἐν Ἀγκύρᾳ, Α λατρείαν → τὴν λογικὴν λατρείαν; οὔτε Β οὕτως → οὔτε οὕτως; κατορθοῦ σθαι → κατορθοῦσθαι; κρεῖτ τον → κρεῖττον; σώ ματος → σώματος; οἰνοπο σίᾳ → οἰνοποσίᾳ; κατανύ ξεως → κατανύξεως.
Topics: Fasting
Cite (SBL): Mark the Hermit, Opusc. 5.7 (PG 65:1037; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/mark-hermit-opuscula/5-7). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/mark-hermit-opuscula/5-7
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Migne's Patrologia Graeca (scan OCR; corrections logged). No public-domain English translation exists and no FOTC volume covers this work, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
5.8PG 65:1041
Δεῦρο δὴ λοιπὸν καὶ περὶ τοῦ ἀλόγου τῆς ὀργῆς πάθους ὀλίγα διαλάβωμεν, τοῦ πᾶσαν ψυχὴν ἐρημοῦντος, καὶ συγχέοντος, καὶ σκοτίζοντος, καὶ θηρίοις ὅμοιον τὸν ἄνθρωπον ἀποδεικνύντος ἐν καιρῷ τῆς κινήσεως καὶ ἐνεργείας αὐτοῦ, τὸν μάλιστα εὐολίσθως καὶ ὀξυῤῥεπῶς πρὸς αὐτὸ ἔχοντα τὸ πάθος. Τοῦτο ἐξαιρέτως ὑπερηφανίᾳ στηρίζεται καὶ κραταιοῦται, καὶ ἀκατάλυτον γίνεται, ἕως ἂν ὑπονοτίζηται τὸ τῆς πικρίας λέγω καὶ ὀργῆς καὶ θυμοῦ διαβολικὸν δένδρον, τῷ φαύλῳ τῆς ὑπερηφανίας ὕδατι· καὶ εὐανθοῦν καὶ εὐθαλοῦν πολὺν τὸν τῆς ἀνομίας καρπὸν φέρει · καὶ οὕτως ἀκαταλύτως ἡ τοῦ Πονηροῦ οἰκοδομὴ ἐν τῇ ψυχῇ γίνεται, ἔχουσα στήριγμα καὶ κραταίωμα τούτου τῆς ὑπερηφανίας θεμελίου. Εἰ οὖν βούλει τὸ δένδρον τῆς ἀνομίας, τὸ τῆς πικρίας καὶ ὀργῆς καὶ θυμοῦ λέγω πάθος, ἐν σοὶ ξηρανθῆναι καὶ ἄκαρπον γενέσθαι, ἵνα ἡ ἀξίνη τοῦ πνεύματος ἐλθοῦσα ἐκκόψῃ, καὶ εἰς πῦρ βάλλῃ, κατὰ τὴν εὐαγγελικὴν φωνὴν, καὶ ἐξάρῃ σὺν πάσῃ κακίᾳ· καὶ εἰ βούλει τὸν τῆς ἀνομίας οἶκον, ὃν ὁ Πονηρὸς οἰκονομικῶς ἐν τῇ ψυχῇ ἑκάστοτε, ὡς λίθους, προφάσεις διαφόρους εὐλόγους ἢ ἀλόγους συνάγων διὰ τῆς ὕλης πραγμάτων ἢ ῥημάτων ἐν τοῖς λογισμοῖς, καὶ οἰκοδομὴν κακίας ἐν τῇ ψυχῇ κατασκευάζων στήριγμα καὶ κραταίωμα, τοὺς τῆς ὑπερηφανείας λογισμοὺς ὑποτίθησιν· εἰ οὖν βούλει τούτων καταλυθῆναι καὶ κατασκαφῆναι τὸν οἶκον, ἔχε τὴν ταπείνωσιν τοῦ Κυρίου ἀνεπίληστον ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ σου, τίς ὢν, τί γέγονε δι' ἡμᾶς, καὶ ἐξ οἴου ὕψους φωτὸς θεότητος ἀποκεκαλυμμένης, κατὰ δύναμιν τῶν ἄνω οὐσιῶν, καὶ ἐν οὐρανοῖς δοξαζομένης ὑπὸ πάσης λογικῆς φύσεως, ἀγγέλων τε καὶ ἀρχαγγέλων, θρόνων, κυριοτήτων, ἀρχῶν, ἐξουσιῶν, χερουβὶμ καὶ σεραφίμ, καὶ τῶν ἀκατονομάστων νοερῶν δυνάμεων, ὧν οὐκ ἔφθασεν εἰς ἡμᾶς τὰ ὀνόματα, κατὰ τὸ Ἀποστόλου αἴνιγμα, εἰς οἷον βάθος ταπεινώσεως ἀνθρώπων, δι' ἄφατον ἀγαθότητα κατῆλθε, καὶ κατὰ πάντα ὁμοιωθεὶς ἡμῖν τοῖς ἐν σκότει καὶ σκιᾷ θανάτου καθημένοις, καὶ διὰ τῆς ἐνεργείας τῶν παθῶν ὑπὸ τοῦ ἐχθροῦ κυριευομένοις.
Deuro dē loipon kai peri tou alogou tēs orgēs pathous oliga dialabōmen, tou pasan psychēn erēmountos, kai syncheontos, kai skotizontos, kai thēriois homoion ton anthrōpon apodeiknyntos en kairǭ tēs kinēseōs kai energeias autou, ton malista euolisthōs kai oxyrrhepōs pros auto echonta to pathos. Touto exairetōs hyperēphanią stērizetai kai krataioutai, kai akatalyton ginetai, heōs an hyponotizētai to tēs pikrias legō kai orgēs kai thymou diabolikon dendron, tǭ phaulǭ tēs hyperēphanias hydati; kai euanthoun kai euthaloun polyn ton tēs anomias karpon pherei ; kai houtōs akatalytōs hē tou Ponērou oikodomē en tę̄ psychę̄ ginetai, echousa stērigma kai krataiōma toutou tēs hyperēphanias themeliou. Ei oun boulei to dendron tēs anomias, to tēs pikrias kai orgēs kai thymou legō pathos, en soi xēranthēnai kai akarpon genesthai, hina hē axinē tou pneumatos elthousa ekkopsę̄, kai eis pyr ballę̄, kata tēn euangelikēn phōnēn, kai exarę̄ syn pasę̄ kakią; kai ei boulei ton tēs anomias oikon, hon ho Ponēros oikonomikōs en tę̄ psychę̄ hekastote, hōs lithous, prophaseis diaphorous eulogous ē alogous synagōn dia tēs hylēs pragmatōn ē rhēmatōn en tois logismois, kai oikodomēn kakias en tę̄ psychę̄ kataskeuazōn stērigma kai krataiōma, tous tēs hyperēphaneias logismous hypotithēsin; ei oun boulei toutōn katalythēnai kai kataskaphēnai ton oikon, eche tēn tapeinōsin tou Kyriou anepilēston en tę̄ kardią sou, tis ōn, ti gegone di' hēmas, kai ex oiou hypsous phōtos theotētos apokekalymmenēs, kata dynamin tōn anō ousiōn, kai en ouranois doxazomenēs hypo pasēs logikēs physeōs, angelōn te kai archangelōn, thronōn, kyriotētōn, archōn, exousiōn, cheroubim kai seraphim, kai tōn akatonomastōn noerōn dynameōn, hōn ouk ephthasen eis hēmas ta onomata, kata to Apostolou ainigma, eis hoion bathos tapeinōseōs anthrōpōn, di' aphaton agathotēta katēlthe, kai kata panta homoiōtheis hēmin tois en skotei kai skią thanatou kathēmenois, kai dia tēs energeias tōn pathōn hypo tou echthrou kyrieuomenois.
Come now, let us also discuss briefly the irrational passion of anger, which lays waste every soul, confounds and darkens it, and makes a person like the beasts at the time of its movement and working, especially one who slips easily and quickly into this passion. It is above all supported and strengthened by pride, and becomes indestructible, as long as the devilish tree, I mean of bitterness, anger, and wrath, is watered from below by the foul water of pride; and blossoming and flourishing it bears much fruit of lawlessness; and so the building of the Evil One in the soul becomes indestructible, having the support and strength of this foundation of pride. If, then, you wish the tree of lawlessness, I mean the passion of bitterness, anger, and wrath, to be dried up in you and become fruitless, so that the axe of the Spirit may come and cut it down and throw it into the fire, according to the word of the Gospel, and root it out with all wickedness; and if you wish the house of lawlessness, which the Evil One cunningly builds in the soul each time, gathering various pretexts, reasonable or unreasonable, like stones, through the material of deeds or words in the thoughts, building a structure of evil in the soul and laying down the thoughts of pride as its support and strength: if, then, you wish their house to be pulled down and razed, keep the humility of the Lord unforgotten in your heart: who he is and what he became for us; from what height of the light of a Godhead revealed, as far as they can bear it, to the beings above, and glorified in heaven by every rational nature, angels and archangels, thrones, dominions, principalities, powers, cherubim and seraphim, and the unnamed spiritual powers whose names have not reached us, according to the apostle's riddle; to what depth of human humility he came down through his unspeakable goodness, made like us in all things, us who sat in darkness and the shadow of death and were ruled by the enemy through the working of the passions.
Matt 3:10 (allusion, high confidence) · Eph 1:21 (allusion, high confidence) · Col 1:16 (allusion, high confidence) · Luke 1:79 (allusion, high confidence) · Heb 2:17 (allusion, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Anger is rooted in pride and is uprooted by remembering Christ's humility.
- Matt 3:10; Eph 1:21; Col 1:16; Luke 1:79; Phil 2:7; Heb 2:17. The verb rendered “cunningly builds” is garbled in the scan (οἰκονομικῶς, partly in Latin letters).
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (Latin look-alike letters inside a Greek word; hyphenation removed): θη-ρίοις → θηρίοις; οἰκοvoμικῶς → οἰκονομικῶς.
Topics: Christology
Cite (SBL): Mark the Hermit, Opusc. 5.8 (PG 65:1041; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/mark-hermit-opuscula/5-8). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/mark-hermit-opuscula/5-8
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Migne's Patrologia Graeca (scan OCR; corrections logged). No public-domain English translation exists and no FOTC volume covers this work, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
5.9PG 65:1041
Ἐν τοιαύτῃ τοίνυν αἰχμαλωσίᾳ ὄντας ἡμᾶς, καὶ βασιλευομένους ὑπὸ τοῦ ἀοράτου καὶ πονηροῦ θανάτου, οὐκ ἐπῃσχύνθη ὁ πάσης κτίσεως ὁρατῆς τε καὶ ἀοράτου Δεσπότης, ἀλλὰ ταπεινώσας ἑαυτὸν, καὶ ἀναλαβὼν τὸν ὑπὸ τὰ πάθη τῆς ἀτιμίας καὶ δεσποτικῆς ἀποφάσεως καταδικασθέντα ἄνθρωπον, κατά πάντα ὅμοιος ἡμῖν γέγονε χωρὶς ἁμαρτίας, τοῦτ᾽ ἔστι, χωρὶς παθῶν ἀτιμίας· τὰ γὰρ διὰ τὴν ἁμαρτίαν τῆς παραβάσεως ὑπὸ τῆς Δεσποτικῆς φωνῆς ἐπενεχθέντα τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ ἐπιτίμια, θανάτου, κόπου, πείνης, δίψης, καὶ τῶν τοιούτων πάντων ἀνέλαβε, γενόμενος ὅ ἐσμεν, ἵνα γενώμεθα ὁ ἐστιν. Ὁ Λόγος σὰρξ ἐγένετο, ἵνα σάρξ γένηται Λόγος. Πλούσιος ὧν ἐπτώχευσε δι' ἡμᾶς, ἵνα ἡμεῖς τῇ ἐκείνου πτωχείᾳ πλουτήσωμεν. Ωμοιώθη διὰ φιλανθρωπίαν ἡμῖν, ἵνα διὰ πάσης ἀρετῆς ὁμοιωθῶμεν αὐτῷ. Ἐξ οὗ γὰρ ἐπεδήμησε Χριστὸς, ἀληθῶς ὁ κατ᾽ εἰκόνα καὶ ὁμοίωσιν καινὸς ἄνθρωπος διὰ τῆς τοῦ Πνεύματος χάριτος καὶ δυνάμεως ἀνακαινίζεται, εἰς μέτρον τῆς τελείας ἀγάπης φθάνων τῆς ἔξω βαλλούσης τὸν φόβον, τῆς μηκέτι ὑπὸ πτῶσιν γενέσθαι δυναμένης. Ἡ γὰρ ἀγάπη οὐδέποτε πίπτει. Ἡ γὰρ ἀγάπη, φησὶν ὁ Ἰωάννης, ὁ Θεός ἐστι· καὶ ὁ μένων ἐν τῇ ἀγάπῃ, ἐν τῷ Θεῷ μένει. Τούτου τοῦ μέτρου κατηξιώθησαν οἱ ἀπόστολοι, καὶ οἱ ὁμοίως αὐτοῖς τὴν ἀρετὴν ἐξασκήσαντες, καὶ τελείους ἑαυτοὺς τῷ Κυρίῳ παραστήσαντες, καὶ τελείῳ πόθῳ ἐν ὅλῃ τῇ ζωῇ αὐτῶν τῷ Σωτῆρι ἀκολουθήσαντες. Τὴν τοσαύτην ταπείνωσιν, ἣν διὰ τὴν πρὸς ἡμᾶς ἀγάπην, ἀῤῥήτῳ φιλανθρωπίᾳ ἀνέλαβεν ὁ Χριστὸς, ἐὰν πάντοτε ἀνεπιλήστως ἀναλογίζῃ, τοῦτ᾽ ἔστι τὴν ἐν μήτρᾳ τοῦ Θεοῦ Λόγου κατασκήνωσιν, τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ἀνάληψιν, τὴν ἀπὸ γυναικὸς γέννησιν, τὴν κατὰ μέρος τῆς σωματικῆς ἡλικίας αὔξησιν, τὰς ἀτιμίας, ͵ τὰς ὕβρεις, τοὺς ὀνειδισμοὺς, τὰς λοιδορίας, τὰς μάστιγας, τὰ ἐμπτύσματα, τὰ ἐπὶ κόῤῥης ῥαπίσματα, τὸν καταγέλωτα, τὸν ἐμπαιγμὸν, τὴν κοκκίνην χλαμύδα, τὸν ἀκάνθινον στέφανον, τὴν τῶν ἀρχόντων κατ' αὐτοῦ ἀπόφασιν, τὴν τῶν ἀνόμων Ἰουδαίων, ὁμοφύλων ὄντων, κατ' αὐτοῦ βόησιν· Ἆρον, ἆρον, σταύρωσον αὐτόν· τὸν σταυρὸν, τοὺς ἤλους, τὴν λόγχην, τὸν κάλαμον, τὸν ποτισμὸν τοῦ ὅξους καὶ τῆς χολῆς, τὸν θρίαμβον τῶν ἐχθρῶν, τὸν καταγέλωτα παραπορευομένων, καὶ λεγόντων· Εἰ Υἱὸς εἶ τοῦ Θεοῦ, κατάβηθι ἀπὸ τοῦ σταυροῦ, καὶ πιστεύσομέν σοι· καὶ τὰ λοιπὰ τῶν παθημάτων, ἅπερ δι' ἡμᾶς ὑπέμεινε, τὴν σταύρωσιν, τὸν θάνατον, τὴν ἐν τῷ μνημείῳ τριήμερον ταφὴν, τὴν εἰς ἄδου κάθοδον· ἔπειτα τὰς τῶν παθημάτων ἐπικαρπίας, οἷαι καὶ τίνες εἰσὶ, τοῦτ᾽ ἔστι, τὴν ἐκ νεκρῶν ἀνάστασιν, τὴν τοῦ ᾅδου καὶ θανάτου σκύλευσιν, τῶν συνελθουσῶν τῷ Κυρίῳ ψυχῶν, τὴν ἐν οὐρανοῖς ἀνάληψιν, τὴν ἐκ δεξιῶν τοῦ Πατρὸς καθέδραν, τὴν ὑπεράνω πάσης ἀρχῆς καὶ ἐξουσίας καὶ παντὸς ὀνόματος ὀνομαζομένην τιμὴν καὶ δόξαν, τὴν πάντων τῶν ἀγγέλων προσκύνησιν εἰς τὸν πρωτότοκον τῶν νεκρῶν, διὰ τὴν τῶν παθημάτων αἰτίαν, κατὰ τὴν τοῦ ᾿Αποστόλου φωνὴν τὴν λέγουσαν· Τοῦτο φρονείσθω ἐν ὑμῖν, ὃ καὶ ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ, ὃς ἐν μορφῇ Θεοῦ ὑπάρχων, οὐχ ἁρπαγμὸν ἡγήσατο τὸ εἶναι ἴσα Θεῷ· ἀλλ᾽ ἑαυτὸν ἑκένωσε, μορφὴν δούλου λαβὼν ἐν ὁμοιώματι ἀνθρώπων γενόμενος, καὶ σχήματι εὐρεθεὶς ὡς ἄνθρωπος· ἐταπείνωσεν ἑαυτὸν γενόμενος ὑπήκοος μέχρι θανάτου, θανάτου δὲ σταυροῦ. Διὸ καὶ ὁ Θεὸς αὐτὸν ὑπερύψωσε, καὶ ἐχαρίσατο αὐτῷ ὄνομα, τὸ ὑπὲρ πᾶν ὄνομα, ἵνα ἐν τῷ ὀνόματι Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ πᾶν γόνυ κάμψῃ ἐπουρανίων, καὶ ἐπιγείων, καὶ καταχθονίων. Ἰδοὺ αἱ τῶν προῤῥηθέντων αἰτίαι, κατὰ τὸ δίκαιον τοῦ Θεοῦ κρίμα, εἰς οἴαν δόξαν καὶ ὕψος τὸν Κυριακὸν ἀνήγαγον ἄνθρωπον.
En toiautę̄ toinyn aichmalōsią ontas hēmas, kai basileuomenous hypo tou aoratou kai ponērou thanatou, ouk epę̄schynthē ho pasēs ktiseōs horatēs te kai aoratou Despotēs, alla tapeinōsas heauton, kai analabōn ton hypo ta pathē tēs atimias kai despotikēs apophaseōs katadikasthenta anthrōpon, kata panta homoios hēmin gegone chōris hamartias, tout᾽ esti, chōris pathōn atimias; ta gar dia tēn hamartian tēs parabaseōs hypo tēs Despotikēs phōnēs epenechthenta tǭ anthrōpǭ epitimia, thanatou, kopou, peinēs, dipsēs, kai tōn toioutōn pantōn anelabe, genomenos ho esmen, hina genōmetha ho estin. Ho Logos sarx egeneto, hina sarx genētai Logos. Plousios hōn eptōcheuse di' hēmas, hina hēmeis tę̄ ekeinou ptōcheią ploutēsōmen. Ōmoiōthē dia philanthrōpian hēmin, hina dia pasēs aretēs homoiōthōmen autǭ. Ex hou gar epedēmēse Christos, alēthōs ho kat᾽ eikona kai homoiōsin kainos anthrōpos dia tēs tou Pneumatos charitos kai dynameōs anakainizetai, eis metron tēs teleias agapēs phthanōn tēs exō ballousēs ton phobon, tēs mēketi hypo ptōsin genesthai dynamenēs. Hē gar agapē oudepote piptei. Hē gar agapē, phēsin ho Iōannēs, ho Theos esti; kai ho menōn en tę̄ agapę̄, en tǭ Theǭ menei. Toutou tou metrou katēxiōthēsan hoi apostoloi, kai hoi homoiōs autois tēn aretēn exaskēsantes, kai teleious heautous tǭ Kyriǭ parastēsantes, kai teleiǭ pothǭ en holę̄ tę̄ zōę̄ autōn tǭ Sōtēri akolouthēsantes. Tēn tosautēn tapeinōsin, hēn dia tēn pros hēmas agapēn, arrhētǭ philanthrōpią anelaben ho Christos, ean pantote anepilēstōs analogizę̄, tout᾽ esti tēn en mētrą tou Theou Logou kataskēnōsin, tou anthrōpou analēpsin, tēn apo gynaikos gennēsin, tēn kata meros tēs sōmatikēs hēlikias auxēsin, tas atimias, ͵ tas hybreis, tous oneidismous, tas loidorias, tas mastigas, ta emptysmata, ta epi korrhēs rhapismata, ton katagelōta, ton empaigmon, tēn kokkinēn chlamyda, ton akanthinon stephanon, tēn tōn archontōn kat' autou apophasin, tēn tōn anomōn Ioudaiōn, homophylōn ontōn, kat' autou boēsin; Aron, aron, staurōson auton; ton stauron, tous ēlous, tēn lonchēn, ton kalamon, ton potismon tou hoxous kai tēs cholēs, ton thriambon tōn echthrōn, ton katagelōta paraporeuomenōn, kai legontōn; Ei Huios ei tou Theou, katabēthi apo tou staurou, kai pisteusomen soi; kai ta loipa tōn pathēmatōn, haper di' hēmas hypemeine, tēn staurōsin, ton thanaton, tēn en tǭ mnēmeiǭ triēmeron taphēn, tēn eis adou kathodon; epeita tas tōn pathēmatōn epikarpias, hoiai kai tines eisi, tout᾽ esti, tēn ek nekrōn anastasin, tēn tou hądou kai thanatou skyleusin, tōn synelthousōn tǭ Kyriǭ psychōn, tēn en ouranois analēpsin, tēn ek dexiōn tou Patros kathedran, tēn hyperanō pasēs archēs kai exousias kai pantos onomatos onomazomenēn timēn kai doxan, tēn pantōn tōn angelōn proskynēsin eis ton prōtotokon tōn nekrōn, dia tēn tōn pathēmatōn aitian, kata tēn tou ᾿Apostolou phōnēn tēn legousan; Touto phroneisthō en hymin, ho kai en Christǭ Iēsou, hos en morphę̄ Theou hyparchōn, ouch harpagmon hēgēsato to einai isa Theǭ; all᾽ heauton hekenōse, morphēn doulou labōn en homoiōmati anthrōpōn genomenos, kai schēmati euretheis hōs anthrōpos; etapeinōsen heauton genomenos hypēkoos mechri thanatou, thanatou de staurou. Dio kai ho Theos auton hyperypsōse, kai echarisato autǭ onoma, to hyper pan onoma, hina en tǭ onomati Iēsou Christou pan gony kampsę̄ epouraniōn, kai epigeiōn, kai katachthoniōn. Idou hai tōn prorrhēthentōn aitiai, kata to dikaion tou Theou krima, eis oian doxan kai hypsos ton Kyriakon anēgagon anthrōpon.
When we were in such captivity, then, and ruled by the invisible and evil death, the Master of all creation visible and invisible was not ashamed, but humbled himself and took up the human being condemned under the passions of dishonour and the Master's sentence, and became like us in all things without sin, that is, without the passions of dishonour. For the penalties brought upon man by the Master's voice because of the sin of the transgression, death, toil, hunger, thirst, and all such things, he took up, becoming what we are so that we might become what he is. The Word became flesh, so that flesh might become Word. Being rich, he became poor for our sake, so that we by his poverty might become rich. He was made like us through his love for humankind, so that through every virtue we might be made like him. For from the time Christ came among us, the new man, according to the image and likeness, is truly renewed through the grace and power of the Spirit, reaching the measure of perfect love which casts out fear, which can no longer fall. For “love never falls.” “For love,” says John, “is God; and whoever abides in love abides in God.” The apostles were counted worthy of this measure, and those who practised virtue as they did, presented themselves perfect to the Lord, and followed the Saviour with perfect longing all their life. If you always reckon without forgetting the great humility which Christ took up through his love for us and his unspeakable love for humankind, that is, the dwelling of God the Word in the womb, the assumption of man, birth from a woman, growth step by step in bodily age, the dishonours, the insults, the reproaches, the abuse, the scourges, the spitting, the blows on the cheek, the mockery, the derision, the scarlet cloak, the crown of thorns, the sentence of the rulers against him, the outcry against him of the lawless Jews, who were of his own race, “Away, away, crucify him,” the cross, the nails, the spear, the reed, the drink of vinegar and gall, the triumph of his enemies, the mockery of those who passed by, saying, “If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross and we will believe you,” and the rest of the sufferings he endured for us, the crucifixion, the death, the three-day burial in the tomb, the descent into Hades; and then the fruits of the sufferings, what and how great they are, that is, the resurrection from the dead, the despoiling of Hades and of death, of the souls who came up with the Lord, the ascension into heaven, the sitting at the right hand of the Father, the honour and glory above every principality and power and every name that is named, the worship of the firstborn from the dead by all the angels, because of his sufferings, according to the apostle's word which says, “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men; and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross. Therefore God also highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus Christ every knee should bow, of things in heaven and on earth and under the earth.” See to what glory and height the causes mentioned, according to God's just judgment, raised the Lord's humanity.
Phil 2:8 (allusion, high confidence) · Heb 4:15 (quotation, high confidence) · John 1:14 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Cor 8:9 (quotation, high confidence) · Gen 1:26 (allusion, high confidence) · 1 John 4:18 (allusion, high confidence) · 1 Cor 13:8 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 John 4:16 (quotation, high confidence) · Gal 4:4 (allusion, medium confidence) · Matt 27:29 (allusion, high confidence) · John 19:15 (quotation, high confidence) · John 19:34 (allusion, high confidence) · Matt 27:34 (allusion, high confidence) · Matt 27:40 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Pet 3:19 (allusion, medium confidence) · Eph 1:20 (allusion, high confidence) · Eph 1:21 (allusion, high confidence) · Col 1:18 (allusion, high confidence) · Heb 1:6 (allusion, high confidence) · Phil 2:5 (quotation, high confidence) · Phil 2:6 (quotation, high confidence) · Phil 2:7 (quotation, high confidence) · Phil 2:9 (quotation, high confidence) · Phil 2:10 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Christ took on our condition and suffered every humiliation, and was exalted; remembering this humbles the soul.
- Phil 2:8; Heb 4:15; John 1:14; 2 Cor 8:9; Gen 1:26; Eph 4:13; 1 John 4:18; 1 Cor 13:8; 1 John 4:16; Gal 4:4; Matt 27:26–30; John 19:15; John 19:34; Matt 27:34, 48; Matt 27:39–42; 1 Pet 3:19; Eph 1:20–21; Col 1:18; Heb 1:6; Phil 2:5–10. “Lawless Jews” is translated as written.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR letter slip; repeated letters from the OCR; word split by a margin letter in the OCR; word split by the OCR): δεσποΑ τικῆς → δεσποτικῆς; ἁμαρ τίαν → ἁμαρτίαν; φωνῆ, → φωνῆς; βαλλού σης → βαλλούσης; Ἡ γὰρ αρ ἀγάπη → Ἡ γὰρ ἀγάπη; ἑαυ τοὺς → ἑαυτοὺς; πάν τοτε → πάντοτε; καταγέ λωτα → καταγέλωτα; κάθ οδον → κάθοδον; δ καὶ ἐν Χριστῷ → ὃ καὶ ἐν Χριστῷ; γενό μενος → γενόμενος.
Topics: Christology
Cite (SBL): Mark the Hermit, Opusc. 5.9 (PG 65:1041; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/mark-hermit-opuscula/5-9). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/mark-hermit-opuscula/5-9
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Migne's Patrologia Graeca (scan OCR; corrections logged). No public-domain English translation exists and no FOTC volume covers this work, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
5.10PG 65:1045
Τί γὰρ οὖν; Ἐὰν πόθῳ καὶ διαθέσει ἀνεπιλήστῳ τὰς μνήμας ταύτας διασώζῃς ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ σου, οὐ κατακυριεύσει σου τὸ τῆς ὀργῆς καὶ πικρίας καὶ θυμοῦ πάθος· τῶν γὰρ θεμελίων τοῦ πάθους τῆς ὑπερηφανίας διὰ τῆς ταπεινώσεως τοῦ Χριστοῦ, ἧς ἀναλογίζῃ, ὑπερελθόντων, ὅλον τὸ οἰκοδόμημα τῆς ἀνομίας, τοῦ θυμοῦ, καὶ ὀργῆς, εὐχερῶς καὶ αὐτομάτως καταλύεται. Ποία γὰρ σκληρὰ καὶ λιθίνη καρδία ἐὰν ἔχῃ ἐν νῷ διηνεκῶς τὴν τοσαύτην τῆς θεότητος τοῦ Μονογενοῦς δι' ἡμᾶς ταπείνωσιν, καὶ τὴν ἀπαριθμηθεῖσαν τῶν προῤῥηθέντων παθημάτων μνήμην, οὐ συντρίβεται; Οὐχὶ γῆ, καὶ σποδὸς, καὶ πάτημα παρὰ πάντων ἀνθρώπων ἑκουσίως γίνεται; Οὕτω δὲ ταπεινουμένης καὶ συντριβομένης τῆς ψυχῆς, εἰς ταπείνωσιν τοῦ Κυρίου ἀποσκοπούσης, ποῖος θυμὸς ταύτης κατακρατῆσαι δυνήσεται; ποία ὀργὴ, ποία πικρία περιγενέσθαι; Αλλ' ὡς ἔοικεν, ἡ λήθη τῶν συμφερόντων τούτων καὶ ζωοποιούντων ἡμᾶς λογισμῶν, καὶ ἡ ταύτης ἀδελφὴ ῥαθυμία, καὶ ἡ τούτων συνεργὸς καὶ ὁμότροπος ἄγνοια, τὰ βαθύτερα καὶ ἐσώτερα τῆς ψυχῆς πάθη, τὰ δυσεξεύρετα καὶ δυσκατόρθωτα περιεργείᾳ δεινῇ τὴν ψυχὴν καλύπτοντα καὶ σκοτίζοντα, τὰ λοιπὰ πάθη τῆς κακίας ἐνεργεῖν καὶ ἐμφωλεύειν ἐν αὐτῇ παρασκευάζει, ὡς ἀφοβίαν καὶ ἀμέλειαν τῶν κακῶν ἐμποιοῦντα, εἰς ὁδὸν καὶ ἐργασίαν ἑκάστῳ πάθει, ἀδεῶς καὶ εὐκόλως παρέχοντα. Κεκαλυμμένης γὰρ τῆς ψυχῆς ὑπὸ τῆς παγκάκου λήθης, καὶ τῆς ὀλεθρίου ῥαθυμίας, καὶ τῆς πάντων τῶν κακῶν μητρὸς καὶ τροφοῦ ἀγνοίας, ἑκάστῳ τῶν ὁρωμένων, ἢ νοουμένων, ἢ ἀκουομένων εὐχερῶς προσδεσμεῖται ὁ ἄθλιος καὶ τυφλώττων νοῦς. Οἷα ἐὰν κάλλος ἴδῃ γυναικὸς, εὐθὺς ἐτρώθη τῇ σαρκικῇ ἐπιθυμίᾳ· καὶ οὕτω λοιπὸν διαδεξάμεναι αἱ μνῆμαι τῶν ἐμπαθῶς καὶ ἡδέως θεωρηθέντων, διὰ τῆς ἀνὰτυπώσεως τῶν ἐννοιῶν καὶ κακῆς μελέτης, ἔνδον τὰς εἰκόνας ἀναζωγραφοῦσι· καὶ οὕτω τὸν ἐμπαθῆ ἔτι καὶ ἄθλιον μιαίνουσι νοῦν, διὰ τῆς ἐνεργείας τῶν πονηρῶν πνευμάτων.
Ti gar oun? Ean pothǭ kai diathesei anepilēstǭ tas mnēmas tautas diasōzę̄s en tę̄ kardią sou, ou katakyrieusei sou to tēs orgēs kai pikrias kai thymou pathos; tōn gar themeliōn tou pathous tēs hyperēphanias dia tēs tapeinōseōs tou Christou, hēs analogizę̄, hyperelthontōn, holon to oikodomēma tēs anomias, tou thymou, kai orgēs, eucherōs kai automatōs katalyetai. Poia gar sklēra kai lithinē kardia ean echę̄ en nǭ diēnekōs tēn tosautēn tēs theotētos tou Monogenous di' hēmas tapeinōsin, kai tēn aparithmētheisan tōn prorrhēthentōn pathēmatōn mnēmēn, ou syntribetai? Ouchi gē, kai spodos, kai patēma para pantōn anthrōpōn hekousiōs ginetai? Houtō de tapeinoumenēs kai syntribomenēs tēs psychēs, eis tapeinōsin tou Kyriou aposkopousēs, poios thymos tautēs katakratēsai dynēsetai? poia orgē, poia pikria perigenesthai? All' hōs eoiken, hē lēthē tōn sympherontōn toutōn kai zōopoiountōn hēmas logismōn, kai hē tautēs adelphē rhathymia, kai hē toutōn synergos kai homotropos agnoia, ta bathytera kai esōtera tēs psychēs pathē, ta dysexeureta kai dyskatorthōta periergeią deinę̄ tēn psychēn kalyptonta kai skotizonta, ta loipa pathē tēs kakias energein kai emphōleuein en autę̄ paraskeuazei, hōs aphobian kai ameleian tōn kakōn empoiounta, eis hodon kai ergasian hekastǭ pathei, adeōs kai eukolōs parechonta. Kekalymmenēs gar tēs psychēs hypo tēs pankakou lēthēs, kai tēs olethriou rhathymias, kai tēs pantōn tōn kakōn mētros kai trophou agnoias, hekastǭ tōn horōmenōn, ē nooumenōn, ē akouomenōn eucherōs prosdesmeitai ho athlios kai typhlōttōn nous. Hoia ean kallos idę̄ gynaikos, euthys etrōthē tę̄ sarkikę̄ epithymią; kai houtō loipon diadexamenai hai mnēmai tōn empathōs kai hēdeōs theōrēthentōn, dia tēs anatypōseōs tōn ennoiōn kai kakēs meletēs, endon tas eikonas anazōgraphousi; kai houtō ton empathē eti kai athlion miainousi noun, dia tēs energeias tōn ponērōn pneumatōn.
What then? If with longing and an unforgetting disposition you keep these remembrances in your heart, the passion of anger, bitterness, and wrath will not master you; for when the foundations of the passion of pride have been overcome through the humility of Christ, which you reckon up, the whole building of lawlessness, of wrath and anger, is easily and of itself pulled down. For what hard and stony heart, if it keeps continually in mind the great humbling of the Godhead of the Only-begotten for us and the remembrance of the sufferings listed, is not broken? Does it not willingly become earth and ashes and something trampled by all? And when the soul is so humbled and broken, looking to the humility of the Lord, what wrath will be able to overpower it? What anger, what bitterness, to prevail? But, it seems, forgetfulness of these beneficial and life-giving thoughts, its sister sloth, and ignorance, their fellow worker and of the same character, cover and darken the soul with terrible curiosity, they being the deeper and more inward passions of the soul, hard to find and hard to correct; and they prepare the other passions of evil to work and lurk in it, producing fearlessness and neglect of evils and giving each passion a road and a working fearlessly and easily. For when the soul is covered by all-evil forgetfulness, destructive sloth, and ignorance, the mother and nurse of all evils, the wretched and blinded mind easily binds itself to each thing seen, thought, or heard. For example, if it sees a woman's beauty, it is at once wounded by fleshly desire; and so the memories of things beheld with passion and pleasure, taking over, repaint the images within through the imprinting of thoughts and evil rehearsal; and so they defile the mind, still passionate and wretched, through the working of the evil spirits.
Ezek 36:26 (echo, medium confidence) · Gen 18:27 (allusion, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Remembering Christ's humility destroys anger; forgetfulness, sloth, and ignorance let the passions in.
- Ezek 36:26; Gen 18:27.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (word split and misread by the OCR): πού των → τούτων.
Topics: Christology
Cite (SBL): Mark the Hermit, Opusc. 5.10 (PG 65:1045; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/mark-hermit-opuscula/5-10). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/mark-hermit-opuscula/5-10
BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-mark-hermit-opuscula-5-10) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Migne's Patrologia Graeca (scan OCR; corrections logged). No public-domain English translation exists and no FOTC volume covers this work, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
5.11PG 65:1045
Τὸ λοιπὸν γὰρ καὶ ἡ σάρξ ἐὰν ᾗ πία καὶ νεάζουσα, ἢ ὑγροτέρα, ταῖς τοιαύταις μνήμαις ἑτοίμως διεγειρομένη τῷ πάθει ἐνεργεῖ τὰ ἐν αὐταῖς πρὸς ἐπιθυμίαν κινουμένη, ἢ ἐνίοτε καθ' ὕπνους, ἢ καθ' ὕπαρ ἀκαθαρσίας ἐργαζομένη. Εἰ γὰρ καὶ ἐν τοῖς φαινομένοις γυναικὶ οὐκ ἐκοινώνησε, σώφρων, καὶ παρθένος, καὶ ἁγνὸς παρὰ τοῖς ἀνθρώποις νενόμισται, ἢ καὶ ἁγίου ἔχει ὑπολήψεις· παρὰ δὲ τῷ τὰ κρυπτὰ ὑποπτεύοντι, βέβηλος καὶ μοιχὸς καὶ ἄσωτος οὗτος κρίνεται· καὶ δικαίως ἐν ἐκείνῃ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ κατακρίνεται, ἐὰν μὴ θρηνῇ καὶ πενθῇ, νηστείαις καὶ ἀγρυπνίαις καὶ εὐχαῖς ἀδιαλείπτως τὴν σάρκα κατατήξας, καὶ τὸν νοῦν ταῖς ἁγίαις μνήμαις καὶ μελέταις τοῦ λόγου τοῦ Θεοῦ θεραπεύσας, καὶ διορθωσάμενος, ἀξίαν μετάνοιαν τῷ Θεῷ προσενέγκῃ, οὗ ἐνώπιον τὰ κακὰ ἐνενόησεν, ἢ ἐποίησεν· ἀψευδὴς γὰρ ἡ ζῶσα φωνὴ εἰποῦσα· Ἐγὼ δὲ λέγω ὑμῖν· Πᾶς ὁ βλέπων γυναῖκα εἰς τὸ ἐπιθυμῆσαι, ἤδη ἐμοίχευσεν αὐτὴν ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ αὐτοῦ. Διὰ τοῦτο συμβάλλεται τοῖς νέοις μάλιστα, τὸ μήτε ὅλως, εἰ δυνατὸν, συντυγχάνειν γυναιξὶ, κἂν ἅγιαι νομίζωνται. Εἰ δὲ δυνατὸν καὶ ἔξωθεν τῶν ἀνθρώπων διάγειν, ἐλαφρότερος ὁ πόλεμος διατελεῖ, καὶ τρανότερον γνωρίζει, μάλιστα ἐὰν ἀκριβῶς προσέχῃ αὐτῷ, καὶ ὀλιγοσιτίᾳ, καὶ ὀλιγοποσίᾳ ὕδατος, καὶ ἀγρυπνία πολλῇ, ἐν προσευχῇ τὴν διαγωγὴν ἔχειν ἀγωνιζόμενος, καὶ μάλιστα ἐμπείροις πνευματικῶν Πατέρων συναναστρέφεσθαι, καὶ συνεῖναι, καὶ ὁδηγεῖσθαι σπουδάζων. Ἐπικίνδυνον γὰρ τὸν μόνον καὶ ἰδιόρυθμον καὶ ἀμάρτυρον, καὶ μετὰ ἀπείρων τοῦ πνευματικοῦ πολέμου συζῇν· ἄλλοις γὰρ πολέμων τρόποις οἱ τοιοῦτοι ἁλίσκονται, ὅτι πολλά εἰσι τῆς κακίας τὰ μηχανήματα καὶ ἔνεδρα κεκρυμμένα, καὶ διάφοροι παγίδες καταπεπήγασι τοῦ Ἐχθροῦ πανταχόθεν. Καὶ διὰ τοῦτο συνεῖναι ἢ συνεχῶς συντυγχάνειν γνωστικοῖς ἀνδράσι σπουδαστέον καὶ ἀγωνιστέον· ὅπως κᾶν μὴ αὐτὸς ἔχῃ λύχνον ἀληθοῦς γνώσεως, διὰ τὸ ἔτι ἀτελὲς τῆς νοητῆς ἡλικίας καὶ νήπιον, τῷ ἔχοντι συνοδεύων οὐ περιπατεῖ ἐν σκότει, οὐ κινδυνεύει βρόχοις καὶ παγίσι, καὶ τοῖς νοητοῖς οὐ περιπίπτει θηρίοις, τοῖς ἐν τῷ σκότει νεμομένοις, καὶ τοὺς ἐν αὐτῷ χωρὶς λύχνου νοητοῦ τοῦ θείου λόγου περιπατοῦντας ἁρπάζουσι καὶ διαφθείρουσιν.
To loipon gar kai hē sarx ean hę̄ pia kai neazousa, ē hygrotera, tais toiautais mnēmais hetoimōs diegeiromenē tǭ pathei energei ta en autais pros epithymian kinoumenē, ē eniote kath' hypnous, ē kath' hypar akatharsias ergazomenē. Ei gar kai en tois phainomenois gynaiki ouk ekoinōnēse, sōphrōn, kai parthenos, kai hagnos para tois anthrōpois nenomistai, ē kai hagiou echei hypolēpseis; para de tǭ ta krypta hypopteuonti, bebēlos kai moichos kai asōtos houtos krinetai; kai dikaiōs en ekeinę̄ tę̄ hēmerą katakrinetai, ean mē thrēnę̄ kai penthę̄, nēsteiais kai agrypniais kai euchais adialeiptōs tēn sarka katatēxas, kai ton noun tais hagiais mnēmais kai meletais tou logou tou Theou therapeusas, kai diorthōsamenos, axian metanoian tǭ Theǭ prosenenkę̄, hou enōpion ta kaka enenoēsen, ē epoiēsen; apseudēs gar hē zōsa phōnē eipousa; Egō de legō hymin; Pas ho blepōn gynaika eis to epithymēsai, ēdē emoicheusen autēn en tę̄ kardią autou. Dia touto symballetai tois neois malista, to mēte holōs, ei dynaton, syntynchanein gynaixi, kan hagiai nomizōntai. Ei de dynaton kai exōthen tōn anthrōpōn diagein, elaphroteros ho polemos diatelei, kai tranoteron gnōrizei, malista ean akribōs prosechę̄ autǭ, kai oligositią, kai oligoposią hydatos, kai agrypnia pollę̄, en proseuchę̄ tēn diagōgēn echein agōnizomenos, kai malista empeirois pneumatikōn Paterōn synanastrephesthai, kai syneinai, kai hodēgeisthai spoudazōn. Epikindynon gar ton monon kai idiorythmon kai amartyron, kai meta apeirōn tou pneumatikou polemou syzę̄n; allois gar polemōn tropois hoi toioutoi haliskontai, hoti polla eisi tēs kakias ta mēchanēmata kai enedra kekrymmena, kai diaphoroi pagides katapepēgasi tou Echthrou pantachothen. Kai dia touto syneinai ē synechōs syntynchanein gnōstikois andrasi spoudasteon kai agōnisteon; hopōs kan mē autos echę̄ lychnon alēthous gnōseōs, dia to eti ateles tēs noētēs hēlikias kai nēpion, tǭ echonti synodeuōn ou peripatei en skotei, ou kindyneuei brochois kai pagisi, kai tois noētois ou peripiptei thēriois, tois en tǭ skotei nemomenois, kai tous en autǭ chōris lychnou noētou tou theiou logou peripatountas harpazousi kai diaphtheirousin.
Then the flesh too, if it is fat and youthful or rather moist, is readily stirred by such memories, and works out in passion what is in them, being moved to desire, or sometimes producing impurities in sleep or while awake. For even if he has had no outward relations with a woman, and is reckoned by people chaste, virgin, and pure, or even has the reputation of a saint, before him who sees hidden things he is judged profane, an adulterer, and dissolute; and he is justly condemned on that day, unless he laments and mourns, wasting his flesh with fasts, vigils, and prayers without ceasing, and healing and correcting his mind with holy remembrances and meditations on the word of God, and offers worthy repentance to God, before whom he thought or did these evils. For the living voice is not false, which said, “But I say to you, everyone who looks at a woman to desire her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” That is why it helps the young especially not to meet women at all, if possible, even if they are thought holy. And if it is possible also to live away from people, the war is lighter and he recognizes it more clearly, especially if he attends to himself closely, struggling to spend his life in prayer with little food, little water to drink, and much vigil, and especially eager to live with, be with, and be guided by spiritual fathers who have experience. For it is dangerous to live alone, by one's own rule, without witnesses, or with people inexperienced in the spiritual war; for such are caught by other ways of warfare, since the devices of evil and hidden ambushes are many, and various snares of the enemy have been fixed on every side. That is why one must be eager and strive to be with, or constantly meet, men of knowledge; so that even if he does not himself have the lamp of true knowledge, because he is still immature and a child in spiritual age, travelling with one who has it he does not walk in darkness, is not in danger of nooses and snares, and does not fall among the spiritual beasts that roam in the darkness and seize and destroy those who walk in it without the spiritual lamp of the divine word.
Matt 5:28 (quotation, high confidence) · John 12:35 (allusion, medium confidence) · Ps 119:105 (118:105 LXX) (allusion, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Inner lust is adultery before God; the young should avoid women and live under experienced spiritual fathers.
- Matt 5:28; John 12:35; Ps 119:105.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR letter slip; stray letter from the OCR; word split by the OCR): νενόμι σται → νενόμισται; διορθω σάμενος → διορθωσάμενος; νομίζων ται → νομίζωνται; τρίποις → τρόποις; γνωστι κοῖς → γνωστικοῖς; διὰ τὸ ἔτε ἀτελὲς → διὰ τὸ ἔτι ἀτελὲς; βρό χοις → βρόχοις; αὐτῷ Ο χωρὶς → αὐτῷ χωρὶς.
Topics: Fasting
Cite (SBL): Mark the Hermit, Opusc. 5.11 (PG 65:1045; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/mark-hermit-opuscula/5-11). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/mark-hermit-opuscula/5-11
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Migne's Patrologia Graeca (scan OCR; corrections logged). No public-domain English translation exists and no FOTC volume covers this work, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.