Opuscula 5.12–5.13
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
5.12PG 65:1047
Εἰ οὖν βούλει, τέκνον, οἰκεῖον λύχνον φωτὸς νοητοῦ γνώσεως πνευματικῆς ἔνδον κτήσασθαι, ἐν τῇ βαθυτάτῃ νυκτὶ ἀπροσκόπτως τοῦ αἰῶνος τούτου περιπατεῖν δυνήσῃ, καὶ ὑπὸ Κυρίου τὰ διαβήματά σου κατευθυνθείη, ὅπως τὴν ὁδὸν τοῦ Εὐαγγελίου θελῆσῃς σφόδρα, κατὰ τὸ προφητικὸν λόγιον, τοῦτ᾽ ἔστι, πίστει διαπύρως τῶν τελειοτέρων εὐαγγελικῶν προσταγμάτων περιέχεσθαι, καὶ τῶν παθημάτων τοῦ Κυρίου δι᾽ ἐπιθυμίας καὶ εὐχῆς γενέσθαι κοινωνὸς, ὑποδείκνυμί σοι μέθοδον θαυμαστὴν καὶ ἐπίμονον, τρόπου πνευματικοῦ, οὐ σωματικοῦ κόπου ἢ ἀγῶνος δεομένην, ἀλλὰ ψυχικοῦ πόθου καὶ νοὸς προσεχούς διανοίας χρήζουσαν, φόβῳ καὶ ἀγάπῃ Θεοῦ συνεργουμένην· δι' ἧς ἐπινοίας τὴν φάλαγγα τῶν ἐχθρῶν εὐχερῶς τροπώσασθαι δυνηθήσῃ κατὰ τὸν μακάριον Δαβίδ, ἕνα γίγαντα τῶν ἀλλοφύλων ἀνελόντα διὰ πίστεως καὶ πεποιθήσεως τῆς εἰς Θεὸν, καὶ οὕτω τὰς μυριάδας τῶν ἐχθρῶν μετὰ τοῦ ἰδίου λαοῦ εὐχερῶς τροπωσάμενον. Ἐκ δὲ ὑποθέσεως τοῦ ἡμετέρου λόγου, τρεῖς τοὺς δυνατοὺς καὶ κραταιοὺς τῶν ἀλλοφύλων γίγαντας ὁρᾷ, εἰς οὓς ἐπεστήρικται πᾶσα ἡ τοῦ νοητοῦ ὀλοφυρτικοῦ ἀντικειμένου δύναμις, ὧν καθαιρεθέντων, εὐχερῶς λοιπὸν πᾶσα εἰς ἀναίρεσιν ἡ τῶν πονηρῶν πνευμάτων ἀσθενήσει δύναμις. Εἰσὶ δὲ οἱ ὀνομαζόμενοι τοῦ Πονηροῦ ἰσχυροὶ γίγαντες, ἡ ἤδη προειρημένη ἄγνοια, ἡ τῶν κακῶν ἁπάντων μήτηρ, λήθη ἡ ταύτης ἀδελφὴ καὶ συνεργὸς καὶ συνέριθος· ἡ τὸ σκοτεινὸν τοῦ μελανοῦ νέφους ἔνδυμα καὶ κάλυμμα ἐν τῇ ψυχῇ ἐξυφαίνουσα ῥαθυμία, ἡ ἀμφοτέρας στηρίζουσα καὶ κραταιοῦσα, καὶ σύστασιν αὐταῖς παρεχομένη, τῇ ἀμελεστάτῃ ψυχῇ, τὸ ἔμμονον κακὸν ἐργαζομένη. Ὑπὸ γὰρ ῥαθυμίας λήθης τε καὶ ἀγνοίας τὰ τῶν λοιπῶν παθῶν ὑποστηρίγματα κραταιοῦνται καὶ μεγαλύνονται. Βοηθοὶ γὰρ ἀλλήλων οὖσαι, καὶ χωρὶς ἀλλήλων μὴ δυνάμεναι συνιστάναι, ἰσχυραὶ τοῦ ἀντικειμένου δυνάμεις ἀποδείκνυνται, καὶ οἱ κραταιοὶ τοῦ Πονηροῦ ἄρχοντες, δι' ὧν πᾶσα ἡ στρατιὰ τῶν πνευμάτων τῆς πονηρίας ὑπονοστεῖται, καὶ ὑποστηρίζεται, καὶ τὰ διανοήματα ἐκτελεῖν ἰσχύει· ὧν ἄνευ συστῆναὶ τὰ προκείμενα οὐ δύναται.
Ei oun boulei, teknon, oikeion lychnon phōtos noētou gnōseōs pneumatikēs endon ktēsasthai, en tę̄ bathytatę̄ nykti aproskoptōs tou aiōnos toutou peripatein dynēsę̄, kai hypo Kyriou ta diabēmata sou kateuthyntheiē, hopōs tēn hodon tou Euangeliou thelēsę̄s sphodra, kata to prophētikon logion, tout᾽ esti, pistei diapyrōs tōn teleioterōn euangelikōn prostagmatōn periechesthai, kai tōn pathēmatōn tou Kyriou di᾽ epithymias kai euchēs genesthai koinōnos, hypodeiknymi soi methodon thaumastēn kai epimonon, tropou pneumatikou, ou sōmatikou kopou ē agōnos deomenēn, alla psychikou pothou kai noos prosechous dianoias chrēzousan, phobǭ kai agapę̄ Theou synergoumenēn; di' hēs epinoias tēn phalanga tōn echthrōn eucherōs tropōsasthai dynēthēsę̄ kata ton makarion Dabid, hena giganta tōn allophylōn anelonta dia pisteōs kai pepoithēseōs tēs eis Theon, kai houtō tas myriadas tōn echthrōn meta tou idiou laou eucherōs tropōsamenon. Ek de hypotheseōs tou hēmeterou logou, treis tous dynatous kai krataious tōn allophylōn gigantas horą, eis hous epestēriktai pasa hē tou noētou olophyrtikou antikeimenou dynamis, hōn kathairethentōn, eucherōs loipon pasa eis anairesin hē tōn ponērōn pneumatōn asthenēsei dynamis. Eisi de hoi onomazomenoi tou Ponērou ischyroi gigantes, hē ēdē proeirēmenē agnoia, hē tōn kakōn hapantōn mētēr, lēthē hē tautēs adelphē kai synergos kai synerithos; hē to skoteinon tou melanou nephous endyma kai kalymma en tę̄ psychę̄ exyphainousa rhathymia, hē amphoteras stērizousa kai krataiousa, kai systasin autais parechomenē, tę̄ amelestatę̄ psychę̄, to emmonon kakon ergazomenē. Hypo gar rhathymias lēthēs te kai agnoias ta tōn loipōn pathōn hypostērigmata krataiountai kai megalynontai. Boēthoi gar allēlōn ousai, kai chōris allēlōn mē dynamenai synistanai, ischyrai tou antikeimenou dynameis apodeiknyntai, kai hoi krataioi tou Ponērou archontes, di' hōn pasa hē stratia tōn pneumatōn tēs ponērias hyponosteitai, kai hypostērizetai, kai ta dianoēmata ektelein ischyei; hōn aneu systēnai ta prokeimena ou dynatai.
If, then, child, you wish to acquire within your own lamp of the spiritual light of spiritual knowledge, so that you may be able to walk without stumbling in the deepest night of this age, and your steps may be directed by the Lord, so that you may greatly delight in the way of the Gospel, according to the prophetic saying, that is, cling with ardent faith to the more perfect commands of the Gospel and become a sharer in the Lord's sufferings by desire and prayer, I show you a wonderful and lasting method, of a spiritual kind, needing not bodily labour or struggle but requiring longing of soul and an attentive mind, wrought together with the fear and love of God; by this device you will be able easily to rout the battle line of the enemies, like blessed David, who killed the one giant of the foreigners by faith and trust in God, and so with his own people easily routed the tens of thousands of the enemy. According to the subject of our discourse, he sees three mighty and strong giants of the foreigners, on whom the whole power of the spiritual, destructive adversary rests; when they are overthrown, the whole power of the evil spirits will easily weaken to destruction. The mighty giants of the Evil One, as they are called, are ignorance, mentioned already, the mother of all evils; forgetfulness, its sister, fellow worker, and helper; and sloth, which weaves in the soul the dark garment and veil of the black cloud, which supports and strengthens both and gives them consistency, working lasting evil in the most negligent soul. For by sloth, forgetfulness, and ignorance the supports of the other passions are strengthened and magnified. Being helpers of one another and unable to stand without one another, they prove to be strong powers of the adversary and the mighty rulers of the Evil One, through whom the whole army of the spirits of wickedness is sustained and supported and is able to carry out its designs; without them the things mentioned cannot stand.
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
Ps 37:23 (36:23 LXX) (allusion, high confidence) · Ps 112:1 (111:1 LXX) (allusion, medium confidence) · Phil 3:10 (allusion, medium confidence) · 1 Sam 17:50 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Like David against the giant, one can conquer the three giants: ignorance, forgetfulness, and sloth.
- Ps 37:23 (LXX 36:23); Ps 112:1 (LXX 111:1, “he will greatly delight in his commandments”); Phil 3:10; 1 Sam 17. ὀλοφυρτικοῦ is probably corrupt; translated “destructive”.
Cite (SBL): Mark the Hermit, Opusc. 5.12 (PG 65:1047; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/mark-hermit-opuscula/5-12). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/mark-hermit-opuscula/5-12
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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.
5.13PG 65:1049
Εἰ οὖν βούλει κατὰ τῶν προειρημένων παθῶν τὸ νίκος ἄρασθαι, καὶ τὴν φάλαγγα τῶν νοητῶν ἀλλοφύλων εὐχερῶς τροπώσασθαι, δι' εὐχῆς καὶ συνεργείας Θεοῦ γινόμενος ἐν ἑαυτῷ, καὶ εἰς τὰ βάθη τῆς καρδίας δύνας, ἀνίχνευσον τοὺς τρεῖς τούτους δυνατοὺς τοῦ διαβόλου γίγαντας, λήθην λέγω, καὶ ῥᾳθυμίαν, καὶ ἄγνοιαν, τὸ ὑποστήριγμα τῶν νοητῶν ἀλλοφύλων, ἐξ ὧν τὰ λοιπὰ τῆς κακίας πάθη ὑπονοστούμενα ἐνεργεῖ, καὶ ζῇ, καὶ ἰσχύει, ἐν ταῖς τῶν φιληδόνων καὶ κενοδόξων ψυχαῖς. Καὶ διὰ πολλῆς προσεχείας καὶ νοῦ ἐπιστασίας μετὰ τῆς ἄνωθεν ῥοπῆς εὑρὼν τὰ τοῖς πολλοῖς ἀγνοούμενα, ὀλεθριώτερα τῶν λοιπῶν ὄντα κακὰ διὰ τῶν δικαιοσύνης ὅπλων τῶν ἀπεναντίας, ἐκείνης μνήμης ἀγαθῆς λέγω τῆς πάντων τῶν καλῶν αἰτίας, καὶ γνώσεως πεφωτισμένης, δι' ἧς ἀναγρηγοροῦσα ψυχὴ τὸ τῆς ἀγνοίας σκότος διώκει ἀφ' ἑαυτῆς, καὶ προθυμίας ἀρίστης πρὸς σωτηρίαν εὐτρεπιζούσης καὶ ἐπει[σα]γούσης τῇ ψυχῇ, τὰ τῆς ἀρετῆς ἐνδυσάμενος ὅπλα, ἐν δυνάμει Πνεύματος ἁγίου, διὰ πάσης προσευχῆς καὶ δεήσεως γενναίως καὶ ἀνδρείως καταγωνίσῃ τοὺς τῶν νοητῶν ἀλλοφύλων τρεῖς προειρημένους γίγαντας. Διὰ μὲν τῆς ἀρίστης κατὰ Θεὸν μνήμης ἀγαθῆς, "Οσα ἐστὶν ἀληθῆ, ὅσα σεμνά, ὅσα δίκαια, ὅσα ἀγνὰ, ὅσα εὔφημα, εἴ τις ἀρετὴ, καὶ εἴ τις ἔπαινος, πάντα λογιζόμενος, τὴν παγκάκιστον λήθην ἀφ᾿ ἑαυτοῦ ἐκδιώκων· διὰ δὲ τῆς πεφωτισμένης καὶ οὐρανίου γνώσεως, τὴν ὀλέθριον ἄγνοιαν τοῦ σκότους ἐξαφανίζων. διὰ δὲ τῆς παναρέτου καὶ καλλίστης προθυμίας, τὴν ἄθεον καὶ τὴν τῶν κακῶν ἐν τῇ ψυχῇ κατεργαζομένην ῥαθυμίαν ἐξελαύνων. Ταύτας δὲ τὰς ἀρετὰς, οὐ ψιλῆς, ἢ ἐκ μόνης προαιρέσεως, ἀλλ' ἐκ δυνάμεως Θεοῦ καὶ συνεργείας ἁγίου Πνεύματος, ἐν πολλῇ προσεχείᾳ καὶ εὐχῇ ἐκτενεῖς κτησάμενος. Οὕτω δυνήσῃ τῶν προειρημένων ἰσχυρῶν γιγάντων ῥυσθῆναι τοῦ Πονηροῦ. Γνώσεως γὰρ ἀληθοῦς, καὶ μνήμης λόγου Θεοῦ, καὶ ἀγαθῆς προθυμίας συμφωνίᾳ, διὰ χάριτος ἐνεργοῦς ἐν τῇ ψυχῇ συστῆναι σπουδαζομένης καὶ ἐπιμελῶς φυλασσομένης, λήθης καὶ ἀγνοίας καὶ ῥᾳθυμίας ἴχνος ἐν αὐτῇ ἀφανίζεται, καὶ εἰς τὸ μὴ ὂν περιίσταται· τῆς χάριτος βασιλευούσης ἐν αὐτῇ, ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ τῷ Κυρίῳ ἡμῶν, ᾧ ἡ δόξα καὶ τὸ κράτος εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας. Ἀμήν. ᾿Αντίγραφον παρὰ Νικολάου πρὸς Μάρκον Ἀσκητήν. Ἡ χάρις, τῷ Θεῷ χάρις, χάρις τῇ ἀνυπερβλήτῳ καὶ ἀνεκδιηγήτῳ αὐτοῦ δωρεᾷ, ὅτι ἐφιλανθρωπεύσατο ψυχὴν ἐν πάθεσι δεινοῖς κατεχομένην, καὶ ὅλην ἀκμὴν ἀπηλλοτριωμένην, καὶ ἐπεσκέψατο διὰ τῆς εὐσπλάγχνου καὶ ὅλης ἐξ ὅλης Θεῷ ἀνακειμένης προαιρέσεως, λέγω δὴ τῆς ἐναρέτου καὶ Θεῷ κεκολλημένης τῆς ὁσίας σου ψυχῆς, δι' ἧς ἀπεστάλης μοι σπινθήρ ἀστράπτων, πλήρης φωτὸς θεϊκοῦ, καὶ ἄγκιστρον ἔχον δέλεαρ πνευματικόν · καὶ ἀπὸ τῆς λυχνείας τῷ πόνῳ καὶ πόθῳ ὑπὸ τοῦ συνηνωμένου τῷ Θεῷ λογισμοῦ, τεχθέντων ῥημάτων ἀνέσπασε τὴν ἀθλίαν μου ψυχὴν ἐκ τοῦ ζοφωδεστάτου σκότους καὶ θυέλλης, καὶ ἀνανεῦσαι ἐποίησε τὴν διάνοιάν μου ἐξαίρετος Δεσπότης ἐκ τῶν μηνυθέντων μοι τριῶν γιγάντων. Ὄντως γὰρ γίγαντες μεγάλοι καὶ ἀνήμεροι, μηδέποτε παυόμενοι τοῦ πολεμεῖν τὸ ἀνθρώπινον γένος. Τίνα δὲ οὕτως ἀγρίως καὶ δεινῶς κατέχουσιν ἐπὶ γῆς, ὡς ἐμὲ τὸν κακῶς καὶ ἰδίῳ θελήματι ὑπ' αὐτῶν ἔτι κυριευόμενον ; ᾿Αλλ᾿ ὁ μηδέποτε τερπόμενος ἐπ᾿ ἀπωλείᾳ ζώντων, ἠλέησε καὶ ἀνέδειξε τὸ μακρόθυμον αὐτοῦ καὶ εὔσπλαγχνον τῆς φιλανθρωπίας, καὶ ἐκίνησεν ἐκεῖνον τὸν εὐσεβῆ λογισμόν · καὶ ἐξύπνισε τὴν ὕπνῳ βαθυτάτῳ κατακειμένην προαίρεσιν, καὶ ἀνέδειξε καὶ ἐφανέρωσέ μοι τοὺς προειρημένους γίγαντας. Λέγω δὲ πρῶτον, τὴν λήθην τὴν ἐκβάλλουσαν τὸν Ἀδὰμ ἐκ τοῦ παραδείσου. Εἰ μὴ γὰρ ἔλαθε τὴν παραγγελίαν τοῦ Δεσπότου, οὐκ ἂν ἐξέπεσε τῆς τοιαύτης δόξης · καὶ τὴν ῥαθυμίαν δι' ἧς ῥαθυμήσας ἤκουσε τῆς ὁμοζύγου· καὶ τὴν ἄγνοιαν δι' ἧς ἡγνόησε, τίς ἦν καὶ τὶ ὑπῆρχε. Ταῦτα τρία πνεύματα φανερά μοι κατέστησεν ὁ Κύριος Ἰησοῦς, διὰ τοῦ ἁγίου Πνεύματος τοῦ ἐνοικοῦντος ἐν σοί. Ἐξαπέστειλε γὰρ ἀληθῶς μάχαιραν δίστομον, ὅ ἐστι ῥῆμα Θεοῦ, καὶ ἐδιχοτόμησε τὸν νοῦν ἐν πολλῇ γαλήνῃ. Οὐ μόνον δὲ τούτου μέχρι ἐστὶν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἡδύτητά τινα πνευματικὴν, ὡς τῶν σῶν ῥημάτων ἐνέθηκε τῇ προαιρέσει μου. Πόσοις οὖν στόμασι καὶ πόσαις γλώσσαις δυνηθῶ ἀξίως εὐχαριστῆσαι τῷ ἀληθινῷ καὶ Δεσπότη Θεῷ, ὑπὲρ τῶν παρὰ σοῦ ὑπομνησθέντων μοι εὐεργεσιῶν; Ἢ αὖ πάλιν τῆς ἐπιστολῆς τὸ εὐμέθοδον καὶ εὔσπλαγχνον τῶν ῥημάτων, καὶ διεγερτικὸν πρὸς ζήτησιν τῆς ἀληθείας, καὶ τήρησιν ἐντολῶν Θεοῦ, καὶ πολλὴν ὠφέλειαν τοῦ βαδίσαι θέλοντος τὴν ὁδὸν τοῦ Κυρίου, τὴν ἀπάγουσαν εἰς ζωὴν αἰώνιον. Οὐ μόνον δὲ ἐμοὶ ἡ τοιαύτη ὠφέλεια διὰ τὸν λόγον ἐγένετο, ἀλλὰ καὶ ὅσοι αὐτὸν ἤκουσαν, μεγάλως ἐλαμπρύνθη αὐτῶν ἡ διάνοια, καὶ πολλὴν ὠφέλειαν ἐκαρπώσατο ἀπὸ τῶν ἐναργῶς λεχθέντων ῥημάτων. Αμέλει τὰ ῥήματα πράγματα ἐβεβαιώθησαν, καὶ οἱ λόγοι οὐκ ἠκούσθησαν ὡς λόγοι, ἀλλ' ὡς ἔργον φανερὸν προκείμενον τοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς ἡμῶν. Εὐθέως γὰρ ἐνέθηκε νῆψιν πολλὴν ὁ λόγος εἰς τὰς προαιρέσεις. Καὶ ἐπειδὴ ἐνεργῶς ἦν ὁ λόγος, οὐκ ἔμεινεν ἀέργως, ἀλλ᾽ εὐθέως στάχυας ἐβλάστησε, καὶ τὸν καρπὸν ὥριμον ἔδειξε, καὶ οὐ μόνον ἕως τούτου ἐστὶν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἀκόρεστος ἐγένετο, ὡς οἶδεν ὁ Θεός· ὁσάκις γὰρ ἐντύχω, κόρον οὐ λαμβάνει ἡ ταλαίπωρός μου ψυχή. Τῇ οὖν πρεσβείᾳ τῆς σῆς ἁγιωσύνης, ἔσται τὸ δῶρον τοῦτο ἔμμονον, τοῦ παραμεῖναί με τὸν οὐράνιον σπινθῆρα, καὶ ἀπολέσαι παντελῶς τοὺς προειρημένους γίγαντας ἕως τέλους, μή ποτε ἐπιλάθωμαι, καὶ τῆς αὐτεξουσίου προαιρέσεως προδοσίᾳ ἐμβάλω ἐμαυτὸν εἰς τὰ προειρημένα κακὰ, καὶ γένωμαι κατάβρωμα τῶν ἐχθρῶν. Ἀλλὰ πιστεύω τῷ Κυρίῳ μου Ἰησοῦ Χριστῷ, τῷ ἐνοικοῦντι ἐν σοὶ, ὅτι διὰ τῆς ὁσιότητός σου καὶ τῶν ὁμοίως σοὶ ἀγωνιζομένων, οὐ μή με παρἴδῃ, οὐδ᾽ οὐ μὴ παραδώσῃ με εἰς τὰ στόματα τῶν προειρημένων γιγάντων· ἀλλὰ πάντοτε διὰ τῶν ὁσίων δούλων αὐτοῦ ὑπομιμνήσκων τὴν ὁδὸν αὐτοῦ, γνώρισαἱ μοι τῷ τάλανι εὐχαῖς σου ἁγίαις. Παρακαλῶ οὖν καὶ ἱκετεύω τὴν εὔσπλαγχνον καὶ ὁσίαν σου ψυχὴν, μὴ καταγνῶς μου εἰς τοῦτο, ὅτι θαρσήσας ἀπετόλμησα τοῦ ἀντιχαράξαι γράμματα τῇ ἁγιότητί σου· ἀλλ᾽ ἐπειδὴ εἶδον ἀνεωγμένα σπλάγχνα πατρικά, κἂν δι᾽ εὐτελῶν γραμμάτων παρακαλῶ καὶ δέομαι τοῦ μνημονεύεσθαί μου ἐν πάσῃ ὥρᾳ [ὅτι ἀεὶ ὁ Κύριος ἐπισκέπτεται τὸν παρεδρευτὴν καὶ ἀδιάλειπτον λατρευτήν, λέγω δὴ τὸν ἀξίως κεκαθαρμένον νοῦν τῆς εὐλογημένης σου ψυχῆς], ὅπως διὰ τῆς ἁγιωσύνης σου κἀγὼ ἀπὸ τῶν κακῶν μου ῥυσθῶ, καὶ εὕρω διέξοδον ἀγαθὴν χάριτι Χριστοῦ τοῦ Θεοῦ, μεθ' οὗ τῷ Πατρὶ τιμὴ καὶ κράτος σὺν ἁγίῳ Πνεύματι, εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. ᾿Αμήν.
Ei oun boulei kata tōn proeirēmenōn pathōn to nikos arasthai, kai tēn phalanga tōn noētōn allophylōn eucherōs tropōsasthai, di' euchēs kai synergeias Theou ginomenos en heautǭ, kai eis ta bathē tēs kardias dynas, anichneuson tous treis toutous dynatous tou diabolou gigantas, lēthēn legō, kai rhąthymian, kai agnoian, to hypostērigma tōn noētōn allophylōn, ex hōn ta loipa tēs kakias pathē hyponostoumena energei, kai zę̄, kai ischyei, en tais tōn philēdonōn kai kenodoxōn psychais. Kai dia pollēs prosecheias kai nou epistasias meta tēs anōthen rhopēs heurōn ta tois pollois agnooumena, olethriōtera tōn loipōn onta kaka dia tōn dikaiosynēs hoplōn tōn apenantias, ekeinēs mnēmēs agathēs legō tēs pantōn tōn kalōn aitias, kai gnōseōs pephōtismenēs, di' hēs anagrēgorousa psychē to tēs agnoias skotos diōkei aph' heautēs, kai prothymias aristēs pros sōtērian eutrepizousēs kai epei[sa]gousēs tę̄ psychę̄, ta tēs aretēs endysamenos hopla, en dynamei Pneumatos hagiou, dia pasēs proseuchēs kai deēseōs gennaiōs kai andreiōs katagōnisę̄ tous tōn noētōn allophylōn treis proeirēmenous gigantas. Dia men tēs aristēs kata Theon mnēmēs agathēs, "Osa estin alēthē, hosa semna, hosa dikaia, hosa agna, hosa euphēma, ei tis aretē, kai ei tis epainos, panta logizomenos, tēn pankakiston lēthēn aph᾿ heautou ekdiōkōn; dia de tēs pephōtismenēs kai ouraniou gnōseōs, tēn olethrion agnoian tou skotous exaphanizōn. dia de tēs panaretou kai kallistēs prothymias, tēn atheon kai tēn tōn kakōn en tę̄ psychę̄ katergazomenēn rhathymian exelaunōn. Tautas de tas aretas, ou psilēs, ē ek monēs proaireseōs, all' ek dynameōs Theou kai synergeias hagiou Pneumatos, en pollę̄ prosecheią kai euchę̄ ekteneis ktēsamenos. Houtō dynēsę̄ tōn proeirēmenōn ischyrōn gigantōn rhysthēnai tou Ponērou. Gnōseōs gar alēthous, kai mnēmēs logou Theou, kai agathēs prothymias symphōnią, dia charitos energous en tę̄ psychę̄ systēnai spoudazomenēs kai epimelōs phylassomenēs, lēthēs kai agnoias kai rhąthymias ichnos en autę̄ aphanizetai, kai eis to mē on periistatai; tēs charitos basileuousēs en autę̄, en Christǭ Iēsou tǭ Kyriǭ hēmōn, hǭ hē doxa kai to kratos eis tous aiōnas. Amēn. ᾿Antigraphon para Nikolaou pros Markon Askētēn. Hē charis, tǭ Theǭ charis, charis tę̄ anyperblētǭ kai anekdiēgētǭ autou dōreą, hoti ephilanthrōpeusato psychēn en pathesi deinois katechomenēn, kai holēn akmēn apēllotriōmenēn, kai epeskepsato dia tēs eusplanchnou kai holēs ex holēs Theǭ anakeimenēs proaireseōs, legō dē tēs enaretou kai Theǭ kekollēmenēs tēs hosias sou psychēs, di' hēs apestalēs moi spinthēr astraptōn, plērēs phōtos theïkou, kai ankistron echon delear pneumatikon ; kai apo tēs lychneias tǭ ponǭ kai pothǭ hypo tou synēnōmenou tǭ Theǭ logismou, techthentōn rhēmatōn anespase tēn athlian mou psychēn ek tou zophōdestatou skotous kai thyellēs, kai ananeusai epoiēse tēn dianoian mou exairetos Despotēs ek tōn mēnythentōn moi triōn gigantōn. Ontōs gar gigantes megaloi kai anēmeroi, mēdepote pauomenoi tou polemein to anthrōpinon genos. Tina de houtōs agriōs kai deinōs katechousin epi gēs, hōs eme ton kakōs kai idiǭ thelēmati hyp' autōn eti kyrieuomenon ? ᾿All᾿ ho mēdepote terpomenos ep᾿ apōleią zōntōn, ēleēse kai anedeixe to makrothymon autou kai eusplanchnon tēs philanthrōpias, kai ekinēsen ekeinon ton eusebē logismon ; kai exypnise tēn hypnǭ bathytatǭ katakeimenēn proairesin, kai anedeixe kai ephanerōse moi tous proeirēmenous gigantas. Legō de prōton, tēn lēthēn tēn ekballousan ton Adam ek tou paradeisou. Ei mē gar elathe tēn parangelian tou Despotou, ouk an exepese tēs toiautēs doxēs ; kai tēn rhathymian di' hēs rhathymēsas ēkouse tēs homozygou; kai tēn agnoian di' hēs hēgnoēse, tis ēn kai ti hypērche. Tauta tria pneumata phanera moi katestēsen ho Kyrios Iēsous, dia tou hagiou Pneumatos tou enoikountos en soi. Exapesteile gar alēthōs machairan distomon, ho esti rhēma Theou, kai edichotomēse ton noun en pollę̄ galēnę̄. Ou monon de toutou mechri estin, alla kai hēdytēta tina pneumatikēn, hōs tōn sōn rhēmatōn enethēke tę̄ proairesei mou. Posois oun stomasi kai posais glōssais dynēthō axiōs eucharistēsai tǭ alēthinǭ kai Despotē Theǭ, hyper tōn para sou hypomnēsthentōn moi euergesiōn? Ē au palin tēs epistolēs to eumethodon kai eusplanchnon tōn rhēmatōn, kai diegertikon pros zētēsin tēs alētheias, kai tērēsin entolōn Theou, kai pollēn ōpheleian tou badisai thelontos tēn hodon tou Kyriou, tēn apagousan eis zōēn aiōnion. Ou monon de emoi hē toiautē ōpheleia dia ton logon egeneto, alla kai hosoi auton ēkousan, megalōs elamprynthē autōn hē dianoia, kai pollēn ōpheleian ekarpōsato apo tōn enargōs lechthentōn rhēmatōn. Amelei ta rhēmata pragmata ebebaiōthēsan, kai hoi logoi ouk ēkousthēsan hōs logoi, all' hōs ergon phaneron prokeimenon tois ophthalmois hēmōn. Eutheōs gar enethēke nēpsin pollēn ho logos eis tas proaireseis. Kai epeidē energōs ēn ho logos, ouk emeinen aergōs, all᾽ eutheōs stachyas eblastēse, kai ton karpon hōrimon edeixe, kai ou monon heōs toutou estin, alla kai akorestos egeneto, hōs oiden ho Theos; hosakis gar entychō, koron ou lambanei hē talaipōros mou psychē. Tę̄ oun presbeią tēs sēs hagiōsynēs, estai to dōron touto emmonon, tou parameinai me ton ouranion spinthēra, kai apolesai pantelōs tous proeirēmenous gigantas heōs telous, mē pote epilathōmai, kai tēs autexousiou proaireseōs prodosią embalō emauton eis ta proeirēmena kaka, kai genōmai katabrōma tōn echthrōn. Alla pisteuō tǭ Kyriǭ mou Iēsou Christǭ, tǭ enoikounti en soi, hoti dia tēs hosiotētos sou kai tōn homoiōs soi agōnizomenōn, ou mē me paridę̄, oud᾽ ou mē paradōsę̄ me eis ta stomata tōn proeirēmenōn gigantōn; alla pantote dia tōn hosiōn doulōn autou hypomimnēskōn tēn hodon autou, gnōrisai moi tǭ talani euchais sou hagiais. Parakalō oun kai hiketeuō tēn eusplanchnon kai hosian sou psychēn, mē katagnōs mou eis touto, hoti tharsēsas apetolmēsa tou anticharaxai grammata tę̄ hagiotēti sou; all᾽ epeidē eidon aneōgmena splanchna patrika, kan di᾽ eutelōn grammatōn parakalō kai deomai tou mnēmoneuesthai mou en pasę̄ hōrą [hoti aei ho Kyrios episkeptetai ton paredreutēn kai adialeipton latreutēn, legō dē ton axiōs kekatharmenon noun tēs eulogēmenēs sou psychēs], hopōs dia tēs hagiōsynēs sou kagō apo tōn kakōn mou rhysthō, kai heurō diexodon agathēn chariti Christou tou Theou, meth' hou tǭ Patri timē kai kratos syn hagiǭ Pneumati, eis tous aiōnas tōn aiōnōn. ᾿Amēn.
If, then, you wish to win the victory over the passions mentioned and easily rout the battle line of the spiritual foreigners, entering into yourself through prayer and God's help, and going down into the depths of the heart, track down these three mighty giants of the devil, I mean forgetfulness, sloth, and ignorance, the support of the spiritual foreigners, from which the other passions of evil, sustained, work, live, and are strong in the souls of the pleasure-loving and vainglorious. And having found, through much attention and watchfulness of mind with help from above, the evils unknown to most, which are more destructive than the rest, put on, through the weapons of righteousness that are their opposites, I mean good remembrance, the cause of all good things; enlightened knowledge, through which the soul, awakening, drives the darkness of ignorance from itself; and the best eagerness, which prepares and leads the soul to salvation: put on the weapons of virtue, in the power of the Holy Spirit, and through all prayer and supplication you will nobly and manfully overcome the three giants of the spiritual foreigners. Through the best good remembrance according to God, reckoning “whatever is true, whatever is honourable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is any praise,” you drive away all-evil forgetfulness from yourself; through enlightened and heavenly knowledge you make the destructive ignorance of darkness vanish; through the all-virtuous and most beautiful eagerness you drive out sloth, which is godless and works evils in the soul. Acquire these virtues not by bare choice alone, but by the power of God and the help of the Holy Spirit, in much attention and earnest prayer. So you will be able to be rescued from the strong giants of the Evil One. For by the harmony of true knowledge, remembrance of the word of God, and good eagerness, established in the soul through active grace, earnestly sought and carefully guarded, every trace of forgetfulness, ignorance, and sloth vanishes from it and passes into non-existence, while grace reigns in it, in Christ Jesus our Lord, to whom be glory and might for ever. Amen. Reply from Nicolas to Mark the Ascetic. Grace, thanks be to God, thanks for his unsurpassable and indescribable gift, that he has shown his love for humankind to a soul held in terrible passions and still wholly estranged, and has visited it through the compassionate choice wholly dedicated to God, I mean your holy soul, virtuous and joined to God, through which a flashing spark full of divine light was sent to me, and a hook with spiritual bait; and from the lampstand of words born by labour and longing from a thought united to God it drew my wretched soul out of the gloomiest darkness and storm, and the excellent Master made my mind look up through the three giants made known to me. For truly they are great and savage giants, never ceasing to war against the human race. Whom on earth do they hold so savagely and terribly as me, who am still wretchedly mastered by them by my own will? But he who never takes pleasure in the destruction of the living has had mercy and shown the patience and compassion of his love for humankind, and stirred that godly thought, and woke my choice that lay in deepest sleep, and showed and revealed to me the giants mentioned. I mean first forgetfulness, which cast Adam out of paradise. For if he had not forgotten the Master's command, he would not have fallen from such glory; and sloth, through which, being slothful, he listened to his wife; and ignorance, through which he did not know who he was and what he had. These three spirits the Lord Jesus has made plain to me through the Holy Spirit who dwells in you. For he truly sent a two-edged sword, which is the word of God, and divided my mind in great calm. And not only this, but he also put into my choice a certain spiritual sweetness, as of your words. With how many mouths and how many tongues could I worthily thank the true God and Master for the benefits recalled to me by you? Or again for the good method and compassion of the letter's words, which rouse one to seek the truth and keep God's commandments, and give much benefit to one who wishes to walk the way of the Lord that leads to eternal life? Not only to me did such benefit come through your discourse, but all who heard it had their minds greatly brightened and reaped much benefit from the words so clearly spoken. Indeed the words were confirmed as deeds, and the discourse was not heard as words but as a work set plainly before our eyes. For at once the discourse put much watchfulness into our choices. And since the discourse was active, it did not remain idle, but at once sprouted ears and showed ripe fruit; and not only this, but it became insatiable, as God knows: however often I read it, my wretched soul is not sated. By the intercession of your holiness, then, may this gift be lasting, so that the heavenly spark may remain in me, and I may wholly destroy the giants mentioned to the end, lest I ever forget and, by betrayal of my free choice, throw myself into the evils mentioned and become food for the enemies. But I believe in my Lord Jesus Christ, who dwells in you, that through your holiness and those who struggle like you he will not overlook me, nor hand me over to the mouths of the giants mentioned, but will always, through his holy servants, remind me of his way and make it known to me, wretched as I am, by your holy prayers. I beg, then, and beseech your compassionate and holy soul, do not condemn me for this, that I made bold to write a letter in reply to your holiness; but since I saw your fatherly heart opened, even by a poor letter I beg and pray to be remembered at every hour, so that through your holiness I too may be rescued from my evils and find a good outcome by the grace of Christ our God, with whom be honour and might to the Father with the Holy Spirit for ever and ever. Amen.
2 Cor 6:7 (allusion, high confidence) · Eph 6:18 (allusion, high confidence) · Phil 4:8 (quotation, high confidence) · Rom 5:21 (echo, medium confidence) · Gen 3:6 (allusion, medium confidence) · Gen 3:17 (allusion, high confidence) · Heb 4:12 (allusion, high confidence) · Matt 7:14 (allusion, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Mark arms Nicolas against the three giants with remembrance, knowledge, and eagerness; Nicolas replies with thanks.
- 2 Cor 6:7; Eph 6:18; Phil 4:8; Rom 5:21. Nicolas's reply: Wis 1:13 (“he takes no pleasure in the destruction of the living”); Gen 3:6, 17; Heb 4:12; Matt 7:14. Two words of Migne's text are in square brackets (ἐπει[σα]γούσης), read without them; Migne also brackets a clause in Nicolas's last request (“for the Lord always visits the one who sits beside him and serves him without ceasing, I mean the worthily purified mind of your blessed soul”), which is left out. A displaced line in the reply (“for if he had not forgotten the Master's command, he would not have”) is restored to its place.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (Migne margin letter removed; OCR letter slip; OCR letter slip and word split; OCR letter slip; displaced line moved back to its place below; displaced line restored; word split and misread by the OCR; word split by the OCR; words joined by the OCR): ὑπονοστού μενα → ὑπονοστούμενα; καλἰσχύει → καὶ ἰσχύει; Πνεύ ματος → Πνεύματος; πρὶς Μάρκον Ἀσκητήν. γὰρ ἔλαθε τὴν παραγγελίαν τοῦ Δεσπότου, οὐκ ἂν Ἡ χάρις → πρὸς Μάρκον Ἀσκητήν. Ἡ χάρις; Εἰ μὴ ἐξέπεσε → Εἰ μὴ γὰρ ἔλαθε τὴν παραγγελίαν τοῦ Δεσπότου, οὐκ ἂν ἐξέπεσε; ἐφιλανθρωπεύ σατο → ἐφιλανθρωπεύσατο; ἀθλίαν Β μου → ἀθλίαν μου; γιγάν των → γιγάντων; τερπόμε νος → τερπόμενος; φιλανθρω πίας → φιλανθρωπίας; προαί ρεσιν → προαίρεσιν; προει ρημένους → προειρημένους; γλώσ σαις → γλώσσαις; διεγερτι κὸν → διεγερτικὸν; ἐλαμα πρύνθη → ἐλαμπρύνθη; έκαρπώτατο → ἐκαρπώσατο; ναρ ἐν τύχω → γὰρ ἐντύχω.
Extrabiblical texts: Wis 1:13 (Wisdom of Solomon [in RC, EO, ETH canons]; allusion)
Topics: Prayer
Cite (SBL): Mark the Hermit, Opusc. 5.13 (PG 65:1049; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/mark-hermit-opuscula/5-13). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/mark-hermit-opuscula/5-13
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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.