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idleness in prayers, and desire for things that are not, neglect of commandments, and adornment of clothes, beautification of faces, and encounters and conversations, occurring outside of what is fitting and necessary; all these things are worthy of such careful guarding for the one who has dedicated himself to God through virginity, that it is, one might almost say, an equal danger to be involved in one of these things, as to fall into the forbidden sin. For all things that happen through passion in some way defile the purity of the soul, and hinder the divine life. Therefore, the one who has renounced the world must pay attention to these things, so as in no way to defile himself, the vessel of God, by passionate use. And he must consider this above all, that having crossed the measures of human nature, he who has chosen the life of angels has transferred himself to the incorporeal way of life.

For this is a property of the angelic nature, to be free from marital union, nor to be lifted up towards any other beauty, but to gaze continually upon the divine face. Therefore, one who has been transferred to the angelic dignity, if he were to be defiled by human passions, is like the hide of a leopard, whose hair is neither completely white nor entirely black, but being spotted by the mixture of different colors, is counted neither among the black nor among the white. Let these things, then, be a more general instruction for those who have chosen the continent and chaste life. But since it is necessary also to discuss particulars precisely, it would be necessary to leave a brief memorandum about these things as well. Those who have separated from the common life, and are training themselves for the more divine life, let them not practice by themselves, nor alone. For it is fitting that such a life have witnesses, so as to be free from evil suspicion. And just as the spiritual law wills that those eating the mystical Passover not be fewer than ten, so here it is necessary for the decade of those practicing the spiritual life together to be more rather than less. Let one leader of the decorum of life preside, chosen before the rest 31.876 in trial of life and character and of all seemly conduct, taking also into account age according to time for the preference. For in the nature of men the more venerable is somehow more revered. And let him have such authority, with the brotherhood willingly obeying only in obedience and humility, that it not be permitted for anyone in the community to oppose his will, in those things which he introduces that contribute to decorum and precision of life. But just as the Apostle says, not to oppose the authorities ordained by God (for those who oppose are judged by the ordinance of God); so also here it is fitting for the rest of the brotherhood to be persuaded, not by chance, but according to the divine will, that such authority has been given to the one presiding, so that progress according to God may be unhindered, with the one suggesting everything that is soul-profiting and useful, and the others receiving the good counsels in obedience.

Since, then, it is fitting in every way for the community to be obedient and submissive to the one presiding, it is necessary above all to select such a leader for this way of life, that his life may become an example of every good thing for those who look to him; and, as the Apostle says, sober, temperate, orderly, able to teach. Thus it seems to me necessary to examine his life, not only if he has age in years (for it is possible even with gray hair and wrinkles to be youthful in character); but primarily, if his character and manner have been made venerable through propriety, so that everything said and done by him becomes a law and a rule for the community. A consideration of food is fitting for those who live in such a life, which the Apostle suggests, so that by working with their hands they might in a seemly way the

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προσευχῶν ἀργία, καὶ ἡ περὶ τὰ μὴ ὄντα ἐπιθυμία, ἐντολῶν ἀμέλεια, καὶ καλλωπι σμὸς ἱματίων, προσώπων ὡραϊσμὸς, καὶ συντυχίαι καὶ ὁμιλίαι, ἔξωθεν τοῦ πρέποντός τε καὶ ἀναγκαίου γινόμεναι· ταῦτα πάντα τοσαύτης ἄξια παραφυλα κῆς ἐστι τῷ διὰ τῆς παρθενίας ἀφιερώσαντι τῷ Θεῷ ἑαυτὸν, ὡς τὸν ἴσον, μικροῦ δεῖν, κίνδυνον εἶναι, ἑνί τε τούτων συνενεχθῆναι, καὶ ἐν τῇ ἀπειρημένῃ ἁμαρτίᾳ γενέσθαι. Πάντα γὰρ τὰ διὰ πάθους γινό μενα λυμαίνεταί πως τῇ τῆς ψυχῆς καθαρότητι, καὶ πρὸς τὴν θείαν ἐμποδίζει ζωήν. Πρὸς ταῦτα τοίνυν χρὴ βλέπειν τὸν ἀποταξάμενον τῷ βίῳ, ὡς μηδενὶ τρόπῳ τὸ τοῦ Θεοῦ σκεῦος ἑαυτὸν τῇ ἐμπαθεῖ χρήσει καταμολύνειν. Λογίζεσθαι δὲ ἐκεῖνο μάλιστα χρὴ, ὅτι, διαβὰς τὰ μέτρα τῆς ἀνθρωπίνης φύσεως, πρὸς τὴν ἀσώματον πολιτείαν ἑαυτὸν μετέστησεν ὁ τὸν τῶν ἀγγέλων βίον ἑλόμενος.

Ἴδιον γὰρ τοῦτο τῆς ἀγγελικῆς ἐστι φύσεως, τὸ ἀπηλλάχθαι τῆς γαμι κῆς συζυγίας, μηδὲ πρὸς ἄλλο τι κάλλος μετεωρί ζεσθαι, ἀλλ' εἰς τὸ θεῖον πρόσωπον διηνεκῶς ἀτενί ζειν. Ὁ τοίνυν πρὸς τὴν ἀγγελικὴν ἀξίαν μετα ταξάμενος, εἰ τοῖς ἀνθρωπίνοις ἐμμολύνοιτο πάθεσιν, ὅμοιός ἐστι δορᾷ παρδάλεως, ἧς οὔτε λευκὴ παντελῶς ἡ θρὶξ οὔτε μέλαινα διόλου, ἀλλὰ τῇ μίξει τῶν ἑτεροχροούντων διεστιγμένη, οὔτε ἐν τοῖς μέλασιν, οὔτε ἐν τοῖς λευκοῖς ἀριθμεῖται. Ταῦτα μὲν οὖν κοινοτέρα τις ἔστω παραγγελία τῶν τὸν ἐγκρατῆ καὶ ἁγνὸν βίον προελομένων. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ χρὴ καὶ περὶ τῶν καθ' ἕκαστον ἀκρι βῶς διελέσθαι, ἀναγκαῖον ἂν εἴη δι' ὀλίγων καταλι πεῖν καὶ περὶ τούτων ὑπόμνημα. Οἱ χωρισθέντες τοῦ κοινοῦ βίου, καὶ πρὸς τὴν θειοτέραν ζωὴν ἑαυ τοὺς ἀσκοῦντες, μὴ ἐφ' ἑαυτῶν, μηδὲ καταμό νας ἀσκείσθωσαν. Ἐμμάρτυρον γὰρ εἶναι προσήκει τὸν τοιοῦτον βίον, ὡς ἂν ἐκτὸς εἶναι πονηρᾶς ὑπ οψίας. Καὶ ὥσπερ ὁ πνευματικὸς νόμος οὐκ ἐλάττονας εἶναι τῶν δέκα βούλεται τοὺς τὸ μυστικὸν πάσχα ἐσθίοντας· οὕτως χρὴ ἐνταῦθα πλεονάζειν μᾶλλον ἢ ἐλαττοῦσθαι τὴν δεκάδα τῶν τὴν πνευματικὴν πο λιτείαν συνασκουμένων. Ἀρχηγὸς εἷς τῆς εὐσχη μοσύνης τοῦ βίου προκαθεζέσθω, ἐν δοκιμασίᾳ βίου καὶ ἤθους καὶ πάσης κοσμίας ἀναστροφῆς τῶν λοι 31.876 πῶν προκριθεὶς, συμπαραλαμβανομένης καὶ τῆς κατὰ τὸν χρόνον ἡλικίας πρὸς τὴν προτίμησιν. Αἰ δεσιμώτερον γάρ πως ἐν τῇ φύσει τῶν ἀνθρώπων τὸ γεραρώτερον. Οὗτος δὲ τοσαύτην ἐξουσίαν ἐχέτω, ἑκουσίως τῆς ἀδελφότητος ἐν εὐπειθείᾳ μόνον καὶ ταπεινοφροσύνῃ ὑπακουούσης, ὥστε μὴ ἐξεῖναι μη δενὶ τῶν κατὰ τὴν συνοδίαν ἀντιβαίνειν τῷ βουλή ματι αὐτοῦ, ἐν οἷς ὑφηγεῖταί τι τῶν εἰς εὐσχημο σύνην τε καὶ ἀκρίβειαν βίου συμβαλλομένων. Ἀλλ' ὥσπερ φησὶν ὁ Ἀπόστολος, ταῖς ὑπὸ τοῦ Θεοῦ τε ταγμέναις ἐξουσίαις μὴ ἀντιτάσσεσθαι (κρίνεσθαι γὰρ τοὺς ἀντιτασσομένους τῇ τοῦ Θεοῦ διαταγῇ)· οὕτω καὶ ἐνταῦθα πεπεῖσθαι προσήκει τὴν λοιπὴν ἀδελφότητα, μὴ κατὰ τὸ αὐτόματον, ἀλλὰ κατὰ τὴν θείαν βούλησιν, τὴν τοιαύτην ἐξουσίαν τῷ ἐπιστα τοῦντι δεδόσθαι, ὥστε ἀνεμπόδιστον γίνεσθαι τὴν κατὰ Θεὸν προκοπὴν, τοῦ μὲν ὑποτιθεμένου πᾶν ὅσον ψυχωφελές τε καὶ χρήσιμον, τῶν δὲ ἐν εὐπει θείᾳ τὰς ἀγαθὰς συμβουλίας δεχομένων.

Ἐπεὶ οὖν προσήκει παντὶ τρόπῳ τῷ προεστῶτι εὐπειθῆ τε καὶ ὑποχείριον εἶναι τὴν συνοδίαν, πρὸ πάντων ἀναγκαῖόν ἐστι τοιοῦτον ἐκλέγεσθαι τὸν καθηγούμενον τῆς πολιτείας ταύτης, ὡς παντὸς ἀγαθοῦ ὑπόδειγμα τοῖς πρὸς αὐτὸν ἀποβλέπουσι τὸν ἐκείνου γίνεσθαι βίον· καὶ, ὥς φησιν ὁ Ἀπόστολος, νηφάλιον, σώ φρονα, κόσμιον, διδακτικόν. Οὕτω μοι δοκεῖ δεῖν καὶ τὸν τούτου ἐξετάζειν βίον, μὴ μόνον εἰ τῷ χρόνῳ τὸ γηραιὸν ἔχοιεν (ἔστι γὰρ καὶ ἐν πολιᾷ καὶ ῥυτίδι νεωτερίζειν κατὰ τὸ ἦθος)· ἀλλὰ προηγουμένως, εἰ τὸ ἦθος καὶ ὁ τρόπος διὰ κοσμιότητος πεπολίωται, ὥστε πᾶν τὸ παρ' αὐτοῦ λεγόμενόν τε καὶ γινόμενον ἀντὶ νόμου καὶ κανόνος τῇ συνοδίᾳ γίνεσθαι. Ἐπί νοια δὲ τροφῆς πρέπει τοῖς ἐν τῷ τοιούτῳ βίῳ διά γουσιν, ἣν ὁ Ἀπόστολος ὑποτίθεται, ἵνα ἐργαζό μενοι ταῖς χερσὶν εὐσχημόνως τὸν