3

has been said, they will be common both to these and to those; but it is fitting to know one thing, that the life among women demands a greater and more abundant decorum, and the achievement of poverty, and that of tranquility, and that of obedience, and that of sisterly love, and the strictness concerning going out, and the guarding against chance meetings, and the disposition toward one another, and the not having of particular friendships. For in all these things the life of virgins ought to be perfected with greater zeal. Let her who is entrusted with the good order not seek what is pleasing to the sisters, nor be zealous to be agreeable to them through what is according to their desires, but let what is dignified and awesome and venerable always be about her. For she must know that she will give an account to God for the transgressions committed contrary to what is right in the community.

And let each of those in the fullness of the sisterhood not seek what is pleasing from the superior, but what is beneficial and useful; nor let her dispute about what is commanded (for such a habit becomes a practice and consequence of lawlessness); but just as we receive the commandments of the Lord without questioning, knowing that all Scripture is God-breathed and profitable, so also let the sisterhood receive the commands of the superior without judgment, accomplishing everything advised with readiness, not from grief or from necessity, so that her obedience may be rewarded. Let her endure not only being taught things pertaining to strictness, but even if the teacher should somewhere forbid fasting, or advise the partaking of restorative food, or suggest anything else that leads to relaxation if need requires it, let her accomplish all things likewise, being persuaded that what is said by her is law. But when, by some necessity, there must be a conversation concerning something sought for by need, whether with some man, or with the one who has charge, or with another who is able to be of some use for the matter sought, it is fitting for the conversation to be made by the superior, with one or two of the sisters present with her, for whom it is now without danger, because of their life and age, to come into the sight and conversation of anyone. But if anyone thinks of something useful by herself, let her submit it to the superior, and through her will be spoken what must be spoken.

3

εἴρηται, κοινὰ καὶ τούτων καὶ ἐκείνων ἔσται· ἓν δὲ προσήκει γινώσκειν, ὅτι πλείονα καὶ περισσοτέραν ἀπαιτεῖ τὴν εὐσχημοσύνην ὁ ἐν γυναιξὶ βίος, καὶ τὸ τῆς ἀκτημοσύνης κατόρθωμα, καὶ τὸ τῆς ἡσυχίας, καὶ τὸ τῆς ὑπακοῆς, καὶ τὸ τῆς φιλαδελφίας, καὶ ἡ περὶ τὴν πρόοδον ἀκρίβεια, καὶ ἡ τῶν συντυχιῶν παραφυλακὴ, καὶ ἡ πρὸς ἀλλήλας διάθεσις, καὶ τὸ μὴ ἔχειν τὰς μερικὰς ἑταιρίας. Ἐν πᾶσι γὰρ τούτοις μετὰ πλείονος σπουδῆς ὁ τῶν παρθένων ὀφείλει κατορθοῦσθαι βίος. Ἡ πεπιστευμένη τὴν εὐταξίαν μὴ τὸ ἡδὺ ταῖς ἀδελφαῖς ζητείτω, μηδὲ σπουδαζέτω κεχαρισμένη αὐταῖς διὰ τῶν καταθυμίων εἶναι, ἀλλὰ τὸ σεμνόν τε καὶ τὸ φοβερὸν καὶ τὸ αἰδέσιμον περὶ αὐτὴν πάντοτε ἔστω. Εἰδέναι γὰρ αὐτὴν χρὴ, ὅτι τῶν παρὰ τὸ δέον ἐν τῷ κοινῷ πλημμελουμένων ἐκείνη ἐπὶ Θεοῦ τὸν λόγον ὑφέξει.

Καὶ ἑκάστη τῶν ἐν τῷ πληρώματι τῆς συνοδίας μὴ τὸ ἡδὺ ζητείτω παρὰ τῆς καθηγουμένης, ἀλλὰ τὸ ἐπωφελές τε καὶ χρήσιμον· μηδὲ συζητείτω περὶ τῶν ἐγκελευομένων (ἡ γὰρ τοιαύτη συνήθεια μελέτη καὶ ἀκολουθία τῆς ἀναρχίας γίνεται)· ἀλλ' ὥσπερ τὰς ἐντολὰς τοῦ Κυρίου ἀνεξετάστως δεχόμεθα, εἰδότες, ὅτι πᾶσα Γραφὴ θεόπνευστος καὶ ὠφέλιμός ἐστιν, οὕτω καὶ ἡ ἀδελφότης τὰ παραγγέλματα τῆς προκαθηγουμένης ἀδιακρίτως δεχέσθω, πᾶν τὸ συμβουλευόμενον μετὰ προθυμίας ἐπιτελοῦσα, μὴ ἐκ λύπης ἢ ἐξ ἀνάγκης, ἵνα γένηται αὐτῇ ἔμμισθος ἡ ὑπακοή. Ἀνεχέσθω δὲ μὴ μόνον τὰ εἰς τὴν ἀκρίβειαν διδασκομένη, ἀλλὰ κἄν που νηστείαν κωλύσῃ ἡ διδάσκαλος, ἢ μετάληψιν τῆς ἀναληπτικῆς τροφῆς συμβουλεύσῃ, ἢ καὶ ἄλλο τι τῶν εἰς ἄνεσιν φερόντων τῆς χρείας ἀπαιτούσης ἂν ὑφηγήσηται, πάντα ὁμοίως ἐπιτελείτω, πεπεισμένη, ὅτι τὸ παρ' ἐκείνης λεγόμενον νόμος ἐστίν. Ὅταν δὲ κατὰ ἀνάγκην τινὰ δέῃ γενέσθαι λόγον περί τινος τῶν ὑπὸ τῆς χρείας ἐπιζητουμένων, εἴτε πρὸς ἄνδρα τινὰ, εἴτε πρὸς τὸν ἔχοντα τὴν φροντίδα, εἴτε καὶ πρὸς ἄλλον τὸν δυνάμενόν τι χρησιμεῦσαι πρὸς τὸ ἐπιζητούμενον πρᾶγμα, προσήκει παρὰ τῆς προκαθηγουμένης γίνεσθαι τὸν λόγον, συμπαρούσης αὐτῇ μιᾶς ἢ δευτέρας ἐκ τῶν ἀδελφῶν, αἷς ἤδη διὰ βίον καὶ χρόνον ἀκίνδυνόν ἐστι τὸ εἰς ὄψιν καὶ ὁμιλίαν τινὸς ἐλθεῖν. Εἰ δέ τις νοεῖ τι καθ' ἑαυτὴν χρήσιμον, τῇ προκαθηγουμένῃ ὑποβαλλέτω, καὶ δι' ἐκείνης λαληθήσεται ὃ δεῖ λαληθῆναι.