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"Because it has mercy and doing good to one's neighbor, and long-suffering towards him and enduring what is inflicted by him, as we have often said. Therefore, love, having these things, tames the anger of the one who possesses it."

And the Brother said: "Not small are its works; but blessed is the one who is able to acquire it. I

am truly far from it. But I beseech you, Father, to tell me what long-suffering is."

21 (κα'). And the Elder answered: "To persevere in terrible things and to endure evils; and to await the

end of the temptation, and not to bring forth anger randomly; nor to speak a word in foolishness, nor to suspect or think anything of those things not fitting for a god-fearing person, as the Scripture said: "A long-suffering man will bear with patience for a time, and afterward gladness will spring up for him; for a time he will hide his words; and the lips of many will declare his understanding."

22 (κβ'). These, then, are the signs of long-suffering; but not only this, but also to consider oneself to be the cause of the temptation is a property of long-suffering. And perhaps it is so; since many of the things that happen to us occur for our instruction, either for the cancellation of past sins or for the correction of present negligence, or for the prevention of future sins. He, therefore, who reckons that the temptation (14__388> happened for one of these reasons, is not indignant when struck, especially being conscious of his own sins; nor does he blame the one through whom the temptation comes; for whether through him or through another, he had to drink the cup of divine judgments anyway; but he looks to God, and gives thanks to the one who permitted it, and blames himself, and accepts the discipline eagerly, just as David did with Shimei, and just as Job did with his wife. But the foolish man often asks God to be shown mercy but does not accept the mercy when it comes, because it did not come as he wished, but as the physician of 'souls' deemed it profitable. And because of this he is disdainful and is disturbed and at one time he rages against men, at another he blasphemes against God; and moreover he shows ingratitude, and does not receive the rod."

23 (κγ'). And the Brother said: "You have spoken well, Father; but I beseech [you] to tell me this also, how self-control

withers desire." And the Elder answered: "Because it makes one abstain from all things that do not fulfill a need, but pleasure

produce; and it makes one partake of nothing, except those things necessary for living; nor to pursue pleasant things, but profitable ones; and to proportion food and drink to need; and not to allow superfluous moisture in the body; and to preserve only the life of the body, and to keep it untroubled by the impulse for intercourse. In this way, then, self-control withers desire; but pleasure and satiety of (14__390> food and drink heat up the belly, and inflame the appetite toward shameful desire, and pushes the whole living being toward lawless union. Then come shameless eyes, and an unbridled hand, a tongue speaking charms to the hearing, and an ear receiving vain hearing, and a 'soul' committing adultery in thought and summoning the body to the lawless act."

24 (κδ'). And the Brother said: "In truth, Father, it is so; but I beseech [you] to learn also concerning

prayer, how it separates the mind from all thoughts." And the Elder answered:

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"Ἐπειδὴ ἔχει τὸ ἐλεεῖν καὶ τὸ εὐεργετεῖν τὸν πλησίον, καὶ τὸ μακροθυμεῖν ἐπ᾽ αὐτὸν καὶ τὸ ὑπομένειν τὰ ὑπ᾽ αὐτοῦ ἐπαγόμενα, ὡς πολλάκις εἰρήκαμεν. Ταῦτα οὖν ἔχουσα ἡ ἀγάπη, ἡμεροῖ τὸν θυμὸν τοῦ κεκτημένου αὐτήν».

Καὶ ὁ Ἀδελφὸς εἶπε· "Οὐ μικρὰ τὰ ἔργα αὐτῆς· ἀλλὰ μακάριος ὁ δυνάμενος κτήσασθαι αὐτήν. Ἐγὼ

δὲ ὄντως μακράν εἰμι ἀπ᾽ αὐτῆς. Πλὴν παρακαλῶ σε, Πάτερ, εἰπεῖν μοι τί ἐστι τὸ μακροθυμεῖν».

21 (κα'). Καὶ ἀπεκρίθη ὁ Γέρων· "Τὸ ἐγκαρτερεῖν τοῖς δεινοῖς καὶ τὸ ὑπομένειν πονηρά· καὶ τὸ ἀναμένειν τὸ

τέλος τοῦ πειρασμοῦ, καὶ τὸ μὴ ἐξάγειν θυμὸν ὡς ἔτυχε· μηδὲ λόγον λαλεῖν ἐν ἀφροσύνῃ, μηδὲ ὑπονοεῖν τι ἢ ἐννοεῖν τῶν μὴ πρεπόντων θεοσεβεῖ, καθὼς εἶπεν ἡ Γραφή· "Ἕως καιροῦ ἀνθέξεται μακρόθυμος, καὶ ὕστερον ἀναδώσει αὐτῷ εὐφροσύνη· ἕως καιροῦ κρύψει τοὺς λόγους αὐτοῦ· καὶ χείλη πολλῶν ἐκδιηγήσεται σύνεσιν αὐτοῦ».

22 (κβ'). Ταῦτα οὖν ἐστι τὰ γνωρίσματα τῆς μακροθυμίας· οὐ μόνον δέ, ἀλλὰ καὶ [τὸ] λογίσασθαι ἑαυτὸν εἶναι αἴτιον τοῦ πειρασμοῦ, τῆς μακροθυμίας ἐστὶν ἴδιον. Ἴσως δὲ καὶ οὕτως ἔχει· ἐπειδὴ τὰ πολλὰ τῶν συμβαινόντων ἡμῖν πρὸς παίδευσιν ἡμῶν ἐπισυμβαίνει, ἢ πρὸς παρελθόντων ἁμαρτιῶν ἀναίρεσιν ἢ πρὸς ἐνεστώσης ἀμελείας διόρθωσιν, ἢ πρὸς μελλόντων ἁμαρτημάτων ἀνακοπήν. Ὁ οὖν λογιζόμενος ὅτι δι᾽ ἓν τούτων συνέβη (14__388> ὁ πειρασμός, οὐκ ἀγανακτεῖ τυπτόμενος, μάλιστα καὶ συνειδὼς ἑαυτῷ ἁμαρτίας· οὐδὲ αἰτιᾶται τόν, δι᾽ οὗ ὁ πειρασμός· κἂν γὰρ δι᾽ αὐτοῦ, κἂν δι᾽ ἄλλου, πάντως πιεῖν εἶχε τῶν θείων κριμάτων τὸ ποτήριον· ἀλλ᾽ εἰς Θεὸν ἀποβλέπει, καὶ εὐχαριστεῖ τῷ συγχωρήσαντι, καὶ ἑαυτὸν αἰτιᾶται, καὶ δέχεται τὴν παιδείαν προθύμως, ὥσπερ ὁ ∆αβὶδ ἐπὶ τοῦ Σεμεῖ, καὶ ὥσπερ ὁ Ἰὼβ ἐπὶ τῆς γυναικός. Ὁ δὲ ἄφρων αἰτεῖ μὲν πολλάκις τὸν Θεὸν ἐλεηθῆναι ἐρχόμενον δὲ τὸ ἔλεος οὐ παραδέχεται, ἐπειδὴ οὐχ ὡς ἐκεῖνος ἤθελεν ἦλθεν, ἀλλ᾽ ὡς [ὁ] ἰατρὸς τῶν 'ψυχῶν' συμφέρειν ἡγήσατο. Καὶ διὰ τοῦτο ὀλιγωρεῖ καὶ θορυβεῖται καὶ ποτὲ μὲν τοῖς ἀνθρώποις θυμομαχεῖ, ποτὲ δὲ εἰς τὸν Θεὸν βλασφημεῖ· καὶ μέντοι καὶ τὴν ἀγνωμοσύνην δεικνύει, καὶ παρὰ ῥάβδον οὐ λαμβάνει».

23 (κγ'). Καὶ ὁ Ἀδελφὸς εἶπε· "Καλῶς εἶπας, Πάτερ· ἀλλὰ παρακαλῶ εἰπεῖν μοι καὶ τοῦτο, πῶς ἡ ἐγκράτεια

μαραίνει τὴν ἐπιθυμίαν». Καὶ ἀπεκρίθη ὁ Γέρων· "Ἐπειδὴ ἀπέχεσθαι ποιεῖ πάντων τῶν μὴ χρείαν ἐκπληρούντων, ἀλλ᾽ ἡδονὴν

ἐμποιούντων· καὶ οὐδενὸς μετέχειν ποιεῖ, πλὴν πρὸς τὸ ζῇν ἀναγκαίων· οὐδὲ τὰ ἡδέα διώκειν, ἀλλὰ τὰ ὠφέλιμα· καὶ συμμετρεῖν δὲ τῇ χρείᾳ τὰ βρώματα καὶ τὰ πόματα· καὶ οὐκ ἐᾷν [ἐν] τῷ σώματι περιττὴν ὑγρότητα· καὶ μόνην συντηρεῖν τὴν ζωὴν τοῦ σώματος, καὶ ἀνενόχλητον αὐτὸ φυλάττειν εἰς ὁρμὴν συνουσίας. Οὕτως οὖν ἡ ἐγκράτεια τὴν ἐπιθυμίαν μαραίνει· ἡ δὲ ἡδονὴ καὶ πλησμονὴ τῶν (14__390> βρωμάτων καὶ πομάτων ἐκθερμαίνει τὴν γαστέρα, καὶ ἀναφλέγει τὴν ὄρεξιν πρὸς αἰσχρὰν ἐπιθυμίαν, καὶ ὅλον συνωθεῖ τὸ ζῷον πρὸς τὴν ἄνομον μίξιν. Τότε ὀφθαλμοὶ ἀναιδεῖς, καὶ χεὶρ ἀχαλίνωτος, γλῶσσα λαλοῦσα θέλγητρα ἀκοῆς, καὶ οὗς ἀκοὴν ματαίαν παραδεχόμενον, καὶ 'ψυχὴ' κατὰ διάνοιαν μοιχείαν ἐργαζομένη καὶ τὸ σῶμα πρὸς τὴν ἄθεσμον πρᾶξιν ἐκκαλουμένη».

24 (κδ'). Καὶ ὁ Ἀδελφὸς εἶπε· "Ἐπ᾽ ἀληθείας, Πάτερ, οὕτως ἔχει· ἀλλὰ παρακαλῶ [σε] μαθεῖν καὶ περὶ τῆς

προσευχῆς, πῶς χωρίζει τὸν νοῦν πάντων τῶν νοημάτων». Καὶ ἀπεκρίθη ὁ Γέρων·