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the intellect (15∆_364> from sense-perception, reporting its things to it; but they descend to it from the intellect, suggesting its things.

2.32 (132) Like some being brought up from the deep, and trying to take hold of something for help, the evil thoughts will be found, like a cargo-ship, when wickedness is endangered by a flood of tears.

2.33 (133) According to the underlying quality of the soul, the thoughts gathered around it act either as pirates to sink it, or as rowers to help it when in danger; some dragging it towards a sea of improper notions and thoughts; but others choosing what is nearer, and run the intellect aground on serene shores.

2.34 (134) The thought of vainglory being the seventh, the soul that desires to cast off this tunic as the last one, will not be able, unless it has stripped off those before it, to put on the eighth after them. Which the divine Apostle knows to call a heavenly dwelling, and which those who are stripped of material things for its sake put on with groaning.

2.35 (135) To perfect prayer, angelic thoughts are naturally assigned; to the intermediate, spiritual ones; and to the introductory, those dealing with natural contemplation.

2.36 (136) Just as the nobility of the grain through the ear of corn, so also the purity of contemplation is accustomed to be revealed through prayer; and the one possesses, for turning away the seed-picking birds, as a kind of spears, the surrounding awns; but the other possesses thoughts that philosophize in temptations, for their destruction.

2.37 (137) The visible things of the soul, on account of praxis, are like the silver-coated wings of a dove; 1433 but the intelligible things, I mean (15∆_366> its back-feathers, on account of contemplation are rendered as in the pale-green gleam of gold; for the soul not so adorned cannot fly up and rest where the dwelling of all who rejoice is.

A meadow here filled with fruits, of Spiritual Praxis and Contemplation. 2.38 (138) Firstfruits of the threshing floor and winepress, of old indeed for the ancients to offer

in the temple it was commanded. But now we must offer to God self-control and truth as the firstfruits of praxis, and of contemplative virtue, love and prayer; by the former, checking the impulses of irrational desire and of anger; and by the latter, vain notions, and the plots arising from them.

2.39 (139) The beginning of praxis is self-control and humility, truth, temperance and lowliness of mind; and its end is peace of thoughts and sanctification of body.

2.40 (140) Praxis is, not only being able to do good things well, but also doing them as is necessary, with the one who acts bringing along the time and the measure for the things to be done.

2.41 (141) Contemplation is, not only contemplating bodies as they are by nature, but also their inner principles, to what they look.

2.42 (142) There is neither a safe praxis apart from contemplation, nor a true contemplation without praxis. For praxis must be rational, and contemplation must be practical; so that by the one, wickedness may be found powerless; and by the other, virtue powerful in the good pleasures of kindness.

(15∆_368> 2.43 (143) The limit of practical matters is the mortification of the passions; and the end of the gnostic life, the contemplation of the virtues.

2.44 (144) As matter is to form, so is praxis to contemplation; and as the eye is to the face, so will contemplation be seen in praxis.

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τόν νοῦν (15∆_364> ἀπό τῆς αἰσθήσεως, τά ἐκείνης αὐτῷ ἀπαγγέλοντες· καταβαίνουσι δέ πρός αὐτήν ἐξ αὐτοῦ τά ἐκείνου ὑποτιθέμενοι.

2.32 (ρλβ΄) Ὥς τινες ἐκ βυθοῦ ἀναφερόμενοι, καί τινος εἰς βοήθειαν ἐπιλαβέσθαι πειρώμενοι, οἱ πονηροί λογισμοί εὑρεθήσονται, ὁλκάδα καθάπερ, κινδυνευούσης τῆς κακίας δακρύων κατακλυσμῷ.

2.33 (ρλγ΄) Κατά τήν ὑποκειμένην ποιότητα τῆς ψυχῆς, ἤ ὡς πειραταί καταποντίζειν, ἤ ὡς ἐρέται συμβοηθεῖν κινδυνευούσῃ, οἱ περί αὐτήν συνάγονται λογισμοί· οἱ μέν πρός πέλαγος ἐννοιῶν ἕλκοντες τῶν ἀπρεπῶν λογισμῶν· οἱ δέ τήν ἆσσον παρεκλεγόμενοι, καί πρός γαληνίους ἀκτάς τόν νοῦν ἐποκείλουσιν.

2.34 (ρλδ΄) Ἕβδομον τόν τῆς κενοδοξίας λογισμόν ὄντα, ἡ ἐφεμένη ὡς ἔσχατον ἀποβαλέσθαι χιτῶνα ψυχή, εἰ μή τούς πρό αὐτοῦ ἀπεκδύσηται, οὐ δυνήσεται μετ᾿ αὐτούς ὄγδοον ἐπενδύσασθαι. Ὅν καί οἰκητήριον οὐράνιον καλεῖν οἶδεν ὁ θεῖος Ἀπόστολος, καί διά στεναγμῶν ἐπενδύεσθαι τούς δι᾿ αὐτό τῶν ὑλικῶν γυμνητεύοντας.

2.35 (ρλε΄) Τῇ μέν τελείᾳ εὐχῇ, ἄγγελοι παραβάλλειν πεφύκασι λογισμοί· τῇ δέ μέσῃ, πνευματικοί· τῇ δέ εἰσαγωγικῇ, οἱ φυσιολόγοι.

2.36 (ρλστ΄) Ὥσπερ τό εὐγενές τοῦ κόκκου διά τοῦ στάχυος, οὕτω καί τό εἰλικρινές τῆς θεωρίας διά προσευχῆς εἴωθεν ἐμφανίζεσθαι· κέκτηται δέ ὁ μέν, εἰς ἀποτροπήν τῶν σπερμολόγων ὀρνέων, οἷά τινα δόρατα, τούς περιστοιχοῦντας ἀνθέρικας· τό δέ, τούς φιλοσοφοῦντας ἐν πειρασμοῖς λογισμούς, πρός τήν ἐκείνων ἀναίρεσιν.

2.37 (ρλζ΄) Τά μέν ὁρώμενα τῆς ψυχῆς, διά τήν πρᾶξιν, περιστερᾶς περιηργυρωμένα καθάπερ εἰσί πτερά· 1433 τά δέ νοουμένα, φημί δή (15∆_366> τά μετάφρενα, διά τήν θεωρίαν ὡς ἐν χλωρότητι χρυσίου καθίσταται· ἡ γάρ μή οὕτως ὡραιωθεῖσα ψυχή, πετασθῆναι καί καταπαῦσαι οὐ δύναται, ἔνθα πάντων εὐφραινομένων ἡ κατοικία ἐστίν.

Λειμών ἐνθάδε καρπῶν πεπληρωμένος, Πνευματικῆς πράξεως καί θεωρίας. 2.38 (λρη΄) Ἀπαρχάς ἅλωνος καί ληνοῦ, πάλαι μέν τοῖς παλαιοῖς προσφέρειν

ἐν τῷ ναῷ προσετέτακτο. Νυνί δέ ἡμᾶς, πρακτικῆς μέν ἀπαρχάς, ἐγκράτειαν δεῖ Θεῷ προσφέρειν καί τήν ἀλήθειαν· θεωρητικῆς δέ ἀρετῆς, ἀγάπην καί προσευχήν· δι᾿ ἐκείνων μέν, ἀλόγου ἐπιθυμίας καί τοῦ θυμοῦ τάς ὁρμάς ἀνακόπτοντας· διά τούτων δέ, ἐννοίας κενάς, καί τάς ἐκ τούτων ἐπιβουλάς.

2.39 (ρλθ΄) Πρακτικῆς ἀρχή μέν, ἐγκράτεια καί ταπείνωσις, ἀλήθεια, σωφροσύνη καί ταπεινοφροσύνη· τέλος δέ αὐτῆς, λογισμῶν εἰρήνη καί ἁγιασμός σώματος.

2.40 (ρμ΄) Πρᾶξίς ἐστιν, οὐ τό πράττειν καλῶς δύνασθαι μόνον τά καλά, ἀλλά καί τό ὡς δεῖ πράττειν αὐτά, τόν καιρόν καί τό μέτρον πρός τά πρακτέα συνεπιφερομένου τοῦ πράττοντος.

2.41 (ρμα΄) Θεωρία ἐστίν, οὐ τό θεωρεῖν μόνον ὡς ἔχουσι τά σώματα φύσεως, ἀλλά καί τούς λόγους αὐτῶν πρός τί βλέπουσιν.

2.42 (ρμβ΄) Οὐκ ἔστιν οὔτε πρᾶξις ἀσφαλής θεωρίας ἐκτός, οὔτε θεωρία ἀληθής πράξεως ἄνευ. Χρή γάρ καί πρᾶξιν ἐλλόγιμον εἶναι, καί θεωρίαν ἔμπρακτον· ἵνα τῇ μέν, ἀνίσχυρον εὑρίσκηται ἡ κακία· τῇ δέ, δυνατή ἡ ἀρετή ἐν εὐδοκίαις χρηστότητος.

(15∆_368> 2.43 (ρμγ΄) Πέρας μέν πρακτικῶν, ἡ νέκρωσις τῶν παθῶν· τέλος δέ γνωστικῆς, ἡ θεωρία τῶν ἀρετῶν.

2.44 (ρμδ΄) Ὡς ὕλη τῷ εἴδει, οὕτω πρᾶξις τῇ θεωρίᾳ· καί ὡς ὀφθαλμός προσώπῳ, οὕτω θεωρία τῇ πράξει ὀφθήσεται.