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under the two, God who created them? If, therefore, the creator of all good things is better than all created things, for what reason does the mind, having abandoned what is better than all, occupy itself with what is worse than all? I mean, with the passions of the flesh. Or is it not clear that it has associated with and become accustomed to this from birth, but of that which is better than all, and beyond all, it has not yet had perfect experience? If, therefore, by prolonged training in self-control over pleasures, and by study of divine things, we little by little tear it away from such an attachment, it is enlarged in divine things, gradually progressing, and recognizes its own proper dignity; and finally, transfers its whole desire to the Divine.

73. He who speaks of a brother's sin without passion, speaks for two reasons: either to correct him, or to benefit another. But if he speaks for reasons other than these, whether to him or to another, he speaks reproaching or slandering him, and he will by no means escape divine abandonment; but he will certainly fall into the same or another fault, and being convicted and reproached by others, he will be put to shame.

74. The case is not one for those who commit the same sin in actuality, but various. For example, it is one thing to sin from habit, and another to be carried away; one who, neither before the sin had the thought, nor after the sin; but is also exceedingly pained at what has happened. But he who sins from habit is the opposite; for first he did not cease from sinning in his mind, and after the act, he is of the same disposition.

75. He who pursues the virtues for the sake of vainglory, it is clear that he also pursues knowledge for the sake of vainglory. And such a one, of course, neither does nor says anything for edification; but in all things hunts for glory from those who see or hear. The passion is exposed when some of the aforementioned bring blame upon his works or words, and he is exceedingly grieved at this; not because they were not edified (for this was not his aim), but because he himself was scorned.

76. The passion of avarice is exposed from this: in receiving with joy, and in giving with grief. Such a man cannot be a good steward.

(1041) 77. A person endures sufferings for these reasons: either for the love of God, or for the hope of reward, or for fear of punishment, or for fear of men, or for nature, or for pleasure, or for profit, or for vainglory, or out of necessity.

78. It is one thing to be rid of thoughts, and another to be freed from passions. And often one is rid of thoughts when those things to which he has the passions are not present; but the passions are hidden in the soul, and are exposed when the things appear. It is necessary, therefore, to guard the mind concerning things, and to know toward which one it has the passion.

79. That man is a genuine friend who in a time of trial bears with his neighbor the afflictions, necessities, and calamities arising from circumstance as if they were his own, without noise and without disturbance.

80. Do not dishonor your conscience, which always counsels you for the best. For it suggests to you a divine and angelic opinion; and frees you from the hidden defilements of the heart, and grants you boldness before God at your departure.

81. If you wish to become discerning and moderate, and not to be a slave to the passion of conceit, always seek in existing things, what is hidden from your knowledge [Fr. to your knowledge]. And finding very many and various things that escape you, you will both marvel at your ignorance, and you will humble your pride; and having come to know yourself, you will understand many and great and wonderful things. For to think that one knows, does not allow one to advance in knowing.

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ὑπ τούς δύο, ὁ κτίσας τούτους Θεός; Εἰ οὖν κρείττων πάντων τῶν γεγονότων ὁ πάντων δημιουργός τῶν καλῶν, τίνι τῷ λόγῳ ἀφείς ὁ νοῦς τό πάντων κρεῖττον, τοῖς πάντων χείροσιν ἐνασχολεῖται; λέγω δή τοῖς τῆς σαρκός πάθεσιν. Ἤ δῆλον, ὅτι ταύτῃ μέν ἐκ γενετῆς συναναστραφείς καί συνεθίσας· τοῦ δέ πάντων κρείττονος, καί ὑπέρ τά πάντα, οὔπω τελείαν εἴληφε πεῖραν; Ἐάν οὖν χρονίᾳ ἀσκήσει τῆς τῶν ἡδονῶν ἐγκρατείας, καί τῆς τῶν θείων μελέτης κατά μικρόν αὐτόν τῆς τοιαύτης σχέσεως ἀποῤῥήξωμεν, πλατύνεταί τε ἐν τοῖς θείοις κατ᾿ ὀλίγον προκόπτων, καί τό οἰκεῖον γνωρίζει ἀξίωμα· καί τέλος, ὅλον τόν πόθον ἐπί τό Θεῖον μεταφέρει.

ογ΄. Ὁ ἀπαθῶς λέγων ἁμάρτημα ἀδελφοῦ, κατά δύο αἰτίας λέγει· ἤ ἵνα αὐτόν διορθώσηται, ἤ ἵνα ἄλλον ὠφελήσῃ. Εἰ δέ ἐκτός τούτων λέγει, εἴτε αὐτῷ εἴτε ἄλλῳ, ὀνειδίζων ἤ διασύρων αὐτόν λέγει, καί οὐ μή ἐκφύγῃ τήν θείαν ἐγκατάλειψιν· ἀλλ᾿ ἤ τῷ αὐτῷ, ἤ ἄλλῳ πταίσματι πάντως περιπεσεῖται, καί ὑπό ἑτέρων ἐλεγχθείς καί ὀνειδισθείς καταισχυνθήσεται.

οδ΄. Οὐχ εἷς λόγος τῶν τήν αὐτήν ἁμαρτίαν κατ᾿ ἐνέργειαν ἁμαρτανόντων ἐστίν, ἀλλά διάφοροι. Οἶον, ἄλλο ἐστί τό ἀπό ἕξεως ἁμαρτάνειν, καί ἄλλο τό κατά συναρπαγήν· ὅς, οὔτε πρό τῆς ἁμαρτίας εἶχε τήν ἐνθύμησιν, οὔτε μετά τήν ἁμαρτίαν· ἀλλά καί σφόδρα ἐπί τῷ γεγονότι ὀδυνᾶται. Ὁ δέ ἀπό ἕξεως, ἐκ τοῦ ἐναντίου· καί πρῶτον γάρ κατά διάνοιαν οὐκ ἐπαύετο ἁμαρτάνων, καί μετά τό πρᾶξαι, τῆς αὐτῆς ἐστι διαθέσεως.

οε΄. Ὁ διά κενοδοξίαν τάς ἀρετάς μετερχόμενος, δῆλον ὅτι καί τήν γνῶσιν διά κενοδοξίαν μετέρχεται. Ὁ δέ τοιοῦτος, οὐδέ πρός οἰκοδομήν δηλονότι πράττει τι, ἤ διαλέγεται· ἀλλ᾿ ἐν πᾶσι τήν παρά τῶν βλεπόντων ἤ ἀκουόντων δόξαν θηρώμενος. Ἐλέγχεται δέ τό πάθος, ὅταν τινές τῶν προειρημένων τοῖς ἔργοις ἤ τοῖς λόγοις αὐτοῦ ψόγον ἐπιφέρωσι, καί ἐπί τούτῳ σφόδρα λυπῆται· οὐ διά τό μή ἐκείνους οἰκοδομεῖσθαι (οὐδέ γάρ τοῦτο εἶχε σκοπόν), ἀλλά διά τό αὐτόν ἐξουδενωθῆναι.

οστ΄. Τό τῆς φιλαργυρίας πάθος ἐντεῦθεν ἐλέγχεται· ἐν τῷ χαίροντα λαμβάνειν· καί λυπούμενον μεταδιδόναι. Οὐ δύναται δέ ὁ τοιοῦτος οἰκονομικός εἶναι.

(1041) οζ΄. ∆ιά ταῦτά τις πάσχων ὑπομένει· ἤ διά τήν ἀγάπην τοῦ Θεοῦ, ἤ διά τήν ἐλπίδα τῆς μισθαποδοσίας, ἤ διά τόν φόβον τῆς κολάσεως, ἤ διά τόν φόβον τῶν ἀνθρώπων, ἤ διά τήν φύσιν, ἤ διά τήν ἡδονήν, ἤ διά κέρδος, ἤ διά κενοδοξίαν, ἤ διά ἀνάγκην.

οη΄. Ἄλλο ἐστί λογισμῶν ἀπαλλαγῆναι, καί ἄλλο παθῶν ἐλευθερωθῆναι. Καί πολλάκις τις λογισμῶν ἀπαλλάττεται μή παρόντων τῶν πραγμάτων ἐκείνων, πρός ἅπερ τά πάθη κέκτηται· κρύπτεται δέ τά πάθη ἐν τῇ ψυχῇ, καί ἀναφαινόντων τῶν πραγμάτων ἐλέγχονται. Χρή οὖν τηρεῖν τόν νοῦν ἐπί τῶν πραγμάτων, καί γνῶναι πρός ποῖον ἔχει τό πάθος.

οθ΄. Φίλος ἐκεῖνός ἐστι γνήσιος, ὁ τάς ἐκ περιστάσεως θλίψεις καί ἀνάγκαις καί συμφοράς ἐν καιρῶ πειρασμοῦ συνυποφέρων τῷ πλησίον ὡς ἰδίας, ἀθορύβως καί ἀταράχως.

π΄. Μή ἀτιμάσῃς τήν συνείδησιν, ἄριστά σοι ἀεί συμβουλεύουσαν. Γνώμην γάρ θείαν καί ἀγγελικήν σοι ὑποτίθεται· καί τῶν κρυπτῶν τῆς καρδίας μολυσμάτων ἐλευθεροῖ, καί παῤῥησίαν πρός τόν Θεόν ἐν τῇ ἐξόδῳ σοι χαρίζεται.

πα΄. Εἰ θέλεις γενέσθαι ἐπιγνώμων καί μέτριος, καί τῷ πάθει τῆς οἰήσεως μή δουλεύειν, ἀεί ζήτει ἐν τοῖς οὖσι, τί ἐστι κρυπτόμενον τήν σύν γνῶσιν [Fr. τῇ σῇ γνώσει]. Καί εὑρίσκων πάμπολλα καί διάφορα πράγματα λανθάνοντά σε, θαυμάσεις τε ἐπί τῇ σῇ ἀγνωσίᾳ, καί συστελεῖς τό φρόνημα· καί σεαυτόν ἐπιγνούς, συνήσεις πολλά καί μεγάλα καί θαυμαστά πράγματα. Ἐπεί τό νομίζειν εἰδέναι, οὐκ ἐᾷ προκόπτειν εἰς τό εἰδέναι.