544

and on earth glorified by all of creation, and demanding from us the only sacrifice of philanthropy towards one another.

OF ABBA THALASSIUS (p. 1428)

On love and self-control, and the life of the mind,

To Paul the presbyter.

FIRST CENTURY. Of which the acrostic is this: To the spiritual brother and beloved lord Paul, Thalassius, in appearance

a hesychast; but in truth a dealer in vainglory. 1. A well-ordered, total longing for God binds to God and to one another those who long. 2. The mind that has acquired spiritual love does not think about its neighbor things which to love

are not fitting. 3. In the pretense of love he hides hypocrisy, who with his mouth blesses, but with

his heart despises. 4. He who has acquired love endures without disturbance the grievous things brought by enemies,

and painful things. 5. Love alone joins creation to God and to one another in concord. 6. He possesses true love who does not tolerate suspicions, nor a word

against his neighbor. 7. He is honored by God and men who for the destruction of love nothing

practices. 8. A property of unfeigned love is true speech from a good conscience. (1420) 9. He hides envy in the guise of goodwill, who to his brother blame from others

brings. 10. Just as the virtues of the flesh the glory of men, so also do the spiritual virtues

draw on that of God. 11. Love and self-control cleanse the soul; but pure prayer illumines the mind. 12. That man is powerful who by action and knowledge drives out evil. 13. This one has found grace with God, who has acquired dispassion and knowledge

spiritual. 14. If you wish to overcome passionate thoughts, acquire self-control, and love for

your neighbors.

544

καί ἐπί γῆς παρά πάσης δοξαζομένῳ τῆς κτίσεως, καί μόνην ἀπαιτοῦντι παρ᾿ ἡμῶν θυσίαν τήν εἰς ἀλλήλους φιλανθρωπίαν.

ΘΑΛΑΣΣΙΟΥ ΑΒΒΑ ( Σελ. 1428)

Περί ἀγάπης καί ἐγκρατείας, καί τῆς κατά νοῦν πολιτείας,

Πρός Παῦλον πρεσβύτερον.

ΕΚΑΤΟΝΤΑΣ Α´. Ἧς ἡ ἀκροστιχίς ἥδε· Πνευματικῷ ἀδελφῷ καί ἀγαπητῷ κυρίῳ Παύλῳ Θαλάσσιος, τῷ μέν φαινομένῳ

Ἡσυχαστής· τῇ δέ ἀληθείᾳ πραγματευτής κενοδοξίας. α´. Πόθος πρός Θεόν ὁλικός τεταγμένος, θεῷ ἀλλήλοις συνδεσμεῖ τούς ποθοῦντας. β´. Νοῦς πνευματικήν ἀγάπην κτησάμενος οὐ λογίζεται περί τοῦ πέλας τά τῇ ἀγάπῃ

μή πρέποντα. γ´. Ἐν πλάσματι ἀγάπης τήν ὑπόκρισιν κρύπτει, ὁ τῷ μέν στόματι εὐλογῶν, τῇ δέ

καρδίᾳ ἐξουδενῶν. δ´. Ὑπομένει ἀταράχως ὁ ἀγάπην κτησάμενος τά παρ᾿ ἐχθρῶν ἀπαγόμενα λυπηρά,

καί ἐπίπονα. ε´. Μόνη ἡ ἀγάπη συνάπτει τήν κτίσιν Θεῷ καί ἀλλήλοις εἰς ὁμόνοιαν. στ´. Ἀγάπην ἀληθινήν ἐκεῖνος κέκτηται, ὁ ὑπονοιῶν μή ἀνεχόμενος, μηδέ λόγου

κατά τοῦ πέλας. ζ´. Τίμιος ὑπάρχει παρά Θεῷ καί ἀνθρώποις ὁ πρός κατάλυσιν ἀγάπης μηδέν

ἐπιτηδεύων. η´. Ἴδιον ὑπάρχει τῆς ἀνυποκρίτου ἀγάπης, ὁ λόγος ἀληθής ἐκ συνειδήσεως ἀγαθῆς. (1420) θ´. Κρύπτει τόν φθόνον ἐν σχήματι εὐνοίας, ὁ ψόγον τῷ ἀδελφῷ ἐξ ἑτέρω(ν)

προσφέρων. ι´. Ὥσπερ αἱ σαρκικαί ἀρεταί τήν τῶν ἀνθρώπων δόξαν, οὕτω καί αἱ πνευματικαί

τήν τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐπισπῶνται. ια´. Ἀγάπη καί ἐγκράτεια ψυχήν καθαίρουσι· νοῦν δέ λαμπρύνει προσευχή καθαρά. ιβ´. ∆υνατός ἀνήρ ἐκεῖνος ὑπάρχει, ὁ πράξει καί γνώσει τήν κακίαν ἀπελαύνων. ιγ´. Εὗρε χάριν οὗτος παρά τῷ Θεῷ, ὁ ἀπάθειαν κτησάμενος καί γνῶσιν

πνευματικήν. ιδ´. Λογισμῶν ἐμπαθῶν εἰ περιγενέσθαι θέλῃς, ἐγκράτειαν κτῆσαι, καί ἀγάπην πρός

τούς πλησίον.