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Sermo 10 (praevia institutio ascetica)

OF OUR FATHER AMONG THE SAINTS BASIL ARCHBISHOP OF CAESAREA IN CAPPADOCIA ASCETICAL WRITINGS

OF OUR FATHER AMONG THE SAINTS BASIL, Archbishop of Caesarea in Cappadocia, AN ASCETICAL PRELIMINARY SKETCH.

Good are the king's ordinances for his subjects; but greater and more kingly are the commands for his soldiers. Since, therefore, military commands are being proclaimed, let him who desires the high and great dignity attend, he who wishes to be Christ's attendant always, he who hears that great voice: If anyone serves me, let him follow me. And where I am, there let my servant also be. Where is Christ the king? In heaven, clearly. It is fitting for you, soldier, to make your course there. Forget all rest upon the earth. No soldier builds a house, nor acquires possessions of fields, nor involves himself in various commercial enterprises for procuring money. No one serving as a soldier entangles himself in the affairs of this life, that he may please the one who enlisted him. A soldier has the king's rations; he does not need to provide food for himself, nor to be occupied with this. A house is opened to him everywhere among the subjects by the king's command. He does not need to labor for a house; the tent is in the open spaces, and food for necessity, and water for drink, and as much sleep as nature 31.621 has given.

But many journeys and vigils; endurance against heat, against cold; struggles against enemies; dangers to the very last; death, as it may happen, often; but a glorious death, and honors, and kingly gifts. Life is toilsome in wars, brilliant in peace. A prize for valor, and for one who has lived well in right actions a crown, to be entrusted with command, to be called a friend of the king, to stand near him, to receive a handshake, to be honored by the hand of the king, to preside over the subjects, and to intercede for friends from abroad, for whatever they may wish. Come now, soldier of Christ, taking small examples from human affairs, take thought of the eternal goods. Let a life without a home, without a city, and without possessions be set before you. You will be at ease, freed from all worldly cares; let not the desire for a wife bind you, nor the care for a child. For this is impossible in the divine warfare. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty in God. The nature of the body does not conquer you, nor does it constrain you against your will; it does not make you a prisoner instead of free. Do not seek to leave children on earth, but to lead them up to heaven; not to be attached to physical marriages, but to long for spiritual ones, to rule over souls, and to beget children spiritually. Imitate the heavenly bridegroom; cleanse away the insurrections of invisible enemies; war against principalities and powers, driving them out first from your own soul, so that they may have no inheritance in you, then from those who flee to you and put you forward as leader and champion of those who are guarded by your word. Cleanse away thoughts that rise up against the faith of Christ; wage war through the word of piety against the impious and wicked thought.

For casting down reasonings, he says, and every high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God. And especially, take courage in the hand of the great king, which frightens and routs the adversaries, whenever it just appears; but when also through

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Sermo 10 (praevia institutio ascetica)

ΤΟΥ ΕΝ ΑΓΙΟΙΣ ΠΑΤΡΟΣ ΗΜΩΝ ΒΑΣΙΛΕΙΟΥ ΑΡΧΙΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΟΥ ΚΑΙΣΑΡΕΙΑΣ ΚΑΠΠΑ∆ΟΚΙΑΣ ΑΣΚΗΤΙΚΑ

ΤΟΥ ΕΝ ΑΓΙΟΙΣ ΠΑΤΡΟΣ ΗΜΩΝ ΒΑΣΙΛΕΙΟΥ, Ἀρχιεπισκόπου Καισαρείας Καππαδοκίας, ΑΣΚΗΤΙΚΗ ΠΡΟ∆ΙΑΤΥΠΩΣΙΣ.

Καλὰ μὲν τοῦ βασιλέως τὰ πρὸς τοὺς ὑπηκόους νομοθετήματα· μείζονα δὲ

καὶ βασιλικώτερα τὰ πρὸς στρατιώτας παραγγέλματα. Ἅτε οὖν στρατιωτικῶν παραγγελμάτων κηρυσσομένων, προσεχέτω ὁ τῆς ἄνω καὶ μεγάλης ἀξίας ἐπιθυμῶν, ὁ Χριστοῦ διὰ παντὸς παραστάτης εἶναι βουλόμενος, ὁ τῆς μεγάλης ἐκείνης ἀκούων φωνῆς· Ἐάν τις ἐμοὶ διακονῇ, ἐμοὶ ἀκολουθείτω. Καὶ ὅπου εἰμὶ ἐγὼ, ἐκεῖ καὶ διάκονος ὁ ἐμὸς ἔστω. Ποῦ Χριστὸς ὁ βασιλεύς; Ἐν οὐρανῷ δηλαδή. Ἐνταῦθά σε ποεῖσθαι τὸν δρόμον, στρατιῶτα, προσήκει. Ἐπιλάθου τῆς κατὰ γῆν ἀναπαύσεως πά σης. Οὐδεὶς στρατιώτης οἰκίαν κατασκευάζει, οὐδὲ κτήσεις ἀγρῶν περιβάλλεται, οὐδὲ ἐμπορίαις ποικί λαις χρημάτων ποριστικαῖς ἐγκαταμίγνυται. Οὐδεὶς στρατευόμενος ἐμπλέκεται ταῖς τοῦ βίου πραγματείαις, ἵνα τῷ στρατολογήσαντι ἀρέσῃ. Τροφὰς στρατιώτης ἔχει βασιλικάς· οὐ δεῖ πορίζειν ἑαυτῷ τροφὰς, οὐδὲ περὶ τοῦτο ἀσχολεῖσθαι. Οἶκος ἀνέῳγεν αὐτῷ πανταχῆ παρὰ τοῖς ὑπηκόοις ἐκ βασιλέως προσ τάγματος. Οὐ δεῖ περὶ οἰκίας αὐτῷ διαπονεῖσθαι· ἐπὶ πλατείαις ἡ σκηνὴ, καὶ πρὸς ἀνάγκην ἡ τροφὴ, καὶ ποτὸν ὕδωρ, καὶ ὑπνοῦν τοσοῦτον, ὅσον ἡ φύσις 31.621 δέδωκεν.

Ὁδοιπορίαι δὲ καὶ ἀγρυπνίαι πολλαί· καρ τερίαι πρὸς καύματα, πρὸς ψῦχος· ἀγῶνες πρὸς ἐναντίους· κίνδυνοι μέχρι τῶν ἐσχάτων· θάνατος, ἂν τύχῃ, πολλάκις· ἀλλὰ θάνατος ἔνδοξος, τιμαί τε, καὶ δῶρα βασιλικά. Ἐπίπονος ἐν πολέμοις ὁ βίος, λαμ πρὸς ἐν εἰρήνῃ. Γέρας ἀριστείας, καὶ στέφανος καλῶς βεβιωκότι ἐν κατορθώμασιν, ἀρχὴν ἐγχειρισθῆναι, φίλον βασιλέως κληθῆναι, παραστῆναι πλησίον, δε ξιώσεως τυχεῖν, ἐκ χειρὸς βασιλέως τετιμῆσθαι, παρὰ τοῖς ὑπηκόοις προΐστασθαι, καὶ πρεσβεύειν ὑπὲρ τῶν ἔξωθεν φίλων, ὧν ἂν βούλωνται. Ἄγε δὴ, στρατιῶτα Χριστοῦ, μικρὰ ἐξ ἀνθρω πίνων πραγμάτων λαβὼν παραδείγματα, ἐνθύμησιν λάβε τῶν αἰωνίων ἀγαθῶν. Ἄοικός σοι καὶ ἄπολις καὶ ἀκτήμων προκείσθω βίος. Ἄνετος ἔσο, λελυ μένος ἀπὸ πασῶν κοσμικῶν φροντίδων· μή σε δε σμεύσῃ γυναικὸς ἐπιθυμία, μή σε φροντὶς παιδός. Ἀδύνατον γὰρ ἐν τῇ θείᾳ στρατείᾳ τοῦτο. Τὰ γὰρ ὅπλα τῆς στρατείας ἡμῶν οὐ σαρκικὰ, ἀλλὰ δυνατὰ τῷ Θεῷ. Οὐ νικᾷ σε σώματος φύσις, οὐδὲ ἄγχει σε μὴ βουλόμενον· οὐ δεσμώτην ἀντ' ἐλευθέ ρου ποιεῖ. Οὐ ζήτει ἐν γῇ καταλιπεῖν παῖδας, ἀλλ' ἀναγαγεῖν εἰς τὸν οὐρανόν· οὐ σωματικοῖς προσ κολλᾶσθαι γάμοις, ἀλλὰ πνευματικῶν ὀρέγεσθαι, ἄρχειν ψυχῶν, καὶ παιδογονεῖν πνευματικῶς. Τὸν νυμφίον μιμοῦ τὸν οὐράνιον· καθαίρει πολεμίων ἀο ράτων ἐπαναστάσεις· ἀρχαῖς καὶ ἐξουσίαις πολέμει, ἐξελαύνων αὐτὰς πρῶτον μὲν τῆς ἑαυτοῦ ψυχῆς, ἵνα μηδένα κλῆρον ἔχωσιν ἐν σοὶ, ἔπειτα τῶν σοι προσ φευγόντων καί σε προβαλλομένων ἡγεμόνα καὶ πρό μαχον τῶν διὰ τοῦ σοῦ λόγου φυλαττομένων. Καθαί ρει λογισμοὺς ἐπανισταμένους τῇ πίστει τοῦ Χριστοῦ· πολέμει διὰ τοῦ λόγου τῆς εὐσεβείας πρὸς τὸν ἀσεβῆ καὶ πονηρὸν λογισμόν.

Λογισμοὺς γὰρ, φησὶ, καθαιροῦντες, καὶ πᾶν ὕψωμα ἐπαιρόμενον κατὰ τῆς γνώσεως τοῦ Θεοῦ. Καὶ μάλιστα μὲν θάρ σει τῇ τοῦ μεγάλου βασιλέως χειρὶ, φοβούσῃ καὶ τροπουμένῃ τοὺς ὑπεναντίους, ἐπειδὰν μόνον φανῇ· ἐπὰν δὲ καὶ διὰ