Epistulae ad castorem

 To be observed in the daily assemblies, has been sufficiently spoken of by us. but it remains for us to relate concerning those who renounce the world

 The father, having tested by judgments, will approve. for thus he who is being formed toward virtue will be able in no way to be deceived by the enemy

 They have laid down as a rule. but among the egyptians, and especially the tabennesiotes, such silence is observed by all, when so great and numerous

 Until by his great patience he was received with his little son, against the usual rule of the coenobium. and when after many labors he entered, not o

 He had done for a man, who among them was as a novice, and not long before had left the world. he was considered the last. and they were even more ast

 Has all the desires and carnal dispositions motionless and inactive. therefore, beware lest you ever desire to take up again these things which you ha

 Hides the father third, if not by his own understanding, but he trusts everything to the father's discernment, always thirsting and longing, and glad

 The mortification of the will and from the mortification of the will the roots of pleasures wither and from these all the faults of the soul are cas

 Make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires,” he did not forbid the necessary governance of life, but prohibited pleasure-loving care. bes

 To have recourse. for even if such a movement is not counted as a sin, it is nevertheless proof that the soul is sick, and has not yet been delivered

 It kindles, to be extinguished by the dew of the presence of the holy spirit. in addition to these things, our greatest weapon against this enemy is v

 From the love of god, he loves idols of men engraved in gold and the monk, darkened by these thoughts, and growing worse, is no longer able to have a

 Of laying a loose and corrupt foundation to turn others away from evangelical perfection. but since some badly interpret what is well said in scriptur

 We despise. having the condemnation of ananias and sapphira before our eyes, let us tremble to leave for ourselves anything of our old property. likew

 Be pricked to the heart ” that is, when evil thoughts arise in the heart, casting them out through anger against them, after their expulsion, as if fi

 Fleeing the desert, we pursue solitude, but whatever of our passions we bring there uncured, happen to be hidden, not removed. for indeed the desert a

 That we may believe, that neither over the just, nor over the unjust, is it permitted for us to stir up our anger. for when the spirit of anger has da

 Sorrow ...» nourishing the soul in the hope of repentance, becomes a mixed joy whence also it prepares the man to be willing and obedient for every g

 Is difficult to overcome. for in every practice it inserts itself, in posture, and appearance, and gait, and speech, and in vigils, and in fasts, and

 High, i will set my throne upon the clouds, and i will be like the most high.” but you are a man, and not god. and another prophet says: “why do you b

is difficult to overcome. For in every practice it inserts itself, in posture, and appearance, and gait, and speech, and in vigils, and in fasts, and in prayer, and in reading, and in stillness, and in long-suffering. For through all these things it attempts to shoot down the soldier of Christ. For whom it cannot deceive into vainglory through expensive clothing, it attempts to tempt this one through shabby apparel. And whom it could not lift up through honor, it raises this one to despair through supposedly bearing dishonor; and whom it could not persuade to be vainglorious through knowledge of the word, it entices this one with silence as one who is still; and whom it could not make soft with luxurious foods, this one it enfeebles for praise through fasting. And simply every work, every practice, provides a pretext for war to this demon. Furthermore, in addition to these things, he who is warred upon by it also imagines an ecclesiastical office for himself. For I remember a certain elder, when I was living in Scetis, who went to the cell of a certain brother for the sake of a visit, and as he approached the door of the cell, he heard him speaking within; and the elder, thinking he was meditating on Scripture, stood listening, and perceives him raving from vainglory, and ordaining himself a deacon, and giving the dismissal to the catechumens. So when the elder heard this, he finally pushed the door and entered, and meeting him the brother prostrated himself according to custom. and he asked to learn from him if he had been at the door for a long time. But the elder answered him gracefully: "I just now arrived," he said, "when you were performing the dismissal for the catechumens." Then the brother, hearing these things, fell at the feet of the elder, and beseeched him to pray for him, that he might be delivered from such a delusion. I have mentioned this because I wanted to show to what great insensibility this demon brings a man. He therefore who wishes to contend perfectly, and to be crowned with the crown of righteousness, should strive in every way to conquer this multiform beast, always having before his eyes what was said by the holy David: "The Lord has scattered the bones of the men-pleasers;" and let him do nothing while looking about for praise from men, but let him seek the reward from God, and 28.904 always casting out the thoughts that come into his heart and praise him, let him despise himself before God. For in this way he will be able, with God, to be freed from the demon of vainglory by the grace of our Lord Jesus, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. Our eighth contest is against the spirit of pride; this one is most difficult and more savage than all the preceding ones, warring especially against the perfect, and it attempts to destroy nearly those who have ascended to the height of the virtues; and just as a destructive pestilential disease corrupts not a part of the body, but the whole. And each of the other passions, although it disturbs the soul, yet warring against one virtue opposed to it, and striving to conquer this one, it darkens the soul in part, and disturbs it; but that of pride darkens it completely, and leads to an utter fall. And that we may understand what has been said more clearly, let us consider it thus. Gluttony strives to corrupt temperance, fornication chastity, avarice poverty; anger meekness, and the other forms of evil their opposite virtues; but the evil of pride, when it masters the wretched soul, like some most harsh tyrant taking over a great and lofty city, destroys it all, and razes it to the foundations. And a witness to this is the angel who fell from heaven on account of pride; who, created by God, and adorned with every virtue and wisdom, did not wish to ascribe these things to the grace of the Master, but to his own nature; whence also he supposed himself to be equal to God. And refuting this thought of his, the prophet says: "You said in your heart: I will sit on the mountain

20

δυσκαταγώνιστος τυγχάνει. Καὶ γὰρ ἐν παντὶ ἐπιτηδεύματι παρυφίστα ται ἔν τε σχήματι, καὶ μορφῇ, καὶ βαδίσματι, καὶ λόγῳ, καὶ ἐν ἀγρυπνίαις, καὶ ἐν νηστείαις, καὶ ἐν προσευχῇ, καὶ ἐν ἀναγνώσει, καὶ ἐν ἡσυχίᾳ, καὶ ἐν μακροθυμίᾳ. ∆ιὰ πάντων γὰρ τούτων ἐπιχειρεῖ τὸν στρατιώτην τοῦ Χριστοῦ κατατοξεύειν. Καὶ γὰρ ὅντινα μὴ δυνηθῇ διὰ πολυτελείας ἐνδυμάτων πρὸς κενοδοξίαν ἀπατῆσαι, τοῦτον δι' εὐτελοῦς ἐσθῆτος ἐπιχειρεῖ πει ράζειν. Καὶ ὃν οὐκ ἠδυνήθη διὰ τιμῆς ἐπᾶραι, τοῦτον διὰ τοῦ φέρειν δῆθεν ἀτιμίαν εἰς ἀπόνοιαν αἴρει· καὶ ὃν οὐκ ἠδυνήθη διὰ τῆς ἐπιστήμης τοῦ λόγου πεῖσαι κενοδοξεῖν, τοῦτον τῇ σιωπῇ ὡς ἥσυχον δελεάζει· καὶ ὃν οὐκ ἠδυνήθη πολυτελείᾳ βρωμάτων χαυνῶσαι, τοῦτον διὰ νηστείας εἰς ἔπαινον ἐκλύει. Καὶ ἁπλῶς πᾶν ἔργον, πᾶν ἐπιτήδευμα, πρόφασιν πολέμου παρέχει τούτῳ τῷ δαίμονι. Ἔτι δὲ πρὸς τούτοις καὶ κλῆρον φαντάζεται ὁ πολεμούμενος ὑπ' αὐτοῦ. Μέ μνημαι γάρ τινος γέροντος, ἡνίκα ἐν Σκήτῃ διέτριβον, ἀπελθόντος εἰς κελλίον τινὸς ἀδελφοῦ ἐπισκέψεως χάριν, καὶ ὡς ἐπλησίασε τῇ θύρᾳ τῆς κέλλης, ἀκούει αὐτοῦ λαλοῦντος ἔνδον· καὶ νομίσας ὁ γέρων ἀπὸ Γραφῆς αὐτὸν μελετᾷν, ἔστη ἀκροώμενος, καὶ αἰσθάνεται αὐτοῦ ὑπὸ κενοδοξίας παραφρονοῦντος, καὶ ἑαυτὸν χειροτονοῦντος διάκονον, καὶ τοῖς κατηχουμένοις ἀπό λυσιν παρέχοντα. Ὡς οὖν ἤκουσε τοῦτο ὁ γέρων, τέ λος ὠθήσας τὴν θύραν εἰσῆλθε, καὶ ἀπαντήσας αὐτῷ ὁ ἀδελφὸς προσεκύνησε κατὰ τὸ ἔθος. καὶ ἠξίου μα θεῖν παρ' αὐτοῦ, εἰ πολλὴν ὥραν ἔχει πρὸς τῇ θύρᾳ. Ὁ δὲ γέρων χαριέντως ἀπεκρίθη πρὸς αὐτόν· Ἄρτι, φησὶν, ἦλθον, ὅτε σὺ τὴν ἀπόλυσιν τοῖς κατηχουμέ νοις ἐπετέλεις. Τότε ὁ ἀδελφὸς, ἀκούσας ταῦτα, ἔπεσε παρὰ τοὺς πόδας τοῦ γέροντος, καὶ παρακαλεῖ αὐτὸν εὔχεσθαι ὑπὲρ αὐτοῦ, ἵνα ῥυσθῇ τῆς τοιαύτης πλάνης. Τούτου δὲ ἐμνήσθην δεῖξαι βουλόμενος εἰς ὅσην ἀν αισθησίαν φέρει τὸν ἄνθρωπον οὗτος ὁ δαίμων. Ὁ τοί νυν βουλόμενος τελείως ἀθλῆσαι, καὶ τὸν τῆς δικαιο σύνης στέφανον ἀναδήσασθαι, πᾶσι τρόποις σπουδάσῃ τὸ πολύμορφον τοῦτο θηρίον νικῆσαι, πρὸ ὀφθαλμῶν ἔχων πάντοτε τὸ ὑπὸ τοῦ ἁγίου ∆αυῒδ εἰρημένον· «Κύριος διεσκόρπισεν ὀστᾶ ἀνθρωπαρέσκων·» καὶ μηδὲν ποιείτω περιβλεπόμενος τὸν ἐξ ἀνθρώπων ἔπαινον, ἀλλὰ τὸν παρὰ Θεοῦ μισθὸν ἐπιζητείτω, καὶ 28.904 ἀποῤῥίπτων ἀεὶ τοὺς ἐπερχομένους ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ αὐ τοῦ λογισμοὺς καὶ ἐπαινοῦντας αὐτὸν, ἐξουθενείτω ἑαυτὸν ἐνώπιον τοῦ Θεοῦ. Οὕτως γὰρ δυνήσεται σὺν Θεῷ ἀπαλλαγῆναι τοῦ δαίμονος τῆς κενοδοξίας χά ριτι τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ, ᾧ ἡ δόξα εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας. Ἀμήν. Ὄγδοος ἡμῖν ἐστιν ἀγὼν κατὰ τοῦ πνεύματος τῆς ὑπερηφανίας· χαλεπώτατος οὗτος καὶ πάντων τῶν προτέρων ἀγριώτερος, τοὺς τελείους μάλιστα πολε μῶν, καὶ σχεδὸν τοὺς τὸ ὕψος τῶν ἀρετῶν ἀναβεβη κότας ἐπιχειρεῖ καταστρέφειν· καὶ καθάπερ νόσος λοιμικὴ φθοροποιὸς οὐχὶ μέρος τοῦ σώματος, ἀλλ' ὅλον διαφθείρει. Καὶ τῶν μὲν ἄλλων παθῶν ἕκαστον, εἰ καὶ ταράσσει τὴν ψυχὴν, ἀλλὰ πρὸς μίαν τὴν ἀντι κειμένην αὐτῷ ἀρετὴν πολεμοῦν, καὶ ταύτην νικῆσαι φιλονεικοῦν, ἐκ μέρους ἐπισκοτεῖ τὴν ψυχὴν, καὶ ταράσσει αὐτήν· τὸ δὲ τῆς ὑπερηφανίας πᾶσαν αὐτὴν ἐπισκοτεῖ, καὶ εἰς πτῶσιν ἄγει ἐσχάτην. Καὶ ἵνα σα φέστερον νοήσωμεν τὸ εἰρημένον, σκοπήσωμεν οὕ τως. Ἡ γαστριμαργία τὴν ἐγκράτειαν σπουδάζει διαφθεῖραι, ἡ πορνεία τὴν σωφροσύνην, ἡ φιλαργυρία τὴν ἀκτημοσύνην· ὁ θυμὸς τὴν πραότητα, καὶ τὰ λοιπὰ τῆς κακίας εἴδη τὰς ἐναντίας αὐτῶν ἀρετάς· ἡ δὲ τῆς ὑπερηφανίας κακία, ὅταν κυριεύσῃ τῆς ἀθλίας ψυχῆς, ὥσπερ τις χαλεπώτατος τύραννος με-γάλην πόλιν καὶ ὑψηλὴν παραλαβὼν, ὅλην αὐτὴν καταστρέφει, καὶ ἕως θεμελίων κατασκάπτει. Καὶ μάρτυς τούτου ὁ ἄγγελος ὁ ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ πεσὼν διὰ τὴν ὑπερηφανίαν· ὃς, ἐκ τοῦ Θεοῦ κτισθεὶς, καὶ πάσῃ ἀρετῇ καὶ σοφίᾳ κοσμηθεὶς, οὐ τῇ τοῦ ∆εσπότου χάριτι ἐβουλήθη ταῦτα ἐπιγράφειν, ἀλλὰ τῇ ἰδίᾳ φύσει· ὅθεν καὶ ἴσον ἑαυτὸν ὑπέλαβεν εἶναι Θεοῦ. Καὶ ταύτην αὐτοῦ τὴν ἐνθύμησιν ἐλέγχων ὁ προφήτης φησίν· «Εἶπας ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ σου· Καθιῶ ἐν ὄρει

20