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? Not only < the benefit > of those for whom it was written, but of us also who read it. For we are certainly taught about gentleness of spirit and the meaning of forbearance and the laws of double peace-I mean both the divine and human-and what was the peace that Christ bequeathed to His disciples and what is human peace, and how he who is to have the Holy Spirit dwell in him needs the divine peace. The discourse explains this admirably and reconciles the Prophet's saying with that of the Gospel. Or, again, < should one not admire > the great facility of mind and breadth of percep tion and the marvelous and unaffected language? The breadth of your perception reduces me to straits, Father, and your great ease, makes me uneasy. I was so charmed by your writing that I neglected all my duties, although they were most pressing, and did not let go of your discourse until I had finished all of it.
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ΚαΙ τα μεν της ευφροσύνης αίτια ταυτα, πλέον δε μαλλον ή ση άρετη διαλάμπουσα εν τοίς λόγοι ς σου τοίς μη πάνυ τυφλώττουσι. τα δε την λύπην προξενήσαντα ταυτά εΙσιν· δτι ήλθεν εις τόν βίον άνθρωπος μεστός άγαθων σοφίας, γνώσεως, λογιότητος, το μείζον, άρετης καΙ παρατρέχει τόν χρόνον καΙ ό χρόνος διαβιβάζει αυτόν, την πρέπουσαν δόξαν αυτφ ύφαιρούμενος, καΙ ταυτα δι' άρετην καΙ του μη κατ' επίδειξιν πραγματεύεσθαι, κατ' ερημίαν του καλα ποθοΟντος καΙ εκζητοΟντος. καΙ ταυ τα εν λογισμφ συστρέφουσα μετα πολλων δακρύων ελε γον εν έαυτύ· " που τό πνευμά σου, φυσικε φιλόσοφε καΙ φιλολογώτατε καί φιλάρετε καΙ φιλόκαλε καΙ φιλο μόναχε, κράτιστε καΙ αγιε βασιλευ, αυθέντη καΙ πενθε ρέ; καΙ συ σοφώτατε πάτερ ό εμε γεγεννηκώς; ιδου φί λος ον εζητείτε! ιδου μοναχός οϊους όμιλουντες ηγάλλε σθε! ω πόσον εζημιώθητε, σύ τε ό εμός γεννήτωρ καΙ ή ση άγιωσύνη, πάτερ αγιε, ό ταυτα συγγραψάμενος!" πρός σε γαρ πάλιν επιστραφήσομαι· ''ουκ εχεις, ως όρω, άξιον καΙ άφθονον κριτην καΙ άκροατήν." μικρου καΙ την φή μην καταμέμφομαι [Fol. 237v] ως άμβλυτέραν προς το σουτον καλόν· ει γαρ παρησαν εκείνοι, ει καΙ όξυτάτφ ποδ! φεύγεις συ την δόξαν, όξυτέροις αν εκείνοι τοίς ποσΙ της τιμης, ύπό φιλοτιμίας κινούμενοι, κατεδίωξαν αν καΙ κατέλαβον κατα την αυτοίς κρατουσαν συνήθειαν. Ταυτα ου κολακεύουσα λέγω-μάρτυς ή άλήθεια άλλ' δσα αν ενεθυμήθην καΙ εμαθον εκ της άναγνώσεως, ταυτα γνωρίζω σοι. ει δε ήψάμεθα καΙ ποσως κατε νοήσαμεν της γραφης, συ αν ειδείης καΙ ήμας δια γρα φης πληροφορήσαις. οικονομουνται καΙ τών επιλοίπων γραφών τα χαρτία.
ση S 11 31 προξενίσαντα S 11 33 λογιωττ ος (supra ω 1 littera [?] quae legi ποπ potest) S 11 35 ύφαιρόμενος S 11 43 οίους S 11 43 ήγάλλεσθε S 11 44 πόσων S 141 45 ση S 11 56 ειδοίης S 11 57 πληροφορίσαις S 30
37 These were, then, the reasons for my rejoicing, but even more so it was your virtue which shines through your writings for those who are not altogether blind. As for the causes of my sorrow, they were the following: the fact that a man was born filled with blessings-wisdom, knowledge, eloquence, and what is more im portant, virtue-and he races through time and time hurries him off, stealing away the glory which is his due. All this because of his virtue and because he does not care to show off, there be ing no one who desires and seeks out the good. As I was turning these thoughts around in my mind, I said to myself with many tears: "Where is your spirit, my lord and father-in-law, the mighty and holy emperor? You were a born philosopher and loved vir tue and learning and goodness and the monks! And you, my most wise father, who gave me life? Here is the friend you were seek ing! Here is the kind of monk in whose company you delighted! o what a loss you suffered, both you, my father, and you, Your Holiness, the author of this work, holy Father!" For I shall turn back to you. "You do not have, as I see, a worthy and genial judge and listener."
I almost blame public opinion for being
rather insensitive to such greatness. If my father and father-in law were alive, even though you run away from fame with a most swift foot, they would have chased you with honor's swifter feet, moved by the love of honor, and they would have caught you as they were wont to do. As truth is my witness, I do not say this to flatter you. I am just telling you what I noticed and learned from my reading. You should know and write to assure me whether I grasped and understood all the meaning of your work. I am providing paper for < copies>
of the rest of your works.
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< Έπιστολη 'Έκτη >
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ου παύσ1] ψυχην μοχθηραν και φιλόδοξον, δι' ών θαυ μάζεις, του καθεστώτος εξάγουσα; ταυτα εγω προορώ μενος πρότερον και την ασθένειαν την εμαυτου συνει δώς, ουκ εθάρρουν φιλολογωτάΤ1] γνώμ1] πρόφασιν δουναι κατ' εμαυτου τοιαύτην. συ μόνη πάντων επ' εμοί γε, ώς εοικεν, ακέραιον την αίσθησιν του καλου διετήρησας, 11 και τα ελάχιστα τών καλών οϋτως οξέως όρq,ς και τοσούτου θαύματος αξιοις, ώς ουδεις τα σφόδρα μεγά λα και αξιόλογα. Οϋκ ειμι του πατρός εκείνου του θαυμαστου τελεώτερος δς σπυρίδας ύφαίνων, επειδήπερ ύπό παρακαθε ζομένου τινός εΠ1]νέθη και πάλιν ακήκοεν ώς ευφυώς ύφαίνει, "σίγησον," είπεν, "ώ βέλτιστε, δς εξ δτου περ εν ταυθα ελήλυθας του Θεου με απήγαγες." δσον ουν εγω μείων εκείνου της αρετης την εξιν και ατελέστερος, προστίθημι [Fol. 237ar] δε και τό τών επαίνων ύπερέχον και αυτου του θαυμάζοντος, τοσουτο μάλλον και πόρ ρω γίνομαι του Θεου θαυμαζόμενος. κείσθω δη μέχρι τουδε τό βάρος μή, ωσπερ σκαφίδιον, πλείω φόρτον 11 φέρειν εχω δεξάμενος, ύποβρύχιος γένωμαι. Ό βασιλευς δε εκεινος και ό σοφός γεννήτωρ, πάν Ι 'των μεν ενεκα τών καλών και θαυμαστών ών ε ίχον και ::τους άλλους ήξίουν, ώφελον ου θνητοι πεφυκέναι. αυτός δε εμαυτόν οίδα χθαμαλώτερον οντα κομιδτί της εκείνων αγάπης.
S 237v-237ar
1 πέμπτη smg 11 13-14 Cf. Joannes Colobus, Apophthegmata, 32 (Apoph thegmata patrum, ΡΟ 65. 213Ω-16Α)
6 εοικεν 11 13 έξότου S 11 18 γίνωμαι S
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< Letter 6 > Will you not stop seducing my wretched and vain soul from its established way of life with your praises? Because I already foresaw this and was well aware of my own weakness, I did not dare to give such a pretext against me to a mind so fond of learn ing. With respect to me, you seem to be the only one who has retained an absolute sense of the good, since you keenly perceive even the smallest good and admire it as much as no one admires even the greatest and most worthwhile. I have not attained a greater degree of perfection than that marvelous father who was weaving baskets and who said, when someone sitting nearby praised him and repeatedly told him how well he was weaving: "Keep quiet, my good man, for ever since you came here you led me away from God." Inasmuch as I am inferior to that man and less accomplished in the pursuit of virtue-and I must add to this the superiority of the praise and of the admirer-I am led further away from God by being praised. Let the burden stop here, then, lest like a small boat, having taken a heavier load than I can carry, I go under. That renowned emperor and your wise father should have been born immortal because of all they had and gave to others. I am well aware of being too lowly for their love.
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< Έπιστολη Έβδόμη )
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Μ η δ ο ξ α σ θ ή σ ε τ α ι α ξ ί ν η ά ν ε υ τ ο υ ε λ κ ο ν τ ο ς α υ τ ή ν, η στομωθήσεται σίδηρος άνευ πυ ρος καΙ ϋδατος; οϋτως ουδε νους φιλόσοφος δοξασθή σεται καΙ ακμαιότερος εσται άνευ του έπαινουντος καΙ ψέγοντος' καΙ γαρ καΙ ό επαινος Όπλον αρετης γίνεται τφ αγωνιστύ , κατα τον του αποστόλου λόγον τον λέγον τα δ ι α τ ω ν Ό π λ ω ν τ η ς δ ι κ α ι ο σ ύ ν η ς τ ω ν δ ε ξ ι ω ν κ α Ι α ρ ι σ τ ε Ρ ω ν, δ ι α δ ό ξ η ς κ α Ι α τ ι μ ί α ς, δ ι α δ υ σ φ η μ ί α ς κ α Ι ε υ φ η μ ία ς. δέχου τοίνυν την ευφημίαν ώς Όπλον δικαιοσύνης προς Θεου σοι πεμπομένην, έπεΙ οϋτως ηυδόκησε καταρ τίζεσθαι την ζωην τών δούλων αυτου, ει άρα καΙ έγκώμιά εισι τα λεγόμενα παρ' έμου καΙ μη καθυβρίζω τοίς έγκωμίοις. Έγω δε απέστειλα τους λόγους του θαυμαστου ανθρώπου-ει μή με απατq, το φίλτρον-καΙ αξιω σε έντυ χείν πρωτον ών έσημάδευσα, εχει γαρ διπλην την ωφέ λειαν, συν τύ λογικύ καΙ πνευματικήν' άλλωστε ϊνα ίδ1]ς καΙ την διπλην όρφανίαν [Fol. 237aν] καΙ την ζημίαν ην ύπέστην ή τάλαινα στερηθείσα δύο τοιούτων πα τέρων, του κατα σάρκα γεννήσαντός με καΙ του δια του μοναχικου αναγεννήσαντός με σχήματος, ον καΙ κατα δύναμιν ύπετάγην, καΙ τα μυσταγωγηθέντα μοι παρ' αυ του, ει δφη καιρος ακούσεις. τούτων την στέρησιν μη φέρουσα, καΙ μαλλον του πνευματικου μου πατρός, όδυνηρως ζω. μη εύρίσκουσα τοίνυν όμιλίαν πνευματι κην αμα καΙ λογικην ώς είναι αρτίαν καΙ τελείαν, α π η ν ή ν α τ ο π α Ρ α κ λ η θ η ν α ι ή Ψ υ Χ ή μ ο υ καΙ η κ η-
'1-2 Is. 10. 15 11 7-10 2 Cor. 6. 7-8 11 27-28 Ps. 76 (77). 3 b 237ar-237 r 1 εκτη απολογητικη πρός την πέμπτην smg 11 5 σπλον S 11 7 σπλων S 11 1 0 σπλον S 1116 με Ssv 11 σε] σαι S 1117 ων S 11 διπλην S 1118 λογικη S 11 α β ϊδοις S 1119 διπλήν S 1124 δώει S 11 στέρρησιν S 1125-26 6δυνηρως ζω και μάλλον του πνευματικου μου πατρός S 11 27-28 απηνίνατο S S
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< Letter 7 > "Shall the axe glorify itself without him that hews with it" or will iron be tempered without fire and water? Thus neither will a wisdom-loving mind be glorified and thrive without an ad mirer and a critic. For even praise becomes a weapon of virtue to a champion, in the words of the Apostle saying: "with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left; in honor and dishonor, in ill-repute and good repute." Accept, then, the words of praise as a weapon of righteousness sent to you from God, since this is how He saw fit to dispose of the lives of His servants (if indeed what I say to you is truly praise and I am not insulting you by my praise). I sent to you the discourses of the marvelous man-if love does not blind me-and I wish you to look first at what I have checked because it has a double value: literary and spiritual. Besides, you must see the double bereavement and loss I suf fered-wretched me-when I lost both my fathers; the one who gave me birth in flesh and the other who regenerated me by the monastic habit and to whose direction I submitted as best as I could. If time permits, you shall hear what he taught me by way of initiation. Unable to bear their loss, and more so that of my spiritual father, I live in grief. Because I could not find company
< which offered > both spiritual and literary < benefits > so as to be complete and perfect, "my soul refused to be comforted
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δ ί α σ ε ν ε π' ε μ έ τ Ο π ν ε υ μ ά μ ο υ, δια τουτο κεκίνηκέ με ένδον ή καρδία μου προς ζήτησιν της σης όμι λίας. ει ουν εστιν αβαρές, καθα καΙ προείπον, απαξ του μηνος έχου την προς ήμας άφιξιν, φίμωτρον ωσπερ της ακηδίας γινόμενος-επεΙ ουδε νευρα φέρει το σύντονον καΙ δεί ανεθηναι μικρον τών γλυφίδων-δια τον εντειλάμενον μη κρύπτειν το τάλαντον' επεΙ δε συ τάλαν τον λόγου καΙ αρετης επιστεύθης, πάρεχε τφ ζητουντι μετα θερμης διαθέσεως. αλλ' ίσως ερείς δια το ύπερβάλ λον της ταπεινώσεως στι ουδέτερον ίκανόν. μη τουτο, πα ρακαλώ' γογγυσμος γαρ άντικρυς κατα του παρασχόντος δεσπότου' επεΙ καγώ σοι λέγω, αρκουμαι εις σσον οίδα καΙ κατέλαβον καΙ πλέον ου χρτjζω. ΈπεΙ δε καμοΙ ενεπίστευσεν ό δεσπότης καΙ κατέστη σεν οικονόμον πραγμάτων, ατινα καΙ οΙκονομήθησαν ώς οίδεν εκείνος, εναπελείφθη δε πολλοστημόριον καΙ οΙκονομώμεν αυτό, παρακαλώ * * * σσον χρτjζεις εΙς [Fo1.237br] ανάπαυσίν σου από τών πραγμάτων του κοι νου ήμών δεσπότου, γνώριζε τουτο ήμίν καΙ το κατα δύναμιν ουδέποτε αμελήσαιμεν.
28-29 Ps. 60 (61). 2
11
35 cf. Mt. 25. 15-28
11 32 φίμοτρον S 11 33 νευρά S 11 34 αναιθηναι S 11 το γλυ 11 35 σοι S 11 38 ούδ' ετερον S 11 40 σοι λλέγω S 11 43 post πραγμάτων vocabulum quod legi ηοη potest expunxit S 11 44 έναπελήφθη S 11 πολλωστη μόριον S " 45 post παρακαλώ vocabulum quod legi ηοη potest -ίη S 28-29 ήκηδίασεν S
φείδον S
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and my spirit was in trouble." This is why my heart moved me from within to seek your company. If it is no trouble, therefore, just as I said before, do visit me once a month and become a muzzle of my depression, so to speak, since even a bow string cannot bear tension and must be loosened for a while from the notches. Do this for the sake of Him Who enjoined us not to hide the talent. Since you are entrusted with both a literary and spiritual talent, give to those who ask eagerly. Perhaps you will say, because of your excessive modesty, that you are not suffi ciently endowed in either respect. Please do not say that, for it is a complaint muttered against the Lord Who granted you these talents. I also tell you that I am satisfied with what I saw and understood and I need no more. Since the Lord made me also a trustee and manager of < ma terial ) goods and they were managed as He sees fit and since a fraction < of them > still remains and I
am
managing it, please
let me know how much you need for your comfort from the goods of our common Master and may I not fail < to provide it > as best as I can.
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< Έπιστολη Όγδόη )
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'Όπλον αρετης ό επαινος ου καθ' αύτό, αλλα κατα συμβεβηκός, καΙ ου τοίς νφ την αρετην κτωμένοις, αλ λα τοίς νηπιώδεσιΥο ώσπερ γαρ τους νηπίους ετι κολα κεί also. For I do not dare say with the great and most accomplished theologian, my favorite master, the Great Gregory, that" I have shaken off all fear since I attached myself to Christ, and nothing can overpower me,"
and all the other
< temptations> he recounts, but "I am fond of learning and cling to it." Surely this is what I, too, would say and for this reason I seek your company, because not only is it to my spiritual benefit and training-the training which I received but did not accomplish successfully-but it is also most erudite. I repeat, however, < only> if it is not burdensome < to you> and when ever you decide. "The law is not laid down for the just!"
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< Έπιστολη Δεκάτη )
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Χάριν μεν όμολογειν σου ττί φιλOχρίστCΡ γνώμ1] εφ' οίς ήμών δειν Φήθης επιμελεισθαι και της ήμών ασθενεί ας περιτταν ήγησάμην' οϋτε γαρ συ ταυτα ποιεις του ττίδε τας αμοιβας απέχειν, αλλ' εις την θείαν αποβλέπουσα δόξαν, οϋτ' ει και της ώδε φιλοτιμίας ήττώ, αξίως αν ήμιν ύπηρξε την αγαθην ταύτην επαινέσαι σου γνώ μην και την προσήκουσαν ευχαριστίαν ώς εικας αποτι σαι. αυτου γαρ aντος καθ' αύτα του πράγματος αξιο λογωτάτου, τα και μετα τοσαύτης προθυμίας προβαίνειν και αει μετα μείζονος ρύμης ωσπερ ύδωρ κατα πρανους ύπα μηδενας διαγόμενον, ουκ ελαττον αυτου του πράγματος γίνεται και του καθ' ήμας λόγου [Ρο!. 240v] μεΙζον. δια πρας τους θείους ε π α ί ν ο υ ς οϋς Δαυιδ ό προφήτης αιτειται παρα Θεου ε ν ε κ κ λ η σ ί q. μ ε γ ά λ 1], καγω τα σαν παραπέμπω, εκείνων ον άξιον και προσηκον εκείνοις. 'Ά δε ήμιν εγραφες περί τε του μη δύνασθαι την σε αυτης οίς γράφεις διάνοιαν καθαρώς εκκαλύπτειν και της ήμών όμιλίας, τα μεν οϋ σοι μόν1] πεπονθέναι συμβέβηκε, ττί γυναικών άπασών οσαι νυν εισιν β α σ ι λ ι κ φ τ φ π ή Χ ε ι, φασίν, ευπαιδείq. κρατούσ1], αλλα και τών εις άκρον εληλυθότων Έλληνισμου και λογικης ευγλω τίας ανδρών εσθ' οτε που φαίνεται, και τάχα ουδε νι τουτο γέγονεν εκφυγειν δια πάντων' σοφης δε διανοίας και γνώμης επανορθουσθαι τα πταίσματα, και μάλισθ' οταν ύφ' έτέρων τις κανονιζόμενος δέχηται ήδέως την επανόρθωσιν, καν ουκ εν ττί γνώμ1], αλλ' εν λόγοις � τα άμάρτημα μόνοις τουτο δη τα σόΥ { τήν γ' εμην όμιλίαν ην ουδεν ουσαν ώς ουσάν τι και ώφελουσαν τους εντυγχάνοντας ύπερβολτί τινι φιλομαθίας αιτεις, δουναι μεν
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S 240r-241r εννάτη (sic) smg γε μην S
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< Letter 10 > I thought it unnecessary to express my gratitude to your
Christ-loving disposition for the attention you saw fit to bestow on me and my insignificance. For you do not do this in order. to receive your reward in this world, but you are looking to the divine glory. Even if you were overcome by worldly ambition, it would have been impossible for me to praise adequately your kind sentiments and to repay them with the proper gratitude, as would be fair. < Your generosity > is most remarkable in itself, but the fact that it is expressed with such eagerness, and flows constantly with increasing impetus like water running downhill with nothing to stop it, is no less remarkable than < your generos ity > itself, and it is beyond the power of my words. This is why I leave it to the divine "praises" which the Prophet David re
quests from God''in a great congregration," for it is worthy of them and fit for them. As for what you wrote to me about your inability to express your thoughts clearly in writing and about my company, the former does not happen to you alone-who surpass all contempo rary women in education by a "royal cubit," as they say-but it seems also to happen occasionally even to men who have reached the peak of Hellenic learning and rhetorical skill, and probably no one can escape this < difficulty > all the time. But \
it is a sign of wise thinking and judgment to correct one's mistakes, especially if one is under the guidance of others and accepts the correction kindly, and if the error is in words alone, not in intention, as was precisely your case. For this is what hap pened to you. As for my worthless company, which you seek out of your excessive love of learning as if it were something of worth and beneficial to those who converse with me, it may be up to me to offer it, but offering it well and profitably is up to God
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ϊσως ήμέτερον, εύ δε καΙ ωφελίμως δουναι, Θεου του πάντα ωφελουντο ς καΙ τελειουντος καΙ άγαθύνοντος. ει δη το άπλώς είναι του εύ είναι βέλ τιον καΙ ύψηλότερον, ούχ όταν ήμείς, άλλ' όταν εθέλ1] Θεος όμιλητέον ήμίν καΙ 35
ούκ άγανακτητέον, ει δια χρόνου τουτο συμβαίνοι που γί[Ρο1.241τ]γνεσθαι, οϋτω της θείας επιτρεπούσης ψήφου. τα γράμματα δε ταυτα ει δυσχεραίνεις άναγινώσκουσα δια το κακοχάραγον, ενθυμου τα σεαυτης καΙ ήττον δυσχερανείς. Βιβλίων οίμαι σωρον παρα σοΙ κείσθαι πολύν, εκ τε της
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του πατρος σοφίας εκ τε της σης φιλομαθίας άποτε θέντων, έλληνικών τε καΙ θείων' εγω δε ενδεης καΙ φίλος έκατέρων, ει καΙ λίαν άσθενώς, ωσπερ καΙ τάλλα πάν τα, οϋτω καΙ προς άνάγνωσιν εχω. ϊν' ούν καΙ ταυτα εκ 45
της σης ποριζώμεθα φιλοθεί'ας, μεταγραφήτω το τών βι βλίων έκατέρων κατάστοιχον καΙ πεμφθήτω μοι, ώς αν εκ τούτου το άναγκαιότερον εχων εκλέγεσθαι καΙ χρειω δέστερον αιτών λαμβάνω, σου κελευούσης, τα σά. προς δε το παρόν, εί τα Μωσαϊκά σοι εύρίσκονται καΙ το τε-
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τραβασίλειον, πεμφθήτωσάν μοι. τ'
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Who helps and makes perfect and does good to all. Since living as ascetics is better and loftier than living well, we must meet whenever God wills it and we must not complain if this happens at some intervals, for this is what God decrees. If you have trouble reading this letter because of my bad hand writing, think of yours and you shall have less trouble. I believe that you have in store a large number of books, both profane and sacred, which were accumulated because of your father's erudition and your own love of learning. I lack both and am fond of both, although, just as with everything else, I am too weak to read. So that Your Piety may provide me with this also, let a copy of the list of both < the profane and sacred ) books be made and sent to me, so that I may choose what I con sider more necessary and useful and ask to have it with your per mission. For the time being, if you have the five books of Moses and the four books of Kings, let them be sent to me.
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Το παρον βιβλίον εχει λόγους ύπερ των λόγων προς τους ουκ αγαθον οιομένους τον λόγον, εχει και στίχους ιαμβικους καί τινας ήρωϊκούς. τους μεν ουν λόγους ετι ων κοσμικος εποίησα και δια τουτο ήμέληνται, τους δε στίχους μονάζων· ών τους μεν ευχερείς είναι συμβαίνει γνωναι, και συνήσεις αυτόθεν επερχομένη, οί δέ τι και βαθύτερον εχουσι του προχείρως νοουμένου. εισι δε τοι ουτοι οί κατ' αλφάβητον καταταχθέντες, εμφασίν τινα πνευματικην εχοντες και ήσυχίας καρπόν, ουκ απ' εμου αλλα των πατερικων εξειλεγμένον πόνων. επει ουν αυτη μεν αει την ήμετέραν θεοφιλως όμιλίαν επιζητείς, ήμείς δε τουτο ου πάνυ τοί εσμεν ίκανοί, ών εχομεν αει ου δυνά μεθά σου μη τύ φιλoλόγCΡ μεταδιδόναι γνώμυ. τουτο μεν ουν λαβουσα το βιβλίον, εϊ σοι φίλον, ανάγνωθι. ''Ο δε φ'Ώς είναι του μεγάλου και θεσπεσίου πατρος του Φιλαδελφείας βιβλίον, ήσυχίας διδάσκαλον και λό γον εχειν ώφέλιμον προς το προκείμενον ήμίν, πέμψον ήμίν δια του άγίου μοι και θεσπεσίου πατρός, παρ' ου μα θήσΊ] και πάντα τα καθ' ήμας, και ιδουσα αυτον [Fol. 242r] και όμιλίας της αυτου απολαύσασα, και εμε ιδείν νόμιζε, εν γαρ αλλήλοις εσμεν και παρ' αλλήλοις χάριτι του παναγάθου Χριστου. Οίδα δέ σοι χάριν πολλην και της του καλου και αγα θου Άαρων συνέσεώς τε και παιδεύσεως, δς ήμίν πλειόνων επαίνων εδωκεν αφορμας της σης διακρίσεως. το γάρ ΤCΡ τετιμημένον, όποίον αν Ί], τοιουτο δίδωσι και το τιμησαν νοείν· αν φαυλον, φαυλον, αν αγαθόν, αγα θόν. αγαθος ουν ων 'Ααρων καθ' ύπεροχήν, αγαθην απο δείκνυσι τφ τετιμησθαι την τιμήσασαν κρίσιν και ιδιωσαμένην.
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smg 11 4 ήμέληνται S 11 6 συνοίσεις S 11 10 έξειλεγμένων 11 15 φης S 11 21 και παρ' αλλήλοις smg 11 26 τφ γαρ s 11 27 τφ τιμησαν 11 αν αγαθοίς S
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( Letter 12) This book contains my discourses in defense of ( Hellenic) learning against those who do not consider such learning a benefit. It also contains some iambics and hexameters. I wrote the discourses while still a layman and for this reason they have been neglected, but the verses ( I wrote)
after I became a monk.
Some verses are easy to understand, as you will find out im mediately when you read them, while others have a meaning somewhat deeper than the obvious. Such are those which have been arranged alphabetically. They have a spiritual significance and bear the fruit of contemplation picked from the labors of the Fathers, not mine. Since you are always piously anxious to talk with me and I am not quite able to do so, I cannot all the time refuse to share my possessions with your scholary mind. Take this book and, if you like it, read it. As for the book of the great and marvelous father, the metropolitan of Philadelphia, which, as you say, is instructive on contemplation and contains a useful discourse on the matter we are discussing, send it to me with the holy and marvelous father from whom you will learn all my news; having seen him and en joyed his company, believe that you saw me, for we dwell in each other and by each other by the grace of Christ the All-benevolent. I am grateful to you also for the sagacity and learning of the noble Aaron, who gave me additional reason to praise your judg ment. For the object of a person's esteem, whatever its qualities may be, allows us to assume that the person showing esteem is possessed of the same qualities: if they be good, of good; if they be bad, of bad. Since, then, Aaron is preeminently good, he shows by being held in esteem that the person who decided to hold him in esteem and to befriend him is good.
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Τί φΊ]ς, ώ θαυμασιώτατε α ν θ Ρ ω π ε του Θ ε ο υ και γνησιώτατε δουλε Χριστου, και έμοι σεβασμιώτατε και αγιε πάτερ; τον πόθον καταπαύσει της σης όμιλίας ό τους σους λόγους ώμιληκως 11 μαλλον ανάψει, και τον νουν τον κάλλιστον και ώραιότατον λόγον, τον θέλγον τα και ακοην και διάνοιαν, τον πατέρα ζητήσει μετα θερ μης τινος και διαπύρου της διαθέσεως; ει γαρ ού μετα των ζώντων ης, ει τους λόγους τους σους ένέτυχέ τις νουν έχων, έπι τφ τάφφ αν τφ σφ καθήμενος προσέκλαιεν δλτι δυνάμει, λόγον ακούσεσθαι προσδοκώμενος έκ της τοι αύτης κα[Fοl. 242v]λλίστης ψυχης και γλώττης. πως ούν ήμείς αξιωθέντες παρα Θεου σε μετα των ζώντων απ 0λαβείν, αποστησόμεθα της αγαθης ταύτης και έπωφελους αιτήσεως; δθεν και οίς έσπούδασας της σης όμιλίας απ 0στησαι ήμας, τούτοις θερμοτέρους και ακμαιοτέρους ήμας έποίησας. ανάσχου δέ, παρακαλω, και μ α κ Ρ 0θ ύ μ η σ ο ν, δση γαρ σπουδη έγκωμίων κατα δύναμιν ήμετέραν ηκει έμπροσθέν σου της θεολήπτου ψυχης τολ μηρως έξειπείν ούκ όκνήσω. Τί των σων λόγων ού θαυμαστόν ά ν θ Ρ ω π ε τ ο υ Θ ε ο υ; τί ούκ έμφανίζουσιν ούτοι; ούκ έν νεαρQ, ήλΙKί� πρεσβυτικωτάτην. σύνεσιν; ού πρό καιρου της ακριβείας της μοναχικης και πολιτείας ακροτάτην ακρίβειαν; ού των έξω γραφων και των θείων πολλην μελέτην και σύνεσιν; ού * * * των ϋστερον άκρων έξ αρχης αρετης κινημάτων; ού το πλάτος των νοημάτων; ού την εύπορίαν των λέξεων; ού το εύδρομον και ύψηλον της φράσεως; ό δε σος αλφά βητος, ον ούπω μεμάθηκα, ποίον νουν ούκ έκπλήξει; ει γαρ
1 1 Tim. 6.11 1116-17
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S 242r-243v δωδεκάτη άπολογητικη προς την ενδεκάτην (sic) smg 11 φης s 113 κατα παύση S 114 όμιληκος S 11 άνάψη S 11 5 ώραιώτατον S 116 ζητήση S 117 διαπείρου S 118 ης S 1110 της ssv 11 11 καλλίστης]κα ίη folio sequenti ineunte iteravit S 11 21 νεαρα S 11 25 post ου lacunam indicavi, aliquid excidisse suspiciens 11 1
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< Letter 13 > What is this you are saying, 0 most marvelous''man of God," most genuine servant of Christ and my most revered and holy father? Will he who has become acquainted with your discourses give up his desire to meet you, or rather will he become even more excited, and with fervor and ardor seek out the author, the finest intellect and the most beautiful tongue which charms both ear and mind? If you were not among the living and some intelligent man came upon your discourses, he would be sitting on your grave and crying wholeheartedly, hoping to hear a word from < a man of >
such an extraordinarily beautiful soul and tongue. How
can I, then, who was deemed by God worthy of finding you among the living, give up my good and profitable request? So, by the very means by which you were anxious to make me shun your company, you made me even more eager and determined. Please bear with me and''have patience" for I shall not hesitate to proclaim boldly before your God-inspired soul all the prais'es I can possibly muster. Is there anything about your discourses, 0 "man of God," which does not excite admiration? Is there < a virtue> they do not exhibit? Not the wisdom of an old man at an early age? Not the strictest observance of monastic discipline and life ahead of ap pointed time? Not a profound study and understanding of profane and sacred writings? Not < an inkling> (?) of the later move ments of virtue which were of the highest < order> from the start? Not a wide compass of thought? Not a copious vocabulary? Not a flowing and lofty style? Will your Alphabetos-which I
66 ό αγιος , Αρσένιος περι αγροίκου τινος εϊρηκεν δτι μ ε ν
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Ρ ω μ α ϊ κ η ν
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30-32 Arsenius, Apophthegmata, 6 (Apophthegmata Patrum, ΡΟ 65. 89Α) 11 36-37 Ps. 138 (139). 6 11 51-52 Ps. 149 (150).8
33 αλφάβιτος S 11 1] 11 38 δημιουργική S 11 44 ώσανεί τι S 11 47 είργάσω S 48 νυνβέβηκεν S μεν SSv 51 χειροπέδες S 52 γλυκυίαν S 54 αστίως S 58 ύπήκει S 57 ταπεινείς S 58-59 δουλεύει S συντρίβης S
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67 have not learned yet-fail to amaze anyone? For if Saint Arsenios said about some ignorant peasant: "1 have been educated in Greek and Latin, but 1 have yet to learn the alphabet of this ignorant peasant," what must 1 say when the Alphabetos is heavenly and its author a great philosopher, whereas 1 who received it am most ignorant? 1 shall say, however, what the divine David said to God: "1 magnify thy knowledge!" Thus 1 shall say about you also: "0 my God, the disposition and nature and loftiness of spirit of this man of yours magnify Your powers of creation and wisdom and knowledge!" So much for that. Now, why did you do this, 0 most holy Father? Why did you first praise learning as much as it deserves, and then left your discourses looking naked and dark and sad as if mourJ;ling their obscurity and nakedness and neglect and rejection and bewailing the injustice done to them? But 1 suspect that you did this on purpose, to test the love of the lovers of learning who would stick to the reading. This is what happened to me too. The handwriting and its confusion made me turn away from reading, but the beauty of what you wrote held me bound by force with' 'manacles of iron." 1 was under the sway of a sweet tyrant and did not min� the difficulty of the handwriting. 1 am only teasing, of course. You worked carefully and hard to acquire the wisdom of the world and have now brought and delivered it to the supreme wisdom to be its ministrant. For this reason you humble and crush it-because it met with a superior character < like yours >-that it may obey and work eagerly for its mistress and lady. As for the message you sent me with Aaron about your coming here, 1 am grateful and 1 wait and look for ward to < your visit -> .
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Καθίσας έν τφ κελλίφ μου καΙ συναγαγων έμαυτόν έμπροσθεν του τα πάντα έποπτεύοντος καΙ γινώσκοντος μόνου Θεου, ηρεύνησα την έμαυτου γνώσίν τε καΙ δύνα μιν ευσυνειδήτως καΙ δπως έμαυτφ βιωτέον έστΙν ώς οίόν τε έπιμελώς έσκεψάμην, καΙ εύρον, εί όπωσουν μέλ λοιμι έν έμαυτου τε γενέσθαι καΙ Θεφ πλησιάσαι, ουκ άλλην όδόν μοι βαδιστέον του βίου 11 τόν πάντα χρό νον τφ κελλίφ τφ έμαυτου παραμένειν, άσχετον παντε λώς πρός τα ύπ' αισθησιν, δ τι μη πασα ανάγκη, καΙ αφανή, καΙ περιττόν καΙ απέριττον' τό μεν ώς ουδεν είς τα ανθρώπινα συμβαλλόμενον, τό δε ώς οίόν τε δι' ευτε λείας άπάσης διάγοντα. καν τούτφ μοι έδοξα σχήσειν τινα καΙ σοφίαν καΙ δύναμιν, μικραν μεν ώς πρός γενναίους άνδρας, εξειν δε δμως [Ρο!. 244τ] τινά' πρός δε σύστασιν έτέρων καΙ δλως την έξω διαγωγην εοικα παν τός ανθρώπου αδυνατώτατος είναι καΙ αφρονέστατος. ουκ οίδα δε ει ποτε Θεός αυτός, ή πηγη παντός αγαθου καΙ πάσης δυνάμεως καΙ σοφίας, καΙ τοιούτου μέ τινος ποιήσειε μέτοχον, νυν δέ, ώς έχω, πόρρω βέβηκα της τοιαύτης αξίας καΙ χάριτος. έπεΙ δε ουκ αν ύπάρξειεν ισως έμοΙ τό πάντα τόν χρόνον πρός έμαυτόν έπεστράφθαι καΙ τόν Θεόν, δι' έτέραν αύθις ένταυθα αδυναμίαν, αλλα δεή σει καΙ αφείναι την κέλλαν καΙ όμιλησαί τισι, δείν φήθην τοίς μεν άλλοις ώς ετυχεν έντυγχάνειν-καν μηδενΙ δε δλως έντυχείν μοι συμπέσΤ], μηδένα λόγον τούτου ποι είσθαι-σου δε ενεκα φροντίδα έχειν, ώστε παραβάλλειν είς τό κελλίον σου μη πλέον 11 τρΙς 11 τό πλείστον τετρά κις του ένιαυσίου' πλέον δε τούτου αδυνάτως εχω,έπΙ χαρας λέγω της συνειδήσεως. εί δε δοίη Θεός καΙ πλείονα δύναμιν καΙ δείξει μοι-καν ανάξιός τις ώ τών τοιούτων δειγμάτων-βουλόμενός με τουτο ποιείν συνεχέστερον, 243v-245r
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< Letter 14 ) I sat in my cell and collected myself before the only God, He
Who watches over all and knows all, and examined conscientious ly my knowledge and ability. I also considered as carefully as possible how I must live, and I discovered that if I am to control myself at all and draw near to God I must not follow any other path in life but remain in my cell all the time, having nothing to do with the world of the senses-except when absolutely nec essary-and living in obscurity as a man needed by no one and needing nothing; the first, on account of my contributing-nothing to human affairs; the second, on account of my living as spar ingly as possible. I thought that by pursuing such a course I might acquire some wisdom and ability, small in comparison to that possessed by men of quality, but still of some magnitude, for it seems that I am the least capable and wise of men when it comes to directing others or to living in the outside world. I do not know whether God Himself, the source of every blessing and ability and wisdom, might give me one day a share of such < a gift ) , but in my present condition I dwell far from such merit and grace. But since it will be perhaps impossible for me to concentrate all the time on myself and God-this on account of another kind of insufficiency-and since I shall have to leave my cell and speak to some people, I thought that I must leave my meetings with others to chance, thinking nothing of it even if I should happen to meet no one, but to see to it, on your account, that I visit your cell no more than three or at the most four times a year. To do more than this is beyond my power. I mean it, upon the happiness of my conscience. But if God should give me more strength and show me-even though I am unworthy of such signs-that He wishes me to do this more often, I shall not resist
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ούκ αντιστήσομαι, ούδ' απειθήσω Θεφ· νυν δε καΙ τουτο μόλις εμαυτόν αναγκάζω, δια ηΊν φαινομένην εντολ'ην του Σωτηρος. Δεί δε καθάπερ σεαυτης [ΡοΙ. 244v] προμηθεύ1J καΙ καλώς ποιουσα ούδαμώς εξέΡΧ1J της θεσπεσίας μονης, οϋ τω καΙ ήμών ποιήσασθαι λόγον εις τό σωθηναι, την πνευματικήν εις ήμας διατεθείσα διάθεσιν' a γαρ θ έ λ ε τ έ, φησιν, ϊ ν α π ο ι ώ σ ι ν ύ μ α ς ο ί ά ν θ Ρ ωπ ο ι, τ α υ τ α κ α Ι ύ μ ε ί ς ό μ ο ί ω ς π ο ι ε ί τ ε. ει δε άλλο τι πρότερον εφθημεν ειρηκότες πρός την σην σεμνοπρέπειαν, ώ την μεν κάτω βασιλείαν αφείσα καΙ ρί ψασα, την δε Θεου ζητουσα καΙ μεταθέουσα, ούδεν θαυ μαστόν' β ο υ λ ε υ τ ι κ ό ν γαρ ζ φ ο ν ό ά νθ Ρ ω π ο ς καΙ πολλα βουλευόμενος μετατίθησιν, a πρό τερον άπλώς η εξ ελάττονος βουλης παρεδέξατο. ει δε τα πρότερα ενθυμηθείης, ούτος ήν ό εμός τότε λόγος εφ' ον επανηλθεν ό ϋστερον διαιρεθεΙς λογισμός. ει μεν ούν καΙ συ ταύτην αποδέξ1J την κρίσιν καΙ στέρξεις τόν λογισμόν, βεβαίως δόξεις πιστεύσασα ώς ού φαύλως εγω φρονών τε είην καΙ βουλευόμενος, καΙ δέξαιο αν καΙ του το αντΙ άλλης συμβουλης ωφελίμου καΙ ούκ αν λυπηθεί ης. ει δε μή, Θεός εστω, καΙ εστι γε, του αληθους επόπ της καΙ του έκάστφ συμφέροντος. καΙ αγαθός ων καΙ πάντων, μάλιστα δε τών αύτόν εν αληθείQ. ζητούντων, προ νοητης αναγκαίος καΙ αδιάλειπτος, προνοήσαιτο καί σου καΙ ήμών καΙ πάντων [ΡοΙ. 245r] τών επ' αύτόν ηλπικό των.
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nor will I disobey God. Now, however, I have to force myself to do even this, fulfilling the manifest commandment of the Savior. Just as you take care of yourself and are quite right in never leaving your holy convent, you must also consider my salvation and show your spiritual concern for me. For, as the Gospel says: "Whatever you wish that men would do to you, do so to them." And if I recently said something else to Your Highness-O you who gave up and rej ected the worldly kingdom, and are seeking and pursuing the kingdom of God!-this is nothing to be mar veled at. "Man is a thinking animal," and after much thinking he modifies what he had earlier accepted with no or little delibera tion. If you think back to the earlier time, this was exactly what I said then and my mind, which became at a later point divided, has now come back to its original
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accept this decision and be satisfied with my way of thinking, you shall certainly come to the conclusion that I did not reason and think badly. Accept this in place of other useful counsel and you shall not regret it. Otherwise, let God watch over what is true and profitable for everyone, as He certainly does. Since He is good and is the indispensable and unfailing provider for all, and especially for those who seek Him truly, may He look after you and me and all who have placed their hopes in Him.
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Σεβασμιώτατέ μοι και άγιώτατε πάτερ, τον σον θεο ποιον σκοπον και την θαυμαστην πρόθεσιν ην περι σε αυτου εβουλεύσω και ύπεράγαμαι και ευχαριστώ. έ ν τ ε ι ν ε τοίνυν και κ α τ ε υ ο δ ο υ τij παντοκρατορικij δεξιq, φρουρούμενος Χ Ρ ι σ τ ο υ τ ο υ α λ η θ ι ν ο υ Θ ε ο υ ή μ ώ ν, εξ ής και τ ο ν σ τ έ φ α ν ο ν κομιεί τον τ η ς δ ι κ α ι ο σ ύ ν η ς, τ ο ν δ Ρ ό μ ο ν τ ε λ έ σ α ς. αλλ' ουδε ή προς ήμας παρουσία σου άμισθος και άκαρπος, τιμιώτατε πάτερ, ής δσος ό καρπος και δσον το κέρδος οίδε τουτο πρώτον ό Θεός, είτα εγώ, είσ1] δε και ή άγιωσύνη σου δταν έλθ1] ό Θεος αποδιδους τον τών ταλάντων μισθόν. επει και εγω εξ εμαυτης μέν τι αγα θον και άξιον τών σών ακοών και της άγίας ψυχης ουκ έχω, δταν έλθ1]ς, δεξιουσθαί σοι, δια τουτο τών άγίων μου πατέρων τους βίους προβάλλομαι και διηγουμαι έμπρο σθέν σου, ταύταις ταίς διηγήσεσι δεξιουμένη την σην θεο φιλη και άγίαν ψυχήν. δια τουτο θαρρώ λέγειν δτι ουδ' ήμείς εκ της ήμών όμιλίας εμποδών τι πεποιήκαμεν την σην άγίαν ψυχήν. Μη τοίνυν δια τας εμας αμέτρους ανομίας, δι' εγκατάλειψιν Θεου, στερήσ1]ς με την ελευθερίαν και άνεσιν και ειρήνην και ανοικοδομην τών καταστραφέντων το σούτους χρόνους, ην εύρον [Fol. 245v] εκ σου· τα γαρ άλ λα τα συμβεβηκότα μοι νυν εις εμπόδιον της πνευματικης εργασίας είχον αν λογίσασθαι του εχθρου και αντείχον, το δε σον ουκ έτι, αλλ' εγκατάλειψιν φανεραν του Θεου ώς αναξία του έργου και της σωτηρίας. δθεν και εις απόγνωσιν ήλθον και εσκοτίσθην τέλεον, τοιαύτη
3-4 Ps. 44 (45). 4 Brightman), 361, 13 S 245r-247r
11 5-6 Cf. 1
Jn. 5.21; Joan. Chrysost., Liturgia
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1111-12 Cf. Mt. 25. 15-28
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< Letter 15 > I admire your deifying pursuit and the admirable goal you set for yourself, most reverend and holy Father, and I am grateful. "Bend thy bow," then, "and prosper," guarded by the almighty right hand of "Christ our true God," from which you will receive the "crown of righteousness, having finished the race." Yet nei ther is your presence here without reward and fruitless, most honor able Father. God knows in the first place, and then myself, how great is the fruit and how great the profit from < that presence >. Your Holiness will know it, too, when God comes to give out the rewards for the talents. Since I have nothing of my own which is good or worthy of your ears and < of your > saintly soul with which to welcome you when you come for a visit, for this reason I bring forth and recount in your presence the lives of my saint ly fathers. With these stories I welcome your God-loving and saintly soul. I dare say, therefore, that for my part I have not done anything by my talk to cause your saintly soul to stumble. Now, do not take away from me, on account of my innumera ble sins and of my being abandoned by God, the freedom and com fort and peace and restoration of what lay destroyed for so many years, which I have found through you. Anything else that has happened to me up to now I might think of as an obstacle to my spiritual labor set up by the enemy and I might bear it. But I cannot bear < being rejected > by you: I find it to mean that God has openly abandoned me as unworthy of His work and salvation. This is why I have come to feel desperate and absolutely
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γαρ ή ισχυς του ήμετέρου νοός, δτι έαν έννοτί ύποταγήν, ώς ύπό χαλινου ταύτης κατέχεται' ει δε αφεθτί της ζεύ γλης και έλεύθερος γένηται, θηριάλωτος ευθύς έστιν. δθεν έξ δτου του ζυγου της νοερας ύποταγης του αρχιε ρέως αφείθη, εκτοτε θηριάλωτος και αιχμάλωτος γέγονε και κατεποντίσθη' νυν δε Θεός κινήσας εις την σην πληροφορίαν την έμην ψυχήν, πάλιν ανέπνευσα και ειρήνευσα και ανωρθώθην. τοίνυν παρακαλω δια τόν Χριστόν αυτόν, δια την ύπέραγνον αυτου μητέρα, δια τους κόπους οϋς δια τόν Χριστόν έκοπίασας, μη έάσl]ς με καταποντισθη ναι πάλιν. ουκ εστιν ατιμώτερος του κτήνους ό άνθρωπος, δ βοηθείν ό νόμος διακελεύεται, και ταυτα νοερας ψυχης βοήθειαν δεομένου και παρα σου μόνου έν έμοι δυ ναμένου' διό και Θεός άνθρωπος γέγονε, και παρα σου δι' έμου ζητεί, και παρ' ού συ τα βέλτιστα προσδοκQ.ς. 'Ενδίδω δε και τό κατα [Fo1.246r] μηνα τουτο ζητείν, εστω δε εξ τόν χρόνον' οϋτω γαρ δύναμαι περισώζειν τόν λόγον του έμου σκοπου και της ωφελείας μου, ότε μεν δια γραφης, ότε δε δι' έξαγγελίας των χειλέων. χάρισαι γουν τόν Χριστόν και τας δις πρός τας τέσσαρας, και ει πρόκειταί σοι απολέσαι ήμέρας εξ του ένιαυτου δια βίον δλον ανθρώπου, αυτου τό όφελος εις πολλας ψυ χας διαβαίνει των ύπό την έμην χείρα δηλονότι. ναί, πα ρακαλω, δός αναπνευσαί με ήδη καταποντιζομένην ύπό της αφορήτου λύπης μη εστω ή ανακωχη και ή ευδαιμο νία μου ένός μηνός και ήμίσεος μόνου και μαλλον αντ' ευφροσύνης πλείονα λύπην και πικρίαν μοι προξενήσl], γευσαμένην μόνον της ανέσεως και αύθις πλέον κατα ποντισθείσαν. ταυτα δάκρυσιν έγράφησαν μαλλον η μέλανι. "Ότι δε ουκ έξέρχομαι έγω φιλονεικίαν ήγείσαι και δ μη ποιω απαιτω, ώς μη είναι έντευθεν καθαραν την πνευματικήν μου διάθεσιν, αλλα πλεονάζει ταύτην τό
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dazed. For such is the property of our mind: when it is aware of submission, it is restrained by it as if by a bridle, but when it is released from the yoke and set free, it is immediately suscep tible to capture by wild beasts. Thus ever since my mind has been released from the yoke of spiritual submission to the bishop, it has been caught by the wild beasts and become a prisoner and gone under. But now, stirred by God, my soul found full assurance in you. I breathed again: I found peace and recovered. I beg you, therefore, for the sake of Christ, for the sake of His utterly pure Mother, for the sake of your labors in Christ, do not let me go under again: A human being is not less valuable than cattle which the law enjoins < us > to help, especially when
< that human being > is asking for help for < her > spiritual soul from you who alone have the power to < help > me. It is for this reason that God became man, and it is He who asks you through me, and it is from Him that you expect the best. I even give up asking for monthly visits. Let it be six times a year. For in this way I shall be able to achieve a measure of my goal and benefit, sometimes by writing, sometimes by con versation. Add two to the four < times > as an offering to Christ, and if you are to lose six days a year for the sake of an entire human life, the latter's benefit will affect many other souls-I mean those of people in my charge. Yes, I beg you, allow me to breathe, for I am already drowning in unbearable sorrow. My relaxation and happiness should not last only for a month and a half. It will cause me more sorrow and bitterness than glad ness, for just as I tasted of relaxation, I have been thrown back to sink deeper into the sea. This was written with tears rather than with ink. You think that by not going out and by asking for something that I do not do, I am being contentious, and, therefore, my spiritual disposition is not pure but abounds more in self-interest
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έμαυτης συμφέρον, παρα της σης θεολήπτου ψυχης. καΙ ουχ οϋτως έστΙν ώς όριΊ. ή έμη συνείδησις, άλλος γαρ λό γος του μη έξέρχεσθαί με της μονης έπεΙ γαρ συγγένειαν καΙ γνησιότητα έχω εις την βασιλείαν, όποίαν ιδου όρQ.ς, [ΡοΙ 246v] ει ποσώς έξηρχόμην, ανάγκη πάσα απέρχεσθαί με καΙ έκουσαν καΙ άκουσαν εις γάμους βα σιλικους καΙ εις πένθη καΙ ένώσεις αυθεντικάς. έντευθεν χρεία καΙ ανθρώπων καΙ αλόγων αρκούντων αναλόγως, καΙ που έμελλε διαρκείν ό βίος μου βασιλικόν λαόν καΙ οίκον; δια ταύτας ούν τας ατοπίας έσχόλασα, λύσασα πάσαν, ώς προείρηται, πρόφασιν. τό δε σόν ουχ οϋτως, αλλ' έξελθόντος του κελλίου σου, πάλιν εις μοναχικόν απέρχει κελλίον, έξ ωφελείας εις ωφέλειαν μείζονα θαρρώ λέγειν, ητις πρός σε πάλιν έπαναστρέφει. καΙ δ έγω ποιώ καΙ οί πατέρες μου έποίησαν, τουτο καΙ απαι τώ. έγω γαρ δια την τών άλλων ωφέλειαν κάθημαι ώδε δεδουλωμένη καΙ ουκ έκρινα παντελώς της ϋλης καΙ τών άλλων έμπόδιον της πνευματικης έργασίας, ουδε γαρ κρατουμαι εις τόν τόπον, μάρτυς μου ή συνείδησις, 11 δια δόξαν 11 αρχην 11 δια την τών γνησίων μου όμιλίαν, αλλ' 11 μόνον δια την τών μοναζουσών σωτηρίαν, βοηθουσα ταύτας εις τουτο σσον δύναμαι. ό δεσπότης μου ό αρ χιερευς από όγδοον έτος έξελθων του κόσμου, έν τφ τρια[ΡοΙ 247r]κοστφ τρίτφ έτει της ήλικίας αύτου ή τών έξ αυτου ωφελουμένων βοήθεια μάλλον έφώτισεν αυτόν. Ει δε έστι λογισμός καΙ περΙ του καλου καΙ άγίου πατρός κυρου Μηνά, ώς γαρ έμαθον από του Άαρων στι έχει τουτο βάρος ή άγιωσύνη σου πώς ου λαλουμεν παρόντος κακείνου, θεραπεύσω καΙ τουτο ώς οίόν τε, τό δε σπως, μηνύσω μετα του Άαρων 11 γράψω. νυν γαρ εις πολυ έξετάθη. περΙ δε του έχειν σε πληροφορίαν δτι εις αποδοχην ένι του Θεου του όδηγείσθαί με παρα σου, αρ κουσα ταύτη πληροφορία του ωφελείσθαί με τij παρ' αυτου Ισχύϊ· έν τij καρδίζ!. μου τόν λόγον σου σλον, ουδενός
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than in the interest of your God-inspired soul. Yet this is not so, as conscience is my witness. The reason for my not leaving the convent is different. Since I am closely related to the emperor, as you are well aware, if I ever went out, it would be absolutely necessary to attend imperial weddings and funerals and royal gatherings whether I wished it or not. This would require quite a number of attendants as well as a corresponding number of horses, and how would my fortune < suffice ) for a royal retinue and household? Because of these extraordinary circumstances I kept to myself, having done away with all pretexts, as I just men tioned. But it is not so in your case. When you leave your cell, you go to another monastic cell: from benefit to greater benefit, I dare say, which returns to you again. I demand that which I do and my fathers did as well. For I stay here slaving for the benefit of others, and I did not at all consider material concerns and < the concern for )
others to be an obstacle to spiritual
labor, nor do I stay at this place-as conscience is my witness either for the sake of glory or power or the company of my relatives, but for the salvation of the nuns alone, helping them to that effect as much as I can. My master, the bishop, became even more enlightened at the age of thirty-three (eight years after he retired from the world) through the help of those who benefited from him. If you are also concerned about the good and saintly Kyr Me nas-for I learned from Aaron that your holiness is annoyed be cause we do not converse when he, too, is present-I shall attend to this matter also, as I can, and let you know through Aaron, or I shall write to you how I propose to deal with this. This letter is already too long. As for your having full assurance that God approves of my being directed by you, the following is sufficient assurance that I benefit through His might: in my heart God sees
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αλλου, ό ρ Q. ό Θεός από του Φιλαδελφείας μέχρι του νυν. εστω σοι τοίνυν ποτίζειν, τφ δε Θεφ αυξειν, ήτοι συνευ δοκείν του λόγου. < Έπιστολη Δεκάτη 'Έκτη)
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Εί ήθελον τοίς έμαυτου συνηγορησαι και λόγοις και λογισμοίς, ρgδιον ην έκ τών πατερικών και βίων και λό γων και κρίσεων. έννόησον γαρ τας ίερας γυναίκας έκεί νας αϊτινες ύπό θείων πατέρων έγκαθειρχθείσαι σπηλαίοις και οίκιδίοις τισίν, αί μεν απαξ μόνον ακούσασαι παρ' αυτών τί δεί ποιείν έν έκείνοις, τό λοιπόν ου τεθέανται μέχρις αυτου < του) μακαρίου τέλους αυτών, καίτοι πολλα ετη ζήσασαι έν τοίς ασκητηρίοις, [Ρο!. 247ν] αί δε δια τριών χρόνου κύκλων έδέχοντο την τών άγίων όψιν, αί δε δι' ετους τουλάχιστον' και οϋτως ολίγοις μέν, τε λείως δε τοίς τών άγίων λόγοις, κατα σχολην απασαν και αρτι τότε πρώτον έξελθουσαι του κόσμου και ουδεν ώσπερ και προφκοδομημέναι, θεοπρεπώς έξετέλεσαν την θαυμασίαν ζωήν. Και συ δε αυτή τοι μαρτυρήσεις τφ λόγφ, της του θείου αρχιερέως έκείνου παρουσίας ου δια παντός απολαύσα σα, αλλ' οίμαι, και ενα και δύο, τάχα δέ που και πλείους ένιαυτους στερηθείσα, δτε απιjει και παρην τij έαυτου έκ Kλησί�, και είχες την έξ αυτου βελτίωσιν δια γραμμάτων μόνον. εί δε και όγδοον μεν ετος αγων έκ της έαυ του αποταγης του κόσμου, τριακοστόν δε τρίτον από του γεννηθηναι, τό της αρχιερωσύνης ύπηλθεν αξίωμα και πρός την τών πολλών ώφέλειαν ώρμησεν, ένθυμου και λογίζου και την έκ της θείας χάριτος έπιφοιτώσαν ίσχυν τοίς είς τουτο κεκλημένοις τό εργον και καλώς ύπακού σασι, και δτι πρό ταύτης της κλήσεως ό θεοφιλης έκεί νος ανηρ ουκ εδωκεν έαυτόν είς τό τοιουτον εργον, ουδε S 247r-249r 1 ιεη' smg
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all your teaching, no one else's, from the time of the metropolitan of Philadelphia until now. It is up to you then to water this teaching, and up to God to make it grow; that is, to approve it.
< Letter 16 > If I wished to defend what I said and thought, it would be easy to do so from the lives and sayings and opinions of the Fathers. Consider those holy women who were shut up by the holy fathers in some caves and cells. Some of them, after hearing from their spiritual fathers once for all what they ought to do in these places, did not see their < directors > until the blessed end of their lives, although they lived for many years in their hermit ages. Others saw the holy men at three-year intervals, and others, at any rate, once a year. And they lived out the marvelous life in God's way < following > perfectly the few instructions of their holy fathers and remaining in absolute peace, even though they had just retired from the world for the first time and had no previous training, so to speak. In fact, you will attest to this yourself, seeing that you did not enjoy the presence of the late holy bishop continuously, but I believe that you were deprived of him for one or two, or perhaps even for more years, when he went away to be at his own church and he edified you by correspondence alone. And even if he assumed the episcopal office eight years after he retired from the world, and thirty-three years after he was born, and rushed to help many people, bear in mind and consider the power which is bestowed by divine grace upon those who have been called to this task and have well obeyed the call. Remember also that before he was called, that God-loving man did not devote himself to such
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εθάρσησεν, αλλ' εν ερήμοις διέτριβε τόποις καθαρεύου σιν οχλου έως [Ρο!. 248τ] έλαβε δια της θείας σφραγιδος το ενδόσιμον. Συ δε Όπως δήποτε της μονης ουκ εξέΡΧ1], καλως και αναγκαίως ποιεις και ει μη εκεινα ην a προβάλλ1] τα εν αυτij σε κατέχοντα και μη προβαίνειν εωντα, ει επιμε λως ειχες της έαυτης σωτηρίας, ωσπερ αν και είχες, ουκ αν προήρχου. ωστε σοι τον αυτον αν είχον εκεινον λόγον ειπειν ον είπον, Ότι μάλλον φροντίζεις Όπως αυτη σωθήσ1] 11 εγώ, και άνισος ή πνευματική σου διάθεσις ην εις ήμάς λέγεις έχειν. αλλ' ϊνα σε μη πολλα λυπωμεν οϋτω σφό δρα ηπατημένην περι την ήμετέραν αφέλειαν, έσται σοι το ζητούμενον, Θεου συναιρομένου, ό αριθμος της αιτή σεως. νυν δε ειρήνην άγε και κατα την ηργμένην σοι συνα γωγην δίαγε καθεζομένη εν τφ κελλίφ σου μετα φόβου και πόθου της άγίας Τριάδος, π Ρ ο ο Ρ ω μ έ ν η τ ο ν Κ ύ Ρ ι ο ν ε ν ώ π ι ό ν σ ο υ δ ι α π α ν τ ό ς, κατα τον ίεροψάλτην, και τij KaeapQ. εννοίQ. και συνεχει του άγίου αυτου και καθαρτικου των εννοούντων ονόματος άγιάζουσά σου και φωτίζουσα διηνεκως την διάνοιαν, εις πάσας τε τας έντολας αυτου κατορθουμένη τα δυνατα και οϋτω πάντοτε συν αυτφ ούσα, ώς δυνατόν, εν τφ σώ ματι· ει δέ που και σκοπου [Ρο!. 248ν] διαπίπτοις, έπα νάγουσα σεαυτήν, ωσπερ είωθας, και εγω ακούων έθαύ μαζόν σου την σύνεσιν και την εις το αγαθον αγάπην και την εν ταις αποσπώσαις αυτου και απαγούσαις έπηρείαις σοφίαν, δι' ης άπρακτον ποιεις τον σοφιστην της κακίας και βέλτιον σεαυτην προς τον Χριστον επανάγεις, Όπερ εστι τφ πολεμουντι ξίφος τομώτατον, τij δε ΆγίQ. Τριά δι χρημα ερασμιώτατον. εύ δε ίσθι, της ευλογίας επώνυμε, ώς Όσον άν μοι πλείονα καιρον παρέχοις ιδιασμου και της προς εμαυτον και Θεον επεστραμμένης ζωης, ών Ps.
15 (16). 8
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a task nor did he dare to do so, but he lived in deserted places, free of crowds, until he was given the word through the holy ordination. Whatever reasons you may have for not leaving the convent, you do what is right and necessary. Even if the reasons you ad duce were not those that kept you at the convent and did not allow you to go out, if you cared for your salvation-as no doubt you do-you would not have gone out. So I shall say to you the exact same thing I said before, that you consider more how you will be saved than I will, and that the spiritual concern you claim to have for me is unequal < to that which you have for yourself>. But so as not to annoy you too much, seeing that you are ex ceedingly deceived about my mediocrity, I shall grant you what you asked for. With the help of God the number < of visits> will be as you requested. For the time being be at peace, and during the period of meditation that you have started, remain seated in your cell with fear and love of the Holy Trinity, "foreseeing the Lord always before your face," in the words of the holy Psalmist. And sanctify your soul and illuminate your mind with the pure and continuous thought of His holy name which purifies those who keep it in their thoughts, doing your best to accomplish successfully all His commandments, and being in body with Him as much as possible. And if sometimes you fall short of your goal, renew your effort, just as you were wont to do and, upon hearing of it, I used to admire your intelligence and love of the good and wisdom in the face of temptations which tear and lead away from the good. With this wisdom you render impotent the master of evil and return to Christ with more devotion. This is the sharpest sword against the enemy and the greatest < source of> gratifica tion to the Holy Trinity. Be assured, 0 you who bear the name of blessing, that the more time you allow me for living in seclu sion, turning to myself and God, and the more you listen to what
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τέ σε λέγω αναμφιβόλως ακούοις καΙ καρτερώς ύπο μένοις εν ήσύχφ διαίΤ1] τους πνιγηρους λογισμούς, τοσου τον οψει εν σεαυτύ καΙ την θείαν επίσκεψιν μείζονα, καΙ ούτω σύ τε αν κρειττον του ποθουμένου τύχοις 11 εί σε καθ' ήμέραν έώρων, εμοί τε δώσεις μη εκπεσειν του σκοπου. ΠερΙ δε του ίερου καΙ ήγιασμένου κυρ Μηνά, καΙ πάν τα εμοΙ πιστου καΙ ηκριβωμένου φίλου, θέλω μαθειν τίνα ποιεις θεραπείαν εις σπερ μοι γέγραφας. ταυτα δε πέμ ψειν σοι εμελλον εξ στου σοι την γραφην εδεξάμην αυτί κα, ίνα μη εμφροντις ύς, ύπο δε του παρόντος ήμιν πε[Ροl. 249τ]ρισπασμου, ον ακούεις, ουκ είχον τον διακομιουν τα τα γράμματα καΙ από ταύτης της αιτίας μέχρι του νυν εβράδυναν.
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83 I say without questions and suffer with patience the distressing
thoughts, living quietly, the more you will see in you a greater divine presence. Thus you will attain your desire better than if I saw you every day and you will allow me not to fail in my
objective. I wish to know how you will attend to the matter about which
you wrote to me regarding the holy and saintly Kyr Menas, my most loyal and true friend. I intended to send this to you as soon as I received your letter so that you may not be worried, but I had no one to carry my letter because of the disturbance of which you heard. For this reason it was delayed until now.
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Έπειδή σοι τό ζητούμενον δέδοται, περιττόν ην ετι με πείθειν από τε του θείου αρχιερέως και των σεπτων γυναικων. επει δέ με πείθειν ετι από τούτων επιχειρείς, ϊσθι πρός μεν την νεότητα του ανδρός εκείνου και τα μεγάλα θάρρη εκείνά σοι τόν λόγον αντεπιφέροντα, στι ου πασι ταυτα 11 καλα 11 δόκιμα 11 ρgδια, και δια τουτο εϋ ροις αν καν τοίς θείοις των πατέρων συγγράμμασι και λόγοις αλλα αλλοις αρέσαντα, και καθόλου μεν τιμωμέ νην την εκ πάντων θvflσιν και αναχώρησιν και σιωπην και τό ακρως φιλέρημον, ελάχιστα δε την παρα ταυτα όδόν. και μην και συ μαρτυρείς στι σοι ουκ αδύνατον ην τό παρ' ήμων αξιούμενον, στε σου λέγεις ενιαυτόν 11 και δεύτε ρον αποδημησαι τόν θείον αρχιερέα και δια γραμμάτων μόνον οικοδομείν την ψυχήν σου. του γαρ σλου ενιαυτου τεταρτημόριον τό τρίμηνόν εστι μέρος, εν Φ σοι απαξ μεν αυτοπροσώπως, όσάκις δε βούλει δια γραμμάτων ήξίουν εγω διαλέγεσθαι, ωστε τας τέσσαρας ωρας του ενιαυσίου κύκλου τέσσαρσιν όμιλίαις αυτοπροσώποις ήμων κατα λόγον τιμασθαι, [ΡοΙ 249v] έκάστην αποδόντων έκάσΤ1], μηνι δε εκάστφ γράμματα. σσον ούν εστι πλέων ό ενιαυ τός σλος του έαυτου τετάρτου και του τετράκις τό δω δεκάκις γράψαι, τοσουτο και συ μαλλον τουτ' αν εδυνή θης εκείνου· και συ μεν αν ύπετάσσου, ει και μη ύπερ εμε τό πραγμα, εγω δε ανεχώρουν, δύο ανθ' ένός αγαθα και ήμίν συμφερώτατα και ασκανδάλιστα. Τί γαρ δοκείς περι των δια πολλων αρετων εις πρεσβυ τάτην ήλικίαν ελθόντων, άρ' ου λυπηρόν αυτοίς είναι τό πραγμα και φθόνου κινητικόν, επειδήπερ ανθρωποι και αυτοί, καν εις [σε] μεγάλα μέτρα αρετης κατηντηκότες ώσι; τί δε περι των αλλων γυναικων αίς ουδαμως μετεδί-
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< Letter 17 ) Since you were granted your request, it was unnecessary to persuade me further from the < examples) of the holy bishop and the pious women. But since you still attempt to persuade me by these, you must know, in reply to your argument regard ing that man's youth and great confidence, that the same things are not good or acceptable or easy for all people, and for this reason you will find in the writings and sayings of the Fathers that different men liked different pursuits, but that being dead to the world and withdrawing from it and keeping silent and lov ing solitude to the extreme were generally respected, whereas tak ing a different path was the rarest of exceptions. In fact, even you attest that what I asked was not impossible when you say that the holy bishop was absent for one or two years and that he edified your soul by letters alone. Three months are indeed one fourth of the whole year, during which I agreed to visit you once personally and to converse with you by correspondence as often as you wished, so that the four seasons of the yearly cycle would be honored in like fashion by four personal visits on my part, assigning one visit to each season and a letter to each month. To the extent, therefore, that a whole year is longer than its quarter and writing twelve times is more than < writing) four times, it should have been easier for you to do < what I pro posed) rather than < what you did under the direction of the holy bishop). And you would have submitted < to my direc tion) -although the task < of directing you)
exceeds my
powers (?) -while I would have remained in solitude, two good things instead of one and to us more beneficial and without cause for scandal. What do you think, indeed, about those men who have reached ripe old age pursuing many virtues? Don't you think that this will annoy them and stir up their jealousy, since they, too, are human even if they have attained a full measure of virtue? And
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δουν ενδιαθέτου γνώμης καίτοι πολλα ζητούσαις; άρ' ουκ ανδράποδόν με νομίσαι λαιμου καΙ κοιλίας καΙ ανθρω πίνης δόξης, συχνα φοιτώντα παρα σε θεωρούσας; εώ γαρ τους άλλους φίλους καΙ αρχιερεις καΙ αυτόν πατριάρχην, οίς με απαιτουσιν εμαυτόν δι' ολίγου διδόναι, ου δίδωμι άνευ μεγάλης ανάγκης, αυτό τουτο αυτοις προβαλλό μενος, τ11ν αναχώρησιν. Έξόν ούν καί σοι λαμβάνειν τοις παρ' ήμιν, εϊ τι καλόν καΙ [Fol. 250r] ωφέλιμον καΙ μη μάτην δοκουμέν σοι, καμοΙ μένειν πρός έαυτφ καΙ τοις άλλοις ασκανδαλίστοις είναι, οίς δει μη διδόναι αφορμας του σκανδάλου κατα τους θείους νόμους, ου σοφώτερον ην αίρεισθαι τουτο καΙ μάλλον η τό συχνόν αποδέχεσθαι, καΙ νομίζειν ώς εμέ τί σου βέλτιον τούτου λογίζεσθαι, καΙ τουτο στέργειν ώς εκ Θεου, είπερ όντως κατα τρόπον ύποταγης καθαράς πρός ήμάς διατίθεσαι; λογίζου γαρ δτι καΙ τών ίερών εκεί νων γυναικών ή διάνοια εξ αρχης εδυσφόρει τό παντε λώς ανομίλητον και ανεπίσκεπτον σωματικώς τών πατέ ρων, και Ί]τουντο πλείονα την όμιλίαν' κανονισθεισαι δε ύπό τών οίς ύπετάγησαν και ταύττι τij διαίττι παραδοθει σαι, ώς αληθώς αυτοις ύπηκόους έαυτας παρασχουσαι και παντελώς τό οίκειον αρνησάμεναι θέλημα, είς την διά κρισιν εκείνην τών έαυτών πατέρων πειθηνίως ύπήχθη σαΥ" και μικρόν ύπομείνασαι, εύρον εν τοις δυσκόλοις τό εύκολον και άνεσιν εν πνιγμονij και χαραν εν όδύναις, μεθ' ης τόν λοιπόν διατελέσασαι βίον εμακαρίσθησαν. ταυτα μεν ουν εχω λέγειν πρός τας ουχ ύπηκόους, αλλα ρητορικας αντιθέσεις σου. εχε δε δμως τόν εξ αριθμόν, δν με ϋτησας, και γράφε και [Fol. 25Ov] σημειου τα βουλόμενα, ώς εδοκίμασας. Περι δε του κυρ Μηνά δοκεις μοι ου τό δλον κατει ληφέναι πράγμα, και δια τουτο δευτέρας πληροφορίας
41-42 Cf. Mt. 18. 7-10; Luc. 17. 1-3
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what about the other women to whom I did not give spiritual advice at all, for all their many entreaties? Will they not think that I am a slave to gorge and belly and the glory of this world . when they see me visiting you so often? Not to mention my other friends and the bishops and even the patriarch himself, who ask me to give them a little < of my time >, but I do not do so ex cept under duress, adducing this very reason that I am an anchorite. Since it is possible, then, for you to receive from me whatever you may think good and useful and not unprofitable to you, and for me to remain by myself, and for others to have no cause for scandal-for according to the divine laws we must not give cause of scandal to others-would it not have been wiser to choose < my proposal > and to accept it rather than the system of frequent
< visits >, to believe that my judgment on this matter was a lit tle better than yours and to be satisfied with this, as if it were God's decision, if indeed your disposition towards me is one of pure obedience? Bear in mind that those pious women, too, were annoyed at the beginning because their spiritual fathers did not communicate < with them > at all nor did they visit < them > in person, and that they were asking for a closer association, but once they received their instructions from their directors and devoted themselves to that way of life, they proved to be truly obedient and gave up completely their own wishes and submitted obediently to the decisions of their < spiritual> fathers. With a little patience they found ease in difficulty and comfort in discom fort and joy in sorrow. In this joy they spent the rest of their lives and were blessed. This, then, is my response to your objec tions which smack of rhetoric but not of obedience. Nevertheless, have the six < visits > that you requested from me and write and note down what you wish, as you have tried to do. I do not think that you understand the whole matter regarding Kyr Menas, and for this reason you fear the burden of a second
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ευλαβείσθαι φορτίον διδασκάλου δευτέρου. πολλης γαρ αν ήν εγω μεστος ακρισίας καΙ ανεπιστημοσύνης του δέοντος, ει τουτο ειδώς, επειτά σε ηξίουν Όπερ ηξίουν περΙ του φίλου. εγω γαρ τόν κυρ Μηνάν ουκ αξίωμα παρ' εμοί τι ζητουντα ουδε δικαίωμα ουδεν ύπο ευγνωμοσύνης, αλλ' οίον ύπηκόου τρόπον έαυτόν μοι παρέχοντα καΙ αεΙ μεν ακούοντα ωσπερ εκ διδασκάλου, ελάχιστα δε διακρίνοντα, ει καΙ πλείων εμου εις αρετην ό ανήρ, ήγησάμην δί καιον είναι καΙ αυτον τιμης αξιουσθαι παρ' εμου της πρε πούσης, μηδενός άλλου χΡύζοντα. καΙ δια τουτο αναγ καίον μεν φμην συνοδοιπόρον εχειν άπανταχόσε τφ νόμφ της φιλίας, απρεπες δε καΙ άτιμον εν όμιλίαις τισΙ παραπέμπειν εξω που παρακαθησθαι, ωσπερ εμοιγε απληρο φόρητον 11 ανάξιον λόγων πνευματικών Όσον ακουσαι, μη δεν διακρίνοντα, μηδε διδασκαλικόν ουδεν παραδεικνύν τα ήθος, αλλ' έπόμενον εμοΙ καΙ ταίς εμαίς διακρίσεσιν, ωσπερ ένός όντος ανθρώπου μετ' εμου καΙ μηδεν διαφέροντος. Όστις με πολλάκις καΙ [Fol. 251r] επιτιμώντα αιδείται καΙ διδάσκοντα στέργει καΙ πάντα ακολουθεί μοι' καΙ πρό της σης χορηγίας πάντα παρείχεν απερ είχεν, ει γαρ ων εδείτο είπερ τις άλλος τών όμοτρόπων καΙ νυν εχει ανενδεώς, παρείχεν οόν μοι τα έαυτου χρειώδη ωσπερ αυτός έαυτφ, μηδεν ίδιον έαυτου ποιούμενος μηδ' αφο ρίζων. τον οόν τοιουτον μέν, ούτω δε ανενδεώς εχοντα, ούτω δε ευπειθώς εμοί, ουκ ανάξιον δε της τοιαύτης συν εδρίας καΙ ακροάσεως, ου βλαβεράς δε ούσης ουδέ σοι της αυτου παρουσίας κατα τον λόγον ον είπον, ουδεν ήγοι')μην το προσιστάμενον παρειναι καΙ τουτον ακροα ηΙν της ημών όμιλίας, ου διδάσκαλον δεύτερον, ουδε με ρίζοντά σου την άπλην πρός ενα διάθεσιν. καν συνήθειαν βασιλικ-ην προβάλλΊ], καν απληροφορησίαν, καν ότιουν ετερον * * * αφιέναι τούτο καΙ κατόπιν ποιείσθαι του συμβούλου κελεύοντος, καΙ μηδεν εχειν θέλημα, καν δοκυ
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tutelage by a second tutor. I would have been guilty of a great deal of bad judgment and ignorance of proper conduct if, know ing this, I had asked from you what I asked about my friend. Kyr Menas demands neither honor from me nor any other grateful acknowledgement, but behaves towards me as someone who owes me obedience; and he always listens to me as if to a teacher but questions < me > very little, although the man is superior to me in virtue. I considered it right, therefore, to honor him properly seeing that he needed nothing else. For this reason, I thought that it was necessary to have him accompany me everywhere by the right of friendship and that it was unseemly and disgraceful during some conversations to send him out to sit somewhere, as if I did not fully trust him and considered him unworthy of as much as listening to spiritual discussion, since he questions nothing nor does he display any airs of a teacher, but he follows me and my decisions as if we were one man and did not differ at all. He respects me even when I reprimand him many times, and loves me when I instruct him, and follows me in all respects. And before your generous assistance he offered me all he had, and even though now he has all that he needs, more than any of his fellow monks, and lacks nothing, the fact remains that he gave me things that were necessary to him just as if he were giving them to himself, without keeping anything for himself or setting it aside. I did not think, therefore, that there was any offense to having
him there as an auditor of our conversation- not as a second teacher nor dividing your single predilection for one < teacher > - such a man who was in want of nothing and so obedient to me and not unworthy of sitting at such a conference and listen ing. Besides, his presence was not harmful to you, as I said. Whether you adduce imperial protocol as a reason or lack of con fidence or anything else whatsoever,
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this up and follow the orders of your adviser and have no other
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τό σοφώτατον, της τού συμβούλου Ισχυρότερον. επεΙ δε σφόδρα κανταύθα φιλονεικείς, δ σοι παρέστη καλόν ειπείν περΙ τούτου, τούτο δοκεί καΙ εμοί. ό κύριος Ίησούς, ή πηγη παντός αγαθού, καΙ τούτο ήμίν κατα τό έαυτού θέ100 λημα οΙκονομήσειεν. 96-97
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< Έπιστολη Δεκάτη Όγδόη >
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Εις τόν πατριάρχην απηγα, ώς οίδεν ό κύρ 'Ααρών, καΙ εποίησα τό πρός τους μοναχους γράμμα μου, ωστε κλη θέντων αυτών ένδον καΙ λαβόντων τούτο καΙ [Fol. 251v] έπΙ τούτφ καΙ πατριαρχικώς ανέισθαι την ζήτησιν ήμίν καΙ τελεσθηναι' οϋπω δε δμως Ο γέγονεν έγνωμεν. ώς δέ μοι δοκεί, δεί ήμερώσαι τόν πατριάρχην πρός σεαυτήν, αηδώς γάρ μοι έδοξεν έχειν πρός σέ, καΙ δείξαι πρός αυ τόν ταπείνωσιν ίκανην καΙ λόγους ύποταγης' ωστε δε καΙ αζημίως τούτο γενέσθαι σοι καΙ την αρχην εις τούτο καταστηναι τόν πατριάρχην ό θαυμάσιος Δεξιός δεξιώς απεργάσεται, ον δεί σε μετακαλέσασθαι καΙ τούτο αυτφ επιμελώς αναθέσθαι, φίλφ σοι οντι ώς ακριβώς έγω κα τενόησα. γενέσθω δη τούτο προθύμως, οδ γαρ δίκαιον κρίνω, περΙ ταπεινοφροσύνης μάλιστά σοι διαλεγόμενος, μη της πρός τόν πατριάρχην πρό παντός άλλου σοι συμ βουλεύσαι φροντίσαι. ο γαρ αν καΙ είποις, πατήρ έστι τών πάντων Χριστιανων καΙ δεί αυτόν έχειν παρα τών πάντων στοργήν, καΙ μάλιστα οίς ακριβείας μέλει τού αγαθού πανταχού. καΙ ύπόθεσιν δταν έχυς πραγματικην πρός αυτόν, ταπεινοίς αυτόν λόγοις ύπέρχου ύποχωρούσιν αυτφ καί, οίμαι, βέλτιον απαλλάξεις κανταύθα δια τοιούτου τρόπου. Καίτοι ουκ οίμαί σε δείν ακριβολογείσθαι περΙ τα πράγματα, μη μόνον πρός πατριάρχην, αλλ' ουδε πρός όντινούν' ταύτα γάρ έστι τα κινούντα παρ' ήμίν καΙ όπλί ζοντα τα ατίθασα [Fol. 252r] πάθη. καΙ ου λέγω παντελώς
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wish-even if < what you wish> seems to be most sensible stronger than that of your adviser. But since you are extremely contentious about this matter also, I agree with what you saw fit to say. May the Lord Jesus, the source of every blessing, pro vide for this, too, according to His will.
< Letter 18 > As Kyr Aaron knows, I went to the patriarch and presented my letter < of complaint> against the monks, so that after they have been summoned on this account and received the letter, the inquiry may be opened and conducted for us by the patriarch. I do not know, however, what happened yet. Nevertheless, I think that you ought to appease the patriarch, for he seemed to me to dislike you, and you ought to behave towards him with con siderable humility and the language of obedience. The marvelous Dexios will skillfully contrive to accomplish this without embar rassment to you and to prepare the patriarch for reconciliation. You must summon Dexios and carefully assign this task to him because he is your friend, as I exactly perceived. Let this be done in earnest, for I do not think that it is right, especially when speak ing to you about humility, not to advise you to consider humili ty towards the patriarch above all. For whatever you may say, he is the father of all Christians and he must have the love of all, and especially of those who care for what is perfectly good in every way. And when you deal with him on a legal matter, mollify him with words of humility and deference, and I believe that in this manner you will fare better. In fact, I do not think that you should be petty in disputes not only with the patriarch but with anyone whomsoever. For this is what stirs up and arms the wild passions in us. I do not
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ύπό σου περιοφθηναι τό μοναστήριον και δια τούτου ( τα > τφ Θεφ αφιερωμένα σοι, αλλ' επειδη την θαυμασίαν 'Ρά λαιναν ευτυχείς οϋτως ουσαν φρόνιμον και δραστήριονώς ακούω- και εις ταυτα και πάντα, αρκείτω αϋτη τοίς πράγμασι, πλην εί τι τύχοι αναγκαιότατα και της σης επι στασίας δεόμενον. συ δέ, εί τοι και μέλλοις περισπασθη ναι εις την μονήν, εις τας ψυχας περισπώ, και τουτο δη ήμέρως, ώς είρηταί μοι και πρότερον, και μετα πάσης προσοχης· και πρός τας αναγκαίας ζητήσεις τij θυμώδει διαθέσει και τij οιηματικij μέχρι θανάτου μάχου, ευτά κτως δέ, ώς εφην, καί, ώς είπον, σωφρόνως. 'Ήκουσα Ότι παρωξύνθης, τουτ' εστιν ερρίγωσας, και ηυξάμην τφ τας ασθενείας ήμών δια της ενανθρωπήσεως αραντι καί σε φιλανθρώπως Ιάσασθαι. ίσθι δε και εμε την αρτι παρελθουσαν νύκτα ουχ απλώς τι παθόντα, οίον πολ λάκις πάσχω η ετερον ασθένημα τών μετρίων, αλλα θανα τηφόρον και Όπερ αναιρεί παρ' αυτίκα ον αν κατάσχοι στερρώς-μικρου γαρ εξέπνευσα-οίμαι δε τουτο αφ' ουπερ απέθανεν ή Συγκλητικη της Κραλαίνης. ανασπα σθεν γαρ πνευμα, κοιμωμένου, από του στομάχου, η ουκ οίδ' Όθεν ενδοθεν, ανηλθεν επι του θώρακος και συνανα σπασαν φλέγμα παχυ ερριψεν αυτό ύπερ τόν πνεύμονά μου και επέσχε τό πνευμα και ήδη επνιγέ με. μόλις ουν ανηλθέ τι του φλέγματος [Fol. 252v] και παρέκυψεν ύπό τό στόμα, και ύποπτύσας τουτο μικρόν μεν ανέπνευσα· ετερον δε ανήγετο εκ του στομάχου, είτε του ηπατος, πνευμα και εστενοχώρει μοι. και παρην ουδεις τών συν εμοί, ωστε εξέπνευσα αν μηδενι αΙσθομένφ. ωραν δε Όλην πάσχων, μόλις ανείθην, πολυ φλέγμα και παχύτατον απορριψάσης της φύσεως. τουτο δε και αλλοτε μοι συμ βέβηκε πολλάκις, ουδέποτε δε ώς αρτι, και οίμαι Ότι από του τοιούτου πάθους του βίου τουδε απαλλαγήσομαι, ήδη 4
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mean, of course, that you ought to neglect the monastery and thereby all that you have dedicated to God, but since you are fortunate to have the marvelous Ralaina, who is so sensible and efficient both in these matters and in everything else, as I hear, let her attend to matters of dispute, unless there is something that requires absolutely your own supervision. If you must divert your attention to the affairs of the monastery, divert it to the care of the souls, and do this gently, as I have said to you before, and very carefully. And when it comes to necessary inquiries, fight unto death against < your> irascible and arrogant disposition, but, as I said, conduct < yourself ) in an orderly and sensible manner. I heard that you suffered a paroxysm, that is an attack of chills, and I prayed to Him Who lifted our ailments by His In carnation to cure you also. Know that just the night before I, too, suffered not anything simple as I often do nor any other moderate indisposition, but a mortal < illness>, the kind that immediately kills whomsoever it grips firmly. I almost died and I fear that it was the same < illness>, from which Synkletike died, the attendant of the queen < of Serbia>. For while I was asleep, some vapor drawn from my stomach, or I know not from where inside my body, came up to my chest and drawing a thick mucus, threw it over my lung, stopping my breathing and near ly choking me. Then, just a bit of the mucus came up to my mouth; I spat it out and breathed a little. But another vapor came up from the stomach, or the liver, and oppressed me. And none of my companions were there, so that I might have died without anyone being aware of it. After suffering for a whole hour, I barely felt some relief as my body got rid of a great deal of thick mucus. This had happened to me many times before, but never like this time, and I fear that I shall die from this illness, for it
94
60
δυνατου παρ' έμοΙ γινομένου καΙ επικρατουντος. έστω δέ, ει τουτο δοκεί τφ Θεφ, καΙ δέχομαι ου δυσχερώς, ει μόνον αξιωθείην καθαρας μετανοίας' ει δε μή, δυσχεραί νω. εϋχου δη καΙ συ την σωτηρίαν μου.
< 'Επιστολη Δεκάτη - 'Ενάτη )
5
10
15
20
S
1
Αϊ μεν άλλαι αμέλειαι γινώσκεις όπόθεν συμβαίνουσί σοι καΙ ρqθυμίαι, ότι από της πρός τους συγγενείς σου προσπαθους όμιλίας τό δε κατα της Μάρθας "τα καΙ τα" φθέγξασθαί σε, ει μεν έξ απαθους διανοίας έλέγετο χάριν του παιδευθηναι καΙ ρυθμισθηναι ώς πρός ανθρω πον, αναίτιον αν ην καΙ του καλου ηρτημένον' νυν δε ότι θυμός έστιν ό ταυτα βάλλων καΙ ακοντίζων, έξω κείται τών όρων του αγαθου, καΙ δια τουτο έπιμελητέον πρώτον του θυμικου της ψυχης, είτα μετα παρρησίας παιδευτέον τους άλλους. t 'Αποδέχομαι δε τους από τών θείων ϋμνων καΙ της κατα τούτους θεωρίας καΙ της κατα την του λόγου του με γάλου Βασιλείου διάθεσιν.t απεδεξάμην καΙ τα του Δεξι ου πλακούντια. ό Μανουήλ μοι είπεν από στόματος όπερ [Fo1.253r] καΙ πρό της χθες ό 'Ααρών. περΙ δε της φιλα ρέτου 'Ραλαίνης καΙ ότι μεν οφείλω πρός αυτην πολλην διάθεσιν ύπερ τών κόπων αυτης τών ύπερ εμαυτου, όμο λογώ' ου μην ταύτην ήγουμαι την απόδοσιν αναγκαίαν του χρέους, αλλ' ευχας και μεστας διαθέσεως ευχαριστίας. έφ' Φ δη καλουμαι παρείναι δυσφορώ' ου δη παρέσο μαι. όπερ ουν πείσεις την θεοφιλη της 'Ραλαίνης καΙ ανε λάττωτον φρόνησιν αλύπως δέξασθαι, την ήμετέραν της παρουσίας ταύτης παραίτησιν.
252v-253r ' smg 11
ιηη
διάθεσιν: ποπ
11 5 ώς ssv 11 satis perspicio
οπόθεν S
6 ήρτιμένον S
Ι 11-13 'Αποδέχομαι ...
95
is already progressing and conquering < my body >. Let it be so, if that be the will of God. I do not find it difficult to accept if only I may be granted the time for true repentance. Otherwise,
I would be distressed. You also should pray for my salvation.
< Letter 19 > You know the origin of your other feelings of indifference and listlessness; it is your intimate association with your relatives. As for telling Martha''this and that," if it had been said calmly for the purpose of educating and guiding her, as human beings are wont to do, it would have been blameless and done for a good cause. Now, however, because it is anger that shoots and hurls these < words > like javelins, it is beyond the limits of the good and, therefore, you must first take care of the irascible part of the soul and then feel free to educate others.
I agree with the
*
*
*
inspired by the holy hymns and con
templation according to them and the
* * *
according to the in
tent of the saying of Basil the Great. I received the pastries of Dexios. Manuel told me personally what Aaron had said to me the day before yesterday. As for the pious Ralaina, I admit that lowe her much gratitude for her troubles on my behalf, but I do not think that I ought to repay my debt in this manner but with my prayers and grateful thanks. I find it difficult to appear for the purpose for which I have been invited. I shall not come, of course. You must persuade Ralaina's pious and perfect good sense to accept this, my absence that is, without complaining.
96
< Έπιστολη Εικοστη )
5
10
Ώς εοικεν, οϋπω μου κατέλαβες τό φρονουν' εγω γαρ τολμώ καΙ λέγω, κατα τόν μέγαν Βασίλειον, 'Όϋτω σπου δάζω μη φαίνεσθαι, ωσπερ οί σφόδρα σπουδάζοντες φαί νεσθαι αυτό τουτο τό φαίνεσθαι. " τί ουν κοινόν τοιαύΤ1] γνώμ1] καΙ τοις λαμπροις συλλόγοις; ει δε δια την του μα καρίτου σου πατρός τουτο κελεύοις μνήμην, παρ' εμαυτφ βέλτιον εγω τελέσω την τούτου μνήμην. περΙ δε τών ανε ψιών σου, πάνυ μέν, οίμαι,αναγκαιον ουκ εστιν ελθεί'ν με, χθες γαρ καΙ πρώην είδον αυτάς ει δέ τίς εστιν ανάγκη, συ γέ μοι τουτο ουκ εγραψας. βέλτιον ουν, εί τις ανά [ΡοΙ. 253v]γκη πολλή, μετα τόν σύλλογόν με παραγενέσθαι 11 νυν αυτου γινομένου. απέστειλα δε αντ' εμαυτου τόν κυρ Νήφωνα καΙ ανεκτόν εστω σοι.
2-4 Cf. Basil. Caes., Epist. 210, 1 (ed. Courtonne, 2, 189-190): Έπει εμοιγε το
παντελώς
άγνοείσθαι
διαφαίνεσθαι. S 253r-253v
1 κη' smg
11
εοι κεν S
πλέον έσπούδασται η
τοις
φιλοδόξοις
το
97
< Letter 20 ) It seems that you have not yet understood what I meant. For I dare say, with Basil the Great, that "I avoid public appearances as zealously as those who like public appearances seek these very appearances." What does such an inclination have in common with glittering gatherings? If it is for the memorial service of your father that you command my appearance, I shall celebrate his memory better by myself. As for your nieces, I do not think that it is absolutely necessary for me to come because I saw them just the other day. If there is an urgent reason, surely you did not write to me about it. However, if there is a very urgent reason, it is better that I come after, not now, during the gathering. I sent Kyr Nephon in my place and you must bear with this.
98
< Έπιστολη Εικοστη - Πρώτη )
5
10
15
20
25
Τον επι τών μνημοσύνων εκπεφωνημένον κλαυθμον περιττον ήγησάμην και ήσυχαζούσ1J ψυχij προς τόν Θεόν ου προσήκοντα. τό πρός τόν άνθρωπον του παρακοιμω μένου αντιστρόφως εγένετο· οτε γάρ σε ιδείν προσηκεν αυτόν, ουκ είδες, οτε δε ουκ εδει, τότε είδες. ομως τό παρελθόν ουκ ιάσιμον, και δια τουτο αφείσθω. ΤΟ της δειλίας πάθος τεχνολογείν και την αιτίαν ζη τείν αυτου νυν ουκ εϋκαιρόν μοι, συ δε πρόσεχε συντό νως πώς σε παθών απαλλάΤΤ1J ό μόνος δυνάστης και λυτρωτης τών κακών, και ακορέστως αυτόν αγάπα τε και φοβου και μέχρι θανάτου τών αυτου προσταγμάτων εξέ χου, και ουδεν ου μή σου κακόν της ψυχης κυριεύσ1J. αρ χιοικοδόμος δε και Γρηγόριος, ώς αληθώς, μόνος εστιν ό Θεός ούτος γάρ εστιν ό γρήγορος δια παντός οφθαλμός και ακοίμητος και ακοιμήτως οικοδομών τας έαυτφ προ σηκούσας και προσιούσας ψυχας και ναοποιών έαυτφ. ον ζήτει μετα πόνου και πόθου και εργων διηνεκώς αγα θών και εννοιών αμώμων, και οικοδομηθήσ1J ναός αυτφ [Fol. 254r] ακατάλυτος ο και εμοι συνεύχου. οίδα δε και αυτός οτι βιαστή εστιν ή σωτηρία, ητις εστιν ή βα σιλεία τών ουρανών, και πολλών δεομένη καμάτων και ξένης πολιτείας παρ' ην ειώθαμεν οί πολλοι πολιτεύεσθαι· ής γένοιτο ήμας επιλαβέσθαι σφοδρώς, πασαν ανθρωπί νην συνήθειαν και ζωην απωσαμένους επιμελέστατα. Τό δε του 'Ααρων οϋτως εσται. ελθείν δέ με προσδόκα, ει και βιώσομεν, πρός τφ τέλει τών ήμερών της 'Από κρεω, οτε μοι σύν σοι και αί ανεψιαί σου εντεύξονται, ει βουλήσονται.
20-21 Cf. Matt. 11. 12-3; Macarius, Apophthegmata, 1 (ΡΟ 34. 233Α); Sy meon Junior, Capita moralia, 138 (ΡΟ 120. 676Α) S 253v-254r 1 καη: smg 11 τον μν.μοσύνων S 11 2 ψυχι1 S 11 3 τον Ssv 11 6 παρελθων S 11 9 άπαλλάττει S 11 12 σου Ssv
99
< Letter 21 ) I thought that
< your ) loud weeping at the memorial ser
vice was unnecessary and unbecoming to a soul who is at peace near God. What happened with the man of the parakoimomenos happened in inverse order. When you should have seen him, you did not see him; and when you should not have, then you saw him. But there is no cure for the past, therefore let us forget it. I have no time for a systematic analysis of the vice of coward
ice and an examination of its causes. But you must earnestly see to it that the only conqueror and redeemer of evils free you of your passions. Love Him insatiably and fear Him and cling to His com mandments unto death and no evil will gain possession of your soul. God alone is the truly "watchful" master builder. For He is the eye that watches everything and does not go to sleep, and sleep lessly edifies the souls that belong to Him and are attached to Him and makes them His temples. Seek Him with zeal and longing, and with works that are invariably good and with pure thoughts, and you shall build of yourself an indestructible temple to Him. Wish the same for me also. I, too, know that salvation-that is the kingdom of Heaven-requires strenuous effort and great pains and a different way of life from that which most of us are wont to lead. May we succeed in attaining this < salvation ), having thrust away most carefully every human habit and way of life. I agree about the matter of Aaron. Expect me to come, if I am still alive, near the end of the season of the Apokreo. At
that time your nieces will talk to me, if they so wish, together with you.
100
< Έπιστολη Εικοστη - Δευτέρα )
5
10
Ό Θεός συγχωρήσαι σοι. άπελθε εις τόν νεκρόν της θείας σου, κερδανουσά τι ζωηρόν εκ του τijδε θανάτου, δειλία δε πάσα απέστω σου της ψυχης, δτι της εναντίας μοίρας εστί τό πάθος και του εχθρου εστι παρασπωντος την σύννοιαν και την πληροφορίαν της ψυχης ην εχει πρός τόν Θεόν. μηδε τόν του σώματος θάνατον υποσταλijς, ό γαρ ευσεβης άνθρωπος ουκ αΠOθνιjσKει, αλλ' εις ζωην μεταβαίνει από του αΠOθνιjσKειν, και ζωην την απέραν τον. καίτοι ταυτα περιττα ην άρτι [Fο1.254v]λέγεσθαι πρός σε και την σην ηδη από του χρόνου και της θείας πείρας στερρότητα. εγω δέ, εί μοι εξείη, παρέσομαι πρός υμάς.
S 254r-254v 1
συγχωρήσαι
S
101
( Letter 22 > May God forgive you! Go to the funeral of your aunt and derive a vital lesson from the death of the body. Let all fear go away from your soul, for this passion is the work of the enemy who wrests the soul away from meditation and the full assurance that it has in God. Neither should you fear the death of the body, for a pious person does not die but passes from death to life, and life without end at that. It is unnecessary, indeed, to say these things to you who have firm ( convictions > acquired through long experience of God. As for me, I will come to you if possible.
Commentary
Letter 1 2-3
'tTtV AOytW'tU'tllV ... ypa nu8f:t 'tlie; Xll pEiae;, aU'tli e; El;Kat8EKa 'tov uYOUoll e; Xp6vov , ed . Boissonad e , Anecdota Graeca, 1, 299. Despite the advice of her mentors and her own vocation, Eulogia found it hard to ac cept death with equanimity. Her weeping at a memorial service for her father, several years after his death , drew a reprimand from her new spiritual adviser who found her conduct unbecoming to a nun ; see Letter 21, lines 1-2.
31-32
unal; 'tou �llVOe; . . . uQnl;w : Reluctant to leave his solitude , the director obj ected to Eulogia' s request for monthly visits and offered instead to advise her by correspondence (Letter 8, lines 39-53). He did not , however, exclude the possibility of visiting her in per son (Letter 8, 53-54), and eventually, yielding to her emotional appeals (Letter 9, 29-81), he went to her convent (Letter 13, lines 60-61). But their first two meetings reawakened his scruples and he wrote that he could not leave his cell more than three or four times a year without endangering his own spiritual salvation (Letter 14, lines 1-34). Crying that her hap piness had lasted only for a month and a half, the despondent princess begged him to meet her halfway by agreeing to visit her every other month (Letter
15, lines 20-55), and he reluctantly bowed to her wishes (Letter 16, lines 41-43). It must b e noted that as anxious as the abbess was to meet and converse with her director , she never offered to visit him herself, although this would not have been absolutely impossible for a nun of her exalted rank . Laurent
Commentary
115
cites the example of an unidentified nun of noble birth who was allowed to leave the cloister and visit her mentor-an early fifteenth
(?) century metropolitan
of Chalcedon-for the purpose of receiving instruc tion. See Laurent, " La direction spirituelle des grandes dames
a Byzance . La correspondance inedite d' un
metropolite de Chalcedoine , " REB, 8 (1950) 71-73 .
32
EXOU -rllv aqn�lV : Note the incorrect use of the mid dle instead of the active form . For such usage , see Jannaris ,
40-41
Grammar, 1 486 .
apKOUIlUt de; OOOV: apKOUIlUt takes the dative, but Eulogia
prefers
the
prepositional
construction
reflecting the living speech . For other examples , see Letter 9, lines 5, 41
6 and 7 5 .
1tAEOV ou XP1]�O) : Verbs denoting need took the ac cusative instead of the genitive in Byzantine ver nacular ; See Jannaris ,
Grammar, 1319 . For another
example , cf. line 45 of this letter .
42-44
KallOl EVE1tlo-rEuoEv 6 0EOe; . . . 1tOAAOO'tTlIl OptOV: After the death of her husband , Eulogia spent part of her considerable fortune on the relief of the poor and the redemption of prisoners , and the rest she used for the restoration of the convent of P hilan thropos Soter , which she completely and luxuriously rebuilt , sparing no expenses . See Gregoras ,
Hist. ,
29, 22: 3, 238; and Theodore Hyrtakenos, Movcp8iu E1tl -rep 1tEpt1t08i}-rcp . . . KUPep NtKll1tOK pnui, on KAElE'tE 't1lY � u atAElUY nov OUPUyroy £1l1t pOa8EY 'troY ay8 pc01twy' Ullde; yap OUK daEPXEa8E , OUb8 'toue; daEPx o llE VOl)e; apayicSoc;: For this meaning of o oUyyiVE'tUt, K Ut Dta 'tOU ouvov'toC; uU'tcp OUOtCODro C; AOYOU, OUVU1t'tE'tUt 'tij EUXij , K Ut Dta 'tli c; Euxli c; dC; yvroOtV 't OU GEOU uvuBuivEt IlEe ' OA11C; 'tli c; uYU1t111"tKllC; DUVUIlEcOC; 'tE KUt Dtu8EOECOC;. 'to'tE O U PKOC; Il£V E1tt8ulliu oiXE'tut, 1tCiou D£ il KU8itDovoC; upyd ui0811 OtC; , KUt 'ta cOpuTu 'tli c; Yli C; U11Dli K U'tuq>uivE'tUt · o1tioco yap £uu'tli c; il \vUXTJ 1t uv'tu 't a 'tOU ocOIlU'tOC; KUt 'ta 1tEpt 'to orollu 8E IlEV11 , o1tioco 'tli c; cOPUto't11'tOC; 'tOU X pto'tou yiVE'tUt, uU'tcp KU't UKOAou80uo u IlE'ta 'trov EPYCOV 'tli c; OE IlVO't11'tOC; KUt 'tli c; KU'ta DtUVOtUV uyvtiuC; KUt \VUA AOUO U u 1t E V E X 8 it 0 0 V 't U t 't cp B U 0 t A E T 1t U P 8 E v 0 t 0 1t i 0 co U U 't 0 U (P s . 44 [45] . 1 4) , Xpto'tov q>uV'tU�OIlEV11 K Ut 1t poopro ou KUt AEYOUOU 1t p O CO P cO 11 11 v 't OV K u p t o v E v cO 1t t OV Il 0 U D t a 1t U v 't 0 C; (Ps . 1 5 [ 1 6] . 8); b) fo1 . 201 r : Kut W01tEP 6 'ADall XEtpt GEOU 1tAu08tiC; , U1tO XOOC; YEYOVEV dC; \vUXTJV �ro o uv EV q>uoit IlU1"t 8Eiq:> , oihco KUt 6 vouc; 'tuTC; UPE 'tuTC; DtU1tAU08tiC;, 1tUKVij E1ttKAit oEt Kupiou EK KU8upCiC; DtuvoiuC; KUt 8EP lllic; Dtu8EOECOC; U1tgDoIlEVl] , 'tTJv 8Eiuv UAAOtOU'tUt UAAOicootV , �cooYOVOU IlEVOC; KUt 8E01tOtOUIlEVOC; EK 'tou YtVcOO KEtV KUt uyu1t Civ 't ov GEOV. 67-70
DEpt D£ 'tou iEPOU M11VCi . . . 01tEP 1l0t YEypUq>UC;: 1 5 , lines 87-9 1 ; and commentary o n Let ter 1 7 , line 6 1 .
S e e Letter
Letter
17
'E1tEtDit oot 't o �l1'tOUIlEVOV DEDO'tUt: Eulogia had asked her correspondent to visit her six times a year and he finally agreed ; see line
58 of this letter , Let 1 5 , line 45 ; and Letter 1 6 , lines 4 1 -43 . Apparent ly, in her answer to Letter 1 6 (now lost) , Eulogia
ter
Princess Irene-Eulogia
140
still belabored the subj ect . 1-3
n£pl't'tov Tiv . . . 'tOU edou UPXl£P£COC; K at 'tIDV <J£n'tIDV yuvalKIDV : See commentary on Letter 1 6 , lines 3 - 1 4 and 1 5 - 1 8 .
4-5
n poc; 'tTtV v£o'tn'ta 'tOU uv8poC; EKdvou . . . 'tov AOYOV uV't£nup£pov'ta : The director reiterates his argument that Theoleptos was an anchorite in his youth and did not undertake the task of directing others before he was elevated to the episcopate (see Letter 1 6 , lines 20-3 2) . It must be noted , however , that in
his
eulogy of Theoleptos ,
Nikephoros
Choumnos wrote that even while in the wilderness the future metropolitan taught all those who visited him seeking his advice ; see Boissonade ,
Anecdota
Graeca, 5 , 2 1 2- 1 3 . 1 1 -23
K ai �TtV Kai <J u �ap'tu p£iC; . . . 'tou't ' u v E8uvil en c; EK£ivou : The director points out t o Eulogia that in offering to direct her by means of four visits and twelve
letters
per year ,
he had
offered
more
favorable terms than she had at times enjoyed under the direction of Theoleptos . 22
't£'t paKlC;: The four letters which Theoleptos wrote to Eulogia during the last year of his life ; see com mentary on Letter 1 6 , lines 1 5 - 1 8 .
3 3 -3 4
uv8pan08ov � £ vo�i<Jal Aal�ou Kai KOlAiac; Kai uvepconivnc; 8o�nc;: During the hesychast controver sy , Akindynos ' close association with the wealthy abbess made him the butt of similar imputations by his opponents . See , for example , Kalothetos ,
A oyos Tpfros KaTa TO U Klvt5vv8 vaavTos 'A K1Vt5VVO V, Syn grammata, 1 43 , lines 49-5 3 : AAA U 'ti no't' UV <J£ 'tTi c; 'tou XPl<J'tOU uyannC; Kai 'tou 8£<J �ou anayayol; MfiAAOV 8t. 'tiC; n8uvilen un ayay£i'v <J£; rUVTt K a'tu YTi v £uy£vil C; , �apoc; a pyu piou , Aln apai 'tpan£Sal, � aydpcov �ayyav£u�a'ta, epU\jflC; <JapKoc;, olVOC; uveo<J �iac;, Ka't£ppa<J'tcov£u �£voC; �ioC; . . . '
Commentary
36
141
na't" puipXllv : The reference is either to Patriarch Isaiah ( 1 323-34) or to John XIV Kalekas ( 1 3 34-47) . The evidence points to the latter because Dexios , whom the director proposes as a suitable mediator between the princess and the patriarch she had dis pleased with her arrogance (Letter
1 8 , lines 1 0- 1 2) ,
was a member of Kalekas ' entourage . See commen tary on Letter
61
1 8 , line 1 0 .
KGp Mllvii: This simple-minded monk , who was the director ' s constant companion, is otherwise un known . He certainly cannot be identified with the staunch P alamite monk by the same name who was one of Akindynos ' fiercest persecutors , nor with the hesychast Menas , author of an ascetic work contain ing instructions to the monks for the period of Lent . See, Her o , ed . ,
The Letters of Gregory Akindynos, 63 , line 1 5 .
commentary on Letter
93 -94
anAll PoQ)oPllaia : Not in the dictionaries . The word anAllpoQ)oPll't"o� is defined in G. Lampe (A Patristic Greek Lexicon, 6th ed . [London , 1 982] , s . v . ) , as " unsatisfied , "
" lacking in confidence , "
" uncer
tain " ; and in D emetrakos
(Lexikon, s . v .) as apE p al0� , aaaQ)iJ � , ayvowv . I have translated anAll pOQ)oPll aia " lack of confidence , " on the basis of the director' s own use of the word anAll poQ)oPll't"o�. He writes in the present letter (line 76) that he did not wish to offend his companion, Kyr Menas , by excluding him from his conversations with the princess " as if I did not fully trust him "
(&anEp Ef..101YE anAll PoQ)o Pll't"ov) . When he says therefore that anAll PoQ)o Pll aia was one of Eulogia's alleged reasons for refusing to talk in the presence of Menas, he must mean that she claimed not to trust the man . Letter
18
aniiya : Here the director lapses into the demotic .
142
Princess Irene-Eulogia On the modern Greek verb
unuyeo-nllYU(veo-n uyui veo (to go) , see Jannaris, Grammar, 996 . 3 2-4
£noill a u 'to n poOY ouxi EKElYOY E<J'ttY alJ.up'tiu� EAEU8EPW <J Ut , UAA' EUU'tOY 1tEptpUAEIY 1tAll IJ. IJ.EATl lJ.u<Jt.
3 3 -3 4
'tOU'to 8it TtIJ.EpCO�: I proposed this conjectural emen dation because the reading 8t' Tt IlEPWY does not ap pear satisfactory in the context . The phrase 8t' Tt IJ.E PWY is not attested in the dictionaries . Both Liddell Scott and Demetrakos (s . v. Tt IJ.EpU) cite 8ta 1tOAAWY Tt IJ.EpWY, 8t' Tt IJ.EpWY 'ttYCOY, meaning " at a distance of, "
but such an interpretation would not m ake
sense in this passage . Even if we assume that 8t' Tt IJ.E
PWY is used here in the same sense as 8t' TtIJ.EpU� (the whole day long) and translate accordingly , " divert
Commentary
145
your attention to the care of the souls , and do this for whole days , as I h ave said to you before , " we find that nowhere in his letters did the director give such advice to Eulogia . On the other hand , the need to control her irascible disposition is a recurrent theme in their correspondence . See lines 5 -25 and 36 36
0 f this Letter , and Letter 1 9 , lines 7- 1 0 .
�EXPt Suv a:r o u : This i s apparently a favorite phrase of the director , for he uses it again in Letter 2 1 , line 11.
38
1t U PCO�UVSll s, 'tou't ' EO't"tV eppiycoous: Eulogia evidently suffered an attack o f fever of malarial character ,
usualy
accompanied
by
p aroxysms
marked by chills , high fevers and sweating . On
1tU po�uVO� Ut (to suffer a n attack or exacerbation of a disease) , see , e . g . Hippocrates , IIepi apxa[11C; [11rpIKijc;, 6. On ptym (to have a shivering fit) , see idem, 'E1ttbll �iut, 3 , I , o 't . ' Although she lived to be sixty-five , the rigors of monastic life must have affected Eulogia physical ly . In the first letter he wrote to her after his return t o P hiladelphia in 1 3 2 1 , Theoleptos prays for her deliverance from her " ailments and her suspected serious illness . " See
Ottobonianus 405, foI . 234r :
6 bf. iu'tpos 'tmv \VUXmv K Ut 'tmv oco �u'tcov Xpt
o'tos . . . puoUt'to Of: a1tO 'tmv OU�1tt1t'tov'tcov OOt a p PCOO'tll �a'tCOV K Ut 'tOU U1t01t'tf:UO �EVOU XUAf:1tOU 1tuSous · 45
LUYKAll't"tKit : It is not clear whether the word is used here as a proper name or a title. However , since Simonis-the widowed queen of Serbia-was by that time living as a nun in Constantinople , and since Synkletike happens to be a monastic name, it is most probable that the reference is to an unknown nun in the service o f Simonis .
45
KpuAuivlls: Eulogia' s sister-in-law Simoni s , daugh-
146
Princess Irene-Eulogia ter of Andronikos II from his marriage to Yolanda of Montferrat and widow of Uros I I Milutin of Ser bia. After the death o f her husband in 1 3 2 1 , she returned to the capital, became a nun and ended her life at the convent of Saint Andrew in Krisei . See P ap adopoulos ,
Genealogie, no . 65 , for pertinent
bibliography . Like Eulogia, Simonis must have espoused the Akindynist cause because her name is listed among those of prominent anti-Palamites ; see Mercati,
Notizie, 223 , no . 28 . For her alleged literary
interests , see my Additional Note below . 45-5 1
ava01t a08EV ya p 1tVEU� a . . . avTjA8Ev E1tt 'tOU 8wpaKoe; K at CWvava01to.oav 9UAJ.10C;: H ere the director appears to be answering a statement which Eulogia had made using the words
apXtotK08oJ.10C; and rpllyoptOC; . It
i s , however , difficult to determine how Eulogia had used these terms . The first thought that comes to mind is that her correspondent ' s name was probably Gregory and that she h ad made a pun on it , since the verb
YPllYOPro means " to be fully awake , to
watch , to live . " In that case it would be very tempt-
Commentary
151
ing t o identify the director with Gregory Akindynos , Eulogia's protege and close associate during the he sychast controversy. Certain evidence would, in fact, support such a conjecture. Like the director , Akin dynos was a scholar-monk who arrived in the capital from Thessalonike in the late 1 3 30s and became known in the patriarchal circles . Furthermore, four of his letters are found in the Escorial manuscript adjacent to Choumnaina' s correspondence edited here. Unfortunately, however, there is no evidence that Akindynos , who had been denied admittance by most of the Athonite monasteries (cf. Hero,
Letters
of Gregory Akindynos, x-xi) , was a highly respected hesychast, nor is there any evidence in his surviving writings , or in those of his opponents , that he ever wrote any such works as are here attributed to Eulo gia' s correspondent . M oreover, there are no notice able similarities between the director ' s style and that of Akindynos in his correspondence , although this may be due to the difference in their respective readers . Akindynos' surviving letters are addressed to his fellow-literati and other learned men, and con sequently they exhibit all the traits of the rhetorical style . On the other hand, the director ' s simple and concise manner of writing most probably reflects the fact that he is addressing a woman . Still , one small but interesting detail must be noted : Akindynos does not share the director 's predilection for rare words . His seventy-six letters contain only two words which are unattested in the dictionaries , whereas the direc tor ' s fourteen letters show five such words . Finally had she been writing to Gregory Akindynos , it is highly unlikely that Eulogia would have missed the opportunity to make some pun on his last name , as he himself and his opponents did later during the controversy . For that matter neither are there any other puns in her letters on the name rpllyo ptO C; or the verb YPllYo pw and its derivatives . I am inclined ,
152
Princess Irene-Eu/ogia therefore , to dismiss the possibility of a pun and the only explanation I can suggest regarding this obscure allusion is that Eulogia might have referred to Gregory of Nazianzos who was her favorite Church Father , according to her statement in another letter (Letter 9, lines 9 1 -92) .
26-27
'trov it �EProV Tii , Desert Father 6. 10; 9. 24 κοσμικός layman 12. 4 Κράλαινα, Simonis, Queen of Serbia 18. 45 κράτιστος (of Andronikos Π) 5. 41 κρίμα 9. 46 κτηνος 15. 39 κυρ, ό (indecl.): of monks 16. 67; 17. 61, 66; 20. 13; others 18. 1 κυρις, ό (Patriarch Athanasios Ι) 1. 29; 3. 23; (monk) 15. 88 λαλιά 11. 4 λαός (βασιλικός) 15. 70 λογικός, literary 7. 18, 27; rhetorical 10. 22 λόγιος 3. 38 λογιότης 5. 33 λογισμός 5. 38; 14. 48, 49-50; 15. 87; 16. 63 λογιώτατος 1. 1; 3. 4; 9. 99 λόγος, argument 5.11; learning 9. 95; 13. 42; Hellenic learn ing 12. 1, 2; written work 2. 10-11, 13; 3. 19; discourse 4. 3, 5, 11; 5. 20, 27; 7. 15; 8. 24, 26; 9. 88; 12. 1, 3, 16-17; 13. 4, 8, 20; reason
160
Princess Irene-Eu/ogia
9. 63; teaching 15. 95, 98; 16. 11 λοχεία 4. 8 λύπη 5. 31; 9. 41, 43; 15, 53 λυτρωτής (τών κακών): of God 21. 9-10 μακαρίτης (of Nikephoros Chou mnos) 20. 5-6 Μανουήλ (emissary of Eulogia), 19. 14 Μάρθα (nυn) 19. 3 μάρτυς (ή αλήθεια) 9. 56; (ή συνείδησις) 15. 80 μεγαλοπρέπεια 8.25-26 μεγαλοφυια 13. 39-40 μέγας (of Gregory of Nazianzos), 9. 91, 92; (Theoleptos of Phila delphia) 12. 15 μέλαν, τό, ink 9. 79; 15. 58 μελίττω 8. 4 μένος 5. 6 μεταγράφω 3. 21; 9. 87; 10. 45 μεταίχμιος 5. 3 μετάνοια 18. 61 Μηνας (monk) 15. 88; 16. 67; 17. 11, 66; μήτηρ (Χριστου) 15. 37 μικροπρεπής 9. 6 μισθαποδότης (of God) 11. 7 μνημόσυνα, memorial service 21.1 μοναδικός 8. 40 μονάζων 12. 5; 15. 82 μοναστήριον (of Patriarch Athanasios Ι) 4. 5-6; (Philan thropos Soter) 18. 27 μοναχικός 7. 22; 15. 73 μοναχός 5. 43; 18. 2 μονή (of Philanthropos Soter), 14. 36; 15. 64; 16. 33 μοχθηρός 6. 1
μυριοπλάσιος 11. 8 μυσταγωγέω 7. 23 Μωσαϊκά (Pentateuch) 10. 49 ναοποιέω 21. 16 νεκρός, funeral 22. νευρά 7. 33 νήπιος 8. 3 νηπιώδης 8. 3, 5-6 Νήφων (monk) 20. 13 νοερός (ειρήνη) 9. 62; (ύποταγή) 15. 32; (ψυχή) 15. 40 νόημα 5. 22, 24; 13. 26 νους 1. 20; 7. 3; 8. 17; 9. 65; 13. 5,28; 15. 29 όδηγέομαι 15. 93 οδυνηρώς 7. 26 οιηματικός 18. 36 οικίδιον 16. 5 οικονομέω 5. 57; 7. 43, 45; 17. 100 οικονομία (Θεου) 9. 44-45 οικονόμος 7. 43 όμιλία, association 17. 49; 19. 3; company 7. 26, 30-31; 9. 37, 97; 10. 19, 28; 12. 20; 13. 14; conversation 17. 91; talk 15. 18; visit 8. 39, 47, 50; 9. 81, 17.18 όμότροπος 17. 83-84 οξύς (πους) 5. 49-50 ορεκτόν τό 9. 70 ορφανία 7. 19 ουράνιος (αλφάβητος) 13. 33 παθητικός 9. 62-63 παίδευσις 1. 10; 5. 8, 9; 8. 49; 12. 24; 13. 31