Christian Texts

"265. Εἶπεν γέρων· χρυσίον ἐάν τις ἀπολέσῃ ἢ ἀργύριον, δύναται ἀντ᾿ αὐτοῦ εὑρεῖν, καιρὸν δὲ ὁ ἀπόλλων, ἄλλον εὑρεῖν οὐ δύναται."

"607bis (S and V). Ἄλλος κακούργων αὐτῷ ἐπιστάντων νιπτῆρα προσέφερε καὶ ἠξίου τοὺς πόδας αὐτῷ νίπτειν κἀκεῖνοι αἰδεσθέντες μετέβαλον τὸν τρόπον."

"624. Ἠρωτήθη γέρων· Πῶς δύναται ἄνθρωπος οἰκῆσαι κατὰ μόνας; Καὶ ἀποκριθεὶς εἶπεν· Ὁ ἀθλητὴς ἐὰν μὴ πυκτεύσῃ μετὰ πολλῶν, οὐ δύναται μαθεῖν τὴν τέχνην τῆς νίκης, ἵνα οὗτως δυνηθῇ μετὰ τοῦ ἀντιδίκου μονομαχῆσαι. Οὕτως καὶ ὁ μοναχός, ἐὰν μὴ παιδευθῇ μετὰ ἀδελφῶν και μάθῃ τὴν τῶν λογισμῶν τέχνην, οὐ δύναται οἰκῆσαι κατὰ μόνας, οὐδὲ ἀντιστῆναι τοῖς λογισμοῖς."

"625. Εἶπεν γέρων· Δὸς πρόθεσιν καὶ λαμβάνεις δύναμιν."

"664. Ἠρωτήθη γέρων· Τί ἐστιν ἡ ζωὴ τοῦ μοναχοῦ; Καὶ ἀπεκρίθη· Στόμα ἀληθινόν [f.311v], σῶμα ἅγιον, καρδία καθαρά."

"665. Ἔλεγε γέρων ὅτι οἱ πατέρες τῇ ἀποτομίᾳ εἰσῆλθον ἔσω· ἡμεῖς δέ, ἐὰν δυνηθῶμεν, τῇ χρηστότητι εἰσέλθομεν."

"673. Εἶπε γέρων· Τὸ ἀνθρώπινον φρόνημα πᾶσαν τὴν πιότητα τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ἀναιρεῖ καὶ ἀφίησιν αὐτὸν ξηρόν."

"684. Εἶπε γέρων· Ἀπὸ μικροῦ ἕως μεγάλου ὧν πράττω, ἐννοῶ εἰς τὸν καρπὸν αὐτοῦ τί τέξεται, εἴτε ἐν τοῖς λογισμοῖς, εἴτε ἐν ταῖς πράξεσιν."

"592.51. Ἐὰν εἰσὶν ἐν τῷ τόπῳ ὅπου οἰκεῖς μνήματα, ἀνέρχου συνεχῶς καὶ κατανόει τοὺς κειμένους ἐκεῖ, μάλιστα ἐν τῷ καιρῷ τοῦ πολέμου τῆς σαρκός. Καὶ ὅταν μάθῃς ὅτι ἀδελφὸς ὑπάγει πρὸς Κύριον, πορεύου καὶ παράμεινον ἐκεῖ, ὅπως θεάσῃ πῶς ἡ ψυχὴ τοῦ σώματος χωρίζεται."

"The same [elder] said: ‘If you are staying somewhere and you see some folk living comfortably, do not have anything to do with them. But if there be another person who is poor, have to do with him as long as he has no bread and you shall experience repose.’"

"321. Εἶπεν γέρων· Ἐὰν κτήσῃ σιωπήν, μὴ ἔχε [f. 233r] ἑαυτὸν ὡς ἀρετὴν κατορθῶν, ἀλλὰ λέγε ὅτι ἀνάξιος εἰμὶ καὶ τοῦ λαλεῖν."

"333. Γέρων τις ἦν ἐπὶ τὸν Ἰορδάνην, καὶ εἰσελθὼν ἐν καύματι εἰς σπήλαιον, εὗρεν ἔσω λέοντα καὶ ἤρξατο βρύχειν τοὺς ὀδόντας αὐτοῦ καὶ ὠρύεσθαι. Καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ γέρων· Τί θλίβῃ; ἔνι τόπος χωρῶν ἐμὲ καὶ σέ. Εἰ δὲ οὐ θέλεις, ἀνάστα ἔξελθε. Ὁ δὲ λέων μὴ βαστάξας ἐξῆλθεν."

"Abba Moses used to address those who lived alone, saying: ‘There are four principal observances: keeping quiet, observing the commandments of God, humbling oneself, and oppression by poverty. But these three virtues a man acquires with difficulty: that is, by grieving all the time, ever being mindful of his own sins, and always confronting his eyes with death.’"

"An elder said: ‘The monk ought not to enquire how this one is or how that one is doing; for by asking questions he is turned aside from prayer, turned toward distractions and much talking. So, nothing is better than keeping quiet.’"

"A brother enquired of an elder: ‘Do you think it is a good thing to be highly regarded among people?’ He replied: ‘Their regard is of no worth. Run away rather than wish to be highly regarded by your brother.’"

"An elder said: ‘The work of a monk is to see his logismoi from afar.’"

"96. Ἔλεγον οἱ γέροντες· Ἔσοπτρόν ἐστι τοῦ μοναχοῦ ἡ εὐχή."

"An elder was asked: ‘Why am I fearful on going into the desert?’ He said: ‘Because you think yourself alone, and you do not see God with you.’"

"An elder said: ‘If you wish to be known to God, be unknown to mankind.’"

"Abba Elijah was asked: ‘How will we be saved these days?’ He replied: ‘We will be saved through each of us having no regard for himself.’"

"93. Ἠρωτήθη γέρων· Τί ἐστιν τὸ ἔργον τοῦ μοναχοῦ; Καὶ ἀπεκρίθη· Διάκρισις."

"100. Ἔλεγον οἱ γέροντες ὅτι ἡ ψυχὴ πηγή ἐστιν, ἐὰν ὀρύξῃς καθαρίζεται, ἐὰν δὲ προσχώσῃς ἀφανίζεται."

"91. Ἠρωτήθη γέρων· Τί δεῖ ποιοῦντας σωθῆναι; Ἦν δὲ σειρὰν ἐργαζόμενος καὶ μὴ ἀνανεύων ἐκ τοῦ ἔργου, καὶ ἀπεκρίθη· Ἰδοὺ βλέπεις."

"Abba Alōnas said, "Unless a person says in his heart, ‘I alone and God are in the world,’ he will not have repose.""

"92. Ἠρωτήθη γέρων· διατί συνεχῶς ὀλιγωρῶ; Καὶ ἀπεκρίθη· Ἐπειδὴ οὔπω τὸ μίλιον εἶδες."

"105. Εἶπεν γέρων· ὅτι εἴκοσι ἔτη ἔμεινα πρὸς ἕνα λογισμὸν πολεμῶν, ἵνα πάντας ἀνθρώπους ὡς ἔνα βλέπω."

"86. Μοναχός τις εἰργάζετο ἐν ἡμέρᾳ Μάρτυρος, ἰδὼν δὲ αὐτὸν ἄλλος μοναχός, λέγει αὐτῷ· Ἔνι σήμερον ἐργάσασθαι; Ὁ δὲ εἶπεν αὐτῷ· Σήμερον ὁ δοῦλος τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐξέετο μαρτυρῶν καὶ ἐβασανίζετο, κἀγὼ οὐκ ὀφείλω κοπιᾶσαι μικρὸν ἐν τῷ ἔργῳ σήμερον;"

"65. Εἶπεν γέρων· Ῥίζα πάντων τῶν κακῶν ἐστὶν ἡ λήθη."

"89. Ἠρωτήθη γέρων ποῖον δεῖ εἶναι τὸν μοναχόν; καὶ εἶπεν· Ἐὰν ὡς κατ᾿ ἐμὲ μόνος πρὸς μόνον."

"He [an elder] also said, "The bee makes honey wherever it goes; likewise, the monk too performs the work of God wherever he goes.""

"He [Abba Poemen] also said, "What is the point in taking up a trade without learning it?""

"45. Γέρων τις ἀπῄει πωλῆσαι τὰ μαλάκια αὐτοῦ. Τούτῳ δαίμων ἀπαντήσας, ἄφαντα αὐτὰ πεποίηκεν. Ὁ δὲ γέρων ἐτράπη εἰς εὐχὴν καὶ ἔλεγεν· Εὐχαριστῶ σοι, ὁ Θεός, ὅτι ἀπήλλαξάς με πειρασμοῦ. Ὁ δὲ δαίμων μὴ [f. 171v] ὑπομείνας τὴν φιλοσοφίαν τοῦ γέροντος ἔκραξε λέγων· Ἰδοὺ τὰ μαλάκιά σου, κακόγηρε. Ὁ δὲ γέρων λαβὼν ἐπώλησεν αὐτά."

"90. Ἠρωτήθη γέρων· διατί εἰς τὴν ἔρημον περιπατῶν φοβοῦμαι; καὶ ἀπεκρίθη· Ἀκμὴν ζῇς."

"111. Ἔλεγον οἱ γέροντες· Ἐὰν ἴδῃς νεώτερον τῷ θελήματι αὐτοῦ ἀνερχόμενον εἰς τὸν οὐρανόν, κράτησον αὐτοῦ τὸν πόδα καὶ ῥίψον αὐτὸν κάτω, συμφέρει γὰρ αὐτῷ."

"29. Ἔλεγέ τις τῶν ἀδελφῶν· ὅτι ἐγένετο ζήτησις ἐν τῇ λαύρᾳ τῆς Αἰγύπτου, καὶ ἐλάλησαν πάντες, οἱ μεγάλοι καὶ οἱ μικροί, εἷς δὲ μόνος οὐκ ἐλάλησεν. Καὶ ἐξελθόντων αὐτῶν, ἠρώτησεν αὐτὸν εἷς [f. 164r] ἀδελφὸς λέγων· Πῶς σὺ οὐκ ἐλάλησας; Ὁ δὲ βιασθεὶς ὑπὸ τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ εἶπεν· Συγχώρησόν μοι, ὅτι εἶπον τῷ λογισμῷ μου· ὅτι ἐὰν μὴ λαλήσῃ τὸ ἐμβρίμιον τὸ ὑποκάτω μου, μὴ λαλήσῃς. Καὶ οὕτως ἔμεινα σιωπῶν καὶ μὴ φθεγγόμενος."

"28. Παρέβαλέ τις τῶν ἐπισκόπων κατ᾿ ἐνιαυτὸν εἰς Σκῆτιν πρὸς τοὺς πατέρας, καὶ ἀπαντήσας αὐτῷ ἀδελφὸς ἤνεγκεν αὐτὸν εἰς τὸ κελλίον ἑαυτοῦ, καὶ παραθεὶς αὐτῷ ἄρτον καὶ ἅλας, ἔλεγεν· Συγχώρησόν μοι, κύρι, ὅτι οὐδὲν ἄλλο ἔχω παραθεῖναί σοι. Λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ ἐπίσκοπος· Θέλω ἵνα καὶ εἰς τὸ ἐρχόμενον ἔτος εἰσελθών, μήτε ἅλας εὕρω."

"33. Ἦν τις γέρων καλούμενος Ἱέραξ εἰς τὰ μέρη Θηβαΐδος ἐλάσας περὶ τὰ ἐνενήκοντα ἔτη. Καὶ θέλοντες οἱ δαίμονες εἰς ἀκηδίαν αὐτὸν ἐμβαλεῖν τῷ μήκει τοῦ χρόνου ἐπέστησαν αὐτῷ ἐν ἡμέρᾳ λέγοντες· Τί ποιήσεις, γέρον, ὅτι ἄλλα πεντήκοντα1 ἔχεις ζῆσαι; Ὁ δὲ ἀποκριθεὶς λέγει αὐτοῖς· Ἐλυπήσατέ με πάνυ. Διακοσίων γὰρ ἐτῶν παρασκευὴν ἔθηκα. Οἱ δὲ ἀπήρχοντο ὀλολύζοντες ἀπ᾿ αὐτοῦ."

"10. Εἶπεν γέρων· Αὕτη ἡ φωνὴ βοᾷ πρὸς τὸν ἄνθρωπον ἕως ἐσχάτης ἀναπνοῆς ὅτι σήμερον ἐπίστρεψον."

"18. Εἶπεν γέρων ἑτέρῳ γέροντι ἔχοντι ἀγάπην, καὶ συμβαλλομένῳ καὶ μοναχοῖς καὶ κοσμικοῖς· ὅτι ὁ λύχνος πολλοὺς φαίνει [f. 161v] τὸ δὲ ἑαυτοῦ στόμα καίει."

"35. Ἀναχωρητῇ τινὶ μεγάλῳ εἰπόντι· Τί οὕτως με πολεμεῖς, Σατανᾶ; ἐπήκουσεν ὁ Σατανᾶς λέγων· Σὺ εἶ ὁ μεγάλως με πολεμῶν."

"36. Ἀναχωρητής τις εἶδεν δαίμονα προτρεπόμενον ἕτερον δαίμονα, ἐλθεῖν καὶ διυπνίσαι καθεύδοντα μοναχόν. Καὶ ἀκούει τοῦ ἄλλου λέγοντος· Οὐ δύναμαι τοῦτο ποιῆσαι, ποτὲ γὰρ αὐτὸν ἐξύπνισα, καὶ ἀναστὰς ἔκαυσέ με ψάλλων καὶ εὐχόμενος."

"An elder said, "A person who does not receive all people as equal but makes distinctions—such a person cannot be perfect.""

"He was also asked, "Why am I continually negligent?" "Because you have never seen the sun," he replied."

"436. Εἶπεν γέρων· Γενοῦ ὡς κάμηλος βαστάζων τὰς ἁμαρτίας σου, καὶ δεδεμένος ἀκολουθῶν τῷ ἐπισταμένῳ τὴν ὁδὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ."

"The elders used to say, "In the same way that fire burns wood, so the work of the monk ought to burn the passions.""

"An elder was asked, "Why am I afraid when I walk about in the desert?" "Because you are still alive," he replied."

"An elder was asked, "How come you are never discouraged?" and he answered, "Because every day I expect to die.""

"1. Ἠρωτήθη ὁ ἅγιος πατὴρ ἡμῶν Ἀθανάσιος ὁ ἐπίσκοπος Ἀλεξανδρείας· Πῶς ἴσος ὁ υἱὸς τῷ πατρί; Καὶ ἀπεκρίθη· Ὡς ἐν δυσὶν ὀφθαλμοῖς τὸ ὁρᾶν."

"113. Εἶπεν γέρων· ὅτι τὸ ἔργον ἡμῶν καίειν ἐστὶν ξύλα."

"313. Ἄλλῳ γέροντι ἔλεγον οἱ δαίμονες· Θέλεις ἰδεῖν τὸν Χριστόν; Ὁ δὲ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς· Ἀ [f. 232r] νάθεμα ὑμῖν καὶ ᾧ λέγετε. Τῷ γὰρ ἐμῷ Χριστῷ πιστεύω εἰπόντι· Ἐάν τις ὑμῖν εἴπῃ· ἰδοὺ ὧδε ὁ Χριστός, ἰδοὺ ἐκεῖ, μὴ πιστεύσητε. Καὶ εὐθέως ἀφανεῖς ἐγένοντο."