Acedia and Vainglory
Because it did not bend a soul withdrawn into solitude. A solitary wanderer, a plant of the desert, rests for a little while, and is carried away again, not wishing to stay. A plant being moved about does not bear fruit, and a solitary wanderer will not produce the fruit of virtue. For the weak, a single food is not sufficient, and for the acedia-stricken monk, a single task is not sufficient. For the lover of women, one woman will not suffice, and for the acedia-stricken monk, one cell will not suffice.
Chapter 14. The eye of the acedia-stricken one frequently stares intently at the doors, and his mind imagines those who are visiting; the door has worn down, and he is driven out of himself; he hears a voice, and through the small opening he peers in, and he does not depart from there until he has become numb, sitting there. An acedia-stricken reader experiences many gaps, and is easily carried toward sleep; he rubs his eyes, and stretches out his hands, and having turned his eyes away from the book, he stares intently at the wall, then turning back, he reads a little, and unfolding the ends of the words, he examines them curiously, counts the pages, and calculates the groups of four, scrutinizes the letter and its ornamentation; later, having folded it, he placed the book under his head, and sleeps a sleep not very deep, for hunger subsequently rouses his soul and makes it attend to its own cares. The acedia-stricken monk is sluggish in prayer, and he will never speak the words of prayer; for just as a sick man does not carry a heavy load, so also the acedia-stricken one will never perform the work of God with care; for one is cleansed of the strength of the body, while the other is broken in the tones of the soul. Patience heals acedia, and makes one do all things with much attentiveness and fear of God. Set a measure for yourself in every work, and do not turn away beforehand before you have completed it, and pray sensibly and with speed, and the spirit of acedia will flee from you.
Chapter 15. Concerning vainglory. Vainglory is an irrational passion, and it easily entangles itself with every work of virtue. A line drawn through water has become mixed, and the toil of virtue is mixed in a vainglorious soul. A white hand has become covered by the bosom, and a hidden deed of light shines forth more brightly. A briar is entangled in a tree, and...
Greek
ἀκη79.1160 δία οὐκ ἔκαμψεν ἐρηρεισμένην ψυχήν. Κυκλευτὴς μοναχὸς, φρύγανον ἐρημίας, ὀλίγον ἡσύχασε, καὶ πάλιν φέρεται μὴ βουλόμενος. Φυτὸν μεταφερόμενον οὐ καρποφορεῖ, καὶ μοναχὸς κυκλευτὴς οὐ ποιήσει καρπὸν ἀρετῆς. Ὁ ἀσθενῶν οὐκ 5 ἀρκεῖται τροφῇ μιᾷ, καὶ ἀκηδιαστὴς μοναχὸς ἐν ἔργῳ ἑνί. Φιληδόνῳ οὐκ ἀρκέσει μία γυνὴ, καὶ ἀκηδιαστῇ μοναχῷ οὐκ ἀρκέσει μία κέλλα. ΚΕΦΑΛ. Ι∆ʹ. Ὀφθαλμὸς ἀκηδιαστοῦ ταῖς θυρίσιν ἐνατενίζει συχνῶς, καὶ ἡ διάνοια αὐτοῦ τοὺς ἐπισκεπτομένους φαντάζεται· ἔτρισεν ἡ θύρα, κἀκεῖνος ἐξήλλατο, φωνῆς ἤκουσε, καὶ διὰ τῆς θυρίδος παρέκυψε, καὶ οὐκ ἀφίσταται ἐκεῖθεν, ἕως οὗ ναρκήσει καθήμενος. Ἀναγινώσκων ἀκηδιαστὴς χασμᾶται πολλὰ, καὶ πρὸς ὕπνον καταφέρεται εὐχερῶς, τρίβει τὰς ὄψεις, καὶ διατείνει τὰς χεῖρας, καὶ τοῦ βιβλίου τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς ἀποστήσας, ἐνατενίζει τῷ τοίχῳ, πάλιν ἐπιστρέψας ἀνέγνω μικρὸν, καὶ ἀναπτύσσων τὰ τέλη τῶν λόγων περιεργάζεται, ἀριθμεῖ τὰ φύλλα, καὶ τὰς τετράδας ἐπιψηφίζει, ψέγει τὸ γράμμα καὶ τὴν κόσμησιν, ὕστερον δὲ πτύξας ὑπέθηκε τῇ κεφαλῇ τὸ βιβλίον, καὶ καθεύδει ὕπνον οὐ πάνυ βαθὺν, ἡ γὰρ πεῖνα λοιπὸν διεγείρει αὐτοῦ τὴν ψυχὴν, καὶ τὰς ἑαυτῆς φροντίσεις ποιεῖ. Ἀκηδιαστὴς μοναχὸς, ὀκνηρὸς εἰς προσευχὴν, καὶ οὐ μὴ λαλήσει ποτὲ ῥήματα προσευχῆς· ὥσπερ γὰρ ὁ νοσῶν οὐ βαστάζει φορτίον βαρὺ, οὕτω καὶ ἀκηδιαστὴς οὐ μὴ ποιήσει ἔργον Θεοῦ ἐπιμελῶς· καθῄρηται μὲν γὰρ ὁ μὲν τὴν δύναμιν τοῦ σώματος, ὁ δὲ τοὺς τόνους ἐκλέλυται τῆς ψυχῆς. Ἀκηδίαν θεραπεύει καρτερία, καὶ τὸ πάντα ποιεῖν μετὰ πολλῆς προσεδρείας καὶ φόβου Θεοῦ. Τάξον μέτρον σεαυτῷ ἐν παντὶ ἔργῳ, καὶ μὴ πρότερον ἀποστῇς, πρὶν τελέσῃς αὐτὸ, καὶ προσεύχου συνετῶς καὶ εὐτόνως, καὶ πνεῦμα ἀκηδίας φεύξεται ἀπὸ σοῦ. ΚΕΦΑΛ. ΙΕʹ. Περὶ κενοδοξίας. Κενοδοξία πάθος ἐστὶν ἄλογον, καὶ παντὶ ἕργῳ ἀρετῆς εὐκόλως συμπλέκεται. Συγκέχυται γραμμὴ χαραχθεῖσα καθ' ὕδατος, καὶ ἀρετῆς πόνος ἐν κενοδόξῳ ψυχῇ. Λευκὴ γέγονε χεὶρ καλυπτομένη κόλπῳ, καὶ κρυπτομένη πρᾶξις φωτὸς ἐκλάμπει φαιδρότερον. Σμίλαξ περιπλέκεται δένδρῳ, καὶ
About this text
The original eight evil thoughts that became the seven deadly sins, and how each one attacks.
Original English Translation — new OET from PG Greek.
Catalogue & scope
Khazarzar scan
Witnesses
- Copy-text PG (Khazarzar) (Greek)
This is an AI-assisted study translation. Source fidelity and completeness have not been independently certified. Open Greek on each section for the source text. This is not a complete critical edition.