COURAGEOUS WOMEN: THREE DESERT AMMAS-THEODORA, SARAH, AND SYNCLETICA

A New Translation from the Greek Alphabetical Apophthegmata Patrum, with Introduction, Notes, and Comments'

Tim Vivian

INTRODUCTION

Something like 90% of classical Greek and Roman literature is lost to us. This realization becomes acute, even heartbreaking, when we think of how very little of the little we have is by women. An exception that proves the rule is Plutarch’s “Sayings of Trojan Women,” in the Moralia.2 A unique manuscript of Catullus’ poems survived in a wine jar discovered in a monastery. How many of us would delight—exult—to have the complete poems of Sappho? This attrition continues into early Christianity: Paul names quite a few women in ministry; we have authentic writings by none of them.1 In the New Testament we also have T permit no woman to teach or to have authority over a man; she is to keep silent.”4 In the decade before or after the turn of the fourth century, Bishop Theophilus of Alexandria ups the ante, even when he, seemingly, has all the chips:

Tim Vivian is a retired Episcopal priest and emeritus professor of Religious Studies at California State University, Bakersfield. He is an expert on Coptic monasticism and has published widely on that subject in this and other journals. 1 A different version of this article will appear as part of a 2-volume translation of the Alphabetical Apophthegmata Patrum (The Sayings of the Desert Fathers), with notes and comments, forthcoming from Cistercian Publications. I wish to thank Kathleen Norris for reading a draft of this article, Joseph Trigg for things Origen, and Janet Gonzales and Chris Livingston at the CSU Bakersfield Walter Stiern Library for help with research materials. 2 Plutarch, Moralia, Loeb Classical Library III (1931), https://www.loebclassics.com/ view/LCL245/1931/pb_LCL245 .i .xml. 3 But the number of later (2nd-3rd c.) Acts and Gospels concerning women is telling; see, for example, The Acts o f Paul and Thecla, The Gospel o f Mary, The Gospel o f Eve, and The Birth o f Mary. 4 1 Tim 2.T2. Unless otherwise noted, all quotations from the NT are from the NRSV. For a list of women in Paul’s writings and Acts, see Averil Cameron, “Neither Male Nor Female,” Greece and Rome, 2nd series, 27 (1980), 60-61.

TIM VIVIAN 75 “Do you not know that you are a woman? And that because of women the Enemy wages war against the saints?”5 Historically, Theophilus, with his connection to Amma Theodora, offers a link to the three ammas discussed here. It’s striking that the first “saying” of Theodora has her asking a question of him. In early monasticism, the Alphabetical Apophthegmata Patrum (et Matrum), the Sayings o f the Desert Fathers (and Mothers) (AlphAP), contains sayings of and stories about some 125 men with hundreds of sayings. There are three women ,6 With regard to the “et Matrum ’ in the previous sentence, William Harmless challenges us not only about female ascetics but about both historical study and spiritual consideration: “It is fashionable nowadays to speak of ‘desert mothers,’ pairing the term with the more traditional 'desert fathers.’ But is it accurate? Is it true that women were equally prominent and active in the desert?"7 Harmless’ statement and questions deserve parsing and thoughtful response. First, if one adds and Mothers to the Sayings of the Desert Fathers, it does not mean they are “equally prominent and active in the desert” (see below).8 In addition, “fashionable nowadays” has, at least to me, an edge to it, as when people use “political correctness”

5 Alphabetical Apophthegmata (AlphAP) Arsenius 28; PG 65,75^440 (https://ww\v.roger- pearse.com/weblog/patrologia-graeca-pg-pdfs/). Jean-Claude Guy, S.J.. ed., Les Apophtegmes des Peres: Collection Systematique, 3 vols.. Sources Chretiennes 387, 474. 498 (Paris: Les Editions du Cerf, 2013) (SysAP) II.10. Theophilus was “twenty-third patriarch of the See of Saint Mark (385-412)” and a “complex and controversial patriarch”; D. B. Spanel, “Theophilus,” Coptic Encyclopedia, ed. Aziz S. Atiya (New York: Macmillan, 1991), 2247b-2253b; available online, Claremont College Coptic Encyclopedia (hereafter: CE), http://ccdl.libraries.claremont. edu/cdm/search/collection/cce/searchterm/Theophilus,%20Saint/field/title/mode/exact/. Susanna Elm, “Virgins of God": The Making o f Asceticism in Late Antiquity, Oxford Classical Monographs (Oxford: Clarendon, 1996), 257. n. 13, lists other sayings that rebuke women. 6 For a helpful bibliography, see William Harmless, S.J.. Desert Christians: An Introduction to the Literature o f Early Monasticism (Oxford: Oxford UP, 2004), “Women’s Asceticism,” 456-457. On "desert mothers,” see Benedicta Ward. S.L.G., “Apophthegmata Matrum," Studia Patristica 16 (1985): 63-66. 7 Harmless, 440. See the bibliography on 457^458. For introductions, see "Women in Early Monasticism," Chapter 3 of Marilyn Dunn, The Emergence o f Monasticism: From the Desert Fathers to the Early Middle Ages (Oxford: Blackwell, 2000), 42-58: Joan M. Peterson, “Feminine Monasticism in the First Six Centuries: An Historical Introduction,” in Peterson, Handmaids o f the Lord: Contemporary Descriptions o f Feminine Asceticism in the First Six Christian Centuries, CS 143 (Kalamazoo. MI: Cistercian, 1996); and Elm, “Virgins of God," especially Chapter 8, “Desert Mothers and Wandering Virgins: The Apophthegmata Patrum,” 253-282. * The first person I recall using "fathers and mothers” was Douglas Burton-Christie twenty-five years ago in The Word in the Desert: Scripture and the Quest for Holiness in Early Christian Monasticism (New York: Oxford UP, 1993). Kathleen Norris uses the phrase in her more recent Acedia & Me: A Marriage, Monks, and a Writer’s Life (NY: Riverhead Books, 2008).

76 ABR 71:1 - MARCH 2020 with a visible or hidden sneer. Words on a page, alas, don’t have tone and pitch; but I can hear someone, a male, uttering those seemingly dismissive words with a slightly higher voice and, perhaps, a roll of the eyes. The picture becomes even more forceful if we give the man in our imagined scenario an upper-crust British accent. Another two words, “equally prominent,” deserve serious discussion. By adding “et Matrum” (and Mothers) to the title of the Apophthegmata, am I saying, as Harmless suggests, that the desert ammas were—and, therefore, are—“equally prominent and active” as the men, the abbas? I admit that I hadn’t even thought of his question until I read his words for the third or fourth time. Were—and, again, a re - female monastics equally prominent, therefore as important, as their confreres? No. One hundred twenty-five to three is an extravagantly lopsided score. “Active,” though, resets the scoreboard. But (switching metaphors), what happens as in the last presidential election in the United States, when someone games the system? I will look at these two points below. Now, though, I will consider the implicit, and important, question that Harmless asks. “Fashionable nowadays” can imagine us watching a movie from the 70s and losing the artistic intent and merit because we’re snickering and guffawing at the (to us now) outrageous clothing and hairstyles. If we’re honest, though, we ask ourselves; What are the current fashions, and digital products, that in twenty, or even five, years will be superannuated or even ludicrous? (Cassette tapes, anyone?) So, Harmless asks: Were the desert mothers really out there in ascertainable numbers and influence or, like a mirage, do we see them prominent in the near distance because we, almost desperately, want to see more women in the desertV The first monastic biography-hagiography (the doublet is very significant) raises a serious question. Although it’s very difficult to know how much and what portions of Athanasius’ Life o f Antony are historical, two important statements by the Bishop of Alexandria early on deserve our attention and seem quite plausible.9 10 Athanasius tells us two key things when Antony embraces a life of asceticism: first, “there was at that time an old man in the neighboring village. From

9 Harmless, 440. 10 See “The Discipline of Virgins Within the Church,” in David Brakke, Athanasius and the Politics o f Asceticism (Oxford: Clarendon, 1995), 21-57. He notes, 24, that “[t]here were virgins in several of the cities and towns of Egypt” in the 4th century; with regard to Antony’s sister, he says “How organized these women were is not clear. . . . It is possible that this is not a historical fact, but merely Athanasius’ depiction of what he thought Antony should have done with his sister.”

TIM VIVIAN 77 his youth he had practiced the solitary life of an ascetic. . . . So, like him, Antony began his ascetic practice by staying in places outside that village.”" As important, just before this, Antony entrusts his sister “to well-known and faithful virgins, giving her to them to be raised in virginity.”12 Probably the first thing that strikes us today is Antony’s sister’s agency—or, rather, lack thereof. But it is also very significant that Athanasius says that there were women—a group of women — practicing the ascetic life. As James E. Goehring has emphasized, Antony’s early significance is not that he “founded” the ascetic life but that he withdrew from village life into remoter and remoter places—“the desert.”13 When Antony decided to become an ascetic, there were already men—and women— living as Christian ascetics in towns and villages. These early ascetics were called remnouth (Coptic: “solitary”) or apotaktikoilapotaktikai (Greek: “renunciants”). E. A. Judge first emphasized the importance of the apotaktikov. “the men at last followed the pattern long set for virgins and widows, and set up houses of their own in town,” in which they would practice “the life of personal renunciation and service in the church.14 A papyrus dated to 400 C.E. tells of two familial sisters, Theodora and Tauris, who were monachal' apotaktikai, female monk- renunciants. Goehring notes that “their status sets them apart, and their business transactions suggest their social power and prestige.”15 Two monastic virgins in Oxyrhynchus and a group of virgins where Antony lived. How do we get from there to 20,000 female monastics (vis-a-vis “only” 10,000 male monastics) in Oxyrhynchus

11 Athanasius, Life of Antony 33-3.4, trans. Tim Vivian and Apostolos N. Athanassakis, CS 202 (Kalamazoo, MI: Cistercian, 2002), 61. 12 Life of Antony 3.1; 61. In early monasticism, the usual word for a female monk is “virgin.” 13 James E. Goehring, “The Origins of Monasticism,” in Goehring, Ascetics, Society, and the Desert: Studies in Early Egyptian Monasticism, Studies in Early Egyptian Christianity (Harrisburg, PA: Trinity International, 1999), 13-35; 24. The quotation marks around “founded" are mine, not Goehring’s. 14 Judge, “The Earliest Use of Monachos for Monk (P. Coll. Youtie 77) and the Origins of Monasticism,” Jahrbuch fur Antike und Christentum 10 (1977), 72-89; the quotation is from p. 85 in Goehring, Ascetics, Society, and the Desert, 23-24 (my emphasis). On the apotaktikoi and apotaktikai, see Goehring, “Through a Glass Darkly: Images of the Apotaktikoi'(al) in Early Egyptian Monasticism,” in Goehring, Ascetics, Society, and the Desert, 53-72. 15 P. Oxy. 3202; Judge, 82; Goehring, Ascetics, 24. The papyrus dates to about 50 years after Antony’s death and, thus, could indicate a later development, but the paucity of our sources tells us not to make large conclusions out of small evidence. See also Alanna M. Emmett, “An Early Fourth-Century Female Monastic Community in Egypt?” in Maistor: Classical, Byzantine, and Renaissance Studies for Robert Browning, Byzantina Australiensia 5 (Leiden: Brill, 2017), 77-83, and Emmett, “Female Ascetics in the Greek Papyri,” Jahrbuch der Osterreichischen Byzantinistik 32.2 (1982): 507-515.

78 ABR 71:1 - MARCH 2020 by the end of the 4th century?16 The descriptions by the author of the Historia Monachorum in Aegypto, who tells us this, are grandiose and hyperbolic and, so, historically questionable. But of the 71 chapters in Palladius’ Lausiac History, 17 focus on women.17 The Bohairic Coptic Life of Pachomius 27 and first Greek Life 32 speak of the founding of a women’s monastery, with Pachomius’ sister as the “mother,” whose numbers increased “little by little.”18 We know that one of the monasteries of Shenoute at Atripe in Upper Egypt was for women. As Rebecca Krawiec says, “Shenoute had what appears to have been at times a contentious and tense relationship with at least some, if not most, of the women who lived in this monastic system.”19 We may never know why there are so few women in the Apophthegmata but, at the very least, we know that there were significant numbers of female monastics where Palladius journeyed, in Oxyrhynchus, and in the large cenobitic communities of Pachomius and Shenoute. The evidence above, by no means complete, shows us that women were indeed active. We'll never know if they were equally active, but I don’t think that matters; the question itself is anachronistic. So, in the Alphabetical Apophthegmata we have Theodora, Sarah, and Syncletica. The sayings of and stories about Syncletica in the Alphabetical and Systematic Apophthegmata (SysAP) (edited probably in the 5th and 6th c., respectively) are excerpts from the Life of Syncletica (Vita

16 Norman Russell, trans., The Lives o f the Desert Fathers: The Historia Monachorum in Aegypto (Kalamazoo: Cistercian, 1980), 67. One must approach with caution numbers, especially outsized ones, in Late Antique sources. 17 See Palladius ofAspuma: The Lausiac History, trans. John Wortley, CS 252 (Collegeville, MN: Cistercian, 2015). 18 Pachomian Koinonia, vol. 1, The Life o f Saint Pachomius, trans. Armand Veilleux, CS 45 (Kalamazoo, MI: Cistercian, 1980), 49-51 (Bohairic), 318-320 (Greek). 19 Krawiec, “The Role of the Female Elder in Shenoute’s White Monastery,” in Christianity and Monasticism in Upper Egypt, ed. Gawdat Gabra and Hany N. Takla (Cairo and New York: The American University in Cairo, 2008), 59-71. See Krawiec, Shenoute and the Women of the White Monastery: Egyptian Monasticism in Late Antiquity (Oxford: Oxford UP, 2002), esp. Chapter 6, “Gender and Monasticism in Late Antiquity,” 120-132.

TIM VIVIAN 79 Syncleticae: VS) which probably dates to the 5th century.20 In the transition—and translation—from the Life to the Apophthegmata we can witness the subordination, then displacement, then disappearance of the female: • In AlphAP Syncletica 6 and SysAP VII.22 the amma says that “the faith of a monk or a virgin who wanders from place to place becomes cold and dies.” In VS 94, it’s “a virgin or a monk.” The woman is first.21 • In AlphAP 5 “Blessed Syncletica” is “asked whether it is a perfect good to go without possessions.” She replies, “Yes it is perfect for those who are able to do it.” In the Apophthegmata “those who are able” is masculine. In VS 101, it is feminine. • These may seem minor. In AlphAP Syncletica 17, however, we in fact witness women being disappeared.22 Here, Syncletica instructs, monastics must not be slaves to their own views, but rather should obey their “father in faith.” SysAP XIV. 18 agrees with this reading. But for “father in faith” VS 101 has “mother in the faith.” The Life of Syncletica 101 must be the original reading, which urges that the other two readings from the Life are also the originals. It’s entirely possible that the editors of the Apophthegmata wanted to inclusivize the sayings to include men.23 But it is equally likely that the editors

20 Elizabeth A. Castelli, “Pseudo-Athanasius: The Life and Activity of the Holy and Blessed Teacher Syncletica,” in Vincent Wimbush, ed.. Ascetic Behavior in Greco-Roman Antiquity: A Sourcebook, Studies in Antiquity and Christianity (Minneapolis: Fortress, 1990), 265-311; 265. Castelli’s article is available online: https://www.academia.edu/1865493/Pseudo-Athanasius_s_ Life_and_Activity_of_the_Holy_and_Blessed_Teacher_Syncletica. Another translation is The Life & Regimen of the Blessed and Holy Syncletica by Pseudo-Athanasius, Part One: The Translation, trans. Elizabeth Bryson Bongie (Eugene, OR: Wipf & Stock, 2005 [prev. pub. Peregrina, 2003]). A French translation is available by Odile Benedicte Bernard, Vie de saint Syncletique et Discours de salut a une vierge, Spiritualite Orientale 9 (Maine-&-Loire: Bellefontaine, 1972). A thorough study is that of Mary Schaffer, The Life & Regimen o f the Blessed and Holy Syncletica by Pseudo-Athanasius, Part Two: A Study o f the Life (Eugene, OR: Wipf & Stock, 2005 [prev. pub. Peregrina, 2001]). She dates Syncletica to the mid-4th to mid-5th centuries (p. 10). 21 It’s possible that the author of the VS had sayings of Syncletica from the AlphAP and wove them into the Life, making changes as she (?) went, but it's much more likely that the sayings in AlphAP are excerpts from VS. 22 “To be disappeared” comes from los desaparecidos, “the disappeared,” those taken away by the military dictatorship, and often tortured and murdered, in Argentina’s U.S.- backed “Dirty War” from 1974-1983. It is clear that after his death in 399 Evagrius was often disappeared by editors and writers either expunging his name from writings or using Evagrius’ writings but never giving his name. “Disappeared” is a strong term, but the disappearance of Evagrius, for sure, and women, likely, from the Patristic record is a literary (and theological and spiritual) form of murder. 23 Pronouns in Greek, as in Spanish, can use the masculine plural to include males and females.

80 ABR 71:1 - MARCH 2020 “disappeared” the feminine. In either case, an important witness to early female monasticism was partly silenced—or expurgated. It is striking that Harmless titles his brief discussion of female monastics “Monasticism Underreported: Virgins, Widows, and Ammas.”2A In Lausiac History 41 (discussed above), Palladius speaks of “courageous women” whom he must recount (my emphasis). In Greek, “courageous women” is gynaikon andreiSn, “of women-men.” In Greek, andreios could mean “manly, masculine, courageous” and “strong, vigorous.” The feminine form andreia could apply to women.23 The lexical hermaphrodite “women-men,” then, as Susanna Elm emphasizes, becomes very important: “For the perfect ascetic the question of male or female no longer exists, because he or she has risen above the limits determined by the body; asceticism means annihilation of sexual distinction.”26 Elm’s conclusion may be optimistic, but her assessment of a monastic ideal offers us a heuristic with which to view AlphAP Syncletica 4: when two anchorites attempt to humiliate her, she responds “By nature I’m a woman, but not in my thoughts.” Now, this does not mean “I’m no longer a woman; I’m manly.”27 It means, “I have transcended the limitations of female and male.” Returning to William Harmless, whose provocative questions prompted much of the discussion here, he concludes his brief reflection on the desert ammas more positively: “Overall, one might say women’s asceticism in Egypt is underreported. The evidence, while both faint and fragmentary, does imply that women’s asceticism had sizeable numbers, varied lifestyles, and considerable vigor.”281 would say, rather, that we must say women were—and, again, are—underreported. As Susanna Elm reminds us, female ascetics appear in the three major sources of Egypt: the canons, the papyri, and the Apophthegmata—and, I would add, as with Syncletica, the Vita or Life. She points out: “As in Asia Minor, women in Egypt pursued

24 Harmless, 440-445. 25 Henry George Liddell and Robert Scott, eds., rev. Henry Stuart Jones, A Greek-English Lexicon (Oxford: Clarendon, 1968), 128A (hereafter: LSJ). 26 Elm, “Virgins o f God," 291. See especially Chapter 8, 253-282. See also Cameron, “Neither Male Nor Female,” 60-68. 27 In AlphAP Bessarion 4, Bessarion and his disciple find an ascetic who has died in a cave: “As we were wrapping the body in order to bury it, we found that the brother was in fact a woman! The elder was amazed and said, ‘See how even women wrestle and pin Satan while we in the cities disgrace ourselves with our reprehensible behavior!’ So, after giving glory to God, who protects those who love him, we left there.” 28 Harmless, Desert Christians, 445.

TIM VIVIAN 81 their ascetic life within the confines of their own home and their own family . . . or else in community with others, whether men or women.” Women, she says, broke their “confines.”29 Below are translations of material about three of these women: Theodora, Sarah, and Syncletica. Together, if we gather some material from outside the alphabetical collection, these women have 46 sayings and stories.30 It’s clear that not just women, but also men, valued what these ammas had to share and teach. Columba Stewart, among others, has spoken of the “challenge” and even the “frustration” of trying to “recover” (or: “uncover”) the early desert ammas. This new translation with notes and comments hopes to accept that challenge and alleviate some of the frustration, introducing these women to us anew and more fully and, to paraphrase T. S. Eliot, knowing them for the first time.31

THE SAYINGS OF THREE DESERT AMMAS32

Theodora

As Lucien Regnault comments, “Theodora is the first ‘amnia’ whom we hear speak in the apophthegms; unfortunately, we learn nothing about her apart from her relationship with the archbishop Theophilus [385—412], which places her at the end of the 4th century or at the beginning of the 5 th, probably in the region of Alexandria.”33 Since Theophilus occurs in only Theodora 1, even this is uncertain, but the Coptic Synaxarium states that it was “the holy father Abba Athanasius, the apostolic [reigned 326-373], who shaved her hair and made her a nun in one of the convents outside the city of Alexandria,” which is certainly plausible.34 She does not appear at all in the

29 Elm, Virgins o f God, 281. 30 For sources about women in Late Antiquity, see Ross S. Kraemer, ed.. Maenads, Martyrs, Matrons, Monastics: A Sourcebook on Women's Religions in the Graeco-Roman World (Philadelphia: Fortress, 1988). 31 Stewart, “The Portrayal of Women in the Sayings and Stories of the Desert,” Vox Benedictina 2 (1985), 5-23; 5. Eliot, “Little Gidding” V, from The Four Quartets, http://www. columbia.edu/itc/history/winter/w3206/edit/tseliotlittlegidding.html. 32 For other translations see John Wortley, Give Me a Word: The Alphabetical Sayings of the Desert Fathers (Yonkers, NY: St Vladimir’s, 2014); Benedicta Ward, SLG, The Sayings of the Desert Fathers: The Alphabetical Collection, CS 59 (Kalamazoo: Cistercian, 1984); and Laura Swan, The Forgotten Desert Mothers: Sayings, Lives, and Stories o f Early Christian Women (New York: Paulist, 2001), 35-70. 33 Regnault, Les sentences des peres du desert: Collection alphabetique (Solesmes, 1981), 119. 34 The Coptic Synaxarium for Baramouda 11 (http://www.copticchurch.net/synaxarium/ 8_ll.html#l).

82 ABR 71:1 - MARCH 2020 Systematic Apophthegmata, but she does have three sayings not found here in the apophthegms edited by Jean-Claude Guy (SI—3 below).35

* * *

1. [PG 65.201]36 Amma Theodora asked Pope Theophilus37 what the Apostle means when he says “making the most of the opportunity.”38 He said to her, “The phrase means ‘making a profit.’ For example: when the time comes39 that someone insults you, with humility and patient endurance40 purchase that time of insult and make a profit for yourself.41 Has there been a time when you have felt humiliated? With forbearance42 purchase the opportunity, and make a profit. If we wish, we can profit from every adversity.”43

35 Guy, Recherches sur la tradition grecque des Apophthegmata Patrum (Brussels, Societe de Bollandistes, 1962), 22-23. 36 Numbers in brackets indicate page numbers in PG 65 (see n. 5). 37 Theophilus: see n. 5. Pope: Gk. papalpapaslpapaslpappas. This honorific title apparently first occurred in Egypt; the earliest known example comes from Dionysius, Bishop of Alexandria (247-264), quoted by Eusebius, Ecclesiastical History 1.7.A: “I inherited this rule and example from our blessed pope Heraclas [231-247]“Popehowever, may be anachronistic in Eusebius’ History. 38 Col 4:5: “Conduct yourselves wisely towards outsiders, making the most of the opportunity [NRSV: ‘time’].” “Opportune time,” kairos, is an important term in the NT: “a moment or period as especially appropriate; the right, favorable time”; “a period characterized by some aspect of special crisis; time.” Walter Bauer, ed., rev. Frederick William Danker, A Greek- English Lexicon o f the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, 3rd ed. (Chicago: Univ. of Chicago Press, 1979), 497b^l98a (hereafter: BDAG). All Greek words appear in their dictionary form. 39 See Jn 7:6. 40 Humility and patient endurance: tapeinosophrune and makrothymta are important monastic virtues. There are two key passages in the NT on humility: in Lk 1:48 God “has looked with favor” on Mary’s “lowliness” (tapetnosis) and in Phil 2, while discussing humility, Paul (perhaps quoting an early hymn) says that Christ “humbled [tapeindo] himself and became obedient to the point of death—even death on a cross” (2:8). See nn. 64, 89, 234, and 284. For anexikakta as “patient endurance,” see n. 42. For hypomons as “patient endurance,” see nn. 139, and 190. On humility, see Burton-Christie, Chapter 8, “The Humble Way of Christ,” 236-260; “[h]umility was the starting point for the desert monks . ..” (236). 41 Purchase: there is a play on words here: “making the most o f’ translates exagordzo while “purchase” renders agorazo, both from agora, one of whose meanings is “marketplace.” 42 Forbearance: the linguistic idea behind anexikakta is “doing away with evil” (kakos, kaki'a). It too can mean “patient endurance”; see 2 Tim 2:24 (NRSV: “patient”; NIV: “not resentful”). See n. 40. 43 Susanna Elm correctly says, 263, that “[t]he central theme of Theodora’s Sayings . . . is self-discipline, or ‘knowing how to profit in times of conflict’ (Col 4:5), when circumstamces are extreme and seemingly unbearable.”

TIM VIVIAN 83 2. Amma Theodora said, “Make every effort to go through the narrow gate.44 It’s just as with trees: if they don’t have winter and heavy rains, they aren’t able to bear fruit. It’s the same with us: this present age is our winter.45 Except through numerous afflictions and temptations, we will not be able to become heirs of the kingdom of heaven.”46 3. Again she said, “It’s good to practice contemplative quiet: a wise man47 leads a life of quiet contemplation.48 It’s truly a great thing for a virgin or monk to practice contemplative quiet, especially those who are young. But—know this for a fact: if someone sets out to practice contemplative quiet, the Evil One quickly comes and weighs down that person’s soul:49 with acedia,50 with discouragement,51 with thoughts.52 He also weighs down the body: with illnesses, with

44 Narrow gate: see Mt 7:13-14. Make every effort, agomzomai: Mt 7:13//Lk 13:24(NIV); agonizomai is much stronger than the NRSV’s “strive.” See nil. 222 and 285. Originally, an agSn was “a place of contest, the arena,” then “a contest for a prize at the games” (see Phil 3:14), then generally “any struggle, trial, or danger” (LSJ 18b—19a). On agdn see nn. 115, 222, and 285. Early monastics used these athletic metaphors and military imagery to connote spiritual struggle, engagement. 45 Age: as BDAG 32a-33a notes, aion is a laden term in the NT. For Paul it designates the present age, nearing its end (1 Cor 3:18), “the world,” as opposed to God (Rom 12:2; 1 Cor 1.20): “The god of this world [aion] has blinded the minds of the unbelievers” (2 Cor 4:4). It and kairds (see n. 38) can be eschatological. 46 Heirs: or “beneficiaries.” Klerondmos (adjective as noun) and its cognate verb and noun occur more than 40 times in the NT. See Acts 14:22 and Jas 2:5. 47 The text here, unusual for the AlphAP, has anlr, “man, male,” instead of anthropos, “human being, person.” 48 “Contemplative quiet” and “quiet contemplation” both translate hesychia, a key monastic practice. See Syncletica 9 and n. 193. 49 The adverbs “quickly” (eutheds) and "tru/y” (alelhds) with their sound, in both Greek and English, emphasize "but”: contemplative quiet is truly a great practice and virtue—but the Devil quickly comes to abort it. The Evil One,ho ponerds: see Mt 6:13; ponerou can mean “evil” or “the evil one,” that is, Satan. 50 Acedia, akedi'a: Acedia is a key monastic term. Lampe’s entry, 61b-62b, is instructive: “fatigue, exhaustion; weariness, inertia”; “listlessness; torpor, boredom.” Its causes can be natural (B3a) or preternatural (B3b), attributed to a particular demon. With its effects (B4) it “causes monks to leave monasteries”; its remedies (B5): “prayer and work.” W. G. H. Lampe, A Patristic Greek Lexicon (Oxford: Clarendon, 1961) [hereafter: Lampe], Evagrius discusses “the demon of acedia, also called the noonday demon”; “it is the one that causes the most serious trouble of all.” See Chapter 12 of the Praktikos in John Eudes Bamberger, trans., Evagrius Ponticus: The Praktikos & Chapters on Prayer, CS 4 (Kalamazoo, MI: Cistercian, 1981), 18—19. See nn. 75 and 287. Schaffer, Life & Regimen, 9, argues for “the pervasive and undeniable influence of Evagrius” on the VS and, 11, sees a “close harmony” with Cassian, Conference 14; she states that acedia is “one of the Vita's major themes.” For a modern reflection on acedia, see Norris, Acedia & Me. 51 Discouragement: oligopsvchia is literally “small/diminished soul,” echoing the earlier use of “soul,” psyche\ see 1 Th 5:14 (NRSV: fainthearted; NIV: discouraged). 52 Thoughts, logismov. thoughts, and their discernment, are key in early monasticism.Once again, Evagrius offers a systematic analysis: Praktikos 15-39: Bamberger, 20-26. See nn. 78,93, 128,271, and 285.

84 ABR 71:1 - MARCH 2020 strained nerves, with weakness in the knees and in every part of the body, and dissolves the power of soul and body. As a result, I get weak and lack the energy to recite the synaxis.53 But—if we’re vigilant, all these things go out like a lamp.54 “Here’s an example: There was a certain monk. As soon as he began to recite the synaxis, he got chills and a fever and was bothered by a headache. So he said to himself, ‘Look, I’m sick and 1 may die soon. So, before I die I’m going to get up and recite the synaxis.’55 He made every effort to resist the thought that he might die, and recited the synaxis. When the synaxis was almost done, his fever subsided.56 Once again the brother stood up to this thought that he might die: he offered the synaxis and defeated it. 4A.57 This same Amnia Theodora used to say, “One time a certain devout person was insulted by someone, and he said to him, ‘I could say the same thing to you, but God’s law keeps my mouth shut.’”58 4B. She also used to say [204] this: “A certain Christian was having a discussion with a Manichean59 about the body and he said this: ‘Give the law to the body and you will see that the body belongs to the one who formed it.’”60

53 Synaxis: literally “gathering”; the same Greek root gives us “synagogue.” The word had a wide range of meanings: “gathering, assembly for public worship and instruction, religious service”; “form of worship or prayer obligatory upon monks and nuns, perhaps sometimes referring to the eucharist [sic] but also to a [monastic] office” (Lampe 1302a-1303a). 54 Go out: dialuo here combats the Devil’s ability “to dissolve” (luo). 55 Get up: egei'rd in the NT has a wide range of meanings. It can mean simply “get up,” but also “wake, rouse,” “wake up, awaken,” and “raise up = restore to health,” all apposite here. Even more significantly, it can mean “raise up (the dead),” as in Mt 10:8 and many other verses (BDAG 271b-272b). 56 This sentence in Greek uses an A-B-A-B pattern: almost done (A), the synaxis (B), subsided (A), the fever (B). In Greek both “almost done” and “subsided” are katapauo, emphasizing that doing the synaxis made the fever subside. 57 Theodora 4 appears to combine two sayings, with the subject as God’s law, so I have designated them 4A and 4B. 58 Perhaps see 1 Pt 2:23: “When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly.” Burton- Christie, 272-273, has a good comment on this saying: the monk “does not say that he pondered the meaning of the commandment and has decided it would be better not to speak." Rather, he has appropriated the commandment "so completely that it shapes his behavior on the deepest level of his being.” 55 Manichaeism (a heresiological term coined by its opponents) was a late-antique religion founded by Mani (216-c. 276); it was heavily influenced by Zoroastrianism. “Mani taught a theogonic myth detailing a universal conflict between the powers of Light and Darkness.” See Nicholas Baker-Brian and Matthew Canepa, “Mani, Manichaeism, and the Manicheans,” Oxford Dictionary o f Late Antiquity [ODLA] (Oxford: Oxford UP, 2018). I.950b—953a; 952a. 60 See 1 Tim 2:3; / Clement 33:4 states that God “formed humankind with his holy hands.”

TIM VIVIAN 85 5. The same Amma Theodora also used to say that the person who teaches should be a stranger to the love of power,61 alien to vanity and self-delusion, far from haughtiness and pride; the person who teaches should not seek out flattery, be blinded by gifts, conquered by the belly, or be ruled by anger. Instead, the person who teaches should be patient and even-tempered, courteous and forbearing and, as far as possible, completely humble.62 The one who teaches should be approved for the position, accommodating, prudent, and a lover of souls. 6. The same Amma Theodora used to say “Neither ascetic practice nor keeping vigils nor all kinds of toil and suffering63 will save us without genuine humility.64 Here’s why: There was a certain anchorite who used to drive away demons, and he would question them: ‘Why do you come out here? In order to fast?’ “They would say, ‘We neither eat nor drink.’ ‘“In order to keep vigils?’ “They would say, ‘We don’t sleep.’ ‘“In order to withdraw from the world?’65 “‘We live in deserted places.’66 ‘“Why, then, do you come out here?’ “They would say, ‘Nothing defeats us except humility. Do you see that humility means victory over demons?”’ 7. Amma Theodora also said, “There was a certain monk who had so many temptations that he said ‘I’m out of here.’ While he was putting on his sandals, he saw another person putting his on, too; this person said to him, ‘You’re not leaving because of me, are you? Look, I’m walking right in front of you, wherever you go.’”

61 Love of power, philarchi'a: a variant reading, PG 65.203-204, n. 20, has the similar­ sounding “love of money," philarguria. The former does not occur in the NT; 1 Tim 6; 10 says that “the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil.” 62 As far as possible; a variant reading, PG 65.203-204, n. 21, has “above all.” 63 Toil and suffering,ponos: see n. 118. 64 Humility, tapeinosoplirune: See nn. 40, 88, 233, and 283. In S9 (below), Syncletica makes humility a precondition for salvation: "Just as a ship cannot be built without nails, so too is it impossible to be saved without humility.” In VS 57 (Bongie, 38), referring to Jesus, Syncletica links humility and salvation: “Because humility is good and salvific [sotBrios, cognate with soteria, "salvation,” and sotBr, “Savior”), the Lord clothed himself in it while fulfilling the economy [of salvation] for humanity. For he says: ‘Learn from me. for I am gentle and humble [tapeinos] of heart’” (Mt 11:29). 65 Withdraw from the world, anachdresis < anachoreo, “to withdraw,” a key monastic term; English “anchorite.” “ Deserted places, eremos: desert(s). Demons dwell especially in the desert, so monks are not withdrawing from the world to escape them but to do battle with them; or, if they are fleeing to escape them, they’re in for a big surprise. See Brakke, Demons (n. 9).

86 ABR 71:1 - MARCH 2020 SI.67 The same Amma Theodora was asked about listening to others, “How can a person in general welcome what those in the world say and ‘be with God alone,’ as you say?” She said, “If you’re having a meal and there’s plenty to eat, you go ahead and eat with pleasure. In the same way, if you hear what those in the world are saying, keep your heart oriented towards God; by doing this, you will hear them, but not with pleasure, and you won’t be harmed at all.” 52. [Amma Theodora said,]68 “Another monk was given a trial69 by a whole multitude of lice that caused his body to itch (and he came from wealth). And the demons were saying to him, ‘You’re OK living like this, producing worms?’ And that monk, through patient endurance, claimed victory.” 53. One of the elders asked Amma Theodora, “At the resurrection of the dead, how will we be raised?” She said, “We have a pledge and a model70 and first-fruit71 who died for us and was raised—Christ our God.”

Sarah

Sarah is a saint in the Coptic Orthodox Church; the Church’s Synaxarium says that she “was born in Upper Egypt of rich and pious parents,” but this may be a hagiographical topos. It further reports that she “lived for fifteen years in a monastery of virgins, then for sixty years she dwelt in a cell provided with a terrace that dominated the valley of the Nile” (see Saying 3). She “appears to have been a contemporary” of Paphnutius, “seemingly the one at Seeds.”72 If so,

67 The texts for these 3 “S” sayings are in Guy, Recherches, 22-23; see n. 34. 68 Although this saying does not identify Theodora, it comes between two others and is probably hers. 69 Trial: or “temptation,” “test”: peirasmos and its cognate verb peirazo occur many times in the NT; see BDAG 792b-793b. 70 Model, hypodei'gma: see Jn 3:15, where Jesus says, “I have set you an example [hypodei'gma].” 71 First-fruit, aparche: in I Cor 15 Paul discusses the resurrection of Christ. In v. 20 he declares, “in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have died.” The offering of first fruits to God is very important in the Hebrew Bible [HB], 72 Antoine Guillaumont, “Sara, Saint,” CE 2094a.

TIM VIVIAN 87 that places her at the end of the 4th century.73 This is all we know about her outside of the sayings.

* * *

1. [V.13] [420]74 This story was told about Amma Sarah: For thirteen years she remained fiercely embattled by the demon of sexual sin75 and never once prayed for the battle to cease but rather would say,76 “Oh, God, give me strength.” 2. [V.14]77 One time the same spirit of sexual sin78 attacked her even more fiercely, whispering in her ear79 the empty and useless things of the world.80

73 On Paphniitius.seeyoftn Cassian: The Conferences, trans. Boniface Ramsey, O.P.,ACW 57 (New York: Paulist, 1997), X.II.1-2, pp. 371-372; and Antoine Guillaumont, “Paphnutius of Scetis, Saint,” CE 1884a-1884b (http://ccdl.libraries.claremont.edu/cdm/singleitem/collect ion/cce/id/1520/rec/l). Sarah’s feast day in the Synaxarium is Baramhat 15 (http://www. copticchurch.net/synaxarium/7_15.html#l); the entry says ‘‘This Saint had many useful sayings that she used to say to the nuns.” 14 The first number in brackets after the saying number indicates chapters and saying numbers in Guy, Les Apophtegmes des Peres: Collection Systematique (see n. 5); the second number indicates the page number in PG 65 (see n. 5). 75 Sexual sin,pornei'a, usually translated "fornication”: see nn. 78 and 83. In Praktikos 23, Evagrius gives a vivid metaphor concerning anger and sexual sin: they cause the mind “to be defiled”; then “the demon of acedia falls upon you without delay. He falls above all upon souls in this state and. dog-like, snatches away the soul as if it were a fawn.” Bamberger, 22-23. On “acedia” see nn. 50 and 287. 79 But rather would say: SysAP V.13 “but would only say.” 77 SysAP V.14 begins the sentence “They also said this about her." 78 Spirit: discerning the spirits (diakrisis) is central to monastic spirituality and pedagogy. See Antony D. Rich, Discernment in the Desert Fathers: Diakrisis in the Life and Thought of Early Egyptian Monasticism, Studies in Christian History and Thought (Waynesboro, GA: Paternoster, 2007). See nn. 52,93, 128,271, and 285. On sexual sin,pornei'a, see nn. 75 and 83. 79 Whispering in her ear: the basic meaning of hypoballo is “to throw, put, or lay under,” but it can also mean “suggest, whisper,” as a prompter does (LSJ 1875b). I have followed this idea for the image of the demon whispering in her ear. 80 Empty and useless: mataois occurs frequently in the HB, especially in the Psalms, Proverbs, and prophets. MataiotSs is the word Ecclesiastes uses so frequently (“vanity,” KJV and NRSV; “futile,” New English Bible; “meaningless,” NIV).

88 ABR 71:1 - MARCH 2020 She, however, did not give up on her fear of God and her ascetic discipline:81 one day she went up to the roof82 to pray and the spirit of sexual sin appeared to her in bodily form83 and said to her, “You have defeated me, Sarah!”84 She said, “/ didn’t defeat you, but rather Christ, my Lord and Master.”85 3. [VII.26] They used to say about her that for sixty years she remained living in a place overlooking the River86 and did not once peep out the window to look at it.87 4. [X.107] Another time, two elders, great ones, left the region of Pelusium88 and came to visit her. While they were on their way, they were saying to one another, “Let’s humble89 this old woman.”90

81 Ascetic discipline: askesis (English “ascetic,” “asceticism”) was originally an athletic term: “practice, discipline.” See nn. 173,214 and 223. 82 Houses in Egypt and Greece, especially in the countryside, often have flat roofs. The semi-anchorite I visited in Egypt near the Red Sea Monastery of St. Antony put a flat roof on top of his cell as one of his prayer stations; see Tim Vivian, “A Journey to the Interior: The Monasteries of Saint Antony and Saint Paul by the Red Sea,” in Vivian, Words to Live By: Journeys in Ancient and Modern Egyptian Monasticism, CS 207 (Kalamazoo: Cistercian, 2005), 78-85. 83 In Life o f Antony 6.1-2 the Devil appeal's to Antony “in the illusory form of a black boy” and declares “I am the friend of fornication \pornei'a]\” Vivian and Athanassakis, 69-71. On pornei'a see nn. 75 and 78. 84 Since the personal pronoun in Greek, as in Spanish, is not required, “You” here is emphatic. You have defeated me: see Mt 4:1-11, Lk 4:1-13. See Life o f Antony 7.1 where Antony defeats the Enemy (Satan); defeating the forces of evil is a common theme in early monastic literature. On the Enemy, see Syncletica 8,9, 15 and S10; nn. 184, 189. 223, 227, and 287. 85 Lord and Master: despoils, as Lampe notes, usually equals kyrios, “Lord," which in the Septuagint (LXX) refers to God and in the NT to Christ. The Septuagint: Septuaginta, ed. Alfred Rahlfs, 2 vols. (Stuttgart: Deutsche Bibelstiftung, 1935). Despotes does not have this usage in the NT. Lampe also notes that in patristic Greek the term can refer to the Devil as “Lord and Master of the world” (339a); at the beginning of the saying the Devil is whispering in Sarah’s ear “the empty and useless things of the world.” 86 The River: that is, the Nile. 871 have added “once” from SysAP VII.26. 88 Pelusium: modern Tell el-Frama. It was the “largest Late Antique city in the Nile Delta, apart from Alexandria.” See Christopher Haas, “Pelusium,” ODLAII.1156b. 85 Let’s humble, tapeinoo: the verb can be either positive or negative in the NT (BDAG 990a). See nn. 40, 64, 234, and 284. If we take it negatively here, we get “Let’s humiliate this old woman”; colloquially, “Let’s put her down.” John Wortley’s “take her down a peg or two” is good (301). But—and an astute monastic listener would hear this—in Lk 1:48 God “has looked with favor” on Mary’s “lowliness” (tapeinosis). Sarah, then, like Mary, is humble, but the arrogant (male) elders want to humiliate her. “Humble” in English is cognate with “humility” as a noun and “humiliate" as a verb, all etymologically linked with “humus.” 90 Old woman, grals. The irony here is that the two are “old men,” gerontes, from geron, literally “old man,” a monastic honorific for a wise and experienced monk, an elder, of whatever age, while Sarah is just some “old woman” they think they can demean. It is just possible, though, that they want to test her, common in monastic practice but, if so, one would expect the verb “to test.”

TIM VIVIAN 89 So when they arrived,91 they said to her, “See to it92 that your thoughts93 don’t get all high and mighty94 Say95 to yourself, ‘Look! The anchorites are coming to see me, even though I’m a woman.’”96 Amma Sarah said to them, “By nature I’m a woman, but not in my thoughts.”97 5. [X.I08] Amma Sarah said, “If I pray to God, asking that all people find fulfillment in m e981 will be found at the door of each one of them, asking for forgiveness.99 No, I will instead pray to have a pure heart100 with everyone.” 6. [XI.127] [422] She also said, “When I put my foot on the ladder to climb up, I also put death right before my eyes before I climb up the ladder.” 7. [XIII. 19] Again she said, “It’s good to give to people in need,101 even if it’s so people can see what you’re doing, because even if you do it to please people, it will come to please God, too.”102

1,1 I have added this phrase for continuity. 92 See to it: SysAP X .107 See to it, am m a,. . . 93 Thoughts, logismos: singular here rather than the more common plural, logismoi. See nn. 52,78,93,128,271,and 285. 94 High and mighty: epairO, essentially the opposite of tapeindo (see nn. 40, 64, 89, 234, and 284), means “be presumptuous” (BDAG 357b), “put on airs” (2 Cor 11:20). 95 Say: SysAP X.107 “Say to yourself.” 9'’ Me, even though I’m a woman: or “although I’m a woman”; “literally, “me. being a woman”; the participle in Greek is very flexible with regard to subordinate phrases. 97 Rich, Discernment in the Desert Fathers, 78, notes that in the Syriac parallel Sarah says, “It is 1 who am a man and you who are women.” This saying occurs also in Greek. Sarah SI below. In Diusiac History 41.1, “Holy Women,” Palladius says that he “must also commemorate in this book the courageous women to whom God granted struggles equal to those of men, so that no one could plead as an excuse that women are too weak to practice virtue successfully.” Palladius: The Lausiac History, trans. Meyer, 117; Wortley, Palladius o f Aspuma: The Lausiac History, 102. 98 Find fulfillment, plerophoreo: perhaps Col 4:12 offers a good gloss on what Sarah means. Epaphras “is always wrestling in his prayers on your behalf, so that you (pi.) may stand mature and fully assured [peplerophoremenoi1 in everything that God wills.” 99 Forgiveness: metanoia can mean both “repentance” and “forgiveness.” 100 Pure heart: see Mt 5:8; 1 Tim 1:5; 2 Tim 2:22. 101 To give to those in need, eleemosune: traditionally translated “almsgiving.” The root of the noun is eleos, “mercy, pity." IN VS 73 (Bongie, 46), Syncletica says that "almsgiving has been instituted not so much for the nourishing of the poor person as for the sake of love.” “Sake of love [agape]" probably refers to “an act of love,” also agape, the doing of which is very important among the ammas and abbas. 1,12 A variant reading, PG 65.421-422 n. 55, offers a nice symmetry: “to please people” is one word in Greek, anthropareskia, “people” + “please.” In our text, “to please God” is three words, but the variant reading makes it one word, in parallel with anthropareskia: theareskia, “God” + “please.” Given the sophisticated Greek text here. I’m inclined to take the variant reading as the primary reading. Because even if you do it to please people, it will come to please God, too: SysAP XIII.19, because even if you do it to please people at first, nevertheless the desire to please people turns into fear of God.

90 ABR 71:1 - MARCH 2020 8. One time some monks from Seeds came to visit Amma Sarah, and she set before them a basket of fruit. The visitors set aside the good fruit and ate the rotten. She said to them, “You really are from Seeds.”103 SI .IH4 Again she said to the brothers, “I am a man; you’re the ones who are women.”

Syncletica

According to the anonymous biography-hagiography of Syncletica of Egypt, which may belong to the 5th century, “The one named for the heavenly assembly [synkletos] was from the land of the Macedonians,”105 whose family moved to “the city of the Macedonian,” that is, Alexandria. All we know of Syncletica historically comes from her sayings and the Life of Syncletica}™ Syncletica often uses nautical imagery, which may show the influence of Origen.107 Alexandria was a maritime city. The Life says that Syncletica was “[distinguished in lineage . . . and enjoyed the other advantages that are considered desirable by worldly standards.”108 Is this history or hagiography? We have the reverse in the Life of Antony: Athanasius says that Antony “did not continue learning his letters, wishing to stand apart from the normal activities of children”—but we have a cache of his letters that scholarly consensus considers authentic.109 Syncletica’s Life,

103 Seeds: see Aelred Cody, O.S.B., “Seeds,” CE 2102b-2106a: “historically designated the area of monastic settlement extending about 19 miles (30 km) through the shallow valley known in the medieval period as Wad Habb, now called Wadi al-Natrun, which runs southeast to northwest through the Western or Libyan Desert, about 40 miles (65 km) southwest of the Nile Delta. In a very broad sense, ‘Seeds’ or the ‘Desert of Seeds’ also designated the ensemble of monastic colonies in the wilderness or on the edge of the desert southwest of the Delta, thus including Nitria or the ‘Mountain of Nihia’. . . ; Kellia, in the desert south of Nitria; and Seeds in the narrower and more proper sense, still farther into the desert, south of Kellia.” 104 The text for this “S” saying is in Guy, Recherches, 34; see n. 35. 105 Life of Syncletica 4; Castelli, 265-311; 267. Synkletos as a feminine noun was “a summoned council,” especially the Roman Senate; Synkletts was a woman of senatorial rank; Synkletikos was a senator (Lampe 1271b). “Syncletica,” then, like synkletts, appears to indicate a woman of senatorial rank. As Castelli notes, 267 n. 7, the pun on Syncletica’s name “has led some to question whether this biography refers to an actual woman, or whether ‘Syncletica’ is an invention of the author.” 106 See n. 20. 107 In the fifth section of his Second Homily on Psalm 73, Origen gives an extended metaphor using nautical language. 108 Life 5; Bongie p. 10. 109 Life of Antony 1.2 (p. 57); see n. 11. On the letters see Samuel Rubenson, The Letters of St. Antony: Monasticism and the Making of a Saint, Studies in Antiquity and Christianity (Minneapolis: Fortress, 1995).

TIM VIVIAN 91 unfortunately, does not say if her family had maritime business or not but, given the Nile and the Mediterranean, it is not unlikely. The silence about her background echoes most likely because the Life emphasizes hagiographical tropes: wealth, beauty, and piety. After her parents’ death she, like Antony, left home, “distributed all her property to the poor,” and went to live in a tomb (VS 5-12).11,1 She practiced voluntary poverty (VS 20), withdrew to live alone (VS 21), and then, like Antony, began to attract others to her way of life and teaching (VS 21). As Antoine Guillaumont notes, “The most important part of the Vita reports the teaching that she gave to the virgins who came to visit her or, as it seems, lived beside her.”111 As with her biography, we also hear silence about her life as a monastic: “We cannot speak, then, of her actual ascetic life, since she did not allow anyone to be an observer of this.”112 These teachings, whether biographical or hagiographical, offer authentic early-monastic instruction, as the editors of the apophthegmatic collections recognized. 1. [III.34; VS 60]113 (422] Amma Syncletica114 said, “It is a struggle115 and very hard work for those who are drawing closer to God—at first.116 But then comes indescribable joy.117 Those who want to light a fire first get assailed by smoke and then weep and, by doing this, obtain the desired fire; in the same way we too have to kindle the divine fire for ourselves with tears and afflictions118 since it says ‘Our God is a consuming fire.’”119

110 Life 5-12; Castelli, 268-271. Schaffer, Life & Regimen, 11-13, believes that the VS was written independently of the Life of Antony, and by a woman. 111 Guillaumont, “Syncletica,” CE 2192a—2192b. As Schaffer notes, 10, “authentic instruction proceeds from experience.” 112 Life 15 (p. 15). 113 VS: Vita Syncleticae, PG 28.1488-1557, https://www.roger-pearse.com/weblog/patrol ogia-graeca-pg-pdfs/. The Greek of the VS is dearly more sophisticated that the Greek typically found in the AiphAP; therefore, in order to give the translation a more formal feel 1 have not used contractions. The word order in the VS is often quite different from that in the AP. With regard to textual variants, SysAP and VS almost always agree against AiphAP. For translations of the Vita, see Castelli and Bongie (n. 20). 114 Amma Syncletica: SysAP 111.34 Blessed Syncletica. 115 Struggle, agSn: see nn. 44,222, and 285. 116 Drawing closer, proserchomai: Lampe offers two other appropriate meanings: “apply oneself to” and “strive towards” (1169a). 117 Indescribable joy, aneklaletos < eklaleo: the adjective can also mean “ineffable,” of the divine mysteries (Lampe 131b). VS 60 expresses the same idea with anekdiSgeomai. This first sentence has much in common with Life of Antony 36.4, where “inexpressible joy” can replace fear caused by demons (Vivian and Athanassakis, 137). 118 Afflictions, ponos: a variant reading, PG 65.421-422 n. 57, has kopos, “troubles, difficulties,” as does SysAP III.14. See n. 63. "l) Heb 12:29 (Dl 4:24; 9:3). Like Wortley, Word, 302,1 have moved the quotation to the end of the saying, where it works better.

92 ABR 71:1 - MARCH 2020 2. [IV.49; VS 24] She also said,120 “We who have taken on and profess this way of life must hold fast in the strongest way possible to good judgment, moderation, and self-control.121 To be sure, these virtues122 seem to be exercised by those in the world123 but, right alongside them, with those in the world come bad judgment, immoderate behavior, and lack of self-control124 because they sin with all their other senses. It is a fact:125 they look at things in an unsuitable way and laugh in an irresponsible manner.”126 3. [IV.50; VS 80] Again she said, “Just as the harshest of poisons drives away venomous wild beasts,127 so too prayer with fasting drives away evil thought.”128 4. [IV.51; VS 95] She also said, “Do not let the delight129 that those in the world take in wealth on account of its empty pleasures

120 She also said: SysAP4.49 Blessed Syncletica said. 121 Good judgment, moderation, and self-control: sophrosune is a difficult word to translate one-on-one, so I have used BDAG’s tripartite definition (987a). Lampe notes that the word is especially applicable to sexuality, hence “chastity” (1370a-1370b), which is how Castelli, 277, and Bongie, 21, translate the word. With my translation I wish to broaden the meaning in English. 122 These virtues: sophrosune again. 123 Those in the world: VS 24 those women in the world. Exercised: with politeuo Syncletica is implying a great deal more than “exercise” can carry. The verb is cognate with politei'a, a key monastic term: monastic/ascetic way of life; thus politeuo can mean “perform ascetic exercises” (Lampe 1114a-l 114b). Therefore, with what is coming up in the sentence, the word could be intentionally quite ironic “seem to be exercised.” 124 Bad judgment, immoderate behavior, and lack of self-control: aphrosune is the opposite of sophrosune (the -a at the beginning is a negative, an alpha privative, as in English “atypical”): lack of good judgment, “foolishness, lack of [good] sense” (BDAG 159a), so I’ve given the negative versions of “good judgment, moderation, and self-control.” VS 23 (Castelli, 277) also has this wordplay. See Mk 7:22 (NRSV: “folly”), where the term joins a long list of “evil intentions,” Jesus says, that come “from the human heart.” 125 It is a fact, kai gar. the Greek is very allusive here. “It is a fact” picks up the earlier use of kai gar, translated “to be sure,” thus reinforcing Syncletica’s point: earlier, those in the world, to be sure, seem to be exercising these virtues. 126 The structure of this sentence in Greek is A-B-A-B, with the sounds linking the words more explicitly than the English can: they look (A: horisin) in an unsuitable way (B: aprepos) and laugh (A: geldsin) in an irresponsible manner (B: atdktos). The Greek sentence is succinct: 7 words. See n. 128. 127 Wild beasts: a variant reading, PG 65.421-422 n. 58, has “animals,” as do SysAP IV.50 and VS 80. The idea here is clear, but the saying here has lost its context in VS 80 where Syncletica offers an extended (and somewhat convoluted) metaphor/allegory on lice and forest; see Bongie’s comment on pp. 80-81, n. 80. 128 This sentence in Greek also has an A-B-A-B structure; see n. 126. Prayer with fasting drives away evil thought: a variant reading, PG 65.421^122 n. 59, has “prayer with fasting repulses filthy and unclean [hrupards] thought,” as do SysAP IV.50 and VS 80. This saying is the last sentence in VS 80 and loses a vivid extended metaphor in the Life about lice, cleaning house, and fumigants. On “thoughts,” see nn. 52,78,93,271, and 285. 129 Delight: truphe is a very sharp double-edged sword: in addition to meaning “joy, delight,” it can mean “luxury, luxurious living”; “rioting, wantonness”; and “self-indulgence” (Lampe 1417b-1418a).

TIM VIVIAN 93 deceive130 you (sing.) into thinking that there is anything beneficial there. Those folk value culinary skills'31 while you yourself, through fasting and the use of frugal and simple things, surpass132 their plentiful foods.133 This is true because it134 says ‘A soul that takes delight makes fun of honeycombs.’135 Do not stuff yourself with bread and you will not desire wine.” 5. fVI.17; VS 30] Blessed Syncletica was asked whether it is a perfect good to go without possessions.136 She said, “Yes, it is perfect for those137 who are able to do it.138 To be sure, those who endure139 this do bear with physical affliction,140 but their souls have inward

130 Deceive: deilazo means "catch with bait, entice, deceive”; it is cognate with delear, "bait,” which has both literal and figurative uses. The idea here, then (at least linguistically), is that worldly delights lure the unsuspecting person. See Syncletica 7. Empty pleasures: a variant reading, PG 65.421-422 n. 62, lacks “empty,” as do SysAP IV.51 and VS 95. 131 Value: timac can also mean “honor, revere.” I3~ Surpass, hyperballo: 2 Cor 9:14 is apropos here: “the surpassing grace of God.” A variant reading, PG 65.421-422 n. 63, makes the present progressive indicative here an imperative (command), as do AP Sys 1V.51 and VS 95. 13 Foods: there may be a play on words here: “delight” is truphs and foods is trophdn, from trophi. 134 It: SysAP IV.51 scripture. Prov 'll'.! (LXX). SysAP IV.51, and VS 95, instead of truph£(i), “delight,” have plesmoni(i),"a soul that is satiated”; a variant reading, PG 65.421^122 n. 64, has “satiated with foods.” "Delight” could well be echoing its occurrence in the first sentence of the saying. Perfect good, teleios agathos'. in the NT both teleios and agathos have a moral sense. Teleios, “perfect,” can also mean “mature” (see Eph 4:13). See nn. 138, 170, and 195. An early reader or listener might have heard a nice irony: the plural of agathos, “good,” as in English, can mean goods, possessions. So, being without possessions is a good possession. Possess, ktdomai: living without possessions (ktsma), aktemSo. allows a person to live in (spiritual) poverty, aktemosune, a key monastic desire and virtue. Aktemosune does not occur in the NT, but the idea, even commandment, of it does; see, for example, Lk 8:36; 12:15, 33; Lk 14:33 (“possessions” is hyparchonta and “possess” is hyparcho). On possessions, see nn. 199 and 200. 137 In VS 30 the pronoun “those” here and in the next sentence is feminine plural, referring to women. 138 Those who are able to do it: a variant reading, PG 65.421^122 n. 65, has “those who are able to bear it,” perhaps assimilated from the next sentence. SysAP VI. 17 also has “those who are able to do it.” Instead of "perfect,” SysAP VI.17 and VS 30 have “good” (agathos). On “perfect," see nn. 136, 170, and 195. LW Endure: hypomeno\ see nn. 40 and 190 on hypomone. Physical affliction: literally “affliction in the body." "Physical” translates sdrx, “flesh, body, a key word in Paul s thought, as is "affliction,” thlfpsis. Second Corinthians, especially, emphasizes that affliction is temporary, that God will heal it (1:3,4, 8). 2 Cor 4:17 is key: “For this slight momentary affliction is preparing us for an eternal weight of glory beyond measure.” Burton-Christie, 218-219. points out how Syncletica understands “physical affliction” differently than Paul; for Paul the phrase is negative (1 Cor 7:28), while Syncletica “takes it to refer to voluntary poverty which, while undeniably difficult, leads to something of great value,” having a soul at peace.

94 ABR 71:1 - MARCH 2020 stillness.141 Clothing stiff with dirt is trodden on and twisted while being washed;142 in the same way, through voluntary poverty the soul that is strong is strengthened even more.”143 6. [VII.22; VS 941 Again she said,144 “If you (sing.) are living in a cenobium,145 do not leave it for another: this will cause you great harm. [424] Just as a bird that gets up and leaves her eggs causes them to not have a yolk and therefore become infertile,146 in the same way the faith of a monk or a virgin147 who wanders from place to place becomes cold and dies.”148 7. [VII.23; VS 98] She also said, “The Devil has numerous ways to ambush us.149 If he has not shifted the soul through poverty? He offers wealth as bait.150 If he does not prevail through insults and rebukes? He ostentatiously makes a show of offering compliments and the idea of glory. Has he been defeated by good health? He afflicts the body with illness. If he has been unable to beguile a person by offering pleasures, he tries to lead him astray by causing unwanted sufferings.151 It is a fact that he supplies certain grievous maladies as he wishes so that through them he can shake up those who because of them are growing faint-hearted in their love for God.”

141 Inward stillness, andpausis: SysAP VI.17 anesis, “rest, relaxation, relief’ (BDAG 77b-78a). Both words occur in the NT. See Mt 11:29: “Take my yoke upon you . . . and you will find rest [andpausis] for your souls.” Andpausis is a condition or state much desired by the monks; it means “repose, rest, refreshment,” “a result of training in practice of virtue.” It can mean “rest in eternity” and “tranquility, peace” (Lampe 115a-116a). See n. 230. 142 Washed: SysAP VI.17 and VS 30 washed and whitened; possibly from Rev 7:14. 143 See Zech 3:3-4. This sentence also has an A-B-A-B structure; the two parts (A-B, A-B) conclude with similar-sounding verbs: plunetai (washed) and kratunetai (strengthened). 144 Again she said: SysAP VII.22 Blessed Syncletica said. 145 Living in a cenobium, koinobion-. SysAP VII.22 if you are living in a cell (moni) in a cenobium; VS 94 Are you living in a cenobium? Koinobion (“life in common”) can indicate both “community” generally, as in Syncletica 16 and 17, and a cenobium, as in Syncletica 6, a formally organized monastery like that of the Pachomian Koinonia. See nn. 232 and 236. 146 Causes: the use of paraskeudzo has ironic implications here. Its use in the NT is always positive: “to cause something to be ready, prepare” (BDAG 771a). 147 Monk or a virgin: Syncletica 6 and SysAP VII.22; VS 94 virgin or monk. 148 Place: topos can also indicate a monastic community; the word here picks up topos in the first sentence, translated as “another (place).” 149 “Numerous” is the first word in the Greek sentence, thus emphatic; so too with “wealth,” “poverty,” “insults,” etc. Numerous ways to ambush us: the metaphor in SysAP VII.23 and VS 98 is completely different, “The Devil has numerous goads.” BDAG 539b—540a: “a pointed stick that serves the putpose of a whip, a goad.” The word can also mean “the sting of an animal.’ 150 Bait: see Syncletica 4. 151 Causing unwanted sufferings: SysAP VII.23 and VS 98 causing the soul unwanted sufferings.

TIM VIVIAN 95 But even when your body is cut and slashed by raging fever and is suffering with unquenchable thirst, 152 if you as a sinner bear up under these afflictions, keep in mind the retribution to come and the eternal fire153 and judicial punishments154 and by no means become faint­ hearted at the way things are now. Rejoice that God155 is exercising care and supervision over you, 156 and keep that renowned saying on your lips: ‘The Lord has disciplined and instructed me, 157 but he has not handed me over to death. ’” 158 “You have become iron, but through fire you are sloughing off iron’s rust. 159 And if you get sick even though you are righteous, you are advancing from great things to even greater ones. 160 You are gold, but through fire you are becoming even more tried and true. 161 A messenger was given to you with regard to the flesh. 162 Rejoice! Look at whom you have come to resemble! You have become worthy to share in Paul’s portion. 163 Through fiery fever you have been tried and tested; through shivering with cold you have been disciplined. 164 But

152 even when your body . . . thirst: VS 98 and SysAP VII .23 even when your body is cut and slashed and is consumed by a raging fire and is being afflicted with unrelieved and ungovemed thirst. 153 In Greek “fire” is pyr and "fever” is pyretos. 154 Retribution to come and the eternal fire and judicial punishments: see Mt 18 8- 25-41 46; Heb 10:29; Jude 1:7. 155 God: Syncletica 7 and SysAP VII.23; VS 98 the Lord. 156 Gare and supervision: see Mt 28:20. Episkopeo and its cognate nouns episkopg and episkopos (English "episcopal” and "bishop”) occur numerous times in the NT- see BDAG 379a-380a. Disciplined and instructed, paideuon. epaideuse: paideun (from pais, genitive sing. paidos, "child”) can also mean “discipline, with punishment,” “chastise” (Lampe 996b; BDAG 749a-749b), mostly of divine punishment; see Lk 23:16, 22 (of Jesus); Heb 12:6, 10b See n 164. 158 Ps 118:8 (LXX 117:18). Death: Syncletica 7 and SysAP VII.23; VS 98 death of/from/ because of sin. 159 See Ezk 24:11-12 (of Jerusalem); Mt 16:19-20. See John 14:12 where Jesus is also assuring: “the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these, because I am going to the Father.” Great things to even greater ones: SysAP VII.23 small things to greater ones. 161 Tried and true: as we see from Syncletica’s metaphors, dokimos is used of metals; the metallurgical term “assay” captures the sense. See Jer 9:7, Jas 1:12, and 2 Cor 10, among many. 162 This is an allusion to what Paul says in 2 Cor 12:7: “Therefore, to keep me from being too elated, a thorn was given to me in the flesh, a messenger [dngellos] of/from Satan to torment me. . . .” At the beginning of this saying Syncletica speaks of the works of the Devil. SysAP VII.23 makes the allusion clear by having “thorn,” and VS 98 makes it explicit: a messenger, Satan. 163 See Col 1:12. Portion: Syncletica 7 and SysAP VII.23; VS 98 gift. 164 Tried and tested, dokimazo. Disciplined,paideuo: see n. 157.

96 ABR 71:1 - MARCH 2020 scripture says ‘We went through fire and water and you have brought us to where we feel relief and can rest.’”165 “Have you been through the former?166 Wait for the latter.167 As you practice virtue, cry out the words of the holy one:168 he says ‘Poor and suffering am I.’169 You will become full-grown and mature170 through these two171 afflictions; this is so because it says ‘In affliction you have made me more open.’172 Rather than focusing on our troubles, let us train the soul with spiritual disciplines.173 Here is the truth: we can see the Adversary right in front of our eyes.”174 8. She also said, “If illness troubles us, let us not get distressed175 about it because, due to illness and damage to the body, we are not able to sing the psalms aloud as we normally do. To be sure, all these things have been prepared for us in order to subjugate our desires.176 Because of the pleasures we enjoy, fasting and sleeping on the ground have been prescribed for us. If, then, illness has blunted our desires for such pleasures, enough said. This is the great ascetic practice: to remain steadfast during times of illness and to offer up to God hymns of thanksgiving.”177

165 Feel relief and can rest, anapsyche: In Acts 3:11-26 Peter speaks from Solomon’s Portico; in 3:19 the cognate noun anapsyxis is soteriological and messianic, which could well be Syncletica’s intention here (see n. 167). See Ps 66:12 (LXX 65:12). You have brought us to where we feel relief and can rest: SysAP VII.23 and afterwards a place of refreshment was prepared (for us); VS 98 is being prepared. 166 This question could be a statement. 167 Or: Expect the latter, prosdokdo. In Mt 11:3 and Lk 7:19-20 the verb is soteriological and messianic, reinforcing Syncletica’s theme. 168 The holy one: SysAP VII.23 and VS 98 holy David. 169 Ps 69:29 (LXX 68:30). 170 Full grown and mature, teleios: or “perfect”; see nn. 136,138, and 195. 171 Two: SysAP VII.23 and VS 98 have “three” because their quotation of the Psalm has “Poor and suffering and in need am I.” The LXX version of the Psalm lacks in need. 172 In affliction: or “Through affliction,” Ps 4:1; see 2 Cor 6:11: “my heart is wide open.” 173 Train, askeo, cognate with askisis (English “ascesis,” “asceticism”): VS 98 especially with these exercises, let us train our souls. Askisis is a key monastic term and concept, originally a term in athletics; “disciplines” translates gymnasios, another athletic term (VS 13 progymnazo, “trained”). Lampe notes that the verb especially applies to training by affliction and in practicing and cultivating the virtues, both apposite here. See nn. 81, 214, and 223. Athletic terms and metaphors abound in the VS. 174 Adversary: Satan. Antipalos originally meant a rival in wrestling. The NT always uses didbolos. 175 Get distressed, lupeo\ or “become saddened.” 176 Subjugate: kathairesis can also mean “destruction, demolition”; “reduction ; abolition, removal” (Lampe 681b). 177 Hymns of thanksgiving: Sir 51:11 and2M acc 10:7.

TIM VIVIAN 97 8. [SysAP VII.24; VS 99]178 She also said, “If illness troubles us, let us not get distressed about it because, due to illness and damage to the body, we are not able to stand in prayer or sing the psalms aloud as we normally do. To be sure, all these things have been prepared for us in order to subjugate our desires. Because of the horribly shameful pleasures we enjoy,'79 fasting and sleeping on the ground have been prescribed for us. If, then, illness has blunted our desires for pleasure, enough said. Why do I say ‘Enough said1? These destructive, sinful failures180 have been laid to rest bv illness as if cured with a greater and stronger medicine ” “This is the great ascetic practice: to remain steadfast during times of illness and to offer up to the Almighty181 hymns of thanksgiving.” Are we losing our sight? Let us not take it as a burden: we have, cast away organs that look on everything with insatiable greed, but with inward sight we contemplate Ithe glorv of the Lordl as in a mirror.182 Have we become deaf? Let us give thanks that we have succeeded in casting away the empty and vain things we hear. Do we suffer from arthritis in our hands? But we have interior183 readiness and preparation to wage war against the Enemy.184 Does illness have a hold of one’s whole body? But with our interior selves health increases all the more.” 9. [VII.25; VS 102] Again she said, “While fasting,185 do not use illness as an excuse to stop: to be sure, those who do not fast often

178 Because SysAP V1I.24 and VS 99 differ considerably from, and are considerably longer than, Syncletica 8. I am including both versions, underlining here the additional or different words. 17,1 Horribly shameful: aischristos is a superlative adjective from aischros, “shame, disgrace” (LSJ 43a), so I have used both words to try to capture the sense. 180 Destructive, sinful, failures, olethriophora symptdmata: Lampe notes that olethros. destruction, is of a moral or spiritual nature” (947b); olethriaphnmx means “destruction­ bearing. Methodius of Olympus (d. 311) uses the word to describe humanity’s fall (Symposium 3.6). Symptoma originally meant “mischance, accident” and then “attack, onset”; it also, as with English symptom, became a medical term (LSJ 1686b). Lampe notes that in the 4th c. it could mean “fall into sin”; Gregory of Nyssa (c. 330-c. 395) uses it to describe the fall of Adam (1291a). 181 The Almighty: krei'tton (or km'sson) means “stronger, mightier, more powerful” (LSJ 993a) and, by the fourth century, came to designate God Almighty (Lampe 777a). 182 2 Cor 3:18. Guy has added “the glory of the Lord” from 2 Cor 3:18 and notes that the phrase occurs also in the Life of Syncletica 99, PG 28.1548D, which 1 have confirmed. 183 Interior, endothen: or “spiritual.” 184 Enemy: see Syncletica 9, 15 and S10; nn. 84, 188,223, 227,285, and 287. 185 While fasting: VS 102 and SysAP VII.25 Do you fast?

98 ABR 71:1 - MARCH 2020 often186 succumb to various kinds of sickness.187 Have you begun to do good?188 Do not [425] flinch now when the Enemy189 blocks your path; even he is made powerless by patient endurance.”190 “When those who set out sailing first encounter a favorable wind,191 they unfurl the sails; later, when they meet an opposing wind,192 the sailors do not abandon their sailing because they have happened upon it. They sit still193 for a while or even fight against the surging of the sea, and then once again continue sailing. It is the same with us: when an opposing wind comes against us, instead of unfurling sails let us set up the cross194 and freely complete195 our journey.”196

186 Often often: in the Greek text “often” is in the middle of the sentence, so it can be modifying either part of the sentence. It can read two ways: (1) those who do not fast, often succumb; (2) those who do not fast often, succumb. VS 102 and SysAP VII.25 lack “often." 187 Sickness: nosema can indicate spiritual sickness (Lampe 922b). 188 This question could be a statement. 189 Enemy, ho echthros: the Enemy, that is, Satan, the Devil. See Syncletica 8, 15 and S10; nn. 84, 184, 223, 285. and 287. Echthros carries “hateful, hatred, hostile” with it (Lampe 187b.2.5). Echthros as an appellation of the Devil does not occur in the NT; Acts 13:10 comes close when Paul there says to a magician, “You son of the Devil, you enemy [echthre] of all righteousness. . . ” SysAP XV.3 has “the Devil” instead of “the Enemy.” 190 Patient endurance: hypomonS occurs about 25 times in the NT, especially in Paul’s letters and the Pastoral Epistles (see BDAG I039b-I040a). and is an important monastic term and practice. See nn. 40 and 139. 191 Favorable wind, dexiospneuma: since pneuma can also mean “spirit/Spirit," the phrase also means “right spirit”; see Ps 51:10 (LXX: 53:12). 197 Opposing: although not in the NT, endntios in Patristic Greek can mean “hostile,” and as a noun can indicate the Devil (Lampe 464a). “Wind” here is dnemos, rather than pneuma. Syncletica later uses pneuma twice (translated as “it” once). 193 They sit still: Syncletica’s words continue to be allusively monastic. “Keep still” translates hesychazo, “keep silence,” in the monastic life tranquility conducive to prayer (Lampe 608b-609a). Its cognate noun is hesychia, which I render as “contemplative quiet” (Lampe 609a-610a). See Theodora 3 and n. 48. 194 Cross: staurds, occurs only 11 times in the SysAP (Guy, Les Apophtegmes III, “Index des mots Grecs," 428. In his First Apology 55, Justin Martyr (c. 100-c. 165) asks whether “all things in the universe . . . could be governed or held together in fellowship without this figure [that is, the cross]. For the sea cannot be traversed unless the sign of victory, which is called a sail, remain fast in the ship. . . .” In 55 Justin does not use staurds, but context makes it clear that the cross is what he is alluding to in several places and the translator is justified in glossing “it” prior to the quotation above with “[the cross].” See The First Apology o f Justin, the Martyr, trans. Edward Rochie Hardy, in Cyril C. Richardson, ed.. Early Christian Fathers (Philadelphia: Westminster, 1953), 1.278.1 wish to thank Rick Kennedy for this reference. The locus classicus for the hero bound to a mast is in Odyssey Book 12; see “The Mast that is the Cross,” in Hugo Rahner, S.J., Greek Myths and Christian Mystery (New York: Harper & Row, 1963), 371-390. As Rahner notes, 371-372, “If in the course of time Christians regarded the mast to which the immortal seafarer [Odysseus] was bound, as a symbol of the cross, they were by no means guilty of any forced or arbitrary association of ideas, nor would their pagan predecessors or contemporaries who sailed these same Mediterranean waters in the same kind of ships, ever have accused them of that.” 195 Complete, ekteleo: the root is tel-, as in telios, “perfect, whole.” See nn. 136, 138, and 170. 196 As we’ll see below, the sea is a favorite comparative device for Syncletica; see the discussion about her biography in the introduction to her sayings.

TIM VIVIAN 99 10. [X.101; VS 37197] She also said,198 “After they have acquired a great deal, those who accumulate material wealth199 through hard work and the dangers of the sea desire even more; they regard what they already have as nothing, and make every effort to acquire what they do not have.200 We, however, have nothing that others seek; because of our fear of God, we do not want to possess anything.”201 11. [XV.68|2"2 She also said, “Imitate the tax collector so you will not be condemned with the Pharisee,203 and choose the gentleness and humility of Moses in order to transform your flinty heart into springs of running water.”204 12. [X.104; VS 79] She also said, “It is dangerous for a person to teach205 who has not been raised up206 through practice and experience.207 For example, if someone with a dilapidated house208 welcomes strangers 209 he will harm his guests if his house collapses.210 It is the same with these teachers: if they do not first lay a foundation

197 The saying here is a very condensed and paraphrased version of VS 37. 198 She also said: SysAP X.101 Saint/Holy Syncletica said. 199 Material wealth: "m ateriar translates aisthetos, what is “sensible, that which the senses perceive" but, as Lampe catalogues, aisthetos can be opposed to the mental and spiritual (53a—53b). See n. 263. 21X1 Make every effort to acquire, epekteinomai: there is a striking irony here. Those who are acquisitive and greedy make every effort to lay their hands on the material things they do not yet have. In Phil 3:13-14. Paul too is making every effort, “straining forward [epekteinomenos] to what lies ahead.” But rather than wanting to acquire more material possessions, Paul is pressing “on toward the goal for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus.” Aktemosune, literally, “without possessions,” is a vital monastic virtue and practice; see nn. 136 and 201. 201 Possess, ktaomai: see nn. 136 and 200. 202 This saying is not in the VS; it combines, with variants, two sayings from the Adhortatio ad monachos 73-74 by Hyperechius. See James Vaughan Smith, “Resurrecting the Blessed Hyperechius,” Ph.D. Dissertation, Loyola University Chicago, 2003,119 (English), 220 (Greek). 203 See Lk 18:9-14. 204 “Flinty" looks ahead to “springs of running water” (see Ex 17:6). It can also refer to Josh 5:2; in his Commentary on John 6.45. Origen states that "the sons of Israel were circumcised with a flinty stone |= knife] by Jesus.” BDAG notes that the use of “spring” or “fountain” {pegs means both) in the NT can be “quite symbolic” (810b—811 a): “the spring of the water of life” (Rev 21:6) and "a spring of water welling up for eternal life” (Jn 4:14). 205 It is dangerous for a person to teach: SysAP X.104 and VS 79 It is dangerous for a person to attempt to teach. 206 Raised up: in the passive voice, as here, andgo can mean “esteemed,” that is, a person esteemed for his or her practice and experience. 207 Practice and experience, praktikos bios: these words taken together have a multitude of meanings. Praktikos means “practical and active" (Lampe 1127a) and bios can indicate "manner of life, conduct, behavior” and as a noun "good life” (Lampe 297a). “Practice and life experience,” though jarringly anachronistic, captures much of the sense. 208 Dilapidated house: I wish to thank John Wortley, Word, 305, for this phrase. 209 Welcomes strangers, xe'nos hypodechomai: see Gen 18:1-15; hypodechomai: see Lk 10:38, where Martha welcomes Jesus; Lk 19:l-10,Zacchaeus welcomes Jesus. See n. 219. 210 If his house collapses; SysAP X.104 lacks.

100 ABR 71:1 - MARCH 2020 for themselves,2" they will ruin those who come to them to be taught.212 With the teacher’s words, those who have come for teaching have been summoned for salvation but, instead, the teachers, through the evil way they behave, have wronged213 these combatants.”214 13. [X. 103; VS 64] Again she said, “It is good not to get angry but, if you do, Paul has not allowed you to hold on to this passion for even twenty-four hours.215 He said, ‘Do not let the sun go down.’216 You, then—would you wait until your whole life had set like the sun?217 Why do you hate the person who has caused you grief? It is not the person who has wronged you,218 but the Devil. Hate the illness, not the person who is ill.”219 14. [X.106; VS 26] Again she said, “The more progress220 athletes make, the greater an opponent221 they come into conflict with.”222

211 Lay a foundation: SysAP X.104 and VS 79: lay a safe foundation. There is a significant play on words here. “Lay a foundation” is oikodomeo and “house” earlier is oi'kos and oikema. See Mt 7:24,26. 212 Ruin: apollumi can also mean “destroy,” or it can mean “lose.” It occurs over 50 times in the NT, especially in the Gospels and Paul; see for example Rom 14:15 (“being injured”), Mt 2:13 (Herod looking to “destroy” baby Jesus), and Mt 12:14 (Pharisees conspiring to “destroy” Jesus). See nn. 248,256, and 268. 213 Wronged, adikeo: Or “harmed, damaged.” 214 Combatants: athletes: or “athletes,” which does not occur in the NT, but its cognate verb athleo does; see 2 Tim 2:5. A variant reading, PG 65.425^126 n. 74, has “disciples”; SysAP X.104 those in training/ascetics/monks, asketis\ VS 79 those assembled, sullegontes. On “ascetic” see nn. 81,173, and 223. 215 Passion, pathos. The “passions” (pathei) draw a person away from both God and neighbor; the image of a tractor hauling a person away is apposite because “tractor” derives from Latin traho, “to draw, drag.” The New Testament generally differentiates pathei from pathemata, “suffering” or “misfortune.” Apatheia, lack of (sinful) passion, is a key monastic concept, practice, and goal. 216 Eph 4:26: “Do not let the sun go down on your anger.” 217 Until your whole life had set (like the sun): SysAP X.103 until your whole life had been completed. It and VS 64 then have “Do you not know that he [Jesus] said, ‘Today’s evil [NRSV: trouble] is enough for today’?” 218 It is not the person who has wronged you: Syncletica 13 and VS 64; SysAP 10:103 It is not the person who has caused you grief; VS 64 It is not the person who has wronged you, but the Devil. 219 It seems that an editor has linked Syncletica 13 with Syncletica 12 with one word, or possibly two: the last word of 12 in the Greek text is “wronged,” and it occurs also at the end of 13. Another link, possibly, is with the root -deck in 12 a person welcomes strangers, hypodexamenos (from hypndechnmai): in 13 Syncletica asks the person if he or she will wait, ekdecheCi). See n. 208. SysAP confirms this link, putting these two sayings in Chapter X, “On Discernment.” 220 The more progress: that is, in the ascetic life. 221 The greater an opponent: SysAP X.106 the greater the opponents. 222 As the English shows, we have an extended athletic metaphor here: “athlete” (athletes) and “opponent” (antagonist's, English “antagonist”). See Syncletica 12 and nn. 74 and 160. Antagonisms, which in Patristic Greek can refer to the Devil, does not appear in the NT, but its cognate verb antagom'zomai does; see Heb 12:4: “in your (pi.) struggle (antagonizomenoi) against sin. .. .” See nn. 44,115 and 285.

TIM VIVIAN 101 15. [X.105; VS 100] Again she said. “There is also a form of ascetic practice that comes from the Enemy:223 his disciples practice this. How, then, do we discern224 godly and royal ascetic practice225 from the tyrannical and demonic?226 Clearly, it is a matter of a person’s ability and capacity.” “Let there be a single rule for you regarding fasting the whole time you are a monk: Do not fast for four or five days and then the next day break your fast by eating a lot of food.227 A lack of moderation is always deadly.22* Fast while you are young and in good health, because old age will bring with it weakness. While you are able, therefore, with regard to food store up treasure for yourself229 in order to find inward stillness when you are not able to store up treasure.”230 16. [XIV. 17; VS 100] She also said,23' “While we are living in community,232 [428] let us choose obedience over ascetic practice: the latter teaches disdain, while the former teaches233 humility.”234

223 The Enemy, ho echthros: see Syncletica 8, 9. and S10; nn. 84, 188, 285, and 287. Ascetic practice, askisis: see nn. 81, 173 and 214. 224 Discern: diakrino is cognate with diakrisis, “discernment.” See nn, 52,78, and 235. 225 Royal, basilikos: although not in the NT, in patristic Greek this adjective-as-noun can refer to God. In the NT, the cognate noun basileus can indicate the messianic king or God (BDAG 170a). 226 Demonic, daimoniodis: see Jas 3:15, “Such wisdom does not come down from above but is earthly, unspiritual, devilish [daimoniodis].” The text concerns discerning between wisdom that is “from above” (another,-, see Jn 3:3, 31; 19:11,23) and “wisdom” that is devilish and demonic. 227 Break (kataluo) your fast: Syncletica 15 and SysAP 105.1 have supplied “your fast”; VS 100: lose (hid) your ability (to fast). Eating a lot of food: SysAP X.105 and VS 100 continue “out of weakness: this delights the Enemy.” On the “Enemy,” see Syncletica 8 ,9 , and S10; nn 83 184, 188,223, and 285. 228 There is a play on words here: “lack of moderation” translates ametria (-a, “not,” + metron, “measure”), while “ability and capacity” renders summetrias (sun/sum, “with,” and metrias). The first, thus emphatic, word in the Greek sentence is “Always.” After “deadly,” SysAP X.105 continues: Do not remove and surrender your weapons, finding yourself exposed and easily captured. Our weapons are the body; our soul is the soldier, fake care of both, therefore, in anticipation of need and difficulty. See Rom 13:12 and n. 251 227 See Mt 6:20. 230 While you are able, therefore, with regard to food store up treasure for yourself in order to find inward stillness when you are not able to store up treasure: SysAP X.105 and VS 100 While you are able, store up treasure in order to find it when you are not able to. Inward stillness: andpausis. See n. 141. 231 She also said: SysAP XIV.17 Blessed Syncletica said. 2,2 Community: koinobion: or “in a community.” See nn. 145 and 236. 232 Teaches: SysAP XIV.17 and VS 100 promises (or: offers), epangellomai, a much-used word in the NT. 234 The latter . . . : literally “the one teaches disdain, while the other teaches humility.” Syncletica leaves ambiguous which teaches what, but it is a monastic commonplace that obedience teaches humility. At first, it is surprising that she says that ascetic practice teaches a monk to disdain others (one is tempted to translate “the latter can teach disdain,” but that may be facile amelioration), but her statement is a warning that the ego can overtake even the best intentions. See nn. 40,64,89,234, and 284.

102 ABR 71:1 - MARCH 2020 17. [XIV. 18; VS 101] She also said, “We have to govern the soul with discernment,235 and while we live in community236 not seek what we want nor, to be sure, be a slave to our own views,237 but rather obey our father in faith.”238 239We have handed ourselves over into exile.240 that is. we are now outside of worldly concerns. Let us. then, not seek those things that belong to the world from which we have been released. There we used to have fame and prestige, here we have reproach and disgrace: there we had as much food as we could eat,241 here we have a scarcity even of bread. 18. [XVIII.28; VS 28] She also said, “It is written: ‘Be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.’242 To be ‘wise as serpents’ means that we are not to lose sight of the assaults and cunning machinations243 of the Devil (this is so because like quickly recognizes like). ‘Harmless as doves’ indicates purity of practice.”244 SI,245 [11.27; VS 97] Amma Syncletica said, “Many people, when they are in the mountains,246 do things the way they do them while

235 With discernment, didkrisis: with the addition of one word, pase(i), VS 100 can read three ways: (1) with full discernment; (2) each day with discernment; (3) each day with full discernment. On “discernment,” see nn. 52,78, and 224. 236 Community, koindbion: see nn. 145 and 232. 237 Be a slave to, douleuo-. or “serve,” as Wortley, Give Me a Word, 306, translates. Doulos can mean “slave” or “servant,” but in Late Antiquity most servants were slaves; I have chosen, therefore, the stronger meaning. See Paul’s midrash-allegory of Sarah and Hagar, especially Gal 4:24-25 (doulelan and douleuei). In Mt 6:24 Jesus says “No one can serve [douleuo; or “be slave to”] two masters”; Lk 6:13 has “no slave [doulos] can serve [douleuo-, or “be slave to”] two masters.” 238 Father: VS 101 mother; SysAP XIV. 18 father. 239 SysAP XIV. 18 and VS 101 continue here. 240 Handed ourselves over: paradidomi occurs about 75 times in the NT, and has numerous meanings; the most apposite here, in addition to “hand/give over” are “entrust” (Mt 25:20, 22) and “hand over, turn in, give up” a person (in Lk 23:25 Judas “hands over,” or “betrays,” Jesus); see BDAG 761b-763a). Thus, what the monks are doing is an anti-betrayal, getting away from the world’s concerns—which include (Judas’) greed. 241 As much food as we could eat, adephagla: or “a glut of foods,” that is, gluttony. 242 Mt 10:17. She also said, “It is written: ‘Be wise as serpents and innocent as doves’”: SysAP XVIII.28 Saint/Holy Syncletica said, “Let us be ‘wise as serpents and innocent as doves,’ reasoning with craftiness against the traps that he lays.” Let us be: SysAP XVII1.28 and VS 28 Be wise. Reasoning, logismos: see nn. 52, 78, 93, 128, 271, and 285. Craftiness: panoUrgos means both “clever, astute,” in a good sense and, in a bad sense, “crafty, deceitful, cunning,” used of evil spirits, Arianism, and of Satan in the baptismal renunciation (Lampe 1003b). BDAG notes, “in our literature exclusively in an unfavorable sense” (754a). It appears that here, as with paradidomi above (n. 223), Syncletica is using Satan’s language against him. 243 Machinations, methodeias: SysAP XVIII.28 skills, technas. 244 Practice, prdxis: or “conduct” or “action.” See n. 247. 245 The texts for these 10 “S” sayings are in Guy, Recherches, 34-35 (see n. 35). 246 When they are in the mountains: or “although they are in the mountains.” Since “mountain” (dros) in Greek and as a loan word in Coptic can indicate a monastic community, she is clearly offering an allegory here of monastery and “the world” (“the city”).

TIM VIVIAN 103 in the city,"47 and get lost.48 It is possible while being with numbers of people to keep your thinking to yourself49 and, while being with numbers of people, continue to be a solitary250 in your disposition and understanding.” 52. [VS 101] She also said, “In the world, those who make a mistake and stumble,251 even if they do not do so intentionally, we throw into jail.252 So, let us, because of our sins, throw ourselves into jail253 in order that, through our voluntary recollection254 of what we have done, the punishment to come will be driven away.” 53. [VIII.24; VS 38] She again said,255 “Buried treasure, when someone makes it known publicly, disappears; in the same way, virtue, when it becomes known and famous and gets talked about by everyone, disappears from sight. Wax softens before a fire; in the same way, the soul, dissolved by praise, throws away everything it has toiled and suffered for.”256 54. [VIII.25; VS 78] She also said, “It is not possible to be plant and seed simultaneously; in the same way, it is impossible, while earthly power and glory lie all around us,257 to bear heavenly fruit.”258

247 Do: the verb pratto is cognate with praxis; see n. 244. 248 Lost: apollumi can also mean “perish.” Get lost: VS97 have gotten lost. Get lost___ It is possible: SysAP 11.27 get lost, and many people, while [or: although] they are in cities, do the things that those in the desert do, and are saved. It is possible___On apollumi see nn. 212 256 and 268. 245 Keep . . . to yourself: monazo, cognate with monachos, “monk,” can also mean “live in solitude,” “become a monk” (Lampe 876b-877a). 250 Solitary, monos; see the previous note. "5I Make a mistake and stumble: BDAG, 894b, defines ptai'o as “stumble, trip" and glosses its use in Rom 11:11: “The ‘stumbling* means to make a mistake, go astray, sin,” and uses “sins” in Jas 3:2a (NRSV: stumble). The cognate noun paraptoma, “a violation of moral standards, offense, wrongdoing, sin” (BDAG 770b) occurs in the Gospels and in Paul’s writings. 252 We throw into jail: VS 97 are thrown into jail. 253 Throw our sins into jail: VS 101 throw the sins themselves in jail. 254 Recollection, mneme: VS 101 judgment, gndrne. 255 She again said: SysAP VIII.24 Saint/Holy Syncletica said. ■"Wax: Ps 68:2-3 “as wax melts before the fire, let the wicked perish [apolointo < apollumi; see n. 212] before God. Throws away, apoballo\ S3 and VS 38; SysAP VIII.24 loses/ destroys, apollumi. See nn. 212, 248, and 268. 237 Lie all around us: perikei'mai can also mean “enclosed,” “be clothed with” (Lampe 1066a). 258 Bear fruit: karpophoreo occurs seven times in the New Testament. For Paul, fruit­ bearing is christological and soteriological: Christ “has been raised from the dead in order that we may bear fruit for God" (Rom 7:4).

104 ABR 71:1 - MARCH 2020 55. [XI.72; VS 22] She also said, “Children, we all want to be saved,259 but because of our own negligence ,26() we lose our salvation .”261 56. [XI.73; VS 25] She again said, “Let us be vigilant:262 it is through our senses,263 even if it is not what we want, that thieves enter.264 How can a house, when smoke is billowing outside and the doors are shut, not be blackened?” SI. [XI.74; VS 45] Again she said, “We need to put on all kinds of armor against the demons.265 We need to do this because they come from outside and are set in motion from within.266 The soul is like a ship: sometimes it is overwhelmed and sunk by huge waves 267 while at other times it sinks beneath the waves because of too much bilge water within, in the hold. It is the same with us, therefore: sometimes we get lost268 because of sins we commit outside in our everyday lives, while at other times we are led astray269 because of our interior thoughts. So, then, we have to both watch carefully for

259 We all want to be saved: SysAPXI.72 and VS 22 we all know what it means to be saved. 260 Negligence: Lampe defines ameleia as “carelessness, indifference, neglect,” and adds “especially moral indifference” (85b). See BDAG 52b. 261 We lose: apolimpano is a late form of apoleipo, “lose, forsake, abandon” (LSJ 206a), which SysAP XI.72 and VS 22 have, so one could justifiably use a stronger word here. See BDAG 115b. 262 Let us be vigilant, nipho: VS 25 But it is not possible to guard against these things [see VS 24] if we are continually appearing in public. In the NT nepho can also mean well-balanced, self-controlled, sober-minded” (the etymology is “not-drinking, sober”) (BDAG 672b). 263 Senses, aisthSsis. See n. 199. 264 See Mt 6:19-20. 265 Put on armor, hoplizo: see Eph 6:11-13; 1 Pt 4:1. BDAG points out that the cognate noun hoplon designates “a Christian life as a battle against evil” (716b). Paul especially uses the word this way: 2 Cor 6:7; 10:4; Rom 13:12. VS 45 lacks “against the demons.” 266 We need to do this . . . from within: VS 45 We need to do this because they charge inside and nothing worse is set in motion from outside. Set in motion, kinSuntai, the passive voice of kined: BDAG points out that the passive voice can be used intransitively: “move around” (545a). See Acts 17:28. See AlphAP Antony 22 on the body and soul’s movements. 267 : the text has esOthen, “from within,” but for sense and parallelism it should be exothen, “from outside”: exothen . . . endon (“within”) . . . exothen . . . endon. Both SysAP XI.73 and VS 25 have exothen; thus, I’ve made the correction. 268 Get lost: or “perish,” apollumi. See nn. 212,248, and 256. 269 Led astray, aphanfzomai: SysAP XI.74 defiled, miamo.

TIM VIVIAN 105 attacks from people270 on the outside and bail out the thoughts gushing forth from within.”271 S8. [XI.75; VS 46-47] She also said, “We are never free from cares here; it is as the scripture says: ‘Let the person who thinks he is standing watch out that he does not fall.’272 We sail in uncertain waters: the holy psalmist 73 says that life is a sea,274 but some parts of the sea are rocky, some are infested by wild beasts 275 and some are calm.” “We, then, seem to be sailing on the calm part of the sea while those living in the world are tossed about by the waves;276 so, too, we sail by day guarded by the sun of righteousness,277 [while they, out of ignorance, sail by night.]278 B u t-it is often possible that the person living in the world, sailing during winter and in darkness,279 can, by being vigilant,280 bring his own boat to safety.281 We, on the other hand, through negligence, although we are sailing in calm waters, by letting go of the rudder of righteousness can sink beneath the waves.”282

270 People, dnthropos: SysAP XI.74 and VS 45 spirits, pneuma. The Letter of Jude warns about false teachers who “are waterless clouds carried along by the winds; autumn trees without fruit, twice dead, uprooted; wild waves of the sea, casting up the foam of their own shame; wandering stars, for whom the deepest darkness has been reserved forever” (12-13). Syncletica’s point here is not cleai. she first warns about “sins we commit outside,” then about “attacks from people on the outside,” which comports with Jude. 271 Thoughts gushing forth, anabluzo: SysAP XI.74 and VS 45 immoral thoughts akatham'a. On “thoughts” see nn. 52, 78, 93, 128, and 285. With “within” (endon). Syncletica may be echoing the inner [eso] person/being [dnthropos]” in Eph 3:16: “strengthened in your inner being with power through [God's] Spirit. . . .” “From within” in Greek can use endon or esothen. 272 1 Cor 10:12. 273 The holy psalmist: SysAP and VS 46^47 the holy psalmist David. 274 See, perhaps, Ps 69:1-2 (LXX: 68:2-3). 275 Some parts of the sea are rocky, some are infested by wild beasts: SysAP XI.75 some parts of the sea are infested by wild beasts. “Wild beasts” can refer to fish in the sea Perhaps she’s thinking of sharks, or of Leviathan; see Ps 74:14, Is 27:1. 276 Are tossed about by the waves: SysAP XI.75 and VS 47 are in dangerous waters. See Mai 4.2. In Homily 2 on Psalm 67.6—7,” Origen offers a lengthy exegesis of the sun, both the “sun of unrighteousness" and the “sun of righteousness.” See Lorenzo Perrone, ed., Die neuen Psalmenhomilien: Eine kritische Edition des Codex Monacensis Graecus 314, Origenes Werke Dreizenter Band (Gottingen: Walter de Gruyter, 2015), 215-217; an English translation of Origen’s Homilies on the Psalms is forthcoming from Joseph Trigg in the Fathers of the Church series published by CUA Press. 274 The text lacks the phrase in brackets, which both SysAP XI.73 and VS 25 have. 279 Darkness: SysAP XI.75 danger. [80 By being vigilant: SysAP XI.75 and VS 47 by crying out and being vigilant. In De principiis (On First Principles) 3.1.19, Origen emphasizes free will. 282 Sink, buthizO: 1 Tim 6:9 is apposite here: “harmful desires that plunge [buthi'zo] people into ruin and destruction.”

106 ABR 71:1 - MARCH 2020 S9. [XV.66; VS 56] She also said,283 “Just as a ship cannot be built without nails, so too is it impossible to be saved without humility.”284 S10. [X.102; VS 40] She also said, “There is beneficial sorrow and there is deadly sorrow: useful sorrow is to lament one’s own sins and the illness of one’s neighbor285 in order not to fail in one’s resolve and plans but rather to lay one’s hands on perfect goodness.286 “But there is also a sorrow that comes from the Enemy, completely irrational, which has been called ‘acedia’ by some.287 Therefore, one needs to drive off this spirit with prayer and especially by singing psalms.”

283 She also said: SysAP XV.66 Blessed Syncletica said. 284 Humility, tapeinosophrune\ See nn. 40,64,89, and 284. 285 Illness, arrostia: or “weakness.” SysAP X.102 and VS 40 struggle/conflict (with Satan or with thoughts), agOnisia, cognate with agnmzomai; see nn. 44 and 222. On “thoughts,” see nn.52,78 ,9 3 ,1 2 8 ,and 271. 286 SysAP X.102 continues: these are the ways that a sorrow in accordance with God expresses itself; VS 40 these are the forms of sorrow that are genuine and good. 287 Acedia: See nn. 50 and 75. But there is also a sorrow . . . by some: SysAP X.102 and VS 40 But with regard to these matters, there is also a certain connection with the Enemy; he himself even implants sorrow, completely irrational, which has been called “acedia” by many. On “Enemy” see Syncletica 8,9, and 15; nn. 84,184,188,223, and 227.

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