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Sample PDF of “The Evergetinos,” Volume III of the First Book Religion/Theology ISBN 0-911165-26-6 THE EVERGETINOS Chrysostomos, Patapios, & Auxentios • THE EVERGETINOS: A COMPLETE TEXT Volume III of The First Book A Complete Text Volume III of One of the classic collections of Orthodox spiritual writ- ings, the Evergetinos is a source of inspiration, spiritual guid- The First Book ance, and insight into the lives of men and women who, dur- ing the first few centuries of Christianity, attained to the higest ideals of the spiritual life. In the spiritual laboratory of the Egyptian deserts, these seekers after salvation, enlight- enment, and union with Christ brought into sharp focus the teachings of the Apostles and the message of Holy Writ in their daily lives and activities. The stern, the loving, “fools THE EVERGETINOS for Christ”—all of the exemplars of Christian sainthood, the many inhabitants of the many mansions above, are to be found in the rich and profitable lives portrayed in this collec- tion. Also to be found are perfect models for every modern Christian who wishes sincerely to imitate those who have walked the path towards moral and spiritual perfection. Translated and Edited by • (2) III • C.T.O.S. Hieromonk Patapios This is the third volume of Book One of the Evergetinos and one of many forthcoming volumes in what will eventually and constitute the only English-language text of the complete col- Archbishop Chrysostomos lection. with Bishop Auxentios CENTER FOR TRADITIONALIST ORTHODOX STUDIES THE EVERGETINOS A Complete Text Volume III of The First Book Translated and Edited by Hieromonk Patapios and Archbishop Chrysostomos with Bishop Auxentios CENTER FOR TRADITIONALIST ORTHODOX STUDIES Etna, California 96027 1998 A NOTE ON THE TEXT AND TRANSLATION In our English translation of the EÈergetinÒw, we have used the 1977 edition of Archimandrite Matthew Langes’ four-vol- ume Greek text. This text has long been used by Greek readers and scholars, and is particularly helpful since it contains not only St. Nicodemos’ edited version of the original eleventh-cen- tury manuscript of the EÈergetinÒw but a careful rendering of these collected writings from and about the Desert Fathers into the modern Greek dialect. Indeed, we have worked with both the older and modern Greek texts. In some instances, loyalty to the older text has made the English translation clearer, since the modern Greek text often employs contemporary idioms, in expressing the complex Greek of the original text, that have no counterpart in English. In other places, the modern Greek text, which sometimes uses explanatory phrases to expand on the laconic original, has provided a better model for a clear English translation. Decisions in this regard have been the prerogative of the various translators, resulting in a text which nonetheless expresses a certain editorial consistency. The reader will note, too, that we have followed loyally the often idiosyncratic system by which passages are labeled in the Greek text of the EÈergetinÒw—a weakness with which he will simply have to deal. We have also avoided editorial addenda and any scholarly treatment of the manuscript tradi- tion of the EÈergetinÒw. Our purpose in this translation is to provide a readable text of the standard collection of the say- ings and aphorisms of the Desert Fathers as they are available today to the average Greek reader. Those seeking scholarly apparatus or material for a pedantic exercise in philological criticism would do well to look elsewhere. What we have done here addresses the priorities of the soul, not the vagaries of academic whim and desires for scholarly recognition. Of what profit, indeed, a satisfied mind, but an empty heart? Hypothesis XXX We should not regard the demons as causes of all the sins we commit, but rather ourselves; for the demons are unable to harm those who are attentive, since the help that comes from God is great; and that God allows wars in proportion to the strength of men. A. From the Gerontikon 1. Abba Anthony said that God does not unleash wars on this generation with the same vehemence as He did for the ancients; for He knows that the men of today are weak and lack stamina. 2. Abraham, a disciple of Abba Agathon, asked Abba Poimen: “What should I do when the demons war against me fiercely?” “Are the demons making war on you?” replied the Elder. “They do not make war on us, as long as we are doing our own wills; for our wills have become demons, and it is these that afflict us, in order that we may satisfy them. If you want to learn whom the demons warred against, know that it was against Moses and those like him.” 3. A brother asked Abba Pambo: “Why do the demons prevent me from doing good to my neighbor?” The Elder replied: “Do not say this; otherwise you are making God a liar. You should say rather: ‘I have no desire at all to do good to another person.’ For God, knowing our wicked- ness in advance, said in Holy Scripture: ‘I gave unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy’ (St. Luke 10:19).” 4. A brother asked Abba Sisoes: “What should I do about my passions and demons?” The Elder replied: “Every man is tempted by his ow “lust” (St. James 1:14). Evergetinos 97 5. St. Synkletike said: “The better athletes become, the stronger are the adversaries against whom they contend.” 6. Once, Abba Moses was severely beset by thoughts of fornication and, unable to sit any longer in his cell, he departed and confessed his thoughts to Abba Isidore. The Elder asked him to return to his cell. However, not wishing at all to listen to this advice, he replied to Abba Isidore: “I can no longer hold out, Abba.” The Elder then took Abba Moses with him and, after climbing onto the roof of the cell, said: “Look towards the west.” So he looked carefully in that direction and saw a host of demons provoking confusion and causing disturbance with their warmongering. Then Abba Isidore said again: “Now look towards the east.” When he turned to the east, Abba Moses saw countless hosts of Holy Angels surrounded in glory. The Elder then said to Moses: “There! These that you see are the ones the Lord sends to help the Saints who struggle. But the ones that you saw previously in the west are those who make war on them; our allies, therefore, are greater in number. This is why you should have courage and not be afraid.” After this Abba Moses gave thanks to God, took courage and returned to his cell. 7. An Elder said: “When a monk first renounces the world, the demons are not permitted to harass him vio- lently, lest he be startled and frightened and thus return quickly to the world. However, when, with the passing of time, he makes progress in ascetical labors, then bat- tles involving carnal desires and pleasures are unleashed against him. Whereupon the monk is distressed and feels the need to be humbled and to mourn, and to condemn and accuse himself for all the sins that he has committed and does commit. Stripped in this way by temptations, he learns patience, acquires experience and discernment, and takes refuge in God, thereafter, with tears. Then God 98 Evergetinos dispels the machinations of the enemy and little by little brings the monk to respite. Some, who have been remiss in their effort, have either killed themselves, out of their great distress, or have returned to the world, defeated by great grief.” B. From St. John Cassian Abba Serinos said that the demons do not in consort, at the same time, stir up all the passions in men, but each passion has its special and appointed evil spirit, which inspires the respective passion in men. Some evil spirits, that is, are delighted by the impu- rity, filth, and stench of pleasures, others, again, by blas- phemies; others rejoice in anger and rage, others in grief, others in vainglory, and others in arrogance. Each of these evil spirits prefers to incite incessantly that passion which he sees the soul gladly entertain. Likewise, they do not vex all men in the same way; nor do they sow their evil in all in a similar fashion, but variously and in proportion to the specific conditions presented by circumstances, persons, and places. Among themselves, the evil spirits either work together or, often, the one yields his place to the other, maintaining, for all that, neither conformity nor order, as such, in their rela- tions with each other. For, as Scripture says: “Thou wilt seek understanding from evil men, and wilt not find it; and our enemies are void of understanding” (Isaiah 56:11; Deuteronomy 32:31). In spite of this, the demons somehow achieve unanimity among themselves, in con- ducting their warfare against us, when they cede to each other, as we said, opportunities and places for arousing the passions. For nobody can be deluded by vainglory and inflamed by a desire for fornication at the same moment; nor, again, can he be inflated with arrogance and degraded by gluttony, nor laugh and guffaw like a foolish child and at the same time be provoked by the Evergetinos 99 goads of anger. But each one of the evil spirits must attack a man in the appointed order and make war on him in this way; and when it turns out that he is defeat- ed and withdraws from the embattled man, then he transfers the fight to another, more aggressive evil spirit.
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