Saint John Cassian-Cassian The EIGHT PRINCIPAL VICES . COLLATIO QUINTA Quae est abbatis Serapionis. de OCTO PRINCIPALIBUS VITIIS .

1.Carnal & Spir.Vice. 2.Christ-Victory. 3.Char.Vices. 4.Domino-Effect. 5.Vicious Subtypes. 6.Discover Own Weakness. 7.Grace 8.Original Gluttony 9.Moderate Fasting. 10.Alt.Model: Pride as First.

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CAPUT I. Adventus noster CHAPTER 1. Our arrival at Abbot Serapion’s ad abbatis Sarapionis cellam et inquisitio de cell, and inquiry on the different kinds of vices and generibus et inpugnatione the way to overcome them. vitiorum

I. In illo coetu 1. IN that assembly of Ancients and antiquissimorum senum fuit uir nomine Sarapion, Elders was a man named Serapion, adprime gratia discretionis ornatus, cuius conlationem especially endowed with the grace of operae pretium reor litteris tradere. Ambientibus enim discretion, whose Conference I think it is nobis ut de inpugnatione uitiorum aliqua disputaret, worth while to set down in writing. For quibus origines eorum et when we entreated him to discourse of causae manifestius panderentur, ita exorsus the way to overcome our vices, so that est. their origin and cause might be made clearer to us, he thus began.

CAPUT II. Narratio abbatis CHAPTER 2. Abba Serapion’s Discussion of [the ] Serapionis de octo principalibus vitiis. eight principal vices.

II. Octo sunt principalia 1. THERE are eight principal vices uitia quae humanum infestant genus, id est which attack the human race; namely: primum gastrimargia, first gastrimargia , which means quod sonat uentris gluttony , ingluuies, secundum fornicatio, secondly fornication , tertium filargyria, id est auaritia siue amor thirdly philargyria , i.e., avarice or the pecuniae, quartum ira, love of money, quintum tristitia, sextum acedia, id est fourthly anger , anxietas seu taedium cordis,

fifthly gloominess , septimum cenodoxia, id est iactantia seu uana sixthly acedia , i.e., listlessness or low gloria, spirits, octauum superbia. seventhly kenodoxia , i.e., boasting or vainglory ;

2 and eighthly pride .

[1] Distinction between Natural (carnal) and Spiritual Vices

CAPUT III. De duobus CHAPTER 3. Of the two classes of vices and their vitiorum generibus, et efficientia eorum fourfold manner of acting on us. quadripartita.

III. Horum igitur uitiorum 3. OF these vices then there are two genera sunt duo. classes. Aut enim naturalia sunt [1] For they are either natural to us as ut gastrimargia, gluttony, aut extra naturam ut filargyria. [2] or arise outside of nature as covetousness. But their manner of acting on us is fourfold. Efficientia uero [1] For some cannot be consummated quadripertita est. without an act on the part of the Quaedam enim sine actione carnali flesh, as gluttony and fornication, consummari non possunt, ut est [2] while some can be completed gastrimargia et fornicatio, without any bodily act, as pride and quaedam uero etiam sine vainglory. ulla corporis actione conplentur, ut est [3] Some find the reasons for their superbia et cenodoxia. Nonnulla commotionis being excited outside us, as suae causas extrinsecus capiunt, ut est filargyria covetousness and anger; et ira, [4] others are aroused by internal alia uero intestinis motibus excitantur, ut est feelings, as accedia and gloominess. acedia atque tristitia.

CAPUT IV. Recapitulatio de CHAPTER 4. A review of the passions of gluttony gastrimargiae et fornicationis passione, et and fornication and their remedies . curatione earum.

3 IIII. Et ut haec eadem non 4.1. AND to make this clearer not only solum disputatione quantum possumus breui, by a short discussion to the best of my sed etiam scripturarum testimoniis manifestiora ability, but by Scripture proof as well, reddamus, gastrimargia et fornicatio, cum naturaliter gluttony and fornication, though they nobis insint (nam nonnumquam etiam sine exist in us naturally (for sometimes they ullo animi incitamento spring up without any incitement from solius instigatione ac pruritu carnis oriuntur), the mind, and simply at the motion and materia tamen ut consummentur egent allurement of the flesh) yet if they are to extrinsecus et ita in effectum corporali actione be consummated, must find an external perueniunt. Unusquisque enim temptatur a propria object, and thus take effect only through concupiscentia. Deinde bodily acts. For “every man is tempted concupiscentia cum fuerit concepta parit peccatum, of his own lust. Then lust when it has peccatum uero cum fuerit consummatum generat conceived beareth sin, and sin when it is mortem . consummated begets death.” (James 1:14, 15) 2. Nam nec primus Adam 4.2. For the first Adam could not have per gastrimargiam decipi potuit, nisi escae materiam fallen a victim to gluttony unless he had habens in promptu abusus had material food at hand, and had used ea fuisset inlicite, nec secundus sine cuiusdam it wrongly, nor could the second Adam materiae inlicitatione temptatur, cum dicitur ei : be tempted without the enticement of si filius dei es, dic ut lapides isti panes fiant . some object, when it was said to Him: Fornicatio quoque quod non nisi per corpus “If Thou art the Son of God, command perficiatur, omnibus patet, that these stones be made bread.” (Matt. 4:3) ita de hoc spiritu dicente deo ad beatum Iob : et And it is clear to everybody that uirtus eius in lumbis, et potestas eius super fornication also is only completed by a umbilicum uentris . bodily act, as God says of this spirit to the blessed Job: “And his force is in his loins, and his strength in the navel of his belly.” (Job 40:16) 3. Ideoque haec specialiter 4.3 And so these two vices in particular, duo, quae ministerio carnis explentur, extra illam which are carried into effect by the aid spiritalem animae curam of the flesh, especially require bodily egent peculiarius etiam continentia corporali, abstinence as well as spiritual care of the siquidem ad retundendos horum stimulos non soul; since the determination of the mind sufficiat sola mentis

4 intentio (ut nonnumquam is not in itself enough to resist their solet aduersus iram seu tristitiam ceterasque fieri attacks (as is sometimes the case with passiones, quas etiam sine anger or gloominess or the other ulla carnis adflictione sola nouit expugnare mentis passions, which an effort of the mind industria), nisi etiam castigatio corporalis alone can overcome without any accesserit, quae ieiuniis, uigiliis et operis contritione mortification of the flesh); but bodily perficitur, hisque fuerit remotio localis adiuncta, chastisement must be used as well, and quia sicut amborum uitio, be carried out by means of fasting and id est animae et corporis generantur, ita superari vigils and acts of contrition; and to this nisi utriusque labore non must be added change of scene, because poterunt. since these sins are the results of vices of both mind and body, so they can only be overcome by the united efforts of both. 4. Et licet beatus apostolus 4.4. And although the blessed Apostle omnia uitia generaliter pronuntiauerit esse says generally that all vices are carnal, carnalia , siquidem since he enumerates enmities and anger inimicitias et iras atque haereses inter cetera and heresies among other works of the carnis opera numerauerit, nos tamen ad illorum flesh,(Cf. Gal. 5:19) yet in order to cure them curationes atque naturas diligentius colligendas and to discover their nature more exactly duplici ea diuisione distinguimus. Nam ex his we make a twofold division of them: for quaedam dicimus esse we call some of them carnal, and some carnalia, quaedam uero spiritalia. Et illa quidem spiritual. And those we call carnal, carnalia, quae specialiter ad fotum sensumque which specially have to do with pertinent carnis, quibus illa ita delectatur ac pascitur, pampering the appetites of the flesh, and ut etiam quietas incitet mentes inuitasque eas with which it is so charmed and nonnumquam pertrahat ad satisfied, that sometimes it excites the suae uoluntatis adsensum. mind when at rest and even drags it against its will to consent to its desire. 5. De quibus beatus 4.5. Of which the blessed Apostle says: apostolus in quibus, ait, et nos omnes aliquando “In which also we all walked in time conuersati sumus in past in the desires of our flesh, fulfilling desideriis carnis nostrae, facientes uoluntatem the will of the flesh and of our thoughts, carnis et cogitationum, et eramus natura filii irae and were by nature children of wrath sicut et ceteri . Spiritalia uero dicimus, quae

5 instinctu animae solius even as the rest.” (Eph. 2:3) But we call orta non solum nihil uoluptatis conferunt carni, those spiritual which spring only from sed etiam grauissimis eam the impulse of the mind and not merely languoribus adficientia miserrimae iucunditatis contribute no pleasure to the flesh, but pastu animam tantum nutriunt aegrotantem. Et actually bring on it a weakness that is idcirco haec quidem simplici cordis indigent harmful to it, and only feed a diseased medicina, quae autem carnalia sunt, non nisi mind with the food of a most miserable duplici quemadmodum pleasure. And therefore these need a diximus ad sanitatem curatione perueniunt. Unde single medicine for the heart: but those puritati studentibus plurimum confert, ut harum which are carnal can only be cured, as carnalium passionum ipsas materias sibi primitus we said, by a double remedy. Whence it subtrahant, quibus potest uel occasio uel recordatio is extremely useful for those who aspire earundem passionum to purity, to begin by withdrawing from aegrotanti adhuc animae generari. themselves the material which feeds these carnal passions, through which opportunity for or recollection of these same desires can arise in a soul that is still affected by the evil. 6. Necesse est enim ut 4.6. For a complicated disease needs a morbo duplici duplex adhibeatur curatio. Nam complicated remedy. For from the body corpori, ne concupiscentia the object and material which would in effectum temptet prorumpere, necessario allure it must be withdrawn, for fear lest effigies et materia inliciens subtrahenda est, et animae the lust should endeavour to break out nihilominus, ne eam uel cogitatione concipiat, into act; and before the mind we should adtentior meditatio scripturarum et sollicitudo no less carefully place diligent peruigil ac remotio meditation on Scripture and watchful solitudinis utiliter adponenda. In ceteris anxiety and the withdrawal into solitude, autem uitiis humana consortia nihil obsunt, quin lest it should give birth to desire even in immo etiam plurimum conferunt his qui carere eis thought. But as regards other vices in ueritate desiderant, quia frequentia hominum magis intercourse with our fellows is no arguuntur, et dum lacessita obstacle, or rather it is of the greatest crebrius manifestantur, celeri medicina perueniunt possible use, to those who truly desire to ad salutem. get rid of them, because in mixing with

6 others they more often meet with rebuke, and while they are more frequently provoked the existence of the vices is made evident, and so they are cured with speedy remedies.

[2] Christ, Archetype of Victory Over Temptation

CAPUT V. Quomodo CHAPTER 5. How our Lord alone was tempted Dominus noster solus absque peccato tentatus sit without sin.

V. Ideoque dominus noster 5. AND so our Lord Jesus Christ, Iesus Christus, cum apostoli pronuntietur though declared by the Apostle’s word sententia temptatus fuisse per omnia secundum to have been tempted in all points like as similitudinem nostram , diciter tamen absque we are, is yet said to have been “without peccato, id est absque (Heb. 4:15) huius passionis contagio, sin,” i.e., without the infection of nequaquam scilicet this appetite, as He knew nothing of aculeos concupiscentiae carnalis expertus, quibus incitements of carnal lust, with which we nos necesse est etiam ignorantes inuitosque are sure to be troubled even against our conpungi, quippe cui nulla inerat similitudo will and without our knowledge;for the seminationis uel conceptionis humanae, ita archangel thus describes the manner of rationem conceptus eius His conception: “The Holy Ghost shall archangelo nuntiante : spiritus sanctus come upon thee and the power of the superueniet in te, et uirtus altissimi obumbrabit tibi : Most High shall overshadow thee: ideo et quod ex te nascetur sanctum uocabitur filius therefore that which shall be born of thee dei . shall be called holy, the Son of God.” (Luke 1:35)

CAPUT VI. De ratione CHAPTER 6. Of the manner of the temptation in tentationis qua a diabolo tentatus est Dominus. which our Lord was attacked by the devil.

7 VI. In illis enim passionibus 6.1 FOR it was right that He who was in etiam ipse temptari debuit incorruptam imaginem dei possession of the perfect image and ac similitudinem possidens, in quibus et likeness of God should be Himself Adam temptatus est, cum adhuc in illa inuiolata dei tempted through those passions, through imagine perduraret, hoc est which Adam also was tempted while he still retained the image of God unbroken, that is, through gastrimargia, [1] gluttony, cenodoxia, [2] vainglory, superbia, [3] pride; non in quibus post and not through those in which he was preuaricationem mandati imagine dei ac similitudine by his own vice entangled and involved uiolata suo iam uitio after the transgression of the deuolutus inuoluitur. commandment, when the image and likeness of God was marred. Gastrimargia namque est [1] For it was gluttony through which qua interdicti ligni he took the fruit of the forbidden praesumit edulium, cenodoxia qua dicitur : tree, aperientur oculi uestri , superbia qua dicitur : eritis [2] vainglory through which it was said sicut dii, scientes bonum et malum. “Your eyes shall be opened,” [3] and pride through which it was said “You shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.” (Gen. 3:5) 2. In his ergo tribus uitiis 6.2. With these three sins then we read etiam dominum saluatorem that the Lord our Savior was also legimus fuisse temptatum, tempted; gastrimargia, cum dicitur ei [1] with gluttony when the devil said to a diabolo : dic ut lapides Him: “Command these stones that isti panes fiant , they be made bread:” cenodoxia : si filius dei es, [2] with vainglory: “If Thou art the Son mitte te deorsum , of God cast Thyself down:” superbia, cum ostendens [3] with pride, when he showed him all illi omnia regna mundi et

8 eorum gloriam dicit : haec the kingdoms of the world and the tibi omnia dabo, si cadens glory of them and said: “All this will adoraueris me , I give to Thee if Thou wilt fall down and worship me:” ut isdem quibus ille in order that He might by His example temptationum lineis adpetitus nos quoque teach us how we ought to vanquish the quemadmodum tempter when we are attacked on the temptatorem uincere deberemus suo doceret same lines of temptation as He was. And exemplo. Ideoque et ille Adam dicitur et iste Adam, so both the former and the latter are ille primus ad ruinam et mortem, hic primus ad spoken of as Adam; the one being the resurrectionem et uitam. first for destruction and death, and the other the first for resurrection and life. 3. Per illum omne genus 6.3. Through the one the whole race of hominum condemnatur, per istum omne genus mankind is brought into condemnation, hominum liberatur. Ille de through the other the whole race of rudi atque intacta fingitur terra, hic de Maria uirgine mankind is set free. The one was procreatur. Huius ergo ut suscipere eum fashioned out of raw and unformed temptationes oportuit, ita excedere necessarium non earth, the other was born of the Virgin fuit. Nec enim qui gastrimargiam uicerat Mary. In His case then though it was poterat fornicatione fitting that He should undergo temptari, quae ex illius abundantia ac radice temptation, yet it was not necessary that procedit, qua ne ille quidem primus Adam He should fail under it. Nor could He fuisset elisus, nisi ante generatricem eius who had vanquished gluttony be tempted passionem deceptus inlecebris diaboli by fornication, which springs from recepisset. Et ob hoc filius superfluity and gluttony as its root, with dei non absolute in carne peccati uenisse dicitur, sed which even the first Adam would not in similitudine carnis peccati . Quia, cum esset in have been destroyed unless before its eo uera caro, manducans scilicet et bibens et birth he had been deceived by the wiles dormiens, clauorum quoque confixionem in of the devil and fallen a victim to ueritate suscipiens, passion. And therefore the Son of God is peccatum eius quod praeuaricatione contraxit not said absolutely to have come “in the uerum non habuit sed flesh of sin,” but “in the likeness of the imaginarium. flesh of sin,” because though His was

9 true flesh and He ate and drank and slept, and truly received the prints of the nails, there was in Him no true sin inherited from the fall, but only what was something like it. 4. Non enim ignitos 6.4. For He had no experience of the fiery aculeos concupiscentiae carnalis expertus est, qui darts of carnal lust, which in our case etiam nolentibus nobis arise even against our will, from the natura iam administrante consurgunt, sed huius constitution of our natures, but He took quandam similitudinem naturam participando upon Him something like this, by suscepit. Nam cum omnia quae officii nostri sunt in sharing in our nature. For as He truly ueritate conpleret et uniuersas infirmitates fulfilled every function which belongs to gestaret humanas, us, and bore all human infirmities, He consequenter huic quoque passioni putatus est has consequently been considered to subiacere, ut per has infirmitates etiam have been subject to this feeling also, conditionem huius quoque uitii atque peccati uideretur that He might appear through these in sua carne portare. infirmities to bear in His own flesh the state even of this vice and sin. 5. Denique in his eum 6.5. Lastly the devil only tempted Him to tantummodo uitiis diabolus temptat, in quibus et illum those sins, by which he had deceived the primum deceperat, first Adam, inferring that He as man coniciens hunc quoque uelut hominem similiter in would similarly be deceived in other ceteris inludendum, si eum in illis quibus priorem matters if he found that He was deicerat sensisset elisum. Uerum ei secundum iam overcome by those temptations by which morbum, qui de radice principalis uitii pullularat , he had overthrown His predecessor. But primo certamine as he was overthrown in the first confutatus inferre non potuit. Uidebat enim encounter he was not able to bring upon nullatenus eum initialem causam huius aegritudinis Him the second infirmity which had shot suscepisse eratque superfluum sperari ab eo up as from the root of the first vice. For fructum peccati, cuius eum semina uel radices nullo he saw that He had not even admitted modo recepisse cernebat. anything from which this infirmity might take its rise, and it was idle to hope for the fruit of sin from Him, as he saw that

10 He in no sort of way received into Himself seeds or roots of it. 6. Licet secundum Lucan, 6.6. Yet according to Luke, who places qui postremam temptationem illam ponit in last that temptation in which he uses the qua dicitur : si filius dei es, words “If Thou art the Son of God, cast mitte te deorsum, haec superbiae passio possit Thyself down,” (Luke 4:9) we can intellegi, ita ut illa superior quam Matthaeus tertiam understand this of the feeling of pride, so ponit , in qua iuxta praedictum Lucan that that earlier one, which Matthew euangelistam omnia ei regna mundi in puncto places third, in which, as Luke the temporis ostendens evangelist says, the devil showed Him diabolus repromittit, accipiatur passio all the kingdoms of the world in a filargyriae, quod scilicet post gastrimargiae moment of time and promised them to uictoriam fornicatione eum temptare non praeualens Him, may be taken of the feeling of ad filargyriam transierit , quam radicem esse covetousness, because after His victory malorum omnium nouerat, over gluttony, he did not venture to in qua iterum superatus nullum ei uitium ex his tempt Him to fornication, but passed on quae sequebantur eam ausus ingerere, quippe to covetousness, which he knew to be quae nouerat de eius radice ac fomite pullulare, the root of all evils, (1 Tim. 6:10) and when ad extremam superbiae transilierit passionem, qua again vanquished in this, he did not dare nouerat etiam perfectos attack Him with any of those sins which quosque deuictis omnibus uitiis posse pulsari, qua follow, which, as he knew full well, etiam uel se ipsum, cum esset Lucifer, uel spring from this as a root and source; conplures alios absque ullo incitamento and so he passed on to the last passion; praecedentium passionum de caelestibus meminerat viz., pride, by which he knew that those conruisse. who are perfect and have overcome all other sins, can be affected, and owing to which he remembered that he himself in his character of Lucifer, and many others too, had fallen from their heavenly estate, without temptation from any of the preceding passions. 7. Iuxta hunc ergo quem 6.7. In this order then which we have praediximus ordinem, qui ab euangelista Luca mentioned, which is the one given by the describitur, etiam ipsa

11 inlicitatio et figura evangelist Luke, there is an exact temptationum, quibus uel illum primum uel istum agreement between the allurements and secundum Adam forms of the temptations by which that callidissimus adgreditur inimicus, elegantissime most crafty foe attacked both the first congruit. Illi namque dicit : aperientur oculi uestri, huic and the second Adam. For to the one he ostendit omnia regna mundi et gloriam eorum . said “Your eyes shall be opened;” (Cf. Gen. Ibi dicit : eritis sicut dii, hic 3:5) to the other “he showed all the : si filius dei es . kingdoms of the world and the glory of them.” (Matt. 4:6, 8) In the one case he said “Ye shall be as gods;” (Cf. Gen. 3:5) in the other, “If Thou art the Son of God.” (Matt. 4:6, 8)

[3] Unique Characteristics of the Six Spiritual Vices

CAPUT VII. De CHAPTER 7. How vainglory and pride can be consummatione cenodoxiae et superbiae sine ministerio consummated without any assistance from the body. corporali.

VII. Et ut de efficientiis 7.1. AND to go on in the order which we ceterarum quoque passionum, quarum proposed, with our account of the way in narrationem intercidere nos expositio which the other passions act (our gastrimargiae uel dominicae temptationis analysis of which was obliged to be necessario conpulit, eodem quo interrupted by this account of gluttony proposueramus ordine and of the Lord’s temptation) vainglory disseramus, cenodoxia atque superbia etiam sine and pride can be consummated even ullo consummari solent ministerio corporali. In quo without the slightest assistance from the enim egent actione carnali, quae pro coniuentia et body. For in what way do those passions uoluntate sola conquirendae laudis et need any action of the flesh, which bring humanae gloriae ample destruction on the soul they take consequendae abunde ruinam generant animae captive simply by its assent and wish to captiuatae? gain praise and glory from men? 2. Aut quem effectum 7.2. Or what act on the part of the body habuit corporalem praedicti Luciferi illius

12 antiqua superbia, nisi quod was there in that pride of old in the case eam tantummodo animo et cogitatione concepit, ita of the above mentioned Lucifer; as he propheta commemorante : only conceived it in his heart and mind, qui dicebas in corde tuo : in caelum conscendam, as the prophet tells us: “Who saidst in super astra dei ponam solium meum. Ascendam thine heart: I will ascend into heaven, I super altitudinem nubium, ero similis altissimo ? Qui will set my throne above the stars of sicut huius superbiae neminem habuit God. I will ascend above the heights of incentorem, ita ei the clouds, I will be like the most consummationem criminis ruinaeque perpetuae High.” (Is. 14:13, 14) And just as he had no cogitatio sola perfecit, et quidem cum affectatae one to stir him up to this pride, so his tyrannidis nulla fuerint thoughts alone were the authors of the opera subsecuta. sin when complete and of his eternal fall; especially as no exercise of the dominion at which he aimed followed.

CAPUT VIII. De philargyria, CHAPTER 8. Of covetousness, which is quod extra naturam sit, et quid intersit inter ipsam et something outside our nature, and of the difference naturalia vitia. between it and those vices which are natural to us.

VIII. Filargyria et ira licet 8.1. COVETOUSNESS and anger, non sint unius naturae (nam prior extra naturam although they are not of the same est, sequens uero originale uidetur in nobis character (for the former is something seminarium possidere), simili tamen oriuntur modo outside our nature, while the latter seems : extrinsecus siquidem causas conmotionis to have as it were its seed plot within us) plerumque concipiunt. yet they spring up in the same way, as in Etenim frequenter hi qui adhuc infirmiores sunt uel most instances they find the reasons for inritatione uel instinctu quorundam in haec se their being stirred in something outside corruisse uitia conqueruntur ac of us. For often men who are still rather praecipitatos se uel ad iracundiam uel ad weak complain that they have fallen into filargyriam aliorum these sins through irritation and the prouocatione causantur. Quod autem extra naturam instigation of others, and are plunged sit filargyria, hinc liquido peruidetur, quia nec headlong into the passions of anger and originale probatur in nobis habere principium nec de covetousness by the provocation of other materia concipitur, quae

13 pertingit ad animae uel people. But that covetousness is carnis participationem something outside our nature, we can uitaeque substantiam. clearly see from this; viz., that it is proved not to have its first starting point inside us, nor does it originate in what contributes to keeping body and soul together, and to the existence of life 2. Nihil enim ad usum ac 8.2. For it is plain that nothing belongs to necessitatem naturae conmunis praeter escam the actual needs and necessities of our cotidianam ac potum common life except our daily meat and certum est peruenire. Reliquae uero uniuersae drink: but everything else, with whatever materiae quantolibet studio atque amore seruentur, zeal and care we preserve it, is shown to alienae tamen ab humana indigentia etiam usu uitae be something distinct from the wants of ipsius adprobantur. Ideoque hoc uelut extra man by the needs of life itself. And so naturam exsistens non nisi this temptation, as being something tepidos ac male fundatos monachos pulsat, quae outside our nature, only attacks those autem naturalia sunt etiam probatissimos monks who are but lukewarm and built monachorum et quidem in solitudine conmorantes on a bad foundation, whereas those adtemptare non desinunt. which are natural to us do not cease from troubling even the best of monks and those who dwell in solitude. 3. Et in tantum hoc 8.3. And so far is this shown to be true, uerissimum conprobatur, ut etiam gentes nonnullas that we find that there are some nations ab hac passione, id est who are altogether free from this passion filargyriae, liberas omnimodis agnoscamus, of covetousness, because they have quia nequaquam uitii huius aegritudinem usu et never by use and custom received into consuetudine receperunt. Illum quoque priorem themselves this vice and infirmity. And mundum qui ante diluuium fuit diutissime we believe that the old world before the concupiscentiae huius flood was for long ages ignorant of the rabiem credimus ignorasse. Quae etiam in madness of this desire. And in the case unoquoque nostrum recte abrenuntiante sine ullo of each one of us who makes his labore probatur extingui, cum scilicet uniuersis quis renunciation of the world a thorough facultatibus abiectis ita expetierit coenobii one, we know that it is extirpated disciplinam, ut ex eis ne

14 unum quidem denarium without any difficulty, if, that is, a man sibimet superesse patiatur. gives up all his property, and seeks the monastic discipline in such a way as not to allow himself to keep a single farthing. 4. Cuius rei testes multa 8.4. And we can find thousands of men to hominum milia possumus inuenire, qui cum sub bear witness to this, who in a single momento breuissimo moment have given up all their property, dispersis omnibus substantiis suis ita hanc and have so thoroughly eradicated this eradicauerint passionem, ut ne tenuiter quidem ab ea passion as not to be in the slightest pulsentur ulterius, nihilominus omni tempore degree troubled by it afterwards, though contra gastrimargiam pugnantes, nisi ingenti all their life long they have to fight circumspectione cordis et against gluttony, and cannot be safe abstinentia corporis dimicarint, securi esse non from it without striving with the utmost possunt. watchfulness of heart and bodily abstinence.

CAPUT IX. Quod tristitia et CHAPTER 9. How gloominess and acedia acedia nulla provocatione extrinsecus generentur, generally arise without any external provocation, as sicut alia vitia. in the case of other vices.

VIIII. Tristitia et acedia nulla 9. GLOOMINESS and accedia quemadmodum superiora diximus accedente generally arise without any external extrinsecus prouocatione generari solent. Nam provocation, like those others of which solitarios quoque et in heremo constitutos we have been speaking: for we are well nullique humano conmixtos consortio aware that they often harass solitaries, frequenter atque and those who have settled themselves amarissime uexare noscuntur. Quod esse in the desert without any intercourse uerissimum, quisque fuerit in solitudine conmoratus et with other men, and this in the most pugnas hominis interioris expertus, ipsis distressing way. And the truth of this experimentis perfacile any one who has lived in the desert and conprobabit. made trial of the conflicts of the inner man, can easily prove by experience.

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[4] How the Vices Cascade into (and reinforce) One Another

CAPUT X. De sex vitiorum CHAPTER 10 . How six of these vices are related, concordia, et duorum ab eis dissidentium cognatione. and the two which differ from them are akin to one another.

X. Haec igitur octo uitia 10.1. OF these eight vices then, although licet diuersos ortus ac dissimiles efficientias they are different in their origin and in habeant, sex tamen priora, id est gastrimargia, their way of affecting us, yet the six fornicatio, filargyria, ira, tristitia, acedia quadam former; viz., gluttony, fornication, inter se cognatione et ut ita dixerim concatenatione covetousness, anger, gloominess, acedia, conexa sunt, ita ut prioris have a sort of connexion with each exuberantia sequenti efficiatur exordium. other, and are, so to speak, linked together in a chain, so that any excess of the one forms a starting point for the next. Nam de abundantia [1] For from superfluity of gluttony gastrimargiae fornicationem, de [2] fornication is sure to spring, and fornicatione from fornication filargyriam, de filargyria [3] covetousness, from covetousness iram, de ira [4] anger, from anger, tristitiam, de tristitia [5] gloominess, and from gloominess, acediam [6] acedia. necesse est pullulare. And so we must fight against them in the Ideoque simili contra haec modo atque eadem ratione same way, and with the same methods: pugnandum est et a and having overcome one, we ought praecedentibus semper aduersus sequentes always to enter the lists against the next. oportet nos inire certamina. 2. Facilius enim cuiuslibet 10.2. For a tall and spreading tree of a arboris noxia latitudo ac proceritas exarescet, si noxious kind will the more easily be antea radices eius quibus made to wither if the roots on which it innitur uel nudatae fuerint uel succisae, et infestantes depends have first been laid bare or cut; umores aquarum continuo siccabuntur, cum

16 generator earum fons ac and a pond of water which is dangerous profluentes uenae sollerti industria fuerint obturatae. will be dried up at once if the spring and Quamobrem ut acedia flowing channel which produce it are uincatur, ante superanda tristitia est : ut tristitia carefully stopped up. Wherefore in order propellatur, ira prius est extrudenda : ut extinguatur to overcome acedia, you must first get ira, filargyria calcanda est : ut euellatur filargyria, the better of gloominess: in order to get fornicatio conpescenda est : ut fornicatio subruatur, rid of gloominess, anger must first be gastrimargiae est uitium expelled: in order to quell anger, castigandum. covetousness must be trampled under foot: in order to root out covetousness, fornication must be checked: and in order to destroy fornication, you must chastise the sin of gluttony. 3. Residua uero duo, id est 10.3. But the two remaining vices; viz., cenodoxia et superbia sibi quidem similiter illa qua de vainglory and pride, are connected superioribus uitiis diximus together in a somewhat similar way as ratione iunguntur, ita ut incrementum prioris ortus the others of which we have spoken, so efficiatur alterius (cenodoxiae enim that the growth of the one makes a exuberantia superbiae fomitem parit), sed ab illis starting point for the other (for sex prioribus uitiis penitus dissident nec simili cum superfluity of vainglory produces an eis societate foederantur, incentive to pride); but they are siquidem non solum nullam ex illis occasionem altogether different from the six former suae generationis accipiant, sed etiam vices, and are not joined in the same contrario modo atque ordine suscitentur. Nam category with them, since not only is illis euulsis haec uehementius fruticant et there no opportunity given for them to illorum morte uiuacius spring up from these, but they are pullulant atque subcrescunt. Unde etiam actually aroused in an entirely different diuerso modo ab his way and manner. For when these others duobus uitiis inpugnamur. have been eradicated these latter flourish the more vigorously, and from the death of the others they shoot forth and grow up all the stronger: and therefore we are attacked by these two vices in quite a

17 different way. 4. In unumquodque enim 10.4. For we fall into each one of those illorum sex uitiorum tunc incidimus, cum a six vices at the moment when we have praecedentibus eorum been overcome by the ones that went fuerimus elisi, in haec uero duo uictores et uel maxime before them; but into these two we are in post triumphos periclitamur incurrere. danger of falling when we have proved Omnia igitur uitia, quemadmodum incremento victorious, and above all after some praecedentium generantur, ita illorum deminutione splendid triumph. In the cases then of all purgantur. Et hac ratione ut vices just as they spring up from the superbia possit explodi, cenodoxia est growth of those that go before them, so praefocanda, et ita semper prioribus superatis are they eradicated by getting rid of the sequentia conquiescent et extinctione praecedentium earlier ones. And in this way in order residuae passiones absque that pride may be driven out vainglory labore marcescent. must be stifled, and so if we always overcome the earlier ones, the later ones will be checked; and through the extermination of those that lead the way, the rest of our passions will die down without difficulty. 5. Et licet haec quae 10.5. And though these eight vices of praediximus octo uitia illa qua conmemorauimus which we have spoken are connected ratione inuicem sibi conexa and joined together in the way which we atque permixta sint, specialius tamen in have shown, yet they may be more quatuor coniugationes et copulas diuiduntur. exactly divided into four groups and Gastrimargiae namque fornicatio peculiari sub-divisions. For to gluttony fornication consortio foederatur : filargyriae ira, tristitiae is linked by a special tie: to covetousness acedia, cenadoxiae anger, to gloominess acedia, and to superbia familiariter coniugatur. vainglory pride is closely allied.

[5] Subtypes of the Eight Vices

CAPUT XI. De origine et CHAPTER 11. Of the origin and character of qualitate uniuscujusque vitii. each of these vices.

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XI. Et ut singillatim nunc de 11.1. AND now, to speak about each uniuscuiusque uitii generibus disputemus kind of vice separately: , gastrimargiae genera sunt of GLUTTONY there are three sorts: tria :. primum quod ad [1] that which drives a monk to eat refectionem perurget monachum ante horam before the proper and stated times; statutam ac legitimam festinare, secundum quod expletione [2] that which cares about filling the uentris et quarumlibet escarum uoracitate belly and gorging it with all kinds of laetatur, food, and tertium quod accuratiores [3] that which is on the lookout for ac delicatissimos desiderat dainties and delicacies. cibos Quae tria non leui And these three sorts give a monk no dispendio monachum feriunt, nisi ab omnibus little trouble, unless he tries to free istis part studio atque himself from all of them with the same obseruantia semet ipsum expedire contenderit. Nam care and scrupulousness. For just as one quemadmodum absolutio ieiunii ante horam should never venture to break one’s fast canonicam nullatenus praesumenda est, ita et before the right time so we must utterly uentris ingluuies et escarum sumptuosa atque avoid all greediness in eating, and the exquisita praeparatio choice and dainty preparation of our similiter amputanda. Ex his enim tribus causis food: for from these three causes diuersae ac pessimae ualitudines animae different but extremely dangerous procreantur. conditions of the soul arise. tertium quod accuratiores [3] that which is on the lookout for ac delicatissimos desiderat dainties and delicacies. cibos 2. Nam de 11.2. For from prima monasterii odium [1] the first there springs up dislike of gignitur atque exinde horror et intolerantia the monastery, and thence there eiusdem concrescit grows up disgust and intolerance of habitaculi, quam sine dubio mox discessio ac the life there, and this is sure to be fuga uelocissima soon followed by withdrawal and subsequetur. speedy departure from it De secunda igniti luxuriae [2] By the second there are kindled the ac libidinis aculei suscitantur.

19 fiery darts of luxury and lasciviousness. Tertia etiam inextricabiles [3] The third also weaves the entangling filargyriae laqueos nectit ceruicibus captiuorum nec meshes of covetousness for the nets aliquando monachum sinit of its prisoners, and ever hinders perfecta Christi nuditate fundari. monks from following the perfect self-abnegation of Christ. Cuius nobis passionis And when there are traces of this passion inesse uestigia isto quoque deprehendimus indicio, in us we can recognize them by this; cum forte ad refectionem viz., if we are kept to dine by one of the detenti ab aliquo fratrum contenti non sumus eo brethren we are not content to eat our sapore cibos sumere quo ab exhibente conditi sunt, food with the relish which he has sed quiddam superfundi eis uel adici inportuna prepared and offers to us, but take the atque effrenata poscimus unpardonable liberty of asking to have libertate. something else poured over it or added to it 3. Quod fieri penitus non 11.3. a thing which we should never do oportet tribus de causis. Primo quia mens monachi [1] for three reasons: because the semper debet in omni monastic mind ought always to be tolerantiae ac parcitatis exercitatione uersari et accustomed to practise endurance and secundum apostolum discere in quibus est abstinence, and like the Apostle, to learn sufficiens esse . Nullatenus enim poterit uel occulta uel to be content in whatever state he is. (Cf. maiora corporis desideria Phil. 4:11) refrenare, quisque For one who is upset by taking degustatione modicae an unsavoury morsel once and in a way, insuauitatis offensus ne ad momentum quidem and who cannot even for a short time delicias gutturis sui ualuerit castigare. Secundo overcome the delicacy of his appetite quod nonnumquam euenit, ut ad horam desit illa will never succeed in curbing the secret species quae postulatur a nobis et uerecundiam and more important desires of the body; necessitati uel frugalitati [2] because it sometimes happens that at suscipientis incutimus, publicantes scilicet the time our host is out of that particular paupertatem eius quam soli deo cognitam esse thing which we ask for, and we make maluerat. Tertio quod interdum solet sapor ille him feel ashamed of the wants and quem nos adici poscimus aliis displicere, et bareness of his table, by exposing his inuenimur iniuriam multis,

20 dum nostrae gulae ac poverty which he would rather was only desiderio satisfacere cupimus, inrogare. Propter [3] known to God; because sometimes quod omnimodis haec in other people do not care about the relish nobis est castiganda libertas. which we ask for, and so it turns out that we are annoying most of them while intent on satisfying the desires of our own palate. And on this account we must by all means avoid such a liberty. 4. Fornicationis genera 11.4. Of FORNICATION there are three sunt tria. sorts: Primum quod per [1] that which is accomplished by conmixtionem sexus sexual intercourse; utriusque perficitur. Secundum quod absque [2] that which takes place without femineo tactu , pro quo Onam patriarchae Iudae touching a woman, for which we filius a domino percussus read that Onan the son of the legitur, quod in scripturis sanctis inmunditia patriarch Judah was smitten by the nuncupatur. Super quo apostolus : dico autem Lord; and which is termed by innuptis et uiduis, bonum est illis si sic manserint Scripture uncleanness: of which the sicut et ego. Quod si se non continent, nubant : Apostle says: “But I say to the melius est enim nubere unmarried and to widows, that it is quam uri . good for them if they abide even as I. But if they do not contain let them marry: for it is better to marry than to burn;” (1 Cor. 7:8, 9) Tertium quod animo ac [3] that which is conceived in heart and mente concipitur, de quo dominus in euangelio : qui mind, of which the Lord says in the uiderit mulierem ad gospel: “Whosoever looketh on a concupiscendum eam, iam moechatus est eam in woman to lust after her hath already corde suo . committed adultery with her in his heart.” (Matt. 5:28) 5. Quae tria genera beatus 11.5. And these three kinds the blessed apostolus pari modo extinguenda pronuntians Apostle tells us must be stamped out in mortificate, inquit, membra one and the same way. “Mortify,” says uestra quae sunt super terram, fornicationem,

21 inmunditiam, libidinem et he, “your members which are upon the cetera, et iterum de duobus ad Ephesios : fornicatio et earth, fornication, uncleanness, lust, inmunditia nec nominetur etc.” (Col. 3:5) And again of two of them he in uobis , et iterum : illud autem scitote, quod omnis says to the Ephesians: “Let fornication fornicator aut inmundus aut auarus, quod est and uncleanness be not so much as idolorum seruitus, non habet hereditatem in regno named among you:” and once more: Christi et dei . “But know this that no fornicator or unclean person, or covetous person who is an idolater hath inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.” (Eph. 5:3-5) 6. Quae tria ut a nobis pari 11.6. And just as these three must be obseruatione caueantur, similis nos eorum a regno avoided by us with equal care, so they Christi atque una deterret one and all shut us out and exclude us exclusio. Filargyriae genera sunt tria. Primum equally from the kingdom of Christ. Of quod renuntiantes diuitiis ac facultatibus suis spoliari covetousness there are three kinds: [1] non sinit. Secundum quod ea, quae a nobis dispersa That which hinders renunciants from sunt uel indigentibus distributa, resumere nos allowing themselves of be stripped of maiore cupiditate their goods and property; [2] that which persuadet. Tertium quod ea, quae ne antea quidem draws us to resume with excessive possedimus, desiderari eagerness the possession of those things adquiriue conpellit. which we have given away and distributed to the poor; [3] that which leads a man to covet and procure what he never previously possessed. 7. Irae genera sunt tria. 11.7. Of ANGER there are three kinds: Unum quod exardescit [1] one which rages within, which is intrinsecus, quod Graece called in Greek thumos ; θυμός dicitur. Aliud quod in uerbum et [2] another which breaks out in word opus effectumque and deed and action, which they prorumpit, quod ὀργὴ nuncupatur. De quibus et term orge : of which the Apostle apostolus : nunc autem deponite, inquit, et uos speaks, saying “But now do ye lay omnia, iram, indignationem . aside all anger and indignation;” (Col. 3:8)

22 Tertium quod non ut illa [3] the third, which is not like those in efferuens ad horam digeritur, sed per dies et boiling over and being done with in tempora reseruatur, quod an hour, but which lasts for days and μῆνις dicitur. long periods, which is called menis . 8. Quae omnia aequali sunt 11.8. And all these three must be a nobis horrore damnanda. condemned by us with equal horror. Tristitiae genera sunt duo. Of GLOOMINESS there are two kinds: Unum quod uel iracundia [1] one, that which springs up when desinente uel de inlato damno ac desiderio anger has died down, or is the result praepedito cassatoque of some loss we have incurred or of generatur, some purpose which has been hindered and interfered with; aliud quod de inrationabili [2] the other, that which comes from mentis anxietate seu unreasonable anxiety of mind or desperatione descendit. from despair. Acediae genera sunt duo. Of ACCEDIA there are two kinds: Unum quod ad somnum [1] one of which sends those affected praecipitat aestuantes, by it to sleep; aliud quod cellam deserere [2] while the other makes them forsake ac fugere cohortatur. their cell and flee away. Cenodoxia licet multiformis Of VAINGLORY, although it takes ac multiplex sit et in diuersas species diuidatur, various forms and shapes, and is divided genera tamen eius sunt into different classes, yet there are two duo. main kinds: Primum quo pro carnalibus [1] when we are puffed up about carnal ac manifestis extollimur things and things visible, and rebus, secundum quo pro [2] when we are inflamed with the spiritalibus et occultis desiderio uanae laudis desire of vain praise for things inflamur. spiritual and unseen.

CAPUT XII. In quo sit utilis CHAPTER 12. How vainglory may be useful to cenodoxia. us.

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XII. Vna re tamen 12.1. BUT in one matter vainglory is cenodoxia utiliter ab incipientibus adsumitur, ab found to be a useful thing for beginners.I his dumtaxat qui adhuc uitiis carnalibus mean by those who are still troubled by instigantur, ut uerbi gratia si illo tempore, quo carnal sins, as for instance, if, when they fornicationis spiritu perurgentur, mente are troubled by the spirit of fornication, conceperint uel they formed an idea of the dignity of the sacerdotalis officii dignitatem uel opinionem priesthood, or of reputation among all cunctorum, qua sancti et inmaculati esse credantur, men, by which they may be thought et ita inmundos concupiscentiae stimulos saints and immaculate: and so with these quasi turpes atque indignos uel existimationi considerations they repell the unclean suae uel illi ordini suggestions of lust, as deeming them iudicantes hac saltim contemplatione declinent, base and at least unworthy of their rank minore malo id quod maius est retundentes. Satius and reputation; and so by means of a enim est cenodoxiae uitio quemcumque pulsari quam smaller evil they overcome a greater incidere in fornicationis ardorem, unde reparari aut one. For it is better for a man to be non ualeat aut uix ualeat troubled by the sin of vainglory than for post ruinam. him to fall into the desire for fornication, from which he either cannot recover at all or only with great difficulty after he has fallen. 2. Quem sensum ex 12.2. And this thought is admirably persona dei unus prophetarum eleganter expressed by one of the prophets expressit dicens : propter speaking in the person of God, and me longe faciam furorem meum : et laude mea saying: “For My name’s sake I will infrenabo te, ne intereas , id est ut dum cenodoxiae remove My wrath afar off: and with My laudibus conpediris, nequaquam ad inferni praise I will bridle thee lest thou profunda procurras et (Is. 48:9) inreuocabiliter mortalium shouldest perish,” i.e., while you peccatorum are enchained by the praises of consummatione mergaris. Nec mirum tantam passioni vainglory, you cannot possibly rush on huic inesse uirtutem, ut inruentem quempiam in into the depths of hell, or plunge fornicationis labem ualeat refrenare, cum sit irrevocably into the commission of multorum experimentis saepissime conprobatum, deadly sins. Nor need we wonder that quod ita eum quem semel ueneni sui peste corruperit

24 infatigabilem reddat, ut this passion has the power of checking faciat ab eo ne biduana anyone from rushing into the sin of quidem ieiunia uel triduana sentiri. fornication, since it has been again and again proved by many examples that when once a man has been affected by its poison and plague, it makes him utterly indefatigable, so that he scarcely feels a fast of even two or three days. 3. Quod etiam nonnullos in 12.3. And we have often known some hac heremo frequenter nouimus fuisse confessos, who are living in this desert, confessing se in cenobiis Syriae that when their home was in the constitutos quinis diebus refectionem cibi sine monasteries of Syria they could without labore tolerasse, nunc autem tanta se fame etiam difficulty go for five days without food, ab hora tertia perurgeri, ut usque nonam uix queant while now they are so overcome with diferre cotidiana ieiunia. Super qua re pulchre abba hunger even by the third hour, that they Macarius cuidam can scarcely keep on their daily fast to percontanti, cur fame ab hora tertia in heremo the ninth hour. And on this subject there pulsaretur, qui in coenobio ebdomadibus integris is a very neat answer of Abbot Macarius refectionem saepe contemnens non sensisset to one who asked him why he was esuriem, respondit : quia hic nullus est ieiunii tui troubled with hunger as early as the third testis qui te suis laudibus hour in the desert, when in the nutriat atque sustentet : ibi autem te digitus hominum monastery he had often scorned food for et cenodoxiae refectio a whole week, without feeling hungry. saginabat. “Because,” said he, “here there is nobody to see your fast, and feed and support you with his praise of you: but there you grew fat on the notice of others and the food of vainglory.” 4. Huius autem rei figura, 12.4. And of the way in which, as we qua diximus superueniente cenodoxia uitium said, the sin of fornication is prevented fornicationis excludi, by an attack of vainglory, there is an pulchre satis in Regnorum libro ac signanter excellent and significant figure in the exprimitur , ubi populum Israhelem a Nechao rege book of Kings, where, when the children Aegypti captiuatum ascendens

25 Nabuchodonosor rex of Israel had been taken captive by Assyriorum de finibus Aegypti ad suam transtulit Necho, King of Egypt, Nebuchadnezzar, regionem, scilicet non ut King of Assyria, came up and brought eos libertati pristinae et genitali restitueret regioni, them back from the borders of Egypt to sed ut ad suas abduceret terras longius asportandos their own country, not indeed meaning quam fuerant in terra Aegypti captiuati. Quae to restore them to their former liberty figura in hoc quoque conpetenter aptabitur. and their native land, but meaning to Licet enim tolerabilius sit carry them off to his own land and to cenodoxiae quam fornicationis uitio transport them to a still more distant deseruire, difficilius tamen a cenodoxiae dominatione country than the land of Egypt in which disceditur. they had been prisoners. And this illustration exactly applies to the case before us. For though there is less harm in yielding to the sin of vainglory than to fornication, yet it is more difficult to escape from the dominion of vainglory. 5. Quodammodo enim 12.5. For somehow or other the prisoner longiore itineris spatio captiuus abductus who is carried off to a greater distance, laboriosius ad genitale will have more difficulty in returning to solum et libertatem patriam reuertetur, meritoque ad his native land and the freedom of his eum increpatio illa prophetica dirigetur : quare fathers, and the prophet’s rebuke will be inueteratus es in terra aliena ? Recte siquidem deservedly aimed at him: “Wherefore art inueteratus dicitur in terra aliena, quisque a terrenis thou grown old in a strange uitiis non nouatur. country? (Baruch 3:11) since a man is rightly said to have grown old in a strange country, if he has not broken up the ground of his vices. Superbiae genera sunt duo Of PRIDE there are two kinds: : primum carnale, [1] carnal, and secundum spiritale, quod [2] spiritual, which is the worse. For it etiam perniciosius est. Illos namque specialius especially attacks those who are seen inpugnat, quos in to have made progress in some good quibusdam uirtutibus profecisse reppererit. qualities.

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[6] Discover and Identify Your Own Deepest, Fiercest Weakness

CAPUT XIII. De varia CHAPTER 13 . Of the different ways in which all oppugnatione omnium vitiorum. these vices assault us.

XIII. Haec igitur octo uitia 13. ALTHOUGH then these eight vices cum omne hominum genus pulsent, non tamen uno trouble all sorts of men, yet they do not modo inpetunt cunctos. In alio namque spiritus attack them all in the same way. For in fornicationis locum obtinet principalem, in alio one man the spirit of fornication holds superequitat furor, in alio cenodoxia uindicat the chief place: wrath rides rough shod tyrannidem, in alio arcem over another: over another vainglory superbia tenet. Et cum constet omnes ab omnibus claims dominion: in an other pride holds inpugnari, diuerso tamen modo et ordine singuli the field: and though it is clear that we laboramus. are all attacked by all of them, yet the difficulties come to each of us in very different ways and manners.

CAPUT XIV. De instituendo CHAPTER 14. Of the struggle into which we adversum vitia certamine secundum ipsorum must enter against our vices, when they attack us. infestationem .

XIIII. Quamobrem ita nobis 14.1. WHEREFORE we must enter the aduersus haec adripienda sunt proelia, ut lists against these vices in such a way unusquisque uitium quo maxime infestatur that every one should discover his explorans aduersus illud adripiat principale besetting sin, and direct his main attack certamen, omnem curam mentis ac sollicitudinem against it, directing all his care and erga illius inpugnationem watchfulness of mind to guard against its obseruationemque defigens, aduersus illud assault, directing against it daily the cotidiana ieiuniorum dirigens spicula, contra weapons of fasting, and at all times illud cunctis momentis cordis suspiria crebraque hurling against it the constant darts of gemituum tela contorquens, aduersus sighs and groanings from the heart, and illud uigiliarum labores ac employing against it the labours of vigils meditationes sui cordis

27 inpendens, indesinentes and the meditation of the heart, and quoque orationum fletus ad deum fundens et further pouring forth to God constant inpugnationis suae tears and prayers and continually and extinctionem ab illo specialiter ac iugiter expressly praying to be delivered from poscens. its attack.

2. Inpossibile namque est 14.2. For it is impossible for a man to win de qualibet passione triumphum quempiam a triumph over any kind of passion, promereri, priusquam unless he has first clearly understood intellexerit industria uel labore proprio uictoriam that he cannot possibly gain the victory certaminis semet obtinere non posse, cum tamen, ut in the struggle with it by his own ualeat emundari, necesse sit eum die noctuque in strength and efforts, although in order omni cura et sollicitudine permanere. Cumque se ab that he may be rendered pure he must ea senserit absolutum, night and day persist in the utmost care rursus latebras sui cordis simili intentione perlustret and watchfulness. And even when he et excipiat sibi quam inter reliquas perspexerit feels that he has got rid of this vice, he diriorem atque aduersus eam specialius omnia should still search the inmost recesses of spiritus arma conmoueat, et ita semper ualidioribus his heart with the same purpose, and superatis celerem de single out the worst vice which he can residuis habebit facilemque uictoriam, quia see among those still there, and bring all et mens triumphorum processu reddetur fortior the forces of the Spirit to bear against it et informiorum pugna succedens promptiorem ei in particular, and so by always prouentum faciet proeliorum : ut fieri solet overcoming the stronger passions, he ab his qui coram regibus will gain a quick and easy victory over mundi huius omnigenis congredi bestiis the rest, because by a course of triumphs praemiorum contemplatione the soul is made more vigorous, and the consuerunt, quod spectaculi genus uulgo fact that the next conflict is with weaker pancarpum nuncupatur. passion insures him a readier success in the struggle: as is generally the case with those who are wont to face all kinds of wild beasts in the presence of the kings of this world, out of consideration for the rewards--a kind of spectacle which is

28 generally called “pancarpus.” 3. Hi, inquam, feras 14.3. Such men, I say, direct their first quascumque fortiores robore uel feritatis rabie assault against whatever beasts they see conspexerint diriores, to be the strongest and fiercest, and aduersus eas primae congressionis certamen when they have despatched these, then adripiunt, quibus extinctis reliquas, quae minus they can more easily lay low the terribiles minusque uehementes sunt, exitu remaining ones, which are not so terrible faciliore prosternunt. Ita et uitiis semper robustioribus and powerful. So too, by always superatis atque overcoming the stronger passions, as infirmioribus succedentibus parabitur weaker ones take their place, a perfect nobis absque ullo discrimine perfecta victory will be secured for us without uictoria. Nec tamen putandum, quod any risk. Nor need we imagine that if principaliter quis contra unum dimicans uitium et any one grapples with one vice in uelut incautius aliorum tela particular, and seems too careless about prospiciens inopinato ictu facilius ualeat sauciari. guarding against the attacks of others, he will be easily wounded by a sudden assault, for this cannot possibly happen. 4, Quod nequaquam fiet. 14.4. For where a man is anxious to Inpossibile namque est eum qui pro cordis sui cleanse his heart, and has steeled his emundatione sollicitus heart’s purpose against the attack of any erga inpugnationem uitii cuiuslibet intentionem one vice, it is impossible for him not to suae mentis armauerit, aduersus cetera quoque have a general dread of all other vices as uitia generalem quendam horrorem et custodiam well, and take similar care of them. For similem non habere. Quo enim modo uel de illa qua if a man renders himself unworthy of the absolui desiderat passione prize of purity by contaminating himself merebitur obtinere uictoriam, qui se indignum with other vices, how can he possibly purgationis praemio aliorum facit contagio succeed in gaining the victory over that uitiorum? Sed cum principalis cordis nostri one passion from which he is longing to intentio uelut specialem sibi pugnam aduersus be freed? But when the main purpose of unam exceperit passionem, our heart has singled out one passion as pro ipsa orabit adtentius peculiari sollicitudine uel the special object of its attack, we shall studio supplicans, ut eam diligentius obseruare et per pray about it more earnestly, and with haec celerem mereatur special anxiety and fervour shall entreat obtinere uictoriam.

29 that we may be more especially on our guard against it and so succeed in gaining a speedy victory. 5. Hunc namque nos 14.5. For the giver of the law himself ordinem proeliorum exercere debere nec tamen teaches us that we ought to follow this de nostra uirtute confidere plan in our conflicts and not to trust in etiam legislator his docet uerbis : non timebis eos, our own power; as he says: “Thou shalt quia dominus deus tuus in medio tui est, deus not fear them because the Lord thy God magnus et terribilis : ipse consumet nationes has in is in the midst of thee, a God mighty and conspectu tuo paulatim atque per partes. Non terrible: He will consume these nations poteris delere eas pariter : in thy sight by little and little and by ne forte multiplicentur contra te bestiae terrae. degrees. Thou wilt not be able to destroy Dabitque eos dominus deus tuus in conspectu tuo them altogether: lest perhaps the beasts : et interficiet illos donec of the earth should increase upon thee. penitus deleantur . But the Lord thy God shall deliver them in thy sight; and shall slay them until they be utterly destroyed.” (Deut. 7:21-23)

[7] Rely on Grace

CAPUT XV. Nihil nos posse CHAPTER 15. How we can do nothing against adversum vitia sine auxilio Dei, nec debere nos in our vices without the help of God, and how we eorum extolli victoria. should not be puffed up by victories over them.

XV. Sed neque debere nos 15.1. AND that we ought not to be puffed in eorum extolli uictoria similiter monet : ne up by victories over them he likewise postquam comederis, inquit, et satiatus domus charges us; saying, “Lest after thou hast pulchras aedificaueris, et habitaueris in eis, eaten and art filled, hast built goodly habuerisque armenta et ouium greges, argenti et houses and dwelt in them, and shalt have auri, cunctarumque rerum herds of oxen and flocks of sheep, and copiam, eleuetur cor tuum, et non reminiscaris domini plenty of gold and of silver, and of all dei tui, qui eduxit te de terra Aegypti, de domo things, thy heart be lifted up and thou seruitutis : et ductor tuus fuit in solitudine magna remember not the Lord thy God, who atque terribili . Salomon

30 quoque in Prouerbiis : si brought thee out of the land of Egypt, ceciderit inimicus tuus, noli gratulari : in out of the house of bondage; and was thy subplantatione autem eius leader in the great and terrible noli extolli, ne uideat dominus et non placeat ei, wilderness.” (Deut. 8:12-15) Solomon also et auertat iram suam ab eo , id est ne perspiciens says in Proverbs: “When thine enemy elationem cordis tui ab eius inpugnatione shall fall be not glad, and in his ruin be discedat, et incipias derelictus ab eo rursus illa not lifted up, lest the Lord see and it quam per dei gratiam ante displease Him, and He turn away His superaueras passione uexari. wrath from him,” (Prov. 24:17, 18 [LXX]) i.e., lest He see thy pride of heart, and cease from attacking him, and thou begin to be forsaken by Him and so once more to be troubled by that passion which by God’s grace thou hadst previously overcome. 2. Non enim orasset 15.2. For the prophet would not have propheta dicens : ne tradas, domine, bestiis prayed in these words, “Deliver not up animam confitentem tibi , to beasts, O Lord, the soul that nisi scisset propter inflationem cordis confesseth to Thee,” (Ps. 73 (74):19) unless he quosdam, ut humilientur, eisdem rursus uitiis quae had known that because of their pride of uicerant tradi. Quamobrem certos esse nos conuenit heart some were given over again to tam ipsis rerum experimentis quam those vices which they had overcome, in innumeris scripturae order that they might be humbled. testimoniis eruditos, nostris nos uiribus, nisi dei Wherefore it is well for us both to be solius auxilio fulciamur, tantos hostes superare non certified by actual experience, and also posse et ad ipsum cotidie summam uictoriae nostrae to be instructed by countless passages of referre debere, ita super hoc quoque per Moysen Scripture, that we cannot possibly domino conmonente : ne overcome such mighty foes in our own dicas in corde tuo, cum deleuerit eas dominus strength, and unless supported by the aid deus tuus in conspectu tuo : propter iustitiam meam of God alone; and that we ought always introduxit me dominus ut terram hanc possiderem, to refer the whole of our victory each cum propter impietates suas istae deletae sint day to God Himself, as the Lord Himself nationes. also gives us instruction by Moses on this very point: “Say not in thine heart

31 when the Lord thy God shall have destroyed them in thy sight: For my righteousness hath the Lord brought me in to possess this land, whereas these nations are destroyed for their wickedness. 3. Neque enim propter 15.3. For it is not for thy righteousness, iustitias tuas et aequitatem cordis tui tu ingrederis, ut and the uprightness of thine heart, that possideas terras earum : thou shalt go in to possess their lands: sed quia illae egerunt impie, introeunte te deletae but because they have done wickedly sunt . Rogo, quid apertius potuit dici contra they are destroyed at thy coming perniciosam opinionem praesumptionemque in.” (Deut. 9:4, 5) I ask what could be said nostram, qua totum quod agimus uel libero arbitrio clearer in opposition to that impious uel nostrae uolumus notion and impertinence of ours, in industriae deputare? Ne dicas, inquit, in corde tuo, which we want to ascribe everything that cum deleuerit eas dominus deus tuus in conspectu tuo we do to our own free will and our own : propter iustitiam meam introduxit me dominus ut exertions? “Say not,” he tells us, “in terram hanc possiderem. thine heart, when the Lord thy God shall have destroyed them in thy sight: For my righteousness the Lord hath brought me in to possess this land.” 4. Nonne his qui oculos 15.4. To those who have their eyes animae reseratos et aures habent ad audiendum opened and their ears ready to hearken euidenter expressit : cum does not this plainly say: When your tibi prospere uitiorum carnalium bella struggle with carnal vices has gone well successerint et uideris te de ipsorum caeno et for you, and you see that you are free conuersatione mundi istius liberatum, non tuae id from the filth of them, and from the uirtuti nec sapientiae prouentu pugnae atque fashions of this world, do not be puffed uictoriae inflatus up by the success of the conflict and adscribas, credens te propter labores et studium victory and ascribe it to your own power tuum et arbitrii libertatem de spiritalibus nequitiis uel and wisdom, nor fancy that you have carnalibus uitiis obtinuisse uictoriam? Quibus procul gained the victory over spiritual dubio in nullo penitus praeualere potuisses, nisi wickedness and carnal sins through your te domini conmunisset ac

32 own exertions and energy, and free will? protexisset auxilium. For there is no doubt that in all this you could not possibly have succeeded, unless you had been fortified and protected by the help of the Lord.

CAPUT XVI. De CHAPTER 16. Of the meaning of the seven significatione septem gentium quarum Israel nations of whose lands Israel took possession, and accepit terras, et quare alibi the reason why they are sometimes spoken of as septem et alibi multae “seven,” and sometimes as “many.” gentes esse dicantur.

XVI. Hae sunt septem 16.1. THESE are the seven nations whose gentes quarum terras egressis ex Aegypto filiis lands the Lord promised to give to the Israhel daturum se dominus repromittit. Quae children of Israel when they came out of omnia secundum apostolum cum in figura Egypt. And everything which, as the contigerint illis , ad nostram commonitionem Apostle says, happened to them “in a scripta debemus accipere. figure” (Cf. 1 Cor. 10:6) we ought to take as Ita enim dicitur : cum introduxerit te dominus written for our correction. For so we deus tuus in terram, quam possessurus ingrederis, et read: “When the Lord thy God shall deleuerit gentes multas coram te, Ethaeum et have brought thee into the land, which Gergesaeum et Amorraeum, Chananaeum, thou art going in to possess, and shall et Ferezaeum, et Euaeum, have destroyed many nations before et Iebusaeum, septem gentes multo maioris thee, the Hittite, and the Girgashites, and numeri quam tu es, et robustiores te : the Amorite, the Canaanite, and the tradideritque eas dominus tibi, percuties eas usque ad Perizzite, and the Hivite, and the internicionem . Jebusite, seven nations much more numerous than thou art and much stronger than thou: and the Lord thy God shall have delivered them to thee, thou shalt utterly destroy them.” (Deut. 7:1, 2) 2. Quod uero multo maioris 16.2. And the reason that they are said to numeri esse dicuntur, haec ratio est, quia plura sunt be much more numerous, is that vices uitia quam uirtutes. Et ideo are many more in number than virtues in catalogo quidem dinumerantur septem

33 nationes, in expugnatione and so in the list of them the nations are uero earum sine numeri adscriptione ponuntur. Ita reckoned as seven in number, but when enim dicitur : et deleuerit the attack upon them is spoken of they gentes multas coram te. Numerosior enim est quam are set down without their number being Israhel carnalium passionum populus, qui de given, for thus we read “And shall have hoc septenario fomite destroyed many nations before thee.” uitiorum ac radice procedit. For the race of carnal passions which springs from this sevenfold incentive and root of sin, is more numerous than that of Israel. 3. Exinde enim pullulant 16.3. For thence spring up murders, homicidia, contentiones, haereses, furta, falsa strifes, heresies, thefts, false witness, testimonia, blasphemiae, blasphemy, surfeiting, drunkenness, comessationes, ebrietates, detractiones, ludicra, back-biting, buffoonery, filthy turpiloquia, mendacia, periuria, stultiloquia, conversation, lies, perjury, foolish scurrilitas, inquietudo, rapacitas, amaritudo, talking, scurrility, restlessness, clamor, indignatio, contemptus, murmuratio, greediness, bitterness, clamour, wrath, temptatio, desperatio contempt, murmuring, temptation, multaque alia quae conmemorare perlongum despair, and many other vices, which it est. Quae cum a nobis leuia iudicentur, quid de would take too long to describe. And if illis apostolus senserit uel quam super his sententiam we are inclined to think these small tulerit audiamus : neque murmuraueritis, inquit, matters, let us hear what the Apostle sicut quidam illorum thought about them, and what was his murmurauerunt et perierunt ab exterminatore opinion of them: “Neither murmur ye,” , et de temptatione : neque temptemus Christum, sicut says he, “as some of them murmured, quidam illorum temptauerunt et a and were destroyed of the destroyer:” serpentibus perierunt , de detractione : noli diligere and of temptation: “Neither let us tempt detrahere, ne eradiceris , et Christ as some of them tempted and de desperatione : qui desperantes semet ipsos perished by the serpents.” (1 Cor. 10:9, 10) Of tradiderunt inpudicitiae in operationem omnis erroris, backbiting: “Love not backbiting lest in inmunditiam . thou be rooted out.” (Prov. 20:13 [LXX]) And of despair: “Who despairing have given themselves up to lasciviousness unto the

34 working of all error, in uncleanness.” (Eph. 4:19) 4. Quod uero clamor sicut 16.4. And that clamour is condemned as ira et indignatio et blasphemia condemnetur, well as anger and indignation and eiusdem apostoli uocibus blasphemy, the words of the same manifestissime perdocemur ita Apostle teach us as clearly as possible praecipientis : omnis amaritudo et ira et when he thus charges us: “Let all indignatio et clamor et blasphemia tollatur a uobis bitterness, and anger, and indignation, cum omni malitia , aliaque conplura his similia. Quae and clamour, and blasphemy be put cum sint multo maioris away from you with all malice,” (Eph. 4:31) numeri quam uirtutes, deuictis tamen illis octo and many more things like these. And principalibus uitiis, ex quorum natura eas certum though these are far more numerous than est emanare, omnes protinus conquiescunt ac the virtues are, yet if those eight perpetua pariter cum his principal sins, from which we know that internicione delentur. these naturally proceed, are first overcome, all these at once sink down, and are destroyed together with them with a lasting destruction.

[8] Gluttony as the Foundation of the Other Vices

5. 16.5. For De gastrimargia namque from gluttony proceed [1] surfeiting nascuntur comessationes, [2] and drunkenness. ebrietates : From fornication [1] filthy de fornicatione turpiloquia, scurrilitas, ludicra ac conversation, [2] scurrility, [3] stultiloquia : de filargyria mendacium, buffoonery and [4] foolish talking. fraudatio, furta, periuria, turpis lucri adpetitus, From covetousness , [1] lying, [2] deceit, falsa testimonia, uiolentiae, inhumanitas [3] [4] [5] theft, perjury, the desire of ac rapacitas : filthy lucre, [6] false witness, [7] violence, [8] inhumanity, and [9] greed. de ira homicidia, clamor et From anger, [1] murders, [2] clamour indignatio : and [3] indignation. de tristitia rancor,

35 pusillanimitas, From gloominess , [1] rancor, [2] amaritudo, desperatio : cowardice, [3] bitterness, [4] despair. de acedia otiositas, somnolentia, From acedia , [1] laziness, [2] sleepiness, inportunitas, inquietudo, peruagatio, instabilitas [3] rudeness, [4] restlessness, [5] mentis et corporis, uerbositas, curiositas : wandering about, [6] instability both de cenodoxia contentiones, haereses, [7] [8] of mind and body, chattering, iactantia ac praesumptio inquisitiveness. nouitatum : de superbia contemptus, From vainglory , [1] contention, [2] inuidia, inoboedientia, blasphemia, murmuratio, heresies, [3] boasting and [4] detractio, quod autem hae pestes etiam confidence in novelties. robustiores sint, manifeste naturae ipsius From pride , [1] contempt, [2] envy, [3] inpugnatione sentimus. disobedience, [4] blasphemy, [5] murmuring, [6] backbiting. 6. Fortior enim militat in 16.6. And that all these plagues are membris nostris oblectatio carnalium passionum stronger than we, we can tell very quam studia uirtutum, quae plainly from the way in which they non nisi summa contritione cordis et corporis attack us. For the delight in carnal adquiruntur. Si autem et illas innumerabiles passions wars more powerfully in our hostium cateruas spiritalibus oculis members than does the desire for virtue, contempleris, quas beatus apostolus enumerat dicens which is only gained with the greatest : non est nobis conluctatio contrition of heart and body. But if you aduersus carnem et sanguinem, sed aduersus will only gaze with the eyes of the spirit principatus, aduersus potestates, aduersus on those countless hosts of our foes, mundi rectores tenebrarum harum, contra spiritalia which the Apostle enumerates where he nequitiae in caelestibus , et illud quod de uiro iusto in says: “For we wrestle not against flesh nonagensimo dicitur and blood, but against principalities, psalmo : cadent a latere tuo mille, et decem milia a against powers, against the world-rulers dextris tuis , liquido peruidebis, quod multo of this darkness, against spiritual maioris sint numeri et ualidiores quam nos wickedness in heavenly places,” (Eph. 4:12) carnales scilicet atque terreni, quippe cum illis and this which we find of the righteous spiritalis atque ae¬ria man in the ninetieth Psalm: “A thousand concessa substantia sit. shall fall beside thee and ten thousand at thy right hand,” (Ps. 90 (91):7) then you will

36 clearly see that they are far more numerous and more powerful than are we, carnal and earthly creatures as we are, while to them is given a substance which is spiritual and incorporeal.

CAPUT XVII. Interrogatio de CHAPTER 17. A question with regard to the comparatione septem gentium et octo vitiorum. comparison of seven nations with eight vices.

XVII. GERMANVS : 17. GERMANUS: How then is it that Quomodo igitur octo sunt uitia quae nos inpugnant, there are eight vices which assault us, cum per Moysen septem dinumeratae sint gentes when Moses reckons the nations quae aduersantur populo Israheli, uel opposed to the people of Israel as seven, quemadmodum terras uitiorum conmodum nobis and how is it well for us to take est possidere? possession of the territory of our vices?

CAPUT XVIII. Responsio CHAPTER 18. The answer how the number of quomodo secundum octo vitia octo gentium numerus eight nations is made up in accordance with the impleatur. eight vices.

XVIII. SARAPION : Octo 18.1. SERAPION: Everybody is perfectly esse principalia uitia quae inpugnant monachum agreed that there are eight principal cunctorum absoluta sententia est. Quae vices which affect a monk. And all of figuraliter sub gentium uocabulo nominata idcirco them are not included in the figure of the nunc omnia non ponuntur, eo quod egressis iam de nations for this reason, because in Aegypto et liberatis ab una Deuteronomy Moses, or rather the Lord gente ualidissima, id est Aegyptiorum, Moyses uel through him, was speaking to those who per ipsum dominus in Deuteronomio loquebatur . had already gone forth from Egypt and Quae figura in nobis quoque rectissime stare been set free from one most powerful deprehenditur, qui de saeculi laqueis expediti nation, I mean that of the Egyptians. gastrimargiae, id est And we find that this figure holds good uentris uel gulae uitio caruisse cognoscimur. also in our case, as when we have got clear of the snares of this world we are

37 found to be free from gluttony, i.e., the sin of the belly and palate;

[9] Fasting Should be Moderate

2. Et habemus iam contra 18.2. and like them we have a conflict has residuas septem gentes simili ratione against these seven remaining nations, conflictum, prima scilicet without taking account at all of the one quae iam deuicta est minime conputata. Cuius which has been already overcome. And etiam terra in possessionem Israheli non the land of this nation was not given to datur, sed ut deserat eam perpetuo et egrediatur ab Israel for a possession, but the command ea domini praeceptione sancitur. Et idcirco ita sunt of the Lord ordained that they should at moderanda ieiunia, ut non once forsake it and go forth from it. And necesse sit per inmoderationem for this cause our fasts ought to be made continentiae, quae defectione carnis uel moderate, that there may be no need for infirmitate contracta est, deuerti rursus ad us through excessive abstinence, which Aegyptiam terram, id est pristinam gulae et carnis results from weakness of the flesh and concupiscentiam, quam infirmity, to return again to the land of cum mundo huic abrenuntiaremus Egypt, i.e., to our former greed and abiecimus. Quod figuraliter illi perpessi sunt, qui carnal lust which we forsook when we egressi in solitudinem uirtutum rursus made our renunciation of this world. desiderauerunt ollas carnium super quas And this has happened in a figure, in sedebant in Aegyto. those who after having gone forth into the desert of virtue again hanker after the flesh pots over which they sat in Egypt.

CAPUT XIX. Cur unica CHAPTER 19. The reason why one nation is to Aegypti gens deseri, septem vero jubentur exstingui. be forsaken, while seven are commanded to be destroyed.

XVIIII. Quod autem illa 19.1. BUT the reason why that nation in gens, in qua nati sunt filii Israhel, non penitus which the children of Israel were born, extingui, sed tantummodo deseri eius terra was bidden not to be utterly destroyed praecipitur, hae uero septem usque ad

38 internicionem iubentur but only to have its land forsaken, while extingui, haec ratio est, quod quantolibet spiritus it was commanded that these seven ardore succensi heremum nations were to be completely destroyed, uirtutum fuerimus ingressi, uicinitate ac ministerio is this: because however great may be gastrimargiae et quodammodo cotidiano the ardour of spirit, inspired by which eius conmercio nequaquam carere we have entered on the desert of virtues, poterimus. Sempter enim in nobis edulii et escarum yet we cannot possibly free ourselves ut ingenitus ac naturalis entirely from the neighbourhood of uiuet adfectus, licet amputare superfluos eius gluttony or from its service and, so to adpetitus ac desideria festinemus : quae sicut per speak, from daily intercourse with it. For omnia deleri non possunt, ita debent quadam the liking for delicacies and dainties will declinatione uitari. live on as something natural and innate in us, even though we take pains to cut off all superfluous appetites and desires, which, as they cannot be altogether destroyed, ought to be shunned and avoided. 2. De hac enim dicitur : et 19.2. For of these we read “Take no care carnis curam ne feceritis in (Rom. 13:14) desideriis . Dum huius ergo for the flesh with its desires.” curae quam praecipimur While then we still retain the feeling for non per omnia abscidere, sed absque desideriis this care, which we are bidden not exhibere, retinemus affectum, euidenter altogether to cut off, but to keep without Aegyptiam nationem non extinguimus, sed ad ipsa its desires, it is clear that we do not quadam discretione separamur, non de destroy the Egyptian nation but separate superfluis seu lautioribus ourselves in a sort of way from it, not epulis cogitantes, sed secundum apostolum uictu thinking anything about luxuries and cotidiano indumentoque delicate feasts, but, as the Apostle says, contenti . being “content with our daily food and clothing.” (Cf. 1 Tim. 6:8) 3. Quod ita figuraliter etiam 19.3. And this is commanded in a figure in lege mandatur : non abominaberis Aegyptium, in the law, in this way: “Thou shalt not quia fuisti incola in terra abhor the Egyptian, because thou wast a eius . Necessarius enim uictus corpori non sine uel stranger in his land.” (Deut. 23:7) For ipsius pernicie uel animae scelere denegatur. Illarum

39 uero septem necessary food is not refused to the body perturbationum uelut omnimodis noxiarum de without danger to it and sinfulness in the recessibus animae nostrae soul. But of those seven troublesome penitus exterminandi sunt motus. De his enim ita vices we must in every possible way root dicitur : omnis amaritudo et ira et indignatio et out the affections from the inmost clamor et blasphemia tollatur a uobis cum omni recesses of our souls. For of them we malitia , et iterum : fornicatio autem et omnis read: “Let all bitterness and anger and inmunditia et auaritia nec indignation and clamour and blasphemy nominetur in uobis, aut turpitudo aut stultiloquium be put away from you with all malice:” aut scurrilitas . and again: “But fornication and all uncleanness and covetousness let it not so much as be named among you, or obscenity or foolish talking or scurrility.” (Eph. 4:31; 5:3, 4) 4. Possumus ergo horum 19.4. We can then cut out the roots of quae naturae superinducta sunt radices abscidere these vices which are grafted into our uitiorum, usum uero nature from without while we cannot gastrimargiae nequaquam ualebimus amputare. Non possibly cut off occasions of gluttony. enim possumus, quantumlibet For however far we have advanced, we profecerimus, id non esse quod nascimur. Quod ita cannot help being what we were born. esse tam nostra qui sumus exigui quam omnium And that this is so we can show not only perfectorum uita et from the lives of little people like conuersatione monstratur. Qui cum reliquarum ourselves but from the lives and customs passionum reciderint stimulos atque heremum of all who have attained perfection, who toto mentis feruore et corporis expetant nuditate, even when they have got rid of nihilominus cotidiani uictus prouidentia et annui incentives to all other passions, and are panis praeparatione retiring to the desert with perfect fervour nequeunt liberari. of spirit and bodily abnegation, yet still cannot do without thought for their daily meal and the preparation of their food from year to year.

40 CAPUT XX. De natura CHAPTER 20. Of the nature of gluttony, which gastrimargiae, ad similitudinem aquilae may be illustrated by the simile of the eagle comparatae [Al. comparandae].

XX. Huius passionis figura, 20. AN admirable illustration of this qua necesse est quamuis spiritalem summumque passion, with which a monk, however monachum coartari, proprie satis aquilae spiritual and excellent, is sure to be similitudine designatur. Quae cum excelsissimo hampered, is found in the simile of the uolatu ultra nubium fuerit altitudines sublimata eagle. For this bird when in its flight on seseque ab oculis high it has soared above the highest cunctorum mortalium ac facie terrae totius clouds, and has withdrawn itself from absconderit, rursus ad uallium ima submitti et ad the eyes of all mortals and from the face terrena descendere ac morticinis cadaueribus of the whole earth, is yet compelled by inplicari uentris necessitate conpellitur. the needs of the belly to drop down and Quibus manifestissime descend to the earth and feed upon conprobatur gastrimargiae spiritum nequaquam posse carrion and dead bodies. And this clearly ut cetera uitia resecari uel per omnia similiter shows that the spirit of gluttony cannot extingui, sed aculeos eius ac superfluos adpetitus be altogether extirpated like all other uirtute animi retundi vices, nor be entirely destroyed like tantum atque cohiberi. them, but that we can only hold down and check by the power of the mind all incentives to it and all superfluous appetites.

CAPUT XXI. De CHAPTER 21. Of t he lasting character of gluttony perseverantia gastrimargiae adversus philosophos as described to some philosophers. disputata.

XXI. Nam huius uitii 21.1. FOR the nature of this vice was naturam quidam senum cum philosophis admirably expressed under cover of the disputans, qui eum pro simplicitate Christiana following puzzle by one of the Elders in uelut rusticum crederent fatigandum, sub hoc a discussion with some philosophers, problematis figurans colore eleganter expressit : who thought that they might chaff him multis, inquit, creditoribus pater meus me dereliquit

41 obnoxium. Ceteris ad like a country bumpkin because of his integrum soluens ab omni conuentionis eorum Christian simplicity. “My father,” said molestia liberatus sum, uni he, “left me in the clutches of a great satisfacere cotidie soluendo non possum. many creditors. All the others I have paid in full, and have freed myself from all their pressing claims; but one I cannot satisfy even by a daily payment.” 2. Cumque illi ignorantes 21.2. And when they could not see the uim propositae quaestionis absolutionem eius precario meaning of the puzzle, and urgently postularent, multis, ait, begged him to explain it: “I was,” said uitiis fui naturali condicione constrictus. he,” in my natural condition, Sed inspirante domino desiderium libertatis encompassed by a great many vices. But cunctis illis tamquam molestissimis creditoribus when God inspired me with the longing renuntians huic mundo et omnem substantiam quae to be free, I renounced this world, and at mihi successione patris the same time gave up all my property obuenerat a me pariter abiciens satisfeci atque ab which I had inherited from my father, eis sum omnimodis absolutus : gastrimargiae and so I satisfied them all like pressing uero stimulis nullo modo creditors, and freed myself entirely from carere praeualui. them. But I was never able altogether to get rid of the incentives to gluttony. 3. Nec enim quamuis eam 21.3. For though I reduce the quantity of in paruum modum uilissimamque redegerim food which I take to the smallest quantitatem, uim possible amount, yet I cannot avoid the cotidianae conpulsionis euado, sed necesse est me force of its daily solicitations, but must perpetuis eius conuentionibus perurgeri be perpetually `dunned’ by it, and be et interminabilem quandam solutionem iugi functione making as it were interminable payments dependere atque inexplebile indictionibus by continually satisfying it, and pay eius inferre uectigal. Tum never ending toll at its demand.” Then illi hunc, quem uelut idiotam ac rusticum ante they declared that this man, whom they despexerant, pronuntiauerunt primas had till now despised as a booby and a philosophiae partes, id est ethicam disciplinam country bumpkin, had thoroughly adprime conprehendisse, mirati admodum potuisse grasped the first principles of eum naturaliter adsequi philosophy, i.e., training in ethics, and quod nulla ei saecularis eruditio contulisset, cum

42 ipsi sudore multo longaque they marvelled that he could by the light doctrina ita haec adtingere nequiuissent. Haec of nature have learnt that which no specialiter de gastrimargia schooling in this world could have dixisse sufficiat. Nunc reuertamur ad taught him, while they themselves with disputationem quam de generali uitiorum all their efforts and long course of cognatione coeperamus training had not learnt this. This is exponere. enough on gluttony in particular. Now let us return to the discourse in which we had begun to consider the general relation of our vices to each other.

CAPUT XXII. Cur Abrahae CHAPTER 22. How it was that God foretold to praedixerit Deus decem gentes expugnandas a Abraham that Israel would have to drive out ten populo Israel. nations.

XXII. Cum ad Abraham de 22. WHEN the Lord was speaking with futuris dominus loqueretur , quod uos minime Abraham about the future (a point which requisistis, non septem gentes legitur you did not ask about) we find that He dinumerasse, sed decem, quarum terra semini eius did not enumerate seven nations, but ten, danda promittitur. Qui numerus adiecta idolatria whose land He promised to give to his atque blasphemia seed. (Cf. Gen. 15:18-21) And this number is euidenter inpletur, quibus ante notitiam dei et gratiam plainly made up by adding idolatry, and baptismi uel inpia gentilium uel blasphema blasphemy, to whose dominion, before Iudaeorum multitudo subiecta est, donec in the knowledge of God and the grace of intellectuali Aegypto conmoratur. Si autem Baptism, both the irreligious hosts of the abrenuntians quis et Gentiles and blasphemous ones of the egressus exinde per dei gratiam deuicta pariter Jews were subject, while they dwelt in a gastrimargia ad heremum peruenerit spiritalem, de spiritual Egypt. But when a man has inpugnatione trium gentium liberatus contra made his renunciation and come forth septem tantum, quae per Moysen dinumerantur, from thence, and having by God’s grace bella suscipiet. conquered gluttony, has come into the spiritual wilderness, then he is free from the attacks of these three, and will only

43 have to wage war against those seven which Moses enumerates.

CAPUT XXIII. Quomodo utile CHAPTER 23. How it is useful for us to take nobis sit vitiorum terras possidere. possession of their lands.

XXIII. Quod uero istarum 23.1. BUT the fact that we are bidden for perniciosarum gentium regiones salubriter our good to take possession of the possidere praecipimur, ita intellegitur. Habet countries of those most wicked nations, unumquodque uitium in corde nostro propriam may be understood in this way. Each stationem, quam sibi uindicans in animae vice has its own especial corner in the nostrae recessu exterminat heart, which it claims for itself in the Israhelem, id est contemplationem rerum recesses of the soul, and drives out summarum atque sanctarum, eisque semper Israel, i.e., the contemplation of holy and aduersari non desinit. Non enim possunt uirtutes cum heavenly things, and never ceases to uitiis pariter conmorari. Quae enim participatio oppose them. For virtues cannot possibly iustitiae cum iniquitate? live side by side with vices. “For what Aud quae societas luci cum tenebris ? participation hath righteousness with unrighteousness? Or what fellowship hath light with darkness?” (2 Cor. 6:14) 2. Sed cum ab Israhelis 23.2. But as soon as these vices have been populo, id est uirtutibus contra se dimicantibus overcome by the people of Israel, i.e., by fuerint uitia superata, those virtues which war against them, locum quem sibi in corde nostro concupiscentiae uel then at once the place in our heart which fornicationis spiritus retentabat, deinceps the spirit of concupiscence and castitas obtinebit : quem furor ceperat, patientia fornication had occupied, will be filled uindicabit : quem tristitia mortem operans by chastity. That which wrath had held, occupauerat, salutaris et will be claimed by patience. That which plena gaudio tristitia possidebit : quem acedia had been occupied by a sorrow that uastabat, incipiet excolere fortitudo : quem superbia worketh death, will be taken by a godly conculcabat, humilitas honestabit. Et ita singulis sorrow and one full of joy. That which uitiis expulsis eorum loca, id est adfectus, uirtutes had been wasted by acedia, will at once contrariae possidebunt, be tilled by courage. That which pride quae filii Israhelis, id est

44 animae uidentis deum non had trodden down will be ennobled by inmerito nuncupantur. Qui cum uniuersas cordis humility: and so when each of these expulerint passiones, non vices has been expelled, their places tam alienas possessiones peruasisse quam proprias (that is the tendency towards them) will recuperasse credendi sunt. be filled by the opposite virtues which are aptly termed the children of Israel, that is, of the soul that seeth God: and when these have expelled all passions from the heart we may believe that they have recovered their own possessions rather than invaded those of others.

CAPUT XXIV. Quod t errae de CHAPTER 24. How the lands from which the quibus expulsi sunt populi Chananaeorum, semini Sem Canaanites were expelled,had been assigned to the fuerint deputatae. seed of Shem.

XXIIII. Etenim quantum 24.1. FOR, as an ancient tradition tells docet uetus traditio, has easdem terras us, these same lands of the Canaanites Chananaeorum, in quas introducuntur filii Israhelis, into which the children of Israel were filii Sem fuerant quondam in orbis diuisione sortiti, brought, had been formerly allotted to quas deinceps per uim atque potentiam posteritas the children of Shem at the division of Cham peruasionis the world, and afterward the descendants iniquitate possedit. In quo et dei iudicium of Ham wickedly invading them with rectissimum conprobatur, qui et illos de locis alienis force and violence took possession of quae male occupauerant expulit, et istis antiquam them. And in this the righteous judgment patrum possessionem, quae prosapiae eorum in of God is shown, as He expelled from diuisione orbis fuerat the land of others these who had deputata, restituit. wrongfully taken possession of them, and restored to those others the ancient property of their fathers which had been assigned to their ancestors at the division of the world. 2. Quae figura in nobis 24.2. And we can perfectly well see that quoque stare certissima

45 ratione cognoscitur. Nam this figure holds good in our own case. uoluntas domini possessionem cordis For by nature God’s will assigned the nostri non uitiis, sed possession of our heart not to vices but uirtutibus naturaliter deputauit. Quae post to virtues, which, after the fall of Adam praeuaricationem Adae insolescentibus uitiis, id were driven out from their own country est populis Chananeis a propria regione depulsae by the sins which grew up, i.e., by the cum ei rursum per dei gratiam diligentia nostra ac Canaanites; and so when by God’s grace labore fuerint restitutae, they are by our efforts and labour non tam alienas occupasse terras quam proprias restored again to it, we may hold that credendae sunt recepisse. they have not occupied the territory of another, but rather have recovered their own country.

[10 ] A Different Model of Vicious Descent, Beginning with Pride (rather than gluttony)

CAPUT XXV. Testimonia CHAPTER 25. Different passages of Scripture on diversa super significa tione octo vitiorum. the meaning of the eight vices .

XXV. De his octo uitiis et in 25.1. AND in reference to these eight euangelio ita significatur : cum autem inmundus vices we also have the following in the spiritus exierit ab homine, ambulat per loca arida gospel: “But when the unclean spirit is quaerens requiem, et non inuenit. Tunc dicit : gone out from a man, he walketh reuertar in domum meam unde exiui : et ueniens through dry places seeking rest and inuenit uacantem, scopis findeth none. Then he saith, I will return mundatam et ornatam : tunc uadit et adsumit alios to my house from whence I came out: spiritus septem nequiores se, et intrantes habitant ibi and coming he findeth it empty, swept, : et fiunt nouissima hominis illius peiora and garnished: then he goeth and taketh prioribus . Ecce ut ibi septem gentes legimus seven other spirits worse than himself, excepta Aegyptiorum de and they enter in and dwell there: and qua egressi fuerant filii Israhel, ita et hic septem the last state of that man is made worse reuerti spiritus dicuntur inmundi excepto eo qui ab than the first.” (Matt. 12:43-45) Lo, just as in homine prius narratur egressus.

46 the former passages we read of seven nations besides that of the Egyptians from which the children of Israel had gone forth, so here too seven unclean spirits are said to return beside that one which we first hear of as going forth from the man. 2. De hoc septenario fomite 25.2. And of this sevenfold incentive of uitiorum Salomon quoque in Prouerbiis ita describit : sins Solomon gives the following si te rogauerit inimicus account in Proverbs: “If thine enemy uoce magna, ne consenseris et : septem speak loud to thee, do not agree to him enim nequitiae sunt in anima eius : id est si because there are seven mischiefs in his superatus gastrimargiae spiritus coeperit tibi sua heart;” (Prov. 26:25 [LXX ]) i.e., if the spirit of humiliatione blandiri, rogans quodammodo ut gluttony is overcome and begins to aliquid relaxans a coepto flatter you with having humiliated it, feruore inpertias ei quod continentiae modum et asking in a sort of way that you would mensuram iustae districtionis excedat, ne relax something of the fervour with resoluaris eius subiectione nec adridente which you began, and yield to it inpugnationis securitate, qua uideris paulisper a something beyond what the due limits of carnalibus incentiuis abstinence, and measure of strict factus quietior, ad pristinam remissionem uel severity would allow, do not you be praeteritas gulae concupiscentias reuertaris. overcome by its submission, nor return Per hoc enim dicit spiritus ille quem uiceras : reuertar in fancied security from its assaults, as in domum meam unde exiui, et procedentes ex eo you seem to have become for a time confestim septem spiritus freed from carnal desires, to your uitiorum erunt tibi acriores quam illa passio quae in previous state of carelessness or former primordiis fuerat superata, qui te mox ad deteriora liking for good things. For through this pertrahent genera the spirit whom you have vanquished is peccatorum. saying “I will return to my house from whence I came out,” and forthwith the seven spirits of sins which proceed from it will prove to you more injurious than that passion which in the first instance

47 you overcame, and will presently drag you down to worse kinds of sins.

CAPUT XXVI. Quod, devicta CHAPTER 26. How when we have got the better passione gulae, impendendus sit labor ad of the passion of gluttony we must take pains to virtutes caeteras gain all the other virtues. obtinendas.

XXVI. Quapropter ieiuniis 26.1. WHEREFORE while we are et continentiae incubantibus nobis practising fasting and abstinence, we festinandum est, ut gulae passione superata protinus must be careful when we have got the animam nostram uacuam esse a necessariis better of the passion of gluttony never to uirtutibus non sinamus, sed eis uniuersos recessus allow our mind to remain empty of the cordis nostri studiosius virtues of which we stand in need; but occupemus, ne reuersus concupiscentiae spiritus we should the more earnestly fill the inanes nos ab ipsis uacantesque repperiat et inmost recesses of our heart with them non sibi iam soli aditum parare contentus for fear lest the spirit of concupiscence introducat secum in animam nostram should return and find us empty and void septenarium hunc fomitem of them, and should not be content to uitiorum et faciat nouissima nostra peiora secure an entrance there for himself prioribus. alone, but should bring in with him into our heart this sevenfold incentive of sins and make our last state worse than the first. 2. Turpior enim erit post 26.2. For the soul which boasts that it has haec et inmundior anima ac supplicio grauiore renounced this world with the eight plectetur, quae se vices that hold sway over it, will renuntiasse huic saeculo gloriatur dominantibus sibi afterwards be fouler and more unclean octo uitiis, quam fuerat quondam in saeculo and visited with severer punishments, constituta, cum nec disciplinam monachi than it was when formerly it was at fuisset professa nec nomen. Nam et nequiores home in the world, when it had taken hi septem spiritus illo upon itself neither the rules nor the name priore qui egressus fuerat idcirco dicuntur, quia of monk. For these seven spirits are said desiderium gulae, id est gastrimargia per sese non to be worse than the first which went esset noxia, nisi

48 intromitteret grauiores forth, for this reason; because the love of alias passiones, id est fornicationis, filargyriae, good things, i.e., gluttony would not be irae, tristitiae siue in itself harmful, were it not that it superbiae, quae per semet noxia animae ac opened the door to other passions; peremptoria esse non dubium est. 3. Et idcirco namely, to fornication, covetousness, perfectionis puritatem numquam poterit obtinere, anger, gloominess, and pride, which are quisquis eam de hac sola continentia, id est ieiunio clearly hurtful in themselves to the soul, corporali sperauerit and domineering over it. And therefore a adquirendam, nisi nouerit ob id se hanc exercere man will never be able to gain perfect debere, ut humiliata carne ieiuniis facilius possit purity, if he hopes to secure it by means aduersus alia uitia inire certamen non insolescente of abstinence alone, i.e., bodily fasting, carne saturitatis ingluuie. unless he knows that he ought to practise it for this reason that when the flesh is brought low by means of fasting, he may with greater ease enter the lists against other vices, as the flesh has not been habituated to gluttony and surfeiting.

CAPUT XXVII. Quod non CHAPTER 27. That our battles are not fought idem ordo praeliorum sit, qui vitiorum. with our vices in the same order as that in which they stand in the list.

XXVII. Sciendum tamen 27.1. BUT you must know that our non eundem esse in omnibus nobis ordinem battles are not all fought in the same proeliorum, quia sicut diximus non uno modo order, because, as we mentioned that the inpugnamur omnes, et oportet unumquemque attacks are not always made on us in the nostrum secundum qualitatem belli quo same way, each one of us ought also to principaliter infestatur begin the battle with due regard to the concertationum luctamen adripere, ita ut alium character of the attack which is necesse sit aduersus uitium quod tertium ponitur especially made on him so that one man primum exercere conflictum, alium contra will have to fight his first battle against quartum siue quintum. Et ita prout ipsa uitia in nobis the vice which stands third on the list, obtinent principatum utque another against that which is fourth or inpugnationis exigit modus, nos quoque

49 oportet ordinem instituere fifth. And in proportion as vices hold proeliorum, secundum quem prouentus quoque sway over us, and the character of their uictoriae triumphique attack may demand, so we too ought to succedens faciet nos ad puritatem cordis et regulate the order of our conflict, in such perfectionis plenitudinem a way that the happy result of a victory peruenire. and triumph succeeding may insure our attainment of purity of heart and complete perfection. 2. Huc usque abbas 27.2. Thus far did Abbot Serapion Sarapion de natura octo principalium uitiorum discourse to us of the nature of the eight nobis disserens latentium principal vices, and so clearly did he in corde nostro passionum genera, quarum causas expound the different sorts of passions atque adfinitates, cum ab ipsis cotidie uastaremur, which are latent within us – the origin nec cognoscere penitus antea nec discernere and connexion of which, though we poteramus, ita lucide reserauit, ut eas were daily tormented by them, we could quodammodo ante oculos never before thoroughly understand and positas intueri nobis uelut in speculo uideremur. perceive – that we seemed almost to see them spread out before our eyes as in a mirror.

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